Difference between revisions of "Ephraim"

<p> [[Joseph]] and his [[Egyptian]] wife had two sons, [[Manasseh]] and [[Ephraim]] (&nbsp;Genesis 41:50-52). When the aged [[Jacob]] gave his parting blessings to his family, he gave the firstborn’s blessing to Joseph instead of to [[Reuben]] (because of Reuben’s immorality with Jacob’s concubine; &nbsp;Genesis 35:22; &nbsp;Genesis 49:3-4; &nbsp;1 Chronicles 5:1-2). This meant that Joseph would father two tribes in [[Israel]] instead of one. Jacob therefore raised Joseph’s two sons to the same level as Jacob’s other sons, so that Joseph’s two sons would each have his own tribe (&nbsp;Genesis 48:5-6). The tribe of the younger son Ephraim was destined to become stronger than that of the older son Manasseh (&nbsp;Genesis 48:12-20). </p> <p> '''Good territory''' </p> <p> The tribe of Ephraim received as its inheritance possibly the best part of [[Canaan]] (cf. &nbsp;Genesis 49:22-26). This was the central highland region between the [[Jordan]] River and the [[Mediterranean]] Sea (Joshua 16). (For information about its more important towns see BETHEL; JERICHO; JOPPA; SHECHEM; SHILOH.) </p>

<p> <b> EPHRAIM. </b> —&nbsp;John 11:54 only. After the raising of Lazarus, Jesus departed, in consequence of the plots of the chief priests against Him, ‘unto a country ( Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 ‘into the country’) near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.’ </p> <p> There are scarcely any textual variations. TR spells Ἐφραΐα; Lachmann, Tischendorf, Westcott-Hort spell Ἑφραὶμ; Stephanus, 1550, had on the margin the reading Ἑφρὲμ, which is supported by אL and Latin witnesses, and the name Σαμφουρείμ as to be supplied after χώραν. This is the reading of D, <i> Sapfurim </i> in its Latin part, for which Chase ( <i> Syro-Lat. Text of [[Gospels]] </i> , 108) and R. Harris ( <i> A Study of Codex Bezœ </i> , p. 184) suggested that σαμ might be the Heb. שׁם ‘the name’; but more probable is the identification with <i> [[Sepphoris]] </i> , which in Jos. <i> Ant. </i> xiv. 91 is spelt Σατφὁροις ( <i> v.ll </i> . Σαμφὸροις and other forms); so [[Jerome]] ( <i> s.v. </i> ‘Araba’ in <i> OS </i> 17. 13 f.): ‘Diocaesareae, quae olim <i> Safforine </i> dicehatur.’ </p> <p> [[Eusebius]] in his <i> Onomasticon </i> says ( <i> ad </i> Ephron, &nbsp;Joshua 15:9) καἰ ἔστι νῦν κώμη Ἐφραὶμ μεγίστη περὶ τἀ βόρεια Αἰλίας ὠς ἀπὸ σημείων κ; in the Latin rendering of Jerome: ‘est et villa pergrandis <i> Efrœa </i> nomine contra septentrionem in vicesimo ab aelia miliario’ (ed. Klostermann, p. 86. 1, 90. 18). With this has been identified <i> [[Afra]] </i> [=עִפָרָה &nbsp;Joshua 18:23]: ‘in tribu Beniamin; et est hodie vicus <i> Efraim </i> in quinto miliario Bethelis ad orientem respiciens’ (p. 29. 4; the Greek text [28. 4: καὶ νῦν ἔστι κώμη Αἰφρὴλ ἀπό] is here defective); further, &nbsp;1 [[Maccabees]] 11:34 = Jos. <i> Ant. </i> xiii. 127 [ed. Niese]: τοὺς τρεῖς νομοὐς Ἀφαίρεμα ( <i> v.l. </i> Ἀφέρεμα) καὶ Αύδδα καὶ Ῥαμαθείν; finally, the notice of [[Josephus]] ( <i> BJ </i> iv. 551), that [[Vespasian]] took Βήθηγά τε (earlier reading Βαιθήλ or Βηθήλ) καὶ Ἐφραὶμ πολίχνια. Since Robinson, the site has been sought at the modern <i> ct-Taiyibeh </i> , 4 miles N.E. from Bethel. Schürer ( <i> GJV </i> 3 i. 233) quotes Robinson, ii. 332–338; Guérin, <i> Judéc </i> , iii. 45–51; Buhl, <i> GAP </i> p. 177; Heidet, art. ‘Ephrem’ in Vigouroux’s <i> Dict. </i> ii. 1885 ff.; cf., further, art. ‘Ephraim’ by J. H. Kennedy in Hastings’ <i> DB </i> , and by T. K. Cheyne in <i> Encyc. Biblica </i> .* [Note: Schürer (GJV3 ii. 163, n. 435) is certainly right in rejecting the identification of Sapfurim with [[Sepharvaim]] (&nbsp;2 Kings 17:24) put forward by Resch (TU x. 4, pp. 141, 204) and approved by Blass (Ev. sec. Joh. 1902, p. xl), and in finding in Sapfurim the name of the town Sepphoris, which covered a very large area. But it is not vet certain whether Codex D has preserved here a correct tradition. &nbsp;Luke 9:16 offers similar variations in the text (τολιν καλουμενην, τότον λεγομενον, τότον ἐ͂ρημον, etc). Ἐφραια might itself be derived from Sepphoris, the first letter being dropped after the ς of εἱς.] </p> <p> [[Origen]] compares, for the retirement of Jesus, &nbsp;Matthew 4:12 f. and then allegorizes: Ephraim, according to &nbsp;Genesis 41:51 f. ‘καρτοφοριαʼ; ἀτῆλθεν ἑκεϊθεν εἰς τὴν χώραν ‘τοῦ ἁλου κὀσμου,’ ἐλλὺς τῆς ἐρήμου ‘ἐκκλησια’ εἰς Ἐφραΐμ τὴν ‘καρτοφοροῦσαν’ λεγομἑνηντόλιν, etc. (new Berlin edition, pp. 420, 551). About the site he says nothing. </p> <p> Eb. Nestle. </p>

