Nadene Goldfoot
You will find this sign of the hands on many Cohen headstones. They are giving the blessing of the people, said on holidays in the diaspora (outside of Israel). Cohen is to wash their hands, remove their shoes, stand before the ark (Dukhan), and when reader comes to beginning of last BENEDICTION of the AMIDAH asking for peace, they hold their hands like this. We believe the Cohens of today who have been DNA tested with the Y haplogroup so they are of the line of J1, and maybe J2. My personal friend and distant relative, Herbert David Hochfeld, was a Cohen in the synagogue and in his DNA test, being J1 (Y haplogroup). Not all Cohens that live today are using Cohen as their surname. We Jews have just recently used surnames. Earlier, we were "David, son of Moshe". The knowledge of being a Cohen has been handed down orally from father to son. That's how Herb knew and saw his father in the synagogue.Line of the High Priests (Cohens) of Israel[edit]
The High Priests, like all Levitical priests, belonged to the Aaronic line, and Aaron and his brother, Moses, were from the Tribe of Levi. Moses had the priests (Cohen) all work in the Temple connected with the Tabernacle. Those descended directly from Aaron became the actual priests responsible for sacrifices, the supervision of hygienic purity, and instructing the people in the Mosaic law. Levites were not given any land. Instead, they were to live with families in all the 12 tribes. They were given tithes and a portion of sacrifices offered, and had their own responsibilities to the tribes of teaching and assisting the Cohens.
The chosen High Priest was charged with DIVINATION through the Urim and Thummim--2 stones or tablets that was attached to their breastplate of the High Priest. The priesthood was hereditary and the Cohen was under strict laws regarding contamination by corpses and the choice of wife. After the time of David, with the growth of prophetic influences, their usage is not mentioned.
The Bible mentions the majority of high priests before the captivity, but does not give a complete list of office holders. Lists would be based on various historical sources. In several periods of gentile rule, high priests were appointed and removed by kings. Still, most high priests came from the Aaronic line. One exception is Menelaus (d: 162 BCE), who may not have been from the Tribe of Levi at all, but from the Tribe of Benjamin, High Priest at the time of Antiochus Epiphanes. He belonged to the TOBIADS (descendants of Tobiah, an estate-owner and apparently petty prince of Transjordania in the mid-3rd century BCE, who married the sister of the high priest, Onias II), became high priest by bribery in 171 BCE. He was an extreme Hellenizer supporting Antiochus's persecution of Judaism and plundering the Temple in the king's behalf. He, as priest, played a part in the peace arrangement between Judah the Maccabee and Lysias in 165 BCE but in 162 BCE was accused by Lysias, the Syrian general, died in 162 BCE) of responsibility for the war and executed.
From the Exodus to Solomon's Temple The first Temple of Solomon. Built in 832 BC by King Solomon and destroyed in 587 BC when Nebuchadnezzar sacked Jerusalem, stood for 245 years. Architecturally inspired by contemporary Egyptian (New Kingdom) temples, its nave comprised the larger Holy Place and the smaller, inner Most Holy Place. Sacred treasures and riches were stored in the arcades to the sides. Its exact location remains unknown due to unwillingness to excavate land considered holy, is thought to be on Temple Mount and under the Mosque of Omar. This is because a Roman temple was built later on the site where the Mosque sits.
The following section is based on information found in the various books of the Bible, including the genealogies given in First Book of Chronicles and the Book of Ezra, the works of Josephus[1] and the early-medieval Seder Olam Zutta.
Moses b: 1391-d:1271 BCE died at age 120. (3,412 years ago)
- Aaron: older brother of Moses, first Priest died at age 123.
- Eleazar, 3rd son of Aaron (Numbers 20:28)high priests of house of Zadok were descended from Eleazar Saul died, so he went to David, annointed Solomon as king.
- Phinehas, son of Eleazar, grandson of Aaron, rewarded for action against ZIMRI (Judg 20:28) in campaign against Benjamin
- Abishua, son of Phinehas
- The Samaritans insert Shesha as the son of Abishua and father of Bukki.
