Ephraim was one of Joseph’s sons, who was himself one of Jacob’s twelve sons. His mother was Asenath, the daughter of an Egyptian priest. When Jacob, Ephraim’s grandfather, was about to die, he called Joseph to bless his two sons, Manasseh, the elder, and Ephraim, the younger. When Jacob crossed his hands to bless them, he placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head—the younger—and his left hand on Manasseh’s—the older. This gesture indicated that Ephraim would hold a higher position in the future. Joseph tried to correct his father, but Jacob insisted, declaring that Ephraim would be more greatly blessed and would become a great nation.

Ephraim settled in the land of Canaan. His territory of Ephraim held a strategic position in the land of Canaan; it was one of the most powerful and influential tribes, often leading the other northern nations. Interestingly, the Bible draws a parallel between Canaan and Japheth, describing their descendants as powerful and influential peoples who settled on the coastal islands.

• Zephaniah 2:5 "Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, The nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines: “I will destroy you; So there shall be no inhabitant.”

• Genesis 10:2-5 "The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras... From these the coastland peoples of the Gentiles were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations.

And in some passages, the identity of Canaan has been concealed through a substitution of names, in which the word “Canaanite” has been replaced by “merchants.”

Zechariah 14:21

• Zechariah 14:21 "Indeed, every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the LORD of Hosts, and all who sacrifice will come and take some pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD of Hosts." |Berean Standard Bible|

• Zechariah 14:21 "And every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holy to the LORD of hosts, so that all who sacrifice may come and take of them and boil the meat of the sacrifice in them. And there shall no longer be a trader in the house of the LORD of hosts on that day." |English Standard Version|

Ezekiel 17:4

• Ezekiel 17:4 "He cropped off its topmost young twig And carried it to a land of trade; He set it in a city of merchants." |New King James Version|

• Ezekiel 17:4 "He cropped off the ends of the tender twigs, and brought them into the land of Chanaan." |Brenton Septuagint|

Note that in the following passages, the name “Canaan” has been replaced with “Ephraim” in more recent versions of the Bible. Troughout the scriptures the Canaanites are described as a nation of dishonnest and deceitful merchants. The implication is that the tribe of Ephraim became characterized by the same traits as the Canaanites. In other words, Ephraim is Canaan.

• Hosea 12:7 "As for Chanaan, in his hand is a balance of unrighteousness: he has loved to tyrannize." |Brenton Septuagint Translation|

• Hosea 12:7 "The merchant uses dishonest scales and loves to defraud. Ephraim boasts" |New International Version|

Verses concerning Ephraim (Canaan)

• Hosea 4:17-18 "Ephraim is joined to idols So let him alone [to suffer the consequences]. When their liquor is gone [and their drinking parties are over], They habitually go to play the prostitute; Ephraim’s rulers continue to dearly love shame [more than her glory which is the LORD, Israel’s God].."

• Hosea 7:1 "In My healing of Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered, and the wickedness of Samaria; for they practice deceit, and a thief comes in; bandits raid in the street. But they fail to consider in their hearts that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds are all around them; they are before My face."

• Hosea 7:11-16 "Ephraim also is like a silly dove, without heart or good sense; They call to Egypt [for help], they go to Assyria... Woe (judgment is coming) to them, for they have wandered away from Me! Devastation is theirs, because they have rebelled and trespassed against Me! I would redeem them, but they speak lies against Me. They do not cry out to Me from their heart When they wail on their beds [in unbelieving despair]; For the sake of grain and new wine they assemble themselves [as if worshiping Baal]; They rebel against Me"

• Hosea 8:11-13 "Because Ephraim has made many altars for sin, They have become for him altars for sinning. I have written for him the great things of My law, But they were considered a strange thing. For the sacrifices of My offerings they sacrifice flesh and eat it, But the Lord does not accept them. Now He will remember their iniquity and punish their sins."

• Hosea 9:11-13 "Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird, with no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception. ... Ephraim, as I saw, was a Tyre founded in beauty: and Ephraim shall bring out his children to the murderer."

• Hosea 10:11 "Ephraim is a well-trained heifer that loves to thresh; but I will place a yoke on her fair neck. I will harness Ephraim, Judah will plow, and Jacob will break the hard ground."

• Hosea 11:12 "Ephraim surrounds Me with lies, the house of Israel with deceit; but Judah still walks with God and is faithful to the Holy One.."

• Hosea 13:1 "When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling; he was exalted in Israel. But he incurred guilt through Baal, and he died."

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You be the judge, and we encourage you to do your own research.