Steven James Schweitzer, «The High Priest in Chronicles: An Anomaly in a Detailed Description of the Temple Cult», Vol. 84 (2003) 388-402
The high and chief priests mentioned in both the genealogy of 1Chr 6,1-15 and the narrative of Chronicles (Zadok and Hilkiah) are compared with priests mentioned only in the narrative (the Azariah under Uzziah, the Azariah under Hezekiah, and Jehoiada); the Amariah under Jehoshaphat, possibly Amariah II in 1 Chr 6,11, is treated separately. This article concludes: Chronicles has not enhanced the Zadokite high priests; the three priests not mentioned in the genealogy are presented with increased cultic roles which delineate some of their duties; leading priests in Chronicles operate within the cultic sphere while their precise ceremonial role is unclear.
appoints judges in the cities of Judah (2 Chr 19,5-7)33 stating that "Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of YHWH; and Zebediah son of Ishmael, the governor (dygn) of the house of Judah, in all the king’s matters; and the Levites will serve you as officers" (2 Chr 19,11)34. The Levites are assistants in legal matters to judges who are accountable to a chief priest over cultic issues and to a governor (who is not explicitly a Davidide) over civic matters. Both of these individuals are in turn ultimately responsible to the king. This chief priest is the highest cultic authority; it is also clear that he is not involved in civic matters and that he is not independent of the Davidic king.
*
* *
The two leading priests mentioned in both the genealogy and the narrative do not do very much and have a rather limited role in civic and cultic administration35. They act either within their roles as presented by the Chronicler’s source or within the cultic sphere as a supervisor of priests36. The Chronicler has not overtly enhanced the presentation of the Zadokite high priests in the narrative.
The three chief priests who are not mentioned in the Zadokite