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Preparing the Priests to Serve the Lord

The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting. Bring their clothes and the anointing oil. Bring the bull for the sin offering. Also bring two rams. And bring the basket with the bread made without yeast. Then gather the whole community at the entrance to the tent of meeting.” Moses did just as the Lord had commanded him. All the people gathered together at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

Moses said to the people, “Here is what the Lord has commanded us to do.” Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons to the people. He washed Aaron and his sons with water. He put the inner robe on Aaron. He tied the belt around him. He dressed him in the outer robe. He put the linen apron on him. He took the skillfully made waistband and tied the apron on him with it. He wanted to make sure it was securely tied to him. Moses placed the chest cloth on Aaron. He put the Urim and Thummim in the chest cloth. Then he placed the turban on Aaron’s head. On the front of the turban he put the gold plate. It was a sacred crown. Moses did everything just as the Lord had commanded him.

10 Then Moses took the anointing oil and poured it on the holy tent. He also poured it on everything in it. That’s how he set apart those things for the Lord. 11 He sprinkled some of the oil on the altar seven times. He poured oil on the altar and all its tools. He poured it on the large bowl and its stand. He did it to set them apart. 12 He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head. He anointed him to set him apart to serve the Lord. 13 Then Moses brought Aaron’s sons to the people. He put the inner robes on them. He tied belts around them. He put caps on their heads. He did everything just as the Lord had commanded him.

14 Then he brought the bull for the sin offering. Aaron and his sons placed their hands on its head. 15 Moses killed the bull. He dipped his finger into some of the blood. He put it on the horns that stick out from the upper four corners of the altar. He did it to make the altar pure. He poured out the rest of the blood at the bottom of the altar. So he set it apart to make it pure. 16 Moses also removed all the fat around the inside parts of the bull. He removed the long part of the liver. He took both kidneys and their fat. Then he burned all of it on the altar. 17 But he burned the rest of the bull outside the camp. He burned up its hide, its meat and its guts. He did it just as the Lord had commanded him.

18 Then Moses brought the ram for the burnt offering. Aaron and his sons placed their hands on its head. 19 Moses killed the ram. He splashed the blood against the sides of the altar. 20 He cut the ram into pieces. He burned the head, the other pieces and the fat. 21 He washed the inside parts and the legs with water. He burned the whole ram on the altar as a burnt offering. It had a pleasant smell. It was a food offering presented to the Lord. Moses did everything just as the Lord had commanded him.

22 Then he brought the other ram. It was sacrificed to prepare the priests for serving the Lord. Aaron and his sons placed their hands on its head. 23 Moses killed the ram. He put some of its blood on Aaron’s right earlobe. He put some on the thumb of Aaron’s right hand. He also put some on the big toe of Aaron’s right foot. 24 Then Moses brought Aaron’s sons to the people. He put some of the blood on their right earlobes. He put some on the thumbs of their right hands. He also put some on the big toes of their right feet. Then he splashed the rest of the blood against the sides of the altar. 25 He removed the fat, the fat tail and all the fat around the inside parts. He removed the long part of the liver. He removed both kidneys and their fat. And he removed the right thigh. 26 Then he took a thick loaf of bread from the basket of bread made without yeast. The basket was in front of the Lord. Moses took a thick loaf of bread made with olive oil. He also took a thin loaf of bread. He put all of it on the fat parts of the ram and on its right thigh. 27 He put everything in the hands of Aaron and his sons. He told them to lift it up and wave it in front of the Lord as a wave offering. 28 Then Moses took it from their hands. He burned it on the altar on top of the burnt offering. It was the offering that was sacrificed to prepare the priests for serving the Lord. It had a pleasant smell. It was a food offering presented to the Lord. 29 Moses also lifted up the ram’s breast and waved it in front of the Lord as a wave offering. The breast was Moses’ share of the ram that was sacrificed to prepare the priests for serving the Lord. Moses did everything just as the Lord had commanded him.

30 Then Moses took some of the anointing oil. He also took some of the blood from the altar. He sprinkled some of the oil and blood on Aaron and his clothes. He also sprinkled some on Aaron’s sons and their clothes. That’s how he set apart Aaron and his clothes. And that’s how he set apart Aaron’s sons and their clothes.

