Elkanah was a son of Korah and belonged to the Korahite branch of the tribe of Levi. He is mentioned in the genealogies in Exodus and 1 Chronicles as part of Korah's descendants, who survived Korah's rebellion against Moses and Aaron. The Korahites later became known as important temple servants and singers in Israelite worship.
1Now Korah son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, took action, along with Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth, descendants of Reuben.
2They rose up against Moses, together with two hundred and fifty men of Israel, leaders of the community, appointed members of the assembly, men of reputation.
3They gathered against Moses and Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD's assembly?"
The descendants of Korah, to whom Elkanah belonged, were assigned important roles in Levitical service and are mentioned in the genealogical records of Chronicles.
19Shallum son of Kore, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, and his kinsmen of his ancestral house, the Korahites, were in charge of the work of the service, guarding the thresholds of the tent, just as their fathers had guarded the entrance to the camp of the LORD.
The Korahites became known for their role in temple music. Several psalms are attributed to the sons of Korah, reflecting the spiritual heritage of this lineage.
1For the choirmaster. On the gittith. A psalm of the sons of Korah.<note>Gittith: probably a musical term, perhaps a tune or an instrument; the meaning is uncertain.</note>