Lexical Summary
gephen: Vine
Original Word:גֶּפֶן
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:gephen
Pronunciation:gheh'-fen
Phonetic Spelling:(gheh'-fen)
KJV: vine, tree
NASB:vine, vines
Word Origin:[from an unused root meaning to bend]
1. a vine (as twining), especially the grape
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
vine, tree
From an unused root meaning to bend; a vine (as twining), especially the grape -- vine, tree.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originof uncertain derivation
Definitiona vine
NASB Translationvine (45), vines (10).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Judges 9:13 + ( only
Hosea 10:1, perhaps influence of
2 Kings 4:39) (Late Hebrew
id., Arabic
(Yemen), Assyrian
gapnu, compare Zehnpf
BAS i. 633; Aramaic , ,
, plural
) —
Genesis 40:9 38t. (also construct, as
Numbers 6:4;
Deuteronomy 32:32;
Isaiah 16:8,9),
Judges 9:12 2t.;
suffixJoel 1:7,
Jeremiah 5:17,
1 Kings 5:5 3t.,
Hosea 2:14,
Deuteronomy 32:32 2t.; plural
Songs 2:13;
Habakkuk 3:17 —
vine (always grape-bearing except
2 Kings 4:39)
Genesis 40:9,10 (in dream)
Genesis 49:11;
Numbers 20:5;
Deuteronomy 8:8;
Judges 9:12,13 (in allegory)
1 Kings 5:5;
2 Kings 18:31 =
Isaiah 36:16;
Psalm 78:47;
Psalm 105:33;
Songs 2:13;
Songs 6:11;
Songs 7:13;
Isaiah 7:23;
Isaiah 24:7;
Isaiah 32:12;
Jeremiah 5:17;
Jeremiah 8:13;
Hosea 2:14;
Joel 1:7,12;
Joel 2:22;
Micah 4:4;
Habakkuk 3:17;
Haggai 2:19;
Zechariah 2:10;
Zechariah 8:12;
Malachi 3:11; a vine bearing poisonous gourds
2 Kings 4:39;
Numbers 6:4 (compare
Genesis 40:10;
Judges 9:13)
Judges 13:14;
Songs 8:9;
Ezekiel 15:2,6; in simile of stars fading away at Yahweh's judgment
Isaiah 34:4; in simile of wicked losing early promise
Job 15:33; in simile of wife
Psalm 128:3; figurative of Israel
Psalm 80:9;
Psalm 80:15;
Ezekiel 17:6 (twice in verse);
Ezekiel 17:7,8;
Hosea 10:1 compare
Ezekiel 19:10;
Jeremiah 2:21;
Jeremiah 6:9; also
Hosea 14:8; figurative of Israel as easily destroyed
Ezekiel 15:2,6; figurative of godless enemies of Israel
Deuteronomy 32:32 compare Di; figurative for prosperity of Moab
Isaiah 16:8,9;
Jeremiah 48:32. — On the vine in Syria compare Anderlind
ZPV 1888, 160 ff.
(√ of following; compare Syriac
in derivatives,
curved, convex; also Arabic
bothhilly country anddepression, Frey.)
Topical Lexicon
Agricultural Reality in Ancient Israel“Gephen” refers to the cultivated grapevine, a staple of the hill-country economy from patriarchal days through the Second Temple era. Terraced slopes around Hebron, Shechem, Jezreel, Carmel, and the Judean highlands were famed for their vines (Genesis 49:11;Numbers 13:23). The plant’s deep roots and ability to thrive in rocky soil made it the ideal cash crop for family farms. Grapes supplied:
• Fresh fruit (Numbers 13:20)
• Dried raisins (1 Samuel 25:18)
• Must and wine for daily use, offerings, and medicinal purposes (Proverbs 31:6;1 Timothy 5:23)
Token of Covenant Blessing
From Eden’s implicit botanical variety to the Promised Land’s description as a place “of vines and fig trees and pomegranates” (Deuteronomy 8:8), the vine embodies God’s provision. Mosaic obedience brought the promise that “you will plant vineyards and eat their fruit” (Deuteronomy 28:30, positive side in 28:1-12), whereas disobedience reversed the blessing. Solomon’s era of peace was pictured as each man “under his own vine and fig tree” (1 Kings 4:25), a shorthand for national security and prosperity echoed by the prophets (Micah 4:4;Zechariah 3:10).
Legal and Liturgical Regulations
• Vintage gleanings were to remain for the poor and the sojourner: “When you harvest the grapes of your vineyard, you are not to glean what is left. Leave it for the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow” (Deuteronomy 24:21).
• The first four years of fruit from newly planted vines were withheld for the LORD; the fifth year could be eaten (Leviticus 19:23-25).
• Nazirites avoided all products “from seed to skin” of the vine during their vow (Numbers 6:3-4;Judges 13:14).
• Drink offerings accompanying many sacrifices (e.g.,Numbers 15:5,10) presupposed a steady supply of wine from the vine.
Israel as the LORD’s Vine
Psalm 80:8-11 recounts how God “transplanted a vine from Egypt,” cleared the ground, and it filled the land—an Exodus-Canaan metaphor stressing election and nurture.Isaiah 5:1-7’s “Song of the Vineyard” intensifies the image: despite meticulous tending, the vine yields wild grapes, leading to judgment.Jeremiah 2:21,Hosea 10:1, andEzekiel 15 & 17 develop the same theme—wayward Israel forfeits her privileged status.
