Eliel

November 23, 2014

The priests prepare to transport the ark (1 Chr 15:11-15:15)

“Then King David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. King David said to them. ‘You are the heads of families of the Levites. Sanctify yourselves, you and your kindred, so that you may bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it. Because you did not carry it the first time, Yahweh our God burst out against us, because we did not give it proper care.’ So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of Yahweh, the God of Israel. The Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of Yahweh.”

The high priests Zadok and Abiathar were also involved. King David summoned the heads of the Levite families just mentioned, except for Uriel. He wanted them to sanctify themselves and their clan. King David said that the problem last time was that the right people were not carrying the Ark of the Covenant. He wanted the Kohathite Levites to carry the Ark of the Covenant with poles on their shoulders as it was laid out in Numbers, chapter 7.

November 23, 2014

The Levites prepare to transport the ark (1 Chr 15:3-15:10)

“King David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of Yahweh to the place that he had prepared for it. King David gathered together the descendents of Aaron and the Levites. There were the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, with one hundred twenty of his kindred. There were the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, with two hundred twenty of his kindred. There were the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, with one hundred thirty of his kindred. There were the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, with two hundred of his kindred. There were the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, with eighty of his kindred. There were the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, with one hundred and twelve of his kindred.”

This biblical writer said that King David called everyone to Jerusalem, which would have been difficult. More particularly, he gathered the descendents of Aaron, the 3 groups of Levites, the Kohathites, Merarites, and Gershonites with their chiefs and family. However, 3 other groups of Levites, the descendents of Elizaphan, Hebron, and Uzziel were also named, but they were actually the sons of Kohath. Thus 4 of these groups were Kohathites. Each group had a leader and a number of their clan. Thus we have the following assigned to carry and care for the Ark of the Covenant. This has become a big deal with over 800 people directly involved.

November 20, 2014

The Gadite warriors (1 Chr 12:8-12:15)

“From the Gadites, there went over to David at the stronghold in the wilderness mighty and experienced warriors. They were expert with shield and spear. Their faces were like the faces of lions. They were swift as gazelles on the mountains. Ezer was the chief, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, Jeremiah the tenth, and Machbannai the eleventh. These Gadites were officers of the army, the least equal to over a hundred men and the greatest to a thousand men. These are the men who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was overflowing all its banks. They put to flight all those in the valleys, to the east and to the west.”

The Gadites were from the east side of the Jordan. Apparently they were very fast. They brought a lot of people with them as they seem to have an organized army with various ranks. In fact, 11 different ranks are cited as they chased people on the east and west side of the Jordan River. There were 6 people with the name of Ezer. There were 12 people with the name of Obadiah, with the most famous the prophet and book Obadiah. Eliab appeared as the name of 7 different people. Although Mishmannah never appears elsewhere, Attai was the name of 1 or 2 other people. This Jeremiah was not the prophet Jeremiah. Notice that there was another Jeremiah in this Gadite band of soldiers. There were 9 people with the name of Eliel and Johanan. However, there was only 1 other with the name of Elzabad, and no others with the name of Machbannai except the one mentioned here.

November 19, 2014

The listing of David’s warriors (1 Chr 11:26-11:47)

“The warriors of the armies were: Asahel the brother of Joab; Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem; Shammah of Harod; Helez the Pelonite; Ira son of Ikkesh of Tekoa; Abiezer of Anathoth; Sibbecai the Hushathite; Ilai the Ahohite; Maharai of Netophah; Heled son of Baanah of Netophah; Ittai son of Ribai of Gibeah of the Benjaminites; Benaiah of Pirathon; Hurai of the Wadi of Gaash; Abiel the Arbathite; Azmaveth of Bahurim; Eliahba of Shaalbon; Hashem the Gizonite; Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite; Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite; Eliphal son of Ur; Hepher the Mecherathite; Ahijah the Pelonite; Hezro of Carmel; Naarai son of Ezbai; Joel the brother of Nathan; Mibhar son of Hagri; Zelek the Ammonite; Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah; Ira the Ithrite; Gareb the Ithrite; Uriah the Hittite; Zabad the son of Ahlai; Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, a leader of the Reubenites, and thirty with him; Hanan the son of Maacah; Joshaphat the Mithnite; Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel sons of Hotham the Aroerite; Jediael son of Shimri; Joha his brother, the Tizite; Eliel the Mahavite; Jeribai and Joshaviah sons of Elnaam; Ithmah the Moabite; Eliel; Obed; and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.”

