Vayikra 9

1 And it come to pass on yom hashemini, that Moshe called to Aharon and his Banim, and the Ziknei Yisroel;

2 And he said unto Aharon, Take thee a young calf for a chattat (sin offering), and a ram for an olah (burnt offering), temimim (without blemish), and offer them before Hashem.

3 And unto the Bnei Yisroel thou shalt speak, saying, Take ye a sa’ir izzim (male goat) for a chattat (sin offering); and a calf and a keves (lamb), both of the first year, temimim (without blemish), for an olah;

4 Also a bull and a ram for shelamim (peace offerings), to sacrifice before Hashem; and a minchah mixed with shemen; for today Hashem will appear unto you.

5 And they brought that which Moshe commanded before the Ohel Mo’ed; and kol HaEdah drew near and stood before Hashem.

6 And Moshe said, This is the thing which Hashem commanded that ye should do; and the kavod Hashem shall appear unto you.

7 And Moshe said unto Aharon, Go unto the Mizbe’ach, and offer thy chattat (sin offering), and thy olah (burnt offering), and make kapporah for thyself, and for the people; and offer the korban of the people, and make kapporah for them; just as Hashem commanded.

8 Aharon therefore went unto the Mizbe’ach, and slaughtered (shachat) the calf of the chattat (sin offering), which was for himself.

9 And the Bnei Aharon brought the dahm unto him; and he dipped his forefinger in the dahm, and put it upon the horns of the Mizbe’ach, and poured out the dahm at the foundation of the Mizbe’ach;

10 But the chelev (fat), and the kidneys, and the diaphragm with the liver of the chattat (sin offering), he burned upon the Mizbe’ach; just as Hashem commanded Moshe.

11 And the basar and the hide he burned with eish outside the machaneh.

12 And he slaughtered (shachat) the olah (burnt offering); and the Bnei Aharon presented unto him the dahm, which he sprinkled around upon the Mizbe’ach.

13 And they presented the olah (burnt offering) unto him, with the pieces thereof, and the head; and he burned them upon the Mizbe’ach.

14 And he did wash the innards and the legs, and burned them upon the olah (burnt offering) on the Mizbe’ach.

15 And he brought the korban HaAm (the offering of the people), and took the goat of the chattat (sin offering) for the people, and slaughtered (shachat) it, and offered it for sin, as before.

16 And he brought the olah (burnt offering), and offered it in the prescribed way.

17 And he brought the minchah, and took a handful thereof, and burned it upon the Mizbe’ach, in addition to the olah of the boker.

18 He slaughtered (shachat) also the bull and the ram for a zevach which was for the people; and the Bnei Aharon presented unto him the dahm, which he sprinkled upon the Mizbe’ach around,

19 And the chalavim (fat portions) of the bull and of the ram, the tail, and that which covereth the innards, and the kidneys, and the diaphragm above the liver;

20 And they put the chelev (fat) upon the breasts, and he burned the chelev (fat) upon the Mizbe’ach;

21 And the breasts and the right thigh Aharon waved for a tenufah (wave offering) before Hashem; just as Moshe commanded.

22 And Aharon lifted up his hand toward the people, and pronounced a barucha upon them, and came down from offering of the chattat (sin offering), and the olah (burnt offering), and shelamim (peace offerings).

23 And Moshe and Aharon went into the Ohel Mo’ed, and came out, and pronounced a barucha over the people; and the kavod Hashem appeared unto kol HaAm.

24 And there came an eish out from before Hashem, and consumed upon the Mizbe’ach the olah (burnt offering) and the chalavim (fat portions); which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

Vayikra 9 Commentary

Chapter 9

The first offerings of Aaron for himself and the people. (1-21) Moses and Aaron bless the people, Fire cometh upon the altar from the Lord. (22-24)

Verses 1-21 These many sacrifices, which were all done away by the death of Christ, teach us that our best services need washing in his blood, and that the guilt of our best sacrifices needs to be done away by one more pure and more noble than they. Let us be thankful that we have such a High Priest. The priests had not a day's respite from service allowed. God's spiritual priests have constant work, which the duty of every day requires; they that would give up their account with joy, must redeem time. The glory of God appeared in the sight of the people, and owned what they had done. We are not now to expect such appearances, but God draws nigh to those who draw nigh to him, and the offerings of faith are acceptable to him; though the sacrifices being spiritual, the tokens of the acceptance are spiritual likewise. When Aaron had done all that was to be done about the sacrifices, he lifted up his hands towards the people, and blessed them. Aaron could but crave a blessing, God alone can command it.

Verses 22-24 When the solemnity was finished, and the blessing pronounced, God testified his acceptance. There came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed the sacrifice. This fire might justly have fastened upon the people, and have consumed them for their sins; but its consuming the sacrifice signified God's acceptance of it, as an atonement for the sinner. This also was a figure of good things to come. The Spirit descended upon the apostles in fire. And the descent of this holy fire into our souls, to kindle in them pious and devout affections toward God, and such a holy zeal as burns up the flesh and the lusts of it, is a certain token of God's gracious acceptance of our persons and performances. Nothing goes to God, but what comes from him. We must have grace, that holy fire, from the God of grace, else we cannot serve him acceptably, ( Hebrews 12:28 ) . The people were affected with this discovery of God's glory and grace. They received it with the highest joy; triumphing in the assurance given them that they had God nigh unto them. And with the lowest reverence; humbly adoring the majesty of that God, who vouchsafed thus to manifest himself to them. That is a sinful fear of God, which drives us from him; a gracious fear makes us bow before him.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 9

Aaron and his sons, being consecrated to and invested with the priest's office, are called upon to the exercise of it, to offer a sin offering and a burnt offering for themselves, and all sorts of offerings, a sin offering, a burnt offering, peace offerings, and a meat offering, for the people; and a promise is made for their encouragement, that the glory of the Lord would appear to them, Le 9:1-7 and which were in their course accordingly offered; first, Aaron's sin offering for himself, Le 9:8-11 then his burnt offering, Le 9:12-14 after that the several offerings of the people before mentioned, Le 9:15-21 when Aaron and Moses blessed the people, the one as soon as he had done offering, and both together when they came out of the tabernacle, Le 9:22,23 upon which a fire came forth from the Lord, and consumed the burnt offering upon the altar, Le 9:24.