Ephah

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Ephah was one of Midian’s five sons, born to Midian and his wife Keturah after Abraham. His brothers were Epher, Enoch, Abida, and Eldaah, and their descendants became the Midianites.

In the Bible, Ephah is later mentioned as part of a land connected to trade. Isaiah describes a land from which camels would come to Israel, carrying gold and frankincense from Sheba and helping bring praise to God.

Ephah also appears in ancient Assyrian records. Tiglath-Pileser III names the people of Ephah among those who paid tribute after a campaign in southern Palestine. Sargon II mentions Ephah as one of the groups defeated by the Assyrians and exiled to Samaria in 716 BCE. Ephah is the only name common to both lists, suggesting they were a nearby Arabian tribe.

Scholars think the Ephah lived along the incense trade route near Palestine, but their exact homeland isn’t certain. Possible locations include Yathrib (Medina) or Hisma.

Outside these tribal references, the name Ephah also appears in the Bible as the name of a concubine of Caleb and as a son of Jahdai, a descendant of Judah.