Eliphelehu

Levitical Gatekeeper and Musician

Also known as: Elipheleh, Eliphelehu

The united kingdomPriestc. 1000 B.C.E.

Eliphelehu was a Levite who served as a gatekeeper and musician at the ark of the covenant during King David's reign. He was among those appointed to play the harp and sing when the ark was brought to Jerusalem. His service was part of the organized worship that David established.

Key events

Appointed as Gatekeeper for the Ark

Eliphelehu was appointed by the heads of the Levites to be one of the gatekeepers for God's ark when it was to be moved to Jerusalem.

1 Chr 15:18 Show in context →

18and with them their relatives of the second rank: Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, and Obed-Edom and Jeiel, the gatekeepers.

וְעִמָּהֶ֖ם אֲחֵיהֶ֣ם הַמִּשְׁנִ֑ים זְכַרְיָ֡הוּ בֵּ֡ן וְיַֽעֲזִיאֵ֡ל וּשְׁמֽ͏ִירָמ֡וֹת וִיחִיאֵ֣ל ׀ וְעֻנִּ֡י אֱלִיאָ֡ב וּבְנָיָ֡הוּ וּמַֽעֲשֵׂיָ֡הוּ וּמַתִּתְיָהוּ֩ וֶאֱלִ֨יפְלֵ֜הוּ וּמִקְנֵיָ֨הוּ וְעֹבֵ֥ד אֱדֹ֛ם וִֽיעִיאֵ֖ל הַשֹּׁעֲרִֽים׃ ‬

Musician at the Transport of the Ark

Eliphelehu was appointed to play the harp according to the Sheminith tone during the solemn procession when the ark was brought to Jerusalem.

1 Chr 15:21 Show in context →

21and Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-Edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres set to sheminith.

וּמַתִּתְיָ֣הוּ וֶאֱלִֽיפְלֵ֗הוּ וּמִקְנֵיָ֙הוּ֙ וְעֹבֵ֣ד אֱדֹ֔ם וִֽיעִיאֵ֖ל וַעֲזַזְיָ֑הוּ בְּכִנֹּר֥וֹת עַל־הַשְּׁמִינִ֖ית לְנַצֵּֽחַ׃ ‬

Participation in the Great Celebration

Eliphelehu took part in the great celebration of joy when the ark of the covenant was finally brought into the City of David with singing, music, and sacrifices.

1 Chr 15:25 Show in context →

25So David, the elders of Israel, and the commanders of thousands went with rejoicing to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-Edom.

וַיְהִ֥י דָוִ֛יד וְזִקְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וְשָׂרֵ֣י הָאֲלָפִ֑ים הַהֹֽלְכִ֗ים לְֽהַעֲל֞וֹת אֶת־אֲר֧וֹן בְּרִית־יְהוָ֛ה מִן־בֵּ֥ית עֹבֵֽד־אֱדֹ֖ם בְּשִׂמְחָֽה׃ ס ‬

1 Chr 15:28 Show in context →

28So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouts, with the sound of the ram's horn, with trumpets and cymbals, and with harps and lyres sounding out.

וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל מַעֲלִים֙ אֶת־אֲר֣וֹן בְּרִית־יְהוָ֔ה בִּתְרוּעָה֙ וּבְק֣וֹל שׁוֹפָ֔ר וּבַחֲצֹצְר֖וֹת וּבִמְצִלְתָּ֑יִם מַשְׁמִעִ֕ים בִּנְבָלִ֖ים וְכִנֹּרֽוֹת׃ ‬

Service in Organized Worship

As part of David's organization of the Levites' service, Elifelehu was given a lasting role in the orderly worship before the ark in Jerusalem.

1 Chr 16:4 Show in context →

4He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel:

וַיִּתֵּ֞ן לִפְנֵ֨י אֲר֧וֹן יְהוָ֛ה מִן־הַלְוִיִּ֖ם מְשָׁרְתִ֑ים וּלְהַזְכִּיר֙ וּלְהוֹד֣וֹת וּלְהַלֵּ֔ל לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ ‬

1 Chr 16:5 Show in context →

5Asaph was the chief, Zechariah second to him, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom, and Jeiel, with harps and lyres; and Asaph sounded the cymbals.

אָסָ֥ף הָרֹ֖אשׁ וּמִשְׁנֵ֣הוּ זְכַרְיָ֑ה יְעִיאֵ֡ל וּשְׁמִֽירָמ֡וֹת וִֽיחִיאֵ֡ל וּמַתִּתְיָ֡ה וֶאֱלִיאָ֡ב וּבְנָיָהוּ֩ וְעֹבֵ֨ד אֱדֹ֜ם וֽ͏ִיעִיאֵ֗ל בִּכְלֵ֤י נְבָלִים֙ וּבְכִנֹּר֔וֹת וְאָסָ֖ף בַּֽמְצִלְתַּ֥יִם מַשְׁמִֽיעַ׃ ‬

Mentioned in the Bible (2)

1 Chronicles 15:18 1 Chronicles 15:21