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Who is Aaron?
        AA'RON
        (mountaineer, or more probably, from another root, enlightened), the first high priest of the Jews; eldest son of Amram, the grandson, and Jochebed, the daughter, of Levi; brother of Miriam, who was several years older, and of Moses, who was three years younger. Ex 6:20 ; cf.Ex 2:1, Ex 6:4;Ex 7:7;Num 26:59. The family of Aaron belonged to the Kohathite branch of the tribe of Levi, the most numerous and powerful. This gave them prominence, so that the leadership naturally fell to them. When first mentioned he is called, Ex 4:14, the "Levite," which implies that he was a recognized leader in his tribe, and, as the first-born son, he would be the priest of the household. Aaron's wife was Elisheba, daughter of the prince of Judah, and he had four sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Ex 6:23. The greater portion of his life is passed over in silence by the Bible writers, and he was eighty-three years old before he is introduced to us. Moses had timidly declined to be the leader of his people out of captivity, and had assigned as a reason that he was "slow of speech and of a slow tongue," Ex 4:10; whereupon God tells him that Aaron, his brother, was coming toward him, evidently under divine direction, and that he would act as his mouthpiece, because he possessed in a high degree popular gifts of speech and argument. Thus brought together, and understanding their respective functions, the brothers started for the court of Pharaoh, and from that time on Aaron played a very prominent part in the drama of Israel's deliverance. Side by side Moses and Aaron stand before the Lord, before Pharaoh, before the enraged elders of Israel. Furnished with words, Aaron utters them in these several presences, works miracles, and evinces courage. His work was by no means easy, but he carried it on successfully. On the way to Sinai the battle with Amalek was fought, and Aaron joins Hur in holding up the weary arms of Moses. Ex 17:9,Ex 17:13. With his two sons, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, he and Moses saw the Lord.Ex 24. But when Moses was not with him, then he showed himself weak, and it will always be told, to his discredit, that he made the golden calf -- not, indeed, as a substitute for Jehovah, but rather as a concession. He proclaimed a feast to the Lord, but the people ran into great excesses, and as Moses was descending from the mount it was the noise of the dancing and music which so raised his anger. Ex 32. Notwithstanding this grievous sin Aaron and his sons were consecrated as the first priests of the Israelites. Ex 40:12-15; cf. Ex 28; Lev 8. See Priest. He was forbidden to mourn for his sons, Nadab and Abihu, who were destroyed for offering strange fire. Lev 10. Miriam, becoming jealous of Moses' wife, probably because her influence was weakened, induced Aaron to murmur against Moses on the ground that he assumed too much authority. Aaron deeply repented when rebuked, and joined with Moses in a prayer for Miriam's recovery. Num 12. See Miriam. Twenty years later the Lord interposed to vindicate Aaron's authority against Korah and his company, and by a miracle, the budding rod, confirmed the original choice. Num 16, Num 17. The plague which broke out was stopped by Aaron's atonement. He stood between the living and the dead. Aaron fell under the influence of whichever strong nature was nearest to his at the time. So he was carried away by Moses into sin at the waters of Meribah, and in punishment they were both kept out of the Promised Land. Aaron died first, upon Mount Hor, from whence he could obtain a distant view of Palestine, and there, in the presence of Moses, who stripped him of his priestly garments and put them upon Aaron's son, Eleazar, the first high priest, who for nearly forty years had discharged his sacred office, in spite of his faults thus highly exalted, fell, at the age of one hundred and twenty-three, under the dominion of the universal conqueror, and was buried upon the mountain. Num 20:23-29. A Mohammedan mosque marks the supposed grave of Aaron, on one of the two tops of Mount Hor, which is near Petra, in the desert. See Hor, Mount. Aaron is called the "saint of the Lord " with reference to his official character, Ps 106:16, but, as the most superficial study of his life shows, he was far from perfect. He was a better servant than master. He was weak in command, but faithful in duty. He yielded like wax to the impressions of the moment. Yet it may readily be believed that the people loved him, perhaps more than Moses, and that the mourning over his death, which lasted thirty days, Num 20:28, was sincere. One of the fasts of later Judaism was one in his memory, held on the first day of the fifth month, Ab, our July or August. The Jewish priesthood began in the family of Aaron and remained its possession, though not uninterruptedly, in the line of Eleazar; it passed into the family of Ithamar, the brother of Eleazar, in the person of Eli; but, in consequence of the excesses of Eli's sons, God declared that it should be taken from his family, 1 Sam 2:30, and this prophecy was fulfilled in the time of Solomon, who took the priesthood from Abiathar and restored it to Zadok, of the line of Eleazar. 1 Kgs 2:27.


Bibliography Information
Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'aaron' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
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