ELEAZARO (Hebr. ’El‘āzār, “God has helped”). — Name of various biblical figures.
1. — Third son of Aronne, brother of Mosè (Ex. 6, 25). He was consecrated a priest by Mosè together with his father and his three brothers, Nadab, ABIA (v.) and Ithamar (Lev. 8, 1 ff.). From this moment E., together with the other members of the family, appears in the biblical account performing priestly functions. After the tragic fate of his elder brothers (Lev. 10, 1 ff.), the right of primogeniture passed to E., entailing succession to his father Aronne in the high priesthood. Invested with this office at the death of Aronne (Num. 20, 26 ff.), E. exercised it under the guidance of Mosè until his death, which took place at Gabaath (Jos. 24, 33), after the Israelites, led by Giosuè, had already entered the Promised Land. He was succeeded by his son Phineas.
2. — Son of Abinadab, guardian of the Ark of the covenant in his father’s house at Cariathiarim (I Sam. 7, 1).
3. — Son of Dudia the Ahohite, one of David’s most valiant warriors (II Sam. 25, 9; I Por. 11, 12).
4. — Son of Phineas, a Levite, appointed by Esdra (Esl. 8, 33) to verify the weight of the gold, silver, and vessels brought from Babylon.
5. — Priest who took part in the solemn consecration of the walls of Jerusalem in the time of Neemia (Neh. 12, 42).
6. — Father of Giasone (I Mach. 8, 17), difficult to identify with the son of Mattatia (v. MACCABET).
7. — One of the leaders of the Jewish revolt against Rome (66–70 A.D.). Having taken refuge in the fortress of Masada near the Dead Sea, he ceased resisting only after a long siege. In order not to fall into the hands of the Roman commander, Flavius Silva, he committed suicide together with his fanatical companions (Fl. Giuseppe, Bell Jud., VII, 253 ff.).
8. — A celebrated scribe or doctor of the Law, who suffered martyrdom during the persecution of Antioco IV Epifane (167 B.C.). II Mach. 6, 18–31 gives a detailed account of his death.
Ninety years old, E. was ordered to eat meat forbidden by the Mosaic Law, so that he might thereby demonstrate his apostasy from the national religion. The resolute refusal of the scribe, who also rejected the pretense proposed to him by his disciples and admirers, brought upon him the death penalty, inflicted by the torture of the drum. The place of the martyrdom is not indicated in the account. It is generally thought to have been Jerusalem or Antioch of Syria; the latter city seems to correspond better to the historical context (cf. II Mach. 1, 57–65). In addition to II Mach., E. is mentioned in Jewish writings, late or apocryphal, such as IV Mach. 5, 1 ff., where the account of the canonical book is repeated with the addition of legendary elements.