Topical Bible: Tribe of Ephraim: Bounds of Its Inheritance

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The Tribe of Ephraim, one of the prominent tribes of Israel, was named after Ephraim, the younger son of Joseph and Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On (Genesis 41:50-52). Ephraim, along with his brother Manasseh, was adopted by Jacob as his own sons, thus receiving a portion of the inheritance among the tribes of Israel (Genesis 48:5). The inheritance of the Tribe of Ephraim is detailed in the Book of Joshua, where the land allotments for the tribes of Israel are described.

Geographical Boundaries:

The inheritance of the Tribe of Ephraim is primarily outlined in Joshua 16. The territory assigned to Ephraim was located in the central part of the land of Canaan, a region known for its fertile land and strategic location. The boundaries of Ephraim's inheritance are described as follows:

1. Eastern Boundary: The eastern boundary began at Ataroth-addar and extended to Upper Beth-horon (Joshua 16:5). This area was significant for its elevation and strategic military advantage.

2. Northern Boundary: The northern boundary stretched from Upper Beth-horon to the sea, encompassing the region of Michmethath on the north (Joshua 16:6). This boundary included the fertile plains and hills that were ideal for agriculture.

3. Western Boundary: The western boundary reached the Mediterranean Sea, providing access to trade routes and maritime resources.

4. Southern Boundary: The southern boundary extended from Tappuah westward to the Brook Kanah, ending at the sea (Joshua 16:8). This boundary marked the division between Ephraim and the neighboring tribe of Manasseh.

Cities and Settlements:

Within these boundaries, the Tribe of Ephraim possessed several key cities and settlements. Joshua 16:9 notes that Ephraim had separate cities within the territory of Manasseh, indicating a close relationship between the two tribes. Some of the notable cities within Ephraim's inheritance included:

· Shechem: A significant city of refuge and a center of worship, Shechem held historical and religious importance for the Israelites (Joshua 20:7).

· Shiloh: Located within Ephraim's territory, Shiloh was the religious center where the Tabernacle was set up and served as a focal point for Israelite worship before the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem (Joshua 18:1).

· Bethel: Although initially part of Benjamin's territory, Bethel was closely associated with Ephraim and played a crucial role in Israel's religious history (Judges 1:22-25).

Historical Significance:

The Tribe of Ephraim held a prominent position among the tribes of Israel. As the leading tribe of the northern kingdom, Ephraim often symbolized the entire northern kingdom of Israel. The tribe's central location and fertile land contributed to its influence and prosperity. However, this prominence also led to tensions with other tribes, particularly Judah, as seen in various biblical narratives.

Ephraim's inheritance, with its strategic location and fertile land, played a crucial role in the history and development of the nation of Israel. The tribe's legacy is reflected in its contributions to Israel's religious, political, and cultural life, as well as its enduring presence in biblical history.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Joshua 16:5-9
And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Atarothaddar, to Bethhoron the upper;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

That the Judges who Succeeded Gideon Made War with the Adjoining ...
... the Shechemites, seemed openly to affect greater authority than he now had, and
appeared to set no bounds to his ... 11. Now the tribe of Ephraim fought against ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 7 that the judges.htm

Of the Eternal Election, by which God Has Predestinated Some to ...
... when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the ... the tabernacle of Joseph,
and chose not the tribe of Ephraim: but chose the tribe of Judah ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 21 of the eternal.htm

The Preface to the Commandments
... The law of God is a hedge to keep us within the bounds of sobriety and piety. ... Shiloh
was a city belonging to the tribe of Ephraim, where God set his name. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/the ten commandments/1 3 the preface to the.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... The lot given to each tribe is described ... centre of the country, the house of Joseph
taking the best domains for its branches of Ephraim and Manasseh ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

Letter cviii. To Eustochium.
... Also when she was in Mount Ephraim she made pilgrimages to the ... is still shewn
to-day, and where the tribe of Benjamin ... Her liberality alone knew no bounds. ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cviii to eustochium.htm

The Holy City; Or, the New Jerusalem:
... riches of Christ-its worshippers, the countless myriads of the nations of those
that are saved-its duration, ETERNITY. It is the inheritance of the Son of God ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the holy city or the.htm

The Sibylline Oracles.
... luxury, its gross licentiousness and profanity, its cruelty and ... Just bounds are theirs
in town and field; no ... dream, restores Judah, the royal tribe, and all ...
//christianbookshelf.org/deane/pseudepigrapha/the sibylline oracles.htm

Against Jovinianus.
... a wife." Each one of us has his appointed bounds; let me ... of the world, the world
would love its own." And ... covered by the Saviour's aid on Mount Ephraim, that is ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/against jovinianus.htm

The Iranian Conquest
... Magi were not necessarily devoted to the service of religion, but all who did so
devote themselves sprang from the Magian tribe; the Avesta, in its oldest form ...
/.../chapter ithe iranian conquest.htm

The Pharisee and the Publican
... demonstrate the riches of his mercy in its extension to ... of Jewry (the lot of Israel's
inheritance), and the ... are for setting of Manasseh before Ephraim; but God ...
/.../bunyan/the pharisee and publican/the pharisee and the publican.htm