Leviticus — Chapter 8

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1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2Take 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;

3And gather thou all the congregation together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

4And Moses did as the LORD commanded him; and the assembly was gathered together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

5And Moses said unto the congregation, This

6And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water.

7And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound

8And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim.

9And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre,

10And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that

11And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to sanctify them.

12And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.

13And Moses brought Aaron’s sons, and put coats upon them, and girded them with girdles, and put bonnets upon them; as the LORD commanded Moses.

14And he brought the bullock for the sin offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock for the sin offering.

15And he slew

16And he took all the fat that

17But the bullock, and his hide, his flesh, and his dung, he burnt with fire without the camp; as the LORD commanded Moses.

18And he brought the ram for the burnt offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.

19And he killed

20And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moses burnt the head, and the pieces, and the fat.

21And he washed the inwards and the legs in water; and Moses burnt the whole ram upon the altar: it

22And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.

23And he slew

24And he brought Aaron’s sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about.

25And he took the fat, and the rump, and all the fat that

26And out of the basket of unleavened bread, that

27And he put all upon Aaron’s hands, and upon his sons’ hands, and waved them

28And Moses took them from off their hands, and burnt

29And Moses took the breast, and waved it

30And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which

31And Moses said unto 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

32And that which remaineth of the flesh and of the bread shall ye burn with fire.

33And ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation

34As he hath done this day,

35Therefore shall ye abide

36So Aaron and his sons did all things which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

1And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,

2Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and the bullock of the sin-offering, and the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread;

3and assemble thou all the congregation at the door of the tent of meeting.

4And Moses did as Jehovah commanded him; and the congregation was assembled at the door of the tent of meeting.

5And Moses said unto the congregation, This is the thing which Jehovah hath commanded to be done.

6And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water.

7And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the skilfully woven band of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith.

8And he placed the breastplate upon him: and in the breastplate he put the Urim and the Thummim.

9And he set the mitre upon his head; and upon the mitre, in front, did he set the golden plate, the holy crown; as Jehovah commanded Moses.

10And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them.

11And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its vessels, and the laver and its base, to sanctify them.

12And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron`s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.

13And Moses brought Aaron`s sons, and clothed them with coats, and girded them with girdles, and bound head-tires upon them; as Jehovah commanded Moses.

14And he brought the bullock of the sin-offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock of the sin-offering.

15And he slew it; and Moses took the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar, and sanctified it, to make atonement for it.

16And he took all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul of the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat; and Moses burned it upon the altar.

17But the bullock, and its skin, and its flesh, and its dung, he burnt with fire without the camp; as Jehovah commanded Moses.

18And he presented the ram of the burnt-offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.

19And he killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about.

20And he cut the ram into its pieces; and Moses burnt the head, and the pieces, and the fat.

21And he washed the inwards and the legs with water; and Moses burnt the whole ram upon the altar: it was a burnt-offering for a sweet savor: it was an offering made by fire unto Jehovah; as Jehovah commanded Moses.

22And he presented the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.

23And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood thereof, and put it upon the tip of Aaron`s right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot.

24And he brought Aaron`s sons; and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot: and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about.

25And he took the fat, and the fat tail, and all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul of the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and the right thigh:

26and out of the basket of unleavened bread, that was before Jehovah, he took one unleavened cake, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and placed them on the fat, and upon the right thigh:

27and he put the whole upon the hands of Aaron, and upon the hands of his sons, and waved them for a wave-offering before Jehovah.

28And Moses took them from off their hands, and burnt them on the altar upon the burnt-offering: they were a consecration for a sweet savor: it was an offering made by fire unto Jehovah.

29And Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave-offering before Jehovah: it was Moses` portion of the ram of consecration; as Jehovah commanded Moses.

30And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron, upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon his sons` garments with him, and sanctified Aaron, his garments, and his sons, and his sons` garments with him.

31And Moses said unto Aaron and to his sons, Boil the flesh at the door of the tent of meeting: and there eat it and the bread that is in the basket of consecration, as I commanded, saying, Aaron and his sons shall eat it.

32And that which remaineth of the flesh and of the bread shall ye burn with fire.

33And ye shall not go out from the door of the tent of meeting seven days, until the days of your consecration be fulfilled: for he shall consecrate you seven days.

34As hath been done this day, so Jehovah hath commanded to do, to make atonement for you.

