GATH-HEPHER

(Gath-heʹpher) [Winepress of Hepher (Digging)].

A border city of Zebulun (Jos 19:10, 13) and home of the prophet Jonah. (2Ki 14:25) It is usually identified with Khirbet ez-Zurraʽ (Tel Gat Hefer), about 4 km (2.5 mi) NNE of Nazareth and just W of Meshhed (Mash-had), the traditional site of Jonah’s tomb. Surface explorations at Khirbet ez-Zurraʽ appear to corroborate the Biblical statements that the site was occupied at both time periods in the aforementioned accounts.