Eliab
“God is father, or my God is father”
Summary
Most notably, the eldest son of Jesse and brother of David, distinguished for his impressive appearance but not chosen by God; also the name of several other men including a Reubenite whose sons led a rebellion against Moses.
☩Eliab, Jesse's Eldest Son
Eliab was the eldest son of Jesse and David's oldest brother. When Samuel came to anoint a new king, Eliab's commanding appearance led the prophet to think, 'Surely the Lord's anointed is before him.' But God rejected him, teaching Samuel that 'man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.' Later, when David visited his brothers serving in Saul's army and proposed to fight Goliath, Eliab made the contemptuous inquiry: 'Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness?' His anger revealed pride and perhaps guilt at his own cowardice, while he falsely accused David of pride and coming merely 'to see the battle.' His daughter (or granddaughter) Abihail later married King Rehoboam.
☩Other Men Named Eliab
A Reubenite named Eliab was the father of Dathan and Abiram, who with Korah led the rebellion against Moses in the wilderness. His family was prominent enough that the record of Numbers 26 interrupts the census specifically to mention his sons' fate. Another Eliab was prince of the tribe of Zebulun during the wilderness census. Others include a Kohathite ancestor of Samuel the prophet, a Gadite warrior who joined David in the wilderness, and a Levite musician and gatekeeper who served when the ark was brought to Jerusalem.
Related Verses21 mentions
References
- 1.James Orr (ed.), "Eliab," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. II (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 2.George Morrish, "Eliab," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 3.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Eliab," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).
- 4.John McClintock and James Strong, "Eliab," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. III (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).