Ephraim double fruitfulness ("for God had made him fruitful in the land
of his affliction"). The second son of Joseph, born in Egypt (Gen.
41:52; 46:20). The first incident recorded regarding him is his being
placed, along with his brother Manasseh, before their grandfather,
Jacob, that he might bless them (48:10; comp. 27:1). The intention of
Joseph was that the right hand of the aged patriarch should be placed on
the head of the elder of the two; but Jacob set Ephraim the younger before his brother, "guiding his hands wittingly." Before Joseph's death, Ephraim's family had reached the third generation (Gen. 50:23).