Aaron (Hastings' Dictionary)

In the narratives of the Exodus, Aaron is, after Moses, the most prominent figure. Often appearing as the colleague or representative of the great leader and lawgiver, he is in particular the priest, and the head of the Israelitish priesthood. We must, however, distin- guish between our difTerent authorities in the Pent., for in the priestly narrative Aaron not tinnaturally occupies a far more important place than in the earlier account of JE.

In JE, Aaron is first introduced as Moses' brother, and with the title of the Levite, in Ex 4" J, where J', sending Moses on his mission to the Israelites, appoints him, on account of his fluency in speech, to be the spokesman of Moses to tne peoplis (vv. '*""). Aaron meets his brother in the mount of God ; together they return to Egypt and assemble the elders of the Israelites, before whom Aaron, instructed by Moses, delivers God's message and performs the appointed sims.

The people believe ; but when Moses and Aaron re- quest Pharaoh to grant the people temporary leave of absence, the king refuses to listen to them (Ex 4-6'). In the account of the plagues Aaron occupies quite a subordinate place, being the BUent companion of his brother. It is Moses who is sent to Pharaoh and announces the coming plagues (Ex 7'"- S'"- "• 9'"- "«'■ [J mainly]— with 10 contrast 10* ' he turned ').

Aaron is merely called in four times along with Moses to entreat for their removal (8-^ 9" 10"). Indeed it seems probable that the mention of Aaron in these passages is due, not to the original narrative of J, out to the editor who combined J and E ; for in each case Moses alone answers, and in his own name ; in 8" 9" 10'" his departure alone is men- tioned, while in 8" it is Moses alone who prays for the removal of the frogs.

In the history of the wanderings the passages relating to Aaron are for the most part derived from E, where indeed Miriam is described as the sister of Aaron (IS**). With Hur he assists Moses in holding up the rod of God to ensure the defeat of Amalek (n'"-" E), and together with the elders he is called to Jethro's aacrifice (18" E).

At Sinai,while priests and people remain below, Aaron accompanies Moses up the mountain (19* J), together with Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders of Israel (24"' '"") ; and when Moses with Joshua alone is about to approach still nearer to God, Aaron and Hur are temporarily appointed supreme judges of the people (24"' ' E).

Moses' absence being prolonged, Aaron, at the people's request, makes a golden calf as a visible symbol cf J", for which he afterwards weakly excuses himself to Moses, throwing the blame upon the people (32'-»- "•^). At a later period Aaron with Miriam opposes Moses, on the ground that they also are recipients of divine revelations, Miriam being apparently regarded as the leader on this occasion, since the punishment falls upon her (Nu 12 E).

Some further par- ticulars relating to Aaron are to be learnt from Dt, in passages apparently based on the narra- tive of JE ; namely the intercession oiTered by Moses on his account after the making of the golden calf (Dt 9*) ; the choice of Levi as the priestly tribe, probably in consequence of the zeal shown by them against the idolaters (10"-) ; the death of Aaron at Moserah (site unknown), and the succession of his son Eleazar to the priestly office (lO"-', the itinerary probably from E, cf.

Nu 2iia. 16. i8ff.) The last passage is important as showing that the tradition of a hereditary priest- hood in the family of Aaron was found even outside the priestly history. Comp. Jos 24^ E, where mention is made of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the son of Aaron.

It is, however, in the priestly tradition, where the institution of the ordinances of divine worship is described at length, that Aaron figures most prominently as the founder of the Israelitish priesthood, and becomes, indeed, with Moses the joint leader of the people. P records several details respecting Aaron's family : he is the son of Amram and Jochebed (Ex 6*'), and three years older than Moses {ib. V, Nu 33"). His wife was Elisheba, his sons Nadab, Abihu (cf. Ex 24'- » E ?), Eleazar (cf.

Jos 24^ E), and Ithamar. See Ex 6^ etc. A slightly different representation of Aaron's first commission is given in Ex 6''-7'' P, from that in the parallel narrative Ex 4-6' JE. Here Aaron is appointed the spokesman of Moses, not to the people, but to Pharaoh (see 7'), and it is before the king that Aaron works a wonder, turning his rod into a serpent. P'rom this point onwards the importance assigned to Aaron in P becomes very marked.

He regularly co- operates with Moses at the time of the Egyp. plagues, usually bringing these to pass by means of his rod in accordance with Moses' instructions (Ex 7""- 8°'- '"•). Many commands of God are addressed to both leaders alike (Ex g'"'" 12'- ", Lv U' 13' 14» 15', Nu 2', cf. 1>- "• ") ; they are consulted by the people (Nu 9' 15", cf. 13*'), and against both of them the murmurings of the people are directed (Ex 16^ Nu 14', cf." 163. «r c/i8 20^).

All this, however, does not prevent distinct and characteristic parts being assigned to each of them. Thus the first place is given to Moses throughout. He receives the divine revelation on Mount Sinai respecting the appointment of Aaron and his sons to the priest- hood (Ex '28'-' 29"), and upon the completion of the tabernacle solemnly consecrates tiiem, and otiers tha appointed sacrifices (Ex 29, Lv 8. 9).

Aaron, on the other hand, is specially 'the priest' (Ex Sl'^SS'i'SS", Lv 13^ Nu 18), who stays a plague by an offering of incense (Nu 16""); to his charge the tabernacle is committed {ib. 4'- "• "'• "), and to him the Levites are given in exchange for the firstborn {ib. S"'-). Aaron is distinguished from his sons, the inferior priests, by the anointing which he receives (Ex 29', Lv 8", cf. Ex 29», Lv 4S. ». Id QM.

xi 1632 ai'"'", Nu 35") : — passages which speak of his sons as being also anointed AAEONITES ABADIAS probably belone to the later additions to the Priestly Code (Ex 28" 30> 40", Lv 7", Nn 3»). Between the family of Aaron and the rest of the Levites a sharp distinction is drawn (see esp. Nu 3. 4). In tnis connection it is to be noticed that in the main portion of Nu 16 Korah's com- panions in his rebellion are called ' princes of the congregation' (10-), i.e. not all Levites (cf.

Nu 27') ; their complaints are directed against the exclusive claims of the tribe of Levi, and all mur- murings are finally silenced by the miraculous budding of the rod of Aaron, the representative of the house of Levi (Nu 17''"). But certain addi- tions seem to have been made to the chapter to emphasize a difl'erent point, and in these passages Korah's companions are regarded as wholly Levites, who protest against the superior claims of the house of Aaron ( N u 1 6«-"- '8-i»- *>-''').

See further, Priests ; also Aakonites, Aaron's Rod, Korah. For failing to show due honour to J' at Meribah Kadesh, in the fortieth year of the wanderings, Aaron was forbidden to enter the promised land (Nu 20''). Shortly afterwards, accompanied by Moses and his own son Eleazar, Aaron ascended Mount Hor, on the Iwrder of the land of Edom, and after being solemnly stripped of his priestly garments, which were put on Eleazar, died there at the age of 123 (Nu 20»-" 33*«- P).

The site of Mount Hor is uncertain, the traditional identification with Jebel Nebi Harun, S.W. of Petra, being very doubtful (see Dillm. on Nu 2(P) ; the itinerary of P (Nu 33""'') names six stages be- tween Moseroth (Dt 10 Moserah) and Mt. Hor. In the older literature outside the Pent., the mission of Moses and Aaron in Egypt is alluded to in Jos 24' E, and 1 S 12*' ' (a passage which has affinities with E).

Micah (6*) names as the leaders of the people at the time of the Exodus, Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, but Aaron is not mentioned elsewhere in the prophets. H. A. Whitb.