Ithamar אִיתָמָר
Youngest son of Aaron; served as priest.
Who is Ithamar in the Bible?
Ithamar was the fourth and youngest son of Aaron, the first high priest of Israel, and served as a priest in the tabernacle alongside his brothers Nadab, Abihu, and Eleazar (Exodus 6:23; Numbers 3:2). After his older brothers Nadab and Abihu died for offering unauthorized fire before the Lord, Ithamar and Eleazar continued in their priestly duties under Aaron's leadership (Leviticus 10:1-6). He held significant responsibilities, including overseeing the Gershonites and Merarites among the Levite clans in their tabernacle service and assisting Moses in receiving offerings during the tabernacle dedication (Numbers 4:28, 33; 7:8). His descendants maintained a priestly line that continued to serve in Israel's worship, with his family eventually divided into multiple divisions of priests (1 Chronicles 24:1-6; Ezra 8:2). Ithamar's lineage represents the continuity of the priestly office beyond the high priesthood, demonstrating how God preserved a functioning priesthood despite the judgment that fell upon his brothers.
Biography
Ithamar was the fourth and youngest son of Aaron, the first high priest of Israel (Exo.6.23). He served as a priest alongside his brothers Nadab, Abihu, and Eleazar (Num.3.2). After the deaths of Nadab and Abihu for offering unauthorized fire before the Lord (Lev.10.1-2), Ithamar and Eleazar were warned not to mourn for them openly (Lev.10.6).
Ithamar assisted his father Aaron and his brother Eleazar in their priestly duties (Exo.28.1; Num.3.4). He was responsible for overseeing the Gershonites and Merarites, two of the Levite clans, in their tabernacle duties (Num.4.28,33). During the dedication of the tabernacle, Ithamar assisted Moses in receiving the offerings from the tribal leaders (Num.7.8).
Ithamar's descendants continued to serve as priests (1Ch.24.1-6). They were divided into divisions for their appointed duties, just as Aaron's other descendants were. One of Ithamar's notable descendants was Eli, who served as high priest and judge in Israel (1Sa.14.3; 1Ki.2.27).
In Ezr.8.2, a descendant of Ithamar named Daniel is mentioned among the priests who returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian exile. This highlights the continuity of Ithamar's lineage in the priesthood.
Family
Parents
Siblings
In Scripture
5 biblical books ; 3 with study contentExodus 3 verses
- Exodus 6:23
"And Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar."
Study Exodus → - Exodus 28:1
"“Next, have your brother Aaron brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, to serve Me as priests."
Study Exodus → - Exodus 38:21
"This is the inventory for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the Testimony, as recorded at Moses’ command by the Levites under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest."
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Leviticus 3 verses
- Leviticus 10:6
"Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not let your hair become disheveled and do not tear your garments, or else you will die, and the LORD will be angry with the whole congregation. But your brothers, the whole house of Israel, may mourn on account of..."
Study Leviticus → - Leviticus 10:12
"And Moses said to Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take the grain offering that remains from the food offerings to the LORD and eat it without leaven beside the altar, because it is most holy."
Study Leviticus → - Leviticus 10:16
"Later, Moses searched carefully for the goat of the sin offering, and behold, it had been burned up. He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons, and asked,"
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Numbers 5 verses
- Numbers 3:2
"These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, then Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar."
- Numbers 3:4
"Nadab and Abihu, however, died in the presence of the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai. And since they had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron."
- Numbers 4:28
"This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the Tent of Meeting, and their duties shall be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest."
- Numbers 4:33
"This is the service of the Merarite clans according to all their work at the Tent of Meeting, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.”"
- Numbers 7:8
"and he gave the Merarites four carts and eight oxen, as their service required, all under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest."
1 Chronicles 5 verses
- 1 Chronicles 6:3
"The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar."
- 1 Chronicles 24:1
"These were the divisions of the descendants of Aaron. The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar."
- 1 Chronicles 24:2
"But Nadab and Abihu died before their father did, and they had no sons; so Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests."
- 1 Chronicles 24:3
"With the help of Eleazar’s descendant Zadok and Ithamar’s descendant Ahimelech, David divided them according to the offices of their service."
- 1 Chronicles 24:4
"Since more leaders were found among Eleazar’s descendants than those of Ithamar, they were divided accordingly. There were sixteen heads of families from the descendants of Eleazar and eight from the descendants of Ithamar."
Ezra 1 verse
- Ezra 8:2
"from the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom; from the descendants of Ithamar, Daniel; from the descendants of David, Hattush"
Study Ezra →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | אִיתָמָר | ʾiytāmār | Ithamar , a son of Aaron |
Ithamar
"Bible:Exod.6.23">Ex 6:23; 28:1; 1Ch 6:3), Eleazar being the 3rd son, Nadab and Abihu the 1st and 2nd sons. While Nadab and Abihu were prematurely cut off for offering strange fire before the Lord (Le 10:1,2; Nu 3:4; 26:61), and Eleazar was appointed chief of the tribe of Levi (Ex 6:23,25) and ultimately succeeded Aaron (Ex 28:1), Ithamar was made the treasurer of the offerings for the Tabernacle (Ex 38:21), and superintendent of the Gershonites and Merarites in the service of the Tabernacle (Nu 4:28,33). In the time of Eli the high-priesthood had come to be in his family, but how, and whether before Eli's day or first in Eli's person, is not told and need not be conjectured. W. R. Smith in Encyclopedia Biblica (art. "Eli"), on the strength of 1Sa 2:27,28, holds that the priesthood was originally in Eli's line; but the words "the house of thy father" do not necessarily mean only the house of Ithamar, but may, and most probably do, refer to Aaron and his descendants, of whom Ithamar was one. Nor does the cutting off of Eli's family from the priesthood and the setting in their place of "a faithful priest," who should do everything according to Yahweh's will and walk before Yahweh's anointed forever, find its complete fulfillment in the deposition of Abiathar or Ahimelech, his son, and the installation of Zadok in the time of Solomon (1Ki 2:35; 1Ch 29:22; see ZADOK). A descendant of Ithamar, Daniel by name, is mentioned among the exiles who returned from Babylon (Ezr 8:2).
T. Whitelaw
(1) A son of Jeshaiah of the tribe of Benjamin, mentioned among the inhabitants of Jerusalem in Nehemiah's day (Ne 11:7).
(2) The name is