Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ELEAZAR

(Heb. ʾelʿāzār) (also AVARAN)

1. A son of Aaron, along with Nadab, Abihu, and Ithamar (Exod. 6:23), all of whom were consecrated to the priestly office (Exod. 28:1). While the Israelites were camped at the foot of Mt. Sinai, the two older brothers, Nadab and Abihu, “offered unholy fire before the Lord” and so God destroyed them with fire (Lev. 10:1-2). Eleazar and his younger brother Ithamar were then placed in charge of the tent of meeting, and through them the line of priestly descent from Aaron is traced. Eleazar seems to have held a “senior” position. In Num. 3:32; 4:16 he is described as “chief over the leaders of the Levites,” in charge of all matters pertaining to transportation of the tabernacle. Moses named Joshua as his successor, but under the direction of Eleazar (Num. 27:18-23). Sixteen divisions of postexilic priests were assigned to Eleazar and eight to Ithamar (1 Chr. 24). Zadok and Ezra trace their priestly ancestry through Eleazar (1 Chr. 6:3-8, 50-53[MT 5:29-34; 6:35-38]; 24:3; Ezra 7:1-5).

2. The son of Abinadab of Kiriath-jearim (1 Sam. 7:1; 2 Sam. 6:3-4). He was a guardian of the ark of the covenant and father of Uzzah and Ahio, who transferred it to King David (2 Sam. 6:2-7).

3. The son of Dodo; one of David’s three mighty men who helped in his battle against the Philistines (2 Sam. 23:9; 1 Chr. 11:12). According to 2 Sam. 23:13-17; 1 Chr. 11:15-19 the three went to Bethlehem when the Philistines occupied it and brought water from its well to David in the cave of Adullam.

4. The son of Mahli, a Merarite. He was a Levite who had no sons, so his daughters married their cousins, the sons of Kish (1 Chr. 23:21-22; 24:28).

5. The son of Phinehas, a priest who accompanied Ezra from Babylon to Jerusalem and helped inventory the returned temple treasury (Ezra 8:33).

6. A priest who took part in the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem (Neh. 12:42); perhaps the same as 5 above.

7. A son of Parosh, one of a group of men who put away their foreign wives at the insistence of Ezra (Ezra 10:25).

8. Also called Avaran; the son of Mattathias, the brother of Judas Maccabeus (1 Macc. 2:5; 6:43-44; 2 Macc. 8:23). He was crushed to death when he killed an elephant in battle at Beth-zecharaiah (1 Macc. 6:44-46).

9. The father of Jason, chosen to be part of Judas Maccabeus’ emissary to Rome (1 Macc. 8:17).

10. A high-ranking scribe “in his ninetieth year” who refused to eat swine’s flesh during a sacrificial meal instituted by Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Those in charge of the ritual tried to save Eleazar from martyrdom by urging him to bring his own meat to the sacrifice and only pretend to eat the pork, but Eleazar refused and was put to death (2 Macc. 6:18-31).

11. According to Matthew’s genealogy, an ancestor of Joseph, the husband of Mary (Matt. 1:15).

Nancy L. de Claissé-Walford

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ELEAZAR

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)