Ephraim

In Bible versions:

Ephraim: NET AVS NIV NRSV NASB TEV
Ephraimites: NET AVS NIV NRSV TEV
Ephraimite: NET AVS NIV NRSV NASB TEV

a town near the desert about 8 km ENE of Bethel
son of Joseph; founder of a tribe of Israel
the tribe of Ephraim; the descendants of Ephraim son of Joseph
the territory of the tribe of Ephraim
the territory of the Northern Kingdom as opposed to "Judah" in the south
a town of Benjamin bordering Ephraim
a forest in the land of Ephraim
a gate of Jerusalem
a resident of the territory of Ephraim
the tribe of Ephraim as a whole
the northern kingdom of Israel

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fruitful; increasing

Google Maps: Ephraim (31° 57´, 35° 17´)

Arts:

Arts Topics: The Fall of Damascus and Ephraim; Withdrawing to Ephraim; Woe to Ephraim

Greek

Strongs #2187: Efraim Ephraim

Ephraim = "double fruitfulness"

1) a city about a short day's journey from Jerusalem

2187 Ephraim ef-rah-im'

of Hebrew origin (669 or better 6085); Ephraim, a place in
Palestine:-Ephraim.
see HEBREW for 0669
see HEBREW for 06085

Hebrew

Strongs #0669: Myrpa 'Ephrayim

Ephraim = "double ash-heap: I shall be doubly fruitful"

1) second son of Joseph, blessed by him and given preference over
first son, Manasseh
2) the tribe, Ephraim
3) the mountain country of Ephraim
4) sometimes used name for the northern kingdom (Hosea or Isaiah)
5) a city near Baal-hazor
6) a chief gate of Jerusalem

669 'Ephrayim ef-rah'-yim

dual of masculine form of 672; double fruit; Ephrajim, a son
of Joseph; also the tribe descended from him, and its
territory:-Ephraim, Ephraimites.
see HEBREW for 0672

Strongs #0673: ytrpa 'Ephrathiy

Ephrathite = "ashiness: fruitfulness"

1) an inhabitant or descendant of Ephraim
2) an inhabitant of Bethlehem

673 'Ephrathiy ef-rawth-ee'

patrial form 672; an Ephrathite or an
Ephraimite:-Ephraimite, Ephrathite.
see HEBREW for 0672

Ephraim [EBD]

double fruitfulness ("for God had made him fruitful in the land of his affliction"). The second son of Joseph, born in Egypt (Gen. 41:52; 46:20). The first incident recorded regarding him is his being placed, along with his brother Manasseh, before their grandfather, Jacob, that he might bless them (48:10; comp. 27:1). The intention of Joseph was that the right hand of the aged patriarch should be placed on the head of the elder of the two; but Jacob set Ephraim the younger before his brother, "guiding his hands wittingly." Before Joseph's death, Ephraim's family had reached the third generation (Gen. 50:23).

Ephraim [NAVE]

EPHRAIM
1. Second son of Joseph, Gen. 41:52.
Adopted by Jacob, Gen. 48:5.
Blessed before Manasseh; prophecies concerning, Gen. 48:14-20.
Descendants of, Num. 26:35-37; 1 Chr. 7:20-27.
Mourns for his sons, 1 Chr. 7:21, 22.
2. A tribe of Israel. Prophecy concerning, Gen. 49:25, 26; Isa. 7; 9:18-21; 11:13; 28:1; Jer. 31; Hos. 5:14; Zech. 9:10; 10:7.
Numbered at Sinai and in plains of Moab, Num. 1:33; 26:37.
Place in camp and march, Num. 2:18, 24; 10:22.
Blessed by Moses, Deut. 33:13-17.
Territory allotted to, after the conquest of Canaan, Josh. 16:5-9; 17:9, 10, 15-18; 1 Chr. 7:28, 29.
Fail to expel the Canaanites, Josh. 16:10.
Take Beth-el in battle, Judg. 1:22-25.
Criticizing Gideon for not summoning them to join the war against the Midianites, Judg. 8:1.
Join Gideon against the Midianites, Judg. 7:24, 25.
Their jealousy of Jephthah, Judg. 12:1.
Defeated by Him, Judg. 12:4-6.
Receive Ish-bosheth as king, 2 Sam. 2:9.
Jeroboam set up a golden calf in Beth-el, 1 Kin. 12:29.
Revolt from house of David, 1 Kin. 12:25; 2 Chr. 10:16.
Some of tribe join Judah under Asa, 2 Chr. 15:9.
Chastise Ahaz and Judah, 2 Chr. 28:7.
Join Hezekiah in reinstituting the passover, 2 Chr. 30:18.
Join in the destruction of idolatrous forms in Jerusalem, 2 Chr. 31:1.
Submit to the scepter of Josiah, 2 Chr. 34:1-6.
Envied by other tribes, Isa. 11:13; Jer. 7:15; Ezek. 37:16, 19; Hos. 13:1.
Worshiped Baal, Hos. 13:1.
Sin of, remembered by God, Hos. 13:12.
Reallotment of territory to, by Ezekiel, Ezek. 48:5.
Name of, applied to the ten tribes, 2 Chr. 17:2; 25:6, 7; Isa. 7:8, 9; 11:12, 13; 17:3; Jer. 31:18, 20; Hos. 4:17; 5:3, 5; 6:4, 10; 8:11; 12:14.
Tribe of, called Joseph, Rev. 7:8.
3. Mount of. A range of low mountains, Josh. 17:15-18.
Joshua has his inheritance in, Judg. 2:9.
Residence of Micah, Judg. 17:8.
A place of hiding for Israelites, 1 Sam. 14:22.
Sheba resides in, 2 Sam. 20:21.
Noted for rich pastures, Jer. 50:19.
Prophecy concerning its conversion, Jer. 31:6.
4. A wood E. of the Jordan. Absalom slain in, 2 Sam. 18:6-17.
5. A gate of Jerusalem, 2 Kin. 14:13; 2 Chr. 25:23; Neh. 8:16; 12:39.
6. A city in the territory of Ephraim, 2 Chr. 13:19.
Jesus escapes to, from the persecution of Caiaphas, John 11:54.

