Israel's first high priest and Moses' spokesperson
El éxodoHigh priestProphetSpokesperson for MosesLeaderIntercessorc. 1530–1407 BC (died at age 123)
Aaron, Moses' older brother from the tribe of Levi, was appointed by God as prophet and spokesman for Moses before Pharaoh during the exodus from Egypt. As Israel's first high priest, he began a priesthood that would continue through generations, leading the people in worship and sacrifices at the tabernacle. Despite serious failures – especially when he yielded to the people's pressure and made the golden calf – God confirmed his calling by making his staff bloom and bear almonds. Aaron also demonstrated his intercessory role by standing between the living and the dead with the censer, stopping a deadly plague. The Aaronic priesthood formed the foundation of Old Testament sacrificial service and pointed forward to the ultimate high priest in Christ's priesthood according to the order of Melchizedek.
God sent Aaron to meet Moses in the wilderness to be his spokesman, because Moses felt he could not speak well enough. Aaron was to speak to the people and to Pharaoh on Moses' behalf.
14Then the LORD's anger burned against Moses, and he said, "What about your brother Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and when he sees you his heart will be glad.
Aaron spoke to Pharaoh on Moses' behalf and threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and the staff became a snake. When the magicians of Egypt did the same with their sorcery, Aaron's staff swallowed up theirs.
10So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD had commanded. Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent.
While Moses was away for a long time on Mount Sinai, Aaron gave in to the people's pressure and made a golden calf from their gold jewelry. The people worshiped the calf, which led to God's anger and serious consequences for Israel.
1When the people saw that Moses was taking so long to come down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, "Get up, make us gods to go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we have no idea what has become of him."
4He took the gold from their hands, shaped it with a tool, and made it into a molten calf. Then they said, "These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!"
6So the next morning they rose early, offered burnt offerings, and brought fellowship offerings. The people sat down to eat and drink, and then got up to indulge themselves.
Aaron and his sons were consecrated for priestly service through a seven-day ritual that included washing, putting on holy garments, anointing with oil, and offering sacrifices.
13Then Moses brought Aaron's sons forward, clothed them with tunics, tied sashes around them, and bound headdresses on them, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
30Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood from the altar and sprinkled it on Aaron and his garments, and on his sons and their garments. So he consecrated Aaron and his garments, and his sons and their garments with him.
33You must not leave the entrance to the tent of meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are complete, for your ordination will take seven days.
When a plague struck the people of Israel after Korah's rebellion, Aaron took the incense burner and stood between the dead and the living, and the plague stopped. This act showed Aaron's role as intercessor in his position as high priest.
11Moses said to Aaron, "Take your censer, put fire on it from the altar and lay incense on it, then hurry to the assembly and make atonement for them. Wrath has gone out from the LORD; the plague has begun."
12Aaron took it, as Moses had said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had indeed begun among the people, but he put in the incense and made atonement for the people.
When there was a rebellion against Aaron's priesthood, God caused his staff to bud and bear ripe almonds overnight as a sign that Aaron was God's chosen priest. The staff was kept as a lasting testimony.
17"Speak to the Israelites and get a staff from each of them, one for every ancestral house, from all their leaders according to their ancestral houses—twelve staffs. Write each man's name on his staff,
21So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and each of their leaders brought him a staff, one for each ancestral house—twelve staffs in all—and Aaron's staff was among them.
23The next day Moses went into the tent of the testimony, and there was Aaron's staff, the staff of the house of Levi: it had sprouted, put out buds, blossomed, and produced ripe almonds.
25The LORD said to Moses, "Put Aaron's staff back in front of the ark of the testimony, to be kept as a warning sign to these rebels. This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die."
Aaron died on Mount Hor at the border of the land of Edom. Before his death, his high priestly garments were taken from him and given to his son Eleazar, who took over the priestly service. All Israel mourned for Aaron for thirty days.
24"Aaron will be gathered to his people. He will not enter the land I have given to the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah.
28Moses removed Aaron's garments and put them on his son Eleazar. And Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain,