Eliphaz

For the figure from the Book of Job, see Eliphaz (Job). For the kibbutz near Eilat, see Elifaz (kibbutz).

Eliphaz (Hebrew: אֱלִיפַז/אֱלִיפָז‎ "My God is strength", Standard Hebrew Elifaz, Tiberian Hebrew ʾĔlîp̄az / ʾĔlîp̄āz) was the first-born son of Esau by his wife Adah. He had six sons, one of whom was Amalek, born to his concubine Timna, who was the ancestral enemy of the Israelite people (Exodus 17:16; Deuteronomy 25:19).

The Midrash relates that when Jacob escaped from Esau and fled to his uncle Laban in Haran, Esau sent Eliphaz to pursue and kill Jacob. When they met Jacob implored Eliphaz not to kill him, but Eliphaz challenged that he had his father's instructions to fulfill. Jacob gave everything he had with him to Eliphaz and said, "A poor person is as good as dead." Eliphaz was satisfied and left his uncle naked and penniless, but still alive.^{[citation needed]}