List of Jewish High Priests

of the

 Old & New Testament

From the Exodus to the Babylonian Exile

  • Aaron, during the Exodus from Egypt

  • Eleazar, son of Aaron

  • Phinehas, son of Eleazar

  • Abishua, son of Phineas

  • Bukki, son of Abishua

  • Uzzi, son of Bukki

  • Eli, descendant of Itamar, son of Aaron

  • Ahitub, son of Phinehas, grandson of Eli

  • Ahijah, son of Ahitub

  • Ahimelech, son of Ahijah, High Priest during the reign of King Saul

  • Abiathar, son of Ahimelech, High Priest during the reign of King David

  • Zadok, son of Ahitub of the line of Eleazar, High Priest at the construction of the First Temple

  • Ahimaaz, son of Zadok, High Priest during the reign of King Solomon

  • Azariah, son of Ahimaaz

  • Joash, son of Azariah

  • Jehoiarib, son of Joash

  • Jehosaphat, son of Jehoiarib

  • Jehoiada, son of Jehosaphat

  • Pediah, son of Jehoiada

  • Zedekiah, son of Pediah

  • Azariah II, son of Zedekiah

  • Jotham, son of Azariah

  • Uriah, son of Jotham

  • Azariah III, son of Uriah

  • Hoshaiah, son of Azariah

  • Shallum, son of Hoshaiah

  • Hilkiah, son of Shallum

  • Seriah, son of Hilkiah, the last High Priest before the destruction of the Temple in 586 BC

During the Babylonian Exile

  • Jehozadek, son of Seriah

After the Babylonian Exile

  • Joshua, son of Jehozadek, ca. 515-490 BC, after the restoration of the Temple
  • Joiakim, son of Joshua, ca. 490-470 BC
  • Eliashib, son of Joiakim, ca. 470-433 BC
  • Jaddua, son of Eliashib, ca. 433-410 BC
  • Johanan, son of Joiada, ca. 410-371 BC
  • Jaddua, son of Johanan, ca. 371-320 BC, during the reign of Alexander the Great
  • Onias I, son of Jaddua, ca. 320-280 BC
  • Simon I, son of Onias, ca. 280-260 BC
  • Eleazar, son of Onias, ca. 260-245 BC
  • Manasseh, son of Jaddua, ca. 245-240 BC
  • Onias II, son of Simon, ca. 240-218 BC
  • Simon II, son of Onias, 218-185 BC
  • Onias III, son of Simon, 185-175 BC, murdered 170 BC
  • Jason, son of Simon 175-172 BC
  • Menelaus 172-162 BC
    • Onias IV, son of Onias III, fled to Egypt and built a Jewish Temple at Leontopolis (closed in 66 AD)
  • Alcimus 162-159 BC

Inter-Sacerdotium:

It is unknown who held the position of High Priest of Jeruslam between Alcimus' death and the accession of Jonathan. Josephus, in Jewish Antiquities, once suggests that Judas Maccabee, the brother of Jonathan, held the office during this period; Judas had in fact already diead. It has been argued that the founder of the Qumran community, the Teacher of Righteousness (Moreh Zedek), was the outcast High Priest of the inter-sacerdotium. In this view, his name was wiped out by his Maccabean successor, supported by both the extant records: the Books of Maccabees and Josephus (who claimed kinship with the Maccabees). There are indeed persuasive arguments for the existence of a High Priest through these six years. In religious terms, it seems unlikely that the Day of Atonement would have been allowed to pass uncelebrated for so long so soon after the restoration of the Temple service. Politically, Israel's overlords probably would not have allowed a power vacuum to last that length of time. However, the evidence for this High Priest's identity with the Teacher of Righteousness is slim.

Hasmonean Dynasty

  • Jonathan Apphus 153-143 BC
  • Simeon Tassi 142-134 BC
  • John Hyrcanus I 134-104 BC
  • Aristobulus I 104-103 BC
  • Alexander Jannaeus 103-76 BC
  • John Hyrcanus II 76-66 BC
  • Aristobulus II 66-63 BC
  • John Hyrcanus II (restored) 63-40 BC
  • Antigonus 40-37 BC

High Priest under Herodians and Romans

  • Ananelus 37-36 BC
  • Aristobulus III 36 BC
  • Ananelus (restored) 36-30 BC
  • Joshua ben Fabus 30-23 BC
  • Simon ben Boethus
  • Mattathias ben Theophilus
  • Joazar ben Boethus 4 BC
  • Eleazar ben Boethus 4-3 BC
  • Joshua ben Sie 3 BC-6 AD
  • Ananus ben Seth 6-15
  • Ishmael ben Fabus 15-16
  • Eleazar ben Ananus 16-17
  • Simon ben Camithus 17-18
  • Joseph Caiaphas 18-36
  • Jonathan ben Ananus 36-37
  • Theophilus ben Ananus 37-41
  • Simon Cantatheras ben Boethus 41-43
  • Matthias ben Ananus 43
  • Aljoneus 43-44
  • Jonathan ben Ananus 44 (restored)
  • Josephus ben Camydus 44-46
  • Ananias ben Nebedeus 46-52
  • Jonathan 52-56
  • Ishmael ben Fabus 56-62 (restored?)
  • Joseph Cabi ben Simon 62-63
  • Ananus ben Ananus 63
  • Joshua ben Damneus 63
  • Joshua ben Gamaliel 63-64
  • Mattathias ben Theophilus 65-66

During the First Jewish-Roman War

  • Phannias ben Samuel 67-70