EPHRON (
):
- 1. Son of Zohar the Hittite; possessor of a field called "Machpelah," which he sold to Abraham for 400 shekels (Gen. xxiii. 8, xxv. 9, xlix. 29). The Talmudists place Ephron's conduct in a poor light, alleging that after having promised Abraham the field for nothing, he accepted from him 400 shekels in good money (Bek. 20; B. M. 87; B. B. 89).
- 2. One of the places won by Abijah, King of Judah, from Jeroboam, King of Israel (II Chron. xiii.19). But the "ḳere"is "Ephrain" (
). - 3. Mount Ephron, a district on the northern frontier of Judah, between Naphtoah and Kirjathjearim (Josh. xv. 9).
- 4. A city on the east of the Jordan, taken and destroyed by Judas Maccabeus in his expedition to Gilead (I Macc. v. 46-51; II Macc. xii. 27; Josephus, "Ant." xii. 8, § 5).
E. G. H. M. Sel.
