Exodus 29:11-37

11 Slaughter it in the LORD’s presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
12 Take some of the bull’s blood and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and pour out the rest of it at the base of the altar.
13 Then take all the fat on the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, and both kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar.
14 But burn the bull’s flesh and its hide and its intestines outside the camp. It is a sin offering.[a]
15 “Take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.
16 Slaughter it and take the blood and splash it against the sides of the altar.
17 Cut the ram into pieces and wash the internal organs and the legs, putting them with the head and the other pieces.
18 Then burn the entire ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the LORD.
19 “Take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.
20 Slaughter it, take some of its blood and put it on the lobes of the right ears of Aaron and his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Then splash blood against the sides of the altar.
21 And take some blood from the altar and some of the anointing oil and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. Then he and his sons and their garments will be consecrated.
22 “Take from this ram the fat, the fat tail, the fat on the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, both kidneys with the fat on them, and the right thigh. (This is the ram for the ordination.)
23 From the basket of bread made without yeast, which is before the LORD, take one round loaf, one thick loaf with olive oil mixed in, and one thin loaf.
24 Put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons and have them wave them before the LORD as a wave offering.
25 Then take them from their hands and burn them on the altar along with the burnt offering for a pleasing aroma to the LORD, a food offering presented to the LORD.
26 After you take the breast of the ram for Aaron’s ordination, wave it before the LORD as a wave offering, and it will be your share.
27 “Consecrate those parts of the ordination ram that belong to Aaron and his sons: the breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented.
28 This is always to be the perpetual share from the Israelites for Aaron and his sons. It is the contribution the Israelites are to make to the LORD from their fellowship offerings.
29 “Aaron’s sacred garments will belong to his descendants so that they can be anointed and ordained in them.
30 The son who succeeds him as priest and comes to the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place is to wear them seven days.
31 “Take the ram for the ordination and cook the meat in a sacred place.
32 At the entrance to the tent of meeting, Aaron and his sons are to eat the meat of the ram and the bread that is in the basket.
33 They are to eat these offerings by which atonement was made for their ordination and consecration. But no one else may eat them, because they are sacred.
34 And if any of the meat of the ordination ram or any bread is left over till morning, burn it up. It must not be eaten, because it is sacred.
35 “Do for Aaron and his sons everything I have commanded you, taking seven days to ordain them.
36 Sacrifice a bull each day as a sin offering to make atonement. Purify the altar by making atonement for it, and anoint it to consecrate it.
37 For seven days make atonement for the altar and consecrate it. Then the altar will be most holy, and whatever touches it will be holy.

Exodus 29:11-37 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 29

This chapter gives an account of the form and order of the consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priestly office; preparatory to which Moses is ordered to take a young bullock, two rams, bread, cakes, and wafers unleavened, and bring them and Aaron and his sons to the door of the congregation, where the ceremony was to be publicly performed, and which began with washing them, Ex 29:1-4 and then proceeded by putting on the priestly garments directed to be made in the preceding chapter, first on Aaron, who also was anointed, Ex 29:5-7 and then upon his sons, Ex 29:8,9 after which the bullock and the two rams were to be slain, and orders are given what was to be done with their blood, and the several parts of them, as well as with the cakes and wafers, Ex 29:10-23 and directions are given to make these wave and heave offerings, Ex 29:24-28 and that the garments of Aaron's should be his son's that succeeded him, Ex 29:29,30, and that the flesh of the ram of consecration with the bread should be eaten by Aaron and his sons and no other, Ex 29:31-35, the altar also where they were to officiate was to be cleansed, sanctified, and an atonement made for it, Ex 29:36,37 after which two lambs every day, morning and evening, were to be offered on it in all succeeding generations, Ex 29:38-42, and the chapter is closed with a promise that the Lord would meet with the children of Israel at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and would sanctify the tabernacle, and dwell among them, and be their God, Ex 29:43-46.

Cross References 36

  • 1. Leviticus 1:5,11; Leviticus 4:24; Leviticus 6:16,25; Leviticus 14:13
  • 2. S Exodus 27:2
  • 3. Leviticus 4:7; Leviticus 9:9
  • 4. ver 22; Leviticus 1:8; Leviticus 3:3,5,9; Leviticus 4:10; Leviticus 6:12; Leviticus 7:3,5,31; Leviticus 9:10; Numbers 18:17; 1 Samuel 2:15; 1 Kings 8:64; 2 Chronicles 7:7; 2 Chronicles 29:35; 2 Chronicles 35:14; Isaiah 43:24; Ezekiel 44:15
  • 5. S Exodus 12:9
  • 6. Nahum 3:6; Malachi 2:3
  • 7. Leviticus 4:12,21; Leviticus 16:27; Lev 4:11-12,21; Numbers 19:3-5; Hebrews 13:11
  • 8. S ver 3
  • 9. ver 10; Leviticus 3:2; 2 Chronicles 29:23
  • 10. Leviticus 1:9,13
  • 11. S Genesis 8:21; 2 Corinthians 2:15
  • 12. S ver 3
  • 13. S ver 10
  • 14. Leviticus 14:14,25
  • 15. ver 16; Leviticus 1:5,11; Leviticus 3:2
  • 16. Hebrews 9:22
  • 17. S ver 7; Exodus 30:25,31
  • 18. S ver 1
  • 19. S ver 13
  • 20. Leviticus 7:30; Leviticus 9:21; Leviticus 10:15; Leviticus 14:12; Leviticus 23:11,20; Numbers 6:20; Numbers 8:11,13,15
  • 21. ver 18
  • 22. Leviticus 7:31-34
  • 23. Exodus 22:29; Leviticus 7:31,34; Numbers 18:11,12; Deuteronomy 18:3
  • 24. ver 22-27; Leviticus 7:30,34; Leviticus 10:15
  • 25. S Exodus 28:2; S Leviticus 16:4
  • 26. Numbers 20:28; Numbers 20:26,28
  • 27. Leviticus 6:22; Numbers 3:3; Numbers 20:28
  • 28. Leviticus 7:37; 2 Chronicles 13:9
  • 29. Leviticus 10:14; Numbers 19:9; Ezekiel 42:13
  • 30. Matthew 12:4
  • 31. Leviticus 10:14; Leviticus 22:10,13
  • 32. S Exodus 12:10
  • 33. Hebrews 10:11
  • 34. ver 33,37; Exodus 30:10; Leviticus 1:4; Leviticus 4:20; Leviticus 16:16; Numbers 6:11; Numbers 8:12,19; Numbers 16:46; Numbers 25:13; 2 Chronicles 29:24
  • 35. Exodus 40:10; Numbers 7:10
  • 36. Exodus 30:28-29; Exodus 40:10; Ezekiel 43:25; Matthew 23:19

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or "purification offering" ; also in verse 36
Scripture quoted by permission.  Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.  NIV®.  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica.  All rights reserved worldwide.