Ephrain
“Possibly 'hamlet' or 'fawn-like'”
Summary
A city of Israel captured by King Abijah of Judah from Jeroboam, possibly identical with Ephraim near the wilderness and Ophrah of Benjamin.
☩Capture by Abijah
Ephrain (also spelled Ephron in the Revised Version) was a city of Israel which King Abijah of Judah captured from Jeroboam, along with its dependent villages, Bethel, and Jeshanah. The city was apparently located near Bethel in the hill country.
☩Possible Identifications
Scholars have suggested that this Ephrain may be identical with several other places: the Ephraim near Baal-hazor where Absalom's sheep-farm was located; the city called Ephraim near the wilderness where Jesus stayed before His final journey to Jerusalem; and Ophrah, a city of Benjamin not far from Bethel. If these identifications are correct, the modern site would be et-Taiyibeh, north of Jerusalem.
