Saphir
(Heb. Shaphir’, ,fair; Sept. translates as adverb, ), A place in the kingdom of Judah, named only in Mic 1:11. By Eusebius and Jerome (Onomast. s.v. Saphir) it is described as in the mountain district between Eleutheropolis and Ascalon. But in this description Dr. Robinson thinks that the Onomasticon incorrectly takes it for one of the Hazors of Jos 15:25, in the south of Judah (Bibl. Res. 2, 370). On the way from Jerusalem to Gaza, at Kuratiyeh, Robinson saw a place called by the Arabs es-Sawafir, N. 32 W., which seems to be a plural form for Saphir (comp. Gesenius, Thesaur. s.v. ). Es-Sawafir lies seven or eight miles to the northeast of Ascalon, and about twelve west of Beit-Jibrin, to the right of the coast road from Gaza (Van de Velde, Syr. and Pal. p. 159). Tobler prefers a village called Saber, close to Sawafir. containing a copious and apparently very ancient well (Dritte Wanderung, p. 47). In one important respect, however, the position of neither of these agrees with the notice of the Onomasticon, since it is not near the mountains, but on the open plain of the Shefelah. But as Beit-Jibrin, the ancient Eleutheropolis, stands on the western slopes of the mountains of Judah, it is difficult to understand how any place could be westward of it (i.e. between it and Ascalon), and yet be itself in the mountain district, unless that expression may refer to places which, though situated in the plain, were for some reason considered as belonging to the towns of the mountains. SEE KEILAH; SEE NEZIB, etc. Schwarz, though aware of the existence of Sawafir (p. 116), suggests as a more feasible identification the village of Safiriyeh, a couple of miles northwest of Lydda (Palest. p. 136). The drawback to this is, that the places mentioned by Micah appear, as far as we can trace them to be mostly near Beit-Jibrin, and, in addition, that Safiriyeh is in clear contradiction to the notice of Eusebius and Jerome (Smith). Van de Velde inclines to identify Saphir with one of the two other villages named es-Sawafir south by east of Esdfud, and nearer to it (Memoir, p. 346).
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Saphir (2)
The probable representative of this place is thus described in the Memoirs accompanying the Ordnance Survey (2:413):
“Three mud villages of the name es-Suafir exist close together. It is probably the Zeoplir in the territory of Ascalon, given as properly to the bishop of Bethlehem, A.D. 1100 (William of Tyre). The most ancient of the sites would appear to be Suafir esh-Shemaliyeh (the most northerly of the three), where there are ruined cisterns of rubble masonry. There are small gardens and wells at each village.”
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Saphir
beautiful, a town of Judah (Micah 1:11), identified with es-Suafir, 5 miles south-east of Ashdod.
Fuente: Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Saphir
(“beautiful”.) A village addressed by Micah (Mic 1:11). “In the mountain district between Eleutheropolis and Ascalon” (Eusebius and Jerome, Onomast.). In this direction lies now es Sawafir, seven miles N.E. of Ascalon, and twelve W. of Beit Jibrin (Eleutheropolis), to the right of the coast road from Gaza; Sawafir is however not “in the mountain district,” but on the open plain.
Fuente: Fausset’s Bible Dictionary
Saphir
safer (, shaphr). See SHAPHIR.
Fuente: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Saphir
[Sa’phir]
City mentioned in Mic 1:11, the inhabitants of which are thus addressed, “Pass ye away . . . . having thy shame naked,” when judgements are being proclaimed against Judah and Israel. The name signifies ‘fair, beautiful’: it should be changed into ‘shame.’ Probably one of the three villages named es Suafir near 31 42′ N, 34 42′ E.
Fuente: Concise Bible Dictionary
Saphir
H8208
A city prophesied against by Micah.
Mic 1:11
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
Saphir
Saph’ir. (fair). One of the villages, addressed by the prophet, Micha, Mic 1:11, is described by Eusebius and Jerome as “in the mountain district between Eleutheropolis and Ascalon,” perhaps represented by the village es-Sawafir, seven or eight miles to the northeast of Ascalon.