Leviticus 9
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 9
Octave of the Ordination. 1 On the eighth day[a](A) Moses summoned Aaron and his sons, together with the elders of Israel, 2 and said to Aaron, “Take a calf of the herd for a purification offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without blemish, and offer them before the Lord. 3 [b]Tell the Israelites, too: Take a he-goat for a purification offering, a calf and a lamb, both unblemished yearlings, for a burnt offering, 4 and an ox and a ram for a communion sacrifice, to sacrifice before the Lord, along with a grain offering mixed with oil; for today the Lord will appear to you.” 5 So they brought what Moses had ordered before the tent of meeting. When the whole community had come forward and stood before the Lord, 6 [c]Moses said, “This is what the Lord orders you to do, that the glory of the Lord may appear to you. 7 Approach the altar,” Moses then told Aaron, “and make your purification offering and your burnt offering in atonement for yourself and for your household;[d] then make the offering of the people in atonement for them, as the Lord has commanded.”(B)
8 Approaching the altar, Aaron first slaughtered the calf of the purification offering that was his own offering. 9 When his sons presented the blood to him, he dipped his finger in the blood and put it on the horns of the altar.(C) The rest of the blood he poured out at the base of the altar. 10 He then burned on the altar the fat, the kidneys and the lobe of the liver from the purification offering, as the Lord had commanded Moses; 11 but the flesh and the hide he burned in the fire outside the camp.(D) 12 Then Aaron slaughtered the burnt offering. When his sons brought him the blood, he splashed it on all sides of the altar. 13 They then brought him the pieces and the head of the burnt offering, and he burned them on the altar. 14 Having washed the inner organs and the shanks, he burned these also with the burnt offering on the altar.(E)
15 Then he had the people’s offering brought. Taking the goat that was for the people’s purification offering, he slaughtered it and offered it as a purification offering as before. 16 Then he brought forward the burnt offering and offered it according to procedure. 17 He then presented the grain offering; taking a handful of it, he burned it on the altar, in addition to the morning burnt offering.(F) 18 Finally he slaughtered the ox and the ram, the communion sacrifice of the people. When his sons brought him the blood, Aaron splashed it on all sides of the altar.(G) 19 The portions of fat from the ox and from the ram, the fatty tail, the covering fat, the kidneys, and the lobe of the liver 20 they placed on top of the briskets. Aaron burned the fat pieces on the altar, 21 but the briskets and the right thigh he raised as an elevated offering(H) before the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Revelation of the Lord’s Glory. 22 [e]Aaron then raised his hands over the people and blessed(I) them. When he came down from offering the purification offering, the burnt offering, and the communion offering, 23 Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting. On coming out they blessed the people. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. 24 [f]Fire came forth from the Lord’s presence and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar.(J) Seeing this, all the people shouted with joy and fell prostrate.
Footnotes
- 9:1 Eighth day: this is the conclusion of the priestly initiation ceremony.
- 9:3–4 The seven-day consecration of the priests in chap. 8 did not require sacrifices from the community. Now communal sacrifices as well as priestly sacrifices are required.
- 9:6–21 Aaron and his sons now perform the offerings, instead of Moses (see note on 8:15).
- 9:7 For your household: unlike the Septuagint, the Hebrew reads be‘ad ha‘am, “for the people.”
- 9:22–23 The people are blessed twice. For the possible content of the blessing, compare the priestly blessing in Nm 6:22–27. Solomon offers a double blessing at the dedication of the Temple (1 Kgs 8:14–21, 55–61).
- 9:24 The theophany consists of a fire that apparently comes from the tent of meeting. God’s fiery glory is also manifested in the pillar of cloud and fire that led the Israelites and rested over the tent of meeting (Ex 13:21; 40:38; Nm 9:15–23; 10:11). On God’s fiery glory, see also Ex 24:17; Ez 1:27–28.
Leviticus 9
English Standard Version
The Lord Accepts Aaron's Offering
9 (A)On the eighth day Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel, 2 and he said to Aaron, (B)“Take for yourself a bull calf for a sin offering and (C)a ram for a burnt offering, both without blemish, and offer them before the Lord. 3 And say to the people of Israel, (D)‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both a year old without blemish, for a burnt offering, 4 and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the Lord, and (E)a grain offering mixed with oil, for (F)today the Lord will appear to you.’” 5 And they brought what Moses commanded in front of the tent of meeting, and all the congregation drew near and stood before the Lord. 6 And Moses said, “This is the thing that the Lord commanded you to do, that the glory of the Lord may appear to you.” 7 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Draw near to the altar and (G)offer your sin offering and your burnt offering and (H)make atonement for yourself and for the people, and bring the offering of the people and make atonement for them, as the Lord has commanded.”
8 So Aaron drew near to the altar and killed the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself. 9 (I)And the sons of Aaron presented the blood to him, and he dipped his finger in the blood and (J)put it on the horns of the altar and poured out the blood at the base of the altar. 10 (K)But the fat and the kidneys and the long lobe of the liver from the sin offering he burned on the altar, (L)as the Lord commanded Moses. 11 (M)The flesh and the skin he burned up with fire outside the camp.
12 Then he killed the burnt offering, and Aaron's sons handed him the blood, and he (N)threw it against the sides of the altar. 13 (O)And they handed the burnt offering to him, piece by piece, and the head, and he burned them on the altar. 14 (P)And he washed the entrails and the legs and burned them with the burnt offering on the altar.
15 (Q)Then he presented the people's offering and took the goat of the sin offering that was for the people and killed it and (R)offered it as a sin offering, (S)like the first one. 16 And he presented the burnt offering and offered it (T)according to the (U)rule. 17 And he presented the (V)grain offering, took a handful of it, and burned it on the altar, (W)besides the burnt offering of the morning.
18 Then he killed the ox and the ram, (X)the sacrifice of peace offerings for the people. And Aaron's sons handed him the blood, and he threw it against the sides of the altar. 19 But the fat pieces of the ox and of the ram, the fat tail and that which covers (Y)the entrails and the kidneys and the long lobe of the liver— 20 they put the fat pieces on the breasts, (Z)and he burned the fat pieces on the altar, 21 but the breasts and the right thigh Aaron waved (AA)for a wave offering before the Lord, as Moses commanded.
22 Then Aaron (AB)lifted up his hands toward the people and (AC)blessed them, and he came down from offering the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings. 23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they came out they blessed the people, and (AD)the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. 24 And (AE)fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, (AF)they shouted and (AG)fell on their faces.
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