Leviticus 8

The Ordination of Aaron and His Sons

1 The LORD said to Moses,

2 “Bring Aaron and his sons, their garments, the anointing oil, the bull for the sin offering,^[a] the two rams and the basket containing bread made without yeast,

3 and gather the entire assembly at the entrance to the tent of meeting.”

4 Moses did as the LORD commanded him, and the assembly gathered at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

5 Moses said to the assembly, “This is what the LORD has commanded to be done.”

6 Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water.

7 He put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash around him, clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him. He also fastened the ephod with a decorative waistband, which he tied around him.

8 He placed the breastpiece on him and put the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece.

9 Then he placed the turban on Aaron’s head and set the gold plate, the sacred emblem, on the front of it, as the LORD commanded Moses.

10 Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, and so consecrated them.

11 He sprinkled some of the oil on the altar seven times, anointing the altar and all its utensils and the basin with its stand, to consecrate them.

12 He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to consecrate him.

13 Then he brought Aaron’s sons forward, put tunics on them, tied sashes around them and fastened caps on them, as the LORD commanded Moses.

14 He then presented the bull for the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head.

15 Moses slaughtered the bull and took some of the blood, and with his finger he put it on all the horns of the altar to purify the altar. He poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. So he consecrated it to make atonement for it.

16 Moses also took all the fat around the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, and both kidneys and their fat, and burned it on the altar.

17 But the bull with its hide and its flesh and its intestines he burned up outside the camp, as the LORD commanded Moses.

18 He then presented the ram for the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head.

19 Then Moses slaughtered the ram and splashed the blood against the sides of the altar.

20 He cut the ram into pieces and burned the head, the pieces and the fat.

21 He washed the internal organs and the legs with water and burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

22 He then presented the other ram, the ram for the ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head.

23 Moses slaughtered the ram and took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot.

24 Moses also brought Aaron’s sons forward and put some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears, on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet. Then he splashed blood against the sides of the altar.

25 After that, he took the fat, the fat tail, all the fat around the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, both kidneys and their fat and the right thigh.

26 And from the basket of bread made without yeast, which was before the LORD, he took one thick loaf, one thick loaf with olive oil mixed in, and one thin loaf, and he put these on the fat portions and on the right thigh.

27 He put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons, and they waved them before the LORD as a wave offering.

28 Then Moses took them from their hands and burned them on the altar on top of the burnt offering as an ordination offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the LORD.

29 Moses also took the breast, which was his share of the ordination ram, and waved it before the LORD as a wave offering, as the LORD commanded Moses.

30 Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood from the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. So he consecrated Aaron and his garments and his sons and their garments.

31 Moses then said to Aaron and his sons, “Cook the meat at the entrance to the tent of meeting and eat it there with the bread from the basket of ordination offerings, as I was commanded: ‘Aaron and his sons are to eat it.’

32 Then burn up the rest of the meat and the bread.

33 Do not leave the entrance to the tent of meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are completed, for your ordination will last seven days.

34 What has been done today was commanded by the LORD to make atonement for you.

35 You must stay at the entrance to the tent of meeting day and night for seven days and do what the LORD requires, so you will not die; for that is what I have been commanded.”

36 So Aaron and his sons did everything the LORD commanded through Moses.

Leviticus 8 Commentary

Chapter 8

The consecration of Aaron and his sons. (1-13) The offerings of consecration. (14-36)

Verses 1-13 The consecration of Aaron and his sons had been delayed until the tabernacle had been prepared, and the laws of the sacrifices given. Aaron and his sons were washed with water, to signify that they ought to purify themselves from all sinful dispositions, and ever after to keep themselves pure. Christ washes those from their sins in his own blood whom he makes kings and priests to our God, ( revelation 1:5 revelation 1:6 ) ; and those that draw near to God must be washed in pure water, ( Hebrews 10:22 ) . The anointing of Aaron was to typify the anointing of Christ with the Spirit, which was not given by measure to him. All believers have received the anointing.

