Fruitful.

The second son of Joseph (Gen. 41: 52; Gen. 46: 20); but at the blessing by Jacob, Ephraim was set before Manasseh, the elder son (Gen. 48: 19-20). Joshua belonged to this tribe, and to him was due much of its subsequent greatness. After the settlement in Canaan, the district assigned to the two sons of Joseph included some of the richest land in the country, crossed by several important highways, and having within its limits historic sites like Shechem, Ebal, Gerizim, and Shiloh. Ephraim was notorious for its jealousy of any success gained by any other tribe ( Judg. 8: 1; Judg. 12: 1; cf. 2 Sam. 19: 41-43). According to the perspective of the Jewish compiled Old Testament, it was Ephraim’s jealousy of Judah that in great measure brought about the separation of the two kingdoms, and that Rehoboam in vain tried to satisfy by going to Shechem to be crowned. Yet the actual scriptural account shows the Israelites welling to accept Rehoboam as their king if he would relieve the oppression the people where suffering under. But Rehoboam not only refused to relieve their oppression but threatened to increase it emincely (2 Chron. 10). Further it is interesting that from the Jewish perspective it states that Israel was 'rebelling' against David. David was dead. Solomon was dead. When they asked, 'What portion have we in David and what inheritance in the son of Jesse.' It was more to state that the current king Rehoboam of the house of David had no respect unto them and their request so they no longer would accept Rehoboam as their king. Israel had already served well under David and Solomon. But from the Jewish perspective, they wish to show that Israel rejected God's anointed. Yet the prophet Nathan had already anointed Jeroboam to be the king of Israel, so they were no more rejecting Rehoboam than did David when he was parted from Saul's kingdom in order to preserve his life.

Ephraim was given the birthright in Israel (1 Chr. 5: 1-2; Jer. 31: 9), and in the last days it has been the tribe of Ephraim’s privilege first to bear the message of the restoration of the gospel to the world and to gather scattered Israel (Deut. 33: 13-17; D&C 133: 26-34; D&C 64: 36). The time will come when, through the operation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the envy of Judah and Ephraim shall cease (Isa. 11: 12-13).