גַּת הַחֵ֫פֶר (gat-ha.che.pher)
gat-ha.che.pher
Gath-hepher
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
Gath-hepher is a proper noun in Hebrew, meaning "winepress of digging." It identifies the hometown of the prophet Jonah, who was from Zebulun. The name appears only twice in the Bible, in 2 Kings 14:25 and Joshua 19:13.
In 2 Kings, it marks Jonah’s origin when King Jeroboam II restores Israel’s borders. Joshua 19:13 lists it as a town in Zebulun’s inheritance. The meaning "winepress of digging" suggests a place where people worked the land to produce wine. This detail grounds the prophet in ordinary agricultural life.
Christians see Gath-hepher as the starting point for Jonah’s story. It shows that God calls people from simple places. The town’s name reminds readers that prophecy often begins in everyday settings. This connection between place and purpose remains significant for understanding Jonah’s mission.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Gath-hepher means "winepress of digging." This name describes a place where people worked hard to turn grapes into wine. It reminds us that God often calls ordinary people from simple, everyday settings. Jonah was not chosen because he lived in a grand city or held high status. He came from a small town focused on farming and local trade.
When 2 Kings mentions Jonah’s origin, it connects his prophetic voice to this humble background. This shows that God uses people wherever they are. Your current situation does not limit your purpose. The same God who spoke through a man from Gath-hepher knows your daily life. He can use your ordinary moments for meaningful work.
Thinking about this place helps us see that our starting point matters less than who calls us. We do not need to move to a new city or change our jobs to serve God. Faithfulness in the small, familiar details of life is where true purpose often begins. This truth brings comfort to anyone feeling stuck in routine.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- [was] from/ Gath1×
- Hepher1×
- Gath/ towards1×
- <the>/ Hepher1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִ/גַּ֥ת1×
- חֵ֖פֶר1×
- הַ/חֵֽפֶר\׃1×
- גִּתָּ֥/ה1×
Key Verses
-
II Kings 14:25
He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the sea of the Arabah, according to Yahweh, the God of Israel’s word, which he spoke by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath Hepher.
This verse identifies Jonah’s hometown as the source of his prophetic authority during a time of national restoration.
-
Joshua 19:13
From there it passed along eastward to Gath Hepher, to Ethkazin; and it went out at Rimmon which stretches to Neah.
This listing places Gath-hepher within the tribal inheritance of Zebulun, grounding the prophet in specific historical territory.