Zaphon (Hastings' Dictionary)
A city E. of Jordan, assigned to Gad, Jos 13-'' (B 1a(j>di>, A and Luc. 'Za<j>iJii>). It is named also in Jg 12', where nyst BhouM be rendered ' to Zaphon' (RVra) instead of •northward' (AV and RV). LXX in the latter passage: B, translating, th ^oppav ; A and Luc, not recognizing the n locale, have, respectively, "Kfipdvi. and Zt^prfva. Eusebius and Jerome (OS'' 219, 75; 91, 2(3) mention an Amathus 21 miles south of Pella, and the same place is referred to by Josepbus (BJ I. iv.
2 [if the text be correct]) as the strongest fortress on the Jordan, and as the Beat of one of the -lynedria instituted by Gabinius (Ant. XIV. V. 4). This is the modern 'Anwtch, a little north of the Jabbok, at the mouth of Wady er-Ru"eib. There a])pears to be no reason (in spite of Buhl, GAP, 259) to doubt the Talnmdic tradi- tion that Amathus represented the ancient Zaphon (eee Neubauer, Gfoq. du Tnlm. 249).
Zaplion is probably connected with ]'\'tt Ziphion (Gn 10"'), or (more conectlv) ['1:5! Zgphon, with pentilic name Zephonites (><u 26"; LXX ILatpuv, 'Za4>uv(e)l), described as a ' son ' of Gad.
This topic also has an entry in the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Both articles offer independent scholarly perspectives.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia on Zaphon
Zaphon za'-fon (tsaphon; Codex Vaticanus Saphan; Codex Alexandrinus Saphon): A city on the East of the Jordan in the territory of Gad (Jos 13:27). It is named again in Jg 12:1 as the place where the elders of Gilead gathered to meet with Jephthah (tsaphonah should be translated "to Zaphon," not "northward"). It must have lain well to the North of Gad. According to the Talmud Amathus represented Zaphon (Neubauer, Geog. du Talmud, 249). Here sat one of the Synedria created by Gabinius (Ant., XIV, v, 4). It was a position of great strength (B J, I, iv, 2). Eusebius, Onomasticon places it 21 Roman miles S. of Pella. This is the modern Tell 'Amateh, on the south bank of Wady er-Rujeib, 15 miles South of Pella, and nearly 5 miles North of the Jabbok. Buhl (GAP, 259) objects to the identification that Tell 'Amateh corresponds to the Asophon of Josephus (Ant., XIII, xii, 5). But this objection does not seem well founded. ⇒See a list of verses on ZAPHON in the Bible. W. Ewing ⇒See also the McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia.
Smith's Bible Dictionary on Zaphon
(north), a place mentioned in the enumeration of the allotment of the tribe of Gad. (Joshua 13:27)
References
- Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
- Easton, M.G. (1893) Easton's Bible Dictionary. 3rd edn. Thomas Nelson. [Public Domain]
- Nave, O.J. (1897) Nave's Topical Bible. Topical Bible Publishing Co.. [Public Domain]
- Hastings, J. (ed.) (1909) A Dictionary of the Bible. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Smith, W. (ed.) (1884) Smith's Bible Dictionary. London: John Murray. [Public Domain]
- Fausset, A.R. (1878) Fausset's Bible Dictionary. [Public Domain]A Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopaedia