The names in this genealogy are fewer than those in the genealogy in 1 Chr 6.3-15. Six names in the middle of the 1 Chronicles genealogy are not included here. The shorter genealogy in Ezra may be a deliberate shortening by the author for the purposes of the narrative, or it may simply be an error in the textual tradition since five of the omitted names are repeated in the last part of the genealogy.

Chief priest: This is the only time this term is used in Ezra and Nehemiah. Elsewhere in these books, the usual Hebrew title, generally translated “high priest,” is used of the head priest (see Neh 3.1). Here the title used for Aaron can mean “first priest” because Aaron was the ancestor and the first of all priests in Israel. Although both Hebrew titles are rendered “High Priest” by Good News Translation and “great priest” by Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, it is preferable to make a distinction as Revised Standard Version has done in order to be faithful to the text. Chief priest may be translated “head priest” or “priest of the highest rank.” The high priest may then be referred to as the “great priest” or the equivalent.

Quoted with permission from Noss, Philip A. and Thomas, Kenneth J. A Handbook on Ezra. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2005. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .