Original Word: כָּלֵב אֶפְרָתָה
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Kaleb 'Ephrathah
Pronunciation: kah-LEB ef-rah-TAH
Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-labe' ef-raw'-thaw)
KJV: Caleb-ephrathah
NASB: Caleb-ephrathah
Word Origin: [from H3612 (כָּלֵב - Caleb) and H672 (אֶפרָת אֶפרָתָה - Ephrath)]

1. Caleb- Ephrathah, a place in Egypt (if the text is correct)

Caleb-ephrathah

From Kaleb and 'Ephraath; Caleb- Ephrathah, a place in Egypt (if the text is correct) -- Caleb-ephrathah.

see HEBREW Kaleb

see HEBREW 'Ephraath

Word Origin
from Kaleb and Ephrath
Definition
the place where Hezron died
NASB Translation
Caleb-ephrathah (1).

Biblical Occurrence

“After Hezron died in Caleb Ephrathah, his wife Abijah bore him Ashhur the father of Tekoa.” (1 Chronicles 2:24)

Context within the House of Judah

The Chronicler locates the notice inside the long Judahite genealogy that moves from Judah to David (1 Chronicles 2:3-17). Hezron, grandson of Judah, fathers three prominent sons—Jerahmeel, Ram, and Caleb (also called Chelubai, verse 9). The statement that Hezron “died in Caleb Ephrathah” ties his death and a subsequent birth to an estate or settlement associated with his son Caleb. This brief clause signals a transfer of prominence from father to son and helps trace the expansion of Judah’s clan network south of Jerusalem.

A Place, a Clan, or a Marriage?

The Hebrew construction can be read several ways:
• a locality governed or founded by Caleb near or within Ephrathah,
• the compound name of a settlement (“Caleb-Ephrathah”),
• or a shorthand reference to Caleb’s marriage to the woman Ephrath (verse 19).

However one resolves the syntax, Scripture presents an undeniable link between Caleb, the territory of Ephrathah, and the broader family of Judah. The reference therefore serves a double genealogical function: it identifies the physical setting of Hezron’s last days and roots the rising Calebite branch firmly within Judah’s heartland.

Relationship to Bethlehem (Ephrathah)

Ephrathah is an older designation for Bethlehem (Genesis 35:19; Ruth 4:11; Micah 5:2). Placing Caleb there is significant:
• It situates Caleb’s descendants in the same district that produced David and, ultimately, Jesus the Messiah (Matthew 2:1; Luke 2:4-7).
• It hints that Bethlehem’s future importance was already taking shape through Judahite settlement centuries before David’s birth.
• It unites the Calebite line with the royal line of Ram, for both share territory within Ephrathah even though they diverge genealogically.

Connection with Tekoa and the Prophetic Tradition

The child born after Hezron’s death, Ashhur, becomes “the father of Tekoa.” Tekoa lies roughly ten miles south of Bethlehem and later produces the prophet Amos (Amos 1:1) and the “wise woman of Tekoa” who aided King David (2 Samuel 14:2-20). By recording Tekoa’s origin inside Caleb Ephrathah, the Chronicler shows how diverse ministries—royal, prophetic, and civic—sprang from a single Judahite matrix. The text therefore links the Calebite estate not only to Bethlehem’s messianic promise but also to a site renowned for prophetic witness.

Caleb’s Broader Legacy

Though distinct from Caleb son of Jephunneh (the faithful spy of Numbers 13–14), Caleb son of Hezron leaves an enduring mark:
• Through his wife Ephrath he fathers Hur (1 Chronicles 2:19), grandfather of Bezalel, chief craftsman of the tabernacle (Exodus 31:2).
• Through Abijah he fathers Ashhur, pioneer of Tekoa, securing Judah’s southern frontier.
• His clan supplies warriors for David (1 Chronicles 12:49, “Calebites” in some manuscripts) and later provides priests who return from exile (Nehemiah 11:25-30).

Thus Caleb Ephrathah represents both a geographical foothold and a multi-generational center of service—artistic, military, prophetic, and priestly—within the covenant community.

Messianic Implications

Micah 5:2 foretells that a ruler whose “origins are from ancient times” would arise from “Bethlehem Ephrathah.” The Chronicler’s careful mention of Caleb Ephrathah helps establish that Bethlehem was not an isolated hamlet but a hub of Judahite clans long before David’s day. By setting Caleb’s house alongside Ram’s line (ancestor of David through Salmon and Boaz), the narrative underscores God’s providence in weaving varied Judahite threads into the tapestry that culminates in Christ (Luke 3:32-33).

Lessons for Faith and Ministry

1. God values seemingly minor details. A single phrase—“Caleb Ephrathah”—anchors people, places, and promises.
2. Faithfulness can outlast an individual life. Hezron dies, but covenant purposes advance through Caleb’s estate.
3. Ministry diversity flows from covenant roots. From the soil of Caleb Ephrathah arise artisans, prophets, and kings, showing that gifts differ while the source and goal remain the same (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).
4. Geography and genealogy together validate Scripture’s historical reliability, encouraging believers to trust every word as accurate and purposeful.

Summary

Caleb Ephrathah, though mentioned only once, stands at a crossroads of genealogy, geography, and redemptive history. It memorializes a family estate of the Calebite branch of Judah, situates Judah’s expansion around Bethlehem, inaugurates the town of Tekoa, and quietly prepares the ground for David and the Messiah. Through it Scripture demonstrates how God orchestrates lineage and location to advance His unchanging plan.

אֶפְרָ֑תָה אפרתה ’ep̄·rā·ṯāh ’ep̄rāṯāh efRatahInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts