Itamar was the youngest of Aaron's four sons and served as a priest at the tabernacle. After his older brothers Nadab and Abihu died for offering unauthorized fire before the Lord, Itamar continued to serve faithfully alongside his brother Eleazar. His descendants formed an important priestly lineage in Israel.
1Now bring near to yourself your brother Aaron, and his sons with him, from among the Israelites, to serve me as priests: Aaron, and Aaron's sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
When Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord after offering unauthorized fire, Itamar and Eleazar were strictly instructed to continue their duties without mourning publicly.
1Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu each took his censer, put fire in it, laid incense on it, and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them.
6Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not let your hair hang loose, and do not tear your garments, or you will die and wrath will come upon the whole congregation. But your brothers, the whole house of Israel, may mourn the burning that the LORD has kindled.
12Moses said to Aaron and to his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, "Take the grain offering that is left from the food offerings of the LORD and eat it unleavened beside the altar, for it is most holy.
21These are the records of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the testimony, drawn up at Moses' command by the Levites under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
During the wilderness journey, Itamar had oversight of the transport and maintenance of the tabernacle's equipment through the Levite families under his leadership.
28This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the tent of meeting, and their duties shall be under the oversight of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
4Since the sons of Eleazar had more men at the head of their families than the sons of Ithamar, they were divided accordingly: sixteen heads of ancestral houses from the sons of Eleazar, and eight from the sons of Ithamar.
5They divided them by lot, one group with the other, for there were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God among both the sons of Eleazar and the sons of Ithamar.
6Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a scribe from the Levites, recorded their names in the presence of the king, the officials, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the heads of the ancestral houses of the priests and the Levites—one ancestral house drawn for Eleazar, and one drawn for Ithamar.