צָפוֹן

From the study of Isaiah 43:6

Range of meaning

North, the northern region. Its origin is debated: it may come from the root ṣpn, "hide, treasure," or it may be linked to Mount Zaphon (Jebel Aqra in Syria), the sacred mountain of the Canaanite god Baal in the Ugaritic texts. The noun is grammatically feminine.

Against the English

"North" is accurate. English cannot show that the Hebrew addresses the North with feminine verbs, as if speaking to a woman.

Used elsewhere in the period

In the prophets, disaster and invading armies come "from the north" (Jer 1:13–15; 6:22). Assyrian and Babylonian forces reached Judah by the northern route through Syria, along the curve of the Fertile Crescent, and deportees were led away the same way. Isaiah 14:13 uses "the far reaches of the north" for the mountain of the gods.

From the study of Isaiah 14:13

Range of meaning

(1) The compass direction north. (2) The proper name Zaphon, the sacred mountain about 40 km north of Ugarit (Jebel al-Aqra, classical Mons Casius), where Canaanite myth placed the palace of Baal. In biblical poetry it also means (3) the divine mountain in general, and by transfer Zion as God's true mountain (Ps 48:2).

Against the English

KJV "the sides of the north", BSB/ESV/WEB "(far reaches of) the north" and NASB "recesses of the north" all turn the name into a compass direction. NIV keeps the name: "Mount Zaphon". NLT paraphrases as "the mountain of the gods far away in the north."

How it drifted

Once the Canaanite myths were forgotten, translators heard only the everyday meaning "north". The Ugaritic texts, recovered from 1929 onward, showed that Zaphon was a named mountain of the gods. Most translations still keep "north".

Used elsewhere in the period

Ugaritic Baal Cycle: Baal's house stands "in the midst of my mountain, divine Zaphon", and "the heights of Zaphon" (ṣrrt ṣpn) is Baal's seat (KTU 1.3–1.6). Ps 48:2 calls Zion "the far recesses of Zaphon (yarkětei tsafon), the city of the great King", the same phrase as here. Ps 89:12 pairs Zaphon with other mountains. Ezek 38–39 has Gog come from "the recesses of the north".

From the study of Jeremiah 47:2

Range of meaning

North as a compass direction. Also the name of a sacred mountain (Zaphon) in Canaanite tradition and in Ps 48:2. In prophetic texts it is the direction invaders come from, because armies from Mesopotamia came down through Syria, curving around the desert.

Against the English

'North' is accurate. A modern reader may miss how loaded the direction already is in Jeremiah.

Used elsewhere in the period

Jer 1:13–15 (the boiling pot tilted from the north), 4:6, 6:1, 6:22, 25:9 (the 'clans of the north' with Nebuchadnezzar), 46:20, 24 (Egypt handed over to 'a people from the north'). The Babylonian Chronicle records Nebuchadnezzar's campaigns into the Levant.