What is…
Ephratah

also known as: Ephrath

Hebrew: אֶפְרָת —transliteration: Ephrath or Ephrathah —meaning: fruitful

This was the name of a biblical woman and an important town of Messianic prophecy.

  1. Ephratah, wife of Caleb

    Ephratah is the 2nd 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 of Canaan (1 Chronicles 2:19, 50)

  2. Ephratah, former name of Bethlehem

    Ephratah (Ephrath) was the ancient name of BETHLEHEM in Judah (Genesis 35:16, 19; 48:7). Prior to the Israelite conquest of Canaan, it was inhabited by Canaanites. In Ruth 1:2 it is called “Bethlehem-Judah,” but the inhabitants are called “Ephrathites;” in Micah 5:2, “Bethlehem-Ephratah;” in Matthew 2:6, “Bethlehem in the land of Judah.”

    In Psalm 132:6 it is mentioned as the place where David spent his youth, and where he heard much of the ark of the covenant, 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 Samuel 7:1; compare 2 Samuel 6:3-4).

    It was on the way to Ephrath that Jacob’s beloved wife Rachel died in childbirth (Benjamin). Jacob buried her and erected a long lasting pillar to mark her grave.

    So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem). And Jacob set up a pillar over her grave; that is the pillar of Rachel’s grave to this day. —Genesis 35:19-20

    Bethlehem, formerly known as Ephratah/Ephrath, and today a Palestinian town—satellite view

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Article Version: September 17, 2024