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Leviticus 8-10
New American Bible (Revised Edition)

II. Ceremony of Ordination

Chapter 8

Ordination of Aaron and His Sons.[a] 1 (A)The Lord said to Moses: 2 Take Aaron along with his sons, the vestments, the anointing oil, the bull for a purification offering, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread, 3 then assemble the whole community[b] at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 4 Moses did as the Lord had commanded. When the community(B) had assembled at the entrance of the tent of meeting, 5 Moses told them: “This is what the Lord has ordered to be done.” 6 Bringing forward Aaron and his sons, Moses first washed them with water. 7 [c]Then he put the tunic on Aaron,(C) girded him with the sash, clothed him with the robe, placed the ephod on him, and girded him with the ephod’s embroidered belt, fastening the ephod on him with it. 8 He then set the breastpiece on him, putting the Urim and Thummim[d] in it. 9 He put the turban on his head, attaching the gold medallion, the sacred headband,[e] on the front of the turban, as the Lord had commanded Moses to do.

10 [f]Taking the anointing oil, Moses anointed and consecrated the tabernacle and all that was in it.(D) 11 Then he sprinkled some of the oil seven times on the altar, and anointed the altar, with all its utensils, and the laver, with its base, to consecrate them. 12 He also poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him, to consecrate him.(E) 13 Moses likewise brought forward Aaron’s sons, clothed them with tunics, girded them with sashes, and put skullcaps on them, as the Lord had commanded him to do.

Ordination Sacrifices. 14 He brought forward the bull for a purification offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. 15 When it was slaughtered, Moses took the blood[g] and with his finger he put it on the horns around the altar, thus purifying the altar.(F) He poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. Thus he consecrated it so that atonement could be made on it. 16 Taking all the fat that was over the inner organs, as well as the lobe of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat,(G) Moses burned them on the altar. 17 The bull, however, with its hide and flesh and dung he burned in the fire outside the camp, as the Lord had commanded Moses to do.(H)

18 He next brought forward the ram of the burnt offering,(I) and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. 19 When it was slaughtered, Moses splashed the blood on all sides of the altar. 20 After the ram was cut up into pieces, Moses burned the head, the cut-up pieces and the suet. 21 After the inner organs and the shanks were washed with water, Moses burned these remaining parts of the ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering for a sweet aroma, an oblation to the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

22 [h]Then he brought forward the second ram, the ordination ram,(J) and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. 23 When it was slaughtered, Moses took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe[i] of his right foot.(K) 24 Moses had the sons of Aaron also come forward, and he put some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. The rest of the blood he splashed on all the sides of the altar. 25 He then took the fat: the fatty tail and all the fat over the inner organs, the lobe of the liver and the two kidneys with their fat, and likewise the right thigh; 26 from the basket of unleavened bread that was set before the Lord he took one unleavened cake, one loaf of bread made with oil, and one wafer; these he placed on top of the portions of fat and the right thigh. 27 He then put all these things upon the palms of Aaron and his sons, whom he had raise them as an elevated offering before the Lord.(L) 28 When Moses had removed them from their palms, he burned them on the altar with the burnt offering. They were an ordination offering for a sweet aroma, an oblation to the Lord. 29 He then took the brisket and raised it as an elevated offering before the Lord; this was Moses’ own portion of the ordination ram, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 30 Taking some of the anointing oil and some of the blood that was on the altar, Moses sprinkled it upon Aaron and his vestments, as well as his sons and their vestments, thus consecrating both Aaron and his vestments and his sons and their vestments.(M)

31 Moses said to Aaron and his sons, “Boil the meat at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and there eat it with the bread that is in the basket of the ordination offering, in keeping with the command I have received: ‘Aaron and his sons shall eat of it.’ 32 What is left over of the meat and the bread you shall burn in the fire. 33 Moreover, you are not to depart[j] from the entrance of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are completed; for your ordination is to last for seven days. 34 What has been done today the Lord has commanded be done, to make atonement for you. 35 You must remain at the entrance of the tent of meeting day and night for seven days, carrying out the prescriptions of the Lord, so that you do not die, for this is the command I have received.”(N) 36 So Aaron and his sons did all that the Lord had commanded through Moses.

Chapter 9

Octave of the Ordination. 1 On the eighth day[k](O) Moses summoned Aaron and his sons, together with the elders of Israel, 2 and said to Aaron, “Take a calf of the herd for a purification offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without blemish, and offer them before the Lord. 3 [l]Tell the Israelites, too: Take a he-goat for a purification offering, a calf and a lamb, both unblemished yearlings, for a burnt offering, 4 and an ox and a ram for a communion sacrifice, to sacrifice before the Lord, along with a grain offering mixed with oil; for today the Lord will appear to you.” 5 So they brought what Moses had ordered before the tent of meeting. When the whole community had come forward and stood before the Lord, 6 [m]Moses said, “This is what the Lord orders you to do, that the glory of the Lord may appear to you. 7 Approach the altar,” Moses then told Aaron, “and make your purification offering and your burnt offering in atonement for yourself and for your household;[n] then make the offering of the people in atonement for them, as the Lord has commanded.”(P)

