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Texts -- Leviticus 8:1-33 (NET)

Context
Ordination of the Priests
8:1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses : 8:2 “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 , 8:3 and assemble the whole congregation at the entrance of the Meeting Tent .” 8:4 So Moses did just as the Lord commanded him, and the congregation assembled at the entrance of the Meeting Tent . 8:5 Then Moses said to the congregation : “This is what the Lord has commanded to be done .”
Clothing Aaron
8:6 So Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water . 8:7 Then 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. 8:8 He then set the breastpiece on him and put the Urim and Thummim into the breastpiece . 8:9 Finally, 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 .
Anointing the Tabernacle and Aaron, and Clothing Aaron’s Sons
8:10 Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, and so consecrated them. 8:11 Next he sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times and so anointed the altar , all its vessels , and the wash basin and its stand to consecrate them. 8:12 He then poured some of the anointing oil on the head of Aaron and anointed him to consecrate him. 8:13 Moses 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 .
Consecration Offerings
8:14 Then he brought near the sin offering bull and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the sin offering bull , 8:15 and he slaughtered it. Moses then took the blood and put it all around on the horns of the altar with his finger and decontaminated 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. 8:16 Then 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 , 8:17 but 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 . 8:18 Then he presented the burnt offering ram and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram , 8:19 and he slaughtered it. Moses then splashed the blood against the altar’s sides . 8:20 Then he cut the ram into parts , and Moses offered the head , the parts , and the suet up in smoke, 8:21 but 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 . 8:22 Then he presented the second ram , the ram of ordination , and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram 8:23 and 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 . 8:24 Next 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 . 8:25 Then 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 , 8:26 and 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 . 8:27 He then put all of them on the palms of Aaron and his sons , who waved them as a wave offering before the Lord . 8:28 Moses 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 . 8:29 Finally, 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 .
Anointing Aaron, his Sons, and their Garments
8:30 Then 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 with him. So he consecrated Aaron , his garments , and his sons and his sons ’ garments with him. 8:31 Then 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,’ 8:32 but the remainder of the meat and the bread you must burn with fire . 8:33 And 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.

Pericope

NET

Bible Dictionary

  • Aaron

    [ebd] the eldest son of Amram and Jochebed, a daughter of Levi (Ex. 6:20). Some explain the name as meaning mountaineer, others mountain of strength, illuminator. He was born in Egypt three years before his brother Moses, and a nu...
    [isbe] AARON - ar'-un, sometimes pronounced ar'on ('aharon--Septuagint Aaron, meaning uncertain: Gesenius suggests "mountaineer"; Furst, "enlightened"; others give "rich," "fluent." Cheyne mentions Redslob's "ingenious conjecture" ...
    [nave] AARON Lineage of, Ex. 6:16-20; Josh. 21:4, 10; 1 Chr. 6:2, 3; 23:13. Marriage of, Ex. 6:23. Children of, Ex. 6:23, 25; 1 Chr. 6:3; 24:1, 2. Descendants of, Ex. 6:23, 25; 1 Chr. 6:3-15, 50-53; 24. Meets Moses in the wilde...

  • EXODUS, THE BOOK OF, 1

    [isbe] EXODUS, THE BOOK OF, 1 - ek'-so-dus: I. IN GENERAL 1. Name 2. Contents in General 3. Connection with the Other Books of the Pentateuch 4. Significance of These Events for Israel 5. Connecting Links for Christianity II. STRUC...

  • LEVITICUS, 1

    [isbe] LEVITICUS, 1 - le-vit'-i-kus: I. GENERAL DATA 1. Name 2. Character of Book 3. Unity of Book: Law of Holiness Examination of Critical Theory II. STRUCTURE 1. Modern Analyses (1) Theories of Disintegration (2) Reasons for Dism...

  • LEVITICUS, 2

    [isbe] LEVITICUS, 2 - III. Origin. 1. Against the Wellhausen Hypothesis: As in the article ATONEMENT, DAY OF, sec. I, 2, (2), we took a stand against the modern attempts at splitting up the text, and in III, 1 against theory of the...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • PRIESTS AND LEVITES

    [isbe] PRIESTS AND LEVITES - (kohen, "priest"; nothing is definitely known as to the origin of the word; Lewi, "Levite," on which see LEVI): I. DIFFERENT VIEWS OF THE HISTORY 1. The Old View 2. The Graf-Wellhausen View 3. Mediating...

  • CRITICISM

    [isbe] CRITICISM - (The Graf-Wellhausen Hypothesis) I. PRELIMINARY 1. Thesis 2. Historical Perspective 3. Inspiration and Criticism II. THE LEGISLATION 1. Groups 2. Covenant Code 3. The Sanctuary 4. Kinds of Sacrifice 5. Sacrifice ...

  • LAW IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

    [isbe] LAW IN THE OLD TESTAMENT - || I. TERMS USED 1. Torah ("Law") 2. Synonyms of Torah (1) Mitswah ("Command") (2) `Edhah ("Witness," "Testimony") (3) MishpaTim ("Judgments") (4) Chuqqim ("Statutes") (5) Piqqudhim ("Precepts") II...

  • Priest

    [smith] The English word is derived from the Greek presbyter , signifying an "elder" (Heb. cohen). Origin. --The idea of a priesthood connects itself in all its forms, pure or corrupted, with the consciousness, more or less distinct ...
    [nave] PRIEST. Before Moses Melchizedek, Gen. 14:18; Heb. 5:6, 10, 11; 6:20; 7:1-21. Jethro, Ex. 2:16. Priests in Israel before the giving of the law, Ex. 19:22, 24. Called angel, Eccl. 5:6. Mosaic Ex. 28:1-4; 29:9, 44; Num....

  • Basket

    [ebd] There are five different Hebrew words so rendered in the Authorized Version: (1.) A basket (Heb. sal, a twig or osier) for holding bread (Gen. 40:16; Ex. 29:3, 23; Lev. 8:2, 26, 31; Num. 6:15, 17, 19). Sometimes baskets were...
    [isbe] BASKET - bas'-ket: Four kinds of "baskets" come to view in the Old Testament under the Hebrew names, dudh, Tene', cal and kelubh. There is little, however, in these names, or in the narratives where they are found, to indica...
    [smith] The Hebrew terms used in the description of this article are as follows: (1) Sal , so called from the twigs of which it was originally made, specially used for holding bread. (Genesis 40:16) ff. (Exodus 29:3,23; Leviticus 8:2...
    [nave] BASKET, Gen. 40:16, 17; Ex. 29:3, 23, 32; Lev. 8:2; Num. 6:15; Deut. 26:2; 28:5, 17; 2 Kin. 10:7. Received the fragments after the miracles of the loaves, Matt. 14:20; 15:37; 16:9, 10. Paul let down from the wall in, Acts...

  • Anointing

    [isbe] ANOINTING - a-noint'-ing: A distinction was made by the ancient Hebrews between anointing with oil in private use, as in making one's toilet (cukh), and anointing as a religious rite (mashach). 1. Ordinary Use: (1) As regard...
    [nave] ANOINTING Of the body, Deut. 28:40; Ruth 3:3; Esth. 2:12; Psa. 92:10; 104:15; 141:5; Prov. 27:9, 16; Eccl. 9:8; Song 1:3; 4:10; Isa. 57:9; Amos 6:6; Mic. 6:15. Of guests, 2 Chr. 28:15; Luke 7:46; the sick, Isa. 1:6; Mark 6:...

  • HAND

    [isbe] HAND - (yadh, "hand"; kaph, "the hollow hand," "palm"; yamin, "the right hand"; semo'l, "the left hand"; cheir, "hand"; dexia, "the right hand"; aristera, "the left hand" (only Lk 23:33; 2 Cor 6:7), or euphemistically (for e...

  • CONSECRATE; CONSECRATION

    [isbe] CONSECRATE; CONSECRATION - kon'-se-krat, kon-se-kra'-shun. 1. In the Old Testament: In the Old Testament for several Hebrew words of different meanings: (1) charam: "I will consecrate (the Revised Version (British and Americ...

  • Offerings

    [nave] OFFERINGS Offered at the door of the tabernacle, Lev. 1:3; 3:2; 17:4, 8, 9; of the temple, 2 Chr. 7:12; 1 Kin. 8:62; 12:27. All animal sacrifices must be eight days old or over, Lev. 22:27. Must be salted, Lev. 2:13; Ezek....

