Exodus 29:20

Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put [it] upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

Then shalt thou kill {H7819} the ram {H352}, and take {H3947} of his blood {H1818}, and put {H5414} it upon the tip {H8571} of the right ear {H241} of Aaron {H175}, and upon the tip {H8571} of the right {H3233} ear {H241} of his sons {H1121}, and upon the thumb {H931} of their right {H3233} hand {H3027}, and upon the great toe {H931} of their right {H3233} foot {H7272}, and sprinkle {H2236} the blood {H1818} upon the altar {H4196} round about {H5439}.

and you are to slaughter the ram, take some of its blood, and put it on the lobe of Aharon's right ear, on the lobes of his sons' right ears, on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet. Take the rest of the blood and splash it on all sides of the altar.

Slaughter the ram, take some of its blood, and put it on the right earlobes of Aaron and his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Sprinkle the remaining blood on all sides of the altar.

Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of its blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

Commentary

Context of Exodus 29:20

This verse is a crucial part of God's detailed instructions to Moses for the consecration ceremony of Aaron and his sons as priests for the tabernacle. Following the sin offering and the burnt offering, this particular ritual involves the "ram of consecration," marking a significant step in their formal ordination. The elaborate nature of these rituals in Exodus 29 underscores the immense importance and sacredness of the priestly office and the necessity of purity when approaching a holy God.

Key Themes and Messages

  • Consecration and Dedication: The application of blood to specific body parts symbolizes the complete dedication of the priests to God's service. Their entire being—hearing, doing, and walking—was to be set apart for holy purposes.
  • Purification and Atonement: Blood in the Old Testament rituals was central to purification and atonement. Its application here cleansed and sanctified Aaron and his sons, making them fit to minister before the Lord. This foreshadows the ultimate cleansing power of Christ's blood.
  • Symbolism of Body Parts:
    • Right Ear: Signifies obedience and attentiveness to God's voice and commandments. Priests were to hear and heed divine instructions.
    • Right Hand (Thumb): Represents action, service, and the work they would perform. Their hands were to be clean for holy duties.
    • Right Foot (Great Toe): Denotes their walk, path, and conduct. Their steps were to be righteous, leading in God's ways.
  • Holiness of God's Service: The meticulous nature of this ritual emphasizes God's absolute holiness and the precision required in approaching Him. Only those who were properly consecrated and purified could serve in His presence.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "blood" is dam (דָּם), a recurring and vital element throughout the Mosaic Law, signifying life and purification. The precise placement of the blood—"upon the tip of the right ear," "upon the thumb of their right hand," and "upon the great toe of their right foot"—highlights the thoroughness of the dedication. This specificity is not accidental; it emphasizes that every faculty of the priest, from hearing to acting to walking, was to be sanctified and brought under God's authority.

Practical Application

While believers today are not under the Mosaic Law's ceremonial requirements, this verse offers profound spiritual lessons. Through faith in Christ, we are called a "royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9). This ritual reminds us that:

  • Our ears should be open to hear and obey God's Word.
  • Our hands should be consecrated for righteous actions and service, doing His will.
  • Our feet should walk in paths of righteousness and holiness, following Christ's example.

The blood applied to Aaron and his sons points forward to the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ, whose blood truly cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7) and consecrates us to serve a holy God. Our lives, too, should be fully dedicated to Him.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Isaiah 50:5

    The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

  • 1 Peter 1:2

    Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

  • Hebrews 9:19

    For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,

  • Hebrews 9:23

    ¶ [It was] therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

  • Leviticus 14:7

    And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.

  • Leviticus 14:16

    And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that [is] in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the LORD:

  • Hebrews 12:24

    And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel.
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