Topical Bible: Ephraim: A Tribe of Israel: some of Tribe Joined Judah Under Asa

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Ephraim, one of the twelve tribes of Israel, holds a significant place in biblical history. Named after the younger son of Joseph and Asenath, Ephraim was blessed by Jacob, who placed him before his elder brother Manasseh (Genesis 48:13-20). This tribe became one of the most prominent in the Northern Kingdom of Israel, often representing the entire northern tribes due to its size and influence.

The territory of Ephraim was centrally located in the land of Canaan, bordered by the tribes of Manasseh to the north and Benjamin to the south. This strategic location contributed to its prominence and influence in the region. The city of Shiloh, an important religious center where the Tabernacle was located before the construction of Solomon's Temple, was situated within Ephraim's territory (Joshua 18:1).

During the period of the divided monarchy, Ephraim was part of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. However, a significant event occurred during the reign of Asa, king of Judah. Asa was a reformer who sought to return Judah to the worship of Yahweh, removing idols and restoring the altar of the Lord. His religious reforms and military successes attracted some from the northern tribes, including Ephraim, to align themselves with Judah.

2 Chronicles 15:9 records this event: "And he assembled all Judah and Benjamin, along with those from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them, for many had defected to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him." This migration was a testament to Asa's influence and the spiritual decline in the Northern Kingdom, prompting individuals from Ephraim to seek religious and political stability under Judah's leadership.

The defection of some Ephraimites to Judah under Asa highlights the complex inter-tribal dynamics and the spiritual yearning for true worship during a time of national division. It underscores the ongoing tension between the Northern and Southern Kingdoms and the desire among some Israelites to align with a king who upheld the covenantal faith.

Ephraim's legacy is multifaceted, marked by its early prominence, its role in the Northern Kingdom, and the notable migration of some of its members to Judah during Asa's reign. This tribe's history reflects the broader narrative of Israel's spiritual journey and the enduring quest for faithfulness to God amidst political and religious upheaval.

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2 Chronicles 15:9
And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.
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Library

The Jewish Institutions and Laws of Far Higher Antiquity than the ...
... being divided, Jeroboam, of the tribe of Ephraim, the servant ... In his time, in the
fifteenth year, Israel was carried ... son of a Jewish mother, of the tribe of Dan ...
/.../the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xxi the jewish institutions and.htm

The First vision "On Earth"
... the omission of the Tribes of Dan and Ephraim: Levi and ... that the "man or woman or
family or tribe" who should introduce idolatry into Israel, "all the ...
/.../bullinger/commentary on revelation/the first vision on earth.htm

Tiglath-Pileser iii. And the Organisation of the Assyrian Empire ...
... to be circulated,*** till a scribe of Ephraim, who flourished ... they came in time to
form a tribe by themselves ... rank among the other tribes of Israel, and claimed ...
/.../chapter iitiglath-pileser iii and the.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... chiefs, heroes to their own immediate tribe, well known in ... associated with the children
of Israel.* Others, again ... the entire hill-country of Ephraim,* so that ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm