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Shephelah
Excerpt from the Lexham Bible Dictionary, the most advanced Bible dictionary.
Geographic region in Palestine between the coastal plain and the heartland of Judah.
Lexham Bible Dictionary
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The Lexham Bible Dictionary
Shephelah
Shephelah (שְׁפֵלָה‎, shephelah). Geographic region in Palestine between the coastal plain and the heartland of Judah.
Mizpah of Judah
Mizpah of Judah A town of Mizpeh allotted to the tribe of Judah in the Shephelah (or lowland; Josh 15:38).
The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary
Shephelah (Place)
SHEPHELAH (PLACE) [Heb šĕpēlâ (שְׁפֵלָה)]. This regional name is mentioned 20 times in the Hebrew Bible (arguably 21 times if one includes Isa 32:19) where the vowels are slightly different. In all but two cases a region adjacent to the highlands of Judah is intended. It is difficult to translate
Mizpah (Place)
MIZPAH (PLACE) [Heb hamiṣpâ (הַמִצְפָּה)]. Var. MIZPEH. A place-name connected with several biblical sites in and around Palestine. The toponym, deriving from the root ṣph meaning “to guard,” or “to watch,” suggests the location at a site of a military outpost, observatory, or “watchtower” (see the
Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible
Shephelah
Shephelah. Longitudinal geographical division of Palestine, situated between the Mediterranean coastal plain and the western plateau, or Judean highlands (1 Kgs 10:27; 1 Chr 27:28; 2 Chr 1:15; 9:27; 26:10; 28:18; Jer 17:26; 32:44; 33:13; Ob 1:19). The term is derived from a root meaning “to be or become
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised
Shephelah
Shephelah shə-fēʹlä [Heb. šep̱ēlâ]; AV VALE, VALLEY, PLAIN, LOW PLAIN, LOW COUNTRY; AV Apoc. SEPHELA (1 Macc. 12:38).
Mizpah (of Judah)
4. In Judah [Heb hammiṣpâ; Gk Maspha]. A town in the second precinct of the Shephelah (Josh. 15:38) associated with Lachish and Makkedah. Eusebius apparently referred to this site when he mentioned another Mizpah (Gk Massēba) on the northern border of the Eleutheropolis district (Onom 130.2f) and
Tyndale Bible Dictionary
Shephelah
SHEPHELAH* Lowlands or foothills of Judah (see nlt mg, Jos 15:33; 1 Chr 27:28).
The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (Revised and Updated)
Shephelah
Shephelah (shi-fee´luh), an area of the western Levant that consists of low hills separating the coastal plains from the central mountain ridge to the east. It is often called the “Shephelah of Judah.” These hills provided a buffer between Judah and Philistia, and both parties sought control of the Shephelah
Mizpah, Mizpeh
Mizpah, Mizpeh (miz´puh; Heb., “watchtower,”). In addition to being the name of a territory and four cities, the Hebrew word mizpah occurs frequently with the definite article to mean “the watchtower.” Mizpeh is a variant spelling of Mizpah, occurring four times in the nrsv (Josh. 11:3, 8; 15:38; 18:26).
The Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia
Shephelah
SHEPHELAH. The name given in The RSV and NASB (e.g., 1 Chr 27:28) to the lowlands or foothills of southern Palestine, between the central mountainous ridge and the Mediterranean. It contained the strategic defense centers of Lachish, Debir, Libnah, and Beth-shemesh. See Palestine II.B.2.e.
The New Bible Dictionary, Third Edition
Shephelah
SHEPHELAH (Heb. šep̱ēlâ), a geographical term for the low hill tract between the coastal plain of *Palestine and the high central ranges. The term is used only in the av of 1 Macc. 12:38, which elsewhere translates as ‘vale’, ‘valley’ or (low) ‘plain(s)’, although the district is frequently referred
Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible
Shephelah
Shephelah (Heb. šĕp̱êlâ)The lowland region between the coastal plain in the west and the Judean hills to the east. The Sharon Plain and Negeb Desert comprise the northern and southern boundaries, respectively—an area between the latitudes of modern Tel Aviv and Gaza. The Shephelah encompasses an
Mizpah, Mizpeh
Mizpah (Heb. miṣpâ), MIZPEH (miṣpeh)1. Mizpah of Gilead. The name given by Jacob as a sign of his covenant with Laban (Gen. 31:49). The so-called Mizpah benediction invokes Yahweh to monitor the parties’ compliance with the covenant stipulations. Later, Israel’s forces assembled here in preparation
Eerdmans Bible Dictionary
Shephelah, the
SHEPHELAH[shĕ fāˊlə, shĕ fēˊlə], the (Heb. haššep̱ēlâ “lowland”).† In the Old Testament usually a proper name designating the foothills going down westward from the central hill country of Judah to the coastal plains of Philistia (RSV also “lowland”; KJV “vale,” “valley[s],” “plain[s]”).
The Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land
Plain (The); Shephelah
PLAIN (THE); SHEPHELAH The Plain, Shephelah in Hebrew, is one of the geographical regions of Palestine frequently mentioned in the Bible (Deut. 1:7; Josh. 9:1; Authorized Version: ‘valleys’; 10:40; Authorized Version: ‘vale’, etc.). Its Hebrew name implies that it was an intermediate region between the
Catholic Bible Dictionary
Shephelah
SHEPHELAH The lowlands of western Canaan between the coastal plain and the central hill country (Deut 1:7; Josh 10:40, 12:8; Judg 1:9). The Shephelah of Judah bordered the traditional Philistine territory (Josh 15:33). The Shephelah of Israel (Josh 11:1–3, 16) denoted the area of hills between the mountains
See also
Topics & Themes
Mizpah (of Judah)