Biblical Ekron. Thus, while no certain identification is now possible, some tentatively locate Eltekeh at el-Mughar, a few miles NW of the above suggested site of Ekron.

ELTEKON

(Elʹte·kon) [perhaps, God is firm].

A city in the mountainous region of Judah. (Josh. 15:20, 48, 59) Though Eltekon’s exact location is presently unknown, some tentatively identify it with Khirbet ed-Deir, about six miles (9.7 kilometers) W-SW of Bethlehem.

ELTOLAD

(El·toʹlad) [generation].

A city located in the southern part of the territory of the tribe of Judah, toward the border of Edom (Josh. 15:21, 30), also called Tolad in 1 Chronicles 4:29. It may possibly be identified with modern Khirbet Erka Sakra, located about thirteen miles (21 kilometers) SE of Beer-sheba.

Eltolad was one of the Judean cities allotted to the Simeonites as their inheritance. (Josh. 19:1, 4) As 1 Chronicles 4:24-31 shows, these were the Simeonites’ cities down till David reigned.

ELUL

(E·lulʹ).

The postexilic name of the sixth Jewish lunar month of the sacred calendar, but the twelfth of the secular calendar, corresponding to part of August and part of September. The meaning of the name is uncertain.

In this closing month of the summer season, the dates were ripe, also the principal crop of figs. By the month’s end the gathering of grapes was in full swing and the new wine was flowing.—Lev. 26:5; Num. 13:23; Jer. 8:13.

It was in the month of Elul that Nehemiah completed the fifty-two-day project of reconstructing Jerusalem’s walls. Thus, the construction must have gotten under way about Ab 4. Nehemiah had obtained permission to return to Jerusalem from Shushan in the spring month of Nisan. The intervening months of Iyyar (Ziv), Sivan and Tammuz allowed for completing the long trip, followed by a three-day rest at Jerusalem before beginning his nighttime survey of the walls.—Neh. 2:1, 11-15; 6:15; compare Ezra 7:9.

In the other Scriptural references the month Elul is mentioned only as the sixth month.—1 Chron. 27:9; Ezek. 8:1; Hag. 1:1, 15.

The charts prepared by Parker and Dubberstein, in their Babylonian Chronology, show that the month Elul was used intermittently by the Babylonians as an intercalary month along with the month Adar.

ELUZAI

(E·luʹzai) [God is my strength].

One of the ambidextrous Benjamite mighty men who joined David at Ziklag while he was still under restrictions because of King Saul.—1 Chron. 12:1-5.

ELYMAS

(Elʹy·mas) [wise].

The professional name or title of “a certain man, a sorcerer, a false prophet,” named Bar-Jesus, a Jew who lived on the island of Cyprus in the first century C.E. (Acts 13:6-8) “Elymas” was not the Greek equivalent of his Hebrew name “Bar-Jesus,” but was, rather, a transliteration of an Arabic word, ‘alim, meaning “magi,” “sorcerer.” It was a title originally given to Persian priests of Babylonish sorcery. So when Luke says “sorcerer . . . is the way his name is translated,” the reference is to the assumed name “Elymas,” not “Bar-Jesus.” It was not uncommon for Jews of the time to indulge in magical arts and sorcery, nor, when living in Greek society, to assume a Greek name.—Acts 8:9-11; 19:17-19; see BAR-JESUS.

ELZABAD

(El·zaʹbad) [God has bestowed].

1. One of the swift and courageous mighty men of the tribe of Gad who joined themselves to David in the wilderness while he was still under restriction because of King Saul. The least of these Gadites is described as equal to a hundred and the greatest to a thousand.—1 Chron. 12:1, 8, 12, 14.

2. A Levite of the family of Korahites; a son of Shemaiah and a grandson of Obed-edom. A capable man, Elzabad served in the division of the gatekeepers in King David’s day.—1 Chron. 26:1, 4, 7, 12, 15, 19.

ELZAPHAN

See ELIZAPHAN, ELZAPHAN.

EMBALMING

The process of treating a dead body (human or animal) with substances such as aromatic oils so as to preserve it from decay. If this art was not originated by the Egyptians, it was at least practiced by them in very early times. The dead body of a human or animal that has been preserved through ancient Egyptian or other embalming methods is called a mummy. The embalming of humans was practiced not only by the Egyptians but also by such ancient peoples as the Assyrians, Persians and Scythians.

The Egyptians seem to have regarded the preservation of a person’s mummy as essential to an eventual reunion of his body with his soul, which they believed to be immortal, this reunion being mentioned in the Egyptian Book of the Dead. They also appear to have thought that survival of an individual’s soul was dependent upon the preservation of his body. Many mummies of the cat, the ibis and other creatures have been found in Egypt, these having been viewed as sacred by some Egyptians. In fact, during one period at least, they believed in the transmigration of the soul.

EMBALMING OF JACOB AND JOSEPH

There are only two cases specifically called embalming in the Bible and both of these took place in Egypt. It was there that Jacob died and, after relating Joseph’s expression of sorrow over his father’s demise, the inspired Record states: “After that Joseph commanded his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel, and they took fully forty days for him, for this many days they customarily take for the embalming, and the Egyptians continued to shed tears for him seventy days.” (Gen. 50:2, 3) Joseph died at the age of 110 years, “and they had him embalmed, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.” (Gen. 50:26) Being faithful Hebrews, Jacob and Joseph knew that humans do not possess an immortal soul. (Gen. 2:7; 3:17-19; see SOUL.) Hence, they did not share Egyptian false religious views associated with embalming and the soul. In Jacob’s case the principal purpose apparently was preservation until his burial in the Promised Land. Joseph’s prominence may have been the reason in his case.—Gen. 49:29-32; 50:13, 24, 25; Ex. 13:18, 19; Josh. 24:32.

NOT A HEBREW OR CHRISTIAN PRACTICE

The poor condition of human remains found in Palestinian tombs indicates that it was not the general Hebrew custom to embalm the dead (at least for long preservation in the manner of the Egyptians) and that early followers of Christ there did not embalm their deceased ones in an effort to preserve their bodies indefinitely. Faithful Hebrews and true Christians realized that the soul, whether that of a human or of a lower animal, dies and that the body returns to dust. (Eccl. 3:18-20; Ezek. 18:4) The fact that the Scriptures make such limited reference to embalming seems to be added proof that it was not a general practice among Hebrews and early Christians.

ANCIENT EMBALMING METHODS

Egyptian embalming methods varied according to the importance of the individual or his wealth, and the procedure followed may have differed somewhat during various time periods. Herodotus (Greek historian of the fifth century B.C.E.) describes three methods of embalming practiced by the Egyptians of his day. The first and most expensive consisted of such steps as using an iron hook to remove part of