At least four men carry the name Elishama in the Bible, and the list is a good example of how Scripture keeps people distinct. In Numbers, one Elishama leads the tribe of Ephraim and brings his offering on the seventh day (Numbers 7:48). A second is among David’s sons born in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:16). A third is the grandfather of Ishmael, who struck down Gedaliah (2 Kings 25:25), and a fourth is a priest sent by Jehoshaphat to teach in Judah’s cities. They are not the same man. Read Numbers 7:48-53 to meet the first, the leader of Ephraim.
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Of the children of Joseph: of Ephraim; Elishama the son of Ammihud: of Manasseh; Gamaliel the son of Pedahzur.
On the west side shall be the standard of the camp of Ephraim according to their armies: and the captain of the sons of Ephraim shall be Elishama the son of Ammihud.
On the seventh day Elishama the son of Ammihud, prince of the children of Ephraim, offered:
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 Elishama the son of Ammihud.
And the standard of the camp of the children of Ephraim set forward according to their armies: and over his host was Elishama the son of Ammihud.
And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphalet.
But it came to pass in the seventh month, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal, came, and ten men with him, and smote Gedaliah, that he died, and the Jews and the Chaldees that were with him at Mizpah.
And Elishama, and Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine.
And with them he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tobadonijah, Levites; and with them Elishama and Jehoram, priests.
Matthew George Easton, 1897
Whom God hears. (1.) A prince of Benjamin, grandfather of Joshua (Num. 1:10; 1 Chr. 7:26). (2.) One of David’s sons (2 Sam. 5:16). (3.) Another of David’s sons (1 Chr. 3:6). (4.) A priest sent by Jehoshaphat to teach the people the law (2 Chr. 17:8).
William Smith, 1884
(whom God hears).
(1.) The "prince" or "captain" of the tribe of Ephraim in the wilderness of Sinai. (Numbers 1:10; 2:18; 7:48; 10:22) (B.C. 1491.) From (1 Chronicles 7:26) we find that he was grandfather to the great Joshua.
(2.) A son of King David. (1 Samuel 5:16; 1 Chronicles 3:8; 14:7)
(3.) Another son of David, (1 Chronicles 3:6) who in the other lists is called ELISHUA. (B.C. after 1044.)
(4.) A descendant of Judah. (1 Chronicles 2:41)
(5.) The father of Nethaniah and grandfather of Ishmael. (2 Kings 25:25; Jeremiah 41:1)
(6.) Scribe of King Jehoiakim. (Jeremiah 36:12,20,21) (B.C. 605.)
(7.) A priest in the time of Jehoshaphat. (2 Chronicles 17:8) (B.C. 912).