Who was Elmadam in the Bible?

Elmadam was an ancestor of Jesus Christ, listed in the genealogy found in the Gospel of Luke. He is mentioned as the son of Er and the father of Cosam (Luke 3:28).

Why is Elmadam significant?

Elmadam's significance lies solely in his place within the lineage of Jesus, connecting the Messiah back to King David and ultimately to Adam. His inclusion highlights God's faithfulness across generations to fulfill His promises.

What else does the Bible say about Elmadam's life?

The Bible provides no other details about Elmadam's life, character, or key events. He is only mentioned by name in the genealogical record of Luke 3:28.

Elmadam

New TestamentDivided MonarchyMaleSon of er

Elmadam was an ancestor of Jesus Christ, mentioned in the genealogy in Luke's Gospel (Luk.3.28).

Elmadam

Biography

Elmadam is listed in Luke's genealogy of Jesus Christ (Luke 3:28) as the son of Er and an ancestor of Jesus through the line of Joseph. He belongs to the post-Davidic portion of Luke's genealogy, which traces the lineage of Jesus backward through the royal and covenant line of Israel to Adam. Elmadam's name is not found in the Old Testament, and no independent narrative or biographical detail is provided for him in Scripture. Like many figures in genealogical lists, he represents a link in the chain of ancestry rather than a prominent actor in the biblical story. His placement in Luke's genealogy, which emphasizes the universal scope of Jesus' mission extending to 'the son of Adam, the son of God,' integrates him into the grand sweep of redemptive history.

Significance

Elmadam's theological significance rests entirely in his place within Luke's genealogy of Jesus. Luke's tracing of Jesus' ancestry back through figures like Elmadam, beyond David to Adam and ultimately to God, makes a profound theological statement: the salvation Jesus brings is not narrowly ethnic but universal in scope. Every ancestor in this genealogy, named or unnamed in subsequent history, participated in the long generational continuity through which God worked to bring his Son into the world. Elmadam's inclusion affirms that God's redemptive plan operates through the ordinary, forgotten generations of history, not only through the famous and the celebrated.

Authority Records

Wikidata

FatherErChildCosam

Verse Appearances (1)

Luke

Luke 3:28

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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