672. Ephrath or Ephrathah

Lexicon

Ephrath or Ephrathah: Ephrath, Ephrathah

Original Word: אֶפְרָת
Part of Speech: proper name; proper name, of a location; proper name, feminine
Transliteration: Ephraath
Pronunciation: ef-rawth' or ef-raw-thaw'
Phonetic Spelling: (ef-rawth')
Definition: Ephrath, Ephrathah
Meaning: Ephrath

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

Ephrath, Ephratah

Or mephrathah {ef-raw'-thaw}; from parah; fruitfulness; Ephrath, another name for Bethlehem; once (Psa. 132:6) perhaps for Ephraim; also of an Israelitish woman -- Ephrath, Ephratah.

see HEBREW parah

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from the same as apher
Definition
an Isr. woman, also the name of several places in Pal.
NASB Translation
Ephrath (5), Ephrathah (5).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

אֶפְרָ֫תָה proper name (see Sta^{§ 308 d. 1; 342 d. 2; Morgenl. Forsch. 215}) — might in several cases, e.g. Genesis 35:16, be אֶפְרָת + ה locative, but see Ruth 4:11; —

1. proper name, of a location place near Bethel, where Rachel died & was buried Genesis 35:16,19; Genesis 48:7 (אֶפְרָת only Genesis 48:7 where ה perhaps dropped on accusative of ה following (Ol); in last two passages הוא בית לחם is a gloss, see Di; compare 1 Samuel 10:2).

2 id., a name of Bethlehem Micah 5:1; Ruth 4:11; compare perhaps כָּלֵב אֶפְרָתָ֑ה 1 Chronicles 2:24 (ᵐ5 ἦλθεν Ξαλὲβ εἰς Ἐφράθα).

3 id. Psalm 132:6, perhaps applied to district where Kirjath Jearim lay, on the border of Judah & Benjamin, compare De Che.

4. proper name, feminine אֶפְרָת name given to wife of Caleb 1 Chronicles 2:19 = אֶפְרָתָ֑ח 1 Chronicles 2:50; 1 Chronicles 4:4.

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the root word פָּרָה (parah), meaning "to be fruitful."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: There are no direct Greek equivalents for Ephrath in the Strong's Concordance, as it is a proper noun specific to Hebrew texts. However, the Greek New Testament refers to Bethlehem, which is associated with Ephrath, using the Greek term Βηθλεέμ (Bethlehem), found in Strong's Greek Number 965.

Usage: Ephrath is used in the Hebrew Bible to denote:
• A geographical location, specifically a region or town near Bethlehem.
• A personal name, referring to a woman, the wife of Caleb.

Context: Ephrath is a significant term in the Hebrew Scriptures, appearing in various contexts. It is primarily known as the ancient name for the area around Bethlehem, as seen in Genesis 35:19: "So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem)." This association with Bethlehem is reiterated in other passages, such as Ruth 4:11, where the elders bless Ruth, saying, "May you be fruitful in Ephrath and famous in Bethlehem."

Additionally, Ephrath is mentioned as a personal name. In 1 Chronicles 2:19, Ephrath is identified as the wife of Caleb, a descendant of Judah. This connection highlights the familial and tribal significance of the name within the context of Israel's history.

The dual usage of Ephrath as both a place and a personal name underscores its importance in the biblical narrative, symbolizing both a physical location of historical and prophetic significance and a lineage tied to the tribe of Judah.

Forms and Transliterations

אֶפְרָ֑תָה אֶפְרָ֔ת אֶפְרָ֔תָה אֶפְרָ֗תָה אפרת אפרתה בְּאֶפְרָ֔תָה בְאֶפְרָ֑תָה באפרתה ’ep̄·rā·ṯāh ’ep̄·rāṯ ’ep̄rāṯ ’ep̄rāṯāh bə’ep̄rāṯāh ḇə’ep̄rāṯāh bə·’ep̄·rā·ṯāh ḇə·’ep̄·rā·ṯāh beefRatah efRat efRatah veefRatah

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 35:16
HEB: הָאָ֖רֶץ לָב֣וֹא אֶפְרָ֑תָה וַתֵּ֥לֶד רָחֵ֖ל
NAS: to go to Ephrath, Rachel
KJV: to come to Ephrath: and Rachel
INT: way to go to Ephrath to give Rachel

Genesis 35:19
HEB: וַתִּקָּבֵר֙ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ אֶפְרָ֔תָה הִ֖וא בֵּ֥ית
NAS: on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).
KJV: in the way to Ephrath, which [is] Bethlehem.
INT: was buried the way to Ephrath he which Bethlehem

Genesis 48:7
HEB: אֶ֖רֶץ לָבֹ֣א אֶפְרָ֑תָה וָאֶקְבְּרֶ֤הָ שָּׁם֙
NAS: to go to Ephrath; and I buried
KJV: to come unto Ephrath: and I buried her
INT: the land to go to Ephrath buried her there

Genesis 48:7
HEB: שָּׁם֙ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ אֶפְרָ֔ת הִ֖וא בֵּ֥ית
NAS: on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).
KJV: there in the way of Ephrath; the same [is] Bethlehem.
INT: her there the way to Ephrath he the same Bethlehem

Ruth 4:11
HEB: וַעֲשֵׂה־ חַ֣יִל בְּאֶפְרָ֔תָה וּקְרָא־ שֵׁ֖ם
NAS: wealth in Ephrathah and become famous
KJV: thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous
INT: achieve wealth Ephrathah and become base

1 Chronicles 2:19
HEB: כָלֵב֙ אֶת־ אֶפְרָ֔ת וַתֵּ֥לֶד ל֖וֹ
NAS: married Ephrath, who bore
KJV: took unto him Ephrath, which bare
INT: married Caleb Ephrath bore Hur

1 Chronicles 2:50
HEB: ח֖וּר בְּכ֣וֹר אֶפְרָ֑תָה שׁוֹבָ֕ל אֲבִ֖י
NAS: the firstborn of Ephrathah, [were] Shobal
KJV: the firstborn of Ephratah; Shobal
INT: of Hur the firstborn of Ephrathah Shobal the father

1 Chronicles 4:4
HEB: חוּר֙ בְּכ֣וֹר אֶפְרָ֔תָה אֲבִ֖י בֵּ֥ית
NAS: the firstborn of Ephrathah, the father
KJV: the firstborn of Ephratah, the father
INT: of Hur the firstborn of Ephrathah the father of Bethlehem

Psalm 132:6
HEB: הִנֵּֽה־ שְׁמַֽעֲנ֥וּהָ בְאֶפְרָ֑תָה מְ֝צָאנ֗וּהָ בִּשְׂדֵי־
NAS: we heard of it in Ephrathah, We found
KJV: Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found
INT: Behold heard Ephrathah found the field

Micah 5:2
HEB: בֵּֽית־ לֶ֣חֶם אֶפְרָ֗תָה צָעִיר֙ לִֽהְיוֹת֙
NAS: But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, [Too] little
KJV: But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, [though] thou be little
INT: you Bethlehem Ephrathah little to be among

10 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 672
10 Occurrences

bə·’ep̄·rā·ṯāh — 1 Occ.
’ep̄·rāṯ — 2 Occ.
’ep̄·rā·ṯāh — 6 Occ.
ḇə·’ep̄·rā·ṯāh — 1 Occ.