Jonathan

A Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, descended from Gershom, son of Moses (see 1 Chronicles 23:14–15). He served as a priest first for Micah in Ephraim and later for the tribe of Dan during the time of the judges (Judges 17:7–10; 18:30).

A Benjamite who was Saul's firstborn son and Meribbaal's father (1 Samuel 14:49; 1 Chronicles 8:33–34). Jonathan was a brave warrior (1 Samuel 13:2–4; 14:1–15; 2 Samuel 1:22) and a loyal friend to David (1 Samuel 18:1–5; 19:1–7). The Philistines eventually killed him and his brothers at Mount Gilboa (1 Samuel 31:2; 1 Chronicles 10:2).

He was the son of the high priest Abiathar and a loyal servant of David (2 Samuel 15:27, 36; 17:17, 20; 1 Kings 1:42–43).

Shimei's son and David's nephew (2 Samuel 21:21; 1 Chronicles 20:7).

He was the son of Shagee the Hararite and one of David's strong warriors (2 Samuel 23:33; 1 Chronicles 11:34).

Judahite, Jada's son, was Jether's brother and the father of Peleth and Zaza (1 Chronicles 2:32–33).

He was Uzziah's son and one of King David's treasurers (1 Chronicles 27:25).

David had a relative who worked as a counselor and scribe in the royal household (1 Chronicles 27:32).

Ebed's father. Ebed went back to Judah with Ezra after the Babylonian captivity (Ezra 8:6).

Asahel's son. He and Jahzeiah opposed Ezra's idea that the sons of Israel divorce the foreign women they married after returning to Palestine from exile in Babylon (Ezra 10:15).

A Levite who was the son of Joiada. He was the father of Jaddua and a descendant of Jeshua, the high priest (Nehemiah 12:11). He might be the same person as Jehohanan (or Johanan), Eliashib’s grandson, mentioned in Ezra 10:6 (see also Nehemiah 12:23).

See Jehohanan #4.

He was a priest and the leader of Malluch's family during Joiakim's time as high priest (Nehemiah 12:14).

A priest, father of Zechariah, and a descendant of Asaph (Nehemiah 12:35).

The secretary whose house held Jeremiah as a prisoner during King Zedekiah's rule in Judah (Jeremiah 37:15, 20; 38:26).

Kareah's son sought protection from Gedaliah (Jeremiah 40:8).

Jonathan was the youngest son of Mattathias and brother of Judas Maccabeus. After Judas died in battle against Bacchides (1 Maccabees 9:18), Jonathan took his place (9:28–31). For three years, Jonathan led a small group of fighters against Syria. The Syrians were distracted by their own political struggles, so in 157 BC, they made peace with him. These political issues in Syria helped Jonathan.

Five years later, he became the high priest in Jerusalem and the administrator of Judea (1 Maccabees 10:1–11). Under his leadership, Jewish territory and power grew. Jonathan skillfully played Syrian political rivals against each other. One rival was Tryphon, who wanted the Syrian throne and felt threatened by Jonathan. In 143 BC, Tryphon decided to overthrow Jonathan. He captured Jonathan through deceit and eventually killed him, leaving his brother Simon to lead the Jews (1 Maccabees 10:12–13).