Aaron's rod: Difference between revisions
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'''Aaron's rod''' ({{langx|he|מַטֶּה אַהֲרֹן}}) refers to any of the [[walking stick]]s carried by [[Moses]]' brother, [[Aaron]], in the [[Torah]]. The Bible tells how, along with [[Staff of Moses|Moses's rod]], Aaron's rod was endowed with miraculous power during the [[Plagues of Egypt]] that preceded the [[The Exodus|Exodus]]. Later, his rod miraculously sprouted blossoms and [[almond]]s to symbolize God's choice of Aaron and his tribe for holy service. | '''Aaron's rod''' ({{langx|he|מַטֶּה אַהֲרֹן}}) refers to any of the [[walking stick]]s carried by [[Moses]]' brother, [[Aaron]], in the [[Torah]]. The Bible tells how, along with [[Staff of Moses|Moses's rod]], Aaron's rod was endowed with miraculous power during the [[Plagues of Egypt]] that preceded the [[The Exodus|Exodus]]. Later, his rod miraculously sprouted blossoms and [[almond]]s to symbolize God's choice of Aaron and his tribe for holy service. | ||
The flowering staff of Aaron in the biblical narrative may be an [[etiology]] of the [[asherah]] cultic object.<ref>{{cite web |last=Eichler |first=Raanan |title= | The flowering staff of Aaron in the biblical narrative may be an [[etiology]] of the [[asherah]] cultic object.<ref>{{cite web |last=Eichler |first=Raanan |title=Aaron's Flowering Staff: A Priestly Asherah? |url=https://www.thetorah.com/article/aarons-flowering-staff-a-priestly-asherah |website=TheTorah.com |access-date=January 5, 2025}}</ref> Aaron’s rod, originally associated with priestly and magical powers, may have been later transferred to Moses in various biblical accounts, demonstrating his authority and divine empowerment.<ref>{{cite book | ||
|author=Thomas Römer | |author=Thomas Römer | ||
|title=The Relationship between Moses and Aaron and the Question of the Composition of the Pentateuch | |title=The Relationship between Moses and Aaron and the Question of the Composition of the Pentateuch | ||
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Aaron's rod – perhaps a different rod – reappears in {{Bibleverse|Numbers|16-17|HE}}. Here [[Korah]]'s rebellion against Moses's proclamation of the [[tribe of Levi]] as the [[priesthood]] has been quashed and the entire congregation's ensuing rebellion has resulted in a [[Plague (disease)|plague]], ended only by the intercession of Moses and Aaron. In order to "stop the complaints" of the Israelites, God commands that each of the [[Israelites#Biblical narrative|Twelve Tribes]] provide a rod; and only that of the tribe chosen to become priests will miraculously sprout overnight.<ref>{{Bibleverse|Numbers|17:17-20|HE}}.</ref> Aaron provides his rod to represent the tribe of Levi, and "it put forth buds, produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds",<ref>{{Bibleverse|Numbers|17:23|HE}}.</ref> as an evidence of the exclusive right to the priesthood of the tribe of Levi. In commemoration of this decision, it was commanded that the rod be stored "before the testimony".<ref>{{Bibleverse|Numbers|17:10|HE}}.</ref> | Aaron's rod – perhaps a different rod – reappears in {{Bibleverse|Numbers|16-17|HE}}. Here [[Korah]]'s rebellion against Moses's proclamation of the [[tribe of Levi]] as the [[priesthood]] has been quashed and the entire congregation's ensuing rebellion has resulted in a [[Plague (disease)|plague]], ended only by the intercession of Moses and Aaron. In order to "stop the complaints" of the Israelites, God commands that each of the [[Israelites#Biblical narrative|Twelve Tribes]] provide a rod; and only that of the tribe chosen to become priests will miraculously sprout overnight.<ref>{{Bibleverse|Numbers|17:17-20|HE}}.</ref> Aaron provides his rod to represent the tribe of Levi, and "it put forth buds, produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds",<ref>{{Bibleverse|Numbers|17:23|HE}}.</ref> as an evidence of the exclusive right to the priesthood of the tribe of Levi. In commemoration of this decision, it was commanded that the rod be stored "before the testimony".<ref>{{Bibleverse|Numbers|17:10|HE}}.</ref> | ||
