Leviticus8

Leviticus chapter 8 details the solemn consecration of Aaron and his sons as priests, performed by Moses as commanded by the LORD. Moses washes and vests them in their priestly garments, then anoints the Tabernacle and Aaron with sacred oil. Various sacrifices, including a sin offering, burnt offering, and a ram of consecration, are performed, with blood applied to the altar and the priests. The chapter concludes with the command for Aaron and his sons to remain at the tabernacle for seven days to complete their ordination.

Preparation for Consecration

1
ADONAI said to Moshe,
2
"Take Aharon and his sons with him, the garments, the anointing oil, the bull for the sin offering, the two rams and the basket of matzah; ​
3
and assemble the entire community at the entrance to the tent of meeting."
4
Moshe did as ADONAI ordered him, and the community was assembled at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ​
5
Moshe said to the community, "This is what ADONAI has ordered to be done."

Robing and Anointing the Priests

6
Moshe brought Aharon and his sons, washed them with water, ​
7
put the tunic on him, wrapped the sash around him, clothed him with the robe, put the ritual vest on him, wrapped around him the decorated belt and fastened the vest to him with it.
8
He put the breastplate on him, and on the breastplate he put the urim and tumim. ​
9
He set the turban on his head, and on the front of the turban he affixed the gold plate, the holy ornament, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.
10
Then Moshe took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, thus consecrating them. ​
11
He sprinkled some on the altar seven times, anointing the altar with all its utensils and the basin with its base, to consecrate them.
12
He poured some of the anointing oil on Aharon's head and anointed him, to consecrate him. ​
13
Moshe brought Aharon's sons, clothed them with tunics, wrapped sashes on them and put headgear on them, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.

The Sin Offering and Atonement

14
Then the young bull for the sin offering was brought, and Aharon and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull for the sin offering. ​
15
After it had been slaughtered, Moshe took the blood and put it on the horns of the altar all the way around with his finger, thus purifying the altar. The remaining blood he poured out at the base of the altar and consecrated it, to make atonement for it. ​
16
Moshe took all the fat on the inner organs, the covering of the liver, the two kidneys and their fat, and made it go up in smoke on the altar.
17
But the bull, its hide, its flesh and its dung were taken outside the camp and burned up completely, as ADONAI had ordered Moshe. ​

The Burnt Offering

18
Next, the ram for the burnt offering was presented. Aharon and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram;
19
and after it had been slaughtered, Moshe splashed the blood on all sides of the altar.
20
When the ram had been cut in pieces, Moshe made the head, the pieces and the fat go up in smoke.
21
When the inner organs and the lower parts of the legs had been washed with water, Moshe made the entire ram go up in smoke on the altar; it was a burnt offering giving a fragrant aroma, an offering made by fire to ADONAI - as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.

The Ram of Consecration (Installation)

22
Then the other ram was presented, the ram of consecration; Aharon and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. ​
23
After it had been slaughtered, Moshe took some of its blood and put it on the tip of Aharon's right ear, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. ​
24
Next Aharon's sons were brought, and Moshe put some of the blood on the tips of their right ears, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet; then Moshe splashed the blood on all sides of the altar.
25
He took the fat, the fat tail, all the fat covering the inner organs, the covering of the liver, the two kidneys with their fat, and the right thigh.
26
From the basket of matzah that was before ADONAI he took one piece of matzah, one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and placed them on the fat and on the right thigh.
27
Then he put it all in Aharon's hands and in the hands of his sons and waved them as a wave offering before ADONAI. ​
28
Moshe took them out of their hands and made them go up in smoke on the altar on top of the burnt offering; they were a consecration offering giving a fragrant aroma; an offering made by fire to ADONAI.
29
Moshe took the breast and waved it as a wave offering before ADONAI; it was Moshe's portion of the ram of consecration - as ADONAI had ordered Moshe.
30
Moshe took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood which was on the altar and sprinkled it on Aharon and his clothing, and on his sons with him and their clothing, and consecrated Aharon and his clothing together with his sons and their clothing. ​

