Mizpar
LocationsGeographical Setting
Mizpar is a biblical toponym appearing in the Book of Jeremiah, traditionally identified as a variant name or district associated with the city of Mizpah.
What is the meaning of Mizpar in the Bible?
Mizpar is a place mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in Jeremiah 40:8, where it is listed alongside other locations in the territory of Benjamin. Scholarly consensus generally identifies Mizpar as either a synonym for Mizpah or a distinct but nearby settlement within the same administrative district, though its precise geographical distinction from Mizpah remains a subject of academic debate.
SIGNIFICANCE
Understanding Mizpar clarifies the administrative and geographical structure of the region of Benjamin during the late Iron Age, helping readers visualize the specific communities that gathered under Gedaliah's governorship after the fall of Jerusalem.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
- Why did the biblical author mention Mizpar in this passage?
- What cultural or historical assumption does Mizpar clarify?
Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.