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Manasseh 245-240BC |
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By : Joseph Jacobs William Rosenau Frank Knight Sanders Richard Gottheil M. Seligsohn Son of Johanan the high priest and brother of Jaddua; married Nicaso, daughter of Sanballat (Josephus, "Ant." xi. 7, § 2). In Neh. xiii. 28 he is referred to as "one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest," but is not mentioned by name. It is further said (ib.) that, owing to his being Sanballat's son-in-law, Nehemiah had deposed him from the priesthood. Josephus describes this fact at greater length. He says that the high priest Jaddua, Manasseh's brother, was himself indignant at Manasseh on account of his marriage with a foreign woman, and, joining the people of Jerusalem, he gave Manasseh the alternative of divorcing his wife or of leaving the priesthood. Manasseh went to Sanballat, and declared to him that in spite of his love for his wife he gave the preference to the priesthood. Whereupon Sanballat promised him that if he would retain his wife he would obtain for him from the king the dignity of a high priest. He further promised that he would build with the king's approval a temple upon Mount Gerizim, where Manasseh should officiate as high priest. Manasseh, accordingly, remained with his father-in-law and became high priest in the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim ("Ant." xi. 8, §§ 2-4). Still, Josephus says (ib. xii. 4, § 1) that Manasseh officiated as high priest at Jerusalem between the priesthood of his nephew Eleazar and that of Onias II. Bibliography:
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| Taken from: JewishEncyclopedia.com |
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