Eleazar

Eleazar (meaning God has helped) was the third son of Aaron and Elisheba, and the successor to his father as High Priest of Israel (Numbers 20:28). After the deaths of his two elder brothers Nadab and Abihu, who were struck down for offering unauthorized fire before the LORD (Leviticus 10:1–2), Eleazar became Aaron's heir apparent. He was appointed to supervise the Levites (Numbers 3:32) and was given charge of the sanctuary furnishings during the wilderness journey. When Aaron died on Mount Hor, Moses transferred the priestly vestments to Eleazar in the sight of the congregation, formally installing him as High Priest (Numbers 20:25–28).

Eleazar partnered with Joshua in the distribution of Canaan by lot among the twelve tribes (Joshua 14:1; 19:51), playing the priestly role in the formal allotment process. He is listed in 1 Chronicles 6 in the priestly genealogy, and his son Phinehas — who showed zealous action at Baal-peor (Numbers 25:7–13) — continued the high-priestly line. Eleazar died and was buried at Gibeah in the hill country of Ephraim, in a field belonging to his son Phinehas (Joshua 24:33).