ZAPHON zā’ fŏn (צָפֹ֗ון; LXX Σαφάν and Σαφών, meaning north). A town lying to the E of Jordan in the territory of Gad (Josh 13:27). It is prob. referred to in Judges 12:1 as the place where the Ephraimites gathered (tr. צָפֹ֑ונָה “to Zaphon” not “northward”) to meet with Jephthah who had just defeated the Ammonites. A battle ensued (Judg 12:4) and the Ephraimites were defeated. Zaphon is known in Egyp. records of the nineteenth dynasty as dapuna, and in one of the Armana letters (q.v.) as Sapuna. A princess called “the lady of the lions” sought help from the Pharaoh to ward off invaders. Some have conjectured that the name Zaphon may indicate that it was once a shrine of Baalzephon (q.v.).

Various identifications have been proposed among which are Tell es Sa’idiyeh (see Zeredah) and Tell el Qos on the N side of the Wadi Rajeb. Both sites command a fine view of the Jordan valley and both are some distance from the Jordan fords (Judg 12:5).

Bibliography F. M. Abel, Géographie de la Palestine (1938), 448; N. Glueck, “Explorations in Eastern Palestine, IV,” AASOR XXVXXVIII (1951), pt. 1, 297-300, 334-355.