The Ordination of Aaron and His Sons^(A)

8 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Bring Aaron and his sons,^(B) their garments,^(C) the anointing oil,^(D) the bull for the sin offering,^[a](E) the two rams^(F) and the basket containing bread made without yeast,^{(G) 3} and gather the entire assembly^(H) at the entrance to the tent of meeting.” ⁴ Moses did as the Lord commanded him, and the assembly gathered at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

⁵ Moses said to the assembly, “This is what the Lord has commanded to be done.^(I)” ⁶ Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water.^{(J) 7} He put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash around him, clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him. He also fastened the ephod with a decorative waistband, which he tied around him.^{(K) 8} He placed the breastpiece^(L) on him and put the Urim and Thummim^(M) in the breastpiece. ⁹ Then he placed the turban^(N) on Aaron’s head and set the gold plate, the sacred emblem,^(O) on the front of it, as the Lord commanded Moses.^(P)

¹⁰ Then Moses took the anointing oil^(Q) and anointed^(R) the tabernacle^(S) and everything in it, and so consecrated them. ¹¹ He sprinkled some of the oil on the altar seven times, anointing the altar and all its utensils and the basin with its stand, to consecrate them.^{(T) 12} He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed^(U) him to consecrate him.^{(V) 13} Then he brought Aaron’s sons^(W) forward, put tunics^(X) on them, tied sashes around them and fastened caps on them, as the Lord commanded Moses.^(Y)

¹⁴ He then presented the bull^(Z) for the sin offering,^(AA) and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head.^{(AB) 15} Moses slaughtered the bull and took some of the blood,^(AC) and with his finger he put it on all the horns of the altar^(AD) to purify the altar.^(AE) He poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. So he consecrated it to make atonement for it.^{(AF) 16} Moses also took all the fat around the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, and both kidneys and their fat, and burned it on the altar. ¹⁷ But the bull with its hide and its flesh and its intestines^(AG) he burned up outside the camp,^(AH) as the Lord commanded Moses.

¹⁸ He then presented the ram^(AI) for the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. ¹⁹ Then Moses slaughtered the ram and splashed the blood against the sides of the altar. ²⁰ He cut the ram into pieces and burned the head, the pieces and the fat.^{(AJ) 21} He washed the internal organs and the legs with water and burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.

²² He then presented the other ram, the ram for the ordination,^(AK) and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head.^{(AL) 23} Moses slaughtered the ram and took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear, on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot.^{(AM) 24} Moses also brought Aaron’s sons forward and put some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears, on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet. Then he splashed blood against the sides of the altar.^{(AN) 25} After that, he took the fat^(AO), the fat tail, all the fat around the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, both kidneys and their fat and the right thigh. ²⁶ And from the basket of bread made without yeast, which was before the Lord, he took one thick loaf, one thick loaf with olive oil mixed in, and one thin loaf,^(AP) and he put these on the fat portions and on the right thigh. ²⁷ He put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons, and they waved them before the Lord^(AQ) as a wave offering. ²⁸ Then Moses took them from their hands and burned them on the altar on top of the burnt offering as an ordination offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord. ²⁹ Moses also took the breast, which was his share of the ordination ram,^(AR) and waved it before the Lord as a wave offering, as the Lord commanded Moses.

³⁰ Then Moses^(AS) took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood from the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his garments^(AT) and on his sons and their garments. So he consecrated^(AU) Aaron and his garments and his sons and their garments.

³¹ Moses then said to Aaron and his sons, “Cook the meat at the entrance to the tent of meeting^(AV) and eat it there with the bread from the basket of ordination offerings, as I was commanded: ‘Aaron and his sons are to eat it.’ ³² Then burn up the rest of the meat and the bread. ³³ Do not leave the entrance to the tent of meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are completed, for your ordination will last seven days.^{(AW) 34} What has been done today was commanded by the Lord^(AX) to make atonement for you. ³⁵ You must stay at the entrance to the tent of meeting day and night for seven days and do what the Lord requires,^(AY) so you will not die; for that is what I have been commanded.”

³⁶ So Aaron and his sons did everything the Lord commanded through Moses.