- Bukki, son of Abishua
- Uzzi, son of Bukki
NORTHERN TRIBES: Shiloh was 1st cult center after conquest of Eretz Yisrael under Joshua., 25 miles north of Jerusalem in the mountains of Ephraim. The Ark and Tabernacle were kept there during period of Judges, Israel's central national shrine, a place to make pilgrimage.
1645 painting by Jan Victors of Hannah presenting her son Samuel to Eli, who is seated on the right.
- Eli, descendant of (Ithamar, son of Aaron who with his brother, Eleazar, succeeded his father, Aaron in the priestly office)-age 58 when a priest, high priest at shrine of Shiloh, had a long priesthood, and one of the last Judges; mentor of Samuel, When Hannah came to Shiloh to pray for a son, Eli initially accused her of drunkenness, but when she protested her innocence, Eli wished her well. Hannah's eventual child, Samuel, was raised by Eli in the tabernacle. When he heard that Philistines captured the Ark, fell from his chair and died.
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- Ahitub, son of Phinehas and grandson of Eli: Ahitub, who oversaw the construction of the First Temple.
- Ahijah, son of Ahitub, priest during Saul's reign, went with Ark into battle against Philistines.
- Ahimelech, son of Ahijah (or brother of Ahijah and son of Ahitub) priest of Nob, welcomed David who was on the run; gave him bread and Goliath's sword; killed by revengeful Saul and other priests.
- Abiathar, son of Ahimelech, sole survivor of Saul's killing; chief priest at Nob, with David, supported Adonijah's claims to the succession (4th son of David, older than Solomon. Solomon banished him from Jerusalem, Zadok was then made high priest (I Sam.22:19-23: I Kings2)
Nob was a priestly city near Jerusalem on Mt. Scopus. After the destruction of the tabernacle at Shiloh, the priests sof of the sons of Eli built a high-place in Nob where they officiated. As a punishment for the assistance given to fugative David, Saul killed them all.
According to the genealogies given in 1 Chronicles 6:3–15, Zadok was a descendant of Uzzi (through Zerahiah, Meraioth, Amariah and Ahitub) and thus belonged to the line of Eleazar.
First Temple period
From Solomon's time (957 BCE) until the captivity (586 BCE / 425 BCE according to historical Jewish sources), the High Priests officiated in the Temple in Jerusalem. Information about who served in that office diverges between the Bible, Josephus and the Seder 'Olam Zuta. While Josephus and Seder 'Olam Zuta each mention 18 high priests, the genealogy given in 1 Chronicles 6:3–15 gives 12 names, culminating in the last high priest Seriah, father of Jehozadak. However, it is unclear whether all those mentioned in the genealogy between Zadok and Jehozadak were high priests and whether high priests mentioned elsewhere (such as Jehoiada and Jehoiarib) are simply omitted or did not belong to the male line in this genealogy.
1 Chronicles 6:3–15 (* Also mentioned in Ezra 7:1–5) | Josephus[7] | Seder 'Olam Zutta | Other Biblical information |
---|---|---|---|
1. Zadok* | Zadok | Zadok - contemporary of King Solomon | Zadok was High Priest during the construction of the First Temple: .David's high priest, HOUSE OF ZADOK |
2. Ahimaaz | Ahimaaz | Ahimaaz - contemporary of King Rehoboam | Ahimaaz was son of the high priest Zadok. He first appears in the reign of King David. During Absalom's revolt he remained faithful to David, and assisted him by giving him news about the proceedings of Absalom in Jerusalem. |
2. Azariah | Azariah | Azariah - contemporary of King Abijah | Among the "princes/officials" of King Solomon listed in 1 Kings 4:2 "Azariah, son of Zadok, the priest" appears in first place. |