Aaron's rod is cited as exhibiting miraculous power on its own, when not physically held by its owner. In {{Bibleverse|Exodus|7:10-1|HE}}, Aaron "cast down his rod" and it became a [[serpent (symbolism)|serpent]]. When he does so, the Pharaoh's [[Magician (paranormal)|sorcerer]]s counter by similarly casting down their own rods, which also become serpents, but Aaron's rod swallowed them all. Similarly, in {{Bibleverse|Numbers|17:23|HE}} it sprouted blossoms when not being held.<ref name="Jewish Encyclopedia">{{Jewish Encyclopedia| | Aaron's rod is cited as exhibiting miraculous power on its own, when not physically held by its owner. In {{Bibleverse|Exodus|7:10-1|HE}}, Aaron "cast down his rod" and it became a [[serpent (symbolism)|serpent]]. When he does so, the Pharaoh's [[Magician (paranormal)|sorcerer]]s counter by similarly casting down their own rods, which also become serpents, but Aaron's rod swallowed them all. Similarly, in {{Bibleverse|Numbers|17:23|HE}} it sprouted blossoms when not being held.<ref name="Jewish Encyclopedia">{{Jewish Encyclopedia|wstitle=Aaron's Rod|year=1906|inline=1}}</ref> | ||
[[File:Sarejevohagadah (Aron's rod).gif|thumb|From the [[Sarajevo Haggadah]]]] | [[File:Sarejevohagadah (Aron's rod).gif|thumb|From the [[Sarajevo Haggadah]]]] | ||
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God created it in the twilight of the sixth day of Creation,<ref name="pa">[[Pirkei Avot]] 5:9.</ref><ref name="mek">Mekhilta, Beshallaḥ, ed. Weiss, 4:60 (on Exodus 16:33).</ref> and delivered it to [[Adam and Eve|Adam]] when the latter was driven from paradise. After it had passed through the hands of [[Shem]], [[Enoch (ancestor of Noah)|Enoch]], [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]], and [[Jacob]] successively, it came into the possession of [[Joseph (Hebrew Bible)|Joseph]]. On Joseph's death the Egyptian nobles stole some of his belongings, and, among them, [[Jethro (Bible)|Jethro]] appropriated the staff. Jethro planted the staff in his garden, when its marvelous virtue was revealed by the fact that nobody could withdraw it from the ground (compare "[[Excalibur#The Sword in the Stone and the Sword in the Lake|the sword in the stone]]"); even to touch it was fraught with danger to life. This was because the Ineffable Name of God was engraved upon it. When Moses entered Jethro's household he read the Name, and by means of it was able to draw up the rod, for which service [[Zipporah]], Jethro's daughter, was given to him in marriage. Her father had sworn that she should become the wife of the man who should be able to master the miraculous rod and of no other.<ref>[[Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer]] 40; Sefer ha-Yashar; [[Yalkut Shimoni]] Exodus 168, end.</ref> | God created it in the twilight of the sixth day of Creation,<ref name="pa">[[Pirkei Avot]] 5:9.</ref><ref name="mek">Mekhilta, Beshallaḥ, ed. Weiss, 4:60 (on Exodus 16:33).</ref> and delivered it to [[Adam and Eve|Adam]] when the latter was driven from paradise. After it had passed through the hands of [[Shem]], [[Enoch (ancestor of Noah)|Enoch]], [[Abraham]], [[Isaac]], and [[Jacob]] successively, it came into the possession of [[Joseph (Hebrew Bible)|Joseph]]. On Joseph's death the Egyptian nobles stole some of his belongings, and, among them, [[Jethro (Bible)|Jethro]] appropriated the staff. Jethro planted the staff in his garden, when its marvelous virtue was revealed by the fact that nobody could withdraw it from the ground (compare "[[Excalibur#The Sword in the Stone and the Sword in the Lake|the sword in the stone]]"); even to touch it was fraught with danger to life. This was because the Ineffable Name of God was engraved upon it. When Moses entered Jethro's household he read the Name, and by means of it was able to draw up the rod, for which service [[Zipporah]], Jethro's daughter, was given to him in marriage. Her father had sworn that she should become the wife of the man who should be able to master the miraculous rod and of no other.<ref>[[Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer]] 40; Sefer ha-Yashar; [[Yalkut Shimoni]] Exodus 168, end.</ref> | ||
