### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **Çᵉphâr**, represented by `{{H5611}}`, is a proper noun for a location. It appears **1 time** across **1 unique verse** in the Bible. Based on its definition, it is "Sephar, a place in Arabia," and its single use in scripture is to serve as a geographical marker.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its sole biblical appearance, `{{H5611}}` is used to define the boundaries of a territory. The verse describes a people's settlement, stating "And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto **Sephar** a mount of the east" [[Genesis 10:30]]. In this context, **Sephar** acts as a specific, fixed landmark—a mountain—that delineates one edge of an inhabited region.
### Related Words & Concepts
The meaning of `{{H5611}}` is clarified by the words used alongside it in its only verse:
* `{{H4186}}` **môwshâb** (a seat; figuratively, a site... an abode... dwelling(-place)): This word establishes the context for Sephar as a place of settlement, or **dwelling**, for a population [[Genesis 10:30]]. It is also used to describe the "inhabited places" where God will gather his people [[Ezekiel 34:13]].
* `{{H2022}}` **har** (a mountain or range of hills): The text explicitly identifies Sephar as a **mount** [[Genesis 10:30]]. Mountains often serve as significant landmarks in scripture, as seen when the "mountain of the house of the LORD" is established [[Micah 4:1]].
* `{{H6924}}` **qedem** (the front, of place (absolutely, the fore part, relatively the East) or time (antiquity)): This term places Sephar geographically in the **east** [[Genesis 10:30]]. The word also carries a sense of ancientness, as when God is called the "eternal God" [[Deuteronomy 33:27]].
### Theological Significance
While `{{H5611}}` is a geographical name, its context connects it to broader biblical themes through its associated terms.
* **Significant Landmarks:** Sephar is described as a **mount** `{{H2022}}`. In scripture, mountains can represent permanence and divine authority, such as Mount Zion which "cannot be removed, but abideth for ever" [[Psalms 125:1]].
* **Established Habitation:** The mention of a **dwelling** `{{H4186}}` places Sephar within the theme of God's provision in settling peoples. This concept is echoed elsewhere when God promises to save his people from their "dwellingplaces" [[Ezekiel 37:23]] and lead them to a "city of habitation" [[Psalms 107:7]].
* **Place in Ancient History:** The location is in the **east** `{{H6924}}`, a word also meaning "ancient times." This frames the settlement of Sephar within God's eternal scope, who declares things "from ancient times" [[Isaiah 46:10]] and whose goings forth are "from of old" [[Micah 5:2]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5611}}` **Çᵉphâr** is a specific place name that appears once to define a geographical boundary. Its significance is found entirely in its context, where it is identified as a **mount** `{{H2022}}` in the **east** `{{H6924}}` marking a **dwelling** `{{H4186}}`. Though a simple location, its description ties it into the larger biblical narrative of how the world was populated and anchored by landmarks within a divinely ordered history.
TRV