Johanan | Joram | - | Joram/Hehoram (2) one was king of Israel,-son of Ahab; one was king of Judah, son of Jehoshaphart. Johanan, son of Joiada, was the fifth high priest after the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem by the Jews who had returned from the Babylonian captivity. His reign is estimated to have been from c. 410–371 BCE; he was succeeded by his son Jaddua. The Bible gives no details about his life. Jaddua is high priest-in Nehemiah verses 12:11,22. When reading Josephus' accounts of Jaddua's priestly position, it is unclear whether or not Jaddua was the sole high priest or if he shared the office with Manasseh. The other possibility (which is difficult to discern from Josephus' accounts) is that Manasseh was Jaddua's assistant or sagan. (Anchor Bible Dictionary). |
- | Isus | Joash - contemporary of King Jehoshaphat | An Amariah is mentioned in 2 Chronicles 19:11 as "the chief priest" under King Jehoshaphat. |
- | - | Jehoiarib - contemporary of King Jehoram | |
- | - | Jehoshaphat - contemporary of King Ahaziah | - |
- | Jehoiada[8] | Jehoiada - contemporary of King Jehoash | Jehoiada, brother-in-law of King Ahaziah, is mentioned in 2 Kings 11:4–17 as a priest leading the coup against Queen-mother Athaliah and installing Jehoash of Judah as king of Judah. |
- | Axioramos | - | - |
- | Phideas | Pediah - contemporary of King Jehoash | - |
- | Sudeas | Zedekiah - contemporary of King Amaziah | - |
Azariah/Uzziah | Juelus | Joel - contemporary of King Uzziah | Azariah II is mentioned in 2 Chronicles 26:14–18 as a "chief priest" opposing King Uzziah. In 1 Chronicles 5:36 Azariah, son of Johanan is singled out as "he it is that executed the priest's office in the house that Solomon built in Jerusalem". |
Amaria | Jotham | Jotham - contemporary of King Jotham | Amariah (Hebrew: אֲמַרְיָה) means "promised by God" in Hebrew. It was commonly used as a name of priests in the History of ancient Israel and Judah. It appear several times in the Hebrew Bible: |
Ahitub II | Urias | Urijah - contemporary of King Ahaz | Uriah is mentioned in 2 Kings 16:10–16 as a priest who, on orders of King Ahaz, replaces the altar in the temple with a new, Assyrian-style altar. He is also mentioned as a witness in Isaiah 8:2. |
- | Nerias | Neria - contemporary of King Hezekiah | An Azariah is mentioned in 2 Chronicles 31:10 as "the chief priest, of the house of Zadok" under King Hezekiah. |
Zadok II | Odeas | Hoshaiah - contemporary of King Manasseh | |
Shallum* | Shallum | Shallum - contemporary of King Amon | Shallum, son of Zadok II. |
Hilkiah* | Elcias | Hilkiah - contemporary of King Josiah and of King Jehoahaz | Hilkiah, priest at the time of King Josiah and the discovery of the lost Book of the Law. |
Azariah IV* | Azaros | Azariah IV - contemporary of King Jehoiakim | Azariah IV, son of Hilkiah1 Chronicles 6:13 |
Seraiah* | Sareas | Seraiah - contemporary of King Jeconiah and of King Zedekiah | Seraiah, son of Azariah IV (2 Ki 25:18) |
Some name Jehozadak, son of Seriah, as a high priest prior to being sent to captivity in Babylonia, based on the biblical references to "Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest". According to Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzhaqi), this is a misreading of the phrase, as "the high priest" does not refer to Jehozadak, who was exiled to Babylon without having served as high priest, but to his son Joshua, who ascended from Babylon at the end of the exile.
After the Babylonian Exile
- Joshua, son of Jehozadak, after the restoration of the Temple. Contemporary of Cyrus the Great (reigned 538-530 BC) and Darius I (reigned 522-486 BC).
- Joiakim, son of Joshua, (Nehemiah 12:10).
- Eliashib, son of Joiakim, (Nehemiah 12:10). Mentioned in the time of Nehemiah in 444 BC.
- Joiada, son of Eliashib, (Nehemiah 12:10)
(A son married a daughter of Sanballat the Horonite for which he was driven out of the Temple by Nehemiah) (Nehemiah 13:28) - Johanan, son of Joiada,(Nehemiah 12:11). Mentioned in the Elephantine papyri in 410 BC.
- Jaddua, son of Johanan, (Nehemiah 12:11) Contemporary of Alexander the Great (reigned 336-323 BC). Some have identified him as Simeon the Just.
