Priests and Priesthood

כֹּהֵן750 n.m. priest (NH כֹּהֵן; Aramaic כָּהֵין, כַּהֲנָא ܟܳܗܶܢ, ܟܳܗܢܳܐ; Ethiopic ካህን, all id.; on Ph. and Arabic v. supr.);—כ׳ Gn 14:18 + 439 times; pl. כֹּהֲנִים Ex 19:6 + 272 times; cstr. כֹּהֲנֵי 1 S 5:5 + 13 times; sf. כֹּהֲנַי La 1:19 + 22 times; sfs.— †1. priest-king: e.g. Melchizedek Gn 14:18 (E?), cf. ψ 110:4 (the Messianic priest-King like Melchizedek); Zc 6:13 (Messianic priest and king); Israel מַמְלֶכֶת כֹּהֲנִים Ex 19:6 (E) a kingdom of priests (priests and kings at once in their relation to the nations); cf. Is 61:6 (of Israel ministering as a priest); or a chieftain (exercising priestly functions) כֹּהֵן מִדְיָן Ex 2:16; 3:1; 18:1 (all JE); so also probably the sons of David 2 S 8:18, his grandson 1 K 4:5; and Ira the Jairite 2 S 20:26, who as princes performed priestly functions. With these we may class the כהנים Ex 19:22, 24 (J). †2. priests of other religions than י׳’s: Potiphera כ׳ אֹן Gn 41:45, 50 (E), 46:20 (P); Egyptian כהנים Gn 47:22(×2), 26 (J); כ׳ דָגוֹן 1 S 5:5; Philistine כהנים וקסמים 1 S 6:2; כֹּהֲנָיו his priests: e.g. of Baal 2 K 10:19 = of Ahab 2 K 10:11; of Chemosh Je 48:7; of Malcam Je 49:3; Mattan was כ׳ הבעל 2 K 11:18 = 2 Ch 23:17; הכמרים עם הכהנים Zp 1:4; Josiah burned the bones of the priests of the Baalim and Asherim 2 Ch 34:5. †3. priests of special orders in Israel: a. Micah in the hill-country of Ephraim consecrated his own son וַיְהִי־לוֹ לְכֹהֵן Ju 17:5; but so soon as he could secure Jonathan ben Gershom, a descendant of Moses (see VB Ju 18:30), he consecrated him, היה ל׳ לכהן Ju 17:10, 12, 13; 18:4, 19; הַכֹּהֵן v 6, 17, 18, 20, 24, 27. He was captured by the Danites, and he and his line became priests at Dan until the Exile, v 19(×2), 30. b. Jeroboam עשׂה כהנים 1 K 12:31 of those not מבני לוי, as כ׳ (הַ)בָּמוֹת priests of (the) high places 1 K 12:32; 13:2, 33(×2) = כ׳ לבמות 2 Ch 11:15; Amaziah (of this class) was כ׳ בית־אל Am 7:10; v. also 2 Ch 13:9; called by Chr כ׳ לְלֹא אלהים v 9; yet Hosea rebukes them as priests of י׳ Ho 4:4, 9; 5:1; 6:9; at the Exile they were deported by the Assyrians 2 K 17:27, 28. c. the people imported into Samaria made some of themselves כ׳ במות to worship י׳ the God of the land 2 K 17:32. †4. priests in Israel הכהנים who bore the ark and the trumpets Jos 3:13, 14, 15, 17; 4:3, 9, 10, 17, 18(×2); 6:4(×2), 6(×2), 8, 9, 12, 13, 16 (all JE), 1 K 8:3, 6, 10, 11; Eli was הכהן 1 S 1:9; 2:11; כ׳ יהוה 14:3; and his sons כ׳ ליהוה 1 S 1:3; a מִשְׁפַּט הַכֹּהֲנִים 1 S 2:13 mentions the ministering priest הכהן and the נַעַר הַכּ׳ 1 S 2:13, 14, 15(×2), Ahijah was הַכּ׳ in time of Saul 1 S 14:19(×2); 36; Abimelech הַכּ׳ at Nob, a priestly centre, 1 S 21:2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10; 22:11; where were many כֹּהֲנֵי י׳ 1 S 22:17(×2), 21, all slain by Saul except Abiathar son of Ahimelech 1 S 22:11, 18(×2), 19, who became הַכּ׳ 1 S 23:9; 30:7 1 K 1:7, 19, 25, 42; 2:22, 26; Zadok later was הַכּ׳ 2 S 15:27 1 K 1:8, 26, 32, 