  • Blood

    [nave] BLOOD Is the life, Gen. 9:4; Lev. 17:11, 14; 19:16; Deut. 12:23; Matt. 27:4, 24. Forbidden to be used as food, Gen. 9:4; Lev. 3:17; 7:26, 27; 17:10-14; 19:26; Deut. 12:16, 23; 15:23; Ezek. 33:25; Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25. Pla...

  • SACRIFICE, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, 2

    [isbe] SACRIFICE, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, 2 - V. The Mosaic Sacrificial System. 1. The Covenant Sacrifice: The fundamental function of Moses' work was to establish the covenant between Israel and God. This important transaction took ...

  • Caul

    [isbe] CAUL - kol: (1) yothereth (Ex 29:13), the large lobe or flap of the liver, which is usually mentioned together with the kidneys and the fat as the special portions set aside for the burnt offering (Lev 3:4,10,15; 4:9; 7:4; 8...
    [nave] CAUL 1. Probably the upper lobe of the liver. Burnt with sacrifice, Ex. 29:13, 22; Lev. 3:4, 10, 15; 4:9; 7:4; 8:16, 25; 9:10, 19. 2. Netted caps, Isa. 3:18.

  • Fat

    [ebd] (Heb. heleb) denotes the richest part of the animal, or the fattest of the flock, in the account of Abel's sacrifice (Gen. 4:4). It sometimes denotes the best of any production (Gen. 45:18; Num. 18:12; Ps. 81:16; 147:47). Th...
    [nave] FAT Offered in sacrifice, Ex. 23:18; 29:13, 22; Lev. 1:8; 3:3-5, 9-11, 14-16; 4:8-10; 7:3-5; 8:16, 25, 26; 10:15; 17:6; 1 Sam. 2:15, 16; Isa. 43:24. Belonged to the Lord, Lev. 3:16. Forbidden as food, Lev. 3:16, 17; 7:23. ...

  • Laver

    [smith] In the tabernacle, a vessel of brass containing water for the priests to wash their hands and feet before offering sacrifice. It stood in the fore offering sacrifice. It stood in the court between the altar and the door of t...
    [nave] LAVER Directions for making, Ex. 30:18-20. Situation of, in the tabernacle, tent of the congregation, and the altar, Ex. 40:7. Sanctified, Ex. 30:28; 40:11; Lev. 8:11. Used for washing, Ex. 40:30-32. Brazen, made by Solo...

  • KNIFE

    [smith] The knives of the Egyptians, and of other nations in early times, were probably only of hard stone, and the use of the flint or stone knife was sometimes retained for sacred purposes after the introduction of iron and steel....
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Arts

Questions

  • Yes. In both the Old and New Testaments there are numerous passages enjoining attendance in God's house as a duty, a delightful pleasure and a great spiritual privilege. See Lev. 8:3; Deu. 4:10; Psalms 23:6; 26:8; 274; 84:1,4...

