Editing Aaron (section)

===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.