This list is much like the list in 2 Samuel, chapter 23. However there are 7 omissions and 22 additions as well as 8 name changes. For more information about these men see the notes in 2 Samuel. Of those 7 mentioned in 2 Samuel, that appeared there but did not make this list, they include: Elika of Harod, Eliphelet son of Ahasbai of Maacah, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, Paarai the Arbite, Igal son of Nathan of Zobah, and Bani the Gadite. The following 22 names were added and not in 2 Samuel: Eliphal the son of Ur, Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, Naarai the son of Ezbai, Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, Zabad the son of Ahlai, Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, Hanan the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite, Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel sons of Hotham the Aroerite, Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother the Tizite, Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite, Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite. The following 8 names have been changed. Helez the Paltite has become Helez the Pelonite. Mebunnai the Hushathite has become Sibbecai the Hushathite. Zalmon the Ahohite has become Ilai the Ahohite. Heleb son of Baanah of Netophah, had become Heled. Abi-albon the Arbathite has become Abiel. Hiddai of Gaash has become Hurai. Jashen has become Hashem the Gizonite. Jonathan the son of Shammah has become the son of Shagee.

November 13, 2014

The sons of Shashak (1 Chr 8:22-8:25)

“Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, Abdon, Zichri, Hanan, Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, Iphdeiah, and Penuel were the sons of Shashak.”

This Shashak, who was the son of the Benjaminite Beriah, had 11 sons. (1) Ishpan, (9) Anthothijah, and (10) Iphdeiah appear only here. (2) Eber was the same name as the son of Elpaal, while (3) Eliel is the same name as a son of Shimei. (4) Abdon was the name of one of the judges that preceded Samson in Judges, chapter 12, but there were also a couple of other people with the name of Abdon. There were 12 other people with the name of (5) Zichri with 4 of them being Benjaminites including the son of Shimei just mentioned before this. There were 9 people named (6) Hanan, but none of them Benjaminites besides this one. 13 people had the name of (7) Hananiah, while 5 others were named (8) Elam. There were 2 people with the name of (11) Penuel, but that was a town on the east side of the Jordan River that Gideon had some trouble with in Judges, chapter 8.

November 13, 2014

The sons of Shimei (1 Chr 8:19-8:21)

“Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi, Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei.”

Shimei had 9 sons. Although there are over 12 different people with the name of Shimei, this Shimei may refer to the Shema in Aijalon. At least, they were both Benjaminites, if not the same person. There is only 1 other (1) Jakim. There were 12 other people with the name of (2) Zichri with 4 of them being Benjaminites, but only 4 people with the name of (3) Zabdi. These are the only mentions of (4) Elienai, (8) Beraiah, and (9) Shimrath, but there is one other (5) Zillethai. There are 8 other people with the names of (6) Eliel and (7) Adaiah.

November 5, 2014

The Levite cantor Heman the Kohathite (1 Chr 6:33-6:38)

“These are the men who served the temple and their sons. Of the sons of the Kohathites there was Heman the singer, son of Joel, son of Samuel, son of Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Eliel, son of Toah, son of Zuph, son of Elkanah, son of Mahath, son of Amasai, son of Elkanah, son of Joel, son of Azariah, son of Zephaniah, son of Tahath, son of Assir, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, son of Israel.”

This is really a passage about one person, Heman, the singer, who then traced his lineage right back to Israel in 22 generations, via (1) Levi, (2) Kohath, (3) Izhar, (4) Korah, (5) Ebiasaph, (6) Assir, (7) Tahath, (8) Zephaniah, (9) Azariah, (10) Joel, (11) Elkanah, (12) Amasai, (13) Mahath, (14) Elkanah, (15) Zuph, (16) Toah, (17) Eliel, (18) Jeroham, (19) Elkanah, (20) Samuel, (21) Joel and then himself (22) Heman. Heman is called a singer and not a musician. The names are pretty much the same as earlier in this chapter, but there are a few different names here compared to the earlier genealogy. Heman is clearly the grandson of the prophet Samuel via Joel. Instead of Eliab it is now Eliel which is the name of 9 different people in the biblical literature. Nahath has become Toah, but this is the only time that this name appears. Zophai has become Zuph, which is also a place. Mahath has been added since there is one other person beside this one. Amminadab has become Izhar. Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul have been dropped. Otherwise it is the same.

November 2, 2014

The chiefs of the half tribe of Manasseh (1 Chr 5:24-5:24)

“These were the heads of half-tribe of Manasseh clans, Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty warriors, famous men, who were the heads of their clans.”

This biblical author lists 7 mighty warriors as the heads of their clans. There were 2 other people with the name of Epher, the son of Midian via Keturah, and the son of Ezra in the tribe of Judah. He is never listed as a son of Manasseh. There were 3 other people with the name of Ishi mentioned earlier in this book. There were 9 biblical people with the name of Eliel while 2 other people were called Azriel. On the other hand, the name Jeremiah appears over 140 times mostly referring to the prophet and book Jeremiah, but there are 5 other people with the same name including this Jeremiah. Although 3 people have the name Hodaviah, Jahdiel is only mentioned here. These were the 8th century BCE leaders of the east bank half tribe of Manasseh.