Who was Elidad in the Bible?

Elidad, son of Chislon, was a leader from the tribe of Benjamin. He was one of the twelve men chosen by God to help divide the land of Canaan among the Israelite tribes after its conquest (Numbers 34:21).

What was Elidad's role in dividing the Promised Land?

Elidad was appointed as a representative for the tribe of Benjamin to assist in the distribution of the land. His role was to ensure a fair and divinely-guided allotment of territory to his tribe, as commanded by God through Moses (Numbers 34:16-18).

Why is Elidad mentioned in the Bible?

Elidad is mentioned to highlight the orderly and divinely appointed process for establishing Israel in the Promised Land. His inclusion shows that every tribe had a designated leader involved in this crucial, foundational event for the nation (Numbers 34:17-18).

Elidad

Old TestamentEgypt & WildernessMaleLeaderSon

Elidad, the son of Chislon, was a leader from the tribe of Benjamin chosen to help divide the Promised Land.

Elidad

Biography

Elidad son of Chislon was appointed as the representative leader from the tribe of Benjamin tasked with assisting in the division of the Promised Land among the twelve tribes of Israel (Numbers 34:21). Following Israel's victory over the nations east of the Jordan and in anticipation of the conquest of Canaan itself, God instructed Moses to appoint one leader from each tribe to oversee the allotment of the land. Elidad, along with Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and nine other tribal princes, formed this commission. The allocation of Canaan was to be carried out by lot with divine guidance, ensuring that each tribe received its portion according to God's sovereign determination. Elidad's appointment as Benjamin's representative placed him in a crucial role at the threshold of Israel's long-anticipated inheritance of the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Significance

Elidad son of Chislon (Numbers 34:21) represents the principle that the inheritance of God's promises requires faithful human participation in the process of their realization. His appointment to the land-distribution commission signals the transition from wilderness wandering to settled inheritance, one of the defining moments in Israel's covenant history. The careful, tribe-by-tribe allocation of Canaan through recognized leaders like Elidad embodied the truth that God's gifts to his people are particular and concrete, not merely spiritual or abstract. Benjamin's portion, though among the smallest, would later contain Jerusalem itself, making the faithful stewardship of Elidad's commission all the more significant in the unfolding of redemptive history.

Authority Records

Wikidata

FatherChislon

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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