31 Then Moses spoke to Aaron and his sons. He said, “Cook the meat at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Eat it there along with the bread from the basket of the offerings that are brought to prepare the priests for serving the Lord. Do it just as I was commanded. I was told, ‘Aaron and his sons must eat it.’ 32 Then burn up the rest of the meat and the bread. 33 Don’t leave the entrance to the tent of meeting for seven days. Don’t leave until the days that are required to prepare you for serving the Lord have been completed. Stay here for the full seven days. 34 The Lord commanded what has been done here today. It was done to pay for your sin. 35 Stay at the entrance to the tent of meeting for seven days. Stay here day and night. Do what the Lord requires. Then you won’t die. That’s the command the Lord gave me.”

36 So Aaron and his sons did everything just as the Lord had commanded through Moses.

The Ordination of Aaron and His Sons(A)

The Lord said to Moses, “Bring Aaron and his sons,(B) their garments,(C) the anointing oil,(D) the bull for the sin offering,[a](E) the two rams(F) and the basket containing bread made without yeast,(G) and gather the entire assembly(H) at the entrance to the tent of meeting.” Moses did as the Lord commanded him, and the assembly gathered at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

Moses said to the assembly, “This is what the Lord has commanded to be done.(I) Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water.(J) He put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash around him, clothed him with the robe and put the ephod on him. He also fastened the ephod with a decorative waistband, which he tied around him.(K) He placed the breastpiece(L) on him and put the Urim and Thummim(M) in the breastpiece. Then he placed the turban(N) on Aaron’s head and set the gold plate, the sacred emblem,(O) on the front of it, as the Lord commanded Moses.(P)

10 Then Moses took the anointing oil(Q) and anointed(R) the tabernacle(S) and everything in it, and so consecrated them. 11 He sprinkled some of the oil on the altar seven times, anointing the altar and all its utensils and the basin with its stand, to consecrate them.(T) 12 He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed(U) him to consecrate him.(V) 13 Then he brought Aaron’s sons(W) forward, put tunics(X) on them, tied sashes around them and fastened caps on them, as the Lord commanded Moses.(Y)

14 He then presented the bull(Z) for the sin offering,(AA) and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head.(AB) 15 Moses slaughtered the bull and took some of the blood,(AC) and with his finger he put it on all the horns of the altar(AD) to purify the altar.(AE) He poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. So he consecrated it to make atonement for it.(AF) 16 Moses also took all the fat around the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, and both kidneys and their fat, and burned it on the altar. 17 But the bull with its hide and its flesh and its intestines(AG) he burned up outside the camp,(AH) as the Lord commanded Moses.

18 He then presented the ram(AI) for the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. 19 Then Moses slaughtered the ram and splashed the blood against the sides of the altar. 20 He cut the ram into pieces and burned the head, the pieces and the fat.(AJ) 21 He washed the internal organs and the legs with water and burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.

22 He then presented the other ram, the ram for the ordination,(AK) and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head.(AL) 23 Moses slaughtered the ram and 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 of his right foot.(AM) 24 Moses also brought Aaron’s sons forward and 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. Then he splashed blood against the sides of the altar.(AN) 25 After that, he took the fat(AO), the fat tail, all the fat around the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, both kidneys and their fat and the right thigh. 26 And from the basket of bread made without yeast, which was before the Lord, he took one thick loaf, one thick loaf with olive oil mixed in, and one thin loaf,(AP) and he put these on the fat portions and on the right thigh. 27 He put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons, and they waved them before the Lord(AQ) as a wave offering. 28 Then Moses took them from their hands and burned them on the altar on top of the burnt offering as an ordination offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord. 29 Moses also took the breast, which was his share of the ordination ram,(AR) and waved it before the Lord as a wave offering, as the Lord commanded Moses.

30 Then Moses(AS) took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood from the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his garments(AT) and on his sons and their garments. So he consecrated(AU) Aaron and his garments and his sons and their garments.

31 Moses then said to Aaron and his sons, “Cook the meat at the entrance to the tent of meeting(AV) and eat it there with the bread from the basket of ordination offerings, as I was commanded: ‘Aaron and his sons are to eat it.’ 32 Then burn up the rest of the meat and the bread. 33 Do not leave the entrance to the tent of meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are completed, for your ordination will last seven days.(AW) 34 What has been done today was commanded by the Lord(AX) to make atonement for you. 35 You must stay at the entrance to the tent of meeting day and night for seven days and do what the Lord requires,(AY) so you will not die; for that is what I have been commanded.”

36 So Aaron and his sons did everything the Lord commanded through Moses.

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 8:2 Or purification offering; also in verse 14