Eleazar (son of Aaron)

Israel's third high priest

El éxodoPriestLeaderc. 1500–1400 BC

Eleazar was the third son of Aaron and succeeded his father as high priest in Israel. He served faithfully through the wilderness journey and into the Promised Land, playing a central role in distributing Canaan among the tribes. His descendants continued the priesthood for generations.

Familia

Hechos clave

Consecrated for priestly service

Eleazar was consecrated along with his father Aaron and his brothers for priestly service at the tabernacle on Sinai.

1Now bring near to yourself your brother Aaron, and his sons with him, from among the Israelites, to serve me as priests: Aaron, and Aaron's sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
וְאַתָּ֡ה הַקְרֵ֣ב אֵלֶיךָ֩ אֶת־אַהֲרֹ֨ן אָחִ֜יךָ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֣יו אִתּ֗‪[t]‬וֹ מִתּ֛וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְכַהֲנוֹ־לִ֑י אַהֲרֹ֕ן נָדָ֧ב וַאֲבִיה֛וּא אֶלְעָזָ֥ר וְאִיתָמָ֖ר בְּנֵ֥י אַהֲרֹֽן׃ ‬
1The LORD said to Moses:
וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ ‬
2"Take Aaron and his sons with him, along with the garments, the anointing oil, the bull for the sin offering, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread,
קַ֤ח אֶֽת־אַהֲרֹן֙ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֣יו אִתּ֔וֹ וְאֵת֙ הַבְּגָדִ֔ים וְאֵ֖ת שֶׁ֣מֶן הַמִּשְׁחָ֑ה וְאֵ֣ת ׀ פַּ֣ר הֽ͏ַחַטָּ֗את וְאֵת֙ שְׁנֵ֣י הָֽאֵילִ֔ים וְאֵ֖ת סַ֥ל הַמַּצּֽוֹת׃ ‬
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.
וַיִּקַּ֨ח מֹשֶׁ֜ה מִשֶּׁ֣מֶן הַמִּשְׁחָ֗ה וּמִן־הַדָּם֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ֒ וַיַּ֤ז עַֽל־אַהֲרֹן֙ עַל־בְּגָדָ֔יו וְעַל־בָּנָ֛יו וְעַל־בִּגְדֵ֥י בָנָ֖יו אִתּ֑וֹ וַיְקַדֵּ֤שׁ אֶֽת־אַהֲרֹן֙ אֶת־בְּגָדָ֔יו וְאֶת־בָּנָ֛יו וְאֶת־בִּגְדֵ֥י בָנָ֖יו אִתּֽוֹ׃ ‬

Took over after the death of his brothers

When Nadab and Abihu died for offering unauthorized fire, Eleazar and Ithamar were given expanded responsibility in the priestly service.

1Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu each took his censer, put fire in it, laid incense on it, and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them.
וַיִּקְח֣וּ בְנֵֽי־אַ֠הֲרֹן נָדָ֨ב וַאֲבִיה֜וּא אִ֣ישׁ מַחְתָּת֗וֹ וַיִתְּנ֤וּ בָהֵן֙ אֵ֔שׁ וַיָּשִׂ֥ימוּ עָלֶ֖יהָ קְטֹ֑רֶת וַיַּקְרִ֜בוּ לִפְנֵ֤י יְהוָה֙ אֵ֣שׁ זָרָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹ֦א צִוָּ֖ה אֹתָֽם׃ ‬
2Then fire went out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.
וַתֵּ֥צֵא אֵ֛שׁ מִלִּפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה וַתֹּ֣אכַל אוֹתָ֑ם וַיָּמֻ֖תוּ לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ ‬
6Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not let your hair hang loose, and do not tear your garments, or you will die and wrath will come upon the whole congregation. But your brothers, the whole house of Israel, may mourn the burning that the LORD has kindled.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֣ה אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֡ן וּלְאֶלְעָזָר֩ וּלְאִֽיתָמָ֨ר ׀ בָּנָ֜יו רֽ͏ָאשֵׁיכֶ֥ם אַל־תִּפְרָ֣עוּ ׀ וּבִגְדֵיכֶ֤ם לֹֽא־תִפְרֹ֙מוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א תָמֻ֔תוּ וְעַ֥ל כָּל־הָעֵדָ֖ה יִקְצֹ֑ף וַאֲחֵיכֶם֙ כָּל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יִבְכּוּ֙ אֶת־הַשְּׂרֵפָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר שָׂרַ֥ף יְהוָֽה׃ ‬
12Moses said to Aaron and to his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, "Take the grain offering that is left from the food offerings of the LORD and eat it unleavened beside the altar, for it is most holy.
וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֗ן וְאֶ֣ל אֶ֠לְעָזָר וְאֶל־אִ֨יתָמָ֥ר ׀ בָּנָיו֮ הַנּֽוֹתָרִים֒ קְח֣וּ אֶת־הַמִּנְחָ֗ה הַנּוֹתֶ֙רֶת֙ מֵאִשֵּׁ֣י יְהוָ֔ה וְאִכְל֥וּהָ מַצּ֖וֹת אֵ֣צֶל הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַ כִּ֛י קֹ֥דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁ֖ים הִֽוא׃ ‬

Leader of the Levites

Eleazar was appointed as the chief leader of the Levites and had oversight over those who served in the sanctuary.