Portrait of the Righteous and the Home
In wisdom literature the vine figures domestic felicity: “Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house” (Psalm 128:3). It also illustrates temperance and joy: “Wine that gladdens the heart of man” (Psalm 104:15) versus the mocker of excess (Proverbs 20:1; 23:29-35).
Instrument of Divine Judgment
Yahweh can withhold vintage by drought, blight, or invading armies. Locust swarms “laid waste My vine” (Joel 1:7). Assyria is likened to a pruner stripping branches bare (Isaiah 18:5-6). In the apocalyptic Day of the LORD the ripe clusters of the earth’s “vine” are thrown into the great winepress of wrath (although the Hebrew word there is not gephen, the imagery loops back to Old Testament vine theology and anticipatesRevelation 14:18-20).
Promise of Eschatological Restoration
Amos 9:14 previews a future when Israel “will plant vineyards and drink their wine.”Isaiah 27:2-6 envisions a fruitful, protected vine filling the world with produce. These oracles set the stage for Second Temple hopes and later Messianic expectations.
Messianic and New Testament Resonance
The Greek ampelos inJohn 15 consciously echoes the Hebrew gephen. Jesus declares, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser… apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:1-5). By claiming to be the genuine vine, He fulfills the failed corporate symbolism of Israel, embodying perfect obedience and abundant life. Disciples, as branches, inherit the covenant fruitfulness originally intended for the nation (cf.Romans 11:16-24’s olive metaphor).
Practical Ministry Applications
1. Dependence: As a vine cannot be self-supporting, believers draw life and productivity solely from Christ.
2. Fruit Inspection:Isaiah 5 andJohn 15 stress quality over mere proliferation—spiritual fruit must match divine cultivation.
3. Stewardship: Old Testament gleaning laws inform Christian generosity, urging the withholding of “edges” for the poor.
4. Hope: Prophecies of restored vineyards underpin assurance that present pruning yields future fruit.
Representative Occurrences of גֶּפֶן
Genesis 40:9-10;Numbers 13:20;Deuteronomy 32:32;Judges 9:12-13;1 Kings 21:1-2;2 Kings 18:31;Psalm 80:8;Proverbs 24:30; Song of Songs 2:15;Isaiah 5:2;Jeremiah 6:9;Hosea 14:7;Micah 4:4;Zechariah 8:12.
Summary
Gephen threads through Scripture as literal sustenance, covenant symbol, moral parable, and prophetic signpost—culminating in the revelation of the true Vine whose branches bear lasting fruit to the Father’s glory.
Forms and Transliterations
בַּגְּפָנִ֔ים בַּגֶּ֜פֶן בגפן בגפנים גֶ֖פֶן גֶּ֖פֶן גֶּ֣פֶן גֶּ֤פֶן גֶּ֭פֶן גַּ֭פְנָם גַּפְנ֛וֹ גַּפְנְךָ֖ גַּפְנִי֙ גַּפְנָ֑ם גַּפְנָ֔ם גַּפְנָהּ֙ גַּפְנוֹ֙ גָ֑פֶן גפן גפנה גפנו גפני גפנך גפנם הַגֶּ֔פֶן הַגֶּ֖פֶן הַגֶּ֙פֶן֙ הַגֶּ֜פֶן הַגֶּ֣פֶן הַגֶּ֥פֶן הַגֶּ֨פֶן הגפן וְגֶ֙פֶן֙ וְגֶ֥פֶן וְהַגְּפָנִ֥ים ׀ וָגֶ֖פֶן וּבַגֶּ֖פֶן ובגפן וגפן והגפנים כְּגֶ֥פֶן כַּגֶּ֣פֶן כַגֶּ֖פֶן כַגֶּ֛פֶן כַגָּ֑פֶן כגפן לְגֶ֔פֶן לְגֶ֥פֶן לְגֶ֨פֶן לַגֶּ֙פֶן֙ לַגָּ֑פֶן לגפן מִגֶּ֔פֶן מִגֶּ֣פֶן מִגֶּ֤פֶן מִגֶּ֨פֶן מגפן bag·gə·p̄ā·nîm bag·ge·p̄en baggefaNim bagGefen baggəp̄ānîm baggep̄en chagGafen chagGefen ḡā·p̄en Gafen gafNah gafNam gafneCha gafNi gafNo Gafnom gap̄·nāh gap̄·nām gap̄·nə·ḵā gap̄·nî gap̄·nōw ḡāp̄en gap̄nāh gap̄nām gap̄nəḵā gap̄nî gap̄nōw ge·p̄en ḡe·p̄en Gefen gep̄en ḡep̄en hag·ge·p̄en hagGefen haggep̄en ḵag·gā·p̄en kag·ge·p̄en ḵag·ge·p̄en ḵaggāp̄en kagGefen kaggep̄en ḵaggep̄en kə·ḡe·p̄en keGefen kəḡep̄en lag·gā·p̄en lag·ge·p̄en lagGafen laggāp̄en lagGefen laggep̄en lə·ḡe·p̄en leGefen ləḡep̄en mig·ge·p̄en migGefen miggep̄en ū·ḇag·ge·p̄en ūḇaggep̄en uvagGefen vaGefen veGefen vehaggefaNim wā·ḡe·p̄en wāḡep̄en wə·ḡe·p̄en wə·hag·gə·p̄ā·nîm wəḡep̄en wəhaggəp̄ānîm
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