Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

EPHRAIM (Place)

1. Area allotted to Ephraim’s tribe for an inheritance (Jos 16:5-8; 17:7-11). Ephraim and Manasseh originally were recognized as “the people of Joseph” (Jos 16:4). Together they occupied the central highlands area between Jerusalem and the plain of Esdraelon. Ephraim’s territory lay to the south of Manasseh. The area was relatively high, and the expression “the hill country of Ephraim” (1 Sm 1:1) was an apt description. In places the hard rocks form steep and difficult slopes, and the valleys leading to the west are steep. Roads followed the spurs between the valleys rather than the valleys themselves. Movement between Ephraim and the coastal plain along the edge of the rocky Sarida Valley was not easy, but it was possible. Another road followed by the Philistine invaders (1 Sm 4) led up from Aphek. The expression in Joshua 16:9, “the towns which were set apart for the Ephraimites within the inheritance of the Manassites” (rsv), suggests that there had once been a disputed boundary; however, Ephraim was evidently able to strengthen itself and to emerge as a dominant force in Israel. Indeed, the name Ephraim is sometimes used as the equivalent of Israel (Hos 4:17; 5:3, 11-14; 6:4, 10).

The extent of the tribal area of Ephraim is given in Joshua 16:5-8 and 17:1-11. It would appear from the abundant detail given in these passages that the main topographical features of Ephraim’s boundaries would be easy to determine. Yet the precise identification of a number of the places mentioned is uncertain. The eastern boundary began at Micmethah, tentatively identified with Khirbet en-Nabi. It continued south through Taanath-shiloh, Janoah, Ataroth, and Naarah to a point near Jericho. The southern boundary seems to have passed westward toward Bethel, Beth-horon, and Gezer to the Mediterranean Sea. The western boundary is not defined and probably encroached on Canaanite areas in early times. The northern boundary separating Ephraim from Manasseh went from Micmethah, which was “before Shechem,” toward Tappuah and then ran along the Wadi Qana to the Mediterranean Sea north of Joppa. But it must be stressed that the precise definition of the boundaries is by no means clear. Immediately to the south of Ephraim lay the tribal area of Benjamin.

The rainfall in the hill country of Ephraim is greater than that in Judea, which lay further south, and the soil is reddish in color, rich and fertile. Because of this, Ephraim was very productive. Today the country is dotted with orchards, and olive trees are abundant. The description in Deuteronomy 33:14-17 of an area which yielded “the choicest fruits of the sun, and the rich yield of the months, with the finest produce of the ancient mountains, and the abundance of the everlasting hills, with the best gifts of the earth” (rsv) gives an excellent picture of the general nature of the region.

2. Town near Baal-hazor to which Absalom invited his half brother Amnon in order to have him put to death (2 Sm 13:23-29) for incest with Absalom’s sister Tamar. The town lay to the north of Jerusalem and was possibly identical with Ephron (2 Chr 13:19). It was no doubt the same town near the wilderness to which Jesus retired after raising Lazarus from the tomb (Jn 11:54). It is generally identified with et-Taiyibeh, 13 miles (20.9 kilometers) northeast of Jerusalem and four miles (6.5 kilometers) northeast of Bethel.