- ELIPHELEH God will distinguish him, one of the porters appointed to
play “on the Sheminith” on the occasion of the bringing up of the ark to
the city of David (1 Chronicles 15:18, 21). - ELIPHELET God his deliverance. (1.) One of David’s distinguished
warriors (2 Samuel 23:34); called also Eliphal in 1 Chronicles 11:35.
(2.) One of the sons of David born at Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 3:6; 14:5);
called Elpalet in 1 Chronicles 14:5. Also another of David’s sons (1
Chronicles 3:8); called Eliphalet in 2 Samuel 5:16; 1 Chronicles 14:7.
(3.) A descendant of king Saul through Jonathan (1 Chronicles 8:39).
- ELISABETH God her oath, the mother of John the Baptist (Luke 1:5).
She was a descendant of Aaron. She and her husband Zacharias (q.v.)
“were both righteous before God” (Luke 1:5, 13). Mary’s visit to
Elisabeth is described in 1:39-63. - ELISHA God his salvation, the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, who
became the attendant and disciple of Elijah (1 Kings 19:16-19). His name
first occurs in the command given to Elijah to anoint him as his successor
(1 Kings 19:16). This was the only one of the three commands then given
to Elijah which he accomplished. On his way from Sinai to Damascus he
found Elisha at his native place engaged in the labours of the field,
ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen. He went over to him, threw over his
shoulders his rough mantle, and at once adopted him as a son, and invested
him with the prophetical office (comp. Luke 9:61, 62). Elisha accepted the
call thus given (about four years before the death of Ahab), and for some
seven or eight years became the close attendant on Elijah till he was parted
from him and taken up into heaven. During all these years we hear nothing
of Elisha except in connection with the closing scenes of Elijah’s life. After
Elijah, Elisha was accepted as the leader of the sons of the prophets, and
became noted in Israel. He possessed, according to his own request, “a
double portion” of Elijah’s spirit (2 Kings 2:9); and for the long period of
about sixty years (B.C. 892-832) held the office of “prophet in Israel” (2
Kings 5:8).
After Elijah’s departure, Elisha returned to Jericho, and there healed the
spring of water by casting salt into it (2 Kings 2:21). We next find him at
Bethel (2:23), where, with the sternness of his master, he cursed the
youths who came out and scoffed at him as a prophet of God: “Go up,