This page is about Joshua the High Priest. For other men named Joshua, see the Joshua Disambiguation Page.
Joshua the High Priest (also called Jeshua, son of Jehozadak) was the high priest of Israel during the period following the return from Babylonian exile. He served in the restoration era alongside Zerubbabel, during the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem.
Joshua appears prominently in the prophetic books of Haggai and Zechariah, where he functions as the priestly leader of the post-exilic community. His role is defined by his office rather than by personal narrative detail.
The vision recorded in Zechariah 3 is the most detailed portrayal of Joshua the High Priest. In this scene, Joshua stands silently while accusations are brought against him. The LORD rebukes the accuser, orders Joshua’s filthy garments to be removed, and declares that his iniquity has been taken away. Joshua is then clothed with clean garments and restored to his priestly function.
The emphasis of the passage is not on Joshua’s actions, but on God’s initiative in cleansing and restoring the priesthood. Joshua functions representatively rather than heroically.
Joshua the High Priest and Zerubbabel the governor appear together as the two principal leaders of the post-exilic community. Zerubbabel represents civil and Davidic authority, while Joshua represents priestly authority. Scripture maintains this distinction without collapsing their roles.
Beyond his priestly office and the roles described in these texts, Scripture records little personal detail about Joshua the High Priest.