34, 38, 39, 44, 45; 2:35; 3:2 1 Ch 16:39; 24:6: so that the two were (ה)כהנים 2 S 8:17 = 1 Ch 18:16 (read וְאֶבְיָתָר בֶּן־אח׳ 2 S 8:17 𝔖 We Dr, and correct 1 Ch 18:16 accordingly) 2 S 15:35(×2); 17:15; 19:12; 20:25 1 K 4:4; Sol. removed Abiathar 1 K 2:27 and Zadok was anointed לְכֹהֵן according to 1 Ch 29:22; cf. prediction of rejection of house of Eli and selection of כ׳ נֶאֱמָן 1 S 2:28, 35; Jehoiada הַכּ׳ led the revolution against Athaliah 2 K 11:9(×2), 10, 15(×2), 18; 12:3, 8, 10 = 2 Ch 22:11; 23:8(×2), 9, 14(×2); 24:2, 20, 25, perhaps also Je 29:26; הנהנים sustaining him in his reforms 2 K 12:5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 17; Uriah was הַכּ׳ in the reign of Ahaz 2 K 16:10, 11(×2), 15, 16 Is 8:2; Hilkiah of Josiah 2 K 22:10, 12, 14; 23:24 2 Ch 34:14, 18. Other individual priests are named, e.g.: Pashhur of Jehoiachin Je 20:1; Zephaniah of Zedekiah Je 21:1; 29:25, 26, 29; 37:3; הַכּ׳ is Ezekiel’s title Ez 1:3. Priests are classed with officials of state: prophets and priests 2 K 23:2 Is 28:7 Je 5:31; 6:13; 8:10; 14:18; 23:11, 33, 34; 26:7, 8, 11, 16; 29:1; La 2:20; 4:13; priests and elders La 1:19; 4:16; king and priest La 2:6; kings, priests, and prophets Je 13:13; kings, princes, and priests Je 1:18; princes, eunuchs, and priests Je 34:19; priest, sage, and prophet Je 18:18; chiefs, priests, and prophets Mi 3:11; prophets, priests, and elders Ez 7:26; kings, princes, priests, and prophets Je 2:26; 4:9; 8:1; 32:32; princes, judges, prophets, and priests Zp 3:4; seeming to exclude any other officials. Apparently in the same generic sense הכהנים Je 1:1; 2:8; 27:16; 28:1, 5; 29:25; 31:14; כַּכֹּהֵן Is 24:2; כהנים Jb 12:19; כהניה La 1:4 Ez 22:26; כהניו ψ 78:64. Moses and Aaron among his priests ψ 99:6 includes Moses (against P). Zion’s priests clothed with righteousness and salvation ψ 132:9, 16 = 2 Ch 6:41, prob. here also. †5. Levitical priests הַכֹּהֲנִים הַלְוִיִּם Dt 17:9, 18; 18:1; 24:8; 27:9; Jos 3:3; 8:33 (all D), Je 33:18 (inverted), v 21 (neither in 𝔊), 2 Ch 5:5 (= הַכּ׳ וְהַלּ׳ 1 K 8:4: Chronicler retains original Deuteronomic reading), Ez 43:19; 44:15 (cf. 6); הַכּ׳ בְנֵי לֵוִי Dt 21:5; 31:9; לקח לכ׳ לל׳ Is 66:21 take for priests, for Levites (of the nations in Messianic age). Doubtless of same class are: הַכֹּהֲנִים Dt 18:3; 19:17; Jos 3:6, 8; 4:11 (D); and הַכֹּהֵן, the priest officiating on a partic. occasion Dt 18:3; 20:2; or holding a partic. dignity 17:12; 26:3, 4. The כהנים of the other cities of Judah, כ׳ הבמות, who were not allowed to minister in Jerusalem 2 K 23:8(×2), 9, 20, may be an attempt to enforce an exclusion from the priesthood of all but Levitical priests. †6. Zadokite priests: Ezekiel distinguishes among הכהנים הלוים those of the seed of Zadok, בְּנֵי צָדוֹק; all but the latter excluded by him from priesthood 40:46; 43:19; 44:15; 48:11; the priests of his code being all Zadokites 40:45, 46; 42:13, 14; 43:24, 27; 44:21, 22, 30(×2), 31; 45:4, 19; 46:2, 19, 20; 48:10, 13. 