(3.) A descendant of Seir the Horite (Genesis 36:23).
- EBED slave, the father of Gaal, in whom the men of Shechem “put
confidence” in their conspiracy against Abimelech (Judges 9:26, 26, 30,
31). - EBED-MELECH a servant of the king; probably an official title, an
Ethiopian, “one of the eunuchs which was in the king’s house;” i.e., in the
palace of Zedekiah, king of Judah. He interceded with the king in
Jeremiah’s behalf, and was the means of saving him from death by famine
(Jeremiah 38:7-13: comp. 39:15-18). - EBEN-EZER stone of help, the memorial stone set up by Samuel to
commemorate the divine assistance to Israel in their great battle against the
Philistines, whom they totally routed (1 Samuel 7:7-12) at Aphek, in the
neighbourhood of Mizpeh, in Benjamin, near the western entrance of the
pass of Beth-horon. On this very battle-field, twenty years before, the
Philistines routed the Israelites, “and slew of the army in the field about
four thousand men” (4:1,2; here, and at 5:1, called “Eben-ezer” by
anticipation). In this extremity the Israelites fetched the ark out of Shiloh
and carried it into their camp. The Philistines a second time immediately
attacked them, and smote them with a very great slaughter, “for there fell
of Israel thirty thousand footmen. And the ark of God was taken” (1
Samuel 4:10). And now in the same place the Philistines are vanquished,
and the memorial stone is erected by Samuel (q.v.). The spot where the
stone was erected was somewhere “between Mizpeh and Shen.” Some
have identified it with the modern Beit Iksa, a conspicuous and prominent
position, apparently answering all the necessary conditions; others with
Dier Aban, 3 miles east of ‘Ain Shems. - EBER beyond. (1.). The third post-duluvian patriach after Shem (Genesis
10:24; 11:14). He is regarded as the founder of the Hebrew race (10:21;
Numbers 24:24). In Luke 3:35 he is called Heber.
(2.) One of the seven heads of the families of the Gadites (1 Chronicles
5:13).
(3.) The oldest of the three sons of Elpaal the Benjamite (8:12).
(4.) One of the heads of the familes of Benjamites in Jerusalem (22).