Ephah

Gloom. (1.) One of the five sons of Midian, and grandson of Abraham (Gen. 25:4). The city of Ephah, to which he gave his name, is mentioned Isa. 60:6, 7. This city, with its surrounding territory, formed part of Midian, on the east shore of the Dead Sea. It abounded in dromedaries and camels (Judg. 6:5).

(2.) 1 Chr. 2:46, a concubine of Caleb.

(3.) 1 Chr. 2:47, a descendant of Judah.

Ephah, a word of Egyptian origin, meaning measure; a grain measure containing “three seahs or ten omers,” and equivalent to the bath for liquids (Ex. 16:36; 1 Sam. 17:17; Zech. 5:6). The double ephah in Prov. 20:10 (marg., “an ephah and an ephah”), Deut. 25:14, means two ephahs, the one false and the other just.

[WEIGHTS AND MEASURES AND MEASURES]

1. Concubine of Caleb, in the line of Judah. (1 Chronicles 2:46)

2. Son of Jahdai; also in the line of Judah. (1 Chronicles 2:47)

Ephah (1)

e'-fa `ephah, "darkness"; Gephar (Ge 25:4), Gaipha (Isa 60:6):

The name of three persons in the Old Testament, both masculine and feminine

(1) The son of Midian, descended from Abraham by his wife Keturah (Ge 25:4; 1Ch 1:33), mentioned again in Isa 60:6 as a transporter of gold and frankincense from Sheba, who shall thus bring enlargement to Judah and praise to Yahweh. According to Fried. Delitzsch, Schrader, and Hommel, `Ephah is an abbreviation of `Ayappa, the Kha-yappa Arabs of the time of Tiglath-pileser III and Sargon. See treatment of this view in Dillmann's Commentary on Ge (Ge 25:4).

(2) A concubine of Caleb (1Ch 2:46).

(3) The son of Jahdai, a descendant of Judah (1Ch 2:47).

Charles B. Williams

Ephah (2)

e'-fa ('ephah):

A dry measure of about one bushel capacity. It corresponds to the bath in liquid measure and was the standard for measuring grain and similar articles since it is classed with balances and weights (Le 19:36; Am 8:5) in the injunctions regarding just dealing in trade. In Zec 5:6-10 it is used for the utensil itself.

See WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.