Who was Eleazar in the Bible?

Eleazar was an ancestor of Jesus Christ, mentioned in the genealogy of Matthew. He was the son of Eliud and the father of Matthan (Matthew 1:15).

Why is Eleazar important in the Bible?

Eleazar is significant because he is a direct link in the lineage leading to Jesus the Messiah. His inclusion in Matthew's genealogy shows God's faithfulness in preserving the line of David.

What does the Bible say about Eleazar's life?

The Bible does not record any specific events from Eleazar's life. His sole mention is his name in the list of Jesus's ancestors, highlighting his role in the fulfillment of God's promise.

Eleazar

New TestamentMaleSonFather

Eleazar was an ancestor of Jesus, the son of Eliud and father of Matthan.

Eleazar

Biography

Eleazar appears in the genealogy of Jesus Christ as recorded in Matthew 1:15, listed as the son of Eliud and the father of Matthan. He belongs to the post-exilic section of Matthew's genealogy, spanning the period between the Babylonian exile and the birth of Joseph, the legal father of Jesus. Little historical or biographical detail is recorded about this Eleazar beyond his place in the Davidic lineage, but his inclusion in Matthew's carefully structured genealogy, divided into three sets of fourteen generations, is theologically intentional. He represents one of the quiet, unnamed links in the long chain of divine providence through which God faithfully preserved the Davidic line across centuries of exile, return, and occupation.

Significance

Eleazar's place in the Matthean genealogy (Matthew 1:15) is a testament to the faithfulness of God across the generations of obscurity that followed the Babylonian exile. He is one of many post-exilic ancestors of Jesus whose names are recorded but whose lives are unknown to history, yet each one was essential to fulfilling God's covenant promise to David that his throne would be established forever (2 Samuel 7:12–16). Theologically, Eleazar's inclusion affirms that divine redemptive purposes are carried forward not only through spectacular figures but through ordinary, faithful generations. The incarnation of Christ required an unbroken lineage, and Eleazar was an indispensable link in that chain of grace.

Verse Appearances (1)

Matthew

Matthew 1:15

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]

View all sources & licensing →

See our editorial standards →

Content compiled from public domain scholarship, academic sources, and verified references. Editorial standards · View all sources