Vayikra 8

1 And Hashem spoke unto Moshe, saying,
2 Take Aharon and his Banim with him, and the garments, and the shemen hamishchah (anointing oil), and a bull for the chattat (sin offering), and two rams, and a basket of matzot;
3 And gather thou Kol HaEdah together unto the entrance of the Ohel Mo’ed.
4 And Moshe did as Hashem commanded him; and HaEdah (the Assembly) was gathered together unto the entrance of the Ohel Mo’ed.
5 And Moshe said unto HaEdah, This is the thing which Hashem commanded to be done.
6 And Moshe brought Aharon and his Banim, and immersed them with mayim.
7 And he put upon him the Kesones [see Yn 19:23], and girded him with the Avnet (Sash), and clothed him with the Me’il (Robe), and put the Ephod upon him, and he girded him with the Cheishev (Belt) of the Ephod, and fastened it unto him therewith.
8 And he put the Choshen (Breastplate) upon him; also he put in the Choshen the Urim and the Tummim.
9 And he put the Mitznefet (Turban) upon his head; also upon the Mitznefet (Turban) toward his face did he put the Tzitz (Headplate), the Nezer Hakodesh (Holy Diadem); as Hashem commanded Moshe.
10 And Moshe took the Shemen HaMishchah, and anointed the Mishkan (Tabernacle) and all that was therein and he set them apart as kodesh.
11 And he sprinkled thereof upon the Mizbe’ach seven times, and anointed the Mizbe’ach and all its utensils, both the Kiyor (Laver) and its stand, to set them apart as kodesh.
12 And he poured of the Shemen HaMishchah upon Aharon’s head, and anointed him, to set him apart as kodesh.
13 And Moshe brought the Bnei Aharon, and put Kuttonot upon them, and girded them with Sashes, and put Migba’ot (headbands) upon them; as Hashem commanded Moshe.
14 And he brought the bull for the chattat (sin offering); and Aharon and his Banim laid their hands upon the head of the bull for the chattat (sin offering).
15 And he slaughtered (shachat) it; and Moshe took the dahm, and put it upon the horns of the Mizbe’ach around with his forefinger, and purified the Mizbe’ach, and poured the dahm at the base of the Mizbe’ach, and set it apart as kodesh, to make kapporah for it.
16 And he took all the chelev (fat) that was upon the innards, and the diaphragm above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their chelev (fat), and Moshe burned it upon the Mizbe’ach.
17 But the bull, and its hide, its basar, and its dung, he burned with eish outside the machaneh; as Hashem commanded Moshe.
18 And he brought the ram for the olah (burnt offering); and Aharon and his Banim laid their hands upon the head of the ram.
19 And he slaughtered (shachat) it; and Moshe sprinkled the dahm upon the Mizbe’ach around.
20 And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moshe burned the head, and the pieces, and the chelev (fat).
21 And he washed the innards and the legs in mayim; and Moshe burned the whole ram upon the Mizbe’ach; it was an olah for a re’ach nicho’ach, and an offering made by eish unto Hashem; just as Hashem commanded Moshe.
22 And he brought the other ram, the ram of ordination; and Aharon and his Banim laid their hands upon the head of the ram.
23 And he slaughtered (shachat) it; and Moshe took of the dahm of it, and put it upon the lobe of Aharon’s right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the bohen of his right foot.
24 And he brought Aharon’s Banim, and Moshe put of the dahm upon the lobe of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the bohen of their right feet: and Moshe sprinkled the dahm upon the Mizbe’ach around.
25 And he took the chelev (fat), and the tail, and all the chelev (fat) that was upon the innards, and the diaphragm above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their chelev (fat), and the right thigh:
26 And out of the basket of matzot, that was before Hashem, he took one challat matzot, and a loaf of oiled lechem, and one wafer, and put them on the chelavim, and upon the right thigh:
27 And he put all upon Aharon’s hands, and upon the hands of his Banim, and waved them for a tenufah (wave offering) before Hashem.
28 And Moshe took them from off their hands, and burned them on the Mizbe’ach upon the olah (burnt offering); they were ordination offerings for a re’ach nicho’ach; it is an offering made by eish unto Hashem.
29 And Moshe took the breast, and waved it for a tenufah before Hashem: it was Moshe’s share of the ram of ordination; just as Hashem commanded Moshe.
30 And Moshe took of the shemen hamishchah, and of the dahm which was upon the Mizbe’ach, and sprinkled it upon Aharon, and upon his garments, and upon his Banim, and upon the garments of his Banim with him; and he set apart as kodesh Aharon, and his garments, and his Banim, and the garments of his Banim with him.
31 And Moshe said unto Aharon and to his Banim, Cook the basar at the entrance of the Ohel Mo’ed: and there eat it with the lechem that is in the basket of ordination offerings, as I commanded, saying, Aharon and his Banim shall eat it.
32 And that which remaineth of the basar and of the lechem shall ye burn with eish.
33 And ye shall not go out of the entrance of the Ohel Mo’ed in seven days, until the days of your ordination be at an end: for seven days shall he fill your hand [consecrate you in ordination as kohanim].
34 As he hath done this day, so Hashem hath commanded to do, to make kapporah for you.
35 Therefore shall ye abide at the entrance of the Ohel Mo’ed yomam valailah seven days and be shomer over the mishmeret (charge) of Hashem, that ye die not: for so I have been commanded.
36 So Aharon and his Banim did all things which Hashem commanded by the hand of Moshe.

Vayikra 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.

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.

Vayikra 8 Commentaries

The Orthodox Jewish Bible fourth edition, OJB. Copyright 2002,2003,2008,2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International. All rights reserved.