Ephraimites [NAVE]

EPHRAIMITES
See: Ephraim, 2.

EPHRAIM [SMITH]

(double fruitfulness), the second son of Joseph by his wife Asenath. (B.C. 1715-1708.) The first indication we have of that ascendancy over his elder brother Manasseh which at a later period the tribe of Ephraim so unmistakably possessed is in the blessing of the children by Jacob. (Genesis 48:1) ...

EPHRAIM [SMITH]

that portion of Canaan named after Joseph?s second son. (Genesis 41:50-52) The boundaries of the portion of Ephraim are given in (Joshua 16:1-10) The south boundary was coincident for part of its length with the north boundary of Benjamin. It extended from the Jordan on the east, at the reach opposite Jericho, to the Mediterranean on the west, probably about Joppa. On the north of Ephraim and Manasseh were the tribes of Asher, Zebulun and Issachar. The territory thus allotted to the "house of Joseph" may be roughly estimated at 55 miles from east to west by 70 from north to south. It was one at once of great richness and great security. Its fertile plains and well-watered valleys could only be reached by a laborious ascent through steep and narrow ravines, all but impassable for an army. Under Joshua the tribe must have taken a high position in the nation, to judge from the tone which the Ephraimites assumed on occasions shortly subsequent to the conquest. After the revolt of Jeroboam the history of Ephraim is the history of the kingdom of Israel, since not only did the tribe become a kingdom, but the kingdom embraced little besides the tribe.

EPHRAIM [SMITH]

In "Baal-hazor which is by Ephraim" was Absalom?s sheepfarm, at which took place the murder of Amnon, one of the earliest precursors of the great revolt. (2 Samuel 13:23) There is no clue to its situation.

EPHRAIM [SMITH]

a city "in the district near the wilderness" to which our Lord retired with his disciples when threatened with violence by the priests. (John 11:54)

EPHRAIMITE [SMITH]

Of the tribe of Ephraim; elsewhere called "Ephrathite." (Judges 12:5)

EPHRAIM (1) [ISBE]

EPHRAIM (1) - e'-fra-im, e'-fra-im ('ephrayim, "double fruit"):

1. The Patriarch:

The younger of the two sons of Joseph and Asenath, born in Egypt. He and his brother Manasseh were adopted by Jacob, and ranked as his own sons, each becoming the ancestor of a tribe in Israel. In blessing his grandchildren, despite their father's protest, Jacob preferred the younger, foreshadowing the future eminence of his descendants (Gen 41:50 ff; 48:20 ff). In the Blessing of Jacob however, the two are included under the name of Joseph (Gen 49:22 f).