The five descendants of Joshua are mentioned in Nehemiah, chapter 12, 10f. The chronology given above, based on Josephus, however is not undisputed, with some alternatively placing Jaddua during the time of Darius II (423-405/4 BC) and some supposing one more Johanan and one more Jaddua in the following time, the latter Jaddua being contemporary of Alexander the Great.
- Onias I, son of Jaddua. Contemporary of Areus I of Sparta, (reigned 309-265 BC)?
- Simon I, son of Onias. Josephus identified him as Simeon the Just
- Eleazar, son of Onias and brother of Simon I. Contemporary of Ptolemy II Philadelphus of Egypt, (reigned 283-246 BC)?
- Manasseh, son of Jaddua, brother of Onias I and uncle of Simon I and Eleazar.
- Onias II, son of Simon I. Contemporary of Ptolemy III Euergetes of Egypt, (reigned 246-221 BC)?
- Simon II, son of Onias II. Contemporary of Ptolemy IV Philopator of Egypt (221-204 BC)?
- Onias III, son of Simon II, (?-175 BC), murdered 170 BC
- Onias IV, son of Onias III, fled to Egypt and built a Jewish Temple at Leontopolis (closed between 66-73 AD)
- Jason, son of Simon II, 175-172 BC (the last of the Zadokite dynasty)
- Menelaus, 172-165 BC
- Judas Maccabeus, son of Mattathias, 165-162 BC (held the office after the consecration of the Temple)
- Alcimus, 162-159 BC
Inter-Sacerdotium: It is unknown who held the position of High Priest of Jerusalem between Alcimus' death and the accession of Jonathan. Josephus, in Jewish Antiquities XX.10, relates that the office was vacant for seven years, but this is highly unlikely, if not impossible. In religious terms, the High Priest was a necessary part of the rites on the Day of Atonement, a day that could have not been allowed to pass uncelebrated for so long so soon after the restoration of the Temple service. Politically, Israel's overlords probably would not have allowed a power vacuum to last that length of time.
In another passage (XII.10 §6, XII.11 §2) Josephus suggests that Judas Maccabeus, the brother of Jonathan, held the office for three years, succeeding Alcimus. However, Judas actually predeceased Alcimus by one year. The nature of Jonathan's accession to the high priesthood makes it unlikely that Judas held that office during the inter-sacerdotium. The Jewish Encyclopedia tries to harmonise the contradictions found in Josephus by supposing that Judas held the office "immediately after the consecration of the Temple (165-162), that is, before the election of Alcimus"[12]
- Teacher of Righteousness (Moreh ha-Tzedek), ?159-153 BC
It has been argued that the founder of the Qumran community, the Teacher of Righteousness, was High Priest (but not necessarily the sole occupant) during the inter-sacerdotium and was driven off by Jonathan.
Hasmonean dynasty: Era of Syrian-Greek Occupation, Greek was spoken, Joshua was a popular Hebrew name; in Greek-Jesus. Days of Our Chanukah Remembrance 167-160 BCE
- Jonathan Apphus, 153-143 BC
- Simon Thassi, brother of Jonathan Apphus, 142-134 BC
- John Hyrcanus I, son of Simeon Tassi, 134-104 BC
- Aristobulus I, son of John Hyrcanus, 104-103 BC
- Alexander Jannaeus, son of John Hyrcanus, 103-76 BC
- John Hyrcanus II, son of Alexander Jannaeus, 76-66 BC
- Aristobulus II, son of Alexander Jannaeus, 66-63 BC
- Hyrcanus II (restored), 63-40 BC
- Antigonus, son of Aristobulus II, 40-37 BC
Herodian-Roman period
- Ananelus, 37-36 BC: Ananelus (also known as Hanameel) was a Jewish High priest in the 1st century BCE.. Though of priestly descent, he was not a member of the Hasmonean dynasty. He was appointed by Herod to fill the office of high priest made vacant by the death of Antigonus (37 BCE). Ananelus's incumbency was of short duration. Prudence compelled Herod to remove him, and to fill his place with the Hasmonean Aristobulus (36 BCE). The youthful Hasmonean, however, was too popular with the patriotic party; though he was a brother of Mariamne, Herod's beloved wife, he was treacherously drowned at Herod's instigation (35 BCE),
Aristobulus III, grandson of Aristobulus II and Hyrcanus II, 36 BC; Last Hasmonean High Priest, brother of Mariamne, 2nd wife of Herod who appointed him at the age of 17. when he appeared on the Feast of Tabernacles in priestly robes caused the crowd to love him, but made Herod jealous. and he had this high priest drowned in a swimming pool at Jericho.
