Ephraim
In Samaria, on the border with Judea.
Inhabitants or natives
Residents Homelants[1], Malachi, the synagogue leader, Mary of Jacob, the hostess of Jesus in exile, Dinah the beekeeper, little Anna the glutton[2], Rachel, the cheese merchant[3], Naomi, a resident from the surrounding mountains[4], Ada, the wife of Janoe, who risks dying in childbirth like Rachel, Anna who temporarily hosts some Apostles[5], Elijah, a resident who escorts Jesus[6].
Description
This town is at the edge of the desert and the Mountains of Blood. This region in the center of western Palestine is relatively mountainous with more abundant rainfall than in Judea and some good lands, hence the mention of the region's fertility. There are still Wolves[7].
It is near this location that "the Beautiful Water", property of Lazarus, where Jesus retreats in November-December of his first year of public life, is situated[8]."From the basin that the torrent divides into two halves one can see the village whitening in the last rays of daylight and the first moonlight. When one turns back and looks at the horizon, one sees a vast stretch of land descending towards the barren plain that goes down to the Jordan."[9]
"Look what a beautiful Water panoRamah (Judea) there is from here." And he indicates the horizon with varied sights. To the northwest are tall, wooded mountains stretching like a backbone from north to south. One of them, behind Ephraim, is a true green giant surpassing the others. To the northeast and southeast, a roll of gentler hills. The village lies in a green basin with distant backgrounds, without relief between the two chains - one higher, the other lower - that descend from the center of the region toward the Jordan plain. Through a notch between the lower mountains, one glimpses this green plain beyond which lies the blue Jordan. In the heart of spring, it must be a magnificent country, entirely green and fertile"[10].To the west of the town, in the woods near the torrent, there is a steep place suspended above the void where Jesus likes to pray[11].
Its landscapes resemble those of Kerioth and Jutta in southern Judea.
The house of Mary of Jacob, where Jesus stays, is to the southeast of the town[12].
Important events
Jesus is very well received by the Ephraimites while being pursued as he is on his way to his last Feast of Tabernacles. There he gives a parable about the unity of peoples. This parable about the pomegranate is now honored in the town's icon[13]. It is here that Jesus withdraws after being condemned by the Temple[14].
Its name
אפרים (Ephraim) today טייבה (Taybeh)[15].
Successively: Ophra, Ephron, Apharema, Ephraim. Today Taibe or Taybeh (note that there is a namesake) (Taybe - Taiyiba – and Tayibé) about 25 km north-northeast of Jerusalem and 7 km north of Bethel (Beitin).
However, according to the descriptions of Maria Valtorta, Jesus’ stay does not seem to exactly correspond to the current Taibe, especially due to the proximity of a torrent.
Where is it mentioned in the work?
EMV 70
EMV 117
EMV 483 EMV 484 EMV 485
EMV 550 EMV 551 EMV 552 EMV 553 EMV 554 EMV 555 EMV 556 EMV 557 EMV 558 EMV 559 EMV 563 EMV 564 EMV 565 EMV 566 EMV 567 EMV 568 EMV 570 EMV 571 EMV 572 EMV 573 EMV 577 EMV 579
EMV 632 EMV 633
Learn more about this place
Under the name Ophra, it is attributed to Benjamin[16]. Later it is called Ephron, a city conquered by Abijah, king of Judah, over Jeroboam I, king of Israel[17]. It becomes Apharema at the time of the Maccabees[18], then Ephraim at the time of Jesus[19]. It thus bears a prestigious name, that of one of the two children of Joseph, the favorite son of Jacob. The name Ephraim was in fact one of the synonyms for Israel.
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