Leviticus 8
English Standard Version
Consecration of Aaron and His Sons
8 (A)The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Take Aaron and his sons with him, and (B)the garments and (C)the 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 entrance of the tent of meeting.” 4 And Moses did as the Lord commanded him, and the congregation was assembled at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
5 And Moses said to the congregation, (D)“This is the thing that the Lord has commanded to be done.” 6 And Moses brought Aaron and his sons and washed them with water. 7 And he put (E)the coat on him and tied the sash around his waist and clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him and tied the skillfully woven band of the ephod around him, binding it to him with the band.[a] 8 And he placed the breastpiece on him, and (F)in the breastpiece he put the Urim and the Thummim. 9 And he set (G)the turban on his head, and (H)on the turban, in front, he set the golden plate, the holy crown, as the Lord commanded Moses.
10 (I)Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them. 11 And 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 consecrate them. 12 And (J)he poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head and anointed him to consecrate him. 13 And Moses brought Aaron's sons and clothed them with coats and tied sashes around their waists and bound caps on them, as the Lord commanded Moses.
14 Then he brought (K)the bull of the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons (L)laid their hands on the head of the bull of the sin offering. 15 And he[b] killed it, and (M)Moses took the blood, and with his finger put it on the horns of the altar around it and purified the altar and poured out the blood at the base of the altar and consecrated it to make atonement for it. 16 (N)And he took all the fat that was on the entrails and the long lobe of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat, and Moses burned them on the altar. 17 But (O)the bull and its skin and its flesh and its dung he burned up with fire outside the camp, as the Lord commanded Moses.
18 (P)Then he presented the ram of the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 19 And he killed it, and Moses threw the blood against the sides of the altar. 20 He cut the ram into pieces, and Moses burned (Q)the head and the pieces and the fat. 21 He washed the entrails and the legs with water, and Moses burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering with a pleasing aroma, a food offering for the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.
22 Then (R)he presented the other ram, the ram of ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 23 And he killed it, and Moses took some of its blood and (S)put 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 Then he presented Aaron's sons, and Moses put some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet. And Moses threw the blood against the sides of the altar. 25 Then he took the fat and the fat tail and all the fat that was on the entrails and the long lobe of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat and the right thigh, 26 and out of the basket of unleavened bread that was before the Lord he took one unleavened loaf and one loaf of bread with oil and one wafer and placed them on the pieces of fat and on the right thigh. 27 And he put all these in the hands of Aaron and in the hands of his sons and waved them as a wave offering before the Lord. 28 Then Moses took them from their hands and burned them on the altar with the burnt offering. This was an ordination offering with a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord. 29 And Moses took the breast and waved it for a wave offering before the Lord. It was Moses' portion of the ram of ordination, as the Lord commanded Moses.
30 Then (T)Moses took some of the anointing oil and of the blood that was on the altar and sprinkled it on Aaron and his garments, and also on his sons and his sons' garments. So he consecrated Aaron and his garments, and his sons and his sons' garments with him.
31 And Moses said to Aaron and his sons, “Boil the flesh at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and there eat it and the bread that is in the basket of ordination offerings, as I commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons shall eat it.’ 32 And what remains of the flesh and the bread you shall burn up with fire. 33 And you shall not go outside the entrance of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are completed, for it (U)will take seven days to ordain you. 34 As has been done today, the Lord has commanded to be done to make atonement for you. 35 At the entrance of the tent of meeting you shall remain day and night for seven days, performing what the Lord has (V)charged, so that you do not die, for so I have been commanded.” 36 And Aaron and his sons did all the things that the Lord commanded by Moses.
Footnotes
- Leviticus 8:7 Hebrew with it
- Leviticus 8:15 Probably Aaron or his representative; possibly Moses; also verses 16–23
Leviticus 8
The Voice
8 The Eternal One addressed Moses.
Eternal One: 2 Moses, take Aaron and his sons together with their sacred garments, the specially prepared anointing oil, the bull set aside for the purification offering for sin, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread. 3 Then gather the entire community at the entrance of the congregation tent.
4 So Moses followed the Eternal’s instructions. When the community of Israel was gathered together at the entrance of the congregation tent, 5 Moses addressed the assembly: “The Eternal One has commanded that we gather and ordain Aaron and his sons as priests.”
