Ephraim

Biblical Account

Ephraim was the second son born to Joseph in Egypt. His mother was Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On, and his older brother was Manasseh (Genesis 41:50-52). Scripture records that Joseph gave him this name because "God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction" (Genesis 41:52).

In Genesis 48, Jacob, nearing death, declares that he will claim his two grandsons as his own sons, just as Reuben and Simeon are his (Genesis 48:5). He then crosses his hands, placing his right hand on the younger Ephraim and his left on the elder Manasseh, and blesses them. When Joseph tries to shift his father's hands, Jacob replies that the younger brother will be greater than the elder (Genesis 48:13-20).

Genesis 50:23 states that Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation. First Chronicles 7:20-27 records that descendants of Ephraim were killed by the men of Gath and that Ephraim mourned many days. The same passage also notes that Joshua the son of Nun came from this line.

Significance Within Scripture

Through Jacob's blessing, each of Joseph's two sons became the ancestor of a tribe. Joseph's portion within the twelve tribes of Israel was thus divided in two. First Chronicles 5:1-2 explains that Reuben's birthright was given to the sons of Joseph.

The tribe of Ephraim settled in central Canaan, and Shiloh, where the tabernacle stood, lay within its territory. After the division of the kingdom, Jeroboam, the first king of the northern kingdom of Israel, was an Ephraimite (1 Kings 11:26). In Hosea and other prophetic books, "Ephraim" frequently serves as a name for the northern kingdom of Israel as a whole (Hosea 11:8).

The New Testament does not mention Ephraim the person by name. However, Hebrews 11:21 cites Jacob's blessing of each of Joseph's sons as an act of faith. The "Ephraim" of John 11:54 is the name of a town. The list of tribes in Revelation 7 includes Joseph and Manasseh but omits Ephraim and Dan.

Interpretations and Issues

• The younger preferred over the elder: Genesis contains a series of stories in which the younger sibling takes precedence, such as those of Isaac and Ishmael or Jacob and Esau, and the Ephraim narrative is read within this pattern.
• The Calvinist tradition often cites it as an example of God's sovereign election.
• The Arminian and Wesleyan traditions tend to read it as an election concerning a tribe's historical role rather than individual salvation.
• The crossed hands: Since the early church, some interpreters are said to have seen the crossing of the hands as a type (a sign foreshadowing what is to come) of the cross. The text itself does not say this.
• The list in Revelation 7: The text does not explain why Ephraim is omitted. Various interpretations have been offered, including the view that "Joseph" in the list stands in place of Ephraim.
• The "stick of Ephraim" in Ezekiel 37: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints identifies this expression in Ezekiel 37:16 with its own scripture, the Book of Mormon, and teaches that many of its members belong to the tribe of Ephraim. Protestant denominations generally read the passage as a prophecy that the northern and southern kingdoms would be reunited (Ezekiel 37:22) and do not accept that claim.
• The Jewish blessing: Judaism preserves a blessing, based on Genesis 48:20, in which sons are blessed with the words "God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh."
• Extrabiblical stories: Detailed accounts of Ephraim's character or of Asenath were added in later literature and are not found in the biblical text.

In the Korean Church

In Sunday school, the scene of Jacob blessing his grandsons with crossed hands is taught as the final episode of the Joseph story. In preaching, Genesis 48 is cited for two themes: first, that God's choice may differ from human order or expectation; and second, as a model for blessing one's children. Hosea 7:8, "Ephraim is a cake not turned," is frequently quoted in sermons as a warning against a one-sided faith.