JoäzAr

Joäzar (Ι᾿ωάζαρος, Ι᾿ώζαρος, i.e. Joezer), a son of Boëthus and brother-in-law of the high priest Matthias (q.v.), whom he succeeded in the pontifical office by the arbitrary act of Herod the Great on the day preceding an eclipse of the moon (Josephus, Ant. 17, 6, 4), which occurred March 13, B.C. 4. He was deprived of the office by Cyrenius (although he had aided that officer in enforcing the tax, ib. 18, 1, 1) in the 37th year after the battle of Actium (ib. 18, 2, 1), i.e. A.D. 7-8. It appears, however, that he had been temporarily removed (A.D. 4) by Archelaus during the short term of his brother Eleazar, and then of Jesus, the son of Sie (ib. 17:13, 1), and restored by popular acclamation (ib. 18:2, 1). SEE HIGH PRIEST.