<p> <strong> EPHRAIM </strong> . A grandson of Jacob, and the brother of Manasseh, the first-born of Joseph by Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On (&nbsp; [[Genesis]] 41:50 f. [E [Note: Elohist.] ], cf. &nbsp; Genesis 41:45 [J [Note: Jahwist.] ]). The ‘popular etymology’ of E [Note: Elohist.] connects the name with the verb <em> pârâh </em> , ‘to be fruitful,’ and makes it refer to Joseph’s sons. In the Blessing of Jacob (&nbsp; Genesis 49:22 ) there may be a play upon the name when Joseph, who there represents both Ephraim and Manasseh, is called ‘a fruitful bough.’ The word is probably descriptive, meaning ‘fertile region’ whether its root be <em> pârâh </em> , or <em> ’çpher </em> , ‘earth’(?). </p> <p> &nbsp;Genesis 48:14 ff. (J [Note: Jahwist.] ) tells an interesting story of how Jacob adopted his Egyptian grandsons, Ephraim and Manasseh, into his own family, and at the same time, against the remonstrances of Joseph, conferred the blessing of the firstborn upon Ephraim hence Ephraim’s predestined superiority in later history. </p> <p> P [Note: Priestly Narrative.] ’s [[Sinai]] census gives 40,500 men of war (&nbsp;Numbers 1:33 ), but this is reduced at the Plains of [[Moab]] to 32,500 (26:37), which is less than any of the tribes except Simeon, which ‘hardly existed except in name’ (Sayce, <em> Hist. of Heb </em> . p. 77). [[Contrary]] to what we should have expected from the Blessing of Jacob, Ephraim, according to P [Note: Priestly Narrative.] , lost in the meantime 20 per cent. while Manasseh gained 40 per cent. </p> <p> The appearance of Joseph in the Blessing of Jacob, with no mention of his sons, who according to J [Note: Jahwist.] had been adopted as Jacob’s own, and were therefore entitled on this important occasion to like consideration with the others, points to a traditional echo of the early days in the land when Ephraim and Manasseh were still united. In the Song of [[Deborah]] (&nbsp;Judges 5:1-31 ) it is the ‘family’ Machir, the firstborn (&nbsp; Joshua 17:1 ), the only (&nbsp; Genesis 50:23 ) son of Manasseh, that is mentioned, not a Manasseh tribe. From &nbsp; 2 Samuel 19:20 (cf. art. Benjamin) it is plain that [[Shimei]] still regarded himself as of the house of Joseph; and, despite the traditional indications of a late formation of [[Benjamin]] (wh. see), the complete political separation of Manasseh from Ephraim appears to have been still later. At all events, [[Jeroboam]] the Ephraimite, who afterwards became the first king of Israel ( <em> c </em> <em> [Note: circa, about.] </em> . b.c. 930), was appointed by [[Solomon]] superintendent of the forced labour of the ‘house of Joseph,’ not of Ephraim alone. Ephraim, Machir, and Benjamin were apparently closely related, and in early times formed a group of clans known as ‘Joseph.’ There are no decisive details determining the time when they became definitely separated. Nor are there any reliable memories of the way in which Ephraim came into possession of the best and central portion of the land. </p> <p> The traditions in the Book of Joshua are notably uninforming. [[Canaanites]] remained in the territory until a late date, as is seen from &nbsp;Judges 1:29 and the history of [[Shechem]] (ch. 8 f.). Ephraim was the strongest of the tribes and foremost in leadership, but was compelled to yield the hegemony to David. From that time onwards the history is no longer tribal but national history. Eli, priest of [[Shiloh]] and judge of Israel, Samuel, and Jeroboam I. were among its great men. Shechem, Tirzah, and Samaria, the capitals of the North, were within its boundaries; and it was at Shiloh that Joshua is said to have divided the land by lot. See also Tribes of Israel. </p> <p> James A. Craio. </p> <p> <strong> EPHRAIM </strong> . <strong> 1 </strong> . A place near Baal-hazor (&nbsp; 2 Samuel 13:23 ) It may be identical with the Ephraim which the <em> Onomasticon </em> places 20 [[Roman]] miles N. of Jerusalem, somewhere in the neighbourhood of <em> Sinjil </em> and <em> el-Lubbân </em> . If Baal-hazor be represented, as seems probable, by <em> Tell ‘Asûr </em> , the city by relation to which such a prominent feature of the landscape was indicated must have been of some importance. It probably gave its name in later times to the district of [[Samaria]] called <strong> Aphærema </strong> ( 1Ma 11:34 , Jos. [Note: Josephus.] <em> Ant </em> . XIII. iv. 9). The site is at present unknown. <strong> 2 </strong> . A city ‘near the wilderness,’ to which Jesus retired after the raising of [[Lazarus]] (&nbsp; John 11:54 ). ‘The wilderness’ is in Arab. [Note: Arabic.] <em> el-barrîyeh, i.e </em> ., the uncultivated land, much of it affording excellent pasture, on the uplands to the N. W. of Jerusalem. The <em> Onomasticon </em> mentions an ‘Efralm’ 5 Roman miles E. of Bethel. This may be the modern <em> et-Taiyibeh </em> , about 4 miles N.E. of <em> Beitîn </em> , with ancient cisterns and rockhewn tombs which betoken a place of importance in old times. See also Ephron, 4. </p> <p> <strong> The [[Forest]] of Ephraim </strong> (Heb. <em> ya’ar Ephraîm </em> .) was probably not a forest in our sense of the term, but a stretch of rough country such as the Arabs still call <em> wa‘r </em> , abounding in rocks and thickets of brushwood. The district is not identified, but it must have been E. of the Jordan, in the neighbourhood of Mahanaim. It was the scene of Absalom’s defeat and death (&nbsp; 2 Samuel 18:6 ff). The origin of the name cannot now be discovered. <strong> Mount Ephraim </strong> , Heb, <em> har Ephraîm </em> , is the name given to that part of the central range of Western [[Palestine]] occupied by Ephraim, corresponding in part to the modern <em> Jebel Nâblus </em> the district under the governor of <em> Nâblus </em> . Having regard to Oriental usage, it seems a mistake to tr. [Note: translate or translation.] with RV [Note: Revised Version.] ‘the hill country of Ephraim.’ <em> Jebel el-Quds </em> does not mean ‘the hill country of Jerusalem,’ but that part of ‘the mountain’ which is subject to the city. We prefer to retain, with AV [Note: Authorized Version.] , ‘Mount Ephraim.’ </p> <p> W. Ewing. </p>

