Eliphelet אֲלִיפֶ֫לֶט
An Israelite who married a foreign woman during the exile.
Who is Eliphelet in the Bible?
Eliphelet was an Israelite who married a foreign woman during the Babylonian exile and is mentioned in Ezra 10:33. After the return to Jerusalem, the priest Ezra discovered that many Israelites, including priests and Levites, had intermarried with neighboring peoples in violation of God's law. Eliphelet was among those who had taken a foreign wife and, as part of Ezra's covenant renewal, agreed to put away his wife to demonstrate commitment to following God's commandments. His account illustrates the spiritual crisis the returned community faced and the measures taken to restore obedience to the Torah.
Biography
Eliphelet is listed among the Israelites who had married foreign women during the Babylonian exile (Ezr.10.33). After the return to Jerusalem, Ezra the priest discovered that many of the Israelites, including priests and Levites, had intermarried with the neighboring peoples, which was against God's command. Eliphelet was one of those who had taken a foreign wife. As part of the covenant renewal led by Ezra, Eliphelet and the others agreed to put away their foreign wives to demonstrate their commitment to following God's law. The Bible does not provide any further information about Eliphelet's life, family, or role in the community of the returned exiles.
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentEzra 1 verse
- Ezra 10:33
"From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei."
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Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | אֲלִיפֶ֫לֶט |