Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible - Hardcover

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David Noel Freedman (1922–2008) was a prolific, influential biblical scholar and the longtime holder of an endowed chair in Hebrew biblical studies at the University of California, San Diego.


David Noel Freedman (1922'2008) was a prolific, influential biblical scholar and the longtime holder of an endowed chair in Hebrew biblical studies at the University of California, San Diego.

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Excerpt

A

A

A symbol used to designate the Codex Alexandrinus.

AARON (Heb.)

A descendant of Levi and brother of Moses (Exod.6:20; Num. 26:59; 1 Chr. 6:3[MT 5:22]), a co-leaderwith Moses and their sister Miriam leading the Israelitesout of Egypt through the wilderness (Mic.6:4; Exod. 4:10-16; 7:1-25), and Israel's first highpriest and ancestor of the priestly family ofAaronite priests (Exod. 28:1-2; Num. 18:1-7).

High Priest (Exodus-Numbers and Chronicles)

Aaron and his descendants are repeatedly featuredas central figures and the predominant priests ofIsrael's cult in Exodus-Numbers and 1-2 Chronicles.Approximately 85 percent of the total number(346) of references to Aaron in the Bible are concentratedin the pentateuchal books of Exodus, Leviticus,and Numbers. There, particularly in the socalledPriestly portions of the Pentateuch, Aaronand his sons are the exalted high priests who overseeIsrael's sacrifices and cult centered in the arkand tabernacle (Exod. 27-30). The Aaronites are incharge of the Urim and Thummim, the sacred lotsfor determining Yahweh's will (Exod. 28:30; Lev.8:5-9; Num. 27:21). Aaron and his sons are the onlypriests authorized to preside at various rituals andofferings (Lev. 6-8). The actual ordination ceremonyfor Aaron and his sons is narrated in Lev. 8-9.Lev. 21 lists a series of regulations designed tomaintain the holiness of the Aaronite priesthood.Aaron is a descendant of the priestly tribe of Levi(Exod. 6:16-25), but Aaron and his sons represent aspecial clan among the Levites who alone are authorizedto come near and officiate at rituals associatedwith the tent of meeting (Num. 3:5-10).Aaron and his sons are assigned the duty of blessingthe Israelites in the form of the so-calledAaronic benediction in Num. 6:22-27. The priestlypredominance of Aaron over other Levites is emphasizedin the revolt of Korah, Dathan, andAbiram in Num. 16, the budding of Aaron's rod inNum. 17, and the classification of priestly responsibilitiesamong the Aaronites and other Levites inNum. 18.

    The postexilic book of 1-2 Chronicles reflectsan exalted view of the Aaronite priesthood similarto that found in the Priestly tradition of the Pentateuch.Aaron and his descendants make offeringsand atonement at "the most holy place" (1 Chr.6:49[34]). The Aaronite priests are "set apart" fromother Levites for the most sacred duties of templeworship in burning incense, ministering, and blessing(1 Chr. 23-24; cf. 2 Chr. 26:16-21).

Elsewhere in the Old Testament

Allusions to Aaron or Aaronite priests are very rareor absent in other sections of the OT such as theDeuteronomistic history or the prophetic books.Even the exilic book of Ezekiel, which devotes significantattention to matters of priests and templeworship, never mentions Aaron or the Aaronites.Instead, Ezekiel designates another priestly group,the Zadokites, as the true high priests who receiveassistance from the Levites (Ezek. 40:46; 44:15:48:11). 1-2 Samuel and 1-2 Kings likewise rarelymention the Aaronite priesthood and instead focuson the Levites and the Zadokites as priests duringIsrael's monarchy (e.g., 1 Kgs. 2:27). Thus, theAaronic priesthood apparently played little role inmuch of the preexilic and exilic literature (Deuteronomistichistory, Ezekiel). However, the figure ofAaron and the Aaronite priesthood apparentlyemerged as the preeminent priestly group in theSecond Temple or postexilic period in charge ofworship and rituals in the Jerusalem temple.

