• 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 firstborn son. This position he occupies because of his official appointment as Elijah’s successor at the time that Elijah threw his official garment over him. (2 Ki. 2:9) Elijah, realizing that this is not his to give, tells Elisha that, if God grants him to see Elijah taken from him, his desire will be granted. Jehovah confirms this by permitting Elisha to see Elijah taken in a windstorm into the heavens. As Elijah departs, his rough mantle, his official garment, falls from him. Elisha picks it up and puts it on, thereby identifying himself as Elijah’s successor. At the shore of the Jordan River Jehovah shows that he is with Elisha when he miraculously divides the Jordan waters as Elisha strikes them with the garment.—2 Ki. 2:9-15.

      Crossing the Jordan, Elisha returns to the group of the sons of the prophets at Jericho. Further establishing Elisha as the head of God’s company of prophets is his healing of the water supply of the city of Jericho, which has been bad and causing miscarriages. Going to the source of the water, he throws salt from a small new bowl into it, and “the water continues healed down to this day.”—2 Ki. 2:19-22.

      From Jericho Elisha climbs to Bethel, about three thousand feet (914 meters) above sea level, where he had previously visited a group of the sons of the prophets in company with Elijah. (2 Ki. 2:3) On the way, a band of juvenile delinquents comes out and shows great disrespect both to him and his office as prophet. “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” they jeer. They either mean for him to keep on going up to Bethel or to get off the earth just as his predecessor was supposed to have done. To teach these boys and their parents respect for the prophet of Jehovah, he turns and calls down evil upon them in Jehovah’s name. Suddenly two she-bears come out from the woods and tear to pieces forty-two of their number.—2 Ki. 2:23, 24.

      King Jehoram of Israel, King Jehoshaphat of Judah and the king of Edom become trapped in a waterless wilderness during an expedition to put down a revolt by King Mesha of Moab (who erected what has been called the Moabite Stone). King Jehoshaphat calls for a prophet of God. Not for Jehoram’s benefit, but out of respect for Jehoshaphat, who is in Jehovah’s favor, Elisha calls for a stringed instrument player, that under the influence of music he may receive inspiration from Jehovah. (Compare 1 Samuel 10:5, 6.) Elisha has the people dig ditches. The next morning they are full of water. As the early morning sun shines upon the water in the ditches it appears to the Moabites as blood. Thinking that Israel and their allies have been slaughtered in confused fighting among themselves, the Moabites rush in to carry away the booty. But to their surprise Israel rises up and defeats them. (2 Ki. 3:4-27) This event takes place between 917 and 913 B.C.E.

      A series of miracles of a domestic nature now appears in Elisha’s record. A widow of one of the former sons of the prophets is in dire need. Elisha miraculously multiplies her meager oil supply and saves her sons from being taken into slavery to her creditors. (2 Ki. 4:1-7) This miracle is parallel to the second miracle of Elijah, where he multiplied the flour and oil of the widow of Zarephath.—1 Ki. 17:8-16.

      At Shunem in the valley of Jezreel a prominent woman shows unusual hospitality to Elisha because she recognizes him as a “holy man of God,” even providing a room for him as he frequently passes by her home. For her kindness Elisha promises her a son, though her husband at that time is old. True to his promise, a son is born about a year later, but when still a child he dies. Elisha now performs his first resurrection, bringing the boy back to life as Elijah had similarly raised the son of the widow in Zarephath. (2 Ki. 4:8-37; 1 Ki. 17:17-24) For her kindness to a prophet of God she is richly rewarded.—Compare Matthew 10:41.

      Elisha returns to Gilgal, N of Bethel in the mountains, to the sons of the prophets there. A famine is on. As a stew is being prepared someone unwittingly puts in some poisonous gourds. Immediately upon tasting the stew, they shout: “There is death in the pot, O man of the true God.” Since it would not do to waste food during the famine, Elisha calls for some flour, putting it into the pot and making the stew edible so that “nothing injurious [proves] to be in the pot.”—2 Ki. 4:38-41.

      During the critical times of the famine a faithful remnant of Israelite worshipers who have not bent down to Baal appreciate the efforts of Jehovah’s prophets and supply material food to them. When a man brings twenty barley loaves and some grain, Elisha gives orders that this small supply be fed to all. But there are one hundred men of the “sons of the prophets” to be fed. Despite the doubts of the one doing the serving, all eat to satisfaction, after which there are leftovers.—2 Ki. 4:42-44; compare Mark 6:35-44.

      HEALS NAAMAN

      During the reign of King Ben-hadad II of Syria he sends his highly respected army chief Naaman, a leper, to the king of Israel to be healed of his leprosy. This valiant man had, although leprous, saved Syria. Evidently the leprous condition of Naaman does not bar him from holding such a high office in Syria, whereas it would have removed him from holding such office in Israel. (Lev. 13:46) King Ben-hadad’s action in sending Naaman comes about due to the testimony of a young Israelite girl who is a captive and who is serving in the house of Naaman. This young girl trusts in Jehovah and tells her mistress of Jehovah’s prophet Elisha of Israel. The king of Israel feels sure that Ben-hadad is picking a fight with him, for, as he says: “Am I God, to put to death and to preserve alive?” Elisha, hearing of the king’s distress, tells the king, “Let him come, please, to me that he may know that there exists a prophet in Israel.”—2 Ki. 5:1-8.

      Naaman does not first see Elisha, but is sent instructions by Elisha through his attendant to bathe seven times in the Jordan River. At first this enrages him, but finally he humbles himself to perform the simple procedure and becomes clean. Naaman returns to Elisha and vows that from now on he will serve Jehovah the God of Israel faithfully and takes back with him some Israelite soil, “the load of a pair of mules,” upon which he will sacrifice to Jehovah, without doubt looking toward the temple of Jerusalem. As an officer of the king of Syria he will carry on his work, going into the house of the false god Rimmon with the king, and as the king is supported by him he will have to bow with the king but he will no longer worship Rimmon, he says. He will not be performing a religious duty, but only his duty in service of the king. Elisha refuses Naaman’s proffered gift. This harmonizes with the principle that the miracle is by Jehovah’s power, not his, and he will not profit from the office Jehovah has given him.—2 Ki. 5:9-19; compare Matthew 10:8.

      Elisha’s attendant Gehazi, greedy for selfish gain, overtakes Naaman and asks for some of the gifts that Elisha had refused so as to keep them for himself. Lyingly he tries to conceal the matter from Elisha. As a due punishment, Elisha tells him, “the leprosy of Naaman will stick to you and your offspring to time indefinite.”—2 Ki. 5:20-27.

      It becomes necessary for the sons of the prophets with whom Elisha is associated to move to more spacious quarters. They are at the Jordan River cutting beams for their new housing. One of the prophets is using a borrowed ax, and the axhead comes off and falls into the water. Elisha, apparently concerned that no reproach come upon the prophets, throws a piece of wood into the water where the axhead had fallen, and the axhead floats to the top. Jehovah thereby proves that he is backing up his prophets.—2 Ki. 6:1-7.