Galilee and Gath-hepher

“How am I to connect ‘Jonah of Gath-hepher’ (2 Kings 14:25) with ‘Galilee’?”

Yes, it was over condensed; but you will be able to connect Gath-hepher with Galilee by the book of Joshua (19:10–16), where the lot of the children of Zebulon is specified, and Gath-hepher (R.V.) (Gittah-hepher, A.V.) among their cities (compare Isaiah 9:1). There were at least three Gaths in Palestine. (The name means winepress—the trough where they trod the grapes.) There was first the Gath of the Philistines, of Achish, to whom David fled (1 Samuel 27.), the birthplace of Goliath (1 Samuel 17:4) whom David slew. This was the most celebrated place. Then there was Gath-hepher (“winepress of the well”) in Zebulon, whence Jonah came. And again, Gath-rimmon (“winepress of the pomegranate”) in Dan (Joshua 19:45). The Philistine Gath and Gath-hepher have been identified by the Palestine Exploration Fund survey, the latter being El Meshed, three miles north-east of Nazareth and containing the tomb of Jonah (Neby Yunas).

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Author: C. C. Walker

Keywords: Gath, Gath Hepher, Gath-Hepher, Galilee, Gittah-hepher

Bible reference(s): Jos 19:13 , 2 Kings 14:25, Joshua 20:7, Joshua 21:32, 1 Kings 9:11, 2 Kings 15:29, 1 Chronicles 6:76, Isaiah 9:1, Matthew 2:22, Matthew 3:13, Matthew 4:12, Matthew 4:15, Matthew 4:18, Matthew 4:23, Matthew 4:25, Matthew 15:29, Matthew 17:22, Matthew 19:1, Matthew 21:11, Matthew 26:32, Matthew 26:69, Matthew 27:55, Matthew 28:7, Matthew 28:10, Matthew 28:16, Mark 1:9, Mark 1:14, Mark 1:16, Mark 1:28, Mark 1:39, Mark 3:7, Mark 6:21, Mark 7:31, Mark 9:30, Mark 14:28, Mark 15:41, Mark 16:7, Luke 1:26, Luke 2:4, Luke 2:39, Luke 3:1, Luke 4:14, Luke 4:31, Luke 4:44, Luke 5:17, Luke 8:26, Luke 17:11, Luke 23:5, Luke 23:6, Luke 23:49, Luke 23:55, Luke 24:6, John 1:43, John 2:1, John 2:11, John 4:3, John 4:43, John 4:45, John 4:46, John 4:47, John 4:54, John 6:1, John 7:1, John 7:9, John 7:41, John 7:52, John 12:21, John 21:2, Acts 1:11, Acts 5:37, Acts 9:31, Acts 10:37, Acts 13:31, Tobit 1:2, Judith 1:8, Judith 15:5, 1 Maccabees 5:14, 1 Maccabees 5:15, 1 Maccabees 5:17, 1 Maccabees 5:20, 1 Maccabees 5:21, 1 Maccabees 5:23, 1 Maccabees 5:55, 1 Maccabees 10:30, 1 Maccabees 11:63, 1 Maccabees 12:47, 1 Maccabees 12:49

Source: “Answers to Correspondents,” The Christadelphian, Vol. 66, No. 776, 1929.

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