6 So Moses had Aaron and his sons approach, and he washed them with water and purified them. 7 Moses put a tunic on Aaron, fastened the sash around his waist, and put the robe and vest on him. He wrapped the skillfully made waistband of the vest around him and tied it to him. 8 Then Moses placed the breast piece on him and put the Urim and the Thummim inside a specially designed pouch on the breast piece.
There is much we do not know about the Urim and the Thummim. We do know the high priest used them to ascertain God’s will on difficult questions (see Numbers 27:21; 1 Samuel 14:41–42).
9 Moses then put the turban on Aaron’s head and fastened a golden medallion, a holy crown, to the front of it. Moses did all this exactly as the Eternal commanded.
10 Then Moses anointed and consecrated the sanctuary of the congregation tent along with everything in it with the anointing oil. 11 He sprinkled some of the oil on the altar seven times; he anointed and consecrated the altar, its tools, and the basin and its stand with the oil. 12 Moses poured some of the oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to set him apart as head of the priestly order. 13 Then Moses had Aaron’s sons step forward and dressed them with the special tunics, fastened sashes about their waists, and placed caps on their heads. He did exactly as the Eternal commanded.
This consecration is of Aaron and his sons along with the enclosed part of the congregation tent, the sanctuary, and their objects. They are all set apart for God’s special purpose.
14 Moses brought the bull for the purification offering for sin and had Aaron and his sons place their hands on the bull’s head. 15 After the bull was slaughtered, Moses dipped his finger in its blood and rubbed it on the altar horns, purifying the altar. Moses then poured the remaining blood at the base of the altar. This is how Moses consecrated the altar and covered over any impurity it possessed. 16 Moses also removed the fat from around the organs, the lobe of the liver, the two kidneys and the fat around them, and offered it all up as smoke on the altar. 17 As for the rest of the bull—its skin, its meat, and its excrement—he took and burned it outside the camp. Moses did exactly as the Eternal commanded.
18 Moses then brought out the ram for the burnt offering and had Aaron and his sons place their hands on its head. 19 After Moses slaughtered it, he splattered its blood against the sides of the altar. 20 Moses cut it up into pieces, and then he took the head, the cut portions, and the fat and offered them up on the altar as smoke. 21 After rinsing off the organs and legs with water—in order to remove any impurities—he took everything that was left of the ram and offered it up on the altar. The smoke of the burnt offering rose and became a pleasant aroma, a fire-offering to the Eternal One. Moses did all this exactly as the Eternal commanded.
22 Then Moses prepared the second ram, the ordination ram. He had Aaron and his sons place their hands on its head. 23 After Moses slaughtered it, he put some of the ram’s blood on Aaron’s right ear lobe, on his right thumb, and on his right big toe. 24 Then Moses sent for Aaron’s sons and put some of the ram’s blood on their right ear lobes, on their right thumbs, and on their right big toes. Moses then splattered the remaining blood against the sides of the altar.
25 He then removed the fat, the fat tail, the fat around the organs, the lobe of the liver, and two kidneys and the fat from them, as well as the right thigh of the ram. 26 Then Moses reached into the basket of unleavened bread dedicated to the Eternal One and took out one loaf of unleavened bread, one loaf made with oil, and one wafer. He put them on the fat and on the right thigh. 27 Then he placed it all in the hands of Aaron and his sons, who raised them to the Eternal One as a wave offering. 28 Moses then took it all back from Aaron and his sons and offered it on the altar along with the burnt offering. The smoke of the ordination offering rose and became a pleasant aroma, a fire-offering to the Eternal. 29 Moses also lifted up the breast of the ram as a wave offering to the Eternal. The breast served as Moses’ portion of the ordination offering as the Eternal had commanded.
30 Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood from the altar and sprinkled it on Aaron and his garments. He did the same on Aaron’s sons and their garments. This is how he consecrated Aaron and his priestly garments, as well as his sons and their garments.
Moses (to Aaron and his sons): 31 Boil the meat at the entrance to the congregation tent, and feast on it together with bread from the basket of the ordination offering, in accordance with the instructions I gave: “Aaron and his sons may eat it.” 32 Burn the rest of the meat and bread in the fire. 33 You are not allowed to go beyond the entrance of the congregation tent for seven days when your ordination period is complete; for it will take seven days to ordain you. 34 Everything we have done today the Eternal commanded us to do in order to cover your impurity. 35 Stay here at the entrance of the congregation tent all day and all night for the seven days. Do whatever the Eternal requires, or else you will die, for this is the command He has given me.
