### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
**G4558 (Sárepta)** is a Greek proper noun, a transliteration of the Hebrew place name **צָרְפַת (Tsarephath)**, which is `{{H6881}}`. The Hebrew root צרף (ṣārap̄) means "to refine, to smelt, to purify," often in the context of metals. While the place name itself functions purely as a geographical identifier in the biblical text, its etymological root might subtly allude to a place of purification or a center for metalworking, though this is not explicitly developed in its biblical usage. Sarepta refers to a specific Phoenician town situated on the Mediterranean coast, between the major cities of Sidon and Tyre. Its significance is entirely derived from its role as the setting for a pivotal event in the ministry of the prophet Elijah.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The Greek term **G4558 (Sárepta)** appears only once in the New Testament: [[Luke 4:26]]. In this passage, Jesus is teaching in His hometown synagogue in Nazareth. He recounts a historical precedent to illustrate His point about prophetic reception and divine sovereignty: "And to none of them was Elijah sent, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow." This direct reference points back to the extensive Old Testament narrative found in [[1 Kings 17:8-24]], where the Hebrew form **צָרְפַת (Tsarephath)**, `{{H6881}}`, is used.
In [[1 Kings 17]], during a severe famine that God had brought upon Israel due to Ahab's idolatry, the Lord commanded Elijah to go to Zarephath. There, Elijah encountered a destitute widow and her son, on the verge of starvation. Despite her dire circumstances, the widow demonstrated remarkable faith by sharing her last handful of flour and drop of oil with Elijah, as he requested. In response to her obedience, God miraculously sustained her and her son, ensuring that their jar of flour and jug of oil did not run dry until the famine ended. Later, when her son fell ill and died, Elijah raised him back to life. The significance of Sarepta in both Testaments lies in God's sovereign choice to extend His grace and miraculous provision to a Gentile woman outside of Israel, highlighting His universal concern and the power of faith beyond ethnic boundaries.
### Related Words & Concepts
* **צָרְפַת (Tsarephath)** `{{H6881}}`: The Hebrew original of Sarepta, found in the Old Testament, particularly in [[1 Kings 17]]. It is the direct linguistic and geographical antecedent to the Greek term.
* **Elijah (אֵלִיָּהוּ)** `{{H452}}`: The prophet whose ministry is inextricably linked with Sarepta. His presence there underscores God's ability to work powerfully through His chosen servants, even in foreign lands.
* **Widow (χήρα)** `{{G5503}}`: The unnamed woman of Sarepta, whose faith, hospitality, and experience of divine provision and resurrection are central to the narrative. She serves as a profound example of God's grace toward the marginalized and those outside the covenant community.
* **Famine (λιμός)** `{{G3042}}`: The severe drought and famine in Israel during the reign of King Ahab (see [[1 Kings 17:1]]), which served as the divine catalyst for Elijah's journey to Sarepta. This context highlights God's judgment and His faithful provision for those who trust Him amidst widespread desolation.
* **Gentiles (ἔθνος)** `{{G1484}}`: Sarepta's location in Phoenicia, a non-Israelite territory, makes the widow a Gentile. Jesus' specific mention of her in [[Luke 4]] emphasizes God's prerogative to extend His blessings and salvation to those outside the traditional covenant, foreshadowing the inclusion of Gentiles in the New Covenant.
### Theological Significance
The narrative of Sarepta, as presented in [[1 Kings 17]] and referenced by Jesus in [[Luke 4]], is rich with theological implications:
* **Divine Sovereignty and Universal Grace:** Jesus' use of the Sarepta example in [[Luke 4]] powerfully illustrates God's sovereign freedom to bestow His grace where and when He chooses, often defying human expectations. By sending Elijah to a Gentile widow outside of Israel, God demonstrated that His compassion and power are not confined to a single nation but extend to all who would believe, foreshadowing the eventual inclusion of the Gentiles into the family of God.
* **The Nature of Faith and Obedience:** The widow of Sarepta's willingness to obey Elijah's seemingly unreasonable request—to share her last meal—despite her dire circumstances, epitomizes profound faith. Her obedience was met with miraculous, sustained provision, demonstrating that God honors and blesses those who trust Him completely, even in the face of apparent impossibility.
* **God's Power Over Life and Death:** The miraculous provision of unending flour and oil, and especially the raising of the widow's son from the dead, underscore God's absolute power over life, death, and the natural order. Sarepta became a locus where God's life-giving and restorative power was uniquely manifested.
* **Prophetic Rejection and Inclusion:** In [[Luke 4]], Jesus uses the Sarepta incident to highlight a recurring theme in Israel's history: the rejection of God's prophets by His own people, leading to the extension of God's favor to others. Just as Elijah was not sent to many needy widows in Israel but to a Gentile, so too would Jesus' ministry, often rejected by His own, lead to the eventual spread of the Gospel to the nations.
### Summary
**G4558 (Sárepta)** is the Greek transliteration of the Hebrew place name Tsarephath, a Phoenician coastal town. Its singular New Testament appearance in [[Luke 4:26]] directly recalls the Old Testament account in [[1 Kings 17]], where the prophet Elijah was sent by God during a severe famine. In Sarepta, Elijah ministered to a Gentile widow who, by an act of faith and obedience, experienced miraculous provision of food and the resurrection of her son. Theologically, Sarepta symbolizes God's sovereign and universal grace, extending beyond the boundaries of Israel to include Gentiles. It powerfully illustrates the transformative power of faith and obedience, God's miraculous ability to sustain life and overcome death, and the pattern of prophetic rejection within Israel leading to the broader inclusion of the nations in God's redemptive plan.
TRV