Elihoe'nai (Heb. Ehjehoeynay' , '^Jil^'ifTilfiX, to- ward .Tehwdh are my eyis), the name of two men. See also Elioenai and Elienai.
1. (Sept. 'EXuorjvai v. r. 'EX(aivai,Yulg. Elioenai.} The seventh and yoimgest son of Meshelemiah (q. v.) the Levite, of the time of David (1 Chron. xxvi, 3, where the name is improperly Anglicized " Elioenai"). B.C. 1043-13.
2. (Sept. 'EXiartj'rt v. r. 'E\(«j'a', Vulg. Elioenai.") Son of Zerahiah of the "sons of Pahath-Moalj," who returned with 200 males from the exile (Ezra viii, 4). B.C. 459.
Eliho'reph (Heb. Elicho'reph, ';:{'}p'h'^, God is his recompense ; Sept. 'E\(\;op6^ v. r. 'EX«(/) and 'E2'r,'- p'iif), son of Shislia, and appointed, with his brother Ahiah, royal scribe ("iSiO) by Solomon (1 Kings iv, 3). B.C.1012.
Eli'hu (Heb. Elihu', HW^^X [but abbreviated iirr^bx in Job xxxii, 4; xxxv, 1; 1 Chron. xxvi, 7; XX vii, 18], whose God is lie, i. e. Jehovah), the name of five men.
1. (Sept. 'FAiovQ.') One of Job's friends, described as "the son of Barachel, a Buzite, of the kindred of Ram" (Job xxxii, 2). This is usually understood to implj' that he was descended from Buz, the son of Abraham's lirother Nahor, from whose familj' the city called Buz (Jer. xxv, 23) also took its name. The Chaldee pai'aphrase asserts that Elihu was a rela- tion of Abraham. Elihu's name does not appear among those of the friends who came in the first in- stance to condole with Job, nor is his presence indica- ted till the debate between the afflicted man and his three friends had lieen brought to a conclusion. Then, finding there was no answer to Job's last speech, he comes forward with consideral)le modesty, which he loses as he proceeds, to remark on the debate, and to deliver his own opinion on the points at issue (Job xxxii, xxxvii). B.C. cir. 2200. It appears, from the manner in which Elihu introduces himself (Job xxxii, 3-7), that he was much the youngest of the partj'; and it is evident that he had been present from the commencement of the discussion, to which he had paid very close attention. This would suggest that the debate between Job and his friends was carried on in the presence of a deeply-interested auditory, among which was this Elihu, who could not forbear from interfering when the controversy appeared to have reached an unsatisfactorj' conclusion (see Kitto's Daily Bible Illust. in loc). He expresses his desire to mod- erate between the disputants ; and his words alone touch upon, although they do not thoroughly handle, that idea of the disciplinary nature of suffering, which is the key to Job's perplexity and doubt; but, as in the whole hook, the greater stress is laid on God's un- searchable wisdom, and the implicit faith which he de- mands (see Velthu3'sen, De Ella; carmine, Rotterdam, 1789-90). He does not enlarge on any supposable wickedness in Job as having brought his present dis- tresses upon him, but controverts his replies, his infer- ences, and his arguments. He observes on the mys- terious dispensations of Providence, which he insists, however thej' may appear to mortals, are full of wis- dom and mercy ; that the righteous have their share of pi-osperity in this life no less than the wicked ; that God is supreme, and that it becomes us to acknowl- edge and submit to that supremacy', since " the Crea- tor wisely rules the world he made;" and he draws instances of benignity from the constant wonders of creation, of the seasons, etc. His language is copious, glowing, and sublime ; and it deserves notice that Eli- hu does not appear to have offended God bj- his senti- ments ; nor is any sacrifice of atonement commanded for him as for the other speakers in the poem. It is almost pardonable that the character of Elihu has been thought figurative of a personage interposed between God and man — a mediator — one speaking "without terrors," and not disposed to overcharge mankind. This sentiment may have had its influence on the ac-
ELIJAH
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ceptability and preservation of the book of Job (sec Hodgos's Elihu, Oxford, 1750). Sec Job (Book of).
2. (Sept. 'HXwv.) Son of Tohu, and grandfather of Elkanah, Samuel's father (1 Sam. i, 1). In the state- ments of the gencalog}' of Samuel in 1 Chron. vi the name Eliel (q. v.) occurs in the same position — son of Toah, and father of Jeroham (vi, 34 [Heb. It)]) ; and also Eli.vb (vi, 27 [Hel). 1"2]), father of Jeroham, and grandson of Zophai. The general opinion is that Eli- hu is the original name, and the two latter forms but copyists' variations of it. — Smith, s. v.
3. (Sept. 'EXioi'O V. r. 'E\(/(oii^.) One of the chili- archs of Manasseh who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chron. xii, 20), after he had left the Philistine army on the eve of the battle of Gilboa, and who assisted him against the marauding band ("I^"ir0 of the Amale- kites (comp. 1 Sam. xxx). B.C. 1053.
4. (Sept. 'EXiof'.) One of the eminenth' able-bod- ied members of the family of Obed-edom (apparently a grandson by Shemaiah), who were appointed porters of the Temple under David (1 Chron. xxvi, 7). B.C. 1043. Terms are applied to all these doorkeepers which appear to indicate that they were not only "strong men," as in A.V., but also fighting men. (See ver. G, 7, 8, 12, in which occur the words ?^'^ = army, and n'^"ni2 J = warriors or heroes.)