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Joshua the son of Jehozadak (Hebrew:יְהוֹשֻׁוּעַYəhōšūaʿ), was the firstHigh Priest during the reconstruction of theJewish Temple after the return of theJews from theBabylonian Captivity.[1]
In the commonList of High Priests of Israel, Joshua served as High Priest around 515–490 BCE.[a]
The biblical text names Joshua among the leaders who inspired a momentum towards the reconstruction of the temple, inEzra5:2. Later, some of his sons and nephews are found guilty ofintermarriage.[2]
In theBook of Zechariah3:6–10,Zechariah the prophet experiences a vision given to him by anangel of the Lord in which the restoration and cleansing of Joshua's priestly duties are affirmed. Included in the visions were requirements in which Joshua was expected to uphold. These included: (1) walk in the ways of God, (2) keeping the requirements (the law), (3) ruling God's house, (4) take charge of His courts; by fulfilling these duties, the angel granted access to the inner temple to Joshua and his fellow priest. The vision also functioned to purify Joshua and to sanctify him for the preparations of his priestly duties.
Joshua is also named alongsidePersian governorZerubbabel in theBook of Haggai as the high priest to whomthat prophet directed his messages from God.[3] TheologianAlbert Barnes observes that "Haggai addresses these two, the one of the royal, the other of the priestly, line, as jointly responsible for the negligence of the people".[4]
In 1825, the traditional tomb of Joshua was reported to have been found at "one hour's distance fromBaghdad".[5]
The name Joshua is of the same origin as the nameJesus, and Joshua the High Priest is interpreted by someChristians to be aforeshadowing of Jesus.[4]
As per1 Chronicles chapter 5:
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