כָּלֵב אֶפְרָתָה
𐤊𐤋𐤁 𐤀𐤐𐤓𐤕𐤄
Kalev Eferatah
H3613 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
The proper noun 'Caleb-Ephrathah' denotes a locale associated with the family or heritage of an individual named Caleb, connected to the region or clan of Ephrathah. The expression functions as a toponym, likely indicating a specific region, settlement, or familial estate identified with both Caleb and Ephrathah. The semantic range includes the possibility of a location, estate, or identified geographical feature tied to these names.
Semantic Range
compound place name, estate or region associated with Caleb in Ephrathah, familial or hereditary locale, genealogical reference
Root / Etymology
Compound of כָּלֵב (Kaleb, a personal name, possibly meaning 'dog' or 'faithful', though etymology is debated) and אֶפְרָתָה (Ephrathah, a gentilic or toponymic form, likely meaning 'fruitful' or referencing the town/region Ephrath, associated with Bethlehem). The term is a compound place name, meaning 'Caleb (of) Ephrathah' or 'Caleb's Ephrathah.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
'Caleb-Ephrathah' is a hapax legomenon, appearing only in 1 Chronicles 2:24, where it describes a location related to the union of Caleb and Ephrath. The contextual data is tenuous and the phrase's precise meaning and referent are debated. Some textual traditions treat it as a place name, potentially a settlement or familial estate established by or given to Caleb in the region of Ephrathah (linked to Bethlehem). Older translations and commentaries sometimes emend or relocate the phrase, as its exact sense is uncertain. The association with Egypt in the Strong's gloss likely derives from an alternative reading or confusion, but the toponym fits best within the genealogical geography of Judahite/Israelite territory. Later translations and traditions may narrowly render it as 'Caleb of Ephrathah' or 'Caleb's Ephrathah,' but the Hebrew suggests a place tied to both names; there is no evidence that it was in Egypt. Comparison with other compound toponyms in biblical Hebrew (e.g., Kiriath-Arba) supports reading this as a place named for familial or ancestral connection. Distinct from 'Ephrath' as a standalone town (usually Bethlehem), this likely emphasizes Caleb's association with the area or with a particular estate/family within Ephrathah. Post-biblical and translation references sometimes use later terminology (e.g., 'Jewish town'), which is anachronistic for the early monarchic genealogies of Chronicles.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from כָּלֵב and אֶפְרָת; Caleb-Ephrathah, a place in Egypt (if the text is correct); Caleb-ephrathah.
Bantu Hebrew
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כלב; אפרתה (k-l-b; ʾ-p-r-t-h) — dog, faithful; fruitfulness, fertile region, clan/territory name
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3613-02 |
אֶפְרָ֑תָה | eferatah | HNp |
Ephrathah | Caleb-Ephrathah Estate | 1 |
H3613-01 |
בְּ/כָלֵ֣ב | bekhalev | HR/Np |
in-Caleb | in Caleb-Ephrathah | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3613-01 |
1 Chronicles 2:24 | בְּ/כָלֵ֣ב | bekhalev | HR/Np |
in-Caleb | in Caleb-Ephrathah |
H3613-02 |
1 Chronicles 2:24 | אֶפְרָ֑תָה | eferatah | HNp |
Ephrathah | Caleb-Ephrathah Estate |