American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Leviticus 8
1
And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2
Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and a bullock for the sin offering, and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread;
3
And gather you all the congregation together to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
Reference
4
And Moses did as the LORD commanded him; and the assembly was gathered together to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
5
And Moses said to the congregation, This is the thing which the LORD commanded to be done.
7
And he put on him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it to him therewith.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 28:4
8
And he put the breastplate on him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezra 2:63
9
And he put the turban on his head; also on the turban, even on his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the LORD commanded Moses.
10
And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them.
11
And he sprinkled thereof on the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to sanctify them.
13
And Moses brought Aaron's sons, and put coats on them, and girded them with girdles, and put bonnets on them; as the LORD commanded Moses.
14
And he brought the bullock for the sin offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bullock for the sin offering.
Reference
Sin
Ezekiel 43:19
15
And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it on the horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to make reconciliation on it.
Reference
Blood
Leviticus 4:7
16
And he took all the fat that was on the inwards, and the lobe above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and Moses burned it on the altar.
Reference
Sacrifice
Exodus 29:13
17
But the bullock, and his hide, his flesh, and his dung, he burnt with fire without the camp; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 29:14
18
And he brought the ram for the burnt offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram.
Reference
Sacrifice
Leviticus 8:2
19
And he killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood on the altar round about.
20
And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moses burnt the head, and the pieces, and the fat.
21
And he washed the inwards and the legs in water; and Moses burnt the whole ram on the altar: it was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet smell, and an offering made by fire to the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Reference
22
And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram.
Reference
Parallel theme
Leviticus 8:2
23
And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it on the tip of Aaron's right ear, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the great toe of his right foot.
Reference
24
And he brought Aaron's sons, and Moses put of the blood on the tip of their right ear, and on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood on the altar round about.
25
And he took the fat, and the rump, and all the fat that was on the inwards, and the lobe above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and the right shoulder:
26
And out of the basket of unleavened bread, that was before the LORD, he took one unleavened cake, and a cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and put them on the fat, and on the right shoulder:
Reference
References Lord
Exodus 29:23
27
And he put all on Aaron's hands, and on his sons' hands, and waved them for a wave offering before the LORD.
28
And Moses took them from off their hands, and burnt them on the altar on the burnt offering: they were consecrations for a sweet smell: it is an offering made by fire to the LORD.
Reference
Creation
Exodus 29:25
29
And Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave offering before the LORD: for of the ram of consecration it was Moses' part; as the LORD commanded Moses.
30
And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which was on the altar, and sprinkled it on Aaron, and on his garments, and on his sons, and on his sons' garments with him; and sanctified Aaron, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him.
Reference
31
And Moses said to Aaron and to his sons, Boil the flesh at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and there eat it with the bread that is in the basket of consecrations, as I commanded, saying, Aaron and his sons shall eat it.
32
And that which remains of the flesh and of the bread shall you burn with fire.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 29:34
33
And you shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation in seven days, until the days of your consecration be at an end: for seven days shall he consecrate you.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 29:35
34
As he has done this day, so the LORD has commanded to do, to make an atonement for you.
Reference
35
Therefore shall you abide at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the LORD, that you die not: for so I am commanded.
Reference
36
So Aaron and his sons did all things which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.
Reference
Parallel theme
Deuteronomy 12:32
Summary of Leviticus 8
Leviticus 8 describes the consecration of Aaron and his sons to the office of priests in order to perform their service. The Lord had provided to Moses directions concerning the priesthood, priestly garments, and sacrifices to be offered. Now these directions were put into practise. Aaron and his sons were formally set apart for service in the tabernacle and the people of Israel were called together to see what was done.
Moses brought Aaron, his sons, and the congregation to the door of the tabernacle. He told the people that what was to follow had been commanded by the Lord, because the priests were to be set apart by instruction from the Lord. The first step in the ceremony was the washing of Aaron and his sons with water. Moses brought them before the tabernacle and washed them, which was a necessary preliminary to their service as priests. Before beginning their ministry they had to be cleansed and prepared for the holy office they were to hold.
Moses then dressed Aaron in the priestly garments prepared for him. He put on the coat, the girdle, the robe, and the ephod, which was fastened by the beautifully woven girdle. Moses also placed the breastplate upon Aaron, inserting the Urim and Thummim. The whole of this clothing was distinctive and pointed to Aaron's position as the man anointed to the high priesthood. Moses further placed the mitre upon Aaron's head, securing the holy crown. All was done according to the instructions that had been given earlier.
