Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
Numbers 20:22-29
3). The Death of Aaron (Numbers 20:22).
This advance forward was evidence of a new beginning. This was confirmed by the fact that as a result of his sins over the Cushite wife of Moses (Numbers 12:11) and at Meribah (Numbers 20:12) Aaron was to die and be replaced by his son who would introduce the new era (Numbers 35:25; Numbers 35:28). Note that apart from the final verse the incident is not described in terms of being a sad occasion, although it was for Aaron for he had failed to achieve the final goal, but simply as a solemn moving forward of God's purposes. However, God would still achieve His final goal, but He would do it without Aaron. We must beware of ever thinking that we are indispensable, with the result that we grow careless. For God can soon strip us down.
Analysis.
a Aaron to die and not to enter the land (Numbers 20:22).
b Aaron to be stripped of his garments on Mount Hor and Eliezer, his son, appointed (Numbers 20:25).
c Moses obeys Yahweh's command and ascends with them into Mount Hor in the sight of the people (Numbers 20:27)
b Aaron is stripped of his garments and Eliezer, his son, appointed (Numbers 20:28).
a Aaron seen to be dead and mourned for (Numbers 20:29)
Aaron Was to Die and Not Enter The Land (Numbers 20:22).
‘And they journeyed from Kadesh: and the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came to mount Hor.'
They journeyed from the place where Yahweh had been revealed as holy in their eyes, and skirting round Edom came to Mount Hor, whose whereabouts is unknown. Edom was in mountainous country. Mount Hor was ‘on the way of Atharim' (Numbers 21:1). We do not have enough information to know which route round Edom Israel took, but this may suggest the western border in view of the forthcoming clash with the Canaanites (assuming the order to be chronological, which it may not be. It may be more in theological order. But see Numbers 33:40 which also supports the chronological order).
‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron in mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom, saying,'
This would be the last time that Yahweh spoke to ‘Moses and Aaron'. Soon Aaron would be no more. We are simply told that Mount Hor was by the border of the land of Edom. Elsewhere we learn that it was near Moserah (Deuteronomy 10:6), but that is also unidentifiable. This is not surprising. Different names would be given to places by different peoples, and this was not settled land. But both were clearly identifiable at the time of writing. Moserah (chastisement) was not necessarily the same place as Moseroth (plural of Moserah - strong chastisement) (Numbers 33:30). See commentary on Deuteronomy 10:6. Indeed it would seem that Moses (or the people) liked to give duplicate names (as with Meribah) in order to back up Yahweh's repeated lessons. The giving of the name would bring to mind what had happened preciously. It was a wise teaching technique.
“ Aaron shall be gathered to his people; for he shall not enter into the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you (ye) rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah.'
The time had come for the death of Aaron as chastisement (moserah) for his failures. After the failure of Moses and Aaron at ‘the waters of Meribah' there had to be a new beginning, although even now it was not yet time for Moses to be replaced. But it was now time for Aaron's replacement to take over. It was the next step in the new beginning.
However, it should be noted that neither Moses nor Aaron were ‘struck down'. Both died with dignity. God did not overlook their years of faithful service. Being ‘gathered to his fathers' indicated proper burial, and that he was not dying under God's judgment. He was joining the faithful who had gone before (Genesis 25:8; Genesis 25:17; Genesis 35:29; Genesis 49:33).
Yet in all this it was made clear that what was happening was within the will of Yahweh. It was not to be seen as a disaster but as Yahweh's next step forward.
Aaron Was To Be Stripped of His Garments on Mount Hor and Eliezer, His Son, Appointed (Numbers 20:25).
It is apparent from what is described that Aaron had ascended the mountain in his High Priestly regalia. For this was a solemn ceremonial in which one High Priest was replaced by another.
“ Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to mount Hor, and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son. And Aaron shall be gathered to his people, and shall die there.”
