Interesting Facts

• Eliakim had three daughters who were chosen by Noah to be wives for his sons, according to Jasher.

Genealogy

• Eliakim was the son of Methuselah.
• This would place Eliakim in the lineage of Seth.
• His father, Methuselah, was the son of Enoch.
• Eliakim was the father-in-law of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah.

Historical Context

Eliakim lived in a time leading up to the great flood. According to Jasher, in the four hundred and eightieth year of Noah’s life, after many who followed the Lord had died, God instructed Noah and Methuselah to preach repentance for 120 years. Noah initially refrained from taking a wife due to the impending destruction but was later commanded by God to marry and have children, as Noah was found righteous. It was during this period that Noah, following God’s command, chose Eliakim’s three daughters to be wives for his sons. This occurred in Noah’s five hundred and ninety-fifth year, five years before he began building the ark. The selection of Eliakim’s daughters indicates that they were likely considered suitable and righteous individuals to continue the lineage after the flood.

Narrative

The narrative concerning Eliakim is limited within these sources to the pivotal role his daughters played in the continuation of humanity after the flood. According to Jasher, Noah chose Eliakim’s three daughters as wives for his sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, upon the command of the Lord. This act highlights Eliakim’s connection to the righteous lineage of Seth and suggests that his daughters were deemed fit to be part of God’s plan to repopulate the earth through Noah’s family. While Eliakim himself has no direct dialogue or actions described, his significance lies in his familial connection to Noah’s sons, ensuring the survival of a chosen lineage through his daughters who entered the ark with their husbands and father-in-law. The text emphasizes the righteousness of Noah and his sons, implying that their wives, Eliakim’s daughters, would have also been raised in a manner consistent with the ways of the Lord, as taught by Methuselah and Noah.