• Elimelech
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • ELIMELECH

      (E·limʹe·lech) [God is king].

      A man of Bethlehem who, because of a famine in the days of the judges, left Judah along with his wife Naomi and their two sons Mahlon and Chilion, and took up alien residence in Moab, where he died.—Ruth 1:1-3.

  • Elioenai
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • ELIOENAI

      (E·li·o·eʹnai) [my eyes (are turned) toward Jehovah].

      1. A son of Neariah and a descendant of King Solomon through Zerubbabel. Elioenai was the father of Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah and Anani.—1 Chron. 3:10, 19, 23, 24.

      2. A chieftain of the tribe of Simeon.—1 Chron. 4:24, 36-38.

      3. A son of Becher and a descendant of Benjamin.—1 Chron. 7:6, 8.

      4. A priest of the “sons of Pashhur” among those heeding Ezra’s exhortation to send their foreign wives away.—Ezra 2:36, 38; 10:18, 19, 22.

      5. A descendant of Zattu. Elioenai was among those dismissing their foreign wives in Ezra’s time.—Ezra 10:27, 44.

      6. One of the priests with trumpets who were in the procession arranged for by Nehemiah at the inauguration of the wall of Jerusalem.—Neh. 12:27, 31, 40, 41.

  • Eliphaz
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • ELIPHAZ

      (Elʹi·phaz) [possibly, God is fine gold].

      1. Firstborn son of Esau, by his Canaanitish wife Adah. Seven of Eliphaz’ sons, including Teman, Omar and Amalek, became sheiks of Edomite tribes.—Gen. 36:4, 10-12, 15, 16; 1 Chron. 1:35, 36.

      2. One of Job’s three companions. (Job 2:11) A Temanite, he was likely a descendant of No. 1 above, therefore a descendant of Abraham and distantly related to Job. He and his posterity boasted of their wisdom. (Jer. 49:7) Of the three “comforters,” Eliphaz stands out as the most important and influential, suggesting that he may also have been the oldest. He speaks first in the three rounds of the debate, and his speeches are longer.

      Eliphaz’ reasoning in his first speech went like this: “Who that is innocent has ever perished? And where have the upright ever been effaced?” Hence, the conclusion he draws is that Job must have done something wicked to receive God’s punishment. (Job chaps. 4, 5) In his second upbraiding Eliphaz ridicules Job’s wisdom: “Will a wise person himself answer with windy knowledge, or will he fill his belly with the east wind? . . . What do you actually know that we do not know?” “Over the Almighty,” Eliphaz implies, Job “tries to show himself superior.” Concluding his second smear of Job’s virtues, the Edomite paints righteous Job as an apostate, living in tents of bribery, a man full of deceit. (Job chap. 15) Finally Eliphaz torments Job for the third time, falsely accusing him of all sorts of crimes—extortion, withholding water and bread from the needy, and oppressing widows and orphans.—Job chap. 22.

      Following Eliphaz’ second tirade Job answers well: “All of you are troublesome comforters! Is there an end to windy words?” (Job 16:2, 3) At the conclusion of the debates Jehovah himself addresses Eliphaz: “My anger has grown hot against you and your two companions, for you men have not spoken concerning me what is truthful as has my servant Job.” Eliphaz is told that they should offer up a sacrifice, and that Job will then pray in their behalf.—Job 42:7-9.

  • Elisha
    Aid to Bible Understanding

    • ELISHA

      (E·liʹsha) [God is salvation].

      The son of Shaphat and a prophet of Jehovah in the ninth and tenth centuries B.C.E.; successor to the prophet Elijah. Elijah was directed by Jehovah to travel toward Abel-meholah and there, finding Elisha plowing, Elijah threw his official garment over him, designating an appointment. (1 Ki. 19:16) Elisha was plowing behind twelve spans of bulls, “and he with the twelfth.” W. M. Thomson in The Land and the Book, 1887, page 144, reports that it is a custom in the East for several farmers to work together with their small plows, and one sower can easily sow all that they plow in a day. Elisha, in the rear of the group, would be able to stop without disrupting the work of the rest. The fact that he sacrificed a span of the bulls and used the implements as fuel speaks for Elisha’s promptness, decisiveness and appreciativeness for Jehovah’s call. He lost no time in preparing the meal, by using the implements of the bulls to provide fuel for cooking them, leaving immediately to follow Elijah.—1 Ki. 19:19-21.

      For perhaps six years Elisha served as Elijah’s attendant. Elijah served as head prophet and Elisha worked closely with him, being known as the one who “poured out water upon the hands of Elijah” when Elijah washed his hands.—2 Ki. 2:3-5; 3:11.

      Elisha, from the time he joined Elijah, did prophetic work in Israel during the reigns of Kings Ahab, Ahaziah, Jehoram, Jehu and on into the reign of Jehoash. Ruling at this time in Judah were Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, Ahaziah, Athaliah, Jehoash and, likely, Amaziah. Elisha enjoyed about sixty years of ministry by himself alone after Elijah’s departure.

      The record of Elisha’s prophetic activity in Second Kings does not appear to be altogether in chronological order. For example, in chapter 5, Gehazi is struck with leprosy, which would exclude him from normal society. Yet, in chapter 8, he is speaking in a friendly way to Jehoram of Israel. Also, the death of King Jehoash of Israel is recorded in chapter 13, but this is followed by a record of his last interview with Elisha. (2 Ki. 13:12-21) In some parts of the account the works and miracles of Elisha seem to be grouped according to their nature or likeness, for example: (1) those that were for the good of the prophets and private persons (2 Ki. 4:1–6:7), (2) those that had to do with the nation and the king.—2 Ki. 6:8–7:20.

      SUCCEEDS ELIJAH

      Elisha’s activity as successor to Elijah commences about 918/917 B.C.E. or shortly thereafter, at the time of Elijah’s ascension toward the heavens in a chariot of fire. (2 Ki. 1:17; 2:1, 11, 12) Before Elijah leaves, Elisha asks him for “two parts in [his] spirit,” that is, a double part, which was due the