form of Egyptian idolatry (Apis or Mnevis). He repented of his sin, and Moses gained forgiveness
for him. (9:20) Aaron was not consecrated by Moses to the new office of the high priesthood.
(Exodus 29:9) From this time the history of Aaron is almost entirely that of the priesthood, and its
chief feature is the great rebellion of Korah and the Levites. Leaning, as he seems to have done,
wholly on Moses, it is not strange that he should have shared his sin at Meribah and its punishment.
See Moses. (Numbers 20:10-12) Aaron’s death seems to have followed very speedily. It took place
on Mount Hor, after the transference of his robes and office to Eleazar. (Numbers 20:28) This
mount is still called the “Mountain of Aaron.” See Hor. The wife of Aaron was Elisheba, (Exodus
6:23) and the two sons who survived him, Eleazar and Ithamar. The high priesthood descended to
the former, and to his descendants until the time of Eli, who, although of the house of Ithamar,
received the high priesthood and transmitted it to his children; with them it continued till the
accession of Solomon, who took it from Abiathar and restored it to Zadok (of the house of Eleazar).
See Abiathar.
Aaronites
(1 Chronicles 12:27) priests of the family of Aaron.
Ab
See Month.
(father), an element in the composition of many proper names, of which Abba is a Chaldaic
form, having the sense of “endowed with,” “possessed of.”
Abaddon
See Apollyon.
Abagtha
(God-given), one of the seven eunuchs in the Persian court of Ahasuerus. (Esther 1:10)
Abana
(perennial, stony), one of the “rivers of Damascus.” (2 Kings 5:12) The Barada and the Awaj
are now the chief streams of Damascus, the former representing the Abana and the latter the Pharpar
of the text. The Barada (Abana) rises in the Antilibanus, at about 23 miles from the city, after
flowing through which it runs across the plain, of whose fertility it is the chief source, till it loses
itself in the lake or marsh Bahret-el-Kibliyeh.
Abarim
(regions beyond), a mountain or range of highlands on the east of the Jordan, in the land of
Moab, facing Jericho, and forming the eastern wall of the Jordan valley at that part. Its most elevated
spot was “the Mount Nebo, head of the Pisgah,” from which Moses viewed the Promised Land
before his death. These mountains are mentioned in (Numbers 27:12; 33:47,48) and Deuteronomy
32:
Abba
See Ab.
Abda
- Father of Adoniram. (1 Kings 4:6)
•Son of Shammua, (Nehemiah 11:17) called Obadiah in (1 Chronicles 9:16)
Abdeel
father of Shelemiah. (Jeremiah 36:26)
Abdi
(my servant).