<p> '''Ephraim''' (ç'fra-ĭm), double land, two-fold increase, very fruitful. The second son of Joseph, born in [[Egypt]] before the famine, &nbsp;Genesis 41:50-52, and therefore upwards of 20 at Jacob's death. Joseph, when he was apprised of his father's sickness, was anxious to obtain the recognition of his sons Manasseh and Ephraim. Jacob adopted them as patriarchs, or heads of tribes, equally with his own sons. But he placed the younger, Ephraim, before the elder, Manasseh, "guiding his hands wittingly," in spite of Joseph's remonstrance, and prophetically declaring that the posterity of Ephraim should be far greater and more powerful than the posterity of Manasseh. &nbsp;Genesis 48:1-22. The territory of Ephraim lay in the centre of Canaan, south of Manasseh and north of Benjamin and Dan, extending from the Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea. It was about 55 miles long, and about 30 miles in its greatest breadth. It was well watered and fertile, fulfilling the blessing of [[Moses]] in &nbsp;Deuteronomy 33:13-16. </p> <p> Ephraim, Gate of. One of the gates of ancient Jerusalem, &nbsp;2 Kings 14:13; &nbsp;2 Chronicles 25:23; &nbsp;Nehemiah 8:16; &nbsp;Nehemiah 12:39; probably on the north side, as the present [[Damascus]] gate is. </p> <p> Ephraim, Mount. A name applied to the hill-country of Ephraim, extending from [[Bethel]] to the plain of Jezreel; called also the "mountains of Israel," R. V. "hill country of Israel," &nbsp;Joshua 11:21, and "mountains of Samaria." &nbsp;Jeremiah 31:5-6; &nbsp;Amos 3:9. </p> <p> Ephraim, [[Wood]] of. A forest in which the great battle was fought when [[Absalom]] was killed. &nbsp;2 Samuel 18:6. It lay east of the Jordan, in Gilead, near Mahanaim. Thick woods of oaks and terebinths still exist in that region. </p>