8 Approaching the altar, Aaron first slaughtered the calf of the purification offering that was his own offering. 9 When his sons presented the blood to him, he dipped his finger in the blood and put it on the horns of the altar.(Q) The rest of the blood he poured out at the base of the altar. 10 He then burned on the altar the fat, the kidneys and the lobe of the liver from the purification offering, as the Lord had commanded Moses; 11 but the flesh and the hide he burned in the fire outside the camp.(R) 12 Then Aaron slaughtered the burnt offering. When his sons brought him the blood, he splashed it on all sides of the altar. 13 They then brought him the pieces and the head of the burnt offering, and he burned them on the altar. 14 Having washed the inner organs and the shanks, he burned these also with the burnt offering on the altar.(S)

15 Then he had the people’s offering brought. Taking the goat that was for the people’s purification offering, he slaughtered it and offered it as a purification offering as before. 16 Then he brought forward the burnt offering and offered it according to procedure. 17 He then presented the grain offering; taking a handful of it, he burned it on the altar, in addition to the morning burnt offering.(T) 18 Finally he slaughtered the ox and the ram, the communion sacrifice of the people. When his sons brought him the blood, Aaron splashed it on all sides of the altar.(U) 19 The portions of fat from the ox and from the ram, the fatty tail, the covering fat, the kidneys, and the lobe of the liver 20 they placed on top of the briskets. Aaron burned the fat pieces on the altar, 21 but the briskets and the right thigh he raised as an elevated offering(V) before the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Revelation of the Lord’s Glory. 22 [o]Aaron then raised his hands over the people and blessed(W) them. When he came down from offering the purification offering, the burnt offering, and the communion offering, 23 Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting. On coming out they blessed the people. Then the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. 24 [p]Fire came forth from the Lord’s presence and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar.(X) Seeing this, all the people shouted with joy and fell prostrate.

Chapter 10

Nadab and Abihu. 1 [q]Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers and, putting incense on the fire they had set in them,(Y) they offered before the Lord unauthorized fire, such as he had not commanded. 2 Fire therefore came forth from the Lord’s presence and consumed them,(Z) so that they died in the Lord’s presence. 3 Moses then said to Aaron, “This is as the Lord said:

Through those near to me I will be sanctified;
    in the sight of all the people I will obtain glory.”[r](AA)

But Aaron said nothing. 4 [s]Then Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel, with the order, “Come, carry your kinsmen from before the sanctuary to a place outside the camp.” 5 So they drew near and carried them by means of their tunics outside the camp, as Moses had commanded.

Conduct of the Priests. 6 Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not dishevel your hair(AB) or tear your garments,(AC) lest you die and bring God’s wrath also on the whole community. While your kindred, the rest of the house of Israel, may mourn for those whom the Lord’s fire has burned up, 7 you shall not go beyond the entrance of the tent of meeting,(AD) else you shall die; for the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you.” So they did as Moses told them.

8 The Lord said to Aaron: 9 When you are to go to the tent of meeting, you and your sons are forbidden, by a perpetual statute throughout your generations, to drink any wine or strong drink, lest you die.(AE) 10 You must be able to distinguish between what is sacred and what is profane, and between what is clean and what is unclean;[t](AF) 11 and you must be able to teach the Israelites all the statutes that the Lord has given them through Moses.

The Eating of the Priestly Portions. 12 Moses said to Aaron and his surviving sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take the grain offering[u] left over from the oblations to the Lord, and eat it beside the altar in the form of unleavened cakes, since it is most holy. 13 You must eat it in a sacred place because it is your and your sons’ due from the oblations to the Lord; such is the command I have received. 14 (AG)The brisket of the elevated offering and the leg[v] of the contribution, however, you and your sons and daughters may eat, in a clean place; for these have been assigned to you and your children as your due from the communion sacrifices of the Israelites. 15 The leg of the contribution and the brisket of the elevated offering shall be brought in with the oblations of fat to be raised as an elevated offering before the Lord. They shall belong to you and your children as your due forever, as the Lord has commanded.”

16 Moses inquired closely about the goat of the purification offering[w] and discovered that it had all been burned. So he was angry with the surviving sons of Aaron, Eleazar and Ithamar, and said, 17 (AH)“Why did you not eat the purification offering in the sacred place, since it is most holy? It has been given to you that you might remove the guilt of the community and make atonement for them before the Lord. 18 Since its blood was not brought inside the sanctuary, you should certainly have eaten the offering in the sanctuary, as I was commanded.” 19 Aaron answered Moses, “Even though they presented their purification offering and burnt offering before the Lord today, still this misfortune has befallen me. Had I then eaten of the purification offering today, would it have been pleasing to the Lord?” 20 On hearing this, Moses was satisfied.