The Priests Begin Their Ministry

9 On the eighth day^(AZ) Moses summoned Aaron and his sons and the elders^(BA) of Israel. ² He said to Aaron, “Take a bull calf for your sin offering^[b] and a ram for your burnt offering, both without defect, and present them before the Lord. ³ Then say to the Israelites: ‘Take a male goat^(BB) for a sin offering,^(BC) a calf^(BD) and a lamb^(BE)—both a year old and without defect—for a burnt offering, ⁴ and an ox^[c](BF) and a ram for a fellowship offering^(BG) to sacrifice before the Lord, together with a grain offering mixed with olive oil. For today the Lord will appear to you.^(BH)’”

⁵ They took the things Moses commanded to the front of the tent of meeting, and the entire assembly came near and stood before the Lord. ⁶ Then Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded you to do, so that the glory of the Lord^(BI) may appear to you.”

⁷ Moses said to Aaron, “Come to the altar and sacrifice your sin offering and your burnt offering and make atonement for yourself and the people;^(BJ) sacrifice the offering that is for the people and make atonement for them, as the Lord has commanded.^(BK)”

⁸ So Aaron came to the altar and slaughtered the calf as a sin offering^(BL) for himself. ⁹ His sons brought the blood to him,^(BM) and he dipped his finger into the blood and put it on the horns of the altar; the rest of the blood he poured out at the base of the altar.^{(BN) 10} On the altar he burned the fat, the kidneys and the long lobe of the liver from the sin offering, as the Lord commanded Moses; ¹¹ the flesh and the hide^(BO) he burned up outside the camp.^(BP)

¹² Then he slaughtered the burnt offering.^(BQ) His sons handed him the blood,^(BR) and he splashed it against the sides of the altar. ¹³ They handed him the burnt offering piece by piece, including the head, and he burned them on the altar.^{(BS) 14} He washed the internal organs and the legs and burned them on top of the burnt offering on the altar.^(BT)

¹⁵ Aaron then brought the offering that was for the people.^(BU) He took the goat for the people’s sin offering and slaughtered it and offered it for a sin offering as he did with the first one.

¹⁶ He brought the burnt offering and offered it in the prescribed way.^{(BV) 17} He also brought the grain offering, took a handful of it and burned it on the altar in addition to the morning’s burnt offering.^(BW)

¹⁸ He slaughtered the ox and the ram as the fellowship offering for the people.^(BX) His sons handed him the blood, and he splashed it against the sides of the altar. ¹⁹ But the fat portions of the ox and the ram—the fat tail, the layer of fat, the kidneys and the long lobe of the liver— ²⁰ these they laid on the breasts, and then Aaron burned the fat on the altar. ²¹ Aaron waved the breasts and the right thigh before the Lord as a wave offering,^(BY) as Moses commanded.

²² Then Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them.^(BZ) And having sacrificed the sin offering, the burnt offering and the fellowship offering, he stepped down.

²³ Moses and Aaron then went into the tent of meeting.^(CA) When they came out, they blessed the people; and the glory of the Lord^(CB) appeared to all the people. ²⁴ Fire^(CC) came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.^(CD)

The Death of Nadab and Abihu

10 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu^(CE) took their censers,^(CF) put fire in them^(CG) and added incense;^(CH) and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord,^(CI) contrary to his command.^{(CJ) 2} So fire came out^(CK) from the presence of the Lord and consumed them,^(CL) and they died before the Lord.^{(CM) 3} Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke of when he said:

Aaron remained silent.

⁴ Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan,^(CQ) sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel,^(CR) and said to them, “Come here; carry your cousins outside the camp,^(CS) away from the front of the sanctuary.^(CT)” ⁵ So they came and carried them, still in their tunics,^(CU) outside the camp, as Moses ordered.

⁶ Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar,^(CV) “Do not let your hair become unkempt^[d](CW) and do not tear your clothes,^(CX) or you will die and the Lord will be angry with the whole community.^(CY) But your relatives, all the Israelites, may mourn^(CZ) for those the Lord has destroyed by fire. ⁷ Do not leave the entrance to the tent of meeting^(DA) or you will die, because the Lord’s anointing oil^(DB) is on you.” So they did as Moses said.

