the central mountainous district of Palestine occupied by the tribe of Ephraim ( Joshua 17:15 ; 19:50 ; 20:7 ), extending from Bethel to the plain of Jezreel. In Joshua's time ( Joshua 17:18 ) these hills were densely wooded. They were intersected by well-watered, fertile valleys, referred to in Jeremiah 50:19 . Joshua was buried at Timnath-heres among the mountains of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash ( Judges 2:9 ). This region is also called the "mountains of Israel" ( Joshua 11:21 ) and the "mountains of Samaria" ( Jeremiah 31:5 Jeremiah 31:6 : Amos 3:9 ).

These dictionary topics are from
M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition,
published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.