When Aaron was dressed, Moses anointed with the oil the tabernacle and all that was in it. He poured some of the oil upon the altar and its vessels, the laver and its base, and all the other objects used in worship. He so anointed them that they might be made holy to the Lord for His service. Moses then poured out the oil upon Aaron's head, by which he was anointed and set apart to be the high priest of Israel. The ceremony clearly showed that the office of the priesthood was not merely a matter of tradition in the family, or a matter of politics, but that he was specially set apart by the Lord for his holy service.
Aaron's sons were brought forward and Moses dressed them, putting on them coats, girdles, and bonnets, as had been directed for their priestly garments. These garments marked them out as priests who were fitted for the service to the tabernacle.
Next, Moses brought a bullock for a sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the bullock's head. Moses killed it, taking some of the blood with his finger and putting it upon the horns of the altar. The remainder of the blood was dashed at the bottom of the altar. Thereupon the fat and other portions of the bullock that had been ordered were burned upon the altar, while the remainder of the animal, including the hide, flesh, and dung, were burned outside the camp, according to the directions regarding the sin offering. Thus Aaron's sons were to have atonement made for them before they could begin their ministry.
Moses next brought a ram for a burnt offering and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon its head. Moses killed the ram and mingled the blood about the altar. The ram was cut up and washed as directed, after which the several pieces were burned upon the altar. The burnt offering was presented to the Lord.
Then a second ram was brought, which was the ram of consecration. Again Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon its head before it was killed. Moses took some of the blood of the ram and put it upon the right ear of Aaron, upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot. The same was done to Aaron's sons, blood being put upon their right ears, upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet. This was their formal consecration to the service of the Lord, and it involved them in all their powers of hearing, serving, and walking.
Moses then made sprinkling of the blood round about the altar. He took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood from the altar and sprinkled Aaron and his garments, and Aaron's sons and their garments, so that Aaron and his sons were thus made holy to the Lord. The ram was cut up as directed and Moses took some of the fat, the fat tail, the fat that covered the inward parts, the kidneys, the fat upon them, and the right shoulder from it, together with one unleavened cake, one cake of oil, and one wafer from the basket of unleavened bread that stood before the Lord. He laid these three upon the hands of Aaron and his sons as a wave offering before the Lord.
Moses took these offerings from their hands and burned them upon the altar, it being a sweet savour to the Lord. A part of the ram was reserved to Moses according to the directions given regarding the consecration offering.
Moses took the breast of the ram and waved it before the Lord, this being his share in the offering. Thus the portions for the priests and for Moses were presented to the Lord, and the rest of the offering was burned before Him.
The anointing oil and the blood were significant factors in the whole offering, showing that Aaron and his sons were marked out by God for a special order of service, and that their service had to do with the tabernacle, sacrifices, and worship of the people of Israel.
Moses then gave to Aaron and his sons a most solemn warning that what had been directed must be carried out. They were to boil the flesh of the consecration offering at the door of the tabernacle and eat it there with the bread that had been left in the basket. It was not to be taken out of the door of the tabernacle, and the remainder left until the morning was to be burnt. Moses told the priests that for seven days they were not to go away from the door of the tabernacle, but were to remain there in order to complete the days of their consecration. If they failed to abide by these directions, there would be judgment upon them, for the Lord had said that these things should be done.
And Aaron and his sons did all the things that the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses, and so they observed the days of their consecration at the door of the tabernacle for seven days.
It was necessary that the seven-day consecration service should be performed, for the priesthood was not regarded as a beginning of light service to the people of Israel. Aaron and his sons were prepared, washed, girdled, anointed, and linked with the sacrifice that had been ordered, so that they might have every detail as a sign that by God's command they were set apart to the service of Israel.
Leviticus 8 is therefore the record of the beginning of the formal priesthood among the people of Israel. Aaron was set apart to the office of high priest while his sons were appointed to the offices of priests. Their garments, anointing, sacrifice, and consecration marked them as having been ordained to the service of the Lord. They thus received the right to stand in relation to the worship and sacrifices of the people of Israel, but at the same time they were bound to observe with the utmost exactness all the directions given in regard to it. Thus Leviticus 8 closes with a statement that Aaron and his sons fulfilled all the days of their consecration as Moses had ordered them.
Moses brought Aaron, his sons, and the congregation to the door of the tabernacle. He told the people that what was to follow had been commanded by the Lord, because the priests were to be set apart by instruction from the Lord. The first step in the ceremony was the washing of Aaron and his sons with water. Moses brought them before the tabernacle and washed them, which was a necessary preliminary to their service as priests. Before beginning their ministry they had to be cleansed and prepared for the holy office they were to hold.