2. The Tribe:

At the first census on leaving Egypt, Ephraim's men of war numbered 40,500; and at the second census they are given as 32,500 (Nu 1:33; 26:37). See, however, article NUMBERS. The head of the tribe at the Exodus was Elishama, son of Ammihud (Nu 1:10). With the standard of the tribe of Ephraim on the West of the tabernacle in the desert march were Manasseh and Benjamin (Nu 2:18 ff). The Ephraimite among the spies was Hoshea (i.e. Joshua), the son of Nun (Nu 13:8). At the division of the land Ephraim was represented by prince Kemuel, son of Shiphtan (Nu 34:24). The future power of this tribe is again foreshadowed in the Blessing of Moses (Dt 33:17). When Moses died, a member of the tribe, Joshua, whose faith and courage had distinguished him among the spies, succeeded to the chief place in Israel. It was natural that the scene of national assemblies, and the center of the nation's worship, should be chosen within the land occupied by the children of Joseph, at Shechem and Shiloh respectively. The leadership of Ephraim was further emphasized by the rule of Samuel. From the beginning of life in Palestine they enjoyed a certain prestige, and were very sensitive on the point of honor (Jdg 7:24; 8:1; 12:1 ff). Their acceptance of and loyalty to Saul, the first king chosen over Israel, may be explained by his belonging to a Rachel tribe, and by the close and tender relations existing between Joseph and Benjamin. But they were never reconciled to the passing of the scepter to Judah in the person of David (2 Sam 2:8 f). That Israel would have submitted to the sovereignty of Absalom, any more than to that of David, is not to be believed; but his revolt furnished an opportunity to deal a shrewd blow at the power of the southern tribe (2 Sam 15:13). Solomon's lack of wisdom and the crass folly of Rehoboam in the management of the northern tribes fanned the smoldering discontent into a fierce flame. This made easy the work of the rebel Jeroboam; and from the day of the disruption till the fall of the Northern Kingdom there was none to dispute the supremacy of Ephraim, the names Ephraim and Israel being synonymous. The most distinguished of Ephraim's sons were Joshua, Samuel and Jeroboam I.

3. The Territory:

The central part of Western Palestine fell to the children of Joseph; and, while the boundaries of the territory allotted to Ephraim and Manasseh respectively are given in Josh 16; 17:1 ff, it seems to have been held by them in common for some time (17:14). The Canaanites in certain cities of both divisions were not driven out. It was probably thought more profitable to enslave them (16:10; 17:13). The boundaries of Ephraim cannot be followed with accuracy, but roughly, they were as follows: The southern boundary, agreeing with the northern border of Benjamin, started from Bethel, and passed down westward by nether Beth-horon and Gezer toward the sea (16:3; in verse 5 it stops at upper Beth-horon); it turned northward to the southern bank of the brook Kanah (Wady Kanah) along which it ran eastward (17:10) to Michmethath (the plain of Mukhneh); thence it went northward along the western edge of the plain to Shechem. It then bent eastward and southward past Taanath-shiloh (Ta`ana), Janoah (Yankun) to Ataroth and Naarah (unidentified) and the Jordan (16:7). From Ataroth, which probably corresponds to Ataroth-addar (16:5), possibly identical with the modern et-Truneh, the southern border passed up to Bethel. Along the eastern front of the land thus defined there is a steep descent into the Jordan valley. It is torn by many gorges, and is rocky and unfruitful. The long slopes to the westward, however, furnish much of the finest land in Palestine. Well watered as it is, the valleys are beautiful in season with cornfields, vineyards, olives and other fruit trees. The uplands are accessible at many points from the maritime plain; but the great avenue of entrance to the country runs up Wady esh-Sha`ir to Nablus, whence, threading the pass between Gerizim and Ebal, it descends to the Jordan valley. In this favored region the people must have lived in the main a prosperous and happy life. How appropriate are the prophetic allusions to these conditions in the days of Ephraim's moral decay (Isa 28:1,4; Jer 31:18; Hos 9:13; 10:11, etc.)!

W. Ewing

EPHRAIM (2) [ISBE]

EPHRAIM (2) - (1) A position apparently of some importance, since the position of Baal-hazor (probably = Tell `Asur) where Abraham's sheep-farm was located, is determined by relation to it (2 Sam 13:23). That it lay North of Jerusalem seems to be indicated in 2 Sam 13:34. It may be identical with the Ephraim of Eusebius, Onomasticon, 20 Roman miles North of Jerusalem, and therefore to be sought somewhere in the neighborhood of Sinjil and el- Lubban. Connected with this may have been the name Aphaerema, a district in Samaria mentioned in 1 Macc 11:34; Ant, XIII, iv, 9.

(2) The town near the wilderness to which Jesus retired after the raising of Lazarus (Jn 11:54). This probably corresponds to Ephrem of Eusebius, Onomasticon (s.v. "Afra") 5 Roman miles East of Bethel. This may be the place named along with Bethel by Josephus (BJ, IV, ix, 9). It probably answers to eT-Taiyebeh, a large village about 4 miles North of Beitin. The antiquity of the site is attested by the cisterns and rock tombs. It stands on a high hill with a wide outlook including the plains of Jericho and the Dead Sea.

See EPHRON.

W. Ewing

EPHRAIMITE [ISBE]

EPHRAIMITE - e'-fra-im-it ('ephrayim; singular 'ephrathi): A member of the tribe of Ephraim (Josh 16:10, etc.).

See also EPHRATHITE.