ZAREPHATH, or Sarepta, a City of the Sidonians, situate in Phœnicia, between Tyre and Sidon, upon the Coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Pliny and Stephanus call it Sarapta; and the Arabians, Tzarphaud; Josephus, and the Greeks, Sarephta, or Saraphta; the Jews, Zarphat. The Arabian Geographer Scherifibnidris places it twenty Miles from Tyre, and ten Miles from Sidon. Sidon is to the North, and Tyre to the South. It was 1 Kings xvii. 9, 10.remarkable for being the Place of the Dwelling of the Prophet Elijah, with a poor Woman there, while there was a Famine in the Land of Israel. In the time of St. Jerome, and a good while after, they used to shew the Place where the Prophet dwelt, which was a little Tower. Afterwards they built a Church in the same Place, in the midst of the City. The Wine of Sarepta was not unknown to the Ancients:1
-------- Et dulcia Bacchi
Munera, quæ Sarepta ferax, quæ Gaza creârat.
A certain Author2 says, that the Wines of Sarepta were so heady that the stoutest Drinkers could not drink above a Sextarius in a Month: But the Sextarius is no more than the Pint of Paris, according to Budeus. At this time Sarepta is only a small Village, standing upon a Hill, at about fifteen hundred Paces from the Sea. Some have thought, that the Name Zarephath, or Sarepta came from the Metals or Glass that were melted in this Place; for Zaraph in Hebrew signifies to melt Metals, or such other Substances. It was from the City of Sarepta, that Jupiter in the Shape of a Bull ran away with Europa.
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