Ordination of Aaron and His Sons

The Lord spoke to Moses: “Take Aaron, his sons with him, the garments, the anointing oil,(A) the bull of the sin[a] offering, the two rams, and the basket(B) of unleavened bread, and assemble the whole community(C) at the entrance to the tent of meeting.” So Moses did as the Lord commanded him, and the community assembled at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Moses said to them, “This is what the Lord has commanded to be done.”

Then Moses presented Aaron and his sons and washed them with water. He put the tunic on Aaron, wrapped the sash around him, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod(D) on him. He put the woven band of the ephod around him and fastened it to him. Then he put the breastpiece on him and placed the Urim and Thummim(E) into the breastpiece. He also put the turban(F) on his head and placed the gold medallion, the holy diadem, on the front of the turban, as the Lord had commanded Moses.(G)

10 Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it to consecrate(H) them. 11 He sprinkled some of the oil on the altar seven times, anointing the altar with all its utensils, and the basin with its stand, to consecrate them.(I) 12 He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed and consecrated him.(J) 13 Then Moses presented Aaron’s sons, clothed them with tunics, wrapped sashes around them, and fastened headbands on them, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

14 Then he brought the bull near for the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull for the sin offering. 15 Then Moses slaughtered it,[b] took the blood, and applied it with his finger to the horns of the altar on all sides, purifying(K) the altar. He poured out the blood at the base of the altar and consecrated it so that atonement can be made on it.[c](L) 16 Moses took all the fat that was on the entrails, the fatty lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys(M) with their fat, and he burned them on the altar.(N) 17 He burned the bull with its hide, flesh, and waste outside the camp,(O) as the Lord had commanded Moses.

18 Then he presented the ram for the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 19 Moses slaughtered it and[d] splattered the blood on all sides of the altar. 20 Moses cut the ram into pieces and burned the head, the pieces, and the fat,(P) 21 but he washed the entrails and legs with water. He then burned the entire ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord as he had commanded Moses.

22 Next he presented the second ram, the ram of ordination,(Q) and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 23 Moses slaughtered it,[e] 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.(R) 24 Moses also presented Aaron’s sons and put some of the blood on their right earlobes, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Then Moses splattered the blood on all sides of the altar. 25 He took the fat—the fat tail,(S) all the fat that was on the entrails, the fatty lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with their fat—as well as the right thigh. 26 From the basket of unleavened bread that was before the Lord he took one cake of unleavened bread, one cake of bread made with oil, and one wafer, and placed them on the fat portions and the right thigh.(T) 27 He put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons and presented them before the Lord as a presentation offering. 28 Then Moses took them from their hands and burned them on the altar with the burnt offering. This was an ordination offering for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord. 29 He also took the breast and presented it before the Lord as a presentation offering; it was Moses’s portion of the ordination ram as the Lord had commanded him.

30 Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood that was on the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his garments, as well as on his sons and their garments. In this way he consecrated Aaron and his garments, as well as his sons and their garments.(U)

31 Moses said to Aaron and his sons, “Boil the meat at the entrance to the tent of meeting and eat it there with the bread that is in the basket for the ordination offering as I commanded:[f] Aaron and his sons are to eat it.(V) 32 Burn up what remains of the meat and bread.(W) 33 Do not go outside the entrance to the tent of meeting for seven days, until the time your days of ordination are completed, because it will take seven days to ordain you.[g] 34 The Lord commanded what has been done today in order to make atonement for you.(X) 35 You must remain at the entrance to the tent of meeting day and night for seven days and keep the Lord’s charge(Y) so that you will not die,(Z) for this is what I was commanded.” 36 So Aaron and his sons did everything the Lord had commanded through Moses.

Footnotes

  1. 8:2 Or purification
  2. 8:14–15 Or offering, and he slaughtered it. 15 Then Moses
  3. 8:15 Or it by making atonement for it
  4. 8:18–19 Or ram, 19 and he slaughtered it. Moses
  5. 8:22–23 Or ram, 23 and he slaughtered it. Moses
  6. 8:31 LXX, Syr, Tg read was commanded; Ex 29:31–32
  7. 8:33 Lit because he will fill your hands for seven days

The Consecration of Aaron and His Sons

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, (A)Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the (B)garments and (C)the anointing oil, and the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams and the basket of unleavened bread, and assemble all the congregation at the doorway of the tent of meeting.” So Moses did just as the Lord commanded him. When the congregation was assembled at the doorway of the tent of meeting, Moses said to the congregation, “This is the thing which the Lord has commanded us to do.”

