Who was Chislon in the Bible?

Chislon was the father of Elidad, a leader chosen from the tribe of Benjamin to help apportion the land of Canaan. He is mentioned only once in the Bible, in a list of tribal leaders appointed for this task (Numbers 34:21).

Why is Chislon mentioned in the Bible?

Chislon is mentioned to establish the lineage of his son, Elidad, who was a significant leader. His inclusion shows that God's plan for distributing the Promised Land was organized through specific families and tribes (Numbers 34:16-29).

What was Chislon's role or significance?

Chislon's primary significance is as the father of a tribal leader. While no key events of his own life are recorded, his legacy was that his son helped divide the inheritance for the tribe of Benjamin, fulfilling God's promise.

Chislon

Old TestamentEgypt & WildernessMaleLeaderFather

Chislon was the father of Elidad, a leader from the tribe of Benjamin. (Num.34.21)

Chislon

Biography

Chislon is a figure from the tribe of Benjamin who appears only once in Scripture as the father of Elidad, the Benjaminite representative appointed to assist Moses and Eleazar in dividing the land of Canaan among the tribes of Israel (Numbers 34:21). The apportionment of Canaan was one of the most consequential administrative acts in Israel's history, carried out under divine mandate as the nation prepared to enter the Promised Land. Elidad's appointment to this commission implies that his father Chislon held some position of standing within the tribe of Benjamin during the wilderness period. Beyond this single genealogical reference, nothing further is known of Chislon personally.

Significance

Chislon's theological significance is indirect but meaningful. His son Elidad was entrusted with one of the most sacred tasks in Israel's national life, ensuring that each tribe received its divinely appointed inheritance in Canaan. The careful enumeration of tribal leaders in Numbers 34 reflects the biblical conviction that the land of promise was not Israel's to divide as it pleased, but God's to distribute according to His purposes. Chislon, as the father of such a leader, represents the Benjaminite tribal heritage that would later produce figures of great consequence, including Saul and ultimately the apostle Paul, tracing the long arc of God's purposes through Benjamin.

Authority Records

Wikidata

ChildElidad

Verse Appearances (1)

Numbers

Numbers 34:21

References

Orr, J. (ed.) (1915) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Chicago: Howard-Severance Company. [Public Domain]
Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Individualised Proper Names with all References (TIPNR). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
Wikidata contributors (n.d.) Wikidata. Available at: https://www.wikidata.org. [CC0]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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