Ver. 17. The king of Tappuah— It seems that there were two cities of this name; one in the tribe of Judah, chap. Joshua 15:34 Judges 16:8 Judges 17:8 the other belonging to that of Ephraim, on the borders of Manasseh. It is difficult to say which of the two is here spoken of; perhaps the last: what would incline to this opinion is, that the king of Tappuah is named immediately after the king of Beth-el, a city placed on the confines of Ephraim and Benjamin, and before the king of Hepher, a city of the tribe of Zebulun, not far from Beth-el. Calmet places Tappuah in the tribe of Judah.
The king of Hepher— The land of Hepher is spoken of, 1 Kings 4:10. St. Jerome places it in the tribe of Zebulun, near Sephorim or Diocesarea.