ELISHAMA ĭ lĭsh’ ə mə (אֱלִישָׁמָ֖ע, God has heard). The name of seven different men in the OT. 1. The son of Ammihud of the tribe of Ephraim (Num 1:10). He was selected to help Moses as a representative from his tribe in the taking of the census. He is later described as the prince of the children of Ephraim (2:18). As a prince he offered for Ephraim the oblation to the Lord on the seventh day (7:48, 53). He led his host in the march through the wilderness, seventh in line (10:22). From 1 Chronicles 7:26, one learns further that he was the father of Nun and grandfather of Joshua.

2. One of the sons of David who was born in Jerusalem. His mother was a wife of David and not a concubine (2 Sam 5:16). The sons are listed as nine in number (1 Chron 3:8). In 1 Chronicles 14:7 the children are thirteen in number. Apparently the later list includes daughters as well.

3. Another son of David born in Jerusalem by the same name (1 Chron 3:6).

4. A descendant of Judah through Perez. His father was Jekamiah (2:41).

5. The grandfather of the Ishmael who killed Gedaliah (2 Kings 25:25), the governor of Israel appointed by Nebuchadnezzar, named in Jeremiah 41:1.

6. A scribe of Israel in Jeremiah’s day who was one of those who heard Baruch read the words of God (Jer 36:12). Later the roll of the scroll was put in his chamber where it remained until it was taken to be read to the king (36:20, 21).

7. A priest sent by Jehoshaphat to teach God’s book of the law in Judah (2 Chron 17:8). It is possible that numbers 4 and 5 above are the same. Jerome suggested this possibility.

Bibliography D. Thomas, Documents from Old Testament Times (1958), 221.