Sermon Illustrations

Matthew 26:28

Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • The extent to which these curtains were visible from inside the tabernacle is not clear in the text and has been the subject of debate by commentators. They were of four colors that some writers have interpreted as having sym...
  • The Israelites carried out the instructions given here later. The record of this seven-day ritual appears in Leviticus 8. I shall defer comment since Moses explained the offerings and procedures specified in this chapter more...
  • "At first sight the book of Leviticus might appear to be a haphazard, even repetitious arrangement of enactments involving the future life in Canaan of the Israelite people. Closer examination will reveal, however, that quite...
  • Leviticus continues revelation concerning the second of three elements necessary for any nation to exist, namely, a people (Gen. 12:10--Exod. 19), their law (Exod. 20--Num. 10:10), and their land (Num. 10:11--Josh. 24).Leviti...
  • God designed the offerings to teach the Israelites as well as to enable them to worship Him. They taught the people what was necessary to maintain and restore the believer's communion with God."The servant, therefore, had to ...
  • The account of the consecration of the priests and the priesthood (chs. 8-10) follows the regulations concerning offerings. We have a change in literary genre here from legal to narrative material. The legal material in chapt...
  • God gave a double command to Moses (vv. 1-3), which Moses obeyed (vv. 4-30). Then Moses gave Aaron a command (vv. 31-35), which Aaron obeyed (v. 36). Within the first section (vv. 1-30) there is a chiastic structure. God comm...
  • God specified certain garments for Aaron that distinguished him from everyone else. A uniform draws attention to a person's office or function and plays down his or her individual personality. Physical washing (v. 6) was symb...
  • The anointing of the tabernacle and the priests with oil (vv. 10-12) signified their sanctification whereby God set them apart to holy purposes and filled them with the power of His Spirit.79The significance of the sevenfold ...
  • Moses as the mediator of the covenant performed the sacrificial ceremony recorded in these verses. He presented three offerings.1. He offered a young ox as a sin (purification) offering (vv. 14-17).2. He offered a ram as a bu...
  • A meal concluded the consecration of the priests because in it the priests entered into a fellowship relationship with God. This relationship entitled them to blessings and privileges that God did not grant the other Israelit...
  • This chapter explains how the priests carried out the duties associated with their induction into their office. The events recorded took place on the eighth day (v. 1), the day after the seven days of consecration. After a we...
  • One of the remarkable features of chapters 8 and 9 is the obedience of Moses and Aaron to God's commands (cf. 8:4, 9, 13, 17, 21, 29, 36; 9:5, 7, 10, 21). In chapter 10 there is a notable absence of these references. The care...
  • Following the judgment on Nadab and Abihu, Moses instructed Aaron and his other sons to finish eating the rest of their portion of the sacrifices that they had offered for the nation."When the P [Priestly] code prescribed tha...
  • The sacrifices and offerings that Moses described thus far in the law were not sufficient to cleanse all the defilement that the sins of the people created. Much sinfulness still needed covering. Therefore God appointed a yea...
  • This is another narrative section of Leviticus (cf. chs. 8-10). Its position in the book must mean that it took place after God had given Moses the instructions about the holy lamps and showbread (24:1-9). This fact underline...
  • Genesis reveals how people can have a relationship with God. This comes through trust in God and obedience to Him. Faith is the key word in Genesis. God proves Himself faithful in this book.Exodus reveals that God is also sov...
  • Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1977.Albright, William Foxwell, The Archaeology of Palestine. 1949. Revised ed. Pelican Archaeology series. H...
  • The presentation this chapter records took place at the time the Israelites dedicated the tabernacle (vv. 1-2; cf. Lev. 8:10)."The purpose of this section of narrative is to show that as the people had been generous in giving...
  • The consecration of the priests had taken place earlier (cf. Lev. 8). Then the people only looked on (Lev. 8:3-4). On the present occasion God set apart to His service the whole tribe of Levi that He had taken in place of the...
  • "It is not only the action of the men of Gibeah which reveals the abysmally low moral standards of the age; the indifference of the Levite who prepared to depart in the morning without any apparent concern to ascertain the fa...
  • It was common in the ancient Near East for creditors to enslave the children of debtors who could not pay. The Mosaic Law also permitted this practice (Exod. 21:2-4, Lev. 25:39). However servitude in Israel was to end on the ...
  • In this verse David described God as a host rather than as a shepherd. As a gracious host God provides hospitality for His people. He supplies us with what we need and desire lavishly, and He does so not by removing us from t...
  • 133:2 The writer compared brotherly unity to the oil that Moses poured over Aaron's head when he anointed him as Israel's first high priest (Lev. 8:12). That oil flowed down over his head and beard, down onto the robe and bre...
  • 52:13 "Behold, My Servant"marks a new section in the development of Isaiah's argument, but it also calls the reader to fix his or her attention carefully on the Servant (cf. 42:1). The Servant would prosper in the sense of fu...
  • "Ezekiel's vision of God's glory had provided the needed perspectivefor his task (1:4-2:7). The messagehe was to deliver was provided by God (2:8-3:11). Then he needed motivationto direct him to the task. That motivation was ...
  • 43:18 The Lord told Ezekiel what to do when the construction of the altar was complete.538The purpose of this altar was to receive the burnt offerings that people would bring to the Lord and to receive the blood of those anim...
  • 3:1 Zechariah's guiding angel next showed the prophet, in his vision, Joshua (lit. Yahweh saves), Israel's current high priest (6:11; Ezra 5:2; Neh. 7:7; Hag. 1:1), standing before the angel of the Lord (1:11-12). "The accuse...
  • The writer proceeded to explain what the community of Christians that he addressed should do to rectify its dangerous condition.6:1 Since they needed stretching mentally they should with the writer "press on to maturity."That...
  • Peter began this epistle in the manner that was customary in this day.9He introduced himself and his original readers, and he wished God's blessing on them to prepare them for what he had to say. He prepared them for dealing ...
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