Then (D)Moses had Aaron and his sons come near, and he (E)washed them with water. Then he (F)put the tunic on [a]Aaron and wrapped his waist with the sash, and clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him; and he wrapped his waist with the artistic band of the ephod, [b]with which he fitted it to him. He then placed the [c]breastpiece on him, and in the [d]breastpiece he put the [e](G)Urim and the Thummim. He also placed the turban on his head, and on the turban, at its front, he placed (H)the golden plate, the holy crown, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

10 Moses then took (I)the anointing oil and anointed the [f]tabernacle and everything that was in it, and consecrated them. 11 He also sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times and anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, to (J)consecrate them. 12 Then he poured some of the (K)anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him, to consecrate him. 13 (L)Next Moses had Aaron’s sons come near, and he clothed them with tunics and wrapped their waists with sashes, and bound [g]caps on them, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

14 Then he brought (M)the bull of the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull of the sin offering. 15 Next [h]Moses slaughtered it and took the blood and with his finger (N)put some of it around on the horns of the altar, and purified the altar. Then he poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar and consecrated it, to make atonement for it. 16 He also (O)took all the fat that was on the entrails and the [i]lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat; and Moses offered it up in smoke on the altar. 17 (P)But the bull and its hide, its flesh, and its refuse he burned in the fire outside the camp, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

18 Then he presented (Q)the ram of the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 19 And [j]Moses slaughtered it and sprinkled the blood around on the altar. 20 When he had cut the ram into its pieces, Moses (R)offered up the head and the pieces and the suet in smoke. 21 After he had washed the entrails and the legs with water, Moses (S)offered up the whole ram in smoke on the altar. It was a burnt offering for a soothing aroma; it was an offering by fire to the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

22 Then he presented the second ram, (T)the ram of [k]ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 23 [l]And Moses slaughtered it and took some of its blood and (U)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 He also had Aaron’s sons come near; and Moses put some of the blood on the lobe of their right ear, and on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot. Moses then (V)sprinkled the rest of the blood around on the altar. 25 He then took the fat, and the fat tail, and all the fat that was on the entrails, and the [m]lobe of the liver, the two kidneys and their fat, and the right thigh. 26 And (W)from the basket of unleavened bread that was before the Lord, he took one unleavened cake and one cake of bread mixed with oil and one wafer, and placed them on the portions of fat and on the right thigh. 27 He then (X)put all these on the hands of Aaron and on the hands of his sons, and presented them as a wave offering before the Lord. 28 Then Moses (Y)took them from their hands and offered them up in smoke on the altar with the burnt offering. They were an ordination offering for (Z)a soothing aroma; it was an offering by fire to the Lord. 29 Moses also took (AA)the breast and presented it as a wave offering before the Lord; it was (AB)Moses’ portion of the ram of ordination, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

30 So Moses (AC)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, and his sons, and the garments of his sons with him.

31 Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons, “(AD)Boil the flesh at the doorway of the tent of meeting, and eat it there together with the bread which is in the basket of the ordination offering, just as I commanded, (AE)saying, ‘Aaron and his sons shall eat it.’ 32 And (AF)the remainder of the flesh and of the bread you shall burn in the fire. 33 And (AG)you shall not go outside the doorway of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the day that the period of your ordination is fulfilled; for he will [n]ordain you through seven days. 34 The Lord has commanded us to do as has been done this day, to make atonement on your behalf. 35 At the doorway of the tent of meeting, moreover, you shall remain day and night for seven days and (AH)fulfill your duty to the Lord, so that you will not die; for so I have been commanded.” 36 Aaron and his sons did all the things which the Lord had commanded through Moses.

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 8:7 Lit him
  2. Leviticus 8:7 Lit and with it
  3. Leviticus 8:8 Or breast pouch
  4. Leviticus 8:8 Or breast pouch
  5. Leviticus 8:8 Meanings of Urim and Thummim uncertain
  6. Leviticus 8:10 Or dwelling place
  7. Leviticus 8:13 Lit headgear
  8. Leviticus 8:15 Lit he slaughtered it and Moses took
  9. Leviticus 8:16 Or appendage on
  10. Leviticus 8:19 Lit He slaughtered it and Moses sprinkled
  11. Leviticus 8:22 Lit filling, and so throughout the ch
  12. Leviticus 8:23 Lit He slaughtered it and Moses took
  13. Leviticus 8:25 Or appendage on
  14. Leviticus 8:33 Lit fill your hands