Places in the Bible Today:

Zaphon 1

Data

Translated NameZaphon
Typesettlement
Geo Data KML (for Google Earth)
GeoJSON (for GIS applications)

4 Possible Identifications

  1. Tell es Sa’idiyeh (modern): 55% confidence
    1. artifact from Tell es Sa’idiyehTell es Sa’idiyeh

  2. Tell el Qos (modern): less than 10% confidence
    1. satellite view of the region around Tell el QosTell el Qos

  3. Tall el Mazar (modern): less than 10% confidence
    1. satellite view of the region around Tall el MazarTall el Mazar

  4. Khirbet Buweib (modern): less than 10% confidence
    1. satellite view of the region around Khirbet BuweibKhirbet Buweib

Verses (2)

  1. Josh 13:27
  2. Judg 12:1

Linked Data Identifiers

SourceIdentifier
Biblemapper.com986
Logos FactbookZaphon
OpenBible.info (2007)Zaphon
OpenBible.infoab49753 (Zaphon 1)
TIPNRZaphon@Jos.13.27
UBS Names Databaseot ID_2530
WikipediaList of minor biblical places#Zaphon (anchor)

Sources

  1. Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (1992): Zaphon (place)
  2. Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land (1990): Zaphon
  3. Baly, Atlas of the Biblical World (1971): Zaphon
  4. Carta Bible Atlas, 5th Edition (2011)
  5. Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000): Zaphon
  6. ESV Bible Atlas (2010)
  7. Expositor’s Bible Commentary (1984): Josh 13:27-28
  8. Grollenberg, Atlas of the Bible (1957): Zaphon
  9. HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (2011): Zaphon
  10. HarperCollins Concise Atlas of the Bible (1991)
  11. Hess, Joshua (1996): 3:16
  12. Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (2003)
  13. Holman Illustrated Guide to Bible Geography (2020): page 178
  14. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1979): Zaphon
  15. IVP Old Testament Bible Background Commentary (2000): Josh 13:24-29; Judg 12:1
  16. New Bible Dictionary (1996): Zaphon
  17. New Interpreter’s Bible Dictionary (2009)
  18. New Unger’s Bible Dictionary (1988)
  19. Oxford Bible Atlas, Fourth Edition (2007)
  20. Reader’s Digest Atlas of the Bible (1981): Zaphon
  21. Tübingen Bible Atlas (2001): Safon
  22. Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible (1956): Zaphon
  23. Woudstra, Joshua (1981): 13:26-27; 13:26-27 note 27
  24. Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia (1975): Zaphon
  25. Zondervan Atlas of the Bible (2010)
  26. Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible (2010)
  27. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (2009): Josh 13:24; Judg 12:1

Confidence Trends over Time

This chart indicates how confidence in the identifications is changing over time. Each dot (connected by a dotted line) reflects the confidence of an identification over the preceding ten years (e.g., the 2009 dot reflects scholarship from 2000 to 2009), and the corresponding solid line reflects a best-fit line for the identification. Confidences that cluster near or below 0% indicate low confidence. Because of the small dataset, it's best to use this chart for general trends; if one identification is trending much higher than the others (in this case, Tell es Sa’idiyeh), then you can probably have higher confidence in the identification. This chart only reflects the sources I consulted (listed above), not an exhaustive review of the literature.

Places with Similar Names

Thumbnail Image Credits

Mary Harrsch, Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2019

About

This page attempts to identify all the possible locations where this biblical place could be. The confidence levels add up to less than 100%, indicating that the modern location is uncertain. It's best to think about the confidences in relative rather than absolute terms. Often they reflect different schools of thought, each confident in their identifications.