Ephrath; Ephrathah

EPHRATH, EPHRATHAH.—See Bethlehem, and Caleb-ephrathah.

ef´rath, ē´frath, ef´ra-tha, ef-ra´tha (אפרת, ’ephrāth; Ἐφράθα, Ephrátha; Gen 35:16; Gen 48:7); (אפרתה, ’ephrāthāh, in the other references: Jos 15:59 (in added verse of Septuagint only); Rth 4:11; 1Ch 2:19, 1Ch 2:24, 1Ch 2:50; Psa 132:6; Mic 5:2, the King James Version “Ephratah”): The name either of Bethlehem itself or of a district in which Bethlehem was situated. A man of this place was called an Ephrathite (Rth 1:2; 1Sa 17:12). It is held by many authorities that the Ephrath where Rachel was buried (Gen 35:16; Gen 48:7) was a different place, the words “the same is Bethlehem” being a gloss. The reading in Psa 132:6 is doubtful; the Revised Version, margin has “Ephraim.”