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'''Aaron''' ([[Hebrew]]: '''אַהֲרֹן''', ''Ahărōn'') (2430 AM&ndash;m. ca. 2478 AM&ndash;1 Av 2552 AM) (1575 BC&ndash;m. ca. 1527 BC&ndash;13 August 1452 BC) was the older brother of [[Moses]] as recorded in the [[Book of Exodus]] in the [[Old Testament]] of the [[Bible]].<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Exodus|chap=7|verses=7}}</ref> and the first [[High Priest]] of the [[Israelite]]s. Aaron was the son of [[Amram]] and [[Jochebed]], of the tribe of [[Levi (tribe)|Levi]].<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Exodus|chap=6|verses=16-20}}</ref> He was appointed by [[the Lord]] to assist Moses in bringing the children of [[Israel]] out of [[Egypt]] and to be Moses' spokesman.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Exodus|chap=4|verses=10-16,27-31}}, {{Bible ref|book=Exodus|chap=5|verses=1-12}}</ref>. He was with Moses until his death (the fortieth year of the wanderings).

'''Aaron''' ([[Hebrew]]: '''אַהֲרֹן''', ''Ahărōn'') (2430 AM&ndash;m. ca. 2478 AM&ndash;1 Av 2552 AM) (1575 BC&ndash;m. ca. 1527 BC&ndash;13 August 1452 BC) was the older brother of [[Moses]] as recorded in the [[Book of Exodus]] in the [[Old Testament]] of the [[Bible]].<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Exodus|chap=7|verses=7}}</ref> and the first [[High Priest]] of the [[Israelite]]s. Aaron was the son of [[Amram]] and [[Jochebed]], of the tribe of [[Levi (tribe)|Levi]].<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Exodus|chap=6|verses=16-20}}</ref> He was appointed by [[the Lord]] to assist Moses in bringing the children of [[Israel]] out of [[Egypt]] and to be Moses' spokesman.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Exodus|chap=4|verses=10-16,27-31}}, {{Bible ref|book=Exodus|chap=5|verses=1-12}}</ref> He was with Moses until his death (the fortieth year of the wanderings).

== Life and family ==

== Life and family ==

== The Golden Calf ==

== The Golden Calf ==

In the fourth month of the first year after the Exodus, as the Israelites camped at [[Sinai]], Aaron was one of those who accompanied Moses up the mountain and saw the Lord <ref>{{Bible ref|book=Exodus|chap=19|verses=24}}, {{Bible ref|book=Exodus|chap=24|verses=1,9-11}}</ref>. When Moses and [[Joshua (Biblical leader)|Joshua]] were called up into the mount to commune with [[God]] (it was then that Moses received the [[Ten Commandments]] on the Tablets of Law), Aaron and [[Hur]] were appointed judges during their absence <ref>{{Bible ref|book=Exodus|chap=24|verses=14,18}}</ref>. On this occasion Aaron made a major mistake. While Moses was communing with God, God had strictly enjoined the people not to approach the mountain. Moses stayed on the mountain for forty days and forty nights, and toward the end of this period the people despaired of seeing Moses again. They then demanded that Aaron make them a [[God-substitute]]. Aaron asked the people to give him all their [[gold]] earrings. He melted these down and fashioned a [[Golden Calf]] for them. In response the people ran riot throughout the camp, and discipline broke down completely.

In the fourth month of the first year after the Exodus, as the Israelites camped at [[Sinai]], Aaron was one of those who accompanied Moses up the mountain and saw the Lord.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Exodus|chap=19|verses=24}}, {{Bible ref|book=Exodus|chap=24|verses=1,9-11}}</ref> When Moses and [[Joshua (Biblical leader)|Joshua]] were called up into the mount to commune with [[God]] (it was then that Moses received the [[Ten Commandments]] on the Tablets of Law), Aaron and [[Hur]] were appointed judges during their absence.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Exodus|chap=24|verses=14,18}}</ref> On this occasion Aaron made a major mistake. While Moses was communing with God, God had strictly enjoined the people not to approach the mountain. Moses stayed on the mountain for forty days and forty nights, and toward the end of this period the people despaired of seeing Moses again. They then demanded that Aaron make them a [[God-substitute]]. Aaron asked the people to give him all their [[gold]] earrings. He melted these down and fashioned a [[Golden Calf]] for them. In response the people ran riot throughout the camp, and discipline broke down completely.