Negative and Nonpriestly Portrayals

Sections of the Pentateuch that scholars often dateas earlier than the exilic Priestly traditions tend toportray Aaron in a nonpriestly role as a co-leaderwith Moses (Exod. 4:27-31; 11:10; 12:31; 16:33-34).These earlier traditions in the Pentateuch also portrayAaron negatively in opposition or rebellionagainst Moses or Yahweh (Exod. 32, the idolatry ofthe golden calf; Num. 12, the rebellion of Aaron andMiriam against Moses; Num. 20, the unfaithfulnessof Moses and Aaron in hitting the rock). The oneprophetic reference to Aaron in Mic. 6:4 lists Aaronas simply a co-leader of the Israelites in the wildernessalong with Moses and Miriam.

New Testament

Aaron's priesthood diminishes in importance inlight of the atoning significance of Jesus' death andresurrection in the NT. Acts 7:40 recalls Aaron'sidolatrous involvement with the golden calf. Thebook of Hebrews recognizes Aaron's legitimate roleas high priest (Heb. 5:4), and yet it affirms Christ asnow the greater high priest who arose "according tothe order of Melchizedek" (cf. Gen. 14:17-24) ratherthan "according to the order of Aaron" (Heb. 7:11).

Character: A Summary

The present form of the biblical text balancesAaron's prominence as leader and priest with anawareness of the potential for disobedience amongall leaders, even a high priest like Aaron (Exod.32:1-6, 25; Lev. 10:1-3; Num. 12:1-16; 20:1-13). Inthe end, both the high priest Aaron and the incomparableprophet and leader Moses are condemnedto die outside the Promised Land of Canaan (Num.20:12, 22-29; Deut. 34:1-12). Aaron, like many leadersand prominent figures in the Bible, is humanlyflawed, but he remained at the same time an effectiveagent for the blessing and saving work of Godamong God's people.

    Bibliography. A. Cody, A History of Old TestamentPriesthood. AnBib 35 (Rome, 1969); W. Horbury,"The Aaronic Priesthood in the Epistle to theHebrews," JSNT 19 (1983): 43-71; R. D. Nelson,Raising Up a Faithful Priest: Community and Priesthoodin Biblical Theology (Louisville, 1993); L.Sabourin, Priesthood: A Comparative Study. Studiesin the History of Religions 25 (Leiden, 1973).

Dennis T. Olson

AB (Heb.)

The fifth month of the Hebrew sacred calendar(July/Aug.); this postexilic name was borrowed bythe Jews from the Babylonian Abu. In this monththe grapes and figs are harvested and on the seventhday a great fast commemorates the destructionof Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar (587/586B.C.E.).

ABADDON (Heb.)

The "place of destruction" from the verb 'abad, "toperish" or "to fail." In its five occurrences in the OT(Ps. 88:ll[MT 12]; Job 26:6; 28:22; 31:12; Prov.15:11), it is a synonym of "Sheol."

    In the NT Gk. Abaddon is the name of an angelthat rules over the deadly swarm of locusts, whichthe visionary sees as plaguing humanity, and overhell itself (Rev. 9:11). The basis of this "personification"seems to trace back to Job 28:22, whereAbaddon speaks, along with "death."

Jim West

ABAGTHA (Heb.)

One of the seven eunuchs of King Ahasuerus(Xerxes I, ca. 480 B.C.E.) who served as his chamberlains(Esth. 1:10). The name is probably of MiddleIranian origin (perhaps "gift of good fortune").

ABANA (Heb.)

A river, along with the Pharpar River to the south,that feeds the vast Ghouta oasis wherein Damascusis located. The modern name of the river is Barada;its source is in a large pool high in the Anti-LebanonMountains (usually identified with Mt.Amana; cf. Cant. 4:8). The river descends eastwarddown the mountain, flows through Damascus, anddisappears into a marshy take E of the city. TheAbana and the Pharpar are largely responsible forthe fertility for which the region of Damascus is famous;they provide a hedge against the encroachmentof the eastern desert.

    Naaman, the commander of the Arameanforces, compares the Abana (Q Amana) and thePharpar to the Jordan River in which Elisha toldhim to wash seven times to cure his leprosy (2 Kgs.5:12).

Ronald A. Simkins

ABARIM (Heb.)

A...