Bible Dictionary
Saphir
Saphir was a town addressed by the prophet Micah. Its name means beautiful or fair, but its exact location is uncertain.
Definition
Saphir was a town addressed by the prophet Micah. Its name means “beautiful” or “fair.”
Biblical Usage
Micah addresses Saphir in a prophetic passage concerning the towns of Judah.
Historical Background
The town has been identified with es-Suafir or es-Sawafir, a village south or northeast of Ashdod or Ashkelon, but its exact identification is uncertain.
Scripture References
Related Figures
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Beautiful, a town of Judah (Micah 1:11), identified with es-Suafir, 5 miles south-east of Ashdod.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
(fair), one of the villages addressed by the prophet Micha, (Micah 1:11) is described by Eusebius and jerome as “in the mountain district between Eleutheropolis and Ascalon,” perhaps represented by the village es-Sawafir, seven or eight miles to the northeast of Ascalon.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>sa'-fer (shaphir).</p><p>See SHAPHIR.</p>