High Priests of Israel


[Dates reflect the Julian year in which the various terms of service began and ended. These dates are highly subjective and in many cases, especially before c. 500 BC, may be wildly inaccurate.]

HIGH PRIESTS OF ISRAEL

1. Aaron (Aharon)
Brother of Moses.

2. Eleazar (El'azar)
Son of Aaron.

3. Phinehas (Pinchas)
Son of Eleazar.

4. Abishua (Abishua)
Son of Phinehas. Josephus calls him "Abiezer."

5. Bukki (Buqqi)
Son of Abishua.

6. Uzzi
Son of Bukki.
1091-1052
7. Eli
A descendant of Ithamar, son of Aaron.
c. 1052-1040
8. Ahitub (Achitub)
Son of Phinehas, grandson of Eli.
c. 1040-1030
9. Ahijah (Achiyah)
Son of Ahitub.
c. 1030-bef 1014
10. Ahimelech (Achimelech)
Son of Ahijah.
bef 1014-971
11. Abiathar (Ebyatar)
Son of Ahimelech. High priest during the reign of David and the early years of Solomon. In 1 Kings 4:4, Abiathar and Zadok are found acting together as priests under Solomon, although 1 Kings  2:2-4 describes how he was deposed at the beginning of Solomon's reign.
bef 982-bef 960
12. Zadok I (Tzadoq)
Son of Ahitub, a descendant of Eleazar. He served during the time of both David (2 Sa 20:25) and Solomon (1 Ki 4:4)
aft 971-bef 960
13. Ahimaaz (Achima'atz)
Son of Zadok. His term of service came to an end before the dedication of the First Temple.
bef 960 - c. 930
14. Azariah I (Azaryah)
Son of Ahimaaz. Served during Solomon's reign (1 Ki 4:2). Many scholars suggest emending the text of 1 Chronicles 6:9-10 to make this Azariah the high priest at the dedication of Solomon's temple.
c. 930-900
15. Johanan I (Yochanan)
Son of Azariah. Also called "Joash" (Seder Olam Zuta) or "Ioramos" (Josephus).
c. 900-870
16. Azariah II (Azaryah)
Son of Son of Johanan. Also called "Joarib" (Seder Olam Zuta, cf. 1 Ch 9:10) and "Ios" (Josephus).
c. 870-850
17. Amariah (Amaryah)
Son of Azariah II. Called "Jehoshaphat" in the Seder Olam Zuta and "Axoramos" by Josephus. Contemporary with King Jehoshaphat (2 Ch 19:11).
c. 850-820
18. Jehoiada (Yehoyada')
Apparently non-Zadokite, as his name appears nowhere in the biblical genealogies. A contemporary of King Ahaziah of Judah (he was married to his sister) and mentor of King Joash.
c. 820-800
19. Meraioth (Merayot)
Son of Ahitub, son of Amariah. Called "Pedaiah" in Seder Olam Zuta.
c. 800-780
20. Zadok II (Tzadoq)
Son of Meraioth. Also called "Zedekiah" (Seder Olam Zuta) or "Sudaios" (Josephus).
c. 780-750
21. Joel (Yo'el)
Son of Zadok. The high priests from Joel to Hoshaiah are only listed in Seder Olam Zuta and Josephus. He is possibly to be equated with Azariah, a contemporary of King Uzziah (2 Ch 26:16-21).
c. 750-735
22. Jotham (Yotam)
Son of Joel.
c. 735-715
23. Uriah (Uriyah)
Son of Jotham. Contemporary with King Ahaz (2 Ki 16:10-16).
c. 715-700
24. Neriah (Neriyah)
Son of Urijah. He is probably to be equated with Azariah "of the house of Zadok" who served under Hezekiah (2 Ch 31:9-19).
c. 700-670
25. Hoshaiah (Hosha'ya)
Son of Neriah.


The high priesthood may have failed during the fifty-year apostasy of Manasseh.
c. 670-640
26. Shallum / Meshullam
Son of Hoshaiah.
c. 640-610
27. Hilkiah (Chilqiyah)
Son of Shallum. Contemporary of King Josiah.
c. 610-595
28. Azariah IV (Azaryah)
Son of Hilkiah.
c. 595-560
29. Seraiah (Serayah)
Son of Azariah. Called "Zeraiah" in Seder Olam Zuta.
c. 560-525
30. Jehozadak (Yehotzadaq)
Son of Seraiah. Exiled to Babylon, although it is traditionally understood that this occurred before he ascended to the high priesthood.
c. 525-490
31. Joshua (Yeshu'a)
Son (perhaps grandson?) of Jehozadak. Contemporary with Zerubbabel.
c. 490-470
32. Joiakim (Yoyaqim)
Son of Joshua.
c. 470-433
33. Eliashib (Elyashib)
Son of Joiakim.
c. 433-410
34. Joiada (Yoyada')
Son of Eliashib. Called "Ioudas" by Josephus.
c. 410-371
35. Johanan II (Yochanan)
Son of Joiada.
c. 371-320
36. Jaddua (Yaddua')
Son (perhaps grandson?) of Johanan. Contemporary with Alexander the Great.
c. 320-280
37. Onias I (Honiya, Honio)
Son of Jaddua.
c. 280-260
38. Simon I (Shim'on)
Son of Onias I. Called "the Just" (Sir 50:1).
c. 260-245
39. Eleazar (El'azar)
Son of Onias I.
c. 245-240
40. Manasseh (Menashe)
Son of Jaddua.
c. 240-218
41. Onias II (Honiya, Honio)
Son of Simon I.
c. 218-185
42. Simon II (Shim'on)
Son of Onias II
c. 185-175
43. Onias III (Honiya, Honio)
Son of Simon II. Murdered in 170.
c. 175-172
44. Jason (Yeshu'a)
Son of Simon II.
c. 172-162
45. Menelaus (Menachem)
According to 2 Macc 4:23, he was of the tribe of Benjamin. According to Josephus (Ant. 11.5), however, he was a brother of Onias III and Jason. It is possible, however, that Josephus confused Simon the brother of Menelaus with Simon the father of Onias Jason.
c. 162-159
46. Alcimus (Elyaqum)
Of the priestly family (1 Macc 7:14).


