The Story of Ephraim in the Bible: Meaning & Importance

One recurring theme in the Bible is that God’s ways are definitely not ours, and His ways are always for the best. Oftentimes, that means allowing one of His children to suffer pain and loss and then redeeming that loss with an even greater blessing. Ephraim learned of such suffering and redemption from his father, Joseph.

God allowed a faithful Joseph to experience tremendous trials but redeemed his pain by giving him unimaginable blessings—including two sons. The fact that Ephraim’s name means “double fruitfulness,” (“for God had made him fruitful in the land of his affliction”) is part of that redemption. Discover the story of Ephraim in the Bible and what we can learn from him and his family.

Who Is Ephraim in the Bible?

Ephraim holds a significant place in biblical history, emerging as a prominent figure within the larger narrative of the Israelites. Ephraim, along with his brother Manasseh, were the sons of Joseph, who himself was one of Jacob's twelve sons. This lineage places Ephraim among the patriarchs of the twelve tribes of Israel, a pivotal role in the unfolding story of God's chosen people.

The descendants of Ephraim went on to form one of the most influential tribes in Israel's history. The tribe of Ephraim played a pivotal role in the conquest of the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua, showcasing their military prowess and commitment to the divine mandate. Additionally, the territory allocated to Ephraim within the Promised Land held strategic importance, situated in the heartland of Israel. This geographical positioning allowed Ephraim to exert considerable influence over the northern kingdom, contributing to its prominence in various historical events.

Despite the initial prosperity and strength of Ephraim, the Bible also highlights moments of waywardness and disobedience among its descendants. The Prophets frequently addressed the shortcomings of Ephraim, warning them against idolatry and moral decay. These warnings reflect a recurring biblical theme – the tension between divine blessings and human accountability. Ephraim's story is a cautionary tale, illustrating the consequences of straying from God's commands despite being chosen for a significant role in His redemptive plan.

Ephraim in the Bible

Genesis 41:52: "The second son he named Ephraim and said, 'It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering.'"

Numbers 1:32: "From the sons of Joseph: From the descendants of Ephraim, according to their clans: From the sons of Ephraim: Shuthelah, from the descendants of Shuthelah: Becher."

Joshua 16:5: "The boundary of their inheritance went from Ataroth Addar in the east to Upper Beth Horon."

Jeremiah 31:9: "They will come with weeping; they will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble, because I am Israel’s father, and Ephraim is my firstborn son."

Hosea 5:3: "I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from me. For now, Ephraim, you have been unfaithful and have defiled Israel."

What Does Ephraim Represent in the Bible?

In the Bible, Ephraim holds symbolic significance that extends beyond the individual and encompasses the tribe descended from him. Ephraim represents several key themes and concepts:

Fruitfulness and Prosperity: The name Ephraim itself means "fruitful" in Hebrew. This nomenclature reflects a prophetic blessing pronounced by Joseph's father, Jacob, indicating that the tribe of Ephraim would experience abundant growth and prosperity. This theme of fruitfulness is not only material but also spiritual, symbolizing the blessings of God upon His chosen people.
Divine Selection and Reversal of Expectations: Ephraim's story involves a notable instance of the reversal of expectations. Despite being the younger son of Joseph, Ephraim received the greater blessing from Jacob. This highlights the biblical theme of divine selection, where God chooses individuals or tribes for specific roles, often defying societal norms and expectations. It underscores the idea that God's plans and blessings may not align with human conventions.
Prominence in the Northern Kingdom: The tribe of Ephraim played a crucial role in the establishment and influence of the northern kingdom of Israel. The city of Shechem, located within the territory of Ephraim, became a significant political and religious center. Ephraim's prominence in the northern kingdom contributes to its symbolic representation of leadership, strength, and influence.
Challenges of Faithfulness: Despite the initial blessings and promises associated with Ephraim, the Bible also highlights the challenges and shortcomings of the tribe. Ephraim faced moral and spiritual struggles, including idolatry and disobedience. This aspect of Ephraim's story serves as a reminder of the importance of faithfulness and obedience in maintaining the covenant relationship with God.
Prophetic Foreshadowing: Ephraim's role in biblical history includes prophetic foreshadowing of future events. The blessings and warnings given to Ephraim by Jacob and later by the prophets contribute to a broader narrative that extends beyond the immediate historical context. These prophecies point toward the unfolding of God's redemptive plan and the ultimate fulfillment of His promises.

