Who was Elishah in the Bible?

Elishah was a son of Javan and a great-grandson of Noah, mentioned in the genealogical lists of Genesis and 1 Chronicles. He is considered a forefather of peoples or nations that descended from Japheth's line after the flood (Genesis 10:4; 1 Chronicles 1:7).

What is the significance of Elishah?

Elishah's significance lies in his place within the Table of Nations, which traces the repopulation of the earth after the flood. He represents one of the ancestral roots of various peoples, often associated by scholars with regions like Cyprus or the Aegean.

Are there any stories about Elishah in the Bible?

No, there are no narrative stories or key events about Elishah's life recorded in the Bible. He is mentioned only in genealogical lists, which identify his lineage without detailing his personal actions or history.

Elishah

Old TestamentPatriarchsMaleSon

Elishah was a son of Javan and great-grandson of Noah (Gen.10.4; 1Ch.1.7).

Elishah

Biography

Elishah was a son of Javan and great-grandson of Noah, listed in the Table of Nations that traces the dispersion of humanity following the flood (Gen 10:4; 1 Chr 1:7). Javan, his father, is widely identified with the Greeks (Ionian peoples), and Elishah along with his brothers, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim, represent the various maritime peoples of the Mediterranean world who descended from the Japhethite line. The prophet Ezekiel later references 'the coastlands of Elishah' as a source of blue and purple dye used in the manufacture of fine cloth (Ezek 27:7), connecting Elishah to ancient Mediterranean trading cultures, possibly corresponding to Alashiya (Cyprus) or regions of Greece. Elishah's inclusion in the genealogy marks him as an ancestor of distinct civilizations.

Significance

Elishah's significance lies in his place within the Table of Nations (Gen 10), which presents the entire human family as descended from Noah's three sons. This genealogical framework is theologically foundational, affirming that all peoples share a common origin and are therefore accountable to the one Creator God. Elishah's descendants, associated with the Mediterranean coastlands, appear in Ezekiel's lament over Tyre (Ezek 27:7), demonstrating the interconnectedness of ancient economies and the reach of biblical geography. His lineage also underscores the fulfillment of God's command to 'fill the earth' (Gen 9:1), as Noah's descendants spread across the known world and formed distinct nations, all within God's providential ordering of human history.

Verse Appearances (2)

Genesis

Genesis 10:4

1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 1:7

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]
Church of England (1769) The Holy Bible, Authorized (King James) Version. [Public Domain]

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