### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew name **ʼElyâshîyb**, represented by `{{H475}}`, means "God will restore." It appears **17 times** across **15 unique verses** and is the name given to six different Israelites in the scriptures. This name is particularly prominent in the post-exilic books of Ezra and Nehemiah, identifying key figures during the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the restoration of its community.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The most notable individual named **Eliashib** was the high priest during the time of Nehemiah. He initially took a leading role in restoring Jerusalem by rising up with his brethren, the priests, to build the sheep gate and sanctify it [[Nehemiah 3:1]]. However, he is also recorded as having formed an alliance with Tobiah, an adversary of the Jews, and providing him with a chamber in the courts of the house of God, an act described as evil ([[Nehemiah 13:4]], [[Nehemiah 13:7]]). This compromise extended to his family, as one of his grandsons became a son-in-law to Sanballat the Horonite [[Nehemiah 13:28]]. Other individuals named **Eliashib** are mentioned in genealogies and lists, including a son of Elioenai [[1 Chronicles 3:24]], a singer [[Ezra 10:24]], and others who had taken foreign wives ([[Ezra 10:27]], [[Ezra 10:36]]).
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide context for the roles and actions of the individuals named **Eliashib**:
* `{{H3548}}` **kôhên** (one officiating, a priest): This title defines the primary role of the most prominent **Eliashib**, who is repeatedly identified as the high **priest** ([[Nehemiah 3:1]], [[Nehemiah 13:28]]). His actions, both positive and negative, were significant because of this sacred office.
* `{{H1129}}` **bânâh** (to build): This verb is central to the restoration narrative. **Eliashib** the high priest and his brethren **builded** the sheep gate, initiating the reconstruction of Jerusalem's wall [[Nehemiah 3:1]].
* `{{H1121}}` **bên** (a son): Lineage is critical to understanding the story. Joiakim begat **Eliashib**, who in turn begat Joiada [[Nehemiah 12:10]]. The transgressions of the era are highlighted when a **son** of Joiada, the **son** of **Eliashib**, is chased away for marrying into an enemy family [[Nehemiah 13:28]].
* `{{H1004}}` **bayith** (a house): This word refers both to the physical **house** of God and to family lines. The wall was repaired to the door of the **house** of **Eliashib** the high priest [[Nehemiah 3:20]]. He later profaned the **house** of God by preparing a chamber there for Tobiah [[Nehemiah 13:7]].
* `{{H2900}}` **Ṭôwbîyâh** (goodness of Jehovah; Tobijah): The name **Tobiah** is inextricably linked with the high priest **Eliashib's** compromise. **Eliashib** was allied with **Tobiah** and prepared a chamber for him in the temple courts ([[Nehemiah 13:4]], [[Nehemiah 13:7]]).
### Theological Significance
The narrative significance of `{{H475}}` is tied to the figures who bore the name during a pivotal moment in Israel's history.
* **Leadership in Restoration:** In his role as high priest, **Eliashib** was at the forefront of the effort to rebuild Jerusalem's walls, demonstrating leadership by sanctifying the first section of the project [[Nehemiah 3:1]].
* **Spiritual Compromise:** Despite the name's meaning ("God will restore"), the high priest **Eliashib** later became an example of spiritual compromise, using his position to form an unholy alliance with Tobiah and desecrate a chamber in God's house [[Nehemiah 13:4-7]].
* **Generational Faithfulness and Failure:** The name is part of the priestly lineage recorded during the restoration period ([[Nehemiah 12:10]], [[Nehemiah 12:22]]). The challenges of maintaining purity are seen not only in the high priest's actions but also in his grandson's marriage to the daughter of an adversary [[Nehemiah 13:28]].
* **The Post-Exilic Struggle:** The appearance of the name **Eliashib** among a singer and others who had taken foreign wives underscores a key theme of the era: the widespread struggle to remain set apart as a holy people after returning from the captivity ([[Ezra 10:24]], [[Ezra 10:27]]).
### Summary
In summary, the name **ʼElyâshîyb** `{{H475}}` is more than just an identifier; it embodies the complex tensions of the post-exilic period. While its meaning, "God will restore," points to the hope of the era, the actions of the men who held the name—most notably the high priest—reveal a mixture of faithful leadership and serious spiritual compromise. The stories associated with **Eliashib** serve as a powerful illustration of the challenges of rebuilding not just walls, but a covenant community dedicated to God.
TRV