After Moses had removed Aaron's garments and put them on his son Eleazar, Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. Moses removed Aaron’s garmentsThis phrase signifies a significant transition in the priesthood. The act of removing Aaron's garments is not merely a physical action but a symbolic transfer of the high priestly role from Aaron to his son Eleazar. In the Hebrew context, garments often represent one's role and authority. The high priestly garments, described in detail in Exodus, were a sign of Aaron's consecration and service to God. By removing them, Moses is enacting God's command for the transfer of this sacred office, highlighting the continuity of God's covenant and the importance of obedience to His instructions. and put them on his son Eleazar
This phrase marks the continuation of the priestly lineage through Eleazar. The Hebrew tradition places great emphasis on the passing of roles and responsibilities from one generation to the next, ensuring the stability and continuity of religious practices. Eleazar's receiving of the garments signifies his consecration and readiness to assume the duties of the high priest. This act underscores the importance of family and heritage in God's plan, as well as the faithfulness of God in maintaining His promises through successive generations. And Aaron died there on the mountaintop
Aaron's death on the mountaintop is a poignant moment, marking the end of an era. Aaron, who had been a central figure in the Exodus narrative, serving as Moses' spokesman and the first high priest, dies in a place of elevation, perhaps symbolizing his closeness to God at the end of his life. The mountaintop setting can be seen as a place of divine encounter and transition, reminiscent of other significant biblical events that occur on mountains. Aaron's death here fulfills God's earlier pronouncement that he would not enter the Promised Land due to his disobedience at Meribah, reminding us of the seriousness of sin and the holiness of God. When Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain
This phrase indicates the return to the community after the significant event of Aaron's death and the transfer of the priesthood. The descent from the mountain can symbolize a return to the responsibilities and challenges of leading the people. Moses and Eleazar coming down together signifies the unity and continuity of leadership, as well as the support Eleazar will have from Moses as he steps into his new role. This moment also serves as a reminder of the ongoing journey of the Israelites and the need for faithful leadership as they continue toward the Promised Land. Persons / Places / Events 1. MosesThe leader of the Israelites, chosen by God to lead His people out of Egypt and through the wilderness. He is responsible for transferring the priestly garments from Aaron to Eleazar. 2. AaronThe brother of Moses and the first high priest of Israel. His death marks a significant transition in the priesthood. 3. EleazarThe son of Aaron, who succeeds his father as high priest. This event signifies the continuation of the priestly line. 4. Mount HorThe location where Aaron dies and the priestly garments are transferred. It is a place of significant transition and change for the Israelites. 5. The IsraelitesThe people of God, witnessing the transition of priestly leadership, which underscores the continuity of God's covenant and promises. Teaching Points The Importance of God-Ordained Leadership TransitionsLeadership transitions are part of God's plan and purpose. Just as Aaron's priesthood was passed to Eleazar, God ensures continuity in His work through appointed leaders. The Significance of the PriesthoodThe priesthood is a vital aspect of Israel's relationship with God. The transfer of garments symbolizes the ongoing need for mediation between God and His people, ultimately fulfilled in Christ. Faithfulness in the Face of ChangeChange is inevitable, but God's promises remain steadfast. The Israelites had to trust in God's provision and plan as leadership changed. The Role of Obedience in God's PlanMoses' obedience in transferring the garments as instructed by God demonstrates the importance of following God's commands, even in difficult times. The Legacy of FaithAaron's legacy continued through Eleazar, reminding us of the impact of a faithful life and the importance of passing on faith to the next generation. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the transition of the priesthood from Aaron to Eleazar reflect God's faithfulness to His covenant with Israel? 2. In what ways can we see the importance of leadership transitions in our own church or community? 3. How does the role of the high priest in the Old Testament point to the ultimate high priesthood of Jesus Christ? 4. What can we learn from Moses' obedience in this passage about following God's instructions in our own lives? 5. How can we ensure that we are leaving a legacy of faith for the next generation, similar to Aaron's legacy through Eleazar? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 28Describes the priestly garments and the role of the high priest, providing context for the significance of the garments being transferred from Aaron to Eleazar. Hebrews 7Discusses the priesthood of Jesus, drawing parallels between the temporary priesthood of Aaron and the eternal priesthood of Christ. Deuteronomy 34Details the death of Moses, another significant leadership transition, highlighting the theme of God's faithfulness through generational changes. People Aaron, Egyptians, Eleazar, Israelites, Miriam, MosesPlaces Edom, Egypt, Kadesh-barnea, King's Highway, Meribah, Mount Hor, ZinTopics Aaron, Aaron's, Clotheth, Death, Died, Dieth, Eleazar, Elea'zar, Garments, Mount, Mountain, Robes, Stripped, StrippethDictionary of Bible Themes Numbers 20:28 5073 Aaron, priest Numbers 20:22-29 4254 mountains Numbers 20:23-29 7258 promised land, early history Numbers 20:28-29 5072 Aaron, spokesman Library August 17. "Speak Ye unto the Rock" (Num. xx. 8).
