Lexical Summary
Ephrayim: Ephraim
Original Word:אֶפְרַיִם
Part of Speech:Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration:Ephrayim
Pronunciation:ef-rah'-yim
Phonetic Spelling:(ef-rah'-yim)
KJV: Ephraim, Ephraimites
NASB:Ephraim, Ephraim's
Word Origin:[dual of masculine form ofH672 (אֶפרָת אֶפרָתָה - Ephrath)]
1. double fruit
2. Ephrajim, a son of Joseph
3. (also) the tribe descended from him, and its territory
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Ephraim, Ephraimites
Dual of masculine form of'Ephraath; double fruit; Ephrajim, a son of Joseph; also the tribe descended from him, and its territory -- Ephraim, Ephraimites.
see HEBREW'Ephraath
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom the same as
apherDefinitiona son of Joseph, also his desc. and their territory
NASB TranslationEphraim (176), Ephraim's (4).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(Genesis 41:52 connected with , Hiph`il of , compare Hiph`il
Hosea 13:15).
Genesis 41:52;Genesis 46:20; reckoned among sons of Jacob, blessed by him, and given preference over ManassehGenesis 48:1,5,13,14,17 (twice in verse) (compareGenesis 48:19)Genesis 48:20;Genesis 48:20;Genesis 50:23;Numbers 1:10;1 Chronicles 7:20,22.
(= descendants, tribe of east)Numbers 1:32;Numbers 2:18 (twice in verse);Numbers 2:24;Numbers 7:48;Numbers 10:22;Numbers 26:35,37;Joshua 16:5,9 (boundaries of territory),Joshua 17:8;1 Chronicles 9:3;1 Chronicles 12:31;1 Chronicles 27:10,14,20; 2Chronicles 28:12; less oftenNumbers 1:33;Numbers 13:8;Joshua 21:5;1 Chronicles 6:51;Numbers 34:24;Joshua 16:8; compareJoshua 14:4;Psalm 78:67 ("" );Judges 10:9; also alone, tribeEphraimNumbers 26:28;Deuteronomy 33:17;Joshua 16:10 + often;Joshua 17:17 compareJudges 12:15; 2Chronicles 30:10 especially
the mountain-country of Ephraim, a ridge stretching from north to south through territory assigned to Ephraim, with fruitful land on both slopes, especially the western (compare DiJoshua 16:1)Joshua 17:15;Joshua 19:50;Joshua 20:7;Judges 2:9;Judges 3:27;Judges 4:5 26t.
by Hosea & Isaiah (rarely later) = kingdom of northern Israel (from Ephraim as largest & strongest tribe in it)Hosea 4:17;Hosea 5:3 (twice in verse);Hosea 5:5 ("" )Hosea 5:11;Hosea 5:12 30t. Hosea;Isaiah 7:2,5,8,9,17 9t. Isaiah; alsoJeremiah 7:15;Jeremiah 31:9,18,20;Ezekiel 37:16 (strike out Co)Ezekiel 37:19;Psalm 78:9; 2Chronicles 25:7,10; compare 2 Chronicles 30:1;Psalm 60:9 =Psalm 108:9; 2Chronicles 17:2; compare 2 Chronicles 34:6; Obadiah 19; hence alone in local sense 2 Chronicles 31:1; alsoHosea 5:9, wherefeminine (& perhapsIsaiah 7:2).
2 Samuel 18:6, east of Jordan;L Klo read compare2 Samuel 17:24,27.
2 Samuel 13:23 (= John 11:54 & 1 Macc 11:34? Klo compareL & , Qr 2Chronicles 13:9; so previously Bö Th Ke compare Dr).
a chief gate of Jerusalem2 Kings 14:13; 2Chronicles 25:23;Nehemiah 8:16;Nehemiah 12:39; perhaps at northwest angle, near Holy Sepulchre, compare Schick-GutheZPV 1885.
see . below
Topical Lexicon
Patriarchal Origin and BlessingEphraim is the second son born to Joseph in Egypt. Joseph “named the second son Ephraim, saying, ‘God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction’ ” (Genesis 41:52). On Jacob’s death-bed the patriarch adopted both Ephraim and Manasseh as his own sons and, crossing his hands, gave the greater blessing to the younger (Genesis 48:14-20). By this act Ephraim received the privileges of the firstborn, a theme later echoed when the Lord says, “I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn” (Jeremiah 31:9). Jacob’s prophetic word—“his descendants will become a multitude of nations” (Genesis 48:19)—gave Ephraim a pre-eminent place in the tribes of Israel and foreshadowed the tribe’s large population (Numbers 1:33; 26:37) and influence.
Settlement and Territorial Boundaries
Following the conquest of Canaan the sons of Joseph received a double inheritance. The tribal boundaries of Ephraim, detailed inJoshua 16 andJoshua 17, occupied the central hill country between Benjamin to the south and Manasseh to the north. Key sites included Bethel, Shiloh, Shechem, and the forested highlands known as the “hill country of Ephraim” (Joshua 17:15). Shiloh, within Ephraim’s territory, became the first long-term resting place of the tabernacle (Joshua 18:1), making the tribe custodian of Israel’s worship for centuries. The verdant uplands fulfilled Jacob’s blessing of fruitfulness (Deuteronomy 33:13-17).
