Mosera

Biblical Text

Mosera appears in Deuteronomy 10:6. According to this verse, the children of Israel set out from Beeroth of the children of Jaakan and came to Mosera. Aaron died and was buried there, and his son Eleazar succeeded him in the priestly office. Verse 7 then records that the people moved on from there to Gudgodah and Jotbath. This travel notice appears within Moses's recollection of receiving the second tablets of stone. Immediately afterward, Deuteronomy 10:8–9 recounts the setting apart of the tribe of Levi.

The list of wilderness stations in Numbers 33:30–31 mentions "Moseroth." It states that the Israelites departed from Hashmonah and encamped at Moseroth, and then departed from Moseroth and encamped at Bene-jaakan. Mosera and Moseroth are generally regarded as the singular and plural forms of a name referring to the same place.

Background

Mosera was one of the campsites through which Israel passed during the forty years in the wilderness. Some interpret the name as related to words meaning "bond" or "band," but this is not certain. Its exact location is likewise unknown. Because of its association with Aaron's death, however, it is often placed in the wilderness near the border of Edom.

Significance in the Bible as a Whole

Mosera is the place where both Aaron's death and the succession to his priestly office are recorded. The transfer of the office of high priest from Aaron to Eleazar shows that the Levitical priesthood continued from generation to generation.

The New Testament does not mention Mosera by name. However, Hebrews 7:23–24 states that the Levitical priests were many in number because death prevented them from continuing in office, and it contrasts them with the priesthood of Christ, who abides forever. Christian interpreters sometimes read the account of Aaron's death and succession in light of this contrast.

Interpretation and Issues

The biblical texts differ regarding the place of Aaron's death. Numbers 20:22–29 and 33:38 record that Aaron died on Mount Hor, whereas Deuteronomy 10:6 names Mosera. The order of the journey also differs: Numbers 33 says the Israelites went from Moseroth to Bene-jaakan, while Deuteronomy 10 says they went from Bene-jaakan to Mosera. Moreover, Moseroth and Mount Hor are placed far apart in the sequence of stations listed in Numbers 33. The following views have been offered to explain these differences.

• The same-region view: Mosera is understood as the name of the broader area that includes Mount Hor or of a campsite near it. The two accounts are thus explained as referring to the same place by different names. Conservative interpreters who emphasize biblical inerrancy commonly harmonize the texts in this way.
• The multiple-visits view: Because Israel passed back and forth through the same area several times in the wilderness, the sequence only appears to differ.
• The differing-traditions view: Historical-critical scholars regard the differences as the result of separate traditions or sources that have each been preserved.

Scholars also disagree about the location of Mount Hor, so the location of Mosera cannot be identified with certainty.