Reference: Ephratah
Easton
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 (1Ch 2:19,50).
(2.) The ancient name of Bethlehem in Judah (Ge 35:16,19; 48:7). In Ru 1:2 it is called "Bethlehem-Judah," but the inhabitants are called "Ephrathites;" in Mic 5:2, "Bethlehem-Ephratah;" in Mt 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" (1Sa 7:1; comp. 2Sa 6:3-4).
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And they moved from Bethel. And there was only a length of land to come to Ephrath. And Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor in her bearing.
And Rachel died and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.
And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan in the way, when there was still but a little way to come to Ephrath. And I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; it is Bethlehem.
And the name of the man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi, and the name of his two sons Mahlon and Chilion, Ephrathites of Bethlehem-judah. And they came to the fields of Moab and stayed there.
And the men of Kirjath-jearim came and brought up the ark of Jehovah, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill. And they sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of Jehovah.
And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab in Gibeah. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab at Gibeah, going with the ark of God. And Ahio went before the ark.
These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur. The first-born of Ephratah was Shobal the father of Kirjath-jearim;
And you, Bethlehem Ephratah, you being least among the thousands of Judah, out of you He shall come forth to Me, to become Ruler in Israel, He whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity.
"And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the governors of Judah. For out of you shall come a Governor who shall rule My people Israel."
Fausets
1. Second wife of Caleb, Hezron's son; mother of Hur; grandmother of Caleb the spy (1Ch 2:19,(1Ch 2:24),1Ch 2:50; 4:4).
2. The name of Bethlehem Judah in Jacob's time (Ge 35:16,19; 48:7). Whence probably Ephraim the mother of Hur took her name, being a native and owner of the town and district; which accounts for his being called "the father of Bethlehem." In Mic 5:2 it is called Bethlehem Ephraim. As Bethlehem means "house of bread," so Ephraim "fruitful," the region abounding in grain. In Ps 132:6 the sense is: "we (being) in Ephraim (i.e. while David was still a youth at Bethlehem) heard of it," namely, the ark, as a mere matter of hearsay, so neglected was the ark then while in the forest town of Kirjath Jearim.
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And they moved from Bethel. And there was only a length of land to come to Ephrath. And Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor in her bearing.
And Rachel died and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.
And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan in the way, when there was still but a little way to come to Ephrath. And I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; it is Bethlehem.
And after Hezron died in Caleb-ephratah, then Abiah, Hezron's wife bore him Ashur the father of Tekoa.
These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur. The first-born of Ephratah was Shobal the father of Kirjath-jearim;
and Penuel the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These are the sons of Hur, the first-born of Ephratah, the father of Bethlehem.
And you, Bethlehem Ephratah, you being least among the thousands of Judah, out of you He shall come forth to Me, to become Ruler in Israel, He whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity.
Morish
Eph'ratah, Ephrath. Eph'rath
1. Ancient name of Bethlehem-judah. Ge 35:16,19; 48:7; Ru 4:11; Ps 132:6; Mic 5:2.
2. Caleb's second wife and mother of Hur. 1Ch 2:19,50: cf. also 1Ch 4:4.
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And they moved from Bethel. And there was only a length of land to come to Ephrath. And Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor in her bearing.
And Rachel died and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.
And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died beside me in the land of Canaan in the way, when there was still but a little way to come to Ephrath. And I buried her there in the way of Ephrath; it is Bethlehem.
And all the people in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. May Jehovah make the woman who has come into your house like Rachel and like Leah, for these two built the house of Israel. And may you be blessed in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem.
These were the sons of Caleb the son of Hur. The first-born of Ephratah was Shobal the father of Kirjath-jearim;
and Penuel the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These are the sons of Hur, the first-born of Ephratah, the father of Bethlehem.
And you, Bethlehem Ephratah, you being least among the thousands of Judah, out of you He shall come forth to Me, to become Ruler in Israel, He whose goings forth have been from of old, from the days of eternity.