Aaron's rod, together with its blossoms and fruit, was preserved in the Ark. King [[Josiah]], who foresaw the impending national catastrophe, concealed the Ark and the objects stored with it (Aaron's rod, a vial of [[manna]], and the [[holy anointing oil]]).<ref>[[Tosefta]] Yoma 2:13, Sotah 13:2.</ref> The length of the rod can be determined by the size of the ark of the covenant as stated in Exodus 37:1 | Aaron's rod, together with its blossoms and fruit, was preserved in the Ark. King [[Josiah]], who foresaw the impending national catastrophe, concealed the Ark and the objects stored with it (Aaron's rod, a vial of [[manna]], and the [[holy anointing oil]]).<ref>[[Tosefta]] Yoma 2:13, Sotah 13:2.</ref> Their whereabouts will remain unknown until, in the Messianic age, the prophet Elijah shall reveal them.<ref name=mek/> | ||
The length of the rod can be determined by the size of the ark of the covenant as stated in Exodus 37:1 or a length of 2.5 cubits, a depth of 1.5 cubits, and a height of 1.5 cubits. Thus, presuming an ark with two-dimensional walls of zero thickness, in which a staff's length can fit within the confines of an interior corner, the maximum staff length would be the hypotenuse of the hypotenuses of length v depth and depth v height, or <math>\sqrt{\sqrt{2.5^2+1.5^2}+\sqrt{1.5^2+1.5^2}}=3.6</math> cubits. The cubit was not defined in either [[SI]] or [[Imperial units]]. However, the average of the two lengths given by Rav [[Avraham Chaim Naeh]] or [[Chazon Ish]] would put a cubit at roughly 1.7 feet, putting the maximum length of the staff at 6.1' (6'1.2" or 1.9m). | |||
As discussed, the Bible ascribes similar miraculous powers to rods of Aaron and Moses. One midrash goes a step further, and identifies them as being the same rod: | As discussed, the Bible ascribes similar miraculous powers to rods of Aaron and Moses. One midrash goes a step further, and identifies them as being the same rod: | ||
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The account of the blossoming of Aaron's rod contained in [[Pope Clement I|Clement]]'s [[First Epistle of Clement|first letter to the Corinthians]] (ep. 43) is in haggadic-midrashic style, and may probably be ascribed to Jewish or, more strictly speaking, Jewish-Hellenistic sources. According to that account, Moses placed upon each of the twelve staffs the corresponding seal of the head of a tribe. The doors of the sanctuary were similarly sealed, to prevent anyone from having access to the rods at night.<ref name="Jewish Encyclopedia"/> | The account of the blossoming of Aaron's rod contained in [[Pope Clement I|Clement]]'s [[First Epistle of Clement|first letter to the Corinthians]] (ep. 43) is in haggadic-midrashic style, and may probably be ascribed to Jewish or, more strictly speaking, Jewish-Hellenistic sources. According to that account, Moses placed upon each of the twelve staffs the corresponding seal of the head of a tribe. The doors of the sanctuary were similarly sealed, to prevent anyone from having access to the rods at night.<ref name="Jewish Encyclopedia"/> | ||
