In the Bible, Ithamar () was the fourth (and the youngest) son of
Aaron the High Priest.
["Ithamar", '' Encyclopaedia Biblica''] Following the construction of the
Tabernacle, he was responsible for recording an
inventory
Inventory (British English) or stock (American English) is a quantity of the goods and materials that a business holds for the ultimate goal of resale, production or utilisation.
Inventory management is a discipline primarily about specifying ...
to ensure that the constructed Tabernacle and its contents conformed to the vision given by God to
Moses on
Mount Sinai.
Kohen
After the death of his two eldest brothers,
Nadab and Abihu, when God punished them for performing an unauthorized incense offering, Ithamar served as a
kohen (priest) along with his elder brother,
Eleazar. Ithamar and Eleazar are regarded as the direct male ancestors of all Kohanim.
records an incident when
Moses was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar for failing to eat a sin offering inside the Tabernacle following the regulations set out in the preceding chapters of Leviticus regarding the entitlement of the priests to a share of the offerings they made on behalf of the Israelite people.
During the travels of the
Israelites
Israelites were a Hebrew language, Hebrew-speaking ethnoreligious group, consisting of tribes that lived in Canaan during the Iron Age.
Modern scholarship describes the Israelites as emerging from indigenous Canaanites, Canaanite populations ...
in the
Wilderness of Sin, Ithamar was responsible for the work of the sons of
Gershon and
Merari, the carriers of the Tabernacle fittings and structures, while Eleazar was responsible for the work of the sons of
Kohath, who carried the cult objects (the
ark, the
altar
An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religion, religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, Church (building), churches, and other places of worship. They are use ...
and the
menorah).
[
He was also in charge of the work of the Levites in general.
]
Samaritan accounts
According to Samaritan sources, a civil war broke out between the sons of Ithamar ( Eli) and the sons of Phinehas, which resulted in the division of those who followed Eli and those who followed High Priest Uzzi ben Bukki at Mount Gerizim Bethel (a third group followed neither). The line of the sons of Phineas died out in 1624 with the death of the 112th High Priest Shlomyah ben Pinhas, at which time the priesthood was transferred to the sons of Ithamar.
Burial site
The burial site of Ithamar is associated with the Hill of Phinehas[Joshua 24:33](_blank)
recorded in the Bible and believed to be located in the village of Awarta in the West Bank
The West Bank is located on the western bank of the Jordan River and is the larger of the two Palestinian territories (the other being the Gaza Strip) that make up the State of Palestine. A landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...
. Due to the uncertain security situation, the Israel Defense Forces limit visits by Jews
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
to one annual night close to 5 Shevat on the Hebrew calendar (around January or February).
See also
* Levite
References
{{Authority control
Book of Exodus people
Jewish priests
Family of Aaron and Moses
Eli (biblical figure)