Ithamar

Who is Ithamar?

In the Torah, Ithamar is mentioned as the youngest son of Aaron the High Priest. After the death of his two eldest brothers Nadab and Abihu when they had been punished by the Lord for performing an unauthorized sacrificial offering, Ithamar served as a priest along with his elder brother, Eleazar. During the travels of the Israelites in the desert, Ithamar stood at the head of the children of Gershon and Merari, the carriers of the Tabernacle. He was also in charge of the work of the Levites in general. Ithamar and Eleazar are regarded as the direct male ancestors of all Kohanim.

According to Samaritan sources a civil war broke out between the sons of Ithamar and the sons of Phinehas {a son of Eleazar son of Aaron the High Priest} which resulted in the division of those who followed Eli and those who followed High Priest Uzzi ben Bukki at Mount Gerizim Bethel. Likewise according to Samaritan sources the high priests line of the sons of Phineas died out in 1624 CE with the death of the 112th High Priest Shlomyah ben Pinhas when the priesthood was transferred to the sons of Ithamar; see article Samaritan for list of high priests from 1613 to 2013-the 131st high priest of the Samaritans was Elazar ben Tsedaka ben Yitzhaq; the 132nd high priest was Aharon ben Ab-Chisda ben Yaacob; the 133rd high priest is Aabed-El ben Asher ben Matzliach.