Footnotes

  1. 8:1–2 This chapter presents the fulfillment of the commands in Ex 28–29; 30:26–30; and 40:9–15.
  2. 8:3–4 Community: this word (Heb. ‘edah) may refer to tribal leaders, all adult males, or the entire nation. The last is probably intended here.
  3. 8:7–9, 13 On the priestly clothing, see Ex 28–29. Ephod: according to Ex 28:6–14, the term for one of Aaron’s special vestments made of gold thread, with multicolored woolen thread woven into it as well as fine linen. In appearance it resembled a kind of apron, hung on the priest by shoulder straps and secured by an embroidered belt. A somewhat simpler “apron” was presumably worn by other priests (1 Sm 22:18).
  4. 8:8 The Urim and Thummim: see Ex 28:30 and note there. Although these terms and the object(s) they refer to are still unexplained, they appear to be small objects that functioned like dice or lots to render a decision for those making an inquiry of God, perhaps originally in legal cases where the guilt of the accused could not otherwise be determined (cf. Ex 28:30; Nm 27:21; Dt 33:8; 1 Sm 28:6; Ezr 2:63; Neh 7:65).
  5. 8:9 Headband: see Ex 39:30–31. The gold medallion, together with its cords, comprises the sacred headband.
  6. 8:10–12 Anointing with the specially prepared oil (cf. Ex 30:22–33) is one of the means of making objects and persons holy by setting them apart for a special function or purpose.
  7. 8:15 Moses took the blood: Moses is acting as a priest in this chapter.
  8. 8:22–32 The priestly ordination offering is a unique type of sacrifice but similar in many respects to the communion sacrifice (chap. 3; 7:11–34).
  9. 8:23–24 Lobe…thumb…toe: these parts of the body are meant to represent the body as a whole. The application of the blood symbolizes the priests’ passing from a profane to a holy state. Cf. 14:14–17.
  10. 8:33–35 You are not to depart: the tenor and context of this requirement in vv. 33 and 35 seem to indicate that the priests are not to leave the sanctuary precincts for any reason. Your ordination is to last for seven days…what has been done today…be done: the consecration rites in Exodus are to be performed every day for seven days (cf. Ex 29:30, 35–37).
  11. 9:1 Eighth day: this is the conclusion of the priestly initiation ceremony.
  12. 9:3–4 The seven-day consecration of the priests in chap. 8 did not require sacrifices from the community. Now communal sacrifices as well as priestly sacrifices are required.
  13. 9:6–21 Aaron and his sons now perform the offerings, instead of Moses (see note on 8:15).
  14. 9:7 For your household: unlike the Septuagint, the Hebrew reads be‘ad ha‘am, “for the people.”
  15. 9:22–23 The people are blessed twice. For the possible content of the blessing, compare the priestly blessing in Nm 6:22–27. Solomon offers a double blessing at the dedication of the Temple (1 Kgs 8:14–21, 55–61).
  16. 9:24 The theophany consists of a fire that apparently comes from the tent of meeting. God’s fiery glory is also manifested in the pillar of cloud and fire that led the Israelites and rested over the tent of meeting (Ex 13:21; 40:38; Nm 9:15–23; 10:11). On God’s fiery glory, see also Ex 24:17; Ez 1:27–28.
  17. 10:1–2 Nadab and Abihu are the older sons of Aaron (Ex 6:23–24). Their sin apparently involves using embers from an unapproved source instead of the altar (cf. 16:12). The fire that destroys them is the same type found in 9:24.
  18. 10:3 The explanation for the divine reaction indicates that improper cultic actions desecrate God and compromise God’s glory. Desecration evokes divine punishment (cf. Ex 28:43; Nm 4:15, 19–20). Those near to me: i.e., cultic officials.
  19. 10:4–5 Moses has lay people remove the bodies so that the priests can continue their cultic activities free of contamination by a corpse (cf. Nm 19).
  20. 10:10 Sacred and…profane…clean and…unclean: something or someone may be either sacred or profane (i.e., ordinary, not set apart), and at the same time clean or unclean. Priests would be particularly concerned about keeping what is unclean away from the sacred.
  21. 10:12–13 Grain offering: this is the grain offering of the people of 9:4, 17. Only the token offering had been offered; the rest was for the priests’ consumption.
  22. 10:14 Brisket…leg: these are from the Israelites’ communion sacrifices in 9:4, 18–21.
  23. 10:16–20 Goat of the purification offering: this is the people’s purification offering of 9:3, 15. Since its blood is not brought into the sanctuary, then, according to 6:17–23, this is the type of purification offering which is to be eaten by the priests in a holy place. Eleazar and Ithamar: they burned the entire goat of the people’s purification offering (9:15) instead of eating it in a sacred place (6:19) to remove ritually the sin of the community by the ingestion of the meat of the offering. Aaron’s defense of this action of his sons is somewhat vague: he merely alludes to the loss suffered in the death of Nadab and Abihu, without giving an explicit reason for Eleazar and Ithamar’s not eating the people’s purification offering, as required.
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Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.