Elizur

Elizur the son of Shedeur is the prince of the tribe of Reuben during the wilderness generation. He stands beside Moses at the Sinai census, marshals Reuben's host on the south side of the camp, brings the tribe's offering on the fourth day of the tabernacle's dedication, and leads Reuben out at the first march from Sinai. Every appearance is in Numbers, and every appearance ties him to the same patronymic — son of Shedeur — and to the same office over the same tribe.

Reuben's Representative at the Census

When Yahweh tells Moses to take a head-count of Israel, the men "who will stand with you⁺" are named tribe by tribe. Reuben's man is Elizur: "Of Reuben: Elizur the son of Shedeur" (Nu 1:5). Numbers 1:16 sets out what that role is — "These are those who were called of the congregation, the princes of the tribes of their fathers; they were the heads of the thousands of Israel" (Nu 1:16). Elizur is one of those princes, drawn from his tribe to be its head and to share Moses's count.

Prince at the Standard of Reuben

In the wilderness camp Reuben's standard is pitched on the south, and Elizur is named as the tribe's prince at that station: "On the south side will be the standard of the camp of Reuben according to their hosts: and the prince of the sons of Reuben will be Elizur the son of Shedeur" (Nu 2:10). The position is fixed; the person attached to it is the same man named at the census.

Day Four of the Tabernacle Dedication

When Moses finishes setting up the tabernacle and the princes of Israel come forward with their tribal offerings (Nu 7:1-2), each tribe has its own day. Elizur's day is the fourth: "On the fourth day Elizur the son of Shedeur, prince of the sons of Reuben" (Nu 7:30). The oblation that follows is identical in form to the gifts brought by the other princes — a silver platter of a hundred and thirty [shekels] and a silver bowl of seventy shekels "after the shekel of the sanctuary," both full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meal-offering; a golden spoon of ten [shekels] full of incense; a young bull, a ram, and a year-old he-lamb for a burnt-offering; a male of the goats for a sin-offering (Nu 7:31-34). The day closes with peace-offerings: "two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five he-lambs a year old: this was the oblation of Elizur the son of Shedeur" (Nu 7:35).

Leading Reuben's March from Sinai

When the camp finally breaks and the standards move, Elizur is again the man over Reuben's host: "And the standard of the camp of Reuben set forward according to their hosts: and over his host was Elizur the son of Shedeur" (Nu 10:18). The same prince who stood at the south-side standard now leads that standard out at the first march.