Shephuphan

SHEPHUPHAN (shē-fū'făm, Heb. shephû- phān). A grandson of Benjamin through Bela his firstborn (1Chr.8.5). The name appears in Gen.46.21 as “Muppim”; in 1Chr.7.12, 1Chr.7.15 as Shuppites; and in 26:16 as “Shuppim.”

---

SHEPHUPHAM shĭ fu’ fəm (שְׁפוּפָ֕ם, serpent). A son of Benjamin whose family was called Sheuphamites (Num 26:39). Shuppim rather than Shuphamites is listed along with Huppim in 1 Chronicles 7:12 as a son of Ir in the Benjamite tribe. Shephuphan (“serpent”), son of Bela, is the name of a descendant of Benjamin in another genealogical list (1 Chron 8:5). In the several genealogical lists of Benjamin there seems to be the tendency toward the use of pairs of names of similar sound with some variations occurring. For example, in the Numbers list there are Shephupham and Shuphamites (Num 26:39; KJV has Shupham and Shuphamites), and Hupham and Huphamites. In 1 Chronicles 7 there are the more abbreviated forms Shuppim and Huppim, as well as Hushim (7:12). Muppim and Huppim are among the sons of Benjamin (Gen 46:21). There seems to have been a trend toward stylization and simplification of names. Thus Shephupham and Shephuphan (a variant spelling for the name of the same man) are perhaps the earlier forms which were preserved with the later stylized forms.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)

or she-fu’-fan (shephupham; Codex Vaticanus and Codex Alexandrinus Sophan; Lucian, Sophan (Nu 26:39 (43)); or Shephuphan, shephuphan; Codex Vaticanus Sopharphak, Codex Alexandrinus Sophan, Lucian, Seppham (1Ch 8:5), "a kind of serpent," Gray, HPN, 95): Eponym of a Benjamite family. The name occurs in Ge 46:21 as "Muppim" and in 1Ch 7:12,15; 26:16 as "Shuppim." It is almost impossible to arrive at the original form; the gentilic "Shuphamites" appears in Nu 26:39 (43).