<p> '''E'phra-im.''' (double fruitfulness). </p> <p> 1. 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. &nbsp;Genesis 48:1. </p> <p> 2. That portion of Canaan named after Joseph's second son. &nbsp;Genesis 41:50-52. The boundaries of the portion of Ephraim are given in Joshua, &nbsp;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. </p> <p> 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. </p> <p> 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. </p> <p> 3. 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. &nbsp;2 Samuel 13:23. There is no clue to its situation. </p> <p> 4. A city "in the district near the wilderness," to which our Lord retired, with his disciples, when threatened with violence, by the priests. &nbsp;John 11:54. </p>

<p> One of the sons of Joseph. The name is derived from Pharah, fruitfulness. In the after ages of the church, the Lord frequently speaks of the whole church of Israel by the name of Ephraim. (See &nbsp;Jeremiah 31:20; &nbsp;Hosea 7:1; Hos 12:1; Hos 13:1) I do not presume to say the cause was, because the ten tribes had the chief city in Ephraim; but I think it probable. The Psalmist, when speaking of looking out a place for the ark, saith, we found it in Ephratah. (&nbsp;Psalms 132:6) </p>

<p> '''Bibliography Information''' McClintock, John. Strong, James. Entry for 'Ephraim'. Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and [[Ecclesiastical]] Literature. https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tce/e/ephraim.html. Harper & Brothers. New York. 1870. </p>