Boundary of the territory settled by Joktan's descendants
Sephar
Named in 1 verse of Genesis, first in Genesis 10:30.
סְפָרSephar
The name means “book; scribe; number.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869
About Sephar Written by AI
Sephar is mentioned in the Bible as part of the description of the territory settled by the descendants of Joktan, the son of Eber (Gen. 10:30). The text states that the territory extended "from Mesha as you go toward Sephar, the hill country of the east." The exact location of Sephar is unknown, but it is described as a mountain in the eastern region. Some scholars suggest that Sephar may be associated with the ancient city of Zafar (or Dhofar) in modern-day Yemen, which was an important center of the incense trade in ancient times. However, this identification remains uncertain due to the limited information provided in the biblical text. The mention of Sephar in the Table of Nations (Genesis 10) highlights the geographical spread of the descendants of Noah's sons and the development of various nations and people groups in the ancient Near East.
Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.
Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897
Numbering, (Gen. 10:30), supposed by some to be the ancient Himyaritic capital, “Shaphar,” Zaphar, on the Indian Ocean, between the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea.
M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.
14.550, 44.393 See it on a map
Where the Bible names it
- Genesis 10:30
Their territory extended from Mesha to Sephar, in the eastern hill country.
From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.