Military and Political Prominence during the United Monarchy
Joshua, the conqueror who succeeded Moses, sprang from Ephraim (Numbers 13:8). In the era of the Judges the tribe’s strategic position and numbers often placed it at the heart of national crises—summoned by Deborah and Barak (Judges 5:14), tardily joining Gideon (Judges 8:1), and tragically clashing with Jephthah (Judges 12:1-6). Samuel’s family lived in “Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim” (1 Samuel 1:1). Under David and Solomon the tribe contributed soldiers and administrators, yet simmering tribal jealousies remained.
When Solomon’s son Rehoboam alienated the northern tribes, an Ephraimite—Jeroboam son of Nebat (1 Kings 11:26)—led the revolt that created the Northern Kingdom. From that point “Ephraim” often serves as a synecdoche for the ten tribes, as inIsaiah 7:2 andHosea 5:3.
Spiritual Condition and Prophetic Reproofs
Prophets expose a tragic tension between Ephraim’s privileged status and spiritual decline. Hosea concentrates 35 direct mentions on the tribe, mourning, “Ephraim mixes with the nations” (Hosea 7:8) and warning, “Ephraim has surrounded Me with lies” (Hosea 11:12). Yet divine mercy still beckons: “I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning… ‘Bring me back that I may be restored’ ” (Jeremiah 31:18). Isaiah rebukes drunkenness in “Ephraim’s proud garland” (Isaiah 28:1-3), but also foretells a remnant that will “look to the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 10:20-21).
The prophets’ alternating tones of judgment and grace show the Lord’s unwavering covenant faithfulness despite Ephraim’s unfaithfulness, highlighting both the severity of sin and the promise of restoration.
Messianic and Eschatological Anticipations
Jeremiah 31 links Ephraim directly to the new covenant: “Set up road markers… return, O virgin Israel” (verses 21-22) and culminates in the promise, “I will forgive their iniquity” (verse 34). Ezekiel’s vision of two sticks (Ezekiel 37:15-28) unites “the stick of Joseph… that is in the hand of Ephraim” with Judah under “one shepherd.” Zechariah foresees a day when “Ephraim will be like a mighty man” (Zechariah 10:7) as the Messiah reigns. These prophecies anticipate the reunification of God’s people and the inclusion of many nations, fulfilling Jacob’s original blessing.
Typological and Geographic References in the New Testament
Although the New Testament rarely mentions the tribe by name, it nods to its legacy. Jesus withdrew to “a town called Ephraim, in a region near the wilderness” before His final Passover (John 11:54), an area identified with the old tribal allotment. The adoption-firstborn motif underlying Ephraim’s account prefigures believers’ adoption in Christ (Romans 8:15-17) and ties to the “church of the firstborn” (Hebrews 12:23). The prophetic inclusion of “a multitude of nations” hints at Gentile salvation through the gospel.
Lessons for Ministry Today
1. Privilege demands faithfulness. Ephraim’s unparalleled blessings became grounds for sharper rebuke when the tribe turned to idolatry.
2. God disciplines yet woos. The same prophets who pronounce judgment also record the Lord’s tender cry, “Is Ephraim not a dear son to Me?” (Jeremiah 31:20).
3. Leadership shapes nations. From Joshua to Jeroboam, Ephraimite leaders exerted formative influence, for good or ill.
4. The Lord keeps covenant. Despite centuries of rebellion, restoration for Ephraim is guaranteed under Messiah’s rule, encouraging believers to trust divine promises.
Ephraim’s narrative—commencing with gracious adoption, marked by fruitfulness and failure, and concluding in promised restoration—illustrates the unbreakable fidelity of God’s redemptive plan across Scripture’s unfolding story.
Forms and Transliterations
אֶ֝פְרַ֗יִם אֶ֠פְרַיִם אֶפְרַ֔יִם אֶפְרַ֕יִם אֶפְרַ֖יִם אֶפְרַ֗יִם אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ אֶפְרַ֛יִם אֶפְרַ֜יִם אֶפְרַ֣יִם אֶפְרַ֤יִם אֶפְרַ֥יִם אֶפְרַ֨יִם ׀ אֶפְרַיִם֒ אֶפְרַיִם֮ אֶפְרָ֑יִם אֶפְרָ֔יִם אֶפְרָ֖יִם אֶפְרָֽיִם׃ אפרים אפרים׃ וְ֭אֶפְרַיִם וְאֶפְרַ֕יִם וְאֶפְרַ֖יִם וְאֶפְרַ֗יִם וְאֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ וְאֶפְרַ֛יִם וְאֶפְרַ֜יִם וְאֶפְרָ֑יִם וְאֶפְרָֽיִם׃ וּבְאֶפְרַ֥יִם ואפרים ואפרים׃ ובאפרים כְּאֶפְרַ֖יִם כאפרים לְאֶפְרַ֔יִם לְאֶפְרַ֕יִם לְאֶפְרַ֗יִם לְאֶפְרַ֥יִם לְאֶפְרָ֑יִם לאפרים מֵֽאֶפְרַ֔יִם מֵֽאֶפְרַ֨יִם מֵאֶפְרַ֗יִם מֵאֶפְרַ֥יִם מאפרים ’ep̄·ra·yim ’ep̄·rā·yim ’ep̄rayim ’ep̄rāyim efRayim kə’ep̄rayim kə·’ep̄·ra·yim keefRayim lə’ep̄rayim lə’ep̄rāyim lə·’ep̄·ra·yim lə·’ep̄·rā·yim leefRayim mê’ep̄rayim mê·’ep̄·ra·yim meefRayim ū·ḇə·’ep̄·ra·yim ūḇə’ep̄rayim uveefRayim veefRayim wə’ep̄rayim wə’ep̄rāyim wə·’ep̄·ra·yim wə·’ep̄·rā·yim
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