Elkanah's Ancestry and the Crown of Ephraim

Yalkut Shimoni on Nach 77:2

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

"The son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu" (1 Samuel 1:1). One who says "Jochanan" [reads it as] a gimatrikon [acrostic/cipher]: "He is Tohu, he is Asaph," by the cipher in which alef substitutes for tav, chet for samekh, vav for peh [a-t-b-sh letter exchange]. "An Ephraimite" (1 Samuel 1:1): Rabbi Joshua said: a man of the palace [Greek: palatianos]. Rabbi Judah son of Rabbi Pinchas said: crowned with rank [Greek: nomos, custom/dignity]. Rabbi Pinchas said: Ephraim was crowned with a crown by our father Jacob at the hour of his departure from the world. He said: "My son Ephraim, head of the academy, head of a distinguished and praiseworthy tribe among my sons, they shall be called by your name." "The son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite" (1 Samuel 1:1); and David "the son of this Ephrathite man" (1 Samuel 17:12); Jeroboam son of Nebat "an Ephraimite" (1 Kings 11:26); Mahlon and Chilion "Ephrathites" (Ruth 1:2).

Themes

GenealogyTribesJacob

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