1 And it came to pass on the eighth H8066 day, H3117 that Moses H4872 called H7121 Aaron H175 and his sons, H1121 and the elders H2205 of Israel; H3478
2 And he said H559 unto Aaron, H175 Take H3947 thee a young H1241 H1121 calf H5695 for a sin offering, H2403 and a ram H352 for a burnt offering, H5930 without blemish, H8549 and offer H7126 them before H6440 the LORD. H3068
3 And unto the children H1121 of Israel H3478 thou shalt speak, H1696 saying, H559 Take H3947 ye a kid H8163 of the goats H5795 for a sin offering; H2403 and a calf H5695 and a lamb, H3532 both of the first H1121 year, H8141 without blemish, H8549 for a burnt offering; H5930
4 Also a bullock H7794 and a ram H352 for peace offerings, H8002 to sacrifice H2076 before H6440 the LORD; H3068 and a meat offering H4503 mingled H1101 with oil: H8081 for to day H3117 the LORD H3068 will appear H7200 unto you.
5 And they brought H3947 that which Moses H4872 commanded H6680 before H6440 the tabernacle H168 of the congregation: H4150 and all the congregation H5712 drew near H7126 and stood H5975 before H6440 the LORD. H3068
6 And Moses H4872 said, H559 This is the thing H1697 which the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 that ye should do: H6213 and the glory H3519 of the LORD H3068 shall appear H7200 unto you.
7 And Moses H4872 said H559 unto Aaron, H175 Go H7126 unto the altar, H4196 and offer H6213 thy sin offering, H2403 and thy burnt offering, H5930 and make an atonement H3722 for thyself, and for the people: H5971 and offer H6213 the offering H7133 of the people, H5971 and make an atonement H3722 for them; as the LORD H3068 commanded. H6680
8 Aaron H175 therefore went H7126 unto the altar, H4196 and slew H7819 the calf H5695 of the sin offering, H2403 which was for himself.
9 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
10 But the fat, H2459 and the kidneys, H3629 and the caul H3508 above H4480 the liver H3516 of the sin offering, H2403 he burnt H6999 upon the altar; H4196 as the LORD H3068 commanded H6680 Moses. H4872
11 And the flesh H1320 and the hide H5785 he burnt H8313 with fire H784 without H2351 the camp. H4264
12 And he slew H7819 the burnt offering; H5930 and Aaron's H175 sons H1121 presented H4672 unto him the blood, H1818 which he sprinkled H2236 round about H5439 upon the altar. H4196
13 And they presented H4672 the burnt offering H5930 unto him, with the pieces H5409 thereof, and the head: H7218 and he burnt H6999 them upon the altar. H4196
14 And he did wash H7364 the inwards H7130 and the legs, H3767 and burnt H6999 them upon the burnt offering H5930 on the altar. H4196
15 And he brought H7126 the people's H5971 offering, H7133 and took H3947 the goat, H8163 which was the sin offering H2403 for the people, H5971 and slew H7819 it, and offered it for sin, H2398 as the first. H7223
16 And he brought H7126 the burnt offering, H5930 and offered H6213 it according to the manner. H4941
17 And he brought H7126 the meat offering, H4503 and took H4390 an handful H3709 thereof, and burnt H6999 it upon the altar, H4196 beside H905 the burnt sacrifice H5930 of the morning. H1242
18 He slew H7819 also the bullock H7794 and the ram H352 for a sacrifice H2077 of peace offerings, H8002 which was for the people: H5971 and Aaron's H175 sons H1121 presented H4672 unto him the blood, H1818 which he sprinkled H2236 upon the altar H4196 round about, H5439
19 And the fat H2459 of the bullock H7794 and of the ram, H352 the rump, H451 and that which covereth H4374 the inwards, and the kidneys, H3629 and the caul H3508 above the liver: H3516
20 And they put H7760 the fat H2459 upon the breasts, H2373 and he burnt H6999 the fat H2459 upon the altar: H4196
21 And the breasts H2373 and the right H3225 shoulder H7785 Aaron H175 waved H5130 for a wave offering H8573 before H6440 the LORD; H3068 as Moses H4872 commanded. H6680
22 And Aaron H175 lifted up H5375 his hand H3027 toward the people, H5971 and blessed H1288 them, and came down H3381 from offering H6213 of the sin offering, H2403 and the burnt offering, H5930 and peace offerings. H8002
23 And Moses H4872 and Aaron H175 went H935 into the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 and came out, H3318 and blessed H1288 the people: H5971 and the glory H3519 of the LORD H3068 appeared H7200 unto all the people. H5971
24 And there came H3318 a fire H784 out from before H6440 the LORD, H3068 and consumed H398 upon the altar H4196 the burnt offering H5930 and the fat: H2459 which when all the people H5971 saw, H7200 they shouted, H7442 and fell H5307 on their faces. H6440
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Leviticus 9
Commentary on Leviticus 9 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 9
Le 9:1-24. The Priests' Entry into Office.
