Eleazar Avaran, also known as Eleazar Maccabeus, Eleazar Hachorani/Chorani (Hebrew: אלעזר המכבי Eleazar HaMakabi, אלעזר החורני Eleazar HaChorani; died 162 BC) was the fourth son of Mattathias and the younger brother of Judas Maccabeus. He was killed at the Battle of Beth-zechariah (1 Maccabees 6:32–33) during the Maccabean revolt.
Little is known about Eleazar, except his heroic death as was told. According to the scroll of Antiochus, his father saw in him a Zealot among zealots, like Pinhas. In 2 Maccabees 8:21–23 it is told that Eleazar read from the Tanakh in front of the people just before the last battle began in 3 Maccabees 6:1–15.
According to 1 Maccabees 6:43–46, during the Battle of Beit Zechariah, Eleazar identified a war elephant that he believed to carry the Seleucid King Antiochus V, due to the special armor the elephant wore. He decided to endanger his life by attacking the elephant and thrusting a spear into its belly. The dead elephant then collapsed upon Eleazar, killing him as well.[1] Despite this heroic effort, the smaller Jewish army was defeated in the battle. Josephus wrote that Eleazar, though killing many enemy soldiers, did not gain any real effect besides the name he made for himself. In another variation of this story which appears in the Megillat Antiochus, Eleazar's body is discovered after sinking in the excrement of an elephant.[2]
Avaran
Death of Eleazer (illustration by Gustave Doré from the 1866 La Sainte Bible)
All of the members of the family of Mattathias were given nicknames in addition to their personal names as can be seen in 1 Maccabees 2:1–5 (For example, Judas was given the name 'ha'Makabi', meaning 'the Hammer'.) Eleazar was given the name 'Avaran' ("Sauran" in the Alexandrian version of the book of 1 Maccabees), which has been taken to mean 'the Piercer' (in reference to his death) or 'to be white' (referring to his light complexion).[3] Other versions are "Horan", possibly derived from "Hor"="hole", similar to the "piercer" designation; and "Eran" (alert, vigorous).[4]
Commemoration
Eleazar's death was a popular subject for art in the Middle Ages, where it was given a typological significance as prefiguring Christ's sacrifice of himself for mankind.[5] The chance to portray an elephant was also welcomed by artists, although as most had never seen one, the results are often very strange. It is also portrayed in a painting of 19th century French artist Gustave Doré.
^"Avaran". Net Bible. Bible.org. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
^* Bar-Kochva, Bezalel (1989). Judas Maccabaeus: The Jewish Struggle Against the Seleucids. Cambridge University Press. p. 334. ISBN0521323525.
^"Speculum Woodcuts and Miniatures". UC Press E-Books Collection, 1982-2004. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eleazar Maccabeus.
August 25, 2023
eleazar, avaran, also, known, eleazar, maccabeus, eleazar, hachorani, chorani, hebrew, אלעזר, המכבי, eleazar, hamakabi, אלעזר, החורני, eleazar, hachorani, died, fourth, mattathias, younger, brother, judas, maccabeus, killed, battle, beth, zechariah, maccabees,. Eleazar Avaran also known as Eleazar Maccabeus Eleazar Hachorani Chorani Hebrew אלעזר המכבי Eleazar HaMakabi אלעזר החורני Eleazar HaChorani died 162 BC was the fourth son of Mattathias and the younger brother of Judas Maccabeus He was killed at the Battle of Beth zechariah 1 Maccabees 6 32 33 during the Maccabean revolt The Heroism of Eleazar engraved plate in the Macklin Bible after a painting by Philip James de Loutherbourg 1815 Little is known about Eleazar except his heroic death as was told According to the scroll of Antiochus his father saw in him a Zealot among zealots like Pinhas In 2 Maccabees 8 21 23 it is told that Eleazar read from the Tanakh in front of the people just before the last battle began in 3 Maccabees 6 1 15 Contents 1 Death 2 Avaran 3 Commemoration 4 References 5 External linksDeath EditAccording to 1 Maccabees 6 43 46 during the Battle of Beit Zechariah Eleazar identified a war elephant that he believed to carry the Seleucid King Antiochus V due to the special armor the elephant wore He decided to endanger his life by attacking the elephant and thrusting a spear into its belly The dead elephant then collapsed upon Eleazar killing him as well 1 Despite this heroic effort the smaller Jewish army was defeated in the battle Josephus wrote that Eleazar though killing many enemy soldiers did not gain any real effect besides the name he made for himself In another variation of this story which appears in the Megillat Antiochus Eleazar s body is discovered after sinking in the excrement of an elephant 2 Avaran Edit Death of Eleazer illustration by Gustave Dore from the 1866 La Sainte Bible All of the members of the family of Mattathias were given nicknames in addition to their personal names as can be seen in 1 Maccabees 2 1 5 For example Judas was given the name ha Makabi meaning the Hammer Eleazar was given the name Avaran Sauran in the Alexandrian version of the book of 1 Maccabees which has been taken to mean the Piercer in reference to his death or to be white referring to his light complexion 3 Other versions are Horan possibly derived from Hor hole similar to the piercer designation and Eran alert vigorous 4 Commemoration EditEleazar s death was a popular subject for art in the Middle Ages where it was given a typological significance as prefiguring Christ s sacrifice of himself for mankind 5 The chance to portray an elephant was also welcomed by artists although as most had never seen one the results are often very strange It is also portrayed in a painting of 19th century French artist Gustave Dore The Israeli settlement Elazar in Gush Etzion near the site of the battle of Beth zechariah is named after him Streets are named after him in Jerusalem and in Tel Aviv References Edit Scullard Howard Hayes 1974 The Elephant in the Greek and Roman World Cornell Univ Press p 186 ISBN 978 0801409318 Megillat Antiochus London Jewish Antiquarian Society 1851 Avaran Net Bible Bible org Retrieved 18 November 2012 Bar Kochva Bezalel 1989 Judas Maccabaeus The Jewish Struggle Against the Seleucids Cambridge University Press p 334 ISBN 0521323525 Speculum Woodcuts and Miniatures UC Press E Books Collection 1982 2004 Retrieved 18 November 2012 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eleazar Maccabeus Tapestry with Eleazer killing the elephant Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Eleazar Avaran amp oldid 1119511156, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
