And Just So We're All On the Same Page ...

I hoped everyone noticed that - once we remove the editorial glosses and additions, the first two chapters of the Mimar establish one thing and one thing alone - viz. the idea that Moses became great through his association with the angel of the presence.

I even would argue that DESPITE an editor's hand basically telling the readers to IGNORE the last half of the second chapter (all of which makes it highly suspicious that the original material has even been faithfully preserved) the pattern of 'Moses and the angel of the presence' extends through to the discussion of Aaron.

In short Aaron was undoubtedly originally envisioned as an 'incarnation' of the same angel which first met Moses in the bush.

Just look at the chapter a second time.

Not only is Aaron's meeting with Moses likened to Esau's reconciliation with Jacob (which in turn is paralleled by Jacob's encounter with an archangel). But Marqe explicitly likens Moses and Aaron to the two angels who go down to Sodom to convict the population of iniquity.

Given how the last chapter ends, pay special notice to the beginning of chapter four ...