7. Aaronic priests. In H. it is taken for granted that a priest is of the seed of Aaron; the pl. is never used; כֹּהֵן is used for any priest Lv 21:9; 22:10, 11, 12, 13; הַכֹּהֵן for Aaron Lv 21:21, and for the official priest (acting for the priesthood, almost collective) Lv 17:5, 6; 22:14; 23:10, 11, 20(×2); 27:8(×3), 11, 12(×2), 14(×2), 18, 21, 23. The priests of P are בְּנֵי אַהֲרֹן Lv 1:5, 8, 11; 2:2; 3:2; 21:1 Nu 3:3; 10:8 Jos 21:19; so in Chronicles 2 Ch 13:9, 10; 26:18; 29:21; 31:19; 35:14(×2); הַכֹּהֵן is used of Aaron 22 times, Eleazar 29 times, Phinehas Jos 22:30 and elsewhere; 180 times of ministering priests, or generic of the priests; הכהנים Lv 6:22; 7:6; 13:2; 16:33 Jos 4:16; כהן Lv 6:16. Chronicles distinguishes הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם 1 Ch 13:2; 15:11, 14; 23:2; 24:6, 31; 28:13, 21 2 Ch 8:15; 11:13; 13:9, 10; 23:4; 24:5; 29:4; 30:15, 25; 31:2(×2), 4, 9; 34:30; 35:8, 18 (the variants without וְ 2 Ch 23:18; 30:27 are due to copyists’ errors). Ezr 1:5; 2:70; 3:8, 12; 6:20; 7:7; 8:29, 30; 9:1 Ne 7:72; 8:13; 11:3; 12:1, 30, 44(×2); 13:30; הלוים והכהנים 2 Ch 19:8; 30:21; priests, Levites, and others 1 Ch 9:2 Ezr 10:5 Ne 10:1, 29, 35; 11:20; בְּנֵי לֵוִי antith. to הַכּ׳ Ezr 8:15; הכהן בן אהרן עם הלוים Ne 10:39; (ה)כהנים in Chr 67 times has the same reference, as also כֹּהֲנֵינוּ Ezr 9:7 Ne 9:32, 34; כֹּהֵן Ezr 2:63 = Ne 7:65; כ׳ ליהוה 2 Ch 26:17; כהניו His (God’s) priests 2 Ch 13:12; כ׳ מוֹרֶה teaching priest 2 Ch 15:3; הַכֹּהֵן is used of Jehoiada in time of David 1 Ch 27:5, and Azariah in the reign of Uzziah 2 Ch 26:17. In the literature of the restoration הַכֹּהֵן is used of Ezra, Ezr 7:11; 10:10, 16 Ne 8:2, 9; 12:26; Uriah Ezr 8:33; Eliashib Ne 13:4; Shelemiah Ne 13:13; הכהנים Jo 1:9, 13; 2:17 Hg 2:11, 12, 13 Zc 7:5 Mal 1:6; 2:1; priests and prophets Zc 7:3; כהן Mal 2:7. 8. the high priest: הַכֹּהֵן is frequently used (see 4) to designate the priest who was at the head of priestly affairs. The adj. הַגָּדוֹל first appears of Jehoiada 2 K 12:11, then of Hilkiah 2 K 22:4, 8; 23:4; 2 Ch 34:9; after the exile, of Joshua Hg 1:1, 12, 14; 2:2, 4 Zc 3:1, 8; 6:11, and Eliashib Ne 3:1, 20; 13:28. But P uses it of Aaron and his eldest descendants who are anointed with holy oil Lv 21:10 (H; הכ׳ הַגָּדוֹל מֶאֶהָיו), Nu 35:25, 28(×2) Jos 20:6, and so הַכּ׳ הַמָּשִׁיהַ Lv 4:3, 5, 16; 6:15, cf. 16:32. כ׳ הָרֹאשׁ is used of Seraiah 2 K 25:18 = Je 52:24; and, in Chronicler, of Amariah 2 Ch 19:11, Jehoiada 2 Ch 24:11, Azariah, 2 Ch 26:20; 31:10; of Aaron Ezr 7:5. (We also supposes הרואה in 2 S 15:27 to be a corruption of הראשׁ, which he regards as postexilic insertion. The text is corrupt [see DrSm. l.c.]; but this correction is improbable. Lists of high priests occur 1 Ch 5:30–41; 6:35–38.) A priest of second rank (כֹּהֵן (ה)מִשְׁנֶה) appears in 2 K 23:4 (cstr. pl. incorrect), 25:18 = Je 52:24; זִקְנֵי הַכּ׳ 2 K 19:2 = Is 37:2, Je 19:1; שָׂרֵי הַכּ׳ 2 Ch 36:14 Ezr 8:24, 29; 10:5; רָאשֵׁי הַכּ׳ Ne 12:7.

