<P> Aaron, though he is but rarely called "the great priest", being generally simply designated as "ha - kohen" (the priest), was the first incumbent of the office, to which he was appointed by God (Book of Exodus 28: 1--2; 29: 4--5). </P> <P> The succession was to be through one of his sons, and was to remain in his own family (Leviticus 6: 15). If he had no son, the office devolved upon the brother next of age: such appears to have been the practise in the Hasmonean period . In the time of Eli, however (1 Samuel 2: 23), the office passed to the collateral branch of Ithamar (see Eleazar). But King Solomon is reported to have deposed the High Priest Abiathar, and to have appointed Zadok, a descendant of Eleazar, in his stead (1 Kings 2: 35; 1 Chronicles 24: 2--3). After the Exile, the succession seems to have been, at first, in a direct line from father to son; but later the civil authorities arrogated to themselves the right of appointment . Antiochus IV Epiphanes for instance, deposed Onias III in favor of Jason, who was followed by Menelaus . </P> <P> Herod the Great nominated no less than six high priests; Archelaus, two . The Roman legate Quirinius and his successors exercised the right of appointment, as did Agrippa I, Herod of Chalcis, and Agrippa II . Even the people occasionally elected candidates to the office . The high priests before the Exile were, it seems, appointed for life; in fact, from Aaron to the Captivity the number of the high priests was not greater than during the sixty years preceding the fall of the Second Temple . </P> <P> The age of eligibility for the office is not fixed in the Law; but according to rabbinical tradition it was twenty . Aristobulus, however, was only seventeen when appointed by Herod; but the son of Onias III was too young (νηπιος) to succeed his father . The age a Levite entered the priesthood was 30 years of age (Numbers 4: 3, 30). </P>

The role of high priest in old testament