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Aaron

Bible Dictionary

Aaron
(a teacher, or lofty), the son of Amram and Jochebed, and theolder brother of Moses and Miriam. (numbers 26:59; 33:39) (b.c.1573.) He was a Levite, and is first mentioned in (exodus 4:14)He was appointed by Jehovah to be the interpreter, (exodus4:16) of his brother Moses, who was "slow of speech;" andaccordingly he was not only the organ of communication with theIsraelites and with Pharaoh, (exodus 4:30; 7:2) but also theactual instrument of working most of the miracles of theExodus. (exodus 7:19) etc. On the way to Mount Sinai, duringthe battle with Amalek, Aaron with Hur stayed up the wearyhands of Moses when they were lifted up for the victory ofIsrael. (exodus 17:9) He is mentioned as dependent upon hisbrother and deriving all his authority from him. Left, onMoses departure into Sinai, to guide the people, Aaron istried for a moment on his own responsibility, and he fails froma weak inability to withstand the demand of the people forvisible "gods to go before them," by making an image ofJehovah, in the well-known form of Egyptian idolatry (apis ormnevis). He repented of his sin, and Moses gained forgivenessfor him. (9:20) Aaron was not consecrated by Moses to the newoffice of the high priesthood. (exodus 29:9) From this time thehistory of Aaron is almost entirely that of the priesthood, andits chief feature is the great rebellion of Korah and theLevites. Leaning, as he seems to have done, wholly on Moses, itis not strange that he should have shared his sin at Meribahand its punishment. See [3]Moses. (numbers 20:10-12) Aaron sdeath seems to have followed very speedily. It took place onMount Hor, after the transference of his robes and office toEleazar. (numbers 20:28) This mount is still called the"Mountain of Aaron." See [4]Hor. The wife of Aaron wasElisheba, (exodus 6:23) and the two sons who survived him,Eleazar and Ithamar. The high priesthood descended to theformer, and to his descendants until the time of Eli, who,although of the house of Ithamar, received the high priesthoodand transmitted it to his children; with them it continued tillthe accession of Solomon, who took it from Abiathar andrestored it to Zadok (of the house of eleazar). See[5]Abiathar.