Lexical Summary Beth Leaphrah: House of Dust Original Word: בֵּית לְעַפְרָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance house of Aphrah From bayith and the feminine of aphar (with preposition interposed); house to (i.e. Of) dust; Beth-le-Aphrah, a place in Palestine -- house of Aphrah. see HEBREW bayith see HEBREW aphar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom bayith and aphar Definition "house to dust," a place in Pal. NASB Translation Beth-le-aphrah (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs בֵּית לְעַפְרָה proper name, of a location apparently in Philistine territory Micah 1:10; site unknown, & text dubious בֵּית מִלּוֺא see מִלּוֺא below מלא. בֵּית מְעוֺן see בֵּית בַּעַל מְעוֺן above Topical Lexicon Name and Meaning Beth-leaphrah means “house of dust,” an apt wordplay Micah employs to summon the town to literal and symbolic humiliation. Biblical Occurrence Micah 1:10 is the sole reference: “Do not tell it in Gath; do not weep at all. Roll in the dust at Beth-leaphrah”. The prophet strings a series of place-names along the invasion route into Judah, turning each name into an oracle of judgment. Historical Context Micah prophesied in the late eighth century BC, when the Assyrian Empire pressed southward after the fall of Samaria in 722 BC and threatened Judah under King Hezekiah (2 Kings 18–19). The woe-oracle of Micah 1 foresees that incursion: fortified towns of the Shephelah and hill country would fall one by one, demonstrating that Judah’s covenant infidelities had provoked divine discipline. Geographical Considerations Beth-leaphrah is generally placed among the lower Judean foothills between Gath and Jerusalem. The lament sequence moves from Philistine territory eastward toward the capital, matching the historical path Sennacherib later took (Isaiah 36–37). While the exact tell is disputed, its inclusion alongside cities such as Lachish and Mareshah suggests a strategic settlement guarding western approaches to Judah. Literary and Theological Significance 1. Wordplay and prophetic poignancy: The call to “roll in the dust” (literally, “wallow in dust”) combines the meaning of the town’s name with the mourning rite (Joshua 7:6; Job 42:6). Dust recalls humanity’s origin and mortality (Genesis 3:19), underlining the total abasement required by impending judgment. Prophetic Impact The predicted devastation unfolded when Assyria swept through Judah, yet Jerusalem was spared (2 Kings 19:35). The fulfillment testified to the precision of inspired prophecy and underscored the Lord’s sovereign control over nations and towns alike. Lessons for Ministry and Faith • Humility before God: Rolling in dust pictures repentance; believers are called to “humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you” (James 4:10). Related Scriptures Genesis 3:19; Joshua 7:6; 2 Samuel 1:20; Job 42:6; Psalm 22:15; Isaiah 52:2; Micah 1:8–16; Micah 5:2; Luke 10:13–14; James 4:10 Forms and Transliterations לְעַפְרָ֔ה לעפרה lə‘ap̄rāh lə·‘ap̄·rāh leafRahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Micah 1:10 HEB: תִּבְכּ֑וּ בְּבֵ֣ית לְעַפְרָ֔ה עָפָ֖ר [הִתְפַּלָּשְׁתִּי NAS: not at all. At Beth-le-aphrah roll KJV: ye not at all: in the house of Aphrah roll INT: nay all Beth-le-aphrah the dust roll self 1 Occurrence |
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