Meaning of AARON

AARON
= «master» or «excellent».

Aaron, older brother of Moses, first high priest of the old law and a figure of primary importance in the events of the Exodus. He was the son of Amram and Jochebed of the Levitical lineage of Kohath (Ex. 6:20). He was born in Egypt three years before his brother (Ex. 7:7). He took Elizabeth as his wife, with whom he had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar (Ex. 6:23).

Associated by God with Moses as his interpreter or spokesman because of his eloquence (Ex. 4:13-16), he carried out this mission both before the people (Ex. 4:27-31) and in the presence of Pharaoh (Ex. 5:1-5), doing, with his brother, an office analogous to that of a prophet (Ex. 7:1-2). Under his direction he performed wonders superior to the Egyptian magicians (Ex. 7:8-12).

He intervened in the production of the plagues with which God broke Pharaoh's resistance to let his people go free, which caused the wise Egyptians to exclaim: "The finger of God is here" (Ex. 7: 1- 2). He accompanied Moses, although he is not expressly mentioned except in his missions before the sovereign (Ex. 8:21; 9:27; 10: 3, 8, 16; 11:10; 12: 1; Ps. 77:20).

A month after the departure from Egypt, in the desert of Sin, he had to listen, together with his brother, to the murmurings of the people, whom they appeased with the promise of manna and quails, Aaron seeing his authority reinforced, as he spoke. to the mob, with the appearance of the glory of Jehovah in the form of a cloud (Ex. 16:1-10). By order of Moses he kept an urn full of manna, which he placed together with the tables of the Law in the ark (Ex. 16:33-34). Defender of his brother also with prayer, we find him holding Moses' arms high until sunset, during the battle fought by Joshua against the Amalekites at Rephidim (Ex. 17: 8-13). At the banquet that Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, offers to the elders to strengthen family ties with Israel, Aaron also appears (Ex. 18:1-12).

He had the rare privilege of climbing Mount Sinai with Moses, accompanied by his sons Nadab and Abihu and the seventy elders of Israel, and of seeing God without losing his life, receiving the task, together with Hur, of resolving the difficulties that They could occur during the absence of the leader of Israel, which was to last for forty days and forty nights (Ex. 24:9-18).

Aaron gave in to the pressure of the people, fearful that Moses would not return, and had a golden calf made to march at the front of the caravan. Hoping to dissuade them, he asked them for the gold earrings they were wearing in their ears, but having removed all of the jewels, Aaron had them melted, in a simulation very similar to those they had known in Egypt, and the people shouted before him. : "Behold your God who brought you out of Egypt", meanwhile, the necessary equipment for a burnt offering and sacrifice the next morning was prepared (Ex. 32:1-6). The songs and dances were interrupted by the unexpected arrival of Moses, who, in anger, reduced the idol to ashes and threw them into the water, which the guilty people drank.

Moses reproached the conduct of his brother Aaron for having led the people to such an occasion of sin, and he himself would have perished as a victim of the revenge of the priests, who put about three thousand men to the sword, had Moses himself not intervened in your favor. The words he gave as an excuse for such a course of action indicate that he acted under duress from the people, blinded by their rebellion (Ex. 32:17-29).

The account of the promotion of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood gives an idea of the importance that the worship of Jehovah had in the law of Moses. His clothing is described in detail (Ex. 39:1-31), and the ceremonial of his taking possession, which culminated in Aaron's blessing to the people and the manifestation of the glory of Jehovah (Lev. 8-9). A lack of trust in the Word of God at Kadesh brought upon Aaron and Moses the punishment of not entering the promised land (Num. 20:1-13). He died at the age of 123 on Mount Hor, and the people mourned him for thirty days (Num. 20:22-29; Deut. 10:6; 32:50-51).

The priestly house is designated by the name “House of Aaron” (Ps. 115:10-12). His character lacked the firmness and leadership skills of his brother Moses, having sinned together with the people, although he knew how to humble himself and recognize his fault.

God uses those who, having sinned, repent and recognize their errors. His rod was kept in the ark (Heb. 9:4). His priesthood is a shadow of the unending, eternal, and perfect Priesthood of Christ (Heb. 5:1-10; 7:11-19). (See EXODUS, HIGH PRIEST.)

Despite his weaknesses, he was a type of Christ because he was called of God, and anointed; for having carried on his chest the names of the twelve tribes and for being the intercessor of the people by entering the sanctuary with the atoning blood on the day of atonement (Heb. 6:20).