Editing Aaron (section)

==Biblical narrative==
[[File:Moses and Aron before Paraoh.jpg|thumb|Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh]]
According to the [[Book of Exodus]], Aaron first functioned as [[Moses]]' assistant. Because Moses complained that he could not speak well, God appointed Aaron as Moses' "prophet".<ref>{{Cite web |title=oremus Bible Browser : Exodus 4:10-17 |url=https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=614191913 |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=bible.oremus.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Exodus 7:1 |url=https://www.sefaria.org/Exodus.7.1 |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=www.sefaria.org}}</ref>{{refn|group=note|He spoke and acted on behalf of Moses with the Egyptian royal court, including performing miraculous "signs" to validate Moses' mission.}} At the command of [[Moses]], he let his rod turn into a snake.<ref>[https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+7%3A9–7%3A9&version=NRSV Exodus 7:9, New Revised Standard Version]</ref> Then he stretched out his [[Aaron's rod|rod]] in order to bring on the first three plagues.<ref>Exodus 7:19 {{Bibleverse|Exodus|7:19||HE}}, Exodus 8:1,12.</ref><ref>Exodus 8:1, {{Bibleverse|Exodus|8:1||HE}}</ref><ref>Exodus 8:12{{Bibleverse|Exodus|8:12||HE}}</ref> After that, Moses tended to act and speak for himself.<ref>Exodus 9:23 {{Bibleverse|Exodus|9:23||HE}}</ref><ref>Exodus 10:13 {{Bibleverse|Exodus|10:13||HE}}</ref><ref>Exodus 10:22 {{Bibleverse|Exodus|10:22||HE}}</ref>

During the journey in the wilderness, Aaron was not always prominent or active. At the [[Battle of Refidim|battle with Amalek]], he was chosen with [[Hur (Bible)|Hur]] to support the hand of Moses that held the "[[Staff of Moses|rod of God]]".<ref>{{Bibleverse|Exodus|17:9|KJV}}</ref> When the revelation was given to Moses at [[biblical Mount Sinai|Mount Sinai]], he headed the elders of Israel who accompanied Moses on the way to the summit. While [[Joshua]] went with Moses to the top, however, Aaron and Hur remained below to look after the people.<ref>
{{Bibleverse|Exodus|24:9|14|KJV}}</ref> From here on in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, Joshua appears in the role of Moses' assistant while Aaron functions instead as the first high priest.

===High Priest===
{{See also|High Priest of Israel|Kohen}}
[[File:Jacques Bergé, Aaron- Aaron, KBS-FRB.jpg|thumb|Aaron depicted by Jacques Bergé]]
The books of [[Book of Exodus|Exodus]], [[Book of Leviticus|Leviticus]] and [[Book of Numbers|Numbers]] maintain that Aaron received from God a monopoly over the priesthood for himself and his male descendants.<ref>Exodus 28:1</ref> The family of Aaron had the exclusive right and responsibility to make offerings on the altar to [[Yahweh]]. The rest of his tribe, the [[Levite]]s, were given subordinate responsibilities within the sanctuary.<ref>Numbers 3</ref> Moses anointed and consecrated Aaron and his sons to the priesthood, and arrayed them in the robes of office.<ref>Leviticus 8; cf. Exodus 28–29</ref> He also related to them God's detailed instructions for performing their duties while the rest of the Israelites listened.<ref>Leviticus 1–7, 11–27</ref> Aaron and his successors as high priest were given control over the [[Urim and Thummim]] by which the will of God could be determined.<ref>Exodus 28:30</ref><ref name=Olson>{{harvnb|Olson|2000|pp=1–2}}</ref> God commissioned the Aaronide priests to distinguish the holy from the common and the clean from the unclean, and to teach the divine laws (the [[Torah]]) to the Israelites.<ref>Leviticus 10:10–11</ref> The priests were also commissioned to bless the people.<ref>Numbers 6:22–27</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Mariottini|2006}}</ref><ref>{{Bibleverse|Numbers|6:22–27|KJV}}</ref> When Aaron completed the altar offerings for the first time and, with Moses, "blessed the people: and the glory of the {{LORD}} appeared unto all the people: And there came a fire out from before the {{LORD}}, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat [which] when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces".<ref>Leviticus 9:23–24</ref><ref>{{Bibleverse|Leviticus|9:23–24|KJV}}</ref> In this way, the institution of the Aaronide priesthood was established.<ref name=phod>{{harvnb|Souvay|1913|p=7}}</ref>