The miraculous flowering of the rod was also considered a type of the [[Incarnation of Christ]] and his [[Virgin birth of Jesus|Virgin Birth]], and appears in scenes of the [[Annunciation to Mary]].<ref name="schiller54">{{cite book |last=Schiller |first=Gertrud |title=Iconography of Christian art. Vol.1, Christ's incarnation, childhood, baptism, temptation, transfiguration, works and miracles |author2=Selgman, Janet |publisher=Lund Humphries |year=1971 |volume=1 |location=London, England |page=54 |language=en-uk |oclc=59999963 |author-link=Gertrud Schiller}}</ref> | The miraculous flowering of the rod was also considered a type of the [[Incarnation of Christ]] and his [[Virgin birth of Jesus|Virgin Birth]], and appears in scenes of the [[Annunciation to Mary]].<ref name="schiller54">{{cite book |last=Schiller |first=Gertrud |title=Iconography of Christian art. Vol. 1, Christ's incarnation, childhood, baptism, temptation, transfiguration, works and miracles |author2=Selgman, Janet |publisher=Lund Humphries |year=1971 |volume=1 |location=London, England |page=54 |language=en-uk |oclc=59999963 |author-link=Gertrud Schiller}}</ref> | ||
In the Ethiopian fourteenth-century text of the [[Kebra Nagast]], Aaron's rod is broken in three and probably a symbol of the Trinity: "The rod of Aaron which sprouted after it had become withered though no one watered it with water, and one had broken it in two places, and it became three rods being [originally only] one rod."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Budge (Sir) |first=Ernest Alfred Wallis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MpIGQQAACAAJ |title=The Queen of Sheba & Her Only Son Menyelek: Being the History of the Departure of God & His Ark of the Covenant from Jerusalem to Ethiopia, and the Establishment of the Religion of the Hebrews & the Solomonic Line of Kings in that Country : a Complete Translation of the Kebra Nagast with Introduction |date=1922-01-01 |publisher=M. Hopkinson |language=en}}</ref> | In the Ethiopian fourteenth-century text of the [[Kebra Nagast]], Aaron's rod is broken in three and probably a symbol of the Trinity: "The rod of Aaron which sprouted after it had become withered though no one watered it with water, and one had broken it in two places, and it became three rods being [originally only] one rod."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Budge (Sir) |first=Ernest Alfred Wallis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MpIGQQAACAAJ |title=The Queen of Sheba & Her Only Son Menyelek: Being the History of the Departure of God & His Ark of the Covenant from Jerusalem to Ethiopia, and the Establishment of the Religion of the Hebrews & the Solomonic Line of Kings in that Country : a Complete Translation of the Kebra Nagast with Introduction |date=1922-01-01 |publisher=M. Hopkinson |language=en}}</ref> | ||
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==See also == | ==See also == | ||
* | * {{anl|Caduceus}}, symbol of commerce | ||
* | * {{anl|Korach (parsha)|Korach}} (in which Aaron's rod blooms) | ||
* | * {{anl|Margna}} | ||
* | * {{anl|Nehushtan}} | ||
* | * {{anl|Ningizzida}} | ||
* {{anl|Rod of Asclepius}} | |||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
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==External links== | ==External links== | ||
{{commons category}} | {{commons category}} | ||
*[ | *[https://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/apo/jasher/77.htm Jasher 77] A history of the sapphire stick from Adam to Moses is given in the Book of Jasher. | ||
{{Ark of the Covenant}} | {{Ark of the Covenant}} | ||
{{Book of Exodus navbox}} | |||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aaron's Rod}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Aaron's Rod}} | ||
Latest revision as of 19:16, 17 November 2025
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "other uses".
Aaron's rod (Template:Langx) refers to any of the walking sticks carried by Moses' brother, Aaron, in the Torah. The Bible tells how, along with Moses's rod, Aaron's rod was endowed with miraculous power during the Plagues of Egypt that preceded the Exodus. Later, his rod miraculously sprouted blossoms and almonds to symbolize God's choice of Aaron and his tribe for holy service.
