He was called by God to speak for his brother Moses in the confrontation with Pharaoh and to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Negligence of the LORD's express command cost him the privilege of entering the promised land.
Aaron's genealogy and family
Exodus 6:20; Leviticus 10:1–3; Numbers 3:1–2; 1 Chronicles 6:3
Aaron was spokesman for Moses in Egypt
His call
Then the anger of the LORD burned against Moses, and He said, “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well, and he is now on his way to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. You are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth. I will help both of you to speak, and I will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you. He will be your spokesman, and it will be as if you were God to him.
The brothers meet and confront Pharaoh
Exodus 5:1 See also Exodus 4:27–28
After that, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let My people go, so that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’”
The command to lead the Israelites out of Egypt
Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge concerning both the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.
Aaron's staff
See also Exodus 7:8–12, Exodus 7:19–20, Exodus 8:5–6, Exodus 8:16–17
Pharaoh's hardness of heart
Subsequent events in Aaron's life
The LORD's instructions for the Passover
Exodus 12:43 See also Exodus 12:1–3
And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the statute of the Passover: No foreigner is to eat of it.
The Israelites grumble against Moses and Aaron
Aaron commemorates the LORD's provision of manna
The meeting of Aaron and Jethro
Aaron as census-taker
Numbers 1:3, Numbers 4:34, Numbers 4:46
Aaron as prayer partner
Aaron's jealousy and subsequent repentance
Numbers 12:1–2, Numbers 12:5, Numbers 12:11
Aaron makes the people a golden calf
Exodus 32:4 See also Exodus 32:1–3, Exodus 32:5; Acts 7:40
He took the gold from their hands, and with an engraving tool he fashioned it into a molten calf. And they said, “These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”
Moses rebukes him
Exodus 32:21–24, Exodus 32:35; Deuteronomy 9:20
Rebellion against Moses and Aaron
Numbers 14:2, Numbers 16:3, Numbers 16:11, Numbers 16:20–22, Numbers 16:39–48
Aaron's authority vindicated
Numbers 17:8 See also Numbers 17:10
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.
The LORD prevents Aaron and Moses from entering the promised land
The death of Aaron
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.