during a military campaign with David, Eleazar distinguished himself by taking his stand in a field full of barley and single-handedly striking down the Philistines, “so that Jehovah saved with a great salvation.”​—1Ch 11:12-14; 2Sa 23:9, 10.

4. Son of Mahli the Merarite of the tribe of Levi. Eleazar did not have any sons but had only daughters. Therefore, the sons of Kish, their cousins, took them as wives.​—1Ch 23:21, 22.

5. Son of a certain Phinehas, mentioned as assisting Meremoth the priest when, on the fourth day of Ezra’s arrival in Jerusalem, the silver and the gold and the utensils for temple use were weighed out.​—Ezr 8:29, 32, 33.

6. A descendant of Parosh among those having taken foreign wives but who followed through on Ezra’s exhortation to dismiss them.​—Ezr 10:25, 44.

7. A Levite priest in the procession arranged by Nehemiah at the inauguration of the rebuilt wall of Jerusalem.​—Ne 12:42.

8. An ancestor of Jesus’ adoptive father Joseph.​—Mt 1:15.

The shining alloy of gold and silver, which, when heated in the furnace, has a quivering beauty and glowing yellow brilliance all its own.​—Eze 1:4, 27; 8:2.

(El·haʹnan) [God Has Shown Favor; God Has Been Gracious].

1. The son of Jair who, in war with the Philistines, struck down Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite. (1Ch 20:5) In 2 Samuel 21:19 Elhanan is identified as “the son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite,” and it is said that he struck down Goliath. However, many scholars think that the original reading of 2 Samuel 21:19 corresponded to 1 Chronicles 20:5, the differences in the two texts having arisen through scribal error.​—See JAARE-OREGIM; LAHMI.

2. Son of Dodo of Bethlehem; one of David’s mighty men.​—2Sa 23:24; 1Ch 11:26.

(Eʹli) [Ascended; Gone Up].

A high priest of Israel; evidently a descendant of Aaron’s fourth-named son Ithamar. (Compare 2Sa 8:17; 1Ki 2:27; 1Ch 24:3; Ex 6:23.) As high priest, Eli judged Israel for 40 years. Samuel began to be a prophet during his lifetime. (1Sa 4:18; 3:10-13, 19-21) Eli’s day was one characterized by spiritual famine in Israel, for “word from Jehovah had become rare in those days; there was no vision being spread abroad.”​—1Sa 3:1.

The first glimpse of Eli is given in chapter 1 of First Samuel. Eli is seated outside by the doorpost of the tabernacle and is rebuking righteous Hannah, whom he judges to be drunk, when actually she has been praying extendedly before Jehovah there in front of the tabernacle. Upon Hannah’s reply that she is not drunk but has spoken out of the abundance of her concern and vexation, Eli dismisses her in peace. Jehovah answers Hannah’s prayer, and she gives birth to a son whom she names Samuel. As soon as he is weaned she, in keeping with her vow, turns him over for service at the tabernacle.​—1Sa 1:9-18, 20, 24, 28; 2:11, 18.

Lax in Disciplining Sons. As a father and high priest in Israel, Eli is lax in applying Jehovah’s discipline. His two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, serve as officiating priests, but they are “good-for-nothing men,” only interested in satisfying their bellies and unclean sexual desires. They are not content with the portion of the sacrifice assigned to them by God’s law, and even serve themselves ahead of Jehovah by having an attendant demand raw meat from the offerer before making the fat smoke upon the altar. Eli’s greedy, sensual sons use their position at the tent of meeting to carry on vice and theft at the expense of Jehovah’s pure worship. Even when his corrupt sons have immoral intercourse with the women who serve at the entrance of the tabernacle, Eli does not oust them from office but merely rebukes them mildly. Eli keeps honoring his sons more than Jehovah.​—1Sa 2:12-17, 22-25, 29.

In the course of time a prophet of God comes with a dire message of warning: The power and influence of the house of Eli is to be chopped off, so that there will not come to be an old man in his house. His corrupt sons are appointed to die in one day. (1Sa 2:27-36) Through none other than the young boy Samuel, Jehovah reaffirms the adverse judgment upon the house of Eli. (1Sa 3:11-14) Samuel is afraid to relate the message, but does so at Eli’s request. Eli then meekly submits, saying: “It is Jehovah. What is good in his eyes let him do.”​—1Sa 3:15-18.

Jehovah Judges His House. Retribution comes according to God’s word. Israel loses about 4,000 men in battle with the Philistines. The Israelites decide to get the Ark from Shiloh and to bring it into the camp, thinking that this will result in deliverance from their enemies. But the Philistines step up their battle efforts. Thirty thousand Israelites are slain. The Ark is captured.