Exodus 2:1-2 states: “And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months.” This implies that Moses was the firstborn. Yet all Biblical references to Aaron refer to him as the elder of the two siblings. How is this to be understood?
Excellent observation. Our sages say that the men in Egypt had despaired under Pharaoh’s decrees, and had separated from the their wives. “Why should we bear children to be thrown into the Nile?” The wives, who refused to despair, managed to get the husbands back. Thus, this verse describes a rekindling of a previous marriage, from which they already had children.
Best wishes,
Michoel Reach