Aaron never knew, unless Moses told him, how close God came to destroying the entire nation of Israel on this account and building a nation of Moses in its place. Moses came down from the mountain within one day of the fashioning of the calf. When he saw the calf, he broke the two tablets of law that he was carrying. He melted the calf, ground it to dust, scattered the dust onto a nearby pond, and forced the people to drink it. When Moses asked Aaron how he could have been so derelict in his responsibility, Aaron excused himself by saying that when he asked everyone to surrender their gold earrings and other jewelry, he melted it down, and the calf ''formed itself'' out of the melting pot.

Aaron never knew, unless Moses told him, how close God came to destroying the entire nation of Israel on this account and building a nation of Moses in its place. Moses came down from the mountain within one day of the fashioning of the calf. When he saw the calf, he broke the two tablets of law that he was carrying. He melted the calf, ground it to dust, scattered the dust onto a nearby pond, and forced the people to drink it. When Moses asked Aaron how he could have been so derelict in his responsibility, Aaron excused himself by saying that when he asked everyone to surrender their gold earrings and other jewelry, he melted it down, and the calf ''formed itself'' out of the melting pot.

Aaron became the first [[High Priest]] of Israel with the building of the [[Tabernacle]]. Moses returned to Mount Sinai to get new tablets of law to replace those he had broken. When Moses brought these new tablets to the camp, he conveyed the detailed instructions for the collection of materials and the design of the Tabernacle and its furnishings. The people contributed more than enough material, and the Tabernacle and its furnishings were completed before the first month (Abib) of the second year. The most important of these was the [[Ark of the Covenant]], into which Moses deposited the tablets of law.

Aaron became the first [[High Priest]] of Israel with the building of the [[Tabernacle]]. Moses returned to Mount Sinai to get new tablets of law to replace those he had broken. When Moses brought these new tablets to the camp, he conveyed the detailed instructions for the collection of materials and the design of the Tabernacle and its furnishings. The people contributed more than enough material, and the Tabernacle and its furnishings were completed before the first month (Abib) of the second year. The most important of these was the [[Ark of the Covenant]], into which Moses deposited the tablets of law.

Moses consecrated Aaron and his four sons to be the first priests.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Leviticus|chap=8|verses=9-13}}</ref>. Unhappily, Aaron's two elder sons, Nadab and Abihu, made a mistake that cost them their lives. By God's command, no one was to burn incense inside the [[Holy Place]] except by using fire from the [[brazen altar]], because God kindled that original fire and gave instructions that the people never allow that fire to go out. But Nadab and Abihu took coals from their own campfires to charge their censers. This "strange fire" was a grave enough offense, but then Nadab and Abihu compounded their outrage by offering the incense in front of the ark of the covenant in the [[Holy of Holies]]. God killed both men instantly. On that day, God made two related laws:

Moses consecrated Aaron and his four sons to be the first priests.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=Leviticus|chap=8|verses=9-13}}</ref> Unhappily, Aaron's two elder sons, Nadab and Abihu, made a mistake that cost them their lives. By God's command, no one was to burn incense inside the [[Holy Place]] except by using fire from the [[brazen altar]], because God kindled that original fire and gave instructions that the people never allow that fire to go out. But Nadab and Abihu took coals from their own campfires to charge their censers. This "strange fire" was a grave enough offense, but then Nadab and Abihu compounded their outrage by offering the incense in front of the ark of the covenant in the [[Holy of Holies]]. God killed both men instantly. On that day, God made two related laws:

# No one was ever to come into the Holy Place after drinking wine. Nadab and Abihu had been drinking wine before they gave their tragic demonstration.

# No one was ever to come into the Holy Place after drinking wine. Nadab and Abihu had been drinking wine before they gave their tragic demonstration.

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== See Also ==

== See also ==

* [[Aaron's Rod]]

* [[Aaron's Rod]]

* [[Israel]]

* [[Israel]]