Moses then dressed Aaron in the priestly garments prepared for him. He put on the coat, the girdle, the robe, and the ephod, which was fastened by the beautifully woven girdle. Moses also placed the breastplate upon Aaron, inserting the Urim and Thummim. The whole of this clothing was distinctive and pointed to Aaron's position as the man anointed to the high priesthood. Moses further placed the mitre upon Aaron's head, securing the holy crown. All was done according to the instructions that had been given earlier.
When Aaron was dressed, Moses anointed with the oil the tabernacle and all that was in it. He poured some of the oil upon the altar and its vessels, the laver and its base, and all the other objects used in worship. He so anointed them that they might be made holy to the Lord for His service. Moses then poured out the oil upon Aaron's head, by which he was anointed and set apart to be the high priest of Israel. The ceremony clearly showed that the office of the priesthood was not merely a matter of tradition in the family, or a matter of politics, but that he was specially set apart by the Lord for his holy service.
Aaron's sons were brought forward and Moses dressed them, putting on them coats, girdles, and bonnets, as had been directed for their priestly garments. These garments marked them out as priests who were fitted for the service to the tabernacle.
Next, Moses brought a bullock for a sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the bullock's head. Moses killed it, taking some of the blood with his finger and putting it upon the horns of the altar. The remainder of the blood was dashed at the bottom of the altar. Thereupon the fat and other portions of the bullock that had been ordered were burned upon the altar, while the remainder of the animal, including the hide, flesh, and dung, were burned outside the camp, according to the directions regarding the sin offering. Thus Aaron's sons were to have atonement made for them before they could begin their ministry.
Moses next brought a ram for a burnt offering and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon its head. Moses killed the ram and mingled the blood about the altar. The ram was cut up and washed as directed, after which the several pieces were burned upon the altar. The burnt offering was presented to the Lord.
Then a second ram was brought, which was the ram of consecration. Again Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon its head before it was killed. Moses took some of the blood of the ram and put it upon the right ear of Aaron, upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot. The same was done to Aaron's sons, blood being put upon their right ears, upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet. This was their formal consecration to the service of the Lord, and it involved them in all their powers of hearing, serving, and walking.
Moses then made sprinkling of the blood round about the altar. He took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood from the altar and sprinkled Aaron and his garments, and Aaron's sons and their garments, so that Aaron and his sons were thus made holy to the Lord. The ram was cut up as directed and Moses took some of the fat, the fat tail, the fat that covered the inward parts, the kidneys, the fat upon them, and the right shoulder from it, together with one unleavened cake, one cake of oil, and one wafer from the basket of unleavened bread that stood before the Lord. He laid these three upon the hands of Aaron and his sons as a wave offering before the Lord.
Moses took these offerings from their hands and burned them upon the altar, it being a sweet savour to the Lord. A part of the ram was reserved to Moses according to the directions given regarding the consecration offering.
Moses took the breast of the ram and waved it before the Lord, this being his share in the offering. Thus the portions for the priests and for Moses were presented to the Lord, and the rest of the offering was burned before Him.
The anointing oil and the blood were significant factors in the whole offering, showing that Aaron and his sons were marked out by God for a special order of service, and that their service had to do with the tabernacle, sacrifices, and worship of the people of Israel.
Moses then gave to Aaron and his sons a most solemn warning that what had been directed must be carried out. They were to boil the flesh of the consecration offering at the door of the tabernacle and eat it there with the bread that had been left in the basket. It was not to be taken out of the door of the tabernacle, and the remainder left until the morning was to be burnt. Moses told the priests that for seven days they were not to go away from the door of the tabernacle, but were to remain there in order to complete the days of their consecration. If they failed to abide by these directions, there would be judgment upon them, for the Lord had said that these things should be done.
And Aaron and his sons did all the things that the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses, and so they observed the days of their consecration at the door of the tabernacle for seven days.
It was necessary that the seven-day consecration service should be performed, for the priesthood was not regarded as a beginning of light service to the people of Israel. Aaron and his sons were prepared, washed, girdled, anointed, and linked with the sacrifice that had been ordered, so that they might have every detail as a sign that by God's command they were set apart to the service of Israel.
Leviticus 8 is therefore the record of the beginning of the formal priesthood among the people of Israel. Aaron was set apart to the office of high priest while his sons were appointed to the offices of priests. Their garments, anointing, sacrifice, and consecration marked them as having been ordained to the service of the Lord. They thus received the right to stand in relation to the worship and sacrifices of the people of Israel, but at the same time they were bound to observe with the utmost exactness all the directions given in regard to it. Thus Leviticus 8 closes with a statement that Aaron and his sons fulfilled all the days of their consecration as Moses had ordered them.