Sirach 45:6-22

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

⁶ He exalted Aaron, a holy man like Moses,^[a]
    who was his brother, of the tribe of Levi.^(A)
7 He made an everlasting covenant with him
    and gave him the priesthood of the people.
He blessed him with stateliness
    and put a glorious robe on him.^(B)
8 He clothed him in perfect splendor^[b]
    and strengthened him with the apparel of authority,
    the linen undergarments, the long robe, and the ephod.^(C)
9 And he encircled him with pomegranates,
    with many golden bells all around,
to send forth a sound as he walked,
    to make their ringing heard in the temple
    as a reminder to his people;^(D)
10 with the sacred vestment, of gold and violet
    and purple, the work of an embroiderer;
with the oracle of judgment, the manifestations of truth;^(E)
11     with twisted crimson, the work of an artisan;
with precious stones engraved like seals,
    in a setting of gold, the work of a jeweler,
to commemorate in engraved letters
    each of the tribes of Israel;^(F)
12 with a gold crown upon his turban,
    inscribed like a holy seal,
majestic and glorious, a work of power,
    a delight to the eyes, richly adorned.^(G)
13 Before him such beautiful things did not exist.
    No outsider ever put them on,
but only his sons
    and his descendants in perpetuity.^(H)
14 His sacrifices shall be wholly burned
    twice every day continually.^(I)
15 Moses ordained him
    and anointed him with holy oil;
it was an everlasting covenant for him
    and for his descendants as long as the heavens endure,
to minister to the Lord^[c] and serve as priest
    and bless his people in his name.^(J)
16 He chose him out of all the living
    to offer sacrifice to the Lord,
incense and a pleasing odor as a memorial,
    to make atonement for the^[d] people.^(K)
17 In his commandments he gave him
    authority, by means of a decree, and^[e] judgments,
to teach Jacob the testimonies
    and to enlighten Israel with his law.^(L)
18 Outsiders conspired against him
    and envied him in the wilderness,
Dathan and Abiram and their followers
    and the company of Korah, in wrath and anger.^(M)
19 The Lord saw it and was not pleased,
    and in the heat of his anger they were destroyed;
he performed wonders against them
    to consume them in flaming fire.^(N)
20 He added glory to Aaron
    and gave him a heritage;
he allotted to him the best of the first fruits
    and prepared bread of first fruits in abundance,^(O)
21 for they eat the sacrifices of the Lord,
    which he gave to him and his descendants.^(P)
22 But in the land of the people he has no inheritance,
    and he has no portion among the people,
    for the Lord^[f] himself is his^[g] portion and inheritance.^(Q)