Aaron

Aaron was an important figure in the Bible. He was the older brother of Moses and became the first high priest of the Israelites. Unlike Moses, who grew up in the home of an Egyptian king, Aaron stayed with his family.

When Moses spoke to the Egyptian king about freeing the Israelites, Aaron spoke for him. Special rules given to Moses allowed Aaron and his male descendants to become priests. Because of this, many Jewish priests today are believed to be directly related to Aaron.

The Bible says Aaron lived to be 123 years old. He died on a mountain called Mount Hor after the Israelites had left Egypt.

Biblical narrative

According to the Book of Exodus, Aaron helped Moses because Moses felt he couldn't speak well. God chose Aaron to be like a spokesperson for Moses. Aaron performed magic tricks, like turning his staff into a snake, by following Moses' instructions.

Aaron became the first high priest. He and his family were in charge of leading religious services and teaching God's rules to the people. They were specially chosen for this important role.

Historicity

Main articles: Moses § Historicity, and The Exodus § Origins and historicity

Some scholars think that stories about Moses and Aaron show different views from groups of people long ago. There were groups that followed Moses, groups connected to Aaron, and groups called the Levites. These groups did not always agree, especially during later times. Some stories show Moses as the main leader, while others give Aaron more importance. Even though the books try to show Moses and Aaron working together, the different opinions about who was more important stayed in the stories.

In religious traditions

In Jewish stories, Aaron was the first priest and the older brother of Moses. Moses was seen as the main leader and prophet, while Aaron helped him and served as a priest. Even though Moses was the main leader, Aaron was also respected and seen as equal to Moses at times.

In Christian traditions, Aaron is honored as a saint in some churches. He is remembered on special days along with Moses. In Islam, Aaron is also seen as a prophet and helper of Moses. The Quran tells stories of Aaron and praises him for his faith and guidance.

In art

Aaron is often shown together with Moses in Jewish and Christian art, especially in drawings and paintings of the Bible. You can usually tell Aaron by his special priest clothes, like a turban or a shiny piece of jewelry. He sometimes holds a container for burning incense or a special staff that bloomed. Aaron also appears in pictures of the special tent called the Tabernacle and its altar, like in old paintings from a building in Syria.

One famous silver altar from Germany shows Aaron with his container for incense, and it is kept in a museum in Paris. Aaron is also shown in some church decorations and statues. Sometimes he is drawn as a prophet holding a scroll. Artists have also shown scenes where people made a golden statue to worship, and Aaron is in those pictures too. Some artists have painted how Aaron and his sons were made priests.