IONATHAN (Hebr. Jēhōnāthān and Jōnāthān; Vulgate
I. and Ionathas)
Name of various persons of Israel in the Old Testament.1. A Levite, descendant of Moses (Iudc. 18, 30); he dwelt as a gēr (“resident alien”) in the tribe of Juda. He went to Ephraim to serve at the domestic sanctuary of Michas, where he consulted the ephod; then he willingly followed the 600 Danites who, going to settle at Lais-Dan, robbed Michas of the sanctuary objects (Iudc. 17-19).
2. Son of Saul; David (v.), who mourned his untimely death on the field of Gelboe (II Sam. 14; 18, 1; 19, 1-8; 20-21, 1; 23, 15-18; 31, 2; I Sam. 1, 17-27).
3. A valiant nephew of David (ibid. 21, 21; I Par. 20, 7). 4. Uncle and experienced counsellor of David (I Par. 27, 32). 5. Son of the high priest Abiathar; he brought the fugitive David news concerning the rebel Absalom (II Sam. 15, 27 ff. 35 ff.; 17, 15-21; I Reg. 1, 42-49). 6. One of David’s mighty men (II Sam. 23, 32; I Par. 11, 34). 7. Administrator of David’s possessions outside Jerusalem (I Par. 27, 23). 8. A Levite in the time of Iosaphat (II Par. 17, 8). 9. A scribe under King Sedecias; Jeremias was imprisoned in his house (Ier. 37, 15-20; 38, 26). In Ier. 40, 8 there is an I. who is a military commander, probably due to a copyist’s error; he is absent from II Reg. 25, 23, the Greek text, and the Targum. 10. A Jew of the family of Ierameel (I Par. 2, 32 f.). 11. Head of a family among those returning from Babel (Estd. 8, 6). 12. Companion of Esdra (Estd. 10, 15). 13. High priest, between Ioiada and Ieddoa (Neh. 12, 11). Flavius Josephus names only 'Ιωάννης between the two (Antiq. Iud., XI, 7, 2); and many emend I. to Jēhānān.
After the discoveries at Elephantine, many critics hold that Jābānān should be inserted into the text as the father of I. 14-15. Two heads of priestly families (Neh. 12, 14.18). 16. A priest in the time of Neenna (II Mach. 1, 23), whom many identify with the high priest mentioned under no. 13. 17. A Levite of the family of Asaph (Neh. 12, 35).
18. The youngest of the Maccabee brothers, called Apphus (I Mach. 2, 5); he took command after the death of Juda (161-143 B.C.). He continued the guerrilla war against Bacchides, finally obtaining a peace treaty. With great prudence he took every advantage of the struggle between Alexander and Demetrius Soter. He defeated Apollonius, the general of Demetrius Nicator, son of the former; but when the latter obtained the throne, he succeeded in winning his favour. He renewed the alliance with the Romans. He then took the side of the young Antiochus VI, supported by the general Tryphon, and received from him investiture as high priest. But Tryphon, who aspired to the throne, treacherously took him prisoner and killed him (I Mach. 9, 23-13, 23). Another I. was sent by Simon Maccabee to occupy Ioppe (ibid. 13, 11); he may have been the same warrior who distinguished himself at Asor (ibid. 11, 70), or one of his brothers.