Carved into the rock face before us stands the Tomb of the Sons of Hezir. Who were these Sons of Hezir and why does their tomb stand in such a prominent location?
The Tomb of the Sons of Hezir is the oldest of four monumental rock-cut tombs. It is located in the Kidron Valley. The other tombs are the Tomb of Zechariah and the Tomb of Absalom. The Tomb of the Sons of Hezir dates back to the Second Temple period. It is a complex of burial caves.
Originally known as the Tomb of Saint James, it is now recognized as the final resting place. It is the resting place of a significant priestly family. The tomb’s location is in front of the Temple Mount. This prestigious area was reserved for the wealthy and respected.
But who exactly were the Benei Hezir? Hezir was the father of the seventeenth priestly shift. Priestly shifts were groups of priests. They served in the Temple on weekly rotations. Each shift was a family. They lived in the same location. The division of priests into 24 working groups is first mentioned in the Book of Chronicles.
Each shift served twice a year for one week each time. The Tomb of the Sons of Hezir proves this priestly family was wealthy. They held special social status. They held this status from the Hasmonean period until the Second Temple’s destruction in 70 CE. For 100 years it was the only tomb in front of the Temple Mount.
The tomb was looted in ancient times. No artifacts from the Second Temple period were discovered inside. The facade of the tomb has a Doric style. This style was common in the Hellenistic period. The tomb exhibits simplicity. It has a uniform style without Roman influence. This indicates its antiquity. In front of the tomb stand two baseless columns. These columns are purely aesthetic.
Above the column headings is the architrave. This is the beam above the column headings. An inscription is engraved on it in ancient Hebrew. The inscription dates to the beginning of the first century BCE. The tomb continued to be used by the Benei Hezir family. They used it even in the last generation. They used it before the Second Temple’s destruction in 70 CE.
The inscription reads: “This is the grave and the soul of Eliezer Hanya Yoazar Yehuda Shimon Yochanan Benei sons of Yosef Ben son of Oved Yosef and Elazar Benei sons of Hania, Kohanim priests of the Hezir family”.
The inscription indicates that six sons of Yosef and two sons of Hania were buried here. They were all priests. They belonged to the family of Hezir.
Inside the tomb, a wide corridor connects to a hall. From the hall, three rooms have been carved. Another room with three vaulted tombs was carved. It is likely that the patriarchs of the shift were buried here. They were buried in a sarcophagus. This differs from the burial style in the other caves.
The original entrance was through a shaft with 11 steps. Archaeologists estimate that there were originally 20 steps. The quarrying was done from top down. Once the desired depth was reached, the corridor, tomb, and facade were created. Then, the nine lower steps were removed. This enhanced the facade’s architectural beauty.
Adjacent to the Tomb of the Sons of Hezir is another facade. It is on the north side. It is designed as a tower. The tower is reminiscent of a pyramid. It is similar to the nearby Tomb of Zechariah. This tower structure is likely the “soul” or Nefesh.
The source of inspiration is Nabataean architecture. It fits nicely with the inscription. The inscription reads: “This is a tomb and the soul of”. This is because “soul” often appears in Nabataean inscriptions.
Today, the Tomb of the Sons of Hezir stands. It stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of a priestly family. They served in the Second Temple. Their memory lives on. It lives on through this remarkable monument.