Zarephath (Hastings' Dictionary)

The Arab, village of Sarafcnd lies on a promontory about eight miles south of Zidon. On the shore in front of it are the scattered remains of what must have been a considerable town, the Zarephath or Sareptaof the Bible. This was possibly also Misrephothmaim of Jos 11* 13' [but see AIisrephoth-maim]. Zarephath origin- ally belonged to Zidon (1 K 17'), but passed into the possession of "fyre after the assistance rendered by tlie fleet of Zidon to Shalmaneser IV. in B.C.

722 in his abortive attempt to capture insular T3Te. In Lk 4^ it is again called a city of Sidon (RV ' in the land of Sidon '). Zarephath is included in the list of to^vn3 captured by Sennacherib when he invaded Phoenicia in B.C. 701. It was the tf wn in ■which Elijah lodged during the years of famine (1 K 17*'"^). In the middle of the present ruins, by the shore, stands a shrine of St.

George, occupy- ing the place of the Crusaders' Chapel, wliich was buUt on the traditional site of Elijah's upper room. The rewarded faith of tlie Gentile woman of Sarepta was recalled by Clirist in the synagogue of Nazareth, and the allusion gave deep ofl'ence to His hearers ,'Lk 4-^''). Here may have lived the Syro- Phoenician woman whose faith was greatly commended by Christ, and ■Nvhose daughter was healed by Him (Mt 15""^, Mk 7«»'). G. M. Mackie.