The flowering staff of Aaron in the biblical narrative may be an etiology of the asherah cultic object.[1] Aaron’s rod, originally associated with priestly and magical powers, may have been later transferred to Moses in various biblical accounts, demonstrating his authority and divine empowerment.[2]
Biblical references
In Israelite culture, the rod (Template:Langx maṭṭeh) was a natural symbol of authority,[3] as the tool used by the shepherd to correct and guide his flock.[4] Moses, in fact, initially carried his rod while tending his sheep,[5] and later it became his symbol of authority over the Israelites.[6]
The rods of both Moses and Aaron were endowed with miraculous power during the Plagues of Egypt.[7] God commanded Moses to raise his rod over the Red Sea when it was to be split[8] and in prayer over Israel in battle;[9] at Meribah Moses brought forth water from a stone using his rod.[10]
Aaron's rod – perhaps a different rod – reappears in Script error: No such module "Bibleverse".. Here Korah's rebellion against Moses's proclamation of the tribe of Levi as the priesthood has been quashed and the entire congregation's ensuing rebellion has resulted in a plague, ended only by the intercession of Moses and Aaron. In order to "stop the complaints" of the Israelites, God commands that each of the Twelve Tribes provide a rod; and only that of the tribe chosen to become priests will miraculously sprout overnight.[11] Aaron provides his rod to represent the tribe of Levi, and "it put forth buds, produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds",[12] as an evidence of the exclusive right to the priesthood of the tribe of Levi. In commemoration of this decision, it was commanded that the rod be stored "before the testimony".[13]
Aaron's rod is cited as exhibiting miraculous power on its own, when not physically held by its owner. In Script error: No such module "Bibleverse"., Aaron "cast down his rod" and it became a serpent. When he does so, the Pharaoh's sorcerers counter by similarly casting down their own rods, which also become serpents, but Aaron's rod swallowed them all. Similarly, in Script error: No such module "Bibleverse". it sprouted blossoms when not being held.[14]
.gif){kind=link}
In Rabbinical literature
Rabbinic midrash described attributes of Aaron's rod beyond those in the Biblical text.
It is reported that the rod was made of sapphire, weighed forty seahs (a seah = 10.70 pounds), and bore the inscription דצ״ך עד״ש באח״ב (the initials of the Hebrew names of the Ten Plagues).[16]
God created it in the twilight of the sixth day of Creation,[17][18] and delivered it to Adam when the latter was driven from paradise. After it had passed through the hands of Shem, Enoch, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob successively, it came into the possession of Joseph. On Joseph's death the Egyptian nobles stole some of his belongings, and, among them, Jethro appropriated the staff. Jethro planted the staff in his garden, when its marvelous virtue was revealed by the fact that nobody could withdraw it from the ground (compare "the sword in the stone"); even to touch it was fraught with danger to life. This was because the Ineffable Name of God was engraved upon it. When Moses entered Jethro's household he read the Name, and by means of it was able to draw up the rod, for which service Zipporah, Jethro's daughter, was given to him in marriage. Her father had sworn that she should become the wife of the man who should be able to master the miraculous rod and of no other.[19]
Aaron's rod, together with its blossoms and fruit, was preserved in the Ark. King Josiah, who foresaw the impending national catastrophe, concealed the Ark and the objects stored with it (Aaron's rod, a vial of manna, and the holy anointing oil).[20] Their whereabouts will remain unknown until, in the Messianic age, the prophet Elijah shall reveal them.[18]
The length of the rod can be determined by the size of the ark of the covenant as stated in Exodus 37:1 or a length of 2.5 cubits, a depth of 1.5 cubits, and a height of 1.5 cubits. Thus, presuming an ark with two-dimensional walls of zero thickness, in which a staff's length can fit within the confines of an interior corner, the maximum staff length would be the hypotenuse of the hypotenuses of length v depth and depth v height, or cubits. The cubit was not defined in either SI or Imperial units. However, the average of the two lengths given by Rav Avraham Chaim Naeh or Chazon Ish would put a cubit at roughly 1.7 feet, putting the maximum length of the staff at 6.1' (6'1.2" or 1.9m).
