חֲפָרַיִם (cha.pha.ra.yim)
cha.pha.ra.yim
Hapharaim
N:N--LQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N--L
Word Overview
The noun ḥăp̄ārāyim, meaning "two pits," is a rare place name found in the Hebrew Bible. It appears only once, in Joshua 19:19, where it identifies a town allotted to the tribe of Issachar. The form is dual, indicating a pair of features that gave the settlement its distinctive identity.
Lexical sources note that this location is another name for Ophrah (H6084). While the exact nature of these "pits" remains unspecified in the text, the name likely refers to man-made cisterns or natural depressions essential for water storage in the region. This single mention anchors the town within the territorial boundaries assigned to Issachar during the division of the Promised Land.
Its brevity in Scripture highlights how many ancient Israelite towns were known by local, descriptive titles rather than grand epithets. The word serves as a geographical marker, linking the tribe of Issachar to specific landscape features that sustained community life.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Hapharaim means "two pits," a simple description of the physical landscape that sustained the tribe of Issachar. In ancient Israel, water sources like cisterns or natural depressions were vital for survival, turning ordinary geography into a defining identity for a community. This single mention in Joshua reminds us that God’s promises are grounded in real places and practical needs.
For your faith life, this word invites you to see the sacred in the everyday. Just as those pits provided essential water, the small, steady details of your daily routine can become channels for God’s provision. You do not need grand titles or dramatic events to be part of His story; your specific location and circumstances are exactly where He places you.
When you feel overlooked or insignificant, remember that every town allotted in Joshua had a purpose. Your current season, with all its ordinary features, is held within God’s careful plan. Trust that He knows the terrain of your life and provides what is needed for each step.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ Hapharaim1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וַ/חֲפָרַ֥יִם1×
Key Verses
-
Joshua 19:19
Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath,
This verse anchors Hapharaim as a specific inheritance for Issachar, showing how God’s distribution of land included even the smallest, most locally named settlements.