Eliezer

Eliezer (Hebrew: אֱלִיעֶזֶר‬, Modern Eli'ezer, Tiberian ʼĔlîʻézer, "Help/Court of El") was the name of at least three different individuals in the Bible.

Eliezer of Damascus

Isaac's servant tying the bracelet on Rebecca's arm by Benjamin West. The servant in question was possibly Eliezer of Damascus.

Eliezer of Damascus (Hebrew: דַּמֶּשֶׂק אֱלִיעֶזֶר‬, Modern Damméseq Eliʿézer, Tiberian Damméśeq ʾĔlîʿézer) was, according to the Targums, the son of Nimrod.[1] Eliezer was head of the patriarch Abraham's household, as mentioned in the Book of Genesis (15:2).

Other translations of Genesis describe Eliezer as Abraham's heir.[3]

There is an interpretation in Bereshit Rabbah (43:2), cited by Rashi, that Eliezer went alone with Abraham to rescue Lot, with the reference to "his initiates" stated to be 318 in number (Lech-Lecha 14:14) being the numerical value of Eliezer's name in Hebrew, interpreted in tractate Nedarim (32a) as Abraham not wishing to rely on a miracle by taking only one individual.[4]

The servant of Abraham

According to most interpretations, the unnamed "...slave, the elder of the household, who controlled all that was his" in Genesis (Chayei Sarah) 24:2 who acted as a marriage broker (shadchan; Hebrew: שַׁדְּכָן‎ shadkhán) for Isaac was this Eliezer. Although his name is not spelled out in the Bible, but he is only described there as "the servant of Abraham" (Genesis 24:34 ff), Jewish tradition has that this man, who found Rebeccah and facilitated her marriage with Isaac, bore the name Eliezer.[5]

The son of Moses

Eliezer was Moses' and Zipporah's second son. His name means "Help of my God" in Hebrew.

The verse in the Book of Exodus (18:4) states:

The name of the (other) son was Eliezer, because 'My father's God (Elohei Avi) was my helper (Bi'ezeri), rescuing me from Pharaoh's sword.

Both Gershom and Eliezer were born during the time Moses had taken refuge in Midian and had married Jethro's daughter Zipporah.

Eliezer the prophet

A prophet called Eliezer, son of Dodavah, rebuked King Jehosophat for aligning himself with Ahaziah, the King of Israel. He and Ahaziah built ships in Ezion Geber which were to sail to Tarshish for trade. According to 2 Chronicles (20:37), the ships sank due to his not relying on the Lord:

Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy what you have made." The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Targum Jonathan Bereishit, 14:14
  2. ↑ Scherman, Nosson, TANACH, the Stone Edition, Mesorah Publications, New York, 1996, p. 31
  3. ↑ Apple, Raymond, "The meaning of Dammesek Eliezer, "Jewish Bible Quarterly", Vol. 45, no. 3, July–September 2017 .
  4. ↑ Herczeg, Y.I.Z, The Torah: with Rashi's commentary, Vol.1, Mesorah Publications, New York, 2000, p. 138
  5. ↑ Eliezer Zalmanov, Why Is Eliezer Anonymous?, on Chabad.org
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