Ephraim (the tribe of Ephraim/men as a group, not the patriarch himself)
A powerful tribe in Israel
Die LandnahmeWarriorLeaderc. 1400–722 BC (as a tribe from the settlement until the exile)
The tribe of Ephraim was one of the most influential tribes in Israel, descendants of Joseph's son Ephraim. They received a central territory in the Promised Land and played a crucial role during the period of the judges and the monarchy. After the kingdom split, the name "Ephraim" was often used to refer to the entire Northern Kingdom of Israel.
Jacob placed his right hand on Ephraim's head and gave him a greater blessing than his older brother Manasseh, which foretold the tribe's future greatness.
13Joseph took them both, Ephraim on his right toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh on his left toward Israel's right hand, and brought them close to him.
14But Israel reached out his right hand and laid it on Ephraim's head, though he was the younger, and crossing his hands, he laid his left hand on Manasseh's head, even though Manasseh was the firstborn.
16the Angel who has redeemed me from all evil—may he bless these boys. May my name be carried on through them, and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth."
17When Joseph saw that his father was placing his right hand on Ephraim's head, he was displeased; so he took hold of his father's hand to move it from Ephraim's head to Manasseh's.
19But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will be great. Yet his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a multitude of nations."
20So he blessed them that day, saying: "By you Israel will pronounce this blessing: 'May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.'" And so he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.
32From the sons of Joseph—the descendants of Ephraim: all the men twenty years old and upward who were fit for military service were listed by name, according to their genealogy, by clan and family.
10But they did not drive out the Canaanites living in Gezer. So the Canaanites have lived among the Ephraimites to this day, subjected to forced labor.
14The descendants of Joseph said to Joshua, "Why have you given us only one lot and one portion as our inheritance, when we are a numerous people, for the LORD has blessed us so richly until now?"
15Joshua answered them, "If you are such a numerous people, go up into the forest and clear ground for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too cramped for you."
16But the descendants of Joseph said, "The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites living in the valley country have iron chariots—both those in Beth-shean with its villages and those in the Valley of Jezreel."
17Then Joshua said to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and Manasseh, "You are a numerous people and you have great strength. You shall not have only one lot,
18for the hill country shall be yours. Though it is forest, you will clear it, and it shall be yours to its farthest limits. You will drive out the Canaanites, even though they have iron chariots and are strong."
The Ephraimites confronted Gideon angrily because he had not called them to fight against the Midianites from the beginning, but Gideon managed to calm them down with wise words.
1The men of Ephraim said to Gideon, "Why have you treated us like this? Why didn't you call us when you went to fight against Midian?" And they quarreled with him bitterly.
3God gave the princes of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb, into your hands. What was I able to do compared to you?" When he said this, their anger against him subsided.
Conflict with Jephthah and the Battle at the Jordan Ford
Ephraim's men threatened Jephthah after his victory over the Ammonites. The conflict escalated into war, and the Ephraimites were identified and killed at the fords of the Jordan because they could not pronounce "shibboleth" correctly.
1The men of Ephraim were mustered, and they crossed over to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, "Why did you cross over to fight the Ammonites without calling us to go with you? We will burn your house down over your head!"
2Jephthah answered them, "I and my people were locked in a bitter struggle with the Ammonites. I called you, but you did not rescue me from their hand.
3When I saw that you would not save me, I took my life in my own hands and crossed over against the Ammonites, and the LORD gave them into my hand. So why have you come up against me today to fight me?"
4Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought Ephraim, and the men of Gilead struck Ephraim down, because they had said, "You Gileadites are nothing but fugitives from Ephraim, living in the midst of Ephraim and Manasseh."
5The Gileadites seized the fords of the Jordan against Ephraim, and whenever an Ephraimite fugitive said, "Let me cross over," the men of Gilead would ask him, "Are you an Ephraimite?" If he said, "No,"
6they would say to him, "Then say 'Shibboleth.'" And he would say, "Sibboleth," for he could not pronounce it correctly. Then they would seize him and kill him at the fords of the Jordan. Forty-two thousand of Ephraim fell at that time.
Ephraim as the Identity of the Northern Kingdom and Hosea's Prophecies
After the kingdom was divided, "Ephraim" became the prophets' most common term for the Northern Kingdom of Israel. The prophet Hosea used the name repeatedly in his warnings of judgment and promises of future restoration.
13When Ephraim saw his sickness and Judah his wound, Ephraim went to Assyria and sent envoys to the great king. But he cannot heal you or cure your wound.
14For I will be like a lion to Ephraim, like a young lion to the house of Judah. I myself will tear them to pieces and go away; I will carry them off, and no one will rescue them.
1Whenever I would heal Israel, the guilt of Ephraim is uncovered, and the evils of Samaria; for they practice deceit — the thief breaks in, and raiders plunder outside in the streets.
8How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah, or make you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender.
9I will not carry out my burning anger; I will not destroy Ephraim again. For I am God and not man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath.