Bible Dictionary
CHAPHENATHA
Chaphenatha was apparently a section of Jerusalem’s eastern wall or a nearby fort repaired by Jonathan Maccabeus. Its exact location is unknown.
Definition
Chaphenatha was apparently the name of part of Jerusalem’s eastern wall or of a fort in that neighborhood. It is mentioned as a place repaired by Jonathan Maccabeus.
Biblical Usage
The place is mentioned in 1 Maccabees 12:37 in connection with Jonathan Maccabeus’s repairs. Its exact identification is not established.
Historical Background
Chaphenatha cannot now be identified. Suggested explanations of its name have not clarified the passage.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>ka-fen'-a-tha (Chaphenatha; the King James Version Caphenatha): A name apparently given to part of the eastern wall of Jerusalem or a fort in that neighborhood which is said (1 Macc 12:37) to have been repaired by Jonathan Maccabeus. The place cannot now be identified. Various speculations have been made as to the origin of the name, but they can hardly be said to throw any light on the passage cited.</p>