The facade of the tomb is a classical distyle in antis with two pillars between two pilasters above which there is undecorated architrave containing an engraved a Hebrew inscription.

It contains a Hebrew inscription, which makes it clear that this was the burial site of a priestly family called Benei Hezir, lit.

The inscription reads: זה הקבר והנפש שלאלעזר חניה יועזר יהודה שמעון יוחנן בני יוסף בן עובד יוסף ואלעזר בני חניה כהנים מבני חזיר — This is the grave and the Nefesh (burial monument) of Eliezer Hania Yoazar Yehuda Shimon Yochanan Benei (sons of) Yosef Ben (son of) Oved Yosef and Elazar Benei (sons of) Hania, Kohanim of the Hezir family.The name Hezir appears twice in the Bible (see below).

The inscription mentions a nefesh (נפש : literally meaning soul), which is also a designation for a magnificent structure built on or alongside the tomb.

It has been proposed that the Tomb of Zechariah, a solid rock-hewn object which stands by the entrance, and is thought to date from a similar period to the inscription,[2] is actually this nefesh.

Although it did not survive, it is possible to reconstruct the upper part of the above-mentioned facade as a Nabataean tower with a decorative door and window; similar monuments can be seen in Petra.