Moses' brother, first high priest of Israel
Aaron
Named in 333 verses across 16 books, first in Exodus 4:14.
אַהֲרֹןAaron
ἈαρώνAaron
The name means “a teacher; lofty; mountain of strength.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869
About Aaron Written by AI
Aaron was the older brother of Moses and Miriam, from the tribe of Levi. God appointed Aaron to be Moses' spokesman when Moses was called to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Aaron performed signs before Pharaoh, including turning his staff into a snake. He assisted Moses during the Exodus, including holding up Moses' arms during the battle against the Amalekites. God chose Aaron and his descendants to serve as priests for the Israelites. Aaron was consecrated as the first high priest and wore special priestly garments. He was responsible for offering sacrifices, burning incense, and performing other priestly duties in the tabernacle. Aaron also played a role in several significant events, such as the golden calf incident and the rebellion of Korah. Aaron married Elisheba, and they had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord. Aaron died at the age of 123 on Mount Hor, and his son Eleazar succeeded him as high priest. Despite his flaws, Aaron was a key figure in Israel's history and played a crucial role in establishing the priesthood.
Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.
Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897
The eldest son of Amram and Jochebed, a daughter of Levi (Ex. 6:20). Some explain the name as meaning mountaineer, others mountain of strength, illuminator. He was born in Egypt three years before his brother Moses, and a number of years after his sister Miriam (2:1,4; 7:7). He married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab of the house of Judah (6:23; 1 Chr. 2:10), by whom he had four sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. When the time for the deliverance of Isarael out of Egypt drew nigh, he was sent by God (Ex. 4:14,27-30) to meet his long-absent brother, that he might co-operate with him in all that they were required to do in bringing about the Exodus. He was to be the “mouth” or “prophet” of Moses, i.e., was to speak for him, because he was a man of a ready utterance (7:1,2,9,10,19). He was faithful to his trust, and stood by Moses in all his interviews with Pharaoh.
When the ransomed tribes fought their first battle with Amalek in Rephidim, Moses stood on a hill overlooking the scene of the conflict with the rod of God in his outstretched hand. On this occasion he was attended by Aaron and Hur, his sister’s husband, who held up his wearied hands till Joshua and the chosen warriors of Israel gained the victory (17:8-13).
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Afterwards, when encamped before Sinai, and when Moses at the command of God ascended the mount to receive the tables of the law, Aaron and his two sons, Nadab and Abihu, along with seventy of the elders of Israel, were permitted to accompany him part of the way, and to behold afar off the manifestation of the glory of Israel’s God (Ex. 19:24; 24:9-11). While Moses remained on the mountain with God, Aaron returned unto the people; and yielding through fear, or ignorance, or instability of character, to their clamour, made unto them a golden calf, and set it up as an object of worship (Ex. 32:4; Ps. 106:19). On the return of Moses to the camp, Aaron was sternly rebuked by him for the part he had acted in this matter; but he interceded for him before God, who forgave his sin (Deut. 9:20).
On the mount, Moses received instructions regarding the system of worship which was to be set up among the people; and in accordance therewith Aaron and his sons were consecrated to the priest’s office (Lev. 8; 9). Aaron, as high priest, held henceforth the prominent place appertaining to that office.
When Israel had reached Hazeroth, in “the wilderness of Paran,” Aaron joined with his sister Miriam in murmuring against Moses, “because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married,” probably after the death of Zipporah. But the Lord vindicated his servant Moses, and punished Miriam with leprosy (Num. 12). Aaron acknowledged his own and his sister’s guilt, and at the intercession of Moses they were forgiven.
Twenty years after this, when the children of Israel were encamped in the wilderness of Paran, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram conspired against Aaron and his sons; but a fearful judgment from God fell upon them, and they were destroyed, and the next day thousands of the people also perished by a fierce pestilence, the ravages of which were only stayed by the interposition of Aaron (Num. 16). That there might be further evidence of the divine appointment of Aaron to the priestly office, the chiefs of the tribes were each required to bring to Moses a rod bearing on it the name of his tribe. And these, along with the rod of Aaron for the tribe of Levi, were laid up overnight in the tabernacle, and in the morning it was found that while the other rods remained unchanged, that of Aaron “for the house of Levi” budded, blossomed, and yielded almonds (Num. 17:1-10). This rod was afterwards preserved in the tabernacle (Heb. 9:4) as a memorial of the divine attestation of his appointment to the priesthood.
Aaron was implicated in the sin of his brother at Meribah (Num. 20:8-13), and on that account was not permitted to enter the Promised Land. When the tribes arrived at Mount Hor, “in the edge of the land of Edom,” at the command of God Moses led Aaron and his son Eleazar to the top of that mountain, in the sight of all the people. There he stripped Aaron of his priestly vestments, and put them upon Eleazar; and there Aaron died on the top of the mount, being 123 years old (Num. 20:23-29. Comp. Deut. 10:6; 32:50), and was “gathered unto his people.” The people, “even all the house of Israel,” mourned for him thirty days. Of Aaron’s sons two survived him, Eleazar, whose family held the high-priesthood till the time of Eli; and Ithamar, in whose family, beginning with Eli, the high-priesthood was held till the time of Solomon. Aaron’s other two sons had been struck dead (Lev. 10:1,2) for the daring impiety of offering “strange fire” on the alter of incense.
The Arabs still show with veneration the traditionary site of Aaron’s grave on one of the two summits of Mount Hor, which is marked by a Mohammedan chapel. His name is mentioned in the Koran, and there are found in the writings of the rabbins many fabulous stories regarding him.
He was the first anointed priest. His descendants, “the house of Aaron,” constituted the priesthood in general. In the time of David they were very numerous (1 Chr. 12:27). The other branches of the tribe of Levi held subordinate positions in connection with the sacred office. Aaron was a type of Christ in his official character as the high priest. His priesthood was a “shadow of heavenly things,” and was intended to lead the people of Israel to look forward to the time when “another priest” would arise “after the order of Melchizedek” (Heb. 6:20). (See MOSES.)
M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.
Where the Bible names him
- Exodus 4:14
Then the anger of the LORD burned against Moses, and He said, “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well, and he is now on his way to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.
- Exodus 4:27
Meanwhile, the LORD had said to Aaron, “Go and meet Moses in the wilderness.” So he went and met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him.
- Exodus 4:28
And Moses told Aaron everything the LORD had sent him to say, and all the signs He had commanded him to perform.
- Exodus 4:29
Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the Israelites,
- Exodus 4:30
and Aaron relayed everything the LORD had said to Moses. And Moses performed the signs before the people,
- Exodus 5:1
After that, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let My people go, so that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’”
- Exodus 5:4
But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you draw the people away from their work? Get back to your labor!”
- Exodus 5:20
When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them.
- Exodus 6:13
Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge concerning both the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.
- Exodus 6:20
And Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.
- Exodus 6:23
And Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
- Exodus 6:25
Aaron’s son Eleazar married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These were the heads of the Levite families by their clans.
- Exodus 6:26
It was this Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, “Bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt by their divisions.”
- Exodus 6:27
Moses and Aaron were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt in order to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.
- Exodus 7:1
The LORD answered Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.
- Exodus 7:2
You are to speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his land.
- Exodus 7:6
So Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded them.
- Exodus 7:7
Moses was eighty years old and Aaron was eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.
- Exodus 7:8
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
- Exodus 7:9
“When Pharaoh tells you, ‘Perform a miracle,’ you are to say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ and it will become a serpent.”
- Exodus 7:10
So 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.
- Exodus 7:12
Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up the other staffs.
- Exodus 7:19
And the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over their rivers and canals and ponds and all the reservoirs—that they may become blood.’ There will be blood throughout the land of Egypt, even in the vessels of wood and stone.”
- Exodus 7:20
Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded; in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials, Aaron raised the staff and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was turned to blood.
- Exodus 8:5
And the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers and canals and ponds, and cause the frogs to come up onto the land of Egypt.’”
- Exodus 8:6
So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.
- Exodus 8:8
Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people. Then I will let your people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.”
- Exodus 8:12
After Moses and Aaron had left Pharaoh, Moses cried out to the LORD for help with the frogs that He had brought against Pharaoh.
- Exodus 8:16
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, that it may turn into swarms of gnats throughout the land of Egypt.’”
- Exodus 8:17
This they did, and when Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, gnats came upon man and beast. All the dust of the earth turned into gnats throughout the land of Egypt.
- Exodus 8:25
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within this land.”
- Exodus 9:8
Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from the furnace; in the sight of Pharaoh, Moses is to toss it into the air.
- Exodus 9:27
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said. “The LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.
- Exodus 10:3
So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and told him, “This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, so that they may worship Me.
- Exodus 10:8
So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. “Go, worship the LORD your God,” he said. “But who exactly will be going?”
- Exodus 10:16
Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you.
- Exodus 11:10
Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that he would not let the Israelites go out of his land.
- Exodus 12:1
Now the LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
- Exodus 12:28
And the Israelites went and did just what the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron.
- Exodus 12:31
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, “Get up, leave my people, both you and the Israelites! Go, worship the LORD as you have requested.
And 293 more
Exodus 12:43, 12:50, 15:20, 16:2, 16:6, 16:9, 16:10, 16:33, 16:34, 17:10, 17:12, 18:12, 19:24, 24:1, 24:9, 24:14, 27:21, 28:1, 28:2, 28:3, 28:4, 28:12, 28:29, 28:30, 28:35, 28:38, 28:40, 28:41, 28:43, 29:4, 29:5, 29:9, 29:10, 29:15, 29:19, 29:20, 29:21, 29:24, 29:26, 29:27, 29:28, 29:29, 29:32, 29:35, 29:44, 30:7, 30:8, 30:10, 30:19, 30:30, 31:10, 32:1, 32:2, 32:3, 32:5, 32:21, 32:22, 32:25, 32:35, 34:30, 34:31, 35:19, 38:21, 39:1, 39:27, 39:41, 40:12, 40:13, 40:31
Leviticus 1:5, 1:7, 1:8, 1:11, 2:2, 2:3, 2:10, 3:2, 3:5, 3:8, 3:13, 6:9, 6:14, 6:16, 6:18, 6:20, 6:25, 7:10, 7:31, 7:33, 7:34, 7:35, 8:2, 8:6, 8:12, 8:13, 8:14, 8:18, 8:22, 8:23, 8:24, 8:27, 8:30, 8:31, 8:36, 9:1, 9:2, 9:7, 9:8, 9:9, 9:12, 9:18, 9:21, 9:22, 9:23, 10:1, 10:3, 10:4, 10:6, 10:8, 10:12, 10:16, 10:19, 11:1, 13:1, 13:2, 14:33, 15:1, 16:1, 16:2, 16:3, 16:6, 16:8, 16:9, 16:11, 16:21, 16:23, 17:2, 21:1, 21:17, 21:21, 21:24, 22:2, 22:4, 22:18, 24:3, 24:9
Numbers 1:3, 1:17, 1:44, 2:1, 3:1, 3:2, 3:3, 3:4, 3:6, 3:9, 3:10, 3:32, 3:38, 3:39, 3:48, 3:51, 4:1, 4:5, 4:15, 4:16, 4:17, 4:19, 4:27, 4:28, 4:33, 4:34, 4:37, 4:41, 4:45, 4:46, 6:23, 7:8, 8:2, 8:3, 8:11, 8:13, 8:19, 8:20, 8:21, 8:22, 9:6, 10:8, 12:1, 12:4, 12:5, 12:10, 12:11, 13:26, 14:2, 14:5, 14:26, 15:33, 16:3, 16:11, 16:16, 16:17, 16:18, 16:20, 16:37, 16:40, 16:41, 16:42, 16:43, 16:46, 16:47, 16:50, 17:3, 17:6, 17:8, 17:10, 18:1, 18:8, 18:20, 18:28, 19:1, 20:2, 20:6, 20:8, 20:10, 20:12, 20:23, 20:24, 20:25, 20:26, 20:28, 20:29, 25:7, 25:11, 26:1, 26:9, 26:59, 26:60, 26:64, 27:13, 33:1, 33:38, 33:39
Joshua 21:4, 21:10, 21:13, 21:19, 24:5, 24:33
Judges 20:28
1 Chronicles 6:3, 6:49, 6:50, 6:54, 6:57, 12:27, 15:4, 23:13, 23:28, 23:32, 24:1, 24:19, 24:31, 27:17
2 Chronicles 13:9, 13:10, 26:18, 29:21, 31:19, 35:14
Ezra 7:5
Psalms 77:20, 99:6, 105:26, 106:16, 115:10, 115:12, 118:3, 133:2, 135:19
Micah 6:4
Luke 1:5
Acts 7:40
From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.