BIBLE DICTIONARY + WORD STUDY

Ephratah

Original Hebrew / Aramaic / Greek connected to this term

How to read this: there is rarely one magic “true meaning” hidden behind an English word. A lexicon records a word’s semantic range. The intended meaning is narrowed by grammar, sentence, author, historical usage and context.

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H672

אֶפְרָ֫תָה

eph.ra.tah — Ephrathah

A womanof the tribe of Judah living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at 1Ch.2.19; married to Caleb (H3612H); mother of: Hur (H2354); also called Ephrath at 1Ch.2.19; Also named: eph.ra.ti (אֶפְרָתִי "Ephrathite" H0673H) § Ephrath or Ephratah = "ash-heap: place of fruitfulness" 1) a place near Bethel where Rachel died and was buried 2) another name for Bethlehem 3) wife of Caleb

9 tagged verse occurrences · see every occurrence →

HEBREW / ARAMAIC · H3613

כָּלֵב אֶפְרָתָה

ka.lev eph.ra.tah — Caleb

§ Caleb-ephratah = "dog or ash heap" a place in Gilead

1 tagged verse occurrence · see every occurrence →

Historical dictionary entry

Fruitful. (1.) The second wife of Caleb, the son of Hezron, mother of Hur, and grandmother of Caleb, who was one of those that were sent to spy the land (1 Chr. 2:19, 50). (2.) The ancient name of Bethlehem in Judah (Gen. 35:16, 19; 48:7). In Ruth 1:2 it is called “Bethlehem-Judah,” but the inhabitants are called “Ephrathites;” in Micah 5:2, “Bethlehem-Ephratah;” in Matt. 2:6, “Bethlehem in the land of Judah.” In Ps. 132:6 it is mentioned as the place where David spent his youth, and where he heard much of the ark, although he never saw it till he found it long afterwards at Kirjath-jearim; i.e., the “city of the wood,” or the “forest-town” (1 Sam. 7:1; comp. 2 Sam. 6:3, 4).

Scripture references

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897). Historical dictionary wording reflects the scholarship and language of its era.

Compare other reference traditions

Look up Ephratah in Smith’s Bible Dictionary and ISBE →