John 11:54

ἔμεινεν (אBL), S. John’s favourite word, is probably to be preferred to διέτριβεν (AD from John 3:22?)

54. Ἰ. οὖν. Jesus therefore, because He knew that in raising His friend He had signed His own death-warrant, and that He must wait until His hour was come (John 13:1). For παρρησίᾳ see on John 7:13; for περιεπάτει John 7:1. The time for freedom of speech and freedom of movement among them is over.

εἰς τ. χώραν ἐγγὺς τ. ἐρ. Into the country near the wilderness, a place of greater retirement than Peraea (John 10:40). The wilderness of Judaea is probably meant. But Ephraim cannot be identified with certainty. Eusebius makes it eight miles, Jerome twenty miles, N.E. of Jerusalem: both make it the same as Ephron. If the Ephraim of 2 Chronicles 13:19 and Josephus (B. J. VI. John 9:9) be meant, the wilderness would be that of Bethaven.