35And at the door of the tent of meeting shall ye abide day and night seven days, and keep the charge of Jehovah, that ye die not: for so I am commanded.

36And Aaron and his sons did all the things which Jehovah commanded by Moses.

1Then the Lord spoke to Moses:

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

3and assemble the whole congregation at the entrance of the Meeting Tent.”

4So Moses did just as the Lord commanded him, and the congregation assembled at the entrance of the Meeting Tent.

5Then Moses said to the congregation: “This is what the Lord has commanded to be done.”

6So Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water.

7Then he put the tunic on Aaron, wrapped the sash around him, and clothed him with the robe. Next he put the ephod on him and placed on him the decorated band of the ephod, and fastened the ephod closely to him with the band.

8He then set the breastpiece on him and put the Urim and Thummim into the breastpiece.

9Finally, he set the turban on his head and attached the gold plate, the holy diadem, to the front of the turban just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

10Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, and so consecrated them.

11Next he sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times and so anointed the altar, all its vessels, and the washbasin and its stand to consecrate them.

12He then poured some of the anointing oil on the head of Aaron and anointed him to consecrate him.

13Moses also brought forward Aaron’s sons, clothed them with tunics, wrapped sashes around them, and wrapped headbands on them just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

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

15and he slaughtered it. Moses then took the blood and put it all around on the horns of the altar with his finger and purified the altar, and he poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar and so consecrated it to make atonement on it.

16Then he took all the fat on the entrails, the protruding lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat, and Moses offered it all up in smoke on the altar,

17but the rest of the bull—its hide, its flesh, and its dung—he completely burned up outside the camp just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

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

19and he slaughtered it. Moses then splashed the blood against the altar’s sides.

20Then he cut the ram into parts, and Moses offered the head, the parts, and the suet up in smoke,

21but the entrails and the legs he washed with water, and Moses offered the whole ram up in smoke on the altar—it was a burnt offering for a soothing aroma, a gift to the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

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

23and he slaughtered it. Moses then took some of its blood and put it on Aaron’s right earlobe, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.

24Next he brought Aaron’s sons forward, and Moses put some of the blood on their right earlobes, on their right thumbs, and on the big toes of their right feet, and Moses splashed the rest of the blood against the altar’s sides.

25Then he took the fat (the fatty tail, all the fat on the entrails, the protruding lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat) and the right thigh,

26and from the basket of unleavened bread that was before the Lord he took one unleavened loaf, one loaf of bread mixed with olive oil, and one wafer, and placed them on the fat parts and on the right thigh.

27He then put all of them on the palms of Aaron and his sons, who waved them as a wave offering before the Lord.

28Moses then took them from their palms and offered them up in smoke on the altar on top of the burnt offering—they were an ordination offering for a soothing aroma; it was a gift to the Lord.

29Finally, Moses took the breast and waved it as a wave offering before the Lord from the ram of ordination. It was Moses’ share just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

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

31Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons, “Boil the meat at the entrance of the Meeting Tent, and there you are to eat it and the bread which is in the ordination-offering basket, just as I have commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons are to eat it,’

32but the remainder of the meat and the bread you must burn with fire.

33And you must not go out from the entrance of the Meeting Tent for seven days, until the day when your days of ordination are completed, because you must be ordained over a seven-day period.

34What has been done on this day the Lord has commanded to be done to make atonement for you.

35You must reside at the entrance of the Meeting Tent day and night for seven days and keep the charge of the Lord so that you will not die, for this is what I have been commanded.”

36So Aaron and his sons did all the things the Lord had commanded through Moses.

1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,

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

3and assemble all the congregation at the door of the Tent of Meeting.”

4Moses did as Yahweh commanded him; and the congregation was assembled at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

5Moses said to the congregation, “This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded to be done.”

6Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water.

7He put the coat on him, tied the sash on him, clothed him with the robe, put the ephod on him, and he tied the skillfully woven band of the ephod on him, and fastened it to him with it.

8He placed the breastplate on him; and in the breastplate he put the Urim and the Thummim.

9He set the turban on his head; and on the turban, in front, he set the golden plate, the holy crown; as Yahweh commanded Moses.

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

11He sprinkled it on the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its vessels, and the basin and its base, to sanctify them.

12He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.

13Moses brought Aaron’s sons, and clothed them with coats, and tied sashes on them, and put headbands on them; as Yahweh commanded Moses.

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

15He killed it; and Moses took the blood, and put it around on the horns of the altar with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar, and sanctified it, to make atonement for it.

