Smith's Bible Dictionary.pdf - Online Christian Library

Smith's Bible Dictionary
the inhabitants of “Asia,” had taken its place. The magnificence of this sanctuary was a proverb
throughout the civilized world. In consequence of this devotion the city of Ephesus was called
neo’koros, (Acts 19:35) or “warden” of Diana. Another consequence of the celebrity of Diana’s
worship at Ephesus was that a large manufactory grew up there of portable shrines, which strangers
purchased, and devotees carried with them on journeys or set up in the houses. The theatre, into
which the mob who had seized on Paul, (Acts 19:29) rushed, was capable of holding 25,000 or
30,000 persons, and was the largest ever built by the Greeks. The stadium or circus, 685 feet long
by 200 wide, where the Ephesians held their shows, is probably referred to by Paul as the place
where he “fought with beasts at Ephesus.” (1 Corinthians 15:32) Connection with Christianity—The
Jews were established at Ephesus in considerable numbers. (Acts 2:9; 6:9) It is here and here only
that we find disciples of John the Baptist explicitly mentioned after the ascension of Christ. (Acts
18:25; 19:3) The first seeds of Christian truth were possibly sown here immediately after the great
Pentecost. (Acts 2:1) ... St. Paul remained in the place more than two years, (Acts 19:8,10; 20:31)
during which he wrote the First Epistle to the Corinthians. At a later period Timothy was set over
the disciples, as we learn from the two epistles addressed to him. Among St. Paul’s other companions,
two, Trophimus and Tychicus, were natives of Asia, (Acts 20:4) and the latter was probably, (2
Timothy 4:12) the former certainly, (Acts 21:29) a native of Ephesus. Present condition—The
whole place is now utterly desolate, with the exception of the small Turkish village at Ayasaluk .
The ruins are of vast extent.
Ephlal
(judgment), a descendant of Judah, of the family of Hezron and of Jerahmeel. (1 Chronicles
2:37)
Ephod
(a sacred vestment originally appropriate to the high priest. (Exodus 28:4)
(image), father of Hanniel of the tribe of Manesseh. (Numbers 34:23)
Ephraim
a city “in the district near the wilderness” to which our Lord retired with his disciples when
threatened with violence by the priests. (John 11:54)
In “Baal-hazor which is by Ephraim” was Absalom’s sheepfarm, at which took place the murder
of Amnon, one of the earliest precursors of the great revolt. (2 Samuel 13:23) There is no clue to
its situation.
that portion of Canaan named after Joseph’s second son. (Genesis 41:50-52) The boundaries
of the portion of Ephraim are given in (Joshua 16:1-10) The south boundary was coincident for
part of its length with the north boundary of Benjamin. It extended from the Jordan on the east, at
the reach opposite Jericho, to the Mediterranean on the west, probably about Joppa. On the north
of Ephraim and Manasseh were the tribes of Asher, Zebulun and Issachar. The territory thus allotted
to the “house of Joseph” may be roughly estimated at 55 miles from east to west by 70 from north
to south. It was one at once of great richness and great security. Its fertile plains and well-watered
valleys could only be reached by a laborious ascent through steep and narrow ravines, all but
impassable for an army. Under Joshua the tribe must have taken a high position in the nation, to
judge from the tone which the Ephraimites assumed on occasions shortly subsequent to the conquest.
After the revolt of Jeroboam the history of Ephraim is the history of the kingdom of Israel, since
not only did the tribe become a kingdom, but the kingdom embraced little besides the tribe.
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William Smith