II. לֵוִי291 adj.gent. Levite;—לֵוִי, 40 times; pl. לְוִיִּם 250 times; sf. 1 pl. לְוִיֵּנוּ Ne 10:1;— †1. sg. of individual, אִישׁ ל׳ Ju 19:1 a certain Levite; pred. וְהוּא ל׳ Ju 17:1 and he was a Levite, so v 9; c. art. הַלּ׳ as subst. the Levite Ex 4:14 (J), Ju 17:10, 11, 12, 13 (as priest), Dt 18:6; 2 Ch 20:14; 31:12, 14, Ezr 10:15; הַנַּעַר הַלּ׳ Ju 18:3, 15; הָאִישׁ הַלּ׳ 20:4. Sg. usually †2. c. art. הַלֵּוִי as subst. coll. the Levites: Ex 6:19; Nu 3:20, 32; 26:57 (all P); 18:23 (P; charged with service of tabern.); especially D, Dt 12:12, 18, 19; 14:27, 29; 16:1, 14; 26:10, 12, 13; also 1 Ch 24:6; Mal 2:8 (as priestly tribe), שֵׁבֶט הַלּ׳ Dt 10:8 tribe of the Levites (set apart for service), cf. Jos 13:14, 33; 1 Ch 23:14; בְּנֵי־הַלֵּוִי 1 Ch 12:27 (van d. H. v 26) sons of the Levites (i.e. of the tribe); so Ne 10:40 (as tithe-collectors); בֵּית הַלֵּוִי ψ 135:20 house (family, tribe) of the Levites 3. pl. לְוִיִּם chiefly Chr and P;—always c. art. הַֽלְוִיִּם except sf. לְוִיֵּנוּ Ne 10:1; the art. is om. by 𝔊𝔙 and most in Is 66:21; always = subst. Levites;— A. †a. earlier usage:—as bearing the ark 1 S 6:15; 2 S 15:24; Dt 31:25, so (with priests) 1 K 8:4 = 2 Ch 5:5 (ℌ הכהנים הַל׳; read prob. וְהַל׳ as in K, 𝔊𝔖𝔙 cf. Öt VB); also 1 Ch 15:2, 26, 27; 23:26; 2 Ch 5:4 (for הכהנים ‖ 1 K 8:3). †b. not disting. from priests by D: הַכֹּהֲנִים הַל׳ Dt 17:9, 18; 18:1; 24:8; 27:9, Jos 3:3; 8:33 (both D; as bearing ark), also Je 33:18, 21 (הַל׳ הַכּ׳), Ez 43:19; 44:15; cf. Dt 18:7; 27:14 Je 33:22; הַכּ׳ הַל׳ likewise 2 Ch 23:18; 30:27 (but read prob. וְהַל׳ after 𝔊𝔖𝔙, cf. Öt and infr.) †c. as tribal designation, Ex 6:25; Nu 3:39; 4:18, 46; Jos 21:1 (all P), 1 Ch 9:33, 34; 15:12; 2 Ch 35:5; Ne 11:15, 16; 12:24; with ref. to share in land Lv 25:32(×2), 33(×2) (H), Nu 1:47; 2:33; Jos 14:3, 4; 21:3, 4, 8, 20, 27, 34, 38, 39 (all P), 18:7 (D), 1 Ch 6:49; cf. also 2 Ch 11:14†. d. set apart for service in tabern., Ex 38:21; Nu 1:50, 51(×2), 53(×2); 2:17; 7:5, 6; 8:6 + 18 times Nu 8 (all P), cf. 1 Ch 6:33; 16:4; ministers to Aaron and his sons Nu 3:9; 8:19; 18:6 (P); set apart for י׳ (as redemption for first-born) Nu 3:12(×2) + 7 times Nu 3 (P); with certain perquisites Nu 18:24, 26, 30 + 9 times Nu (P). B. in Chr. the tribal idea is in the background, and thought of Levites as official class is prominent: a. disting. from priests הַכּ׳ וְהַל׳ 1 Ch 9:14 (cf. v 10), 13:2; 15:4, 11, 14; 23:2; 24:6, 31 + 67 times Chr.; also Is 66:21 (according to Vrss., but dub.), Ez 44:10; 45:5 (cf. v 4), 48:11, 12, 13, 22. b. as porters, 1 Ch 9:26; 26:17, cf. 34:9; as in charge of music, 1 Ch 15:16, 17, 22 2 Ch 5:12; 29:25, 30; 34:12 Ne 12:27; yet disting. from porters and singers, Ne 7:1; 13:5, 10; disting. also from נְתִינִים 1 Ch 9:2; Ezr 8:20; Ne 10:29; further (with various official functions) 1 Ch 9:31 + 29 times Chr.; of groups of individuals, 2 Ch 17:8(×2); 29:12; 34:12 Ezr 2:40 = Ne 7:43, Ezr 8:33; Ne 3:17; 9:5; 10:10; 12:8, also 8:7 (om. וְ; 𝔙 BeRy Ryle). c. בְּנֵי־הַלְוִיִּם 1 Ch 15:15 (bearing ark), 24:30 (tribal designation).—See, on Levites, especially GfGesch. d. Stammes Levi in MeArchiv i. 68 ff. 208 ff. WeProl. Cap. iv RSOTJC. 435 f., 2nd ed., 360 f. BauPriesterthum 50 f., 68 f., and often

