Leviticus 9:9

And the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto him: and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put [it] upon the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the bottom of the altar:

And the sons {H1121} of Aaron {H175} brought {H7126} the blood {H1818} unto him: and he dipped {H2881} his finger {H676} in the blood {H1818}, and put {H5414} it upon the horns {H7161} of the altar {H4196}, and poured {H3332} out the blood {H1818} at the bottom {H3247} of the altar {H4196}:

The sons of Aharon presented the blood to him; and he dipped his finger in the blood and put it on the horns of the altar; then he poured out the blood at the base of the altar.

The sons of Aaron brought the blood to him, and he dipped his finger in the blood and applied it to the horns of the altar. And he poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.

And the sons of Aaron presented the blood unto him; and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar:

Commentary

Context of Leviticus 9:9

Leviticus chapter 9 details the climactic events of the eight-day ordination ceremony for Aaron and his sons, culminating in their first official acts as priests. This specific verse describes a crucial step in the sin offering (also known as the purification offering) made for the people. After offering sacrifices for himself, Aaron now performs the ritual for the community, signifying the establishment of the priestly service and the tabernacle worship. This moment follows the divine instruction for how atonement was to be made, setting a pattern for future offerings.

Key Themes and Messages

  • The Centrality of Blood: The act of applying and pouring out blood underscores its indispensable role in the Old Testament sacrificial system. Blood, representing life (Leviticus 17:11), was essential for making atonement and purifying what was defiled.
  • Ritual Precision: The detailed instructions and their meticulous execution highlight the holiness of God and the seriousness of approaching Him. Every step, including the handling of the blood and its application to the horns of the altar, was divinely ordained.
  • Atonement and Purification: The primary purpose of this ritual was to purify the altar itself and make atonement for the sins of the people, allowing God's presence to dwell among them without consuming them. The horns of the altar, symbolizing strength and refuge, received the blood as a sign of this cleansing.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "altar" is mizbeach (ืžึดื–ึฐื‘ึผึตื—ึท), derived from a root meaning "to slaughter" or "to sacrifice," emphasizing its purpose. The "horns" (qeren, ืงึถืจึถืŸ) of the altar were prominent projections, often associated with power or refuge. The act of "dipping" (tabal, ื˜ึธื‘ึทืœ) and "putting upon" (nathan, ื ึธืชึทืŸ) indicates a precise, ceremonial application of the blood, not a casual act.

Practical Application and Significance

While the Old Testament sacrificial system is no longer practiced due to the ultimate sacrifice, Leviticus 9:9 offers profound spiritual truths for believers today:

  • Understanding Christ's Sacrifice: This verse helps us appreciate the depth and necessity of Jesus Christ's perfect and once-for-all sacrifice. His blood, shed on the cross, fulfilled and superseded all the Old Testament rituals, providing complete atonement for sin (Hebrews 10:10).
  • Reverence for God: The meticulous nature of the ritual reminds us of God's holiness and the reverence due to Him. It teaches us that approaching God is not to be taken lightly, but with a humble and repentant heart.
  • The Efficacy of Blood: The concept that "without shedding of blood is no remission" (Hebrews 9:22) is powerfully illustrated here, laying the groundwork for understanding the saving power of Christ's blood.
Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“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 โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Leviticus 4:6

    And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the LORD, before the vail of the sanctuary.

  • Leviticus 4:7

    And the priest shall put [some] of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which [is] in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt offering, which [is at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

  • Leviticus 8:15

    And he slew [it]; and Moses took the blood, and put [it] upon the horns of the altar round about with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured the blood at the bottom of the altar, and sanctified it, to make reconciliation upon it.

  • Leviticus 4:25

    And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering with his finger, and put [it] upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering.

  • Leviticus 16:18

    And he shall go out unto the altar that [is] before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put [it] upon the horns of the altar round about.

  • Leviticus 4:30

    And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put [it] upon the horns of the altar of burnt offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar.

  • Leviticus 4:17

    And the priest shall dip his finger [in some] of the blood, and sprinkle [it] seven times before the LORD, [even] before the vail.
โ† Back