ELCANA (Heb. 'Elqāhāh, “God has possessed”). —
Father of the prophet Samuele (I Sam. 1–2; I Par. 6, 27).
Of Levitical but not priestly descent, he dwelt at Ramathaim, in the tribe of Ephraim, where Suph, one of his ancestors, had settled. According to the custom of the time, he had two wives: ANNAM (v.), barren, whom he loved more, almost to compensate her for her lot, and Phoenna, fruitful. A most devout worshipper of Jahweh, he went annually to the Tabernacle at Silo to offer sacrifices; he brought there, in order to dedicate him to the Lord, his beloved son Samuele, born to him by divine grace from Anna, who subsequently bore him five other children. The example of his father’s faith certainly contributed to making Samuele a saint.
Seven other E. are mentioned in the Old Testament: 1) the second son of Core (Ex. 6, 24); 2) the son of Asir, son of Core (I Par. 6, 23); 3) the father of Supho Sophai (ibid., 6, 25–35); 4) an ancestor of Betachis, son of Asa, “who dwelt in the villages of the Netophatites” (ibid., 9, 16); 5) a descendant of Core, among the warriors of David (ibid., 12, 6); 6) one of the two gatekeepers of the Ark (ibid., 15, 23), perhaps identical with the preceding one; 7) the chief minister of Achaz, slain by Zechri (II Par. 28, 7). Gino Bresson