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.
“Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread;
He put the coat on him, tied the sash on him, clothed him with the robe, put the ephod on him, and he tied the skillfully woven band of the ephod on him, and fastened it to him with it.
He killed it; and Moses took the blood, and put it around on the horns of the altar with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar, and sanctified it, to make atonement for it.
He washed the innards and the legs with water; and Moses burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering for a pleasant aroma. It was an offering made by fire to the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses.
He killed it; and Moses took some of its blood, and put it on the tip of Aaron’s right ear, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the great toe of his right foot.
He brought Aaron’s sons; and Moses put some of the blood on the tip of their right ear, and on the thumb of their right hand, and on the great toe of their right foot; and Moses sprinkled the blood around on the altar.
He took the fat, and the fat tail, and all the fat that was on the innards, and the cover of the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and the right thigh;
and out of the basket of unleavened bread, that was before the LORD, he took one unleavened cake, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and placed them on the fat, and on the right thigh.
Moses took them from their hands, and burned them on the altar on the burnt offering. They were a consecration for a pleasant aroma. It was an offering made by fire to the LORD.
Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave offering before the LORD. It was Moses’ portion of the ram of consecration, as the LORD commanded Moses.
Moses took some of the anointing oil, and some of the blood which was on the altar, and sprinkled it on Aaron, on his garments, and on his sons, and on his sons’ garments with him, and sanctified Aaron, his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him.
Moses said to Aaron and to his sons, “Boil the flesh at the door of the Tent of Meeting, and there eat it and the bread that is in the basket of consecration, as I commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons shall eat it.’
You shall not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting seven days, until the days of your consecration are fulfilled: for he shall consecrate you seven days.
Aaron and his sons did all the things which the LORD commanded by Moses.
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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