⁸ Then the Lord said to Aaron, ⁹ “You and your sons are not to drink wine^(DC) or other fermented drink^(DD) whenever you go into the tent of meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance^(DE) for the generations to come, ¹⁰ so that you can distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean,^{(DF) 11} and so you can teach^(DG) the Israelites all the decrees the Lord has given them through Moses.^(DH)”

¹² Moses said to Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take the grain offering^(DI) left over from the food offerings prepared without yeast and presented to the Lord and eat it beside the altar,^(DJ) for it is most holy. ¹³ Eat it in the sanctuary area,^(DK) because it is your share and your sons’ share of the food offerings presented to the Lord; for so I have been commanded.^{(DL) 14} But you and your sons and your daughters may eat the breast^(DM) that was waved and the thigh that was presented. Eat them in a ceremonially clean place;^(DN) they have been given to you and your children as your share of the Israelites’ fellowship offerings. ¹⁵ The thigh^(DO) that was presented and the breast that was waved must be brought with the fat portions of the food offerings, to be waved before the Lord as a wave offering.^(DP) This will be the perpetual share for you and your children, as the Lord has commanded.”

¹⁶ When Moses inquired about the goat of the sin offering^[e](DQ) and found that it had been burned up, he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons, and asked, ¹⁷ “Why didn’t you eat the sin offering^(DR) in the sanctuary area? It is most holy; it was given to you to take away the guilt^(DS) of the community by making atonement for them before the Lord. ¹⁸ Since its blood was not taken into the Holy Place,^(DT) you should have eaten the goat in the sanctuary area, as I commanded.^(DU)”

¹⁹ Aaron replied to Moses, “Today they sacrificed their sin offering and their burnt offering^(DV) before the Lord, but such things as this have happened to me. Would the Lord have been pleased if I had eaten the sin offering today?” ²⁰ When Moses heard this, he was satisfied.

Unlawful Sexual Relations

18 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘I am the Lord your God.^{(A) 3} You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices.^{(B) 4} You must obey my laws^(C) and be careful to follow my decrees.^(D) I am the Lord your God.^{(E) 5} Keep my decrees and laws,^(F) for the person who obeys them will live by them.^(G) I am the Lord.

⁶ “‘No one is to approach any close relative to have sexual relations. I am the Lord.

⁷ “‘Do not dishonor your father^(H) by having sexual relations with your mother.^(I) She is your mother; do not have relations with her.

⁸ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s wife;^(J) that would dishonor your father.^(K)

⁹ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your sister,^(L) either your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether she was born in the same home or elsewhere.^(M)

¹⁰ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your son’s daughter or your daughter’s daughter; that would dishonor you.

¹¹ “‘Do not have sexual relations with the daughter of your father’s wife, born to your father; she is your sister.

¹² “‘Do not have sexual relations with your father’s sister;^(N) she is your father’s close relative.

¹³ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your mother’s sister,^(O) because she is your mother’s close relative.

¹⁴ “‘Do not dishonor your father’s brother by approaching his wife to have sexual relations; she is your aunt.^(P)

¹⁵ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your daughter-in-law.^(Q) She is your son’s wife; do not have relations with her.^(R)

¹⁶ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your brother’s wife;^(S) that would dishonor your brother.

¹⁷ “‘Do not have sexual relations with both a woman and her daughter.^(T) Do not have sexual relations with either her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter; they are her close relatives. That is wickedness.

¹⁸ “‘Do not take your wife’s sister^(U) as a rival wife and have sexual relations with her while your wife is living.

¹⁹ “‘Do not approach a woman to have sexual relations during the uncleanness^(V) of her monthly period.^(W)

²⁰ “‘Do not have sexual relations with your neighbor’s wife^(X) and defile yourself with her.

²¹ “‘Do not give any of your children^(Y) to be sacrificed to Molek,^(Z) for you must not profane the name of your God.^(AA) I am the Lord.^(AB)

²² “‘Do not have sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman;^(AC) that is detestable.^(AD)

²³ “‘Do not have sexual relations with an animal and defile yourself with it. A woman must not present herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it; that is a perversion.^(AE)

²⁴ “‘Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you^(AF) became defiled.^{(AG) 25} Even the land was defiled;^(AH) so I punished it for its sin,^(AI) and the land vomited out its inhabitants.^{(AJ) 26} But you must keep my decrees and my laws.^(AK) The native-born and the foreigners residing among you must not do any of these detestable things, ²⁷ for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled. ²⁸ And if you defile the land,^(AL) it will vomit you out^(AM) as it vomited out the nations that were before you.

