Elijah אֵלִיָּה
A descendant of Harim who married a foreign woman.
Who is Elijah in the Bible?
Elijah was a descendant of Harim who lived during the Babylonian exile and the subsequent return to Jerusalem (Ezr. 10:21). He is mentioned in the Book of Ezra as one of the Israelites who had married a foreign woman, which violated God's command to the covenant community. When Ezra led the people in renewing their covenant with God after the return from exile, Elijah was among those who agreed to separate from their foreign wives as part of this religious reformation. His significance lies in illustrating both the struggle the returning community faced in maintaining their religious identity and the willingness of individuals to submit to covenant renewal, though the Bible provides no further details about his life or ultimate fate.
Biography
Elijah is mentioned in the Book of Ezra as one of the descendants of Harim who had married foreign women during the Babylonian exile (Ezr.10.21). After the return to Jerusalem, Ezra discovered that many Israelites, including priests and Levites, had intermarried with the neighboring peoples, which was against God's command. Elijah 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 this Elijah's life or family.
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentEzra 1 verse
- Ezra 10:21
"From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah."
Study Ezra →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | אֵלִיָּה | ʾēliyāh | Elijah , the name of the famous prophet and of two other Israelites |