Several men in Scripture share the name Eliab, and some of them are remembered for very different things. One was captain of Zebulun’s tribe in the wilderness. Another was the father of Dathan and Abiram, who rebelled with Korah against Moses. Most familiar is David’s eldest brother. Samuel looked at him and thought, “Surely the LORD’S anointed is before him,” but God had chosen someone else. Later, on the battlefield, Eliab’s anger was kindled against David for coming down at all. Singers and musicians named Eliab appear in Chronicles as well. Read 1 Samuel 16 and 17 for the best-known one.
14 verses
Of Zebulun; Eliab the son of Helon.
Then the tribe of Zebulun: and Eliab the son of Helon shall be captain of the children of Zebulun.
On the third day Eliab the son of Helon, prince of the children of Zebulun, did offer:
And for a sacrifice of peace offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs of the first year: this was the offering of Eliab the son of Helon.
Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men:
And Moses sent to call Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab: which said, We will not come up:
And the sons of Pallu; Eliab.
And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the LORD:
And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him.
And the three eldest sons of Jesse went and followed Saul to the battle: and the names of his three sons that went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next unto him Abinadab, and the third Shammah.
And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.
And with them their brethren of the second degree, Zechariah, Ben, and Jaaziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, Eliab, and Benaiah, and Maaseiah, and Mattithiah, and Elipheleh, and Mikneiah, and Obededom, and Jeiel, the porters.
And Zechariah, and Aziel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Unni, and Eliab, and Maaseiah, and Benaiah, with psalteries on Alamoth;
Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals;
Matthew George Easton, 1897
To whom God is father. (1.) A Reubenite, son of Pallu (Num. 16:1, 12; 26:8, 9; Deut. 11:6).
(2.) A son of Helon, and chief of the tribe of Zebulun at the time of the census in the wilderness (Num. 1:9; 2:7).
(3.) The son of Jesse, and brother of David (1 Sam. 16:6). It was he who spoke contemptuously to David when he proposed to fight Goliath (1 Sam. 17:28).
(4.) One of the Gadite heroes who joined David in his stronghold in the wilderness (1 Chr. 12:9).
William Smith, 1884
(God is my father).
(1.) Son of Helon and leader of the tribe of Zebulun at the time of the census in the wilderness of Sinai. (Numbers 1:9; 2:7; 7:24,29; 10:16) (B.C. 1490.)
(2.) A Reubenite, father of Dathan and Abiram. (Numbers 16:1,12; 26:8,9; 11:6)
(3.) One of David’s brothers, the eldest of the family. (1 Samuel 16:6; 17:13,28; 1 Chronicles 2:13) (B.C. 1063.)
(4.) A Levite in the time of David, who was both a "porter" and a musician on the "psaltery." (1 Chronicles 15:18,20; 16:5)
(5.) One of the warlike Gadite leaders who came over to David when he was in the wilderness taking refuge from Saul. (1 Chronicles 12:9) (B.C. 1061.)
(6.) An ancestor of Samuel the prophet; a Kohathite Levite, son of Nahath. (1 Chronicles 6:27) (B.C. 1250).
(7.) Son of Nathanael, one of the fore-fathers of Judith, and therefore belonging to the tribe of Simeon. Judith 8:1.