In brief
Eleazar is the third son of Aaron. After the death of his brothers Nadab and Abihu, he becomes, with Ithamar, one of the two remaining priests (Leviticus 10:12). On Mount Hor, Moses strips Aaron of his priestly garments and has Eleazar put them on; Eleazar succeeds him as high priest (Numbers 20:25-28). It is before him that Joshua is established as leader of the people, and it is he who inquires of the Lord by the Urim (Numbers 27:18-21). With Joshua, he oversees the division of the land of Canaan among the tribes (Joshua 14:1).
What does the name Eleazar Son of Aaron mean?
Eleazar is a Hebrew name generally understood to mean God has helped or God has come to help. The Bible does not comment on the name. He should not be confused with other men named Eleazar, such as David’s mighty warrior (2 Samuel 23:9) or the son of Abinadab appointed to guard the ark (1 Samuel 7:1).
The story of Eleazar Son of Aaron
A priest spared after the strange fire
Leviticus 10:6-20When Nadab and Abihu die for offering strange fire, Moses orders Aaron, Eleazar and Ithamar not to mourn or leave the tent of meeting, because the anointing oil is on them. The same day, Moses becomes angry with Eleazar and Ithamar over the goat of the sin offering, but Aaron explains their conduct and Moses approves.
The censers of Korah
Numbers 16:36-40After Korah’s rebellion, the Lord tells Moses to have Eleazar take the bronze censers out of the blaze, for they are holy. Eleazar has them hammered into plates to cover the altar. This memorial is to remind the children of Israel that no outsider, who is not of the descendants of Aaron, may come near to burn incense before the Lord.
Clothed in Aaron’s garments on Mount Hor
Numbers 20:22-29At Mount Hor, the Lord announces that Aaron is about to die. He commands Moses to strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son. Moses obeys in the sight of the whole assembly. Aaron dies on the summit, and Moses comes down with Eleazar. The priesthood passes from father to son without a break, and all Israel mourns Aaron thirty days.
Joshua established before Eleazar
Numbers 27:15-23When Moses asks for a successor, the Lord designates Joshua and commands that he be set before Eleazar the priest and before the whole assembly. Joshua is to stand before Eleazar, who will inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the Lord. The leader of the people and the high priest walk together: one leads, the other seeks God.
The dividing of the land
Joshua 14:1-5In Canaan, the inheritance of the tribes is distributed by Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes. The division is made by lot, as the Lord had commanded through Moses. Eleazar is named first: the distribution of the promised land is carried out under God’s eye, with the high priest as guarantor.
What Eleazar Son of Aaron teaches us
- God prepares the succession before his servants leave: the service of God does not stop when one man departs.
- Eleazar receives his office from God’s hand, through Moses, and not out of ambition; accept the place God gives you rather than the one you covet.
- Joshua decides nothing without inquiring of the Lord through Eleazar; before you act, seek God’s direction in his Word and in prayer.
- On the day his brothers died, Eleazar stayed at his post; faithfulness shows itself also in moments of grief and turmoil.
Key verses
The Lord commands that Eleazar be clothed in Aaron’s garments. The priesthood is handed on according to God’s will, publicly, even before the high priest dies.
Joshua will stand before Eleazar, who will inquire by the Urim before the Lord; all Israel will go out and come in at his command. The guidance of the people depends on consulting God.
Eleazar, Joshua and the heads of families divide the land of Canaan. The high priest is named first in this founding act for Israel.
Sermons about Eleazar Son of Aaron
- Grow in the Knowledge of God's Love, Grace, and PowerOn Mount Hor, Moses takes the high priest’s garments off Aaron and puts them on Eleazar. The priesthood continues even when the man departs: God prepares the succession before the absence.
- Turn Your Heart Toward God Above AllOn the eve of entering Canaan, God orders Moses and Eleazar to count the people again, then Joshua is established as Moses’ successor before Eleazar the priest.
- The Path to Rest Runs Through Forgiveness and PurificationFor the red heifer of Numbers 19, it is not Aaron who offers but Eleazar: the heifer is slaughtered before him, outside the camp, and its ashes will serve for the purification of the people.
- 1 Chronicles 24: Serving God in the Place He Has Entrusted to YouSince Nadab and Abihu died without sons, the priesthood was passed on through the descendants of Eleazar and Ithamar; David organizes the priests into divisions with Zadok, of the sons of Eleazar.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Eleazar, son of Aaron, in the Bible?
Eleazar is the third son of Aaron and his successor as high priest. After the death of Nadab and Abihu, he serves with his brother Ithamar. On Mount Hor, he receives Aaron’s priestly garments (Numbers 20:25-28). He inquires of the Lord for Joshua (Numbers 27:21) and shares with him the dividing of the land of Canaan among the tribes (Joshua 14:1).
What does the name Eleazar mean?
Eleazar is a Hebrew name generally understood to mean God has helped. The Bible does not explain it. Several men bear this name in Scripture; this one is always identified as the son of Aaron or as Eleazar the priest, to distinguish him in particular from David’s warrior and from the keeper of the ark at Kiriath Jearim.
Where can I find the story of Eleazar in the Bible?
Eleazar appears in Leviticus 10 (after the death of his brothers), Numbers 16:36-40 (the censers of Korah), Numbers 20:22-29 (his consecration on Mount Hor), Numbers 27:15-23 (the establishing of Joshua) and Joshua 14:1 (the dividing of the land). His death is reported at the end of the book of Joshua (Joshua 24:33).