In later books of the Hebrew Bible, Aaron and his kin are not mentioned very often except in literature dating to the [[Babylonian captivity]] and later. The books of [[Book of Judges|Judges]], [[Books of Samuel|Samuel]] and [[Books of Kings|Kings]] mention priests and Levites, but do not mention the Aaronides in particular. The [[Book of Ezekiel]], which devotes much attention to priestly matters, calls the priestly upper class the [[Zadokites]] after one of King David's priests.<ref name=Olson/> It does reflect a two-tier priesthood with the Levites in subordinate position. A two-tier hierarchy of Aaronides and Levites appears in [[Book of Ezra|Ezra]], [[Book of Nehemiah|Nehemiah]] and [[Book of Chronicles|Chronicles]]. As a result, many historians think that Aaronide families did not control the priesthood in pre-exilic Israel. What is clear is that high priests claiming Aaronide descent dominated the [[Second Temple period]].<ref>{{harvnb|VanderKam|2004}}{{page needed|date=September 2014}}</ref> Most scholars think the Torah reached its final form early in this period, which may account for Aaron's prominence in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers.

===Conflicts===
Aaron plays a leading role in several stories of conflicts during Israel's wilderness wanderings. During the prolonged absence of Moses on Mount Sinai, the people provoked Aaron to make a [[golden calf]].<ref>Exodus 32:1–6</ref> This incident nearly caused God to destroy the Israelites.<ref>Exodus 32:10</ref> Moses successfully intervened, but then led the loyal Levites in executing many of the culprits; a plague afflicted those who were left.<ref>{{Bibleverse|Exodus|32:35||KJV}}</ref> Aaron, however, escaped punishment for his role in the affair, because of the intercession of Moses according to Deuteronomy 9:20.<ref>{{Bibleverse|Deuteronomy|9:20|| KJV }}</ref> Later retellings of this story almost always excuse Aaron for his role.<ref name=Watts2011>{{harvnb|Watts|2011}}</ref> For example, in rabbinic sources<ref>Talmud Shabbat 99a</ref><ref>Exodus Rabbah 41</ref> and in the Quran, Aaron was not the idol-maker and upon Moses' return begged his pardon because he felt mortally threatened by the Israelites.<ref>{{qref|7|142–152|b=y}}</ref>

On the day of Aaron's consecration, his oldest sons, [[Nadab and Abihu]], were burned up by divine fire because they offered "strange" incense.<ref>{{Bibleverse|Leviticus|10:1|3||HE}}</ref> Most interpreters think this story reflects a conflict between priestly families some time in Israel's past. Others argue that the story simply shows what can happen if the priests do not follow God's instructions given through Moses.<ref name=Watts2011/>

The Torah generally depicts the siblings, Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, as the leaders of Israel after the Exodus, a view also reflected in the biblical [[Book of Micah]].<ref>{{bibleverse|Micah|6:4|9}}</ref> Numbers 12, however, reports that on one occasion, Aaron and Miriam complained about Moses' exclusive claim to be the {{LORD}}'s prophet.<ref>{{bibleverse|Numbers|12|HE}}</ref> Their presumption was rebuffed by God who affirmed Moses' uniqueness as the one with whom the {{LORD}} spoke face to face. Miriam was punished with a skin disease (''[[tzaraath]]'') that turned her skin white. Aaron pleaded with Moses to intercede for her, and Miriam, after seven days' quarantine, was healed. Aaron once again escaped any retribution.

According to Numbers 16–17, a Levite named [[Korah]] led many in challenging Aaron's exclusive claim to the priesthood. When the rebels were punished by being swallowed up by the earth,<ref>{{Cite web |title=oremus Bible Browser : Numbers 16-17 |url=https://bible.oremus.org/?ql=614192350 |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=bible.oremus.org}}</ref> [[Eleazar]], the son of Aaron, was commissioned to take charge of the [[censer]]s of the dead priests. And when a plague broke out among the people who had sympathized with the rebels, Aaron, at the command of Moses, took his censer and stood between the living and the dead until the plague abated (Numbers 16:36, 17:1), atoning in the process.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |title=Holy Bible |publisher=Thomas Nelson |year=1984 |edition=King James Red Letter |page=736}} Secondary source material written by Thomas Nelson.</ref>{{rs|date=March 2025}}
[[File:Hirschvogel The Blossoming of Aarons Rod.jpg|thumb|right|The Blossoming of Aaron's Rod, etching by [[Augustin Hirschvogel]]]]

