Sepharad, possibly referring to Sardis, was a destination of exiled Jews (Obad. 1:20) and one of the seven churches mentioned in Revelation (Rev. 1:11; 3:1, 4).
Also known as Sardis
Sepharad is mentioned in the Bible as a place where exiled Jews were located (Obad. 1:20). The exact location of Sepharad is uncertain, but many scholars believe it refers to Sardis, an ancient city in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Sardis was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia and later became an important city in the Persian and Roman empires.
In the book of Revelation, Sardis is mentioned as one of the seven churches addressed by Jesus (Rev. 1:11; 3:1, 4). The church in Sardis is rebuked for its spiritual deadness and is called to repent and strengthen what remains (Rev. 3:1-3). However, there were a few faithful believers in Sardis who had not defiled their garments, and they are promised to walk with Jesus in white (Rev. 3:4).
If Sepharad and Sardis are indeed the same place, the reference in Obadiah suggests that a Jewish community existed there, possibly as a result of the Babylonian exile. The mention of Sardis in Revelation highlights the city's significance in early Christian history and the challenges faced by the church in that location.
Approximate location: 38.477, 28.114 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
(Obad. 1:20), some locality unknown. The modern Jews think that Spain is meant, and hence they designate the Spanish Jews “Sephardim,” as they do the German Jews by the name “Ashkenazim,” because the rabbis call Germany Ashkenaz. Others identify it with Sardis, the capital of Lydia. The Latin father Jerome regarded it as an Assyrian word, meaning “boundary,” and interpreted the sentence, “which is in Sepharad,” by “who are scattered abroad in all the boundaries and regions of the earth.” Perowne says: “Whatever uncertainty attaches to the word Sepharad, the drift of the prophecy is clear, viz., that not only the exiles from Babylon, but Jewish captives from other and distant regions, shall be brought back to live prosperously within the enlarged borders of their own land.”
(separated), a name which occurs in (Obadiah 1:20) only. Its situation has always been a matter of uncertainty.
SEPH'ARAD (separation), a place from whence captive Jews would return to the cities of the South. It is named only in Ob 20. Some identify the place with Sardis in Lydia; others with Zarephath; while modern Jews regard it as Spain, and others identify it with Sipphara. See Sepharvaim.
SEPH'ARAD (separation), a place from whence captive Jews would return to the cities of the South. It is named only in Ob 20. Some identify the place with Sardis in Lydia; others with Zarephath; while modern Jews regard it as Spain, and others identify it with Sipphara. See Sepharvaim.
Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.
4 verses in 2 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H5614
And the exiles of this host of the Israelites will possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath; and the exiles from Jerusalem who are in Sepharad will possess the cities of the Negev.
saying, “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of the One who holds the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation for being alive, yet you are dead.
But you do have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments, and because they are worthy, they will walk with Me in white.
Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.