When we think about Aaron’s sons (if we think about them at all), we probably think of the two who got killed. For those who don’t know, Aaron is Moses’ older brother, first mentioned in Exodus, who helps him speak to Pharoah. After the Israelites leave Egypt, Aaron becomes the head of the priesthood in Israel (Exodus 28:1-2). Shortly aftward, two of his sons set a “strange fire” on the altar in the Tabernacle. Their disobedience results in their death. But we’re not talking about Nadab and Abihu. Instead, we’re talking about one of Aaron’s other sons, Ithamar.
It may seem like Ithamar doesn’t have all that much to offer. He isn’t the son who gets most of the famous priests in his line (we’ll talk in a moment about who is in his genealogy). It just seems like his only claim to fame is that he wasn’t one of the sons who set a strange fire.
But as always, we can learn a lot from obscure people in the Bible. Today, let’s uncover Ithamar and what we can discover from his story.
Who Was Ithamar in the Bible?
First and foremost, who was Ithamar? Let’s go directly to Scripture to see what it says.
Exodus 6:23 states he was one of four sons born to Aarons. And these four sons would start the priesthood in Israel. Based on the order of sons listed, Ithamar may have been the youngest.
Numbers 4:28 seems to indicate that each son had specific duties. Ithamar was very concerned about the construction of the Tabernacle, and he was in charge of certain groups of people, such as those from Gershon and Merari (Numbers 4:33).
He also seemed to be in charge of the treasury of the Tabernacle (Exodus 38:21).
Leviticus 10:6 indicates that God did not allow Aaron or Ithamar to mourn after Nadab and Abihu died. It’s not entirely clear why God wouldn’t let them mourn. Maybe he wanted them to set an example since they were pillars of Israel’s religious community at the time. Tabernacle and temple practices were taken very seriously. Any wrong step could result in death.
Leviticus 10:16 seems to say that God does have mercy on Ithamar when he and his remaining brother accidentally burn a goat offering.
Other than the Bible’s references to Ithamar’s descendants (who we’ll touch on in a moment), the reference to Ithamar being spared is the last time he is mentioned. The passage is interesting. Ithamar had witnessed the deaths of his brothers because they didn’t take their priestly roles seriously. And yet, God had mercy on Ithamar for ruining a sacrifice. God’s mercy can often seem incomprehensible. Sometimes, from our human perspective, it can even seem unfair. Still, God chose to spare two brothers and kill two others. In his wisdom, he made the right choice.
Who Were Famous Descendants of Ithamar?
Ithamar’s surviving brother, Eleazar, tends to have more famous descendants. - Seven high priests were chosen from Eleazar’s line in generations to come. His other descendants included:
- Phinehas, a priest who followed God’s commands no matter what.
- Zadok, a high priest during the time of Solomon (1 Kings 2:35).
But what about Ithamar? Do we know any famous descendants who came from his line? As a matter of fact, yes. His most famous descendant is Eli.
If Eli’s name sounds unfamiliar, let me give you a brief overview. During the times of the judges, Israel had gotten very corrupt. And unfortunately, the corruption spread to the priesthood.
There was one judge left: a man named Samuel. However, he was a boy at the time working in the Tabernacle under the High Priest Eli.
Now Eli served God, and the Bible doesn’t mention him having many character flaws. However, he is described as a bad parent. Two of his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, make complete mockeries of temple practices (1 Samuel 2:12-17).
Sound familiar? The priesthood started with two very corrupt sons who lit a strange fire in the presence of the Lord. The strange fire was in direct violation of tabernacle practices, and so it consumed the two men. Thankfully, God continued the priesthood through Aaron’s less corrupted sons. And now we have two more sons, Hophni and Phinehas, eating their fill of unauthorized meat from sacrifices and sleeping around with women who worked in the service of Yahweh (2 Samuel 2:22).
They, too, would meet a grisly end (1 Samuel 4:1-11). They would give up the Ark of the Covenant to Israel’s enemies during the process.
Thankfully, God didn’t end the story there. First and foremost, he redeems the priesthood, and a new era of Israel is ushered in through Samuel.
There’s also a descendant of Ithamar mentioned among the exiles who return to Israel (Ezra 8:2), and the priesthood is allowed to continue. God can redeem from even the worst family histories.
Still, it’s hard not to see the parallels between Eli and Aaron, Hophni and Phinehas and Nadab and Ahibu, and Ithamar and Samuel.
God continues to redeem and have mercy, but he takes sacrilegious behavior very seriously. The Levites—the sons of Aaron—were called to be set apart. Different. To set a higher example. When they failed, it reaped serious consequences. The consequences ranged from death to God’s presence (located in the Ark of the Covenant) departing from Israel.
In fact, we can learn a great deal from Ithamar, his descendants, and the people who interacted with him and his family.
What Can We Learn from Ithamar and Ithamar’s Descendants?
I’d like to break this up into a few subsections because there’s a lot to glean from the several verses listed in the Old Testament
What Can We Learn from Ithamar?
God has mercy. Even though Ithamar messed up a sacrifice, God allows him to live. Ithamar deserved death as much as Nadab and Abihu had earned it. And yet, God allows him to live and to continue the priesthood through his line. In the same way, God continues to have mercy on us. We deserve death every day, yet he chose death for himself so that we can continue to live.
We can also learn the importance of setting an example. Ithamar was not allowed to grieve Nadah and Abihu. Although it seems harsh, those in religious duties are called to a higher standard. The same goes for us. As Christians, we are called to a higher standard. We are to live very different lives from those around us—and when someone acts like a hypocrite, the world will let us know.
What Can We Learn from Ithamar’s Descendants?
We can learn the importance of disciplined parenting from Eli. No, I’m not advocating for “spare the rod, spoil the child.” That verse has been severely pulled out of context. But there is something very important about not being a doormat for kids.
Because of Eli’s negligence, he and his sons met an untimely demise, and they lost the most precious artifact Israel had—the very presence of the Lord housed in the Ark of the Covenant.
What Can We Learn from Ithamar’s Brothers and Eli’s Sons?
As for Nadab, Ahihu, Hophni, and Phinehas, what can we learn from them? They serve as cautionary tales.
Although, as Christians, we are free to worship in various ways, we must carefully follow God’s instructions on how to go about holy living. The world will seek to lead us astray and to carry out non-Christian practices.
If we find ourselves drifting, let’s come into God’s presence, ask for forgiveness, and ask for him to reset us on the right path.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/sedmak
Hope Bolinger is an acquisitions editor at End Game Press, book editor for hire, and the author of almost 30 books. More than 1500 of her works have been featured in various publications. Check out her books at hopebolinger.com for clean books in most genres, great for adults and kids. Check out her editing profile at Reedsy.com to find out about hiring her for your next book project.
This article is part of our People of Christianity catalog that features the stories, meaning, and significance of well-known people from the Bible and history. Here are some of the most popular articles for knowing important figures in Christianity:
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