It is unknown who was high priest between the death of Alcimus and the accession of Jonathan.
153-143
47. Jonathan Apphus (Yonatan)
Son of Mattithias, first high priest of the Hasmonean dynasty.
142-134
48. Simeon Thassi (Shim'on)
Son of Mattithias.
134-104
49. John Hyrcanus I (Yochanan)
Son of Simeon Thassi.
104-103
50. Aristobulus I (Yehudah)
Son of John Hyrcanus I.
103-76
51. Alexander Jannaeus (Yannai)
Son of John Hyrcanus.
76-66
52. John Hyrcanus II (Yochanan)
Son of Alexander Jannaeus.
66-63
53. Aristobulus II (Yehudah)
Son of Alexander Jannaeus.
63-40
54. John Hyrcanus II (Yochanan)
Restored.
40-37
55. Antigonus (Mattatayah)
Son of Aristobulus II.
37-36
56. Hananeel (Chanan'el)
Appointed by Herod the Great.
36
57. Aristobulus III
Last of the Hasmonean royal house, grandson of Aristobulus II and brother-in-law of Herod the Great. Appointed by Herod the Great when he was 17 years old.
36-30
Hananeel
Reappointed.
30-23
58. Joshua (Yeshu'a)
Son of Phabet. Appointed by Herod the Great.
23-?
59. Simon (Shim'on)
Son of Boethus. Appointed by Herod the Great.
?-4
60. Mattathias (Mattityah)
Son of Theophilus. Appointed by Herod the Great.
4
Joseph (Yosef)
Son of Ellem. Appointed by Herod the Great. Served for one day.
4
61. Joazar (Yo'azar)
Son of Boethus. Appointed by Herod the Great.
4-3
62. Eleazar (El'azar)
Son of Boethus. Appointed by Archelaus.
3 BC - AD 6
63. Joshua (Yeshu'a)
Son of Sie. Appointed by Archelaus.
6
Joazar
Reappointed.
6-15
64. Ananus (Anan, Chanan)
Son of Seth. Appointed by Qurinius.
15
Joazar
Restored.
15-16
65. Ishmael (Yishma'el)
Son of Phabi. Appointed by Valorius Gratus.
16-17
66. Eleazar (El'azar)
Son of Ananus. Appointed by Valorius Gratus.
17-18
67. Simon (Shim'on)
Son of Camithus. Appointed by Valorius Gratus.
18-36
68. Josephus (Yosef)
Son of Caiaphas, sometimes called simply "Caiaphas." Appointed by Valorius Gratus.
36-37
69. Jonathan (Yonatan)
Son of Ananus. Appointed by Vitellius.
37-41
70. Theophilus (Chasdiyah?)
Son of Ananus. Appointed by Vitellius.
41-43
71. Simon Cantheras (Shim'on)
Son of Boethus. Appointed by Agrippa.
43
72. Mattathias (Mattityah)
Son of Ananus. Appointed by Agrippa.
43-44
73. Eiloneus
Son of Cantheras. Appointed by Agrippa.
44-46 74. Joseph (Yosef)
Son of Cainus. Appointed by Herod of Chalcis.
46-52
75. Ananias (Chananyah)
Son of Nebedeus. Appointed by Herod of Chalcis.
52-56
Jonathan
Restored.
56-62
76. Ishmael (Yishma'el)
Son of Phabi. Appointed by Agrippa II. Is this the same priest who served in 15-16?
62-63
77. Joseph Cabi (Yosef)
Son of Simon. Appointed by Agrippa II.
63
78. Ananus (Anan, Chanan)
Son of Ananus. Appointed by Agrippa II.
63
79. Joshua (Yeshu'a)
Son of Damneus. Appointed by Agrippa II.
63-64
80. Joshua (Yeshu'a)
Son of Gamaliel. Appointed by Agrippa II.
65-66
81. Mattathias (Mattityah)
Son of Theophilus. Appointed by Agrippa II.
67-70
82. Phinehas (Pinchas)
Son of Samuel. Appointed by the people during the First Jewish Revolt.