Girl Old Testament Rare
Ephah
weary; tired
עֵיפָה e.phah
Ephah (Hebrew: עֵיפָה, e.phah) means “weary; tired”, by traditional interpretation. Four people in scripture bear the name; the best attested belongs to the Patriarchal period. In United States birth records the name is below the reporting threshold. Appears with Abida in 1 Chronicles 1.
Which Ephah?
Four men in scripture bear this name. Here is each of them.
-
Ephah
son of Abraham
-
Ephah
-
Ephah
-
Ephah
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 4 across 2 books
- Bearers
- 4 distinct people in scripture
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- Patriarchal
Using it today
In United States birth records this name is below the reporting threshold. The Social Security Administration does not publish counts under five, so a name given to four children looks the same as one given to none.
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Genesis 25:4 |
| Last appears | 1 Chronicles 2:47 |
| Cross-references | 7 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Isaac attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Abraham.
- Ishbak attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Abraham.
- Ishmael attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Abraham.
- Midian attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Abraham.
- Mishma attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Abraham.
- Epher attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Abraham.
- Shuah attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Abraham.
- Medan attested sibling Attested sibling — both named as children of Abraham.
Origin & meaning
A womanof the tribe of Judah living at the time of Divided Monarchy, only mentioned at 1Ch.2.46; married to Caleb (H3612H);
mother of: Haran (H2771B), Moza (H4162), Gazez (H1495)
§ Ephah = "gloomy"
1) a son of Midian
2) a Judaite, son of Jahdai
3) a concubine of Caleb in the line of Judah
Ephah was a concubine of Caleb who bore him three sons: Haran, Moza, and Gazez.
The biblical story
Ephah is mentioned in the genealogy of Judah as a concubine of Caleb, the son of Hezron (1Ch.2.46). She bore Caleb three sons: Haran, Moza, and Gazez. The inclusion of Ephah and her sons in the genealogy highlights the importance of recording the various branches of Judah's descendants, even those born to concubines. Concubines were secondary wives who held a lower social status than the primary wife but were still considered part of the family. Ephah's sons are listed alongside Caleb's other children, indicating their recognition within the family line. No further information is provided about Ephah's background, her relationship with Caleb, or the lives of her sons. Her mention in the genealogy serves to provide a comprehensive record of Caleb's descendants and to showcase the diverse family structure within the tribe of Judah.
Key verses
Ephah appears in 1 verse. Here are some of the most notable:
-
And Ephah, Caleb’s concubine, bare Haran, and Moza, and Gazez: and Haran begat Gazez.
1 Chronicles 2:46
Show all 1 reference
1 Chronicles (1)
- 1 Chronicles 2:46