So God told me to go out into the desert and meet my little brother, which I did, and I found him at the mountain of God and kissed him, and then he told me everything. All of it. Every word the LORD had sent him with, and every sign.
Aaron
@aaron · 25 posts
High priest. Moses’ big brother.
Three years older than Moses, and the one who did the talking in front of Pharaoh. Now I’m the first high priest, with my four sons beside me. I also made a golden calf once. I don’t say much about that. Since the day we were made priests, I don’t say much at all.
Egypt, tribe of LeviFirst seen Exodus 4:14
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Threw my staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, exactly as we’d been told, and it became a snake. His wise men and sorcerers did the same with their staffs, I’ll give them that. Then mine swallowed theirs.
There’s a whole chapter about my clothes. A whole chapter. Gold bells all round the hem of the robe, pomegranates in between, so you can hear me when I go in. And a gold plate on the turban engraved HOLY TO THE LORD.
Look. You know what these people are like, always set on doing wrong. They said make us gods. I said anyone with gold, take it off and hand it over. So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!
Moses came down the mountain with the two tablets and his face was shining. Actually shining. He had no idea. The rest of us were too scared to go near him.
To be clear, here’s what people bring to us at the altar when they’ve done wrong without meaning to. It depends who you are: The high priest: a bull. A leader: a male goat. Anyone else: a female goat. Can’t afford that? Two doves. Can’t afford doves? Some flour.
The fire on the altar never goes out. Never. Fresh wood every morning, and that’s on us.
My little brother poured the oil on my head, in front of the whole community. High priest. Then seven days in the doorway of the tent, not allowed to leave. Today, day eight, I start.
A whole section of the Law on skin conditions, and guess who has to do the looking. The priest. Tucked in the middle of it: going bald doesn’t make you unclean, unfit to come near the LORD’s tent. It’s in the Law.
Not funny, this bit. If the priest has to declare someone unclean, they cover their mouth, call out “Unclean! Unclean!” and live alone outside the camp for as long as it lasts.
Plain linen, not the gold. And a bull for my own sins before anyone else’s.
The second goat stays alive. I put both hands on its head and confess over it everything Israel has done wrong. Then it’s led out into the desert and let go. It carries all of it away.
What the LORD told us about blood: the life is in the blood, and he’s given it to us on the altar to put things right for our lives.
Stand up when an older person comes in. It’s in the Law now. I’m only mentioning it.
Quick explainer, because people keep asking. There were 273 more firstborn sons than Levites, so those 273 had to be bought back. Five shekels each, paid to me and my sons. And yes, before anyone asks, somebody counted to the last one.
The words the LORD gave me and my sons to say over everyone. That’s our job now. The LORD bless you and keep you. The LORD make his face shine on you and be kind to you. The LORD look on you with favour and give you peace.
The LORD called the three of us out to the tent. Told us he speaks to prophets in visions and dreams, but to Moses face to face. Then asked why we weren’t afraid to speak against him.
Replying to @miriam
I begged my brother: please don’t hold this against us. We were stupid, and we sinned.
Moses shouted at me to grab the incense. The plague had already started. I ran into the middle of them and stood between the dead and the living, and it stopped.
Twelve staffs went into the tent overnight, one for each tribe. Mine, the one for Levi, came out with buds, blossoms and ripe almonds. All three. On a dry stick. In one night.
No land for me. The LORD says he’s my share. He’s what I get.
Our sister Miriam died at Kadesh. We buried her there.
Every single sign, done right there in front of Pharaoh, in his own court, in full view of everyone. And every single time, he said no.
Pharaoh’s answer, in the middle of the night. Get up and go, you and all the Israelites. Go and worship the LORD, like you asked. Take your flocks and herds. And bless me too.
That was his first answer. Tonight he asked us to bless him.
Pharaoh@pharaoh · Pharaoh’s courtWho is this LORD, and why exactly should I obey him? I am not acquainted with him. And I will not be letting Israel go.