Leviticus 8

The Consecration of Aaron and His Sons

1 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

2 "¹Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the ²garments and ³the anointing oil and the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams and the basket of unleavened bread,

3 and assemble all the congregation at the doorway of the tent of meeting."

4 So Moses did just as the LORD commanded him. When the congregation was assembled at the doorway of the tent of meeting,

5 Moses said to the congregation, "This is the thing which the LORD has commanded to do."

6 Then ⁴Moses had Aaron and his sons come near and ⁵washed them with water.

7 He ⁶put the tunic on him and girded him with the sash, and clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him; and he girded him with the artistic band of the ephod, with which he tied it to him.

8 He then placed the breastpiece on him, and in the breastpiece he put ⁷the Urim and the Thummim.

9 He also placed the turban on his head, and on the turban, at its front, he placed ⁸the golden plate, the holy crown, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

10 Moses then took ⁹the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them.

11 He sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times and anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, to ¹⁰consecrate them.

12 Then he poured some of the ¹¹anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him, to consecrate him.

13 ¹²Next Moses had Aaron's sons come near and clothed them with tunics, and girded them with sashes and bound caps on them, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

14 Then he brought ¹³the bull of the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull of the sin offering.

15 Next Moses slaughtered it and took the blood and with his finger ¹⁴put some of it around on the horns of the altar, and purified the altar. Then he poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar and consecrated it, to make atonement for it.

16 He also ¹⁵took all the fat that was on the entrails and the lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat; and Moses offered it up in smoke on the altar.

17 ¹⁶But the bull and its hide and its flesh and its refuse he burned in the fire outside * the camp, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

18 Then he presented ¹⁷the ram of the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram.

19 Moses slaughtered it and sprinkled the blood around on the altar.

20 When he had cut the ram into its pieces, Moses ¹⁸offered up the head and the pieces and the suet in smoke.

21 After he had washed the entrails and the legs with water, Moses ¹⁹offered up the whole ram in smoke on the altar. It was a burnt offering for a soothing aroma; it was an offering by fire to the LORD, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

22 Then he presented the second ram, ²⁰the ram of ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram.

23 Moses slaughtered it and took some of its blood and ²¹put it on the lobe of Aaron's right ear, and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot.

24 He also had Aaron's sons come near; and Moses put some of the blood on the lobe of their right ear, and on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot. Moses then ²²sprinkled the rest of the blood around on the altar.

25 He took the fat, and the fat tail, and all the fat that was on the entrails, and the lobe of the liver and the two kidneys and their fat and the right thigh.

26 ²³From the basket of unleavened bread that was before the LORD, he took one unleavened cake and one cake of bread mixed with oil and one wafer, and placed them on the portions of fat and on the right thigh.

27 He then ²⁴put all these on the hands of Aaron and on the hands of his sons and presented them as a wave offering before the LORD.

28 Then Moses ²⁵took them from their hands and offered them up in smoke on the altar with the burnt offering. They were an ordination offering for ²⁶a soothing aroma; it was an offering by fire to the LORD.

29 Moses also took ²⁷the breast and presented it for a wave offering before the LORD; it was ²⁸Moses' portion of the ram of ordination, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

30 So Moses ²⁹took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood which was on the altar and sprinkled it on Aaron, on his garments, on his sons, and on the garments of his sons with him; and he consecrated Aaron, his garments, and his sons, and the garments of his sons with him.

31 Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons, "³⁰Boil the flesh at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and eat it there together with the bread which is in the basket of the ordination offering, just as I commanded, ³¹saying, 'Aaron and his sons shall eat it.'

32 "³²The remainder of the flesh and of the bread you shall burn in the fire.

33 "³³You shall not go outside the doorway of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the day that the period of your ordination is fulfilled; for he will ordain * you through seven days.

34 "The LORD has commanded to do as has been done this day, to make atonement on your behalf.

35 "At the doorway of the tent of meeting, moreover, you shall remain day and night for seven days and ³⁴keep the charge of the LORD, so that you will not die, for so I have been commanded."

36 Thus Aaron and his sons did all the things which the LORD had 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. Exodus 28:1
• 2. Leviticus 6:10
• 3. Exodus 30:25
• 4. Exodus 29:4-6
• 5. Exodus 30:19, 20; Psalms 26:6; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Ephesians 5:26
• 6. Exodus 28:4
• 7. Exodus 28:30; Numbers 27:21; Deuteronomy 33:8; 1 Samuel 28:6; Ezra 2:63; Nehemiah 7:65
• 8. Exodus 28:36
• 9. Exodus 30:26-29; Leviticus 8:2
• 10. Exodus 29:36, 37; Exodus 30:29
• 11. Exodus 29:7; Exodus 30:30; Leviticus 21:10, 12; Psalms 133:2
• 12. Exodus 29:8, 9
• 13. Exodus 29:10; Leviticus 4:4; Psalms 66:15; Ezekiel 43:19
• 14. Exodus 29:12; Leviticus 4:7; Ezekiel 43:20
• 15. Exodus 29:13
• 16. Exodus 29:14; Leviticus 4:11, 12
• 17. Exodus 29:15; Leviticus 8:2
• 18. Leviticus 1:8
• 19. Exodus 29:18
• 20. Exodus 29:31; Leviticus 8:2
• 21. Exodus 29:20, 21
• 22. Hebrews 9:18-22
• 23. Exodus 29:23
• 24. Exodus 29:24
• 25. Exodus 29:25
• 26. Genesis 8:21
• 27. Leviticus 7:31-34
• 28. Exodus 29:26; Psalms 99:6
• 29. Exodus 29:21
• 30. Exodus 29:31
• 31. Exodus 29:32
• 32. Exodus 29:34
• 33. Exodus 29:35
• 34. Numbers 3:7; Numbers 9:19; Deuteronomy 11:1; 1 Kings 2:3; Ezekiel 48:11

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "and with it"
• [b]. Lit "pouch"
• [c]. Lit "pouch"
• [d]. I.e. the lights and perfections
• [e]. Or "dwelling place"
• [f]. Lit "headgear"
• [g]. Lit "he slaughtered it and Moses took"
• [h]. Or "appendage on"
• [i]. Lit "He slaughtered it and Moses sprinkled"
• [j]. Lit "filling," and so throughout the ch
• [k]. Lit "He slaughtered it and Moses took"
• [l]. Or "appendage on"
• [m]. Lit "fill your hands"

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.