Single lesson

Aaron's Death on Mount Hor

Numbers 20:22–29

In this lesson, children will follow the final part of Aaron’s story at Mount Hor. They will put the events in order, notice what God said and what Moses did, and consider the choices and outcomes named in the passage.

6–10 years30 minutes

Before you teach

The whole congregation comes to Mount Hor. There, by the border of Edom, Yahweh speaks to Moses and Aaron. He says Aaron will not enter the land given to Israel because of rebellion at the waters of Meribah, and he gives clear instructions about Aaron and Eleazar.

Learning aim

Students will be able to retell the sequence in Numbers 20:22–29 and identify the choice of rebellion named in the passage, Moses doing what Yahweh commanded, and the outcomes for Aaron, Eleazar receiving Aaron’s garments, and the people’s grief.

Welcome: Where are the people, and what is happening?

5 min

Show the reference and say that the whole congregation has come to Mount Hor. Explain that this lesson follows a serious moment in Israel’s journey. Children listen for where the people are, who is named, and what important change is about to happen in the story.

Numbers 20:22, Numbers 20:23

Read and explain: God’s words about Aaron and Eleazar

8 min

Read verses 23–26 slowly. Explain that “gathered to his people” is the wording used here before Aaron dies, and that Aaron will not enter the land because of rebellion at the waters of Meribah. Point out God’s specific instruction to take Aaron and Eleazar up the mountain and put Aaron’s garments on Eleazar.

Numbers 20:23, Numbers 20:24, Numbers 20:25, Numbers 20:26

Discuss the choices and outcomes in order

6 min

Ask children to help put the next events in order. Name one choice and one outcome from the passage: Aaron’s outcome is linked to rebellion at Meribah, and Moses does as Yahweh commanded. Then trace the events: they go up Mount Hor, Aaron’s garments are put on Eleazar, Aaron dies, and Moses and Eleazar come down.

Numbers 20:24, Numbers 20:27, Numbers 20:28

Make and respond: Build a simple story sequence

7 min

Children make four small cards showing the main parts of the passage: arriving at Mount Hor, God’s command, the garments put on Eleazar, and the people mourning. As they work, remind them that the pictures help us remember what the passage says in order, without adding extra details.

Numbers 20:22, Numbers 20:25, Numbers 20:28, Numbers 20:29

Closing: What did all Israel do?

4 min

Finish by reading verse 29 again. Emphasise that all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, and all the house of Israel wept for thirty days. Invite children to name one thing they learned about God speaking, Aaron’s outcome, Aaron’s garments being put on Eleazar, or the people’s mourning.

Numbers 20:29, Numbers 20:23, Numbers 20:24, Numbers 20:26

Questions to explore

Why did Yahweh say Aaron would not enter the land given to the children of Israel?

Look for the reason stated in the passage itself, which connects Aaron’s outcome with rebellion at the waters of Meribah.

Numbers 20:24

What did Moses do with Aaron’s garments, and who received them?

Find the verse that names Eleazar and describes the garments being taken from Aaron and put on his son.

Numbers 20:25, Numbers 20:26, Numbers 20:28

How did the congregation respond when they saw that Aaron was dead?

Use the final verse to notice both who mourned and how long they wept.

Numbers 20:29

Make, think or respond

Mount Hor Story Sequence Cards

What you’ll need

Plain paper or card
Pencils or textas
Scissors
Bible

Try it together

Fold or cut paper into four cards.
On each card, draw one part of the passage: Mount Hor, God speaking, garments put on Eleazar, and the people weeping.
Mix the cards and retell the story by placing them back in the correct order.
Read each matching verse aloud as the cards are arranged.

This activity helps children remember the order of Numbers 20:22–29 and notice the passage’s key actions and outcomes.

Adapt for your group

For younger children, prepare four labelled cards first and let them match simple drawings to each verse event.
For older or confident readers, ask them to write a short sentence on each card using words from the passage before sequencing it.

An optional closing prayer

You might pray: “God, thank you for speaking in this passage. Please help us listen carefully and do what you command. Amen.”

Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic

Numbers 20

²² They traveled from Kadesh, and the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor.

²³ Yahweh spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor, by the border of the land of Edom, saying,

²⁴ “Aaron shall be gathered to his people; for he shall not enter into the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against my word at the waters of Meribah.

²⁵ Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor;

²⁶ and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son. Aaron shall be gathered, and shall die there.”

²⁷ Moses did as Yahweh commanded. They went up onto Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.

²⁸ Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them on Eleazar his son. Aaron died there on the top of the mountain, and Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain.

²⁹ When all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, they wept for Aaron thirty days, even all the house of Israel.

World English Bible Classic. Public domain.