Mosera
Summary
A wilderness encampment of the Israelites near Mount Hor, associated with the death of Aaron.
☩Location
Mosera (also called Moseroth in Numbers 33:30-31) was located near Mount Hor, since Aaron is said to have died there (Deuteronomy 10:6; compare Numbers 33:37-38). The name probably derives from the Hebrew word for 'bond' or 'band.' It may be identified with the small fountain et-Tayibeh at the bottom of the pass er-Rubay, leading to the western ascent of Mount Hor.
☩Aaron's Death
Moses records: 'The children of Israel took their journey from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan to Mosera: there Aaron died, and there he was buried; and Eleazar his son ministered in the priest's office in his stead' (Deuteronomy 10:6). This marked the end of Aaron's forty-year priesthood and the continuation of the Aaronic line through Eleazar.
☩Variant Names
The name appears in variant forms: Mosera (singular) in Deuteronomy 10:6 and Moseroth (plural) in Numbers 33:30-31. The variation may reflect the 'he' of locale (direction) attached to the name, meaning 'to Moser.' The stations appear in reverse order in the two lists, likely reflecting different phases of Israel's wanderings in that region.
Related Verses1 mention
Deuteronomy· 1 verse
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Mosera," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. VI (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Moserah," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. III (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).