Instructions for the Seven-Day Consecration

31
Moshe said to Aharon and his sons, "Boil the meat at the door of the tent of meeting; and eat it there with the bread that is in the basket of consecration, as I ordered when I said that Aharon and his sons are to eat it.
32
Whatever is left over of the meat and bread you are to burn up completely.
33
You are not to go out from the entrance to the tent of meeting for seven days, until the days of your consecration are over; since ADONAI will be consecrating you for seven days. ​
34
He ordered done what has been done today, in order to make atonement for you. ​
35
You are to remain at the entrance to the tent of meeting day and night for seven days, thereby obeying what ADONAI ordered done, so that you may not die. For this is what I was ordered." ​
36
Aharon and his sons did all the things which ADONAI ordered through Moshe. Suggested readings for Parashah Tzav from the B'rit Hadashah: Mark ​

Study Notes for Leviticus 8

Verse 2

This list specifies the necessary elements for the ordination ritual, emphasizing that the installation of the priesthood was a highly detailed and non-negotiable divine command (Exod. 29).

Verse 4

The assembly was gathered to witness the ceremony, underscoring that the priesthood’s authority derived from God and was publicly confirmed before the entire community.

Verse 6

Washing with water symbolizes purification, necessary for the priests before they could approach the holy God or handle sacred objects.

Verse 8

The Urim and Thummim were objects of divine lot or divination placed in the breastplate, used by the High Priest to discern God’s will and give authoritative judgment to Israel.

Verse 10

The anointing oil sanctified the dwelling place and its furnishings first, confirming that the place of worship must be set apart as holy before the priests could function within it.

Verse 12

Pouring the oil upon Aaron’s head formally sets him apart as the High Priest. This action is the literal meaning of 'Messiah' or 'Anointed One' and symbolizes the divine enabling for his service.

Verse 14

The ordination process begins with the sin offering (Hebrew: *hattat*), indicating that atonement and purification are prerequisites even for those chosen for high office.

Verse 15

The application of blood to the altar purified it from the defilement of the people, making the altar a consecrated space where God could accept subsequent sacrifices. This act is necessary for 'reconciliation' (atonement).

Verse 17

Burning the sin offering outside the camp signifies that the offering, having absorbed the sin and impurity, must be completely removed from the holy community.

Verse 22

This third sacrifice is unique to the priestly installation (Exod. 29:22). It is often called the ram of 'filling' (Hebrew: *millu’im*), referring to the filling of the priests' hands with sacrificial portions so they could begin their service.

Verse 23

The blood application symbolizes the complete dedication of the priest’s body to God’s service: the ear (hearing and obedience), the hand (work and action), and the foot (walk and conduct).

Verse 27

The wave offering involved moving the offering horizontally before the Lord, signifying its presentation to God and its subsequent return to the priest/Moses as a consecrated portion.

Verse 30

The mixture of anointing oil and blood underscores that the priests are sanctified by both divine appointment (oil) and by the reality of atonement (blood). The entire person and their clothing are set apart.

Verse 33

The seven-day period signifies a complete, perfect cycle of setting apart. The priests were confined to the Tabernacle court to maintain ritual purity and focus exclusively on their transition into holy office.

Verse 34

Moses affirms that the detailed, repeated rituals performed daily were necessary to fully atone for the priests, preparing them to handle sacred things without incurring God's wrath.

Verse 35

The command to 'keep the charge of the LORD' emphasizes that priestly service is a sacred duty requiring strict adherence to divine mandate, lest they profane the sanctuary and die (cf. Lev. 10:1-2).

Verse 36

This concluding statement stresses the theme of obedience that runs throughout the entire consecration narrative, confirming the successful establishment of the legitimate priesthood according to God’s exact specifications.

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