36 So Aaron and his sons honored the Eternal One’s instructions, which He commanded through Moses.
Leviticus 8
New King James Version
Aaron and His Sons Consecrated(A)
8 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 2 (B)“Take Aaron and his sons with him, and (C)the garments, (D)the anointing oil, a (E)bull as the sin offering, two (F)rams, and a basket of unleavened bread; 3 and gather all the congregation together at the door of the tabernacle of meeting.”
4 So Moses did as the Lord commanded him. And the congregation was gathered together at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. 5 And Moses said to the congregation, “This is what the Lord commanded to be done.”
6 Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons and (G)washed them with water. 7 And he (H)put the tunic on him, girded him with the sash, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him; and he girded him with the intricately woven band of the ephod, and with it tied the ephod on him. 8 Then he put the breastplate on him, and he (I)put the [a]Urim and the Thummim in the breastplate. 9 (J)And he put the turban on his head. Also on the turban, on its front, he put the golden plate, the holy crown, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
10 (K)Also Moses took the 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, anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the laver and its base, to [b]consecrate them. 12 And he (L)poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him, to consecrate him.
13 (M)Then Moses brought Aaron’s sons and put tunics on them, girded them with sashes, and put [c]hats on them, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
14 (N)And he brought the bull for the sin offering. Then Aaron and his sons (O)laid their hands on the head of the bull for the sin offering, 15 and Moses killed it. (P)Then he took the blood, and put some on the horns of the altar all around with his finger, and purified the altar. And he poured the blood at the base of the altar, and consecrated it, to make [d]atonement for it. 16 (Q)Then he took all the fat that was on the entrails, the fatty lobe attached to the liver, and the two kidneys with their fat, and Moses burned them on the altar. 17 But the bull, its hide, its flesh, and its offal, he burned with fire outside the camp, as the Lord (R)had commanded Moses.
18 (S)Then he brought the ram as the burnt offering. And Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram, 19 and Moses killed it. Then he sprinkled the blood all around on the altar. 20 And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moses (T)burned the head, the pieces, and the fat. 21 Then he washed the entrails and the legs in water. And Moses burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt sacrifice for a [e]sweet aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord, (U)as the Lord had commanded Moses.
22 And (V)he brought the second ram, the ram of consecration. Then Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram, 23 and Moses killed it. Also he took some of (W)its blood and put it on the tip of Aaron’s right ear, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 24 Then he brought Aaron’s sons. And Moses put some of the (X)blood on the tips of their right ears, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. And Moses sprinkled the blood all around on the altar. 25 (Y)Then he took the fat and the fat tail, all the fat that was on the entrails, the fatty lobe attached to the liver, the two kidneys and their fat, and the right thigh; 26 (Z)and from the basket of unleavened bread that was before the Lord he took one unleavened cake, a cake of bread anointed with oil, and one wafer, and put them on the fat and on the right thigh; 27 and he put all these (AA)in Aaron’s hands and in his sons’ hands, and waved them as a wave offering before the Lord. 28 (AB)Then Moses took them from their hands and burned them on the altar, on the burnt offering. They were consecration offerings for a sweet aroma. That was an offering made by fire to the Lord. 29 And (AC)Moses took the (AD)breast and waved it as a wave offering before the Lord. It was Moses’ (AE)part of the ram of consecration, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
30 Then (AF)Moses took 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, his sons, and the garments of his sons with him.
31 And Moses said to Aaron and his sons, (AG)“Boil the flesh at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, and eat it there with the bread that is in the basket of consecration offerings, as I commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons shall eat it.’ 32 (AH)What remains of the flesh and of the bread you shall burn with fire. 33 And you shall not go outside the door of the tabernacle of meeting for seven days, until the days of your consecration are ended. For (AI)seven days he shall consecrate you. 34 (AJ)As he has done this day, so the Lord has commanded to do, to make atonement for you. 35 Therefore you shall stay at the door of the tabernacle of meeting day and night for seven days, and (AK)keep the [f]charge of the Lord, so that you may not die; for so I have been commanded.” 36 So Aaron and his sons did all the things that the Lord had commanded by the hand of Moses.
Footnotes
- Leviticus 8:8 Lit. Lights and the Perfections, Ex. 28:30
- Leviticus 8:11 set them apart for the Lord
- Leviticus 8:13 headpieces
- Leviticus 8:15 Lit. covering
- Leviticus 8:21 pleasing
- Leviticus 8:35 office
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