16He took all the fat that was on the innards, and the cover of the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat; and Moses burned it on the altar.

17But the bull, and its skin, and its meat, and its dung, he burned with fire outside the camp; as Yahweh commanded Moses.

18He presented the ram of the burnt offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram.

19He killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood around on the altar.

20He cut the ram into its pieces; and Moses burned the head, and the pieces, and the fat.

21He washed the innards and the legs with water; and Moses burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering for a pleasant aroma. It was an offering made by fire to Yahweh; as Yahweh commanded Moses.

22He presented the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram.

23He killed it; and Moses took some of its blood, 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.

24He brought Aaron’s sons; and Moses put some of the blood on the tip of their right ear, and on the thumb of their right hand, and on the great toe of their right foot; and Moses sprinkled the blood around on the altar.

25He took the fat, and the fat tail, and all the fat that was on the innards, and the cover of the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and the right thigh;

26and out of the basket of unleavened bread, that was before Yahweh, he took one unleavened cake, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and placed them on the fat, and on the right thigh.

27He put all these in Aaron’s hands and in his sons’ hands, and waved them for a wave offering before Yahweh.

28Moses took them from their hands, and burned them on the altar on the burnt offering. They were a consecration for a pleasant aroma. It was an offering made by fire to Yahweh.

29Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave offering before Yahweh. It was Moses’ portion of the ram of consecration, as Yahweh commanded Moses.

30Moses took some of the anointing oil, and some of the blood which was on the altar, and sprinkled it on Aaron, on his garments, and on his sons, and on his sons’ garments with him, and sanctified Aaron, his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him.

31Moses said to Aaron and to his sons, “Boil the meat at the door of the Tent of Meeting, and there eat it and the bread that is in the basket of consecration, as I commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons shall eat it.’

32What remains of the meat and of the bread you shall burn with fire.

33You shall not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting for seven days, until the days of your consecration are fulfilled: for he shall consecrate you seven days.

34What has been done today, so Yahweh has commanded to do, to make atonement for you.

35You shall stay at the door of the Tent of Meeting day and night seven days, and keep Yahweh’s command, that you don’t die: for so I am commanded.”

36Aaron and his sons did all the things which Yahweh commanded by Moses.

Summary

Authorship & Background

Map & Geography

Commentary

Videos

Reflection

Summary

Moses consecrates Aaron and his sons as priests in a public ceremony — washing, robing, anointing, and sacrificing as God commanded.

Authorship & Background

Author: Moses. Leviticus is the third book of the Pentateuch, written during the wilderness period (approximately 1445-1405 BC). Hebrew title: "Vayikra" — "And He called." God speaks from the newly completed Tabernacle, giving Israel instructions for worship, sacrifice, and holy living.

Historical Context: Chapter 8 marks a major transition in Leviticus. Chapters 1-7 gave the laws of sacrifice; now chapters 8-10 describe the consecration and inauguration of the priesthood. This chapter is the fulfillment of Exodus 29, where God commanded the ordination ceremony. Moses acts as the officiant — he is the mediator who consecrates Aaron and his sons. The entire congregation witnesses the event (v.3). The ceremony involves seven elements: washing, clothing, anointing, sin offering (bull), burnt offering (ram), ram of consecration (with blood on ear/thumb/toe), and seven days of separation. The phrase "as the LORD commanded Moses" appears seven times in this chapter (vv.4,9,13,17,21,29,36) — emphasizing that every detail is God's design, not human invention. The priesthood is not self-appointed but God-ordained and God-designed.

The Assembly and Preparation (vv.1-5): God commands Moses to gather Aaron, his sons, the garments, anointing oil, sin offering bull, two rams, and unleavened bread (v.2). The whole congregation assembles at the Tabernacle entrance (v.3). Moses declares: "This is the thing which the LORD commanded" (v.5). Public ordination — the people witness God's appointment.

Washing (v.6): Moses washes Aaron and his sons with water. Cleansing before service. No one approaches God's service in their natural, unclean state. This prefigures the believer's washing of regeneration (Titus 3:5).

Clothing Aaron (vv.7-9): The coat (tunic), sash (girdle), robe, ephod with its skillfully woven band, breastpiece with Urim and Thummim, turban (mitre) with the golden plate — "HOLINESS TO THE LORD." Each garment has symbolic significance. Aaron is clothed in glory and beauty (Exodus 28:2). The high priest does not serve in his own identity but in the identity God gives him.