Who Were His Parents?

The Bible has much more to tell us about Ephraim’s father than Ephraim’s mother. His father was Joseph, whose technicolor life story takes up several chapters of the book of Genesis. When Joseph was a teenager, his 11 brothers sold him into slavery because they were jealous of the favor their father Jacob showed Joseph.

He ended up in Egypt at a time when a foreign dynasty, known as the Hyksos, ruled parts of Egypt. They were a Near East people who would have been the same ethnic group as Joseph, according to E. Randolph Richards and Richard James in their book Misreading Scripture With Individualist Eyes.

Joseph was sold as a servant in the house of Potiphar, one of the Pharaoh’s officials. When Potiphar’s wife accused innocent Joseph of molestation, he was imprisoned for 10-12 years.

Joseph showed great integrity and leadership qualities in prison as the Lord “caused everything he did to succeed” (Genesis 39:23). He was released from prison because Pharaoh heard of Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams. He became second-in-command of Egypt when he successfully interpreted Pharoah’s dream and suggested a solution for a coming famine.

Joseph went from a dungeon to a position of prominence in one day. His story is often one that Bible readers savor because it tells us that there is nothing that God can’t do in the life of one of His children.

One of the “gifts” that Joseph received from Pharaoh is a wife named Asenath. “She was the daughter of Potiphera, the priest of On. She is mentioned in only two more places in Genesis. In the next, we learn that she gave Joseph two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.

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Although Asenath’s father was an Egyptian priest, the Bible leaves it unclear whether she came to worship the true God. Regardless of who she worshipped, it didn’t keep her sons from receiving God’s blessing.

What Blessing Did Jacob Give to Ephraim?

The dream that Joseph interpreted for Pharaoh had to do with seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of managing food storage during the good years and distributing food during the lean years. During those lean years, his brothers, who had given him up for dead years ago, went to Egypt to beg Pharaoh for food. Surprised to find Joseph in charge, the family reunited, and all, including their father Jacob, came to live near Joseph in the land of Goshen

When Jacob knew his days were numbered, it was time for him to pass on a blessing to the next generation. This was a tradition that started with Abraham.

In “A Biblical Theology of Blessing in Genesis,” Matt Champlin explains that “Blessing is the bestowing of privilege, right, responsibility, or favor upon some portion of the creation, by God or by one whom he has blessed . . . to be blessed is to be one of God’s own people with all the benefits that brings: in other words, the blessing of God is his relational presence in one’s life.”

This is what the father wanted to offer the son: a prayer that God’s blessing would continue in their lives.

“Thus, the deathbeds of Jacob and Joseph give the final message of Genesis, as these aged patriarchs look forward with undimmed spiritual eyes to the full reception of the blessings,” Champlin explains. “Most of all, they anticipated the guiding presence of God continuing to be with his people, blessing them as he had promised.”

When Jacob called for Joseph before his death, he asked that Joseph bring Ephraim and Manasseh with him. Likely to the surprise of everyone, Jacob “adopts through blessing” his grandsons and says, “Now then, your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here will be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine” (Genesis 48:5).

Joseph brought his sons near to Jacob because his sight was failing, and Joseph placed Manasseh, the oldest to be near Jacob’s right hand (the hand of blessing for the oldest child), and Ephraim to be near his left hand. But Jacob put the wrong hand on the wrong head, and Joseph tried to correct him.