Verses 14-36 In these types we see our great High Priest, even Christ Jesus, solemnly appointed, anointed, and invested with his sacred office, by his own blood, and the influences of his Holy Spirit. He sanctifies the ordinances of religion, to the benefit of his people and the honour of God the Father; who for his sake accepts our worship, though it is polluted with sin. We may also rejoice, that he is a merciful and faithful High Priest, full of compassion to the feeble-minded and tempest-tossed soul. All true Christians are consecrated to be spiritual priests. We should seriously ask ourselves, whether in our daily walk we study to maintain this character? and abound in spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Christ? If so, still there is no cause for boasting. Let us not despise our fellow-sinners; but remembering what we have done, and how we are saved, let us seek and pray for their salvation.

Cross References

• 1. S Exodus 28:1; S Leviticus 1:5
• 2. Ex 28:2,4,43; S Exodus 39:27
• 3. Ex 30:23-25,30
• 4. S Exodus 30:10
• 5. ver 18,22
• 6. Exodus 29:2-3
• 7. Numbers 8:9
• 8. Exodus 29:1
• 9. S Exodus 29:4; S Exodus 30:19; Psalms 26:6; S Acts 22:16; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Ephesians 5:26
• 10. Exodus 28:4
• 11. S Exodus 25:7
• 12. S Exodus 28:30
• 13. S Exodus 39:28
• 14. S Exodus 28:36
• 15. S Exodus 28:2; Leviticus 21:10
• 16. ver 2
• 17. S Exodus 30:26
• 18. S Exodus 26:1
• 19. S Exodus 30:29
• 20. S Leviticus 7:36; Leviticus 21:10,12
• 21. S Exodus 30:30
• 22. S Exodus 28:40
• 23. S Exodus 28:4,39; Exodus 39:27
• 24. Leviticus 21:10
• 25. S Leviticus 4:3
• 26. S Exodus 30:10; Psalms 66:15; Ezekiel 43:19
• 27. S Leviticus 4:15
• 28. S Leviticus 4:18
• 29. S Leviticus 4:7
• 30. Hebrews 9:22
• 31. Ezekiel 43:20
• 32. S Leviticus 4:11
• 33. S Leviticus 4:12
• 34. S ver 2
• 35. S Leviticus 1:8
• 36. S ver 2
• 37. S Leviticus 4:15
• 38. Leviticus 14:14,25
• 39. Hebrews 9:18-22
• 40. Leviticus 3:3-5
• 41. S Leviticus 2:4
• 42. Numbers 5:25
• 43. Leviticus 7:31-34
• 44. S Exodus 28:1
• 45. S Exodus 28:2
• 46. S Leviticus 7:36; Numbers 3:3
• 47. S Leviticus 6:16
• 48. Leviticus 14:8; Leviticus 15:13,28; Numbers 19:11; Ezekiel 43:25
• 49. Hebrews 7:16
• 50. Leviticus 18:30; Leviticus 22:9; Numbers 3:7; Numbers 9:19; Deuteronomy 11:1; 1 Kings 2:3; Ezekiel 48:11; Zechariah 3:7

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "purification offering" ; also in verse 14

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 8

The order for the consecration of Aaron and his sons is renewed, Le 8:1-3 which accordingly was set about and performed by Moses, Le 8:4,5 who having first washed and clothed them, first Aaron, and then his sons, with the garments of the priesthood, anointing at the same time the tabernacle of the altar, and what appertained to them and Aaron also, Le 8:6-13 and then he slew the bullock for the sin offering, and the ram for the burnt offering, and the ram of consecration; and did with the blood, fat, shoulder, and breast, and the meat offering belonging thereunto, as he had been directed, Le 8:14-30 and the chapter is concluded with some instructions about boiling the flesh, and burning the remainder of it, and keeping the charge of the Lord night and day for seven days, Le 8:31-36.