ZAPHON (‘north’). A city E. of Jordan, assigned to Gad ( Joshua 13:27 ). It is named also in Judges 12:1 , where Zaphônah should be rendered ‘to Zaphon’ (RVm ^[1] ) instead of ‘northward’ (AV ^[2] and RV ^[3] ). Possibly the Talmudic tradition is correct which identifies Zaphon with Amathus, the modero ‘Amâteh , a little north of the Jabbok, at the mouth of Wâdy er-Rugeib . Zaphon is probably connected with Ziphion ( Genesis 46:16 ), or (more correctly) Zĕphon . with gentilic name Zephonites ( Numbers 26:13 ), described as a ‘son’ of Gad.

City in Gad. Joshua 13:27 . Identified with ruins at el Hammeh, 32 42' N, 35 40' E .

(zay' pahn) Place name meaning, “north.” 1. City east of the Jordan River in Gad's territory (Joshua 13:27 ). It was probably a center of worship of the god Baal-zaphon in the days of Canaanite supremacy before the Gadites took over. It is identified with tell el-Qos, tell es-Saidiye, or tell el-Mazar. Shophan (Numbers 32:35 ) may be another spelling of the same city. 2. Mountain viewed as home of the gods in Canaanite thought, perhaps referred to in Psalm 48:2 (NIV), Isaiah 14:13 (NRSV), and Job 26:7 (NRSV), showing Yahweh controls what Canaan thought their gods possessed.