"Speak ye unto the Rock" (Num. xx. 8). The Holy Ghost is very sensitive, as love always is. You can conquer a wild beast by blows and chains, but you cannot conquer a woman's heart that way, or win the love of a sensitive nature; that must be wooed by the delicate touches of trust and affection. So the Holy Ghost has to be taken by a faith as delicate and sensitive as the gentle heart with whom it is coming in touch. One thought of unbelief, one expression of impatient distrust or fear, will instantly …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth The Waters of Meribah
'Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. 2. And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3. And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord! 4. And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Kadesh. Rekam, and that Double. Inquiry is Made, Whether the Doubling it in the Maps is Well Done.
The readers of the eastern interpreters will observe, that Kadesh is rendered by all Rekam, or in a sound very near it. In the Chaldee, it is 'Rekam': in the Syriac, 'Rekem': in the Arabic, 'Rakim'... There are two places noted by the name Rekam in the very bounds of the land,--to wit, the southern and eastern: that is, a double Kadesh. I. Of Kadesh, or Rekam, in the south part, there is no doubt. II. Of it, in the eastern part, there is this mention: "From Rekam to the east, and Rekam is as the …
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica The Baptist's Inquiry and Jesus' Discourse Suggested Thereby.
(Galilee.) ^A Matt. XI. 2-30; ^C Luke VII. 18-35. ^c 18 And the disciples of John told him of all these things. ^a 2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent by his disciples ^c 19 And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them unto the Lord [John had been cast into prison about December, a.d. 27, and it was now after the Passover, possibly in May or June, a.d. 28. Herod Antipas had cast John into prison because John had reproved him for taking his brother's wife. …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel Epistle xxviii. To Augustine, Bishop of the Angli .
To Augustine, Bishop of the Angli [136] . Gregory to Augustine, &c. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will (Luke ii. 14); because a grain of wheat, falling into the earth, has died, that it might not reign in heaven alone; even He by whose death we live, by whose weakness we are made strong, by whose suffering we are rescued from suffering, through whose love we seek in Britain for brethren whom we knew not, by whose gift we find those whom without knowing them we sought. …
Saint Gregory the Great—the Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great Travelling in Palestine --Roads, Inns, Hospitality, Custom-House Officers, Taxation, Publicans
It was the very busiest road in Palestine, on which the publican Levi Matthew sat at the receipt of "custom," when our Lord called him to the fellowship of the Gospel, and he then made that great feast to which he invited his fellow-publicans, that they also might see and hear Him in Whom he had found life and peace (Luke 5:29). For, it was the only truly international road of all those which passed through Palestine; indeed, it formed one of the great highways of the world's commerce. At the time …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life Peræa to Bethany. Raising of Lazarus.
^D John XI. 1-46. ^d 1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. [For Bethany and the sisters, see p. 478.] 2 And it was that Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair [John xii. 3 ], whose brother Lazarus was sick. [The anointing had not yet taken place, as John himself shows. For a similar anticipation see Matt. x. 4. There are five prominent Marys in the New Testament: those of Nazareth, Magdala and Bethany; the …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
THE ISRAELITES IN THE LAND OF CANAAN: THE JUDGES--THE PHILISTINES AND THE HEBREW KINGDOM--SAUL, DAVID, SOLOMON, THE DEFECTION OF THE TEN TRIBES--THE XXIst EGYPTIAN DYNASTY--SHESHONQ OR SHISHAK DAMASCUS. The Hebrews in the desert: their families, clans, and tribes--The Amorites and the Hebrews on the left bank of the Jordan--The conquest of Canaan and the native reaction against the Hebrews--The judges, Ehud, Deborah, Jerubbaal or Gideon and the Manassite supremacy; Abimelech, Jephihdh. The Philistines, …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 6 Backsliding.
"I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away."--Hosea xiv. 4. There are two kinds of backsliders. Some have never been converted: they have gone through the form of joining a Christian community and claim to be backsliders; but they never have, if I may use the expression, "slid forward." They may talk of backsliding; but they have never really been born again. They need to be treated differently from real back-sliders--those who have been born of the incorruptible …
Dwight L. Moody—The Way to God and How to Find It Numbers
Like the last part of Exodus, and the whole of Leviticus, the first part of Numbers, i.-x. 28--so called,[1] rather inappropriately, from the census in i., iii., (iv.), xxvi.--is unmistakably priestly in its interests and language. Beginning with a census of the men of war (i.) and the order of the camp (ii.), it devotes specific attention to the Levites, their numbers and duties (iii., iv.). Then follow laws for the exclusion of the unclean, v. 1-4, for determining the manner and amount of restitution …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Numbers 20:28 NIVNumbers 20:28 NLTNumbers 20:28 ESVNumbers 20:28 NASBNumbers 20:28 KJV
Numbers 20:28 Commentaries
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