EPHREM. - A town near the desert, where Jesus withdrew with his disciples after the miracle of the resurrection of Lazarus (Jn. 11:54). It is generally identified with Ophera (Josh. 18:23), with Ephraim near Baal-hazor, where at the time of the sheep-shearing Absalom held a banquet (2 Sam. 13:23), with Ephron occupied by Abijah (2 Chron. 13:19), with Apherema, capital of a district of Samaria in 145 B.C. (1 Macc. 11:24), later occupied by Vespasian. The various morphological alterations are explained as an Aramaic or Hellenistic development of the name of Ophera (Heb. 'Ophrāh).
The mosaic map of Madaba, in harmony with the distances supplied by the Onomasticon of Eusebius (29, 4), inscribes above Bethel and Rammon "Efron or Ephraim, whence came the Lord," indicating it in the present-day Christian village of et-Tajjibeh, 7 km northeast of Bethel (Beitin) and 2 km north of Rammon (Rammon), in a position dominating the Jordan valley and from which the view extends over the desert of Judah as far as Thecua and over the Dead Sea. The ancient name of 'Afrah, being of evil omen because of its assonance with 'Ifris (= evil spirit), was changed to et-Tajjibeh el-ism (= of good name).
On the summit of the village the remains of a medieval keep are visible, and to the southeast on a small knoll the vestiges of a basilica of the 6th century, rebuilt in the time of the Crusaders.
Bibliography2 works
Donato Baldi