Ephraim
Fausset's Bible Dictionary [1]
Beside which was Absalom's sheep farm, where took place Amnon's murder (2 Samuel 13). Our Lord, when the chief priests plotted to kill Him, retired to "a city called Ephraim ... a country near to the wilderness" ( John 11:54). "The wilderness" means the hill country N.E. of Jerusalem, between the central towns and the Jordan valley. Thus, Ophrah of Benjamin probably is identical with Ephraim ( 1 Samuel 13:17.) Now Et-Taiyibeh, a village on a conical hill commanding the view of the Jordan valley and the Dead Sea.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [2]
(1) A position apparently of some importance, since the position of Baal-hazor (probably = Tell ‛Asūr ) where Abraham's sheep-farm was located, is determined by relation to it ( 2 Samuel 13:23 ). That it lay North of Jerusalem seems to be indicated in 2 Samuel 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 - Lubbān . 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 ( John 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 eṭ - Ṭaiyebeh , a large village about 4 miles North of Beitı̄n . 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 .
