(3.) The son of Shaphan, one of the two who were sent by Zedekiah to
Nebuchadnezzar, and also took charge of Jeremiah’s letter to the captives
in Babylon (Jeremiah 29:3).
- ELATH grove; trees, (Deuteronomy 2:8), also in plural form Eloth (1
Kings 9:26, etc.); called by the Greeks and Romans Elana; a city of
Idumea, on the east, i.e., the Elanitic, gulf, or the Gulf of Akabah, of the
Red Sea. It is first mentioned in Deuteronomy 2:8. It is also mentioned
along with Ezion-geber in 1 Kings 9:26. It was within the limits of
Solomon’s dominion, but afterwards revolted. It was, however, recovered
and held for a time under king Uzziah (2 Kings 14:22). Now the ruin Aila. - EL-BETHEL God of Bethel, the name of the place where Jacob had the
vision of the ladder, and where he erected an altar (Genesis 31:13; 35:7). - ELDAD whom God has loved, one of the seventy elders whom Moses
appointed (Numbers 11:26, 27) to administer justice among the people.
He, with Medad, prophesied in the camp instead of going with the rest to
the tabernacle, as Moses had commanded. This incident was announced to
Moses by Joshua, who thought their conduct in this respect irregular.
Moses replied, “Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord’s
people were prophets” (Numbers 11:24-30; comp. Mark 9:38; Luke 9:49). - ELDER a name frequently used in the Old Testament as denoting a
person clothed with authority, and entitled to respect and reverence
(Genesis 50:7). It also denoted a political office (Numbers 22:7). The
“elders of Israel” held a rank among the people indicative of authority.
Moses opened his commission to them (Exodus 3:16). They attended
Moses on all important occasions. Seventy of them attended on him at the
giving of the law (Exodus 24:1). Seventy also were selected from the whole
number to bear with Moses the burden of the people (Numbers 11:16, 17).
The “elder” is the keystone of the social and political fabric wherever the
patriarchal system exists. At the present day this is the case among the
Arabs, where the sheik (i.e., “the old man”) is the highest authority in the
tribe. The body of the “elders” of Israel were the representatives of the
people from the very first, and were recognized as such by Moses. All
down through the history of the Jews we find mention made of the elders
as exercising authority among the people. They appear as governors
(Deuteronomy 31:28), as local magistrates (16:18), administering justice
(19:12). They were men of extensive influence (1 Samuel 30:26-31). In