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Gath Hepher

GATH HEPHER (Heb. gath ha-hēpher, winepress of the well). A town on Zebulun’s border (Josh.19.12-Josh.19.13). Birthplace of Jonah the prophet (2Kgs.14.25). Now El Meshed, where his supposed tomb is still shown, on a hill two miles (three km.) from Nazareth in Galilee.



GATH-HEPHER găth he’ fər (גִּתָּ֥ה חֵ֖פֶר, winepress of digging) KJV GITTAH-HEPHER, gĭt’ e hē fer. A town on the border of Zebulun and Naphtali in the tribe of Zebulun (Josh 19:13) and the home of the prophet Jonah. The town is prob. to be identified with Khirbet ez-Zurra, about three m. NE of Nazareth. Nearby, to the N, is the village of Meshhed, which is the traditional site of Jonah’s tomb. Archeological evidence for the occupation of this site during the time of Jonah has been found. Jerome reported visiting this tomb in his lifetime.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

(gath ha-chepher, "winepress of the pit"):

A town on the boundary of Zebulun (Jos 19:13; the King James Version in error, "Gittah- hapher"), the birthplace of the prophet Jonah (2Ki 14:25). Jerome (Commentary on Jonah) speaks of Geth as an inconsiderable village, about 2 miles from Sepphoris on the Tiberias road, where the tomb of Jonah was shown. Benjamin of Tudela says that Jonah the son of Amittai the prophet was buried "in the mountain" near Sepphoris (Bohn, Early Travels in Palestine, 88). These indications agree with the local tradition which identifies Gath-hepher with el-Meshhed, a village with ancient ruins on a height North of the road as one goes to Tiberias, about 2 miles from Nazareth, and half a mile from Kefr Kennah.