To emphasize the validity of the Levites' claim to the offerings and tithes of the Israelites, Moses collected a rod from the leaders of each tribe in Israel and laid the twelve rods overnight in the [[tent of meeting]]. The next morning, Aaron's rod was found to have budded and blossomed and produced ripe almonds.<ref>{{Bibleverse|Numbers|17:8|KJV}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Mays|2000|p=177}}</ref> The rod was then placed before the [[Ark of the Covenant]] to symbolize Aaron's right to priesthood. The following chapter then details the distinction between Aaron's family and the rest of the Levites: while all the Levites (and only Levites) were devoted to the care of the sanctuary, charge of its interior and the altar was committed to the [[Kohen|Aaronites]] alone.<ref>{{Bibleverse|Numbers|18:1|KJV}}</ref>

===Death===
Aaron, like Moses, was not permitted to enter Canaan with the Israelites<ref name=jd3/> when Moses brought water out of a rock to quench the people's thirst. Although they had been commanded to speak to the rock, Moses struck it with the staff twice, which was construed as displaying a lack of deference to the {{LORD}}.<ref name=jd3/><ref>{{Bibleverse|Numbers|20:7|KJV}}</ref>

There are two accounts of the death of Aaron in the Torah.<ref name=jd3/> Numbers says that soon after the incident at Meribah, Aaron with his son Eleazar and Moses ascended Mount Hor. There Moses stripped Aaron of his priestly garments and transferred them to Eleazar. Aaron died on the summit of the mountain, and the people mourned him for thirty days.<ref>Numbers 20:22–29; compare 33:38–39)</ref><ref name=jd3/><ref>{{Bibleverse|Numbers|20:22|KJV}}</ref><ref>{{Bibleverse|Numbers|33:38|KJV}}</ref> The other account is found in Deuteronomy 10:6, where Aaron died at Moserah and was buried.<ref name=jd3/><ref>{{Bibleverse|Deuteronomy|10:6|KJV}}</ref> There is a significant amount of travel between these two points, as the itinerary in Numbers 33:31–37 records seven stages between Moseroth (Mosera) and Mount Hor.<ref name=jd3/><ref>{{Bibleverse|Numbers|33:31|KJV}}</ref> Aaron died on the 1st of [[Av (month)|Av]] and was 123 at the time of his death.<ref name=Colliers>{{harvnb|Gutstein|1997|p=3}}</ref><ref name=sorh>according to [[Seder Olam Rabbah]] 9, Rosh Hashana 2, 3a</ref><ref name=jd4/>

===Descendants===
[[File:Descendants of Aaron according to the book of Esdras Carthage Judges of Israel- Jephthah, Elon, Abdon, Ibzan Saul Odysse - Schedell Hartmann - 1493.jpg|thumb|Aaron's descendants including [[Zerahiah]], [[Meraioth]], [[Amaziah]] and [[Ahitub]].]]

Aaron married [[Elisheba]], daughter of [[Amminadab]] and sister of [[Nahshon]] of the tribe of Judah.<ref>[[Book of Exodus|Exodus]] 6:23</ref> The sons of Aaron were [[Nadab (son of Aaron)|Nadab]], [[Abihu]], [[Eleazar]] and [[Ithamar]];{{refn |group = "note" |Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron; Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.<ref>{{Bibleverse|1|Chronicles|24:1}}</ref>}} only the latter two had progeny. A descendant of Aaron is an Aaronite, or [[Kohen]], meaning Priest.<ref>{{harvnb|Steinmetz|2005|p=95}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Freedman|Beck|Myers|2000|p=1}}</ref> Any non-Aaronic [[Levite]]—i.e., descended from Levi but not from Aaron<ref>{{harvnb|Harbour|Reed|Tinsley|2005|pp=47–48}}</ref>—assisted the Levitical priests of the family of Aaron in the care of the tabernacle; later of the temple.<ref group = "note">According to Samaritan sources, a civil war once broke out between the sons of Itamar [[Eli (Bible)]] and the sons of Phineas (son of Eleazar) that resulted in a division of those who followed Eli and those who followed High Priest Uzzi ben Bukki at Mount Gerizim Bethel. (A third group followed neither.) Ironically, and likewise according to Samaritan sources, the high priests' line of the sons of Phineas died out in 1624 CE with the death of the 112th High Priest, Shlomyah ben Pinhas, at which time the priesthood was transferred to the sons of Itamar. See article Samaritan for list of High Priests from 1613 to 2004—the 131st high priest of the Samaritans is [[Elazar ben Tsedaka ben Yitzhaq]]. Also see article, [[Samaritan]]</ref>

The [[Gospel of Luke]] records that both [[Zechariah (priest)|Zechariah]] and [[Elizabeth (biblical figure)|Elizabeth]] and therefore their son [[John the Baptist]] were descendants of Aaron.<ref>{{Bibleverse||Luke|1:5|KJB}}</ref>

===Family tree===
{{Levi to Moses family tree}}