Original Word: אֶלֶף
Part of Speech: Proper Name Location
Transliteration: Eleph
Pronunciation: EH-lef
Phonetic Spelling: (eh'-lef)
KJV: Eleph
NASB: Haeleph
Word Origin: [the same as H505 (אֶלֶף - thousand)]

1. Eleph, a place in Israel

Eleph

The same as 'eleph; Eleph, a place in Palestine -- Eleph.

see HEBREW 'eleph

Word Origin
from eleph
Definition
a city in Benjamin
NASB Translation
Haeleph (1).

III. אֶ֫לֶף proper name, of a location city in Benjamin, ׳הָא Joshua 18:28; perhaps Lifta northwest from Jerusalem Survey^{iii. 18} (compare II. אֶלֶף 2 for probably meaning).

Identity and Meaning

Eleph (אֶלֶף) is recorded once in Scripture as the name of a town within the inheritance of the tribe of Benjamin. Though linguistically related to common Hebrew terms that can denote cattle or the number “thousand,” Eleph here functions as a proper place-name, reminding readers that even modest and often-overlooked locales are numbered among the covenant promises of the land.

Biblical Occurrence and Setting

Joshua 18:28 lists Eleph among fourteen cities allotted to Benjamin: “Zelah, Haeleph, the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah, and Kiriath—fourteen cities, along with their villages. This is the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Benjamin”. The notice appears within the larger section (Joshua 18:11-28) that finalizes Benjamin’s portion after the tabernacle is set up at Shiloh. The placement beside better-known sites such as Jerusalem and Gibeah situates Eleph on the rugged hill country just north-west of Jerusalem, a frontier between Benjamin and Judah.

Geographical and Historical Considerations

Scholars have proposed several possible identifications, including Khirbet el-Muqeibleh, Lifta, and Kuryet el-‘Enab, all lying within a five-mile radius of ancient Jerusalem. While no proposal commands universal agreement, each location underscores that Eleph occupied strategic highland terrain along east-west routes leading into the Benjaminite plateau. Whether fortified or merely a village, Eleph formed part of the defensive ring that shielded Jerusalem’s northern flank in the Judges era and beyond.

Covenantal and Theological Significance

1. Fulfillment of Promise. Eleph’s inclusion testifies that the divine allocation of land reached even the smallest communities, echoing God’s oath to Abraham in Genesis 15:18-21. Not one allotment was omitted, illustrating that “none of the good promises the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; everything was fulfilled” (Joshua 21:45).

2. Value of the Obscure. Though Scripture never again mentions Eleph, its solitary reference models the biblical principle that God cherishes the obscure as well as the prominent (1 Corinthians 1:27-29). The inspired record dignifies every clan and locale that bears covenant significance.

3. Boundary between Tribes and Kingdoms. Positioned on the Benjamin-Judah frontier, Eleph reminds readers of the delicate balance between these tribes—a balance that later surfaced in events surrounding Saul (a Benjamite), David (of Judah), and the divided monarchy. The city’s proximity to Jerusalem hints at its potential role in supplying or defending the future capital.

Prophetic and Redemptive Threads

Benjamin’s territory, including Eleph, became a stage for redemptive history:
• From Gibeon’s treaty (Joshua 9) to Saul’s reign (1 Samuel 10), God worked within Benjamin’s borders.
• Jeremiah 31:15 evokes Ramah of Benjamin in messianic lament, fulfilled in Matthew 2:18.
• The cross was lifted at Jerusalem, a neighbor of Eleph; thus even Eleph shares geographic kinship to the place where the New Covenant was sealed.

Practical Ministry Implications

1. Pastoral Care for the “Small Places.” Churches often serve contexts more akin to Eleph than Jerusalem. Joshua 18 encourages shepherds to affirm that God’s agenda encompasses every hamlet and congregation, no matter how hidden.

2. Faithful Record-Keeping. The Spirit-inspired listing of towns instructs believers in careful stewardship. Recording God’s works—even mundane details—shapes collective memory and feeds worship (Psalm 145:4-7).

3. Territorial Intercession. Knowing the land belonged to the Lord (Leviticus 25:23) fosters prayer for contemporary communities occupying the ancient sites—interceding that spiritual inheritance would accompany physical geography.

Devotional Reflection

Eleph’s lone mention quietly preaches that God writes down what humans forget. He grants inheritances, secures boundaries, and remembers names unknown to history’s headlines. In an age that prizes scale and visibility, Eleph invites believers to rejoice that the Lord “delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His loving devotion” (Psalm 147:11), whether they dwell in a celebrated capital or in a single-verse village.

הָאֶ֜לֶף האלף hā’elep̄ hā·’e·lep̄ haElefInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts