Ephraim

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Ephraim. Younger son of Joseph. According to the midrash, the tribe of Ephraim left slavery in Egypt early, and many were killed by the Philistines. In order to avoid their bones, God led the Israelites a circuitous route to the Promised Land. It was these bones which came to life in Ezekiel's vision of the valley of the dry bones (ch. 37) (B.Sanh 92b).

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