“But his father refused and said, ‘I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.’” (Genesis 48:19)

The sons of Jacob become the 12 tribes of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Asher, Gad, and Naphtali. Perhaps because of Jacob’s blessing adopting Ephraim and Manasseh, their family lines split into two sub-tribes (Numbers 1:4-16). The two groups settled in different areas in Canaan and the Bible sometimes describes them as two full-fledged tribes.

What Happened to Ephraim’s Descendants?

A year after the Israelites escaped from slavery in Egypt, they took a census of all of the tribes. According to Numbers 1:33, the number of the tribe of Ephraim was 40,500 by that time.

After the death of Moses, his Ephraimite successor, Joshua, led the Israelites into the land God promised them 40 years earlier. Britannica.com states that this tribe settled in the fertile, hilly region of central Palestine in the north:

“They gained great power and in 930 B.C. the Ephraimites led the 10 northern tribes in a revolt against the south and established the Kingdom of Israel, with Jeroboam I as king.”

Jeroboam I was appointed by God to lead Israel after Solomon’s son Rehoboam angered the people. Two southern tribes stayed with Rehoboam and became known as Judah or the southern kingdom.

The last we hear of an Ephraimite in the Bible is in the reign of King Ahaz, sometime between 735 BC and 721 BC—when the nation of Assyria conquered the kingdom of Israel.

Rather than taking the people captive (as the Babylonians did in their conquest of Judah), the northern Israelites were left to find a new place to call home. Oftentimes that meant joining with other people groups causing the people to lose their identity. Along with nine other northern tribes, Ephraimites became known as the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel.

What Can We Learn from Ephraim’s Life and Family?

Ephraim was likely born with a silver spoon in his mouth. As the son of Pharaoh’s right-hand man, he and his family had money and privilege. Genesis 43 talks about Joseph having a palace, a household manager, servants, and silver drinkware. Most important was the signet ring that Pharaoh gave Joseph to show his power and authority. One can imagine the advantages that he and his older brother Manasseh enjoyed.

We don’t know how old Ephraim was by the time of the famine. Eventually, he learned that he had 11 uncles, most of whom had conspired to kill his father. And yet when these same brothers came to Joseph for help, Joseph reached out a hand of reconciliation. Not only that, he gave them food and a place to settle.

When Grandpa Jacob blessed the younger Ephraim over the older Manasseh, these two were no longer the privileged offspring of an Egyptian leader: they were part of a Hebrew nation. A nation that owed its purpose to the one true God who made a covenant with their ancestor Abraham. They were also leaders of a tribe that they were called to lead in the ways of God.

When I’ve read Joseph’s story over the years, I’ve always focused on how God was with him in a place seemingly without hope. Then in a miraculous turn of events, God’s man was put in a position to show God’s power and compassion. It reminds me that no matter how bleak things look, God’s always working on a plan for our ultimate good and his ultimate glory.

But this time, as I focused on Ephraim, I also understood that these people had to forgive and reconcile with one another and trust God when their lives turned completely around (just like I need to do). As a child, Ephraim could never have expected his family would expand enormously in a few years when 11 uncles and their families moved to Egypt. He would never have guessed that his children would enter slavery, then nomadic wandering where he would become known as the forefather of a tribe in a nation following a new way of faith. But once he encountered the God of his father, anything was plausible, and anything was possible.

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Mary Oelerich-Meyer is a Chicago-area freelance writer and copy editor who prayed for years for a way to write about and for the Lord. She spent 20 years writing for area healthcare organizations, interviewing doctors and clinical professionals and writing more than 1,500 articles in addition to marketing collateral materials. Important work, but not what she felt called to do. She is grateful for any opportunity to share the Lord in her writing and editing, believing that life is too short to write about anything else. Previously she served as Marketing Communications Director for a large healthcare system. She holds a B.A. in International Business and Marketing from Cornell College (the original Cornell!) When not researching or writing, she loves to spend time with her writer daughter, granddaughter, rescue doggie and husband (not always in that order).

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The Story of Ephraim in the Bible: Meaning and Importance