Ephraim, by Francesco Hayez

Jacob blessing Ephraim and Manasseh.

Ephraim  /ˈiːfriːəm/;^[1] (Hebrew: אֶפְרַיִם/אֶפְרָיִם, Standard Efráyim Tiberian ʾEp̄ráyim/ʾEp̄rāyim) was, according to the Book of Genesis, the second son of Joseph and Asenath. Asenath was an Egyptian woman whom Pharaoh gave to Joseph as wife, and the daughter of Potipherah, a priest of On. (Genesis 41:50-52) Ephraim was born in Egypt before the arrival of the children of Israel from Canaan. (Genesis 48:5)

Ephraim had sons: Shuthelah, Beker, and Tahan. However, 1 Chronicles 7 claims that he also had two more sons, Ezer and Elead, who were killed by local men who came to rob him of his cattle. He then had another son, Beriah, who carried on his name. (1 Chronicles 7:20-23) From him was descended Joshua, son of Nun, who in time became the leader of the Israelite tribes in the conquest of Canaan. (1 Chronicles 7:20-27)

According to the biblical narrative, Jeroboam, who became the first king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, was also from the house of Ephraim. (1 Kings 11:26)

Biblical criticism[link]

Due to this lack of identity some Biblical scholars view this as postdiction, an eponymous metaphor providing an aetiology of the connectedness of the tribe to others in the Israelite confederation.^[2] The text of the Torah argues that the name of Ephraim, which means double fruitfulness, refers to Joseph's ability to produce children, specifically while in Egypt (termed by the Torah as the land of his affliction).^[3] Some scholars link the name to an Egyptian meaning rather than a Hebrew one.^[4]

In the Biblical account, Joseph's other son is Manasseh, and Joseph himself is one of the two children of Rachel and Jacob, the other being Benjamin. Biblical scholars regard it as obvious, from their geographic overlap and their treatment in older passages, that originally Ephraim and Manasseh were considered one tribe - that of Joseph.^[5] John's Book of Revelation, however, accords only Ephraim the tribal name of Joseph. According to several biblical scholars, Benjamin was originally part of the suggested Ephraim-Manasseh single "Joseph" tribe, but the biblical account of Joseph as his father became lost.^[5][6] A number of biblical scholars suspect that the distinction of the Joseph tribes (including Benjamin) is that they were the only Israelites which went to Egypt and returned, while the main Israelite tribes simply emerged as a subculture from the Canaanites and had remained in Canaan throughout.^[6][7] According to this view, the story of Jacob's visit to Laban to obtain a wife originated as a metaphor for this migration, with the property and family which were gained from Laban representing the gains of the Joseph tribes by the time they returned from Egypt;^[6] according to textual scholars, the Jahwist version of the Laban narrative only mentions the Joseph tribes, and Rachel, and doesn't mention the other tribal matriarchs whatsoever.^[8][9]

In the Torah, the eventual precedence of the tribe of Ephraim is argued to derive from Jacob, blind and on his deathbed, blessing Ephraim before Manasseh.^[3][10] The text describing this blessing features a hapax legomenon - the word שכל (sh-k-l) - which classical rabbinical literature has interpreted in esoteric manners;^[5] some rabbinical sources connect the term with sekel, meaning mind/wisdom, and view it as indicating that Jacob was entirely aware of who he was actually blessing;^[11] other rabbinical sources connect the term with shikkel, viewing it as signifying that Jacob was despoiling Manasseh in favour of Ephraim;^[12] yet other rabbinical sources argue that it refers to the power of Jacob to instruct and guide the holy spirit.^[13] In classical rabbinical sources, Ephraim is described as being modest and not selfish.^[5] These rabbinical sources allege that it was on account of modesty and selflessness, and a prophetic vision of Joshua, that Jacob gave Ephraim precedence over Manasseh, the elder of the two;^[14] in these sources Jacob is regarded as being sufficiently just that God upholds the blessing in his honour, and makes Ephraim the leading tribe.^[15]

See also[link]

• Manasseh
• Tribe of Manasseh
• Tribe of Ephraim

Citations[link]

1. ^ Merriam-Webster Dictionary Ephraim
2. ^ Peake's commentary on the Bible
3. ^ ^{a b} Genesis 41:52
4. ^ http://ha-historion.blogspot.com/2009/03/significance-of-given-names-in-tanach.html
5. ^ ^{a b c d} Jewish Encyclopedia
6. ^ ^{a b c} Peake's commentary on the Bible
7. ^ Israel Finkelstein, The Bible Unearthed
8. ^ Israel Finkelstein, The Bible Unearthed
9. ^ Richard Elliott Friedman, Who Wrote the Bible?
10. ^ Genesis 48:1
11. ^ Genesis 48:1
12. ^ Genesis 48:1
13. ^ Genesis 48:1
14. ^ Genesis 48:1
15. ^ Genesis 48:1

• This article incorporates text from Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897), a publication now in the public domain.

This article is an orphan, as few or no other articles link to it. Please introduce links to this page from related articles; suggestions may be available. (July 2009)

In the Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh), the reference of "Ephraim and Judah" (when employed together) are merely figurative terms used for the two ancient Kingdoms of Israel. See History of Ancient Israel and Judah.

Ephraim and Judah[link]

The reference of "Ephraim and Judah" is employed most frequently by the Prophets (Nevi'im) of the Hebrew Scriptures. The phrases "Israel and Judah" and "Joseph and Judah" Zechariah 10:6 are used in similar fashion, referencing the same two respective Israelite Kingdoms.

