Who
Moses’ elder brother and spokesman (Exodus 4:14), anointed the first high priest of Israel with his sons after him (Exodus 28–29; Leviticus 8). He made the golden calf, and was forgiven. When his priesthood was challenged, his rod “had sprouted, budded, produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds” overnight (Numbers 17:8), and it was kept in the Ark. Hebrews contrasts his priesthood with Christ’s, yet holds him up as one “called by God” (Hebrews 5:4). Elizabeth was “of the daughters of Aaron” (Luke 1:5). The hymns of the Eastern Church call Mary the rod of Aaron that blossomed without seed.
Key verses
- Exodus 4:14
The LORD’s anger burned against Moses, and he said, “What about Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Also, behold, he is coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.
- Exodus 28:1
“Bring Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, near to you from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to me in the priest’s office: Aaron, with Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons.
- Numbers 17:8
On the next day, Moses went into the Tent of the Testimony; and behold, Aaron’s rod for the house of Levi had sprouted, budded, produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds.
- Numbers 26:59
The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt. She bore to Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister.
- Hebrews 5:4
Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was.
Where the Bible names him
Named 341 times in 19 books.
- ✓ In the deuterocanon, which the verse index does not cover: found in the text and checked by hand.
Verse index: TIPNR, STEPBible.org (Tyndale House), CC BY 4.0.
Family
Discussed by
Comments on the verses that name him (8 of 13).
- Cyril of Alexandria on Luke 9:57–62Catena Aurea on Luke
Although the Almighty Lord is bountiful, He does not grant to every one absolutely and indiscriminately heavenly and divine gifts, but to those only who are worthy to receive them, who free themselves and their souls…
- Ambrose of Milan, Concerning Virgins I.1
St. Ambrose, reflecting upon the account he will have to give of his talents, determines to write, and consoles himself with certain examples of God’s mercy. Then recognizing his own deficiencies desires that he may…
- Gregory the Great, Epistles, Books I–VIII VII.2
To Cyriacus, Bishop. Gregory to Cyriacus, Bishop of Constantinople. We have received with becoming charity our common sons, George the presbyter and Theodore your deacon; and we rejoice that you have passed from the…
- Augustine of Hippo, On the Holy Trinity III.5
Why Miracles are Not Usual Works. 11. For since the divine power administers the whole spiritual and corporeal creature, the waters of the sea are summoned and poured out upon the face of the earth on certain days of…
- John Chrysostom, Homilies on Hebrews Homily 8
“For every high priest taken from among men, is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: who can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of…
- Gregory of Nazianzus, Letters Letter 6
Ep. VI. (Written about the same time, in a more serious vein.) What I wrote before about our stay in Pontus was in joke, not in earnest; what I write now is very much in earnest. O that one would place me as in the…
- Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures Lecture 11
On the Clause, and in One Lord Jesus Christ, with a Reading from the First Epistle to the Corinthians. On the Clause, and in One Lord Jesus Christ, with a Reading from the First Epistle to the Corinthians For though…
- Ambrose of Milan, Letters Letter 15
Epistle LXIII: To the Church at Vercellæ. Limenius, Bishop of Vercellæ, having died, the see remained long vacant owing to domestic factions. St. Ambrose, therefore, as Exarch, writes to the Christians at Vercellæ,…