Aphrah

The name Aphrah survives in scripture only as the second element of a compound place-name in Micah's opening lament, where it carries a wordplay on "dust." A possibly related figure named Ophrah is named once in a Judahite genealogy in Chronicles.

Beth-le-aphrah in Micah's Lament

The single explicit reference falls in Micah's series of paronomastic laments over the towns of the Shephelah: "Don't tell it in Gath, don't weep at all: at Beth-le-aphrah I have rolled myself in the dust" (Mic 1:10). The pun is internal — the action ("rolled myself in the dust") matches the second element of the place-name "Beth-le-aphrah" (literally a "house of dust").

Possible Identification with Ophrah

A separate name with similar consonants appears in the genealogies of Judah: "And Meonothai begot Ophrah: and Seraiah begot Joab the father of Ge-harashim; for they were craftsmen" (1Ch 4:14). The text gives no further information about this Ophrah, and the identification with the Aphrah of Micah's lament is conjectural rather than stated.