Original Word: אֵילוֹן
Part of Speech: Proper Name
Transliteration: Eylown
Pronunciation: ay-LONE
Phonetic Spelling: (ay-lone')
KJV: Elon
NASB: Elon
Word Origin: [from H352 (אַיִל - Ram)]

1. oak-grove
2. Elon, the name of a place in Israel, and also of one Hittite, two Israelites

Elon

Or (shortened);Elown {ay-lone'}; or Eylon {ay- lone'}; from 'ayil; oak-grove; Elon, the name of a place in Palestine, and also of one Hittite, two Israelites -- Elon.

see HEBREW 'ayil

Word Origin
from ayil
Definition
"terebinth," an Isr. name, also a Hittite, also a city in Dan
NASB Translation
Elon (7).

II. אֵלוֺן proper name, masculine (= id. compare אֵלָה proper name)

1 a son of Zebulun Genesis 46:14; Numbers 26:26.

2 אֵילֹן Genesis 26:34; אֵיִלוֺן Genesis 36:2 a Hittite, father-in-law of Esau.

3 אֵילוֺן Judges 12:11,12 a judge of Israel, of tribe of Zebulun

4. proper name, of a location אֵילוֺן Joshua 19:43 a town of Dan; so 1 Kings 4:9 (where read ׳וּבֵית ח ׳א Th Klo).

Occurrences and Identities

Genesis 26:34; Genesis 36:2; Genesis 46:14; Numbers 26:26; Joshua 19:43; Judges 12:11

Elon the Hittite (Genesis 26:34; 36:2)

In the patriarchal narratives Elon appears twice as a Hittite chieftain whose daughter Basemath—also called Adah—married Esau. “When Esau was forty years old, he married … Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite” (Genesis 26:34). The union illustrates Esau’s disregard for the covenantal distinctiveness of Abraham’s line. It brought “grief to Isaac and Rebekah” (Genesis 26:35), underscoring the spiritual tension produced when God’s people yoke themselves to the surrounding culture. Elon thus stands as a reminder of the cultural pressures that tempt believers to compromise covenant loyalty.

Elon son of Zebulun (Genesis 46:14; Numbers 26:26)

Elon next appears as an eponymous ancestor within the tribe of Zebulun: “The sons of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel” (Genesis 46:14). By the wilderness period his descendants formed “the Elonite clan” (Numbers 26:26). The naming of a clan after Elon reflects the Lord’s preservation of individual family lines within His covenant people. Each clan received a share in the inheritance of Canaan, demonstrating the faithfulness of God’s promise that Abraham’s offspring would become a nation possessing the land.

Elon the Judge of Israel (Judges 12:11-12)

“Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel ten years” (Judges 12:11). Little detail is provided beyond his burial in Aijalon, yet his decade of leadership falls between Jephthah and Abdon during the turbulent era of the judges. Elon’s term of relative quiet attests to God’s continuing provision of leadership even when national faithfulness fluctuated. His Zebulunite origin shows that judges arose from various tribes, reinforcing the unity and shared responsibility of Israel under the covenant.

Elon, Town within Dan’s Inheritance (Joshua 19:43)

Within the territorial allotment of Dan, the town of Elon is listed among strategic border settlements: “Elon, Timnah, and Ekron—” (Joshua 19:43). Though small, the village formed part of Dan’s contested inheritance near Philistine territory. Elon’s inclusion records the divine commitment to parcel the land tribe by tribe, town by town, underscoring that every locale, however humble, mattered to the unfolding redemptive plan.

Biblical-Theological Observations

1. Covenant Separation: The contrast between Elon the Hittite and the covenant family highlights the perennial challenge of remaining distinct in belief and practice.
2. Tribal Identity: The Elonites of Zebulun exemplify how God values and remembers family units within the broader community of faith.
3. Providential Leadership: Elon the Judge represents the understated yet vital leaders whom God raises up to maintain order and justice when national structures wobble.
4. Territorial Fulfillment: The town of Elon witnesses to the concrete fulfillment of the land promise on a micro scale.

Pastoral and Ministry Reflections

• Guarding Covenant Integrity: Esau’s choice warns believers to weigh marital and partnership decisions by spiritual, not merely cultural, criteria.
• Valuing Quiet Faithfulness: Elon’s decade of judgeship, though unadorned by exploits, affirms the worth of steady, unspectacular service.
• Appreciating Every Member: The Elonite clan encourages churches to recognize and integrate every family and individual into the mission of God.
• Seeing Place as Gift: Even modest locations like the Danite town remind Christians to steward their own “portion” for God’s glory, trusting that no corner of life is insignificant in His redemptive purposes.

אֵיל֖וֹן אֵילֹ֖ן אֵילוֹן֙ אילון אילן וְאֵיל֥וֹן וְאֵל֖וֹן ואילון ואלון לְאֵל֕וֹן לאלון ’ê·lō·wn ’ê·lōn ’êlōn ’êlōwn eiLon lə’êlōwn lə·’ê·lō·wn leeLon veeiLon veeLon wə’êlōwn wə·’ê·lō·wnInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts