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Aaron

An imagined portrait of Aaron in the style of a tinted engraving
An imagined, stylized portrait. No one knows what Aaron looked like. AI-generated
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In Exodus to Numbers, Moses's brother and spokesman and Israel's first high priest; he also makes the golden calf.

See Exodus 4:14, Exodus 4:16, Exodus 28:1, Exodus 32:4.

A staff in bloom marks Aaron in the reading view: his staff that budded, blossomed and bore almonds (Numbers 17:8).

A realistic AI imagining of Aaron

The same AI portrait re-imagined as a photograph. It is no more accurate than the stylized version: no one knows what Aaron looked like.

Mentioned in 331 verses across 16 books, first in Numbers 1:3. The verses below are the ones linked to this person (the Theographic dataset, with our sourced corrections).

In these stories

In the Bible

All 97 verses in Numbers, in Bible order. Text from the Berean Standard Bible; verse numbers follow the KJV.

Numbers

  • Numbers 1:3

    You and Aaron are to number those who are twenty years of age or older by their divisions—everyone who can serve in Israel’s army.

  • Numbers 1:17

    So Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name,

  • Numbers 1:44

    These were the men numbered by Moses and Aaron, with the assistance of the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family.

  • Numbers 2:1

    Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron:

  • Numbers 3:1

    This is the account of Aaron and Moses at the time the LORD spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai.

  • Numbers 3:2

    These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, then Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

  • Numbers 3:3

    These were Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests.

  • Numbers 3:4

    Nadab and Abihu, however, died in the presence of the LORD when they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai. And since they had no sons, only Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests during the lifetime of their father Aaron.

  • Numbers 3:6

    “Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him.

  • Numbers 3:9

    Assign the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they have been given exclusively to him from among the Israelites.

  • Numbers 3:10

    So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons to carry out the duties of the priesthood; but any outsider who approaches the tabernacle must be put to death.”

  • Numbers 3:32

    The chief of the leaders of the Levites was Eleazar son of Aaron the priest; he oversaw those responsible for the duties of the sanctuary.

  • Numbers 3:38

    Moses, Aaron, and Aaron’s sons were to camp to the east of the tabernacle, toward the sunrise, before the Tent of Meeting. They were to perform the duties of the sanctuary as a service on behalf of the Israelites; but any outsider who approached the sanctuary was to be put to death.

  • Numbers 3:39

    The total number of Levites that Moses and Aaron counted by their clans at the LORD’s command, including all the males a month old or more, was 22,000.

  • Numbers 3:48

    Give the money to Aaron and his sons as the redemption price for the excess among the Israelites.”

  • Numbers 3:51

    And Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons in obedience to the word of the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded him.

  • Numbers 4:1

    Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

  • Numbers 4:5

    Whenever the camp sets out, Aaron and his sons are to go in, take down the veil of the curtain, and cover the ark of the Testimony with it.

  • Numbers 4:15

    When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy objects and all their equipment, as soon as the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites shall come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy objects, or they will die. These are the transportation duties of the Kohathites regarding the Tent of Meeting.

  • Numbers 4:16

    Eleazar son of Aaron the priest shall oversee the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the daily grain offering, and the anointing oil. He has oversight of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including the holy objects and their utensils.”

  • Numbers 4:17

    Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

  • Numbers 4:19

    In order that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go in and assign each man his task and what he is to carry.

  • Numbers 4:27

    All the service of the Gershonites—all their transport duties and other work—is to be done at the direction of Aaron and his sons; you are to assign to them all that they are responsible to carry.

  • Numbers 4:28

    This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the Tent of Meeting, and their duties shall be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

  • Numbers 4:33

    This is the service of the Merarite clans according to all their work at the Tent of Meeting, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.”

  • Numbers 4:34

    So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of the congregation numbered the Kohathites by their clans and families,

  • Numbers 4:37

    These were counted from the Kohathite clans, everyone who could serve at the Tent of Meeting. Moses and Aaron numbered them according to the command of the LORD through Moses.

  • Numbers 4:41

    These were counted from the Gershonite clans who served at the Tent of Meeting, whom Moses and Aaron counted at the LORD’s command.

  • Numbers 4:45

    These were counted from the Merarite clans, whom Moses and Aaron numbered at the LORD’s command through Moses.

  • Numbers 4:46

    So Moses, Aaron, and the leaders of Israel numbered by their clans and families all the Levites

  • Numbers 6:23

    “Tell Aaron and his sons: This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

  • Numbers 7:8

    and he gave the Merarites four carts and eight oxen, as their service required, all under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

  • Numbers 8:2

    “Speak to Aaron and tell him: ‘When you set up the seven lamps, they are to light the area in front of the lampstand.’”

  • Numbers 8:3

    And Aaron did so; he set up the lamps facing toward the front of the lampstand, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

  • Numbers 8:11

    Aaron is to present the Levites before the LORD as a wave offering from the sons of Israel, so that they may perform the service of the LORD.

  • Numbers 8:13

    You are to have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons and then present them before the LORD as a wave offering.

  • Numbers 8:19

    And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites, to perform the service for the Israelites at the Tent of Meeting and to make atonement on their behalf, so that no plague will come against the Israelites when they approach the sanctuary.”

  • Numbers 8:20

    So Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation of Israel did with the Levites everything that the LORD had commanded Moses they should do.

  • Numbers 8:21

    The Levites purified themselves and washed their clothes, and Aaron presented them as a wave offering before the LORD. Aaron also made atonement for them to cleanse them.

  • Numbers 8:22

    After that, the Levites came to perform their service at the Tent of Meeting in the presence of Aaron and his sons. Thus they did with the Levites just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

  • Numbers 9:6

    But there were some men who were unclean due to a dead body, so they could not observe the Passover on that day. And they came before Moses and Aaron that same day

  • Numbers 10:8

    The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to sound the trumpets. This shall be a permanent statute for you and the generations to come.

  • Numbers 12:1

    Then Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married, for he had taken a Cushite wife.

  • Numbers 12:4

    And suddenly the LORD said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, “You three, come out to the Tent of Meeting.” So the three went out,

  • Numbers 12:5

    and the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, stood at the entrance to the Tent, and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When both of them had stepped forward,

  • Numbers 12:10

    As the cloud lifted from above the Tent, suddenly Miriam became leprous, white as snow. Aaron turned toward her, saw that she was leprous,

  • Numbers 12:11

    and said to Moses, “My lord, please do not hold against us this sin we have so foolishly committed.

  • Numbers 13:26

    and they went back to Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran at Kadesh. They brought back a report for the whole congregation and showed them the fruit of the land.

  • Numbers 14:2

    All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt, or if only we had died in this wilderness!

  • Numbers 14:5

    Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown before the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel.

  • Numbers 14:26

    Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

  • Numbers 15:33

    Those who found the man gathering wood brought him to Moses, Aaron, and the whole congregation,

  • Numbers 16:3

    They came together against Moses and Aaron and told them, “You have taken too much upon yourselves! For everyone in the entire congregation is holy, and the LORD is in their midst. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?”

  • Numbers 16:11

    Therefore, it is you and all your followers who have conspired against the LORD! As for Aaron, who is he that you should grumble against him?”

  • Numbers 16:16

    And Moses said to Korah, “You and all your followers are to appear before the LORD tomorrow—you and they and Aaron.

  • Numbers 16:17

    Each man is to take his censer, place incense in it, and present it before the LORD—250 censers. You and Aaron are to present your censers as well.”

  • Numbers 16:18

    So each man took his censer, put fire and incense in it, and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

  • Numbers 16:20

    And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

  • Numbers 16:37

    “Tell Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to remove the censers from the flames and to scatter the coals far away, because the censers are holy.

  • Numbers 16:40

    just as the LORD commanded him through Moses. This was to be a reminder to the Israelites that no outsider who is not a descendant of Aaron should approach to offer incense before the LORD, lest he become like Korah and his followers.

  • Numbers 16:41

    The next day the whole congregation of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, “You have killed the LORD’s people!”

  • Numbers 16:42

    But when the congregation gathered against them, Moses and Aaron turned toward the Tent of Meeting, and suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared.

  • Numbers 16:43

    Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the Tent of Meeting,

  • Numbers 16:46

    Moses said to Aaron, “Take your censer, place fire from the altar in it, and add incense. Go quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them, because wrath has come out from the LORD; the plague has begun.”

  • Numbers 16:47

    So Aaron took the censer as Moses had ordered and ran into the midst of the assembly. And seeing that the plague had begun among the people, he offered the incense and made atonement for the people.

  • Numbers 16:50

    Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, since the plague had been halted.

  • Numbers 17:3

    and write Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi, because there must be one staff for the head of each tribe.

  • Numbers 17:6

    So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and each of their leaders gave him a staff—one for each of the leaders of their tribes, twelve staffs in all. And Aaron’s staff was among them.

  • Numbers 17:8

    The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron’s staff, representing the house of Levi, had sprouted, put forth buds, blossomed, and produced almonds.

  • Numbers 17:10

    The LORD said to Moses, “Put Aaron’s staff back in front of the Testimony, to be kept as a sign for the rebellious, so that you may put an end to their grumbling against Me, lest they die.”

  • Numbers 18:1

    So the LORD said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your father’s house must bear the iniquity involving the sanctuary. And you and your sons alone must bear the iniquity involving your priesthood.

  • Numbers 18:8

    Then the LORD said to Aaron, “Behold, I have put you in charge of My offerings. As for all the sacred offerings of the Israelites, I have given them to you and your sons as a portion and a permanent statute.

  • Numbers 18:20

    Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.

  • Numbers 18:28

    So you are to present an offering to the LORD from all the tithes you receive from the Israelites, and from these you are to give the LORD’s offering to Aaron the priest.

  • Numbers 19:1

    Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

  • Numbers 20:2

    Now there was no water for the congregation, so they gathered against Moses and Aaron.

  • Numbers 20:6

    Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. They fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them.

  • Numbers 20:8

    “Take the staff and assemble the congregation. You and your brother Aaron are to speak to the rock while they watch, and it will pour out its water. You will bring out water from the rock and provide drink for the congregation and their livestock.”

  • Numbers 20:10

    Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly in front of the rock, and Moses said to them, “Listen now, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?”

  • Numbers 20:12

    But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me to show My holiness in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”

  • Numbers 20:23

    And at Mount Hor, near the border of the land of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

  • Numbers 20:24

    “Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will not enter the land that I have given the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against My command at the waters of Meribah.

  • Numbers 20:25

    Take Aaron and his son Eleazar and bring them up Mount Hor.

  • Numbers 20:26

    Remove Aaron’s priestly garments and put them on his son Eleazar. Aaron will be gathered to his people and will die there.”

  • Numbers 20:28

    After Moses had removed Aaron’s garments and put them on his son Eleazar, Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.

  • Numbers 20:29

    When the whole congregation saw that Aaron had died, the entire house of Israel mourned for him thirty days.

  • Numbers 25:7

    On seeing this, Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, got up from the assembly, took a spear in his hand,

  • Numbers 25:11

    “Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned My wrath away from the Israelites; for he was zealous for My sake among them, so that I did not consume the Israelites in My zeal.

  • Numbers 26:1

    After the plague had ended, the LORD said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron the priest,

  • Numbers 26:9

    and the sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. It was Dathan and Abiram, chosen by the congregation, who fought against Moses and Aaron with the followers of Korah who rebelled against the LORD.

  • Numbers 26:59

    and Amram’s wife was named Jochebed. She was also a daughter of Levi, born to Levi in Egypt. To Amram she bore Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam.

  • Numbers 26:60

    Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar were born to Aaron,

  • Numbers 26:64

    Among all these, however, there was not one who had been numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Wilderness of Sinai.

  • Numbers 27:13

    After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was;

  • Numbers 33:1

    These are the journeys of the Israelites when they came out of the land of Egypt by their divisions under the leadership of Moses and Aaron.

  • Numbers 33:38

    At the LORD’s command, Aaron the priest climbed Mount Hor and died there on the first day of the fifth month, in the fortieth year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt.

  • Numbers 33:39

    Aaron was 123 years old when he died on Mount Hor.

Events

Events the dataset lists Aaron as taking part in. Dates follow its Ussher–Jones reckoning (one of several traditional counts), not established history.

  1. c. 1491 BC
    Exodus from EgyptExodus 6:7–13:17 · at Egypt
  2. c. 1491 BC

Dictionary

From Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897), as attached to this record by Theographic. The entry is for the name and can describe more than one person who bore it. Easton wrote in 1897, and some of his views are now debated.

Read Easton’s entry

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).

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](/lev#Lev.8); [9](/lev#Lev.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](/num#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](/num#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).

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