Ithamar

palm isle, the fourth and youngest son of Aaron ( 1 Chronicles 6:3 ). He was consecrated to the priesthood along with his brothers ( Exodus 6:23 ); and after the death of Nadab and Abihu, he and Eleazar alone discharged the functions of that office ( Leviticus 10:6 Leviticus 10:12 ; Numbers 3:4 ). He and his family occupied the position of common priest till the high priesthood passed into his family in the person of Eli ( 1 Kings 2:27 ), the reasons for which are not recorded. (See ZADOK .)

island of the palm-tree

(land of palms ), the youngest son of Aaron. ( Exodus 6:23 ) (B.C. 1491.) After the death of Nadab and Abihu, ( Leviticus 10:1 ) Eleazar and Ithamar were appointed to succeed to their places in the priestly office. ( Exodus 28:1 Exodus 28:40 Exodus 28:43 ; Numbers 3:3 Numbers 3:4 ; 1 Chronicles 24:2 ) In the distribution of services belonging to the tabernacle, and its transport on the march of the Israelites, the Gershonites and the Merarites were placed under the superintendence of Ithamar. ( Exodus 38:21 ; Numbers 4:21-33 ) The high priesthood passed into the family of Ithamar in the person of Eli, but for what reason we are not informed.

ITHAMAR

ith'-a-mar ('ithamar, "land" or "island of palms":

Gesenius; or "father of Tamar," 'i, being perhaps for 'abhi: Cook in Encyclopedia Biblica--though both derivations are uncertain): The 4th son of Aaron (Exodus 6:23; 28:1; 1 Chronicles 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 (Leviticus 10:1,2; Numbers 3:4; 26:61), and Eleazar was appointed chief of the tribe of Levi (Exodus 6:23,25) and ultimately succeeded Aaron (Exodus 28:1), Ithamar was made the treasurer of the offerings for the Tabernacle (Exodus 38:21), and superintendent of the Gershonites and Merarites in the service of the Tabernacle (Numbers 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 1 Samuel 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 (1 Kings 2:35; 1 Chronicles 29:22; see ZADOK). A descendant of Ithamar, Daniel by name, is mentioned among the exiles who returned from Babylon (Ezra 8:2).

T. Whitelaw