- Ananelus (restored), 36-30 BC: and Ananelus was restored to the high position. How long he continued in office historians do not state; but it could not have been for many years, since after the execution of Mariamne (29 BCE) Herod remarried, and appointed his second father-in-law, Simon ben Boethus, to the high-priesthood, removing Joshua ben Fabus.
- Joshua ben Fabus, 30-23 BC: (Jesus, son of Fabus), also known as (Jesus, son of Phabet), (Jesus son of Phiabi) or Joshua ben Fabus (Hebrew: יהושע בר פיאבי), was a Jewish High priest in the 1st century BCE. He succeeded Ananelus and was removed by Herod when he appointed his father-in-law, Simon ben Boethus, to the high-priesthood.
- Simon ben Boethus, 23-5 BC (his daughter Mariamne II was third wife of Herod the Great) 2nd father in law of Joshua ben Fabus, High Priest by Herod.
- Matthias ben Theophilus, 5-4 BC[13]
- Joazar ben Boethus, 4 BC
- Eleazar ben Boethus, 4-3 BC
- Joshua ben Sie, 3 BC - ?
- Joazar ben Boethus (restored), ? - 6 AD
- Ananus ben Seth, 6-15
- Ishmael ben Fabus (Phiabi), 15-16
- Eleazar ben Ananus, 16-17
- Simon ben Camithus, 17-18
- Joseph ben Caiaphas, 18-36 (son-in-law of the high priest Ananus ben Seth)
- Jonathan ben Ananus, 36-37
- Theophilus ben Ananus, 37-41
- Simon Cantatheras ben Boethus, 41-43
- Matthias ben Ananus, 43
- Elioneus ben Simon Cantatheras, 43-44
- Jonathan ben Ananus, 44 (restored)
- Josephus ben Camydus, 44-46
- Ananias son of Nedebeus, 46-48; d: 66 CE, HIGH PRIEST, appointed by Herod of Chalcis in 47, deposed by
- Agrippa II in 59, and killed by the extremists in the outset of the rebellion against
- Rome. He took a leading part in the prosecution of the apostle Paul (Acts 24)
- Jonathan, 58[15]
- Ishmael II ben Fabus, 58-62 (relation to priest of same name from 15-16 CE?)
- Joseph Cabi ben Simon, 62-63
- Ananus ben Ananus, 63
- Joshua "Jesus" son of Damneus, 63
- Joshua ben Gamla, 63-65, died in 68. (his wife Martha belonged to family of Boethus)being made high priest led to fighting between his supporters and his predecessor, Joshua ben Damna. The Talmud tells that his appointment was due to bribery of Agarippa II by Martha. He remained influential, opposing the Zealots during the early period of the Roman War. He was murdered by the Idumeans after trying to persuade them not to enter Jerusalem. They entered anyway.
- Mattathias ben Theophilus, 65-66;
- Phannias ben Samuel, 67-70
- Herod's update on the 2nd Temple. The Second Temple was completely refurbished, and the original structure was totally overhauled into the large and magnificent edifices and façades that are more recognizable. Then the Romans burned it all down.
As Jewish life in Jerusalem became increasingly untenable under the Roman invasion, it is hypothesized that the priestly classes left the city for the Galilee. As Jewish life in Jerusalem became increasingly untenable under the Roman invasion, it is hypothesized that the priestly classes left the city for the Galilee. “In this context, we could imagine some of these groups migrating north, far from the dominant Roman occupation, looking for a place to follow their laws and traditions, like Magdala,” said Zapata-Meza. This idea of priests fleeing to the Galilee has traditional and archaeological support.
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