²⁹ “‘Everyone who does any of these detestable things—such persons must be cut off from their people. ³⁰ Keep my requirements^(AN) and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were practiced before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the Lord your God.^(AO)’”

Various Laws

19 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel^(AP) and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God,^(AQ) am holy.^(AR)

³ “‘Each of you must respect your mother and father,^(AS) and you must observe my Sabbaths.^(AT) I am the Lord your God.^(AU)

⁴ “‘Do not turn to idols or make metal gods for yourselves.^(AV) I am the Lord your God.^(AW)

⁵ “‘When you sacrifice a fellowship offering to the Lord, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf. ⁶ It shall be eaten on the day you sacrifice it or on the next day; anything left over until the third day must be burned up.^{(AX) 7} If any of it is eaten on the third day, it is impure and will not be accepted.^{(AY) 8} Whoever eats it will be held responsible^(AZ) because they have desecrated what is holy^(BA) to the Lord; they must be cut off from their people.^(BB)

⁹ “‘When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges^(BC) of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.^{(BD) 10} Do not go over your vineyard a second time^(BE) or pick up the grapes that have fallen.^(BF) Leave them for the poor and the foreigner.^(BG) I am the Lord your God.

¹¹ “‘Do not steal.^(BH)

“‘Do not lie.^(BI)

“‘Do not deceive one another.^(BJ)

¹² “‘Do not swear falsely^(BK) by my name^(BL) and so profane^(BM) the name of your God. I am the Lord.

¹³ “‘Do not defraud or rob^(BN) your neighbor.^(BO)

“‘Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker^(BP) overnight.^(BQ)

¹⁴ “‘Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind,^(BR) but fear your God.^(BS) I am the Lord.

¹⁵ “‘Do not pervert justice;^(BT) do not show partiality^(BU) to the poor or favoritism to the great,^(BV) but judge your neighbor fairly.^(BW)

¹⁶ “‘Do not go about spreading slander^(BX) among your people.

“‘Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life.^(BY) I am the Lord.

¹⁷ “‘Do not hate a fellow Israelite in your heart.^(BZ) Rebuke your neighbor frankly^(CA) so you will not share in their guilt.

¹⁸ “‘Do not seek revenge^(CB) or bear a grudge^(CC) against anyone among your people,^(CD) but love your neighbor^(CE) as yourself.^(CF) I am the Lord.

¹⁹ “‘Keep my decrees.^(CG)

“‘Do not mate different kinds of animals.

“‘Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.^(CH)

“‘Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.^(CI)

²⁰ “‘If a man sleeps with a female slave who is promised to another man^(CJ) but who has not been ransomed or given her freedom, there must be due punishment.^[a] Yet they are not to be put to death, because she had not been freed. ²¹ The man, however, must bring a ram to the entrance to the tent of meeting for a guilt offering to the Lord.^{(CK) 22} With the ram of the guilt offering the priest is to make atonement for him before the Lord for the sin he has committed, and his sin will be forgiven.^(CL)

²³ “‘When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden.^[b] For three years you are to consider it forbidden^[c]; it must not be eaten. ²⁴ In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy,^(CM) an offering of praise to the Lord. ²⁵ But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the Lord your God.

²⁶ “‘Do not eat any meat with the blood still in it.^(CN)

“‘Do not practice divination^(CO) or seek omens.^(CP)

²⁷ “‘Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.^(CQ)

²⁸ “‘Do not cut^(CR) your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.

²⁹ “‘Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute,^(CS) or the land will turn to prostitution and be filled with wickedness.^(CT)

³⁰ “‘Observe my Sabbaths^(CU) and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord.^(CV)

³¹ “‘Do not turn to mediums^(CW) or seek out spiritists,^(CX) for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.