ἀρχῐερ-εύς, έως, ὁ: Ionic dialect ἀρχῐέρεως, εω, Refs 5th c.BC+:— arch-priest, chief-priest, [same places], frequently in Inscrr., νήσουRefs 1st c.AD+, etc.:—at Rome, = pontifex, Refs 1st c.AD+; ἀ. μέγιστος, = pontifex maximus, Refs:—at Jerusalem, high-priest, LXX+NT

a Pharisee, Separatist (from pharash, to distinguish) , one of a sect who separated themselves from other Jews as affecting superior holiness. (from Middle LSJ)

ἱερ-εύς [ῐ], έως, Ionic dialect -ῆος, Refs 2nd c.BC+:—Ionic dialect nominative ἱρεύς Refs 8th c.BC+: Doric dialect ἱᾰρεύς Refs; accusative plural τὸς ἱαρές Refs:— also ἱέρεως (Attic dialect and proparoxytone accusative to Refs 4th c.BC+; genitive ἱέρεω Refs 3rd c.BC+; dative ἵρεῳ Refs 5th c.BC+; accusative ἱέρεω Refs 2nd c.BC+: ἱερής Refs 4th c.BC+ ἱαρής Refs 4th c.BC+: (ἱερός):—priest, sacrificer, diviner, Refs 8th c.BC+; ἐφ᾽ ἱερέως, as a date, Refs 4th c.BC+, etc. (frequently unaspirated, ἐπ᾽ ἰερέως Refs; of the Jewish High Priest, LXX+1st c.BC+; at Rome, = pontifex, Refs; ἱ. ὁ μέγιστος, = pont. maximus, Refs 1st c.BC+ __2 metaphorically, ἱ. τις ἄτας a minister of woe, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἱ. Διονύσου, of a winebibber, Refs 5th c.BC+

