While there are several men named Eleazar in Scripture, the most prominent is the third son of Aaron. He rose to the position of High Priest during the wilderness wanderings and served as the spiritual counterpart to Joshua during the conquest of Canaan. His name, meaning “God has helped,” defines a life spent assisting in the transition of a nomadic people into a settled, holy nation.
The Rise to the Priesthood
Eleazar was the son of Aaron and Elisheba. His journey to leadership was marked by the sobering judgment of his elder brothers, Nadab and Abihu, who were consumed by fire for offering “strange fire” before the Lord (Leviticus 10:1-2). This left Eleazar as the heir to the high priesthood.
Before the death of Aaron on Mount Hor, God commanded a formal transfer of authority. In a somber and public ceremony, Moses stripped Aaron of his priestly garments and placed them upon Eleazar.
“And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there in the top of the mount: and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount.” (Numbers 20:28, KJV)
The Partner of Joshua
Just as Aaron had served alongside Moses, Eleazar served alongside Joshua. He was the one responsible for consulting the Urim and Thummim to seek the will of God for the nation’s leadership.
Eleazar’s primary administrative task was the division of the Promised Land. He sat with Joshua and the heads of the tribes to distribute the inheritance of the land by lot, ensuring that the promises made to the patriarchs were fulfilled with divine precision.
“These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, divided for an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the LORD…” (Joshua 19:51, KJV)
A Legacy of Purity and Order
Eleazar’s leadership was characterized by a strict adherence to the Law. He oversaw the purification of the spoils of war (Numbers 31) and the census of the new generation that would enter Canaan. He was a man of the “middle years”—not the leader of the Exodus, nor the king of the Monarchy, but the faithful steward who bridged the gap.
He died shortly after Joshua, and his burial in a hill in Mount Ephraim marked the end of the foundational era of the conquest.
“And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.” (Joshua 24:33, KJV)
Other Notable Men Named Eleazar
The name was so significant that it was carried by other heroes of the faith:
- Eleazar the son of Dodo: One of David’s “Three Mighty Men” who stood his ground in a barley field and smote the Philistines until his hand “clave unto the sword” (2 Samuel 23:9-10).
- Eleazar the son of Abinadab: The man sanctified to keep the Ark of the Covenant when it was brought to Kirjath-jearim (1 Samuel 7:1).
The Theological Significance
The life of Eleazar the High Priest reminds us that God provides the helper. When the first generation of leaders passed away, God had already prepared Eleazar to step into the gap. He represents the continuity of the Covenant; while men die, the Priesthood and the Promise remain.