Moses was therefore commanded to take Aaron and Eleazar up into Mount Hor, where Aaron was to be stripped of his High Priestly garments which were then to put on his son Eleazar who was to be the new High Priest. Such a lofty place was seen as bringing men nearer to God, but had the advantage of not being too public. Aaron was to be allowed to be replaced in quiet and private dignity. And it was to be the place where he would die and be buried. It was a reminder that the High Priesthood did not pass at the will of man but at the will of Yahweh.
‘And Moses did as Yahweh commanded: and they went up to mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.'
So in accordance with Yahweh's commandment (a constant stress throughout the Pentateuch) Moses took Aaron and Eleazar into the mountain.
Yet to some extent the people were being made aware that some change was taking place for they were aware of their entry into the mountain. It was not something done in secret. However, they were used to the fact that when Moses took men into a mountain they would have a special revelation of God (Exodus 24:1; Exodus 24:9) and that it was not a place for them to be, and they waited patiently for their return.
‘And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mount, and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mount.'
And there in the mountain Moses took off from Aaron his High Priestly garments and put them on his son. Provision would undoubtedly have been made for this to happen with all decency. Indeed the likelihood is that both were wearing a similar priestly undergarment and that it was only the top garments that were exchanged. But the change signified to both that Eleazar was now taking Aaron's place as High Priest of the whole of Israel. A new epoch was beginning (Numbers 35:25; Numbers 35:28). And there Aaron died after a long and useful life and there he joined his fathers.
Numbers 35:25; Numbers 35:28; Numbers 35:32 make clear that the death of the High Priest in some way counters the defilement of the land by the innocent shedding of blood. The High Priest represented the whole people. Thus his death may have been seen as having an atoning significance for innocent failure. Through it the land may have been seen as being cleansed from the shedding of innocent blood through the necessary death of a representative. It may suggest that in the High Priest Israel as it were died and was reborn. But this idea is not specifically stated, is never suggested and does not appear elsewhere. So it may rather be that it was seen as a carrying out of the principle of a life for a life. That was why until a death of his representative had take place the slayer had to remain in the city of refuge. Until there had been a balancing death the man in the city of refuge could not be free. This seems to be the main principle in mind (see 35; Exodus 21:12; Deuteronomy 19:2). Compare how when a slaying was discovered where the killer was unknown, an animal's slaughter had to take place (Deuteronomy 21:4). And then there was no suggestion of sacrifice, it was not offered sacrificially, although legal forgiveness did ensue (Deuteronomy 21:8). What was, however, certain was that the High Priest's death was seen as the end of an epoch.
In the same way the death of our Great High Priest, our Lord Jesus Christ, brings legal forgiveness for the sin of all who are His (compare Galatians 3:10). As our representative He died where we should have died. He was both dying priest and dying sacrifice (see Hebrews 1:3; Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 4:14; Hebrews 5:5; Hebrews 6:20; Hebrews 7:26; Hebrews 8:6; Hebrews 9:11; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 9:24; Hebrews 10:12; Hebrews 10:21; Hebrews 12:24, where the High Priesthood is again and again seen as finding perfect fulfilment in Him).
‘And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they wept for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.'
When Moses and Eleazar descended from the mountain the people would recognise from the way that Eleazar was dressed that Aaron was dead. And their hearts were moved and they wept. And for Israel there was thirty days of weeping, which would seem to have been standard on the passing of a great chieftain (Deuteronomy 34:8). In Israelite terms thirty days was a complete period (3 x 10). In Egypt it was seventy days (Genesis 50:3) but that may simply have been because of the exalted position of Joseph, and therefore of his father.
While mourning was a requirement at all such occasions we can be sure that in this case much of it was genuine. At such a time they would remember the great debt that they owed him, and old enmities would be forgotten.
But the most important thing of all was that the High Priesthood continued on unbroken. God's purposes did not come to a halt. It was simply that there was a different Aaronide in the clothing. Yahweh went on for ever.