Brief Overview of Σάρεπτα (Strong’s G4558: Sarepta)

Strong’s G4558: A Phoenician coastal city between Tyre and Sidon, known in Old Testament as Zarephath. Significant in biblical narrative as the place where Elijah performed miracles for a Gentile widow, used by Jesus to illustrate God’s grace extending beyond Israel.

U- Unveiling the Word

Σάρεπτα represents more than just a geographical location in Scripture. Its significance emerges powerfully in Luke 4:26 where Jesus uses it to demonstrate God’s sovereign grace extending to Gentiles. The city’s connection to Elijah’s ministry to a widow (1 Kings 17:9-24) became a prophetic picture of the gospel’s universal scope. The early church saw in this narrative a prefiguration of Christ’s mission to all nations. Today, Sarepta continues to remind us that God’s saving grace knows no national or ethnic boundaries.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: Σάρεπτα, Sarepta, /sah-rep’-tah/
• Pronunciation Guide: ‘sa’ as in ‘saw’, ‘rep’ as in ‘rep’ent, ‘ta’ as in ‘tah’
• Part of Speech: Proper Noun

Etymology:

• Greek form of Hebrew צָרְפַת (Tzarfat)
• Possibly related to root meaning “to refine metals”
• Name may reference the city’s metalworking industry

D – Defining Meanings

• Primary meaning: Phoenician city between Tyre and Sidon
• Secondary meaning: Site of Elijah’s miracle for the widow
• Theological meaning: Symbol of God’s grace to Gentiles

Translation Options:

• Sarepta – Traditional Greek/Latin form
• Zarephath – Hebrew form
• Sarafand – Modern Arabic name

E – Exploring Similar Words

• Σιδών (Sidon) /see-dohn’/ – Nearby Phoenician city. See G4605
• Τύρος (Turos) /too’-ros/ – Another nearby Phoenician city. See G5184

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Morphological features as a proper noun:

• Case: Indeclinable
• Number: Singular
• Gender: Feminine
• Declension: None (remains unchanged)

As a place name transliterated from Hebrew, it doesn’t follow typical Greek declension patterns and maintains its form regardless of grammatical function.

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG identifies Σάρεπτα as a Phoenician city significant in biblical narrative. Thayer’s emphasizes its connection to Elijah’s ministry. LSJ notes its historical importance as a coastal city. Vine’s highlights its significance in Jesus’ teaching about divine grace. Strong’s connects it to its Hebrew origins. Moulton and Milligan document its continued importance in the Roman period.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Luke 4:26: “But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta [Σάρεπτα], a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.”

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

Σάρεπτα powerfully illustrates God’s heart for all nations. Jesus specifically highlighted this location to show that God’s grace has always extended beyond Israel’s borders. The good news proclaimed through this place-name is that God’s saving work crosses all boundaries, offering hope to all who trust in Him, regardless of their ethnic or cultural background.

D – Did You Know?

1. Archaeological evidence suggests Sarepta was a major purple dye production center
2. The city’s name may relate to its metalworking industry
3. Medieval pilgrims visited Sarepta to commemorate Elijah’s miracle

Strong’s G4558: Phoenician coastal city between Tyre and Sidon, known for Elijah’s miracle and Jesus’ reference to it. Symbolizes God’s grace extending beyond Israel to all nations, prefiguring the universal scope of the gospel message.

Part of speech: Proper Noun

Tags: phoenicia, elijah, widow-miracle, jesus-teaching, gentile-inclusion, divine-grace, biblical-places, old-testament-prophecy, universal-gospel, missions​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​