File:Palestine in the period of Israel's settlement and of the Judges (Smith, 1915).jpg

English: This map gives approximately the disposition of the Tribes of Israel, reflected in the Song of Deborah (circa 1100 B.C.), with qualifications from the other sources. The centre is Ephraim (a place-name, with a frequent geographical termination, and probably meaning "fertile" region; then the name of a tribe, and in the prophets the name of the N. Kingdom) or Mount Ephraim, the designation of the W. Range from Esdraelon as far S. at least as Bethel (Jud. iii. 27, iv. 5; cf. Jer. xxxi. 4-6; Josephus, v Antt., i. 22). It was held by the tribe of Joseph, with two branches, Ephraim and Manasseh or Machir (Jud. v. 14), between which no demarcation is possible. No document of the period, nor the older forms of the history, JE, say anything of the extension of Manasseh E. of Jordan, but this is stated in Deut., and effect is given to it on the map. The particular sites marked (with or without a query), explain themselves; the city Ephraim, 2 Sam. xiii. 23 (cf. John xi. 54; Josephus, lYB.J., ix. 9; Jerome, O.S., "Efrem) is usually identified with Et-Taiyibeh; but some hold the name for a mistaken spelling of *Ephr-aim or 'Ephr-on (with initial 'ayin), and compare the 'Ophr-ah of Gideon. 'Amalek of Jud. v. 14 (ef xii. 15) is probably a wrong reading: LXX give in the valley. S. of Ephraim lay Ben-yamin, i.e. Son of the Righthand or of the South.