Who was Elishama in the Bible?

Elishama was a royal secretary, a high-ranking official serving in the court of King Jehoiakim of Judah. He is mentioned specifically in the context of the prophet Jeremiah's scroll being read to the king's officials (Jeremiah 36:12, 20-21).

What did Elishama do in the book of Jeremiah?

Elishama was present when the scroll containing Jeremiah's prophecies was read to the king's officials. After hearing it, he and the other officials reported the words to King Jehoiakim, who then famously cut up and burned the scroll (Jeremiah 36:20-21).

Why is Elishama the secretary significant?

Elishama's role places him as a witness to a pivotal event: King Jehoiakim's rejection of God's word through Jeremiah. His presence highlights that the prophetic warning was delivered to the highest levels of Judah's government before the Babylonian exile.

Elishama

Old TestamentDivided MonarchyMale

Elishama the secretary was an official during King Jehoiakim's reign in Judah (Jer.36.12,20,21).

Elishama

Biography

Elishama the secretary was a royal official serving the court of King Jehoiakim of Judah during the tumultuous final years before Jerusalem's fall to Babylon (Jer 36:12, 20–21). When Baruch read aloud Jeremiah's scroll of divine warnings in the temple, the officials present sent for the scroll and had it read to them in the chamber of Elishama the secretary. This chamber served as a temporary repository for the scroll before it was brought to the king. Elishama was thus among the court officials who heard Jeremiah's prophecies and were charged with conveying them to Jehoiakim. Unlike some of his colleagues who reportedly feared God's word and urged the king to seek shelter, Jehoiakim burned the scroll, an act of dramatic rejection of prophetic authority.

Significance

Elishama's role in the episode of Jehoiakim's burning of Jeremiah's scroll (Jer 36) places him at a critical moment of prophetic confrontation with royal defiance. His chamber served as the location where God's word was preserved, even briefly, before the king destroyed it. This episode illustrates the tension between prophetic truth and political power that runs throughout Israel's history. The court officials, some of whom feared the LORD's word (Jer 36:16), stand in contrast to Jehoiakim's contempt. Elishama's presence within this narrative highlights how ordinary officials often found themselves at the center of pivotal spiritual crises, caught between faithful witness and royal accommodation in moments of national decision.

Verse Appearances (3)

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 36:12 Jeremiah 36:20 Jeremiah 36:21

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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