עֶפְרוֹן
Ephron, the name of a Canaanite and of two places in Palestine
Definition
The proper noun עֶפְרוֹן (Ephron) primarily refers to two distinct entities in the Old Testament. First, it is the name of a Hittite man from whom Abraham purchased the cave of Machpelah as a burial site for Sarah (Genesis 23:8-17). This transaction secured the first piece of land owned by the patriarchs in Canaan. Second, the name designates two geographical locations: a mountain on the border between Judah and Benjamin (Joshua 15:9) and a town near Bethel captured by Abijah from Jeroboam (2 Chronicles 13:19).
Biblical Usage
The name Ephron appears 12 times, predominantly in Genesis 23, where it is used 8 times to refer to the Hittite individual during the detailed narrative of the land purchase. The remaining occurrences refer to the places: the mountain in Joshua 15:9 and the town in 2 Chronicles 13:19. Its usage is strictly as a proper noun for specific people and places, with no metaphorical or common noun applications.
Etymology
Ephron derives from the root עָפַר (ʿāphar, H6080), meaning 'dust' or 'ashes.' It is related to the noun עֵפֶר (ʿēpher, H6081), meaning 'a young deer' or 'fawn,' suggesting a possible meaning of 'fawn-like' or connection to the dusty, earthy color of a fawn. The name likely reflects a characteristic of the land or an animal association common in Semitic names.
Semantic Range
The story of Ephron the Hittite in Genesis 23 is theologically significant as it records the first legal acquisition of land in Canaan by Abraham, the father of the faith. This purchase, negotiated with honor and at full price, establishes a tangible foothold for the future promise of the land to his descendants. It also prefigures the burial of other patriarchs there, making the site a foundational symbol of hope and God's faithfulness to His covenant promises.
The negotiation between Abraham and Ephron in Genesis 23 follows formal Hittite or Canaanite customs for land transfer, involving public offer, polite refusal, and insistence on payment. Ephron's mention of the 'full price' (Genesis 23:9) and the final sum of 400 shekels of silver reflect standard commercial practices. The purchase secured not just a cave but the field and trees, indicating a complete property transfer, which was crucial for establishing permanent burial rights in that culture.
No direct synonyms as a proper name. Related toponyms include: מַכְפֵּלָה (Makpēlâ, H4375) — the specific cave purchased from Ephron; חֶבְרוֹן (Chevrôn, H2275) — the city near which the cave was located.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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