Ephrath or Ephrathah or Ephratah (Hebrew: אֶפְרָת \ אֶפְרָתָה) is a biblically referenced former name of Bethlehem,[1] meaning "fruitful".
Evidence that she died on the way there is reflected by the ancient Rachel's tomb at the city's entrance.
Throughout much of the Bible, Ephrath is a description for members of the Israelite tribe of Judah, as well as for possible founders of Bethlehem.
[4] Ephrath, or Bethlehem, is connected to messianic prophecy, as found in the book of the minor prophet Micah: "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel.
Both Matthew 2 and Luke 2 in the New Testament state that Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea.