Sepharvaim was one of the cities from which the Assyrians brought people to resettle in Samaria after the deportation of the Israelites (2Ki. 17:24, 31; 18:34; 19:13; Isa. 36:19; 37:13).
Also known as Sepharim · Sepharvites
Sepharvaim is mentioned in the Bible as one of the cities from which the Assyrians brought people to resettle in Samaria after the deportation of the Israelites (2Ki. 17:24, 31). The people of Sepharvaim, along with those from other cities, were brought in to replace the exiled Israelites and to populate the cities of Samaria. These foreign settlers brought with them their own gods and religious practices, including the worship of Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim (2Ki. 17:31). The exact location of Sepharvaim is uncertain, but it is mentioned alongside other cities conquered by the Assyrians, such as Hamath and Arpad (2Ki. 18:34; 19:13; Isa. 36:19; 37:13). Some scholars propose that Sepharvaim may be identified with the Babylonian city of Sippar, located on the east bank of the Euphrates River, while others suggest it could be a city in Syria or Cilicia. The resettlement of people from Sepharvaim and other cities in Samaria contributed to the mixed religious and cultural background of the Samaritans, who were later regarded with animosity by the Jews.
Approximate location: 33.790, 44.459 · view on a map · on the Bible atlas
Taken by Sargon, king of Assyria (2 Kings 17:24; 18:34; 19:13; Isa. 37:13). It was a double city, and received the common name Sepharvaim, i.e., “the two Sipparas,” or “the two booktowns.” The Sippara on the east bank of the Euphrates is now called Abu-Habba; that on the other bank was Accad, the old capital of Sargon I., where he established a great library. (See SARGON.) The recent discovery of cuneiform inscriptions at Tel el-Amarna in Egypt, consisting of official despatches to Pharaoh Amenophis IV. and his predecessor from their agents in Palestine, proves that in the century before the Exodus an active literary intercourse was carried on between these nations, and that the medium of the correspondence was the Babylonian language and script. (See KIRJATH-SEPHER.)
(the two Sipparas) is mentioned by Sennacherib in his letter to Hezekiah as a city whose king had been unable to resist the Assyrians. (2 Kings 19:13; Isaiah 37:13) comp. 2Kin 18:34 It is identified with the famous town of Sippara., on the Euphrates above Babylon, which was near the site of the modern Mosaib. The dual form indicates that there were two Sipparas, one on either side of the river. Berosus celled Sippara “a city of the sun;” and in the inscriptions it bears the same title, being called Tsipar sha Shamas, or “Sippara of the Sun”—the sun being the chief object of worship there. Comp. (2 Kings 17:31)
the two books; the two scribes
SEPHARVA'IM (the two Sipparas, one being on each side of the river), a place in Assyria from whence colonists came into Israel or Samaria. 2 Kgs 17:24; 2 Kgs 18:34; 2 Kgs 19:13; Isa 36:19; Ps 37:13. Rawlinson and others have proposed to identify it with Sippara, a town on the Euphrates, between Hit and Babylon. It was built on both sides of the Euphrates, or of the canal, and the one was called Sipar-sa-Samas - i.e., "consecrated to Samas, the sun-god ;" the other was called Sipar-sa-Anunit, "consecrated to the goddess Anunit." On the monuments it is called "Sippara of the Sun." It had a library, probably similar to that found at Nineveh, which has been deciphered by George Smith and others. The modern town Mosaib now stands near its site.
SEPHARVA'IM (the two Sipparas, one being on each side of the river), a place in Assyria from whence colonists came into Israel or Samaria. 2 Kgs 17:24; 2 Kgs 18:34; 2 Kgs 19:13; Isa 36:19; Ps 37:13. Rawlinson and others have proposed to identify it with Sippara, a town on the Euphrates, between Hit and Babylon. It was built on both sides of the Euphrates, or of the canal, and the one was called Sipar-sa-Samas - i.e., "consecrated to Samas, the sun-god ;" the other was called Sipar-sa-Anunit, "consecrated to the goddess Anunit." On the monuments it is called "Sippara of the Sun." It had a library, probably similar to that found at Nineveh, which has been deciphered by George Smith and others. The modern town Mosaib now stands near its site.
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.
6 verses in 2 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s H5617
Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took possession of Samaria and lived in its towns.
the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech the gods of the Sepharvaim.
Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand?
Where are the kings of Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?’”
Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria from my hand?
Where are the kings of Hamath, Arpad, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?’”
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.