† [כָּהַן] vb. only Pi.denom. act as priest;—Pf. כִּהֵן Ex 40:13 1 Ch 5:36; 3 mpl. כִּהֲנוּ Ex 28:41; 40:15; Impf. 3 ms. יְכַהֵן Nu 3:4 + 2 times; pl. יְכַהֲנוּ 1 Ch 24:2; Inf. cstr. כַּהֵן Ex 29:1 + 11 times; sf. כַּהֲנוֹ Ex 28:1, 3, 4.— 1. minister as a priest, abs. Ex 31:10; 35:19; 39:41 Lv 16:32 Nu 3:3, 4 (all P); כ׳ לִי minister to me (י׳) Ex 28:1, 3, 4, 41; 29:1, 44; 30:30; 40:13, 15 (all P), Ez 44:13 Ho 4:6; כ׳ ליהוה Lv 7:35 (P), 1 Ch 5:36; 24:2 2 Ch 11:14 (always of Aaron and his sons, except Ez 44:13 2 Ch 11:14, where Levites are forbidden to minister; and Ho 4:6 of Israel, whose national priesthood is taken away). 2. be or become priest Dt 10:6 (E?). 3. play the priest: כֶּחָתָן יְכַהֵן פְּאֵר Is 61:10 as a bridegroom (that) priests it with his turban, decks himself with a splendid turban such as the priests wore.

† [כָּהֵן] n.m. priest (v. BH כהן);—emph. כָּהֲנָא Ezr 7:12, 21; pl. emph. -נַיָּא 6:9, 16, 18; 7:16, 24; sf. (of. Isr.) -נ֫וֹהִי v 13.

† [כֹּ֫מֶר] n.m. (idol-)priest (so NH כּוּמָר; Aramaic ܟܽܘܡܪܳܐ, כּוּמְרָא, is also priest of God; Nerab כמר Hal Rev. Sém. 1896, 280, 282; Nab. כמר priest CIS ii, No. 170, Teima כמרא id. CIS ii, No. 113 a, b, b, bis; so כמר Neo-Pun. EutZMG. 1875, 238, 239 BergerJAs Apr.–June, 1887, 465; perhaps TelAm. kamiru Bez BM. Tabl. xxvi; Or. Dipl. 92; WklTA 1, 15, 33 leaves untransl.);—pl. abs., in O.T. only of idol-priests; הַכְּמָרִים 2 K 23:5, כְּמָרָיו Ho 10:5, הַכּ׳ עִם־הַכֹּהֲנִים Zp 1:4. In Ho 4:4 Beck (in Wü 142) We proposes וְעַמִּי כִּכְמָרָיו (for MT וְעַמְּךָ כִּמְרִיבֵי).

ἀρχῐερ-ᾱτικός, ή, όν, of the ἀρχιερεύς, ἐκ γένους ἀ.NT+1st c.AD+

ἱερᾱτ-εύω, Ionic dialect ἱερητ- Refs (later also in Northern Greece, Boeotian dialect, Refs 6th c.BC+; Lesb. ἰρητεύω Refs:—to be priest or priestess, θεῶν Refs 2nd c.BC+; τοῦ Διὸς τοῦ Σωτῆρος NT+4th c.BC+:—also ἱερᾱτ-εύομαι, Refs __II passive, to be made holy, Zos.Alch.p.108B.

ἱερουργ-έω, perform sacred rites, Refs 1st c.AD+ __II with accusative, ἱ. τὴν κλίνην, Latin lectisternium facere, Refs; ἱ. ζῷα sacrifice them, gloss on{σφάξαι}, Refs 1st c.AD+ V.; ἱ. τὸ εὐαγγέλιον minister the gospel, NT; τὸν νόμον variant in LXX:—middle, ἱερουργίας ἱερουργεῖσθαι Refs 1st c.AD+ —passive, τὰ ἱερουργηθέντα victims offered, Refs 2nd c.AD+; -ούμεναι τελεταί celebrated, Refs 4th c.AD+; ἱερουργούμενοι βωμοί consecrated, Refs 3rd c.AD+

συμπρεσβύτερος [ῠ], ὁ, fellow-presbyter, NT