Tribes and Kingdoms[link]

Since "Ephraim" was a specific tribe of Israel, careful contextual analysis should be used when distinguishing the differences in tribal and figurative kingdom identifications within the Tanakh, especially since the Prophets used the terms "Ephraim", "Joseph", and "Israel" interchangeably, speaking of the same entity, the Northern Kingdom of Israel, the House of Israel, or the House of Joseph. Zechariah 10:6

"Judah", likewise was a name used for both a tribe and kingdom (the tribe of Judah, the Kingdom of Judah, the House of Judah, and even the House of David (King David being a descendant of Judah)).

References[link]

To see where "Ephraim" and "Judah" are used in this idiomatic fashion within the Hebrew Scriptures, see Isaiah 7:17,9:21,11:13; Hosea 5:5,5:12-14,6:4,10:11,11:12; Ezekiel 37:16-19; Zechariah 9:13,10:6.

See also[link]

• History of Ancient Israel and Judah
• Two House Theology
• Assyrian Captivity
• Stick of Joseph

External links[link]

• Jews and Joes: the Two Sticks of Israel
• United Israel World Union
• Brit-Am
• Israelite.info

Ephraim Lewis (1968 – 18 March 1994) was an English soul/neo-soul and R&B singer and songwriter. He was one of many highly anticipated performers that emerged in the early 1990s. However, he died with only one album to his name.

Career[link]

Born in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England, Lewis, known for possessing a higher-timbred, yet rich voice and impeccable diction, drew comparisons to fellow English musician, Seal. He signed with Elektra Records in 1992 and his debut Skin was released on 21 April of that year.

Death[link]

Lewis died on 18 March 1994 in Los Angeles in what was ruled a suicide. The coroner ruled that Lewis had jumped from a fourth floor balcony. The exact events that occurred on that day are disputed. The LAPD were present during his jump and what exactly transpired has not been agreed upon. Some reports indicated that Lewis had been stunned with a Taser after a hyperactive exchange.^[1] Lewis was taking methamphetamines at the time.^[1] His death remains controversial to this day. Lewis was buried on 21 April 1994.

Discography[link]

Album[link]

Skin (1992)

Singles[link]

• "It Can't Be Forever" (#29 Top 40, #66 R&B 6 weeks)
• "Drowning in Your Eyes" (#72 Hot 100 9 weeks, #80 R&B 4 weeks)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Ephraim Lewis discography at Discogs

This biographical article about a British singer is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

Molly Ephraim (born May 22, 1986)^[1] is an American actress who has appeared in films, on television and in Broadway, off-Broadway and regional theatre productions. She is best known for playing the role of Wendy Greenhut in the 2008 film College Road Trip, and the daughter, Ali, in Paranormal Activity 2 (2010). She currently plays Mandy in the new ABC comedy Last Man Standing, which premiered on October 11, 2011.^[2]

Early life[link]

Ephraim was born in Philadelphia and was raised in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She performed in shows at the Bucks County Playhouse as a child and in professional productions at the Prince Music Theater and Arden Theatre Company in Philadelphia as a teenager. In 2008 she graduated from Princeton University with an B.A. in Religion. At Princeton she was a member of the Triangle Club and performed in and choreographed various shows for Princeton University Players and Theatre Intime.^[3]

Career[link]

Theater[link]

Ephraim made her Broadway debut in 2002 as Little Red Riding Hood in the Broadway revival of Into the Woods, receiving a Drama League Award nomination. She was later seen as Bielke in the 2004 Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof.^[4] Off-Broadway, Ephraim played Rachel Stein in End Days at the Ensemble Studio Theatre in 2009.^[5] She played Olive in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Barrington Stage Company in 2008, in a remounting of the production with new direction by Jeremy Dobrish, and at the North Shore Music Theatre. In 2010 she played Anne Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank at the Westport Country Playhouse.^[6]

Screen[link]

Ephraim played Wendy Greenhut in the 2008 film College Road Trip. She had roles in episodes of the television shows Royal Pains (2009), Law & Order (2008), and the TV pilot Hench at Home (2003), and in the pilot episode of the unseen HBO pilot, The Wonderful Maladys.^[7] Most recently, Ephraim played Ali Rey in the 2010 film Paranormal Activity 2 and reprised her role in the subsequent 2011 sequel.

She currently appears as Mandy Baxter, one of Tim Allen's character's daughters, in the ABC sitcom Last Man Standing.

Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Molly Ephraim on Facebook
• Molly Ephraim at the Internet Broadway Database
• Molly Ephraim at the Internet Movie Database
• Molly Ephraim on Twitter

Ephraim Mateen Salaam (born June 19, 1976 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American football Offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the seventh round of the 1998 NFL Draft. He played college football at San Diego State.

Salaam has also played for the Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions and Houston Texans.

Early years[link]

Salaam played high school football at Florin High School in Sacramento, California.

College career[link]

Salaam became a three-year starter as both a right and left tackle at San Diego State University, where he played in 31 career games. He also played on the basketball team.

Personal[link]

Salaam's ancestors are from Ethiopia. Salaam currently has an ongoing career in the Entertainment Industry as well doing multiple television and film appearances. Known for his comedic side, Ephraim Salaam is an electric entertainer on and off the field. While with the Houston Texans and during a work-out in the glass-enclosed Texans weight room, he noticed a group of grade schoolers on a tour of the stadium. He stopped his work-out and went out in the hall to clown with the kids.

He is now also known for a Super Bowl XLII ad that he did with Texans teammate Chester Pitts. In the commercial, he narrates a story regarding he and Pitts while he attended San Diego State University. When at a local grocery store, Salaam said he saw Pitts bagging groceries, was impressed by his size, and convinced him to try out as a walk-on for the SDSU football team. The commercial goes on to show that Pitts was a second-round pick while Salaam was a seventh-round pick.

Movie career[link]

Deon Taylor cast him in 2009 for his new film project Dark Christmas, which is part of the Nite Tales series.^[1]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Detroit Lions bio
• Houston Texans bio