³² “‘Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect^(CY) for the elderly^(CZ) and revere your God.^(DA) I am the Lord.^(DB)

³³ “‘When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. ³⁴ The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born.^(DC) Love them as yourself,^(DD) for you were foreigners^(DE) in Egypt.^(DF) I am the Lord your God.

³⁵ “‘Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity.^{(DG) 36} Use honest scales^(DH) and honest weights, an honest ephah^[d](DI) and an honest hin.^[e](DJ) I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt.^(DK)

³⁷ “‘Keep all my decrees^(DL) and all my laws^(DM) and follow them. I am the Lord.’”

Punishments for Sin

20 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing in Israel who sacrifices any of his children to Molek is to be put to death.^(DN) The members of the community are to stone him.^{(DO) 3} I myself will set my face against him and will cut him off from his people;^(DP) for by sacrificing his children to Molek, he has defiled^(DQ) my sanctuary^(DR) and profaned my holy name.^{(DS) 4} If the members of the community close their eyes when that man sacrifices one of his children to Molek and if they fail to put him to death,^{(DT) 5} I myself will set my face against him and his family and will cut them off from their people together with all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molek.

⁶ “‘I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people.^(DU)

⁷ “‘Consecrate yourselves^(DV) and be holy,^(DW) because I am the Lord your God.^{(DX) 8} Keep my decrees^(DY) and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy.^(DZ)

⁹ “‘Anyone who curses their father^(EA) or mother^(EB) is to be put to death.^(EC) Because they have cursed their father or mother, their blood will be on their own head.^(ED)

¹⁰ “‘If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife^(EE)—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death.^(EF)

¹¹ “‘If a man has sexual relations with his father’s wife, he has dishonored his father.^(EG) Both the man and the woman are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.^(EH)

¹² “‘If a man has sexual relations with his daughter-in-law,^(EI) both of them are to be put to death. What they have done is a perversion; their blood will be on their own heads.

¹³ “‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable.^(EJ) They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

¹⁴ “‘If a man marries both a woman and her mother,^(EK) it is wicked. Both he and they must be burned in the fire,^(EL) so that no wickedness will be among you.^(EM)

¹⁵ “‘If a man has sexual relations with an animal,^(EN) he is to be put to death,^(EO) and you must kill the animal.

¹⁶ “‘If a woman approaches an animal to have sexual relations with it, kill both the woman and the animal. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

¹⁷ “‘If a man marries his sister^(EP), the daughter of either his father or his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They are to be publicly removed^(EQ) from their people. He has dishonored his sister and will be held responsible.^(ER)

¹⁸ “‘If a man has sexual relations with a woman during her monthly period,^(ES) he has exposed the source of her flow, and she has also uncovered it. Both of them are to be cut off from their people.^(ET)

¹⁹ “‘Do not have sexual relations with the sister of either your mother or your father,^(EU) for that would dishonor a close relative; both of you would be held responsible.

²⁰ “‘If a man has sexual relations with his aunt,^(EV) he has dishonored his uncle. They will be held responsible; they will die childless.^(EW)

²¹ “‘If a man marries his brother’s wife,^(EX) it is an act of impurity; he has dishonored his brother. They will be childless.^(EY)

²² “‘Keep all my decrees and laws^(EZ) and follow them, so that the land^(FA) where I am bringing you to live may not vomit you out. ²³ You must not live according to the customs of the nations^(FB) I am going to drive out before you.^(FC) Because they did all these things, I abhorred them.^{(FD) 24} But I said to you, “You will possess their land; I will give it to you as an inheritance, a land flowing with milk and honey.”^(FE) I am the Lord your God, who has set you apart from the nations.^(FF)

²⁵ “‘You must therefore make a distinction between clean and unclean animals and between unclean and clean birds.^(FG) Do not defile yourselves by any animal or bird or anything that moves along the ground—those that I have set apart as unclean for you. ²⁶ You are to be holy to me^(FH) because I, the Lord, am holy,^(FI) and I have set you apart from the nations^(FJ) to be my own.

²⁷ “‘A man or woman who is a medium^(FK) or spiritist among you must be put to death.^(FL) You are to stone them;^(FM) their blood will be on their own heads.’”