The name Eliab is a compound of El (God) and ab (father), meaning 'My God is Father.' It is the name of at least seven individuals in the Old Testament, most notably the eldest son of Jesse — the brother of David whom God passed over when choosing Israel's king.
Eliab embodies one of Scripture's most powerful lessons about divine discernment. When Samuel came to Jesse's household to anoint Israel's new king, Eliab stood first — tall, impressive, physically commanding. Samuel thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD." But God said: "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:6–7). The name itself is theologically rich: it declares that God is not a distant deity but a Father — personal, relational, near. The ancient Israelites embedded their theology in their children's names, and Eliab stood as a daily confession: my God is Father.