Eliezer אֱלִיעֶ֫זֶר
A Levite who married a foreign woman.
Who is Eliezer in the Bible?
Eliezer was a Levite who married a foreign woman during the Babylonian exile, as recorded in Ezra 10:23. After the Israelites' return to Jerusalem, the priest Ezra discovered that many Jewish men, including Levites like Eliezer, had intermarried with neighboring peoples in violation of God's command against such unions. In response to Ezra's call for covenant renewal, Eliezer agreed to separate from his foreign wife, joining other Israelite men in this act of religious reformation. Though the Bible provides no further details about his life or service as a Levite, Eliezer's willingness to put away his wife represents the community's commitment to restoring obedience to God's law after the exile.
Biography
Eliezer is mentioned as one of the Levites who had married foreign women during the Babylonian exile (Ezr.10.23). After the return to Jerusalem, Ezra discovered that many of the Israelites, including Levites, had intermarried with the neighboring peoples. This was a violation of God's command not to intermarry with the pagan nations. Eliezer was among those who had taken foreign wives, but he agreed to put away his wife as part of the covenant renewal led by Ezra. The Bible does not provide any further details about Eliezer's life or role as a Levite.
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentEzra 1 verse
- Ezra 10:23
"Among the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer."
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Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | אֱלִיעֶ֫זֶר | ʾĕliyʿezer | Eliezer , the name of a Damascene and of ten Israelites |