Location
Overview
Ophrah of the Abiezrites, in the territory of Manasseh, was the home of Gideon and the setting of his call to deliver Israel from Midian.
Gideon's call
The angel of the LORD sat under the oak at Ophrah and found Gideon threshing wheat secretly for fear of Midian, greeting him, "The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour" (Judges 6:11–12).
The altar "Jehovah-shalom"
Gideon built an altar there and called it "Jehovahshalom" — "the LORD is peace" (Judges 6:24) — after pulling down his father's altar of Baal, which earned him the name Jerubbaal.
The ephod and its snare
After his victory Gideon made an ephod of the gold of the spoil and set it up in Ophrah, where, sadly, "all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon" (Judges 8:27).
Events Here
Gideon is called and builds the altar Jehovah-shalom at Ophrah
Scripture References
5 versesJudges5 verses
Judges 6:11
And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites. Gideon: Gr. Gedeon to hide: Heb. to cause it to flee
Judges 6:24
Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. Jehovahshalom: that is, The LORD send peace
Judges 8:27
And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.
Judges 8:32
And Gideon the son of Joash died in a good old age, and was buried in the sepulchre of Joash his father, in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
Judges 9:5
And he went unto his father's house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone: notwithstanding yet Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left; for he hid himself.
Archaeology & History
The exact site of Gideon's Ophrah in the hill country of Manasseh is uncertain, with several candidates proposed; it is distinct from the Ophrah of Benjamin. Its importance is bound entirely to the Gideon narrative of Judges 6–8.
People who appear here
Objects mentioned here
Frequently asked about Ophrah
Where is Ophrah today?
Today, Ophrah corresponds to Hill country of Manasseh (site uncertain).
What happened at Ophrah in the Bible?
Key biblical events at Ophrah include gideon is called and builds the altar jehovah-shalom at ophrah.
Where is Ophrah first mentioned in the Bible?
Ophrah is first mentioned in Judges 6:11.
How often is Ophrah mentioned in the Bible?
Ophrah is mentioned in 5 verses across 1 book: Judges.
Why is Ophrah significant?
It was Gideon’s hometown — where the angel of the LORD called him, where he built the altar "Jehovah-shalom," and where he later set up the ephod that became a snare.
Where was Ophrah?
In the territory of Manasseh; its precise location is uncertain. It is a different place from the Ophrah in Benjamin.