32The chief leader of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest; he had oversight of those charged with the care of the sanctuary.
וּנְשִׂיא֙ נְשִׂיאֵ֣י הַלֵּוִ֔י אֶלְעָזָ֖ר בֶּן־אַהֲרֹ֣ן הַכֹּהֵ֑ן פְּקֻדַּ֕ת שֹׁמְרֵ֖י מִשְׁמֶ֥רֶת הַקֹּֽדֶשׁ׃ ‬

Aaron's robe on Mount Hor

When Aaron was to die on Mount Hor, Moses took the priestly garments from Aaron and clothed Eleazar with them, and Eleazar became high priest.

25Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up Mount Hor.
קַ֚ח אֶֽת־אַהֲרֹ֔ן וְאֶת־אֶלְעָזָ֖ר בְּנ֑וֹ וְהַ֥עַל אֹתָ֖ם הֹ֥ר הָהָֽר׃ ‬
26Remove Aaron's garments and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will die there."
וְהַפְשֵׁ֤ט אֶֽת־אַהֲרֹן֙ אֶת־בְּגָדָ֔יו וְהִלְבַּשְׁתָּ֖ם אֶת־אֶלְעָזָ֣ר בְּנ֑וֹ וְאַהֲרֹ֥ן יֵאָסֵ֖ף וּמֵ֥ת שָֽׁם׃ ‬
27Moses did as the LORD commanded, and they went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community.
וַיַּ֣עַשׂ מֹשֶׁ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּ֣ה יְהוָ֑ה וֽ͏ַיַּעֲלוּ֙ אֶל־הֹ֣ר הָהָ֔ר לְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־הָעֵדָֽה׃ ‬
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,
וַיַּפְשֵׁט֩ מֹשֶׁ֨ה אֶֽת־אַהֲרֹ֜ן אֶת־בְּגָדָ֗יו וַיַּלְבֵּ֤שׁ אֹתָם֙ אֶת־אֶלְעָזָ֣ר בְּנ֔וֹ וַיָּ֧מָת אַהֲרֹ֛ן שָׁ֖ם בְּרֹ֣אשׁ הָהָ֑ר וַיֵּ֧רֶד מֹשֶׁ֛ה וְאֶלְעָזָ֖ר מִן־הָהָֽר׃ ‬

Distribution of the land of Canaan

Together with Joshua, Eleazar led the distribution of the promised land among the tribes of Israel by casting lots.

1These are the inheritances the Israelites received in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the ancestral houses of the tribes of Israel allotted to them.
וְאֵ֛לֶּה אֲשֶׁר־נָחֲל֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִֽחֲל֜וּ אוֹתָ֗ם אֶלְעָזָ֤ר הַכֹּהֵן֙ וִיהוֹשֻׁ֣עַ בִּן־נ֔וּן וְרָאשֵׁ֛י אֲב֥וֹת הַמַּטּ֖וֹת לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ ‬
51These are the inheritances that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the tribes of Israel assigned by lot at Shiloh, before the LORD at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And so they finished dividing the land.
אֵ֣לֶּה הַנְּחָלֹ֡ת אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִחֲל֣וּ אֶלְעָזָ֣ר הַכֹּהֵ֣ן ׀ וִיהוֹשֻׁ֪עַ בִּן־נ֟וּן וְרָאשֵׁ֣י הָֽאָב֣וֹת לְמַטּוֹת֩ בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל ׀ בְּגוֹרָ֤ל ׀ בְּשִׁלֹה֙ לִפְנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וַיְכַלּ֕וּ מֵֽחַלֵּ֖ק אֶת־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ פ ‬

Death and burial

Eleazar died and was buried on a hill in the hill country of Ephraim that belonged to his son Phinehas.

33Eleazar son of Aaron also died, and they buried him at Gibeah, which belonged to his son Phinehas and had been given to him in the hill country of Ephraim.
וְאֶלְעָזָ֥ר בֶּֽן־אַהֲרֹ֖ן מֵ֑ת וַיִּקְבְּר֣וּ אֹת֗וֹ בְּגִבְעַת֙ פִּֽינְחָ֣ס בְּנ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִתַּן־ל֖וֹ בְּהַ֥ר אֶפְרָֽיִם׃ ‬