Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJames Hastings Dictionary of the NT: Ephraim
Subjects in this Topic:
EPHRAIM.—Joh_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.’
There are scarcely any textual variations. TR spells ἘöñáÀá ; Lachmann, Tischendorf, Westcott-Hort spell Ἑöñáὶì ; Stephanus, 1550, had on the margin the reading Ἑöñὲì , which is supported by à L and Latin witnesses, and the name Óáìöïõñåßì as to be supplied after ÷þñáí . This is the reading of D, Sapfurim in its Latin part, for which Chase (Syro-Lat. Text of Gospels, 108) and R. Harris (A Study of Codex Bezœ, p. 184) suggested that óáì might be the Heb. ùׁí ‘the name’; but more probable is the identification with Sepphoris, which in Jos. Ant. xiv. 91 is spelt Óáôöὁñïéò (v.ll. Óáìöὸñïéò and other forms); so Jerome (s.v. ‘Araba’ in OS 17. 13 f.): ‘Diocaesareae, quae olim Safforine dicehatur.’
Eusebius in his Onomasticon says (ad Ephron, Jos_15:9) êáἰ ἔóôé íῦí êþìç Ἐöñáὶì ìåãßóôç ðåñὶ ôἀ âüñåéá Áἰëßáò ὠò ἀðὸ óçìåßùí ê ; in the Latin rendering of Jerome: ‘est et villa pergrandis Efrœa nomine contra septentrionem in vicesimo ab aelia miliario’ (ed. Klostermann, p. 86. 1, 90. 18). With this has been identified Afra [= òִôָøָä Jos_18:23]: ‘in tribu Beniamin; et est hodie vicus Efraim in quinto miliario Bethelis ad orientem respiciens’ (p. 29. 4; the Greek text [28. 4: êáὶ íῦí ἔóôé êþìç Áἰöñὴë ἀðü ] is here defective); further, 1Ma_11:34 = Jos. Ant. xiii. 127 [ed. Niese]: ôïὺò ôñåῖò íïìïὐò Ἀöáßñåìá (v.l. ἈöÝñåìá ) êáὶ Áýääá êáὶ Ῥáìáèåßí ; finally, the notice of Josephus (BJ iv. 551), that Vespasian took ÂÞèçãÜ ôå (earlier reading ÂáéèÞë or ÂçèÞë ) êáὶ Ἐöñáὶì ðïëß÷íéá . Since Robinson, the site has been sought at the modern ct-Taiyibeh, 4 miles N.E. from Bethel. Schürer (GJV3 i. 233) quotes Robinson, ii. 332–338; Guérin, Judéc, iii. 45–51; Buhl, GAP p. 177; Heidet, art. ‘Ephrem’ in Vigouroux’s Dict. ii. 1885 ff.; cf., further, art. ‘Ephraim’ by J. H. Kennedy in Hastings’ DB, and by T. K. Cheyne in Encyc. Biblica.* [Note: Schürer (GJV3 ii. 163, n. 435) is certainly right in rejecting the identification of Sapfurim with Sepharvaim (2Ki_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. Luk_9:16 offers similar variations in the text ( ôïëéí êáëïõìåíçí , ôüôïí ëåãïìåíïí , ôüôïí ἐ ͂ ñçìïí , etc). Ἐöñáéá might itself be derived from Sepphoris, the first letter being dropped after the ò of åἱò .]
Origen compares, for the retirement of Jesus, Mat_4:12 f. and then allegorizes: Ephraim, according to Gen_41:51 f. ‘ êáñôïöïñéá ʼ ἀôῆëèåí ἑêåúèåí åἰò ôὴí ÷þñáí ‘ ôïῦ ἁëïõ êὀóìïõ ,’ ἐëëὺò ôῆò ἐñÞìïõ ‘ ἐêêëçóéá ’ åἰò ἘöñáÀì ôὴí ‘ êáñôïöïñïῦóáí ’ ëåãïìἑíçíôüëéí , etc. (new Berlin edition, pp. 420, 551). About the site he says nothing.
Eb. Nestle.