Where is the biblical city of Ephraim located?

The biblical city of Ephraim was located in the hill country of Samaria, in the territory of the tribe of Ephraim. Its modern location is generally identified with the Palestinian town of Taybeh in the West Bank.

What happened at Ephraim in the Bible?

The city is mentioned in 2 Samuel 13:23, where Absalom invites King David's sons to his sheep-shearing festival. After his friend Lazarus was raised from the dead, Jesus withdrew with his disciples to a region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim (John 11:54), to avoid the religious leaders.

What is the significance of Ephraim in the Bible?

Ephraim is significant as a geographical and tribal name, representing one of the major tribes of Israel. As a place, it served as a strategic retreat for Jesus, highlighting themes of seeking refuge and preparation before major events like Passover.

Ephraim

cityOld TestamentSamaria1 verse

Today TaybehCountry IsraelCoordinates 31.954, 35.300

Ephraim is an ancient city mentioned in the Old Testament, located in the region of Samaria in modern-day Israel. Known today as Taybeh. It appears across 1 verse in Scripture.

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Biblical History

Ephraim as a city in the hill country north of Jerusalem appears in the Old Testament in connection with several significant narratives. In 2 Samuel 13:23, Absalom had his sheep-shearers at Baal-hazor near Ephraim, and it was there that he orchestrated the assassination of his half-brother Amnon. The city is also identified with Ophrah of Benjamin or Ephraim mentioned in various contexts as a settlement in the transitional zone between Benjaminite and Ephraimite territories. Its location in the hill country provided strategic elevation overlooking routes from the Jordan Valley toward Jerusalem. The settlement's name likely reflects its position within the traditional tribal allotment of Ephraim or its proximity to the Ephraimite hill country, placing it in a region frequently contested or shared between the tribes of Benjamin and Ephraim during the period of the judges and early monarchy.

Archaeological & Historical Notes

The Old Testament city of Ephraim is widely identified with modern Taybeh, situated on a prominent hill approximately 15 kilometers northeast of Jerusalem in the West Bank. Taybeh preserves Byzantine-period remains and earlier Iron Age occupation levels consistent with an ancient settlement of some importance. Survey ceramics from the site span the Middle Bronze Age through the Roman period, confirming long-term habitation. The hilltop location commands views across the Judean wilderness toward the Jordan Valley, confirming its strategic value. Taybeh today is home to a predominantly Christian Arab population and is noted for its ancient churches, while archaeological excavation of its pre-Byzantine levels remains limited.

Verse Appearances (1)

2Sam

2Sam 13:23

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
OpenBible.info (n.d.) Bible Geocoding. Available at: https://www.openbible.info/geo/. [CC BY 4.0]
Bagnall, R. et al. (eds.) (n.d.) Pleiades: A Gazetteer of Past Places. Available at: https://pleiades.stoa.org. [CC BY 3.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Lawrence, D. et al. (2025) Villages to Empires: a settlement dataset for the Southern Levant. doi:10.5281/zenodo.15111732. [CC BY 4.0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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