Anointing (vv.10-12): Moses anoints the Tabernacle and everything in it (v.10). The altar sprinkled seven times (v.11). Oil poured on Aaron's head (v.12) — not sprinkled but poured abundantly. Psalm 133:2: "Like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard." The oil represents the Holy Spirit's empowerment for service.

Clothing Aaron's Sons (v.13): Coats, sashes, and caps — simpler garments than Aaron's. They share in the priesthood but not in the high priestly role. "As the LORD commanded Moses."

The Sin Offering — Bull (vv.14-17): Aaron and sons lay hands on the bull's head (v.14) — identification and transfer. Moses kills it, applies blood to the altar horns, pours blood at the base (v.15). Purpose: to "purify the altar" and "sanctify it, to make reconciliation upon it" (v.15). Fat burned on the altar (v.16). Bull's body burned outside the camp (v.17). Even the priests need atonement before they can serve. No one is clean enough in themselves.

The Burnt Offering — Ram (vv.18-21): Hands laid on the ram's head (v.18). Blood sprinkled on the altar (v.19). Cut in pieces, entirely burned (vv.20- 21). "A burnt sacrifice for a sweet savour" (v.21). Total consecration — the priests give themselves wholly to God's service.

The Ram of Consecration (vv.22-30): The unique ordination sacrifice. Hands laid on the ram (v.22). Moses applies blood to Aaron's right ear, right thumb, and right great toe (v.23) — then the same for his sons (v.24). The ear: consecrated hearing (listen to God). The thumb: consecrated work (serve God). The toe: consecrated walk (follow God). Fat, right thigh, and bread placed in Aaron's hands and waved before the LORD (vv.25-27) — "filling the hands" (Hebrew "millu'im" — ordination literally means "filling"). Then burned on the altar (v.28). Moses takes the breast as his portion (v.29). Anointing oil and altar blood sprinkled on Aaron, his sons, and their garments (v.30) — everything consecrated.

Seven Days of Consecration (vv.31-36): Boil and eat the flesh and bread at the Tabernacle entrance (v.31). Burn the remainder (v.32). Do not leave the Tabernacle entrance for seven days (v.33). "Keep the charge of the LORD, that ye die not" (v.35). Seven days: completeness. The consecration is thorough, unhurried, and total. Aaron and sons obey everything (v.36).

Map & Geography

No specific geographic locations are referenced in this chapter.

Commentary

Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik emphasizes the public nature of ordination, the sevenfold "as the LORD commanded," and the blood on ear/thumb/toe as consecration of the whole person. He notes that Moses acts as mediator — a type of Christ who consecrates His people for service.
Charles Spurgeon: Sermon: "The Consecration of the Priests" "Blood on the ear — that he may hear God's voice above all others. Blood on the thumb — that his hands may do God's work and no other. Blood on the toe — that his feet may walk God's path and no other. Christian, you are a priest unto God. Has the blood touched YOUR ear? Do you listen for His voice? Has it touched YOUR hand? Do you labor for His glory? Has it touched YOUR foot? Do you walk in His ways? The whole man must be consecrated — not merely the tongue on Sunday, but the ear all week, the hand all day, the foot every step."

Videos

The Bible Project — Leviticus Overview

Reflection

1. "Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water" (v.6). Before service comes cleansing. Before ministry comes purification. Have you been washed? Are you allowing God to cleanse you before you serve? (See John 13:8; Titus 3:5)
2. Blood on the ear, thumb, and toe (v.23). Your hearing, your work, your walk — all must be consecrated. Is there an area of your life not yet under the blood? Something you're hearing that you shouldn't? Work you're doing that dishonors God? A path you're walking that leads away from Him?
3. "As the LORD commanded Moses" — seven times (vv.4,9,13,17,21,29,36). God's service must be done God's way. Not our creativity, not our preferences, not our innovations — but His instructions. Are you serving God on His terms or yours?
4. Even Aaron needed a sin offering before he could serve (vv.14-17). No one is inherently qualified for God's service. Even the best among us needs atonement first. Hebrews 7:27 contrasts: Christ "needeth not... to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins." Our High Priest is sinless.
5. Seven days of consecration (v.33) — no shortcuts. Preparation for service takes time. Are you willing to wait, to be patient in the process of being prepared? Or do you rush into ministry unprepared?