As discussed, the Bible ascribes similar miraculous powers to rods of Aaron and Moses. One midrash goes a step further, and identifies them as being the same rod:
The rod with which Jacob crossed the Jordan (Script error: No such module "Bibleverse".) is the same rod which was in Judah's hand (Script error: No such module "Bibleverse".), which was in Moses's hand (Script error: No such module "Bibleverse".), which was in Aaron's hand (Script error: No such module "Bibleverse".), which was in David's hand (Script error: No such module "Bibleverse".). which was in the hand of each king until the destruction of the Temple, when it was hidden. When the Messiah comes it will be given to him for a scepter in token of his authority over the nations.[21]
According to one midrash, Moses split a tree trunk into twelve portions, and gave one portion to each tribe. When the Rod of Aaron produced blossoms, the Israelites could not but acknowledge the significance of the token.[22] This opinion seemingly assumes that the rod in Korach's rebellion was separate from the rod used for the plagues.[14]
Christian use
Hebrews 9:4 states that Aaron's rod was kept in the Ark of the Covenant.[14]
The account of the blossoming of Aaron's rod contained in Clement's first letter to the Corinthians (ep. 43) is in haggadic-midrashic style, and may probably be ascribed to Jewish or, more strictly speaking, Jewish-Hellenistic sources. According to that account, Moses placed upon each of the twelve staffs the corresponding seal of the head of a tribe. The doors of the sanctuary were similarly sealed, to prevent anyone from having access to the rods at night.[14]
The miraculous flowering of the rod was also considered a type of the Incarnation of Christ and his Virgin Birth, and appears in scenes of the Annunciation to Mary.[15]
In the Ethiopian fourteenth-century text of the Kebra Nagast, Aaron's rod is broken in three and probably a symbol of the Trinity: "The rod of Aaron which sprouted after it had become withered though no one watered it with water, and one had broken it in two places, and it became three rods being [originally only] one rod."[23]
Islamic literature
Accounts of Aaron's rod appear in Islamic literature. A depiction from al-Tha'labi's (d. 1035, AH 427) Stories of the Prophets depicts Harun (Aaron) leaning on his rod, while his brother Musa's (Moses) staff miraculously turned into a snake-dragon to defeat Pharaoh's magicians.
In modern literature
D. H. Lawrence entitled a novel Aaron's Rod in 1922. This book describes a flautist, Aaron Sissons, and his experiences as he journeys through a Europe exhausted by the First World War. The biblical eponymous reference, with the flute representing a magic rod, is intended to be ironic.
See also
- Template:Anl, symbol of commerce
- Template:Anl (in which Aaron's rod blooms)
- Template:Anl
- Template:Anl
- Template:Anl
- Template:Anl
Notes
External links
- Jasher 77 A history of the sapphire stick from Adam to Moses is given in the Book of Jasher.
Template:Ark of the Covenant Template:Book of Exodus navbox
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Bibleverse"., Script error: No such module "Bibleverse".; Script error: No such module "Bibleverse"., Script error: No such module "Bibleverse".; Script error: No such module "Bibleverse"..
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Bibleverse"..
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Bibleverse"..
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Bibleverse"..
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Bibleverse"., Script error: No such module "Bibleverse"., Script error: No such module "Bibleverse"., Script error: No such module "Bibleverse"..
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Bibleverse"..
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Bibleverse"..
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Bibleverse"..
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Bibleverse"..
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Bibleverse"..
- ↑ Script error: No such module "Bibleverse"..
- ↑ a b c d File:Wikisource-logo.svg One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Script error: No such module "template wrapper".
- ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
- ↑ Tanhuma Vaera 8, ed. Buber.
- ↑ Pirkei Avot 5:9.
- ↑ a b Mekhilta, Beshallaḥ, ed. Weiss, 4:60 (on Exodus 16:33).
- ↑ Pirkei deRabbi Eliezer 40; Sefer ha-Yashar; Yalkut Shimoni Exodus 168, end.
- ↑ Tosefta Yoma 2:13, Sotah 13:2.
- ↑ Yalkut Shimoni, Psalms, 869.
- ↑ Numbers Rabbah 18:23.
- ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
