דברי הימים א, פרק ה׳, פסוק מ״א

The exile of the spiritual leadership marks a historic breaking point for the nation. The High Priesthood, which served in the inner sanctuary during the First Temple era, is uprooted and sent into exile. Yet, this departure also serves as a vital bridge connecting the destruction of the first sanctuary to the future renewal of the Second Temple.

The historical record traces the journey of Jehozadak, who was taken into the Babylonian exile [מצודת דוד]. While the genealogical list might suggest that all High Priests during the First Temple period belonged to a single uninterrupted dynasty, it is possible that priests from other families, such as Jehoiada, also served in this role even if they are not explicitly listed [ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Despite his prestigious lineage, Jehozadak himself never actually served as High Priest, as he was exiled early on during the reign of King Jeconiah. Whenever the biblical narrative places the title of High Priest next to Jehozadak's name, it is actually referring to his son, Joshua. It was Joshua who eventually assumed the sacred role when the exiles returned to the land of Israel to establish the Second Temple [רש״י].

This family dynamic raises a compelling question about succession. Ezra the Scribe was the son of Seraiah, who was also Jehozadak's father. Because Ezra was Joshua's uncle, one might expect him to have assumed the role of High Priest over his nephew. However, the practical reason Joshua took the position is simply that he returned to the land alongside Zerubbabel many years before Ezra made the journey [רש״י, חומת אנך].

This timeline, backed by early rabbinic traditions, concludes that Ezra never served as High Priest. Nevertheless, a contrasting view exists among certain authorities, such as Maimonides and Rabbi Ovadia of Bartenura. They maintain that Ezra did, in fact, serve as High Priest, even though this perspective appears to conflict with the plain reading of the text and established traditional sources [חומת אנך].