1-7. Moses called … Take thee a young calf for a sin offering—The directions in these sacred things were still given by Moses, the circumstances being extraordinary. But he was only the medium of communicating the divine will to the newly made priests. The first of their official acts was the sacrifice of another sin offering to atone for the defects of the inauguration services; and yet that sacrifice did not consist of a bullock—the sacrifice appointed for some particular transgression, but of a calf, perhaps not without a significant reference to Aaron's sin in the golden calf [Ex 32:22-24]. Then followed a burnt offering, expressive of their voluntary and entire self-devotement to the divine service. The newly consecrated priests having done this on their own account, they were called to offer a sin offering and burnt offering for the people, ending the ceremonial by a peace offering, which was a sacred feast. This injunction, "to make atonement for himself and for the people" (Septuagint, "for thy family"), at the commencement of his sacred functions, furnishes a striking evidence of the divine origin of the Jewish system of worship. In all false or corrupt forms of religion, the studied policy has been to inspire the people with an idea of the sanctity of the priesthood as in point of purity and favor with the Divinity far above the level of other men. But among the Hebrews the priests were required to offer for the expiation of their own sins as well as the humblest of the people. This imperfection of Aaron's priesthood, however, does not extend to the gospel dispensation: for our great High Priest, who has entered for us into "the true tabernacle," "knew no sin" (Heb 10:10, 11).
8. Aaron … went unto the altar, and slew the calf of the sin offering—Whether it had been enjoined the first time, or was unavoidable from the divisions of the priestly labor not being as yet completely arranged, Aaron, assisted by his sons, appears to have slain the victims with his own hands, as well as gone through all the prescribed ritual at the altar.
17-21. meat offering … wave offering—It is observable that there is no notice taken of these in the offerings the priests made for themselves. They could not bear their own sins: and therefore, instead of eating any part of their own sin offering, as they were at liberty to do in the case of the people's offering, they had to carry the whole carcasses "without the camp and burn them with fire" [Ex 29:14; Le 4:12].
22. Aaron lifted up his hand … and blessed them—The pronouncing of a benediction on the people assembled in the court was a necessary part of the high priest's duty, and the formula in which it was to be given is described (Nu 6:23-27).
came down from offering—The altar was elevated above the level of the floor, and the ascent was by a gentle slope (Ex 20:26).
23. Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle—Moses, according to the divine instructions he had received, accompanied Aaron and his sons to initiate them into their sacred duties. Their previous occupations had detained them at the altar, and they now entered in company into the sacred edifice to bear the blood of the offerings within the sanctuary.
the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people—perhaps in a resplendent effulgence above the tabernacle as a fresh token of the divine acceptance of that newly established seat of His worship.
24. there came a fire out from … the Lord—A flame emanating from that resplendent light that filled the holy place flashed upon the brazen altar and kindled the sacrifices. This miraculous fire—for the descent of which the people had probably been prepared, and which the priests were enjoined never to let go out (Le 6:13)—was a sign, not only of the acceptance of the offerings and of the establishment of Aaron's authority, but of God's actual residence in that chosen dwelling-place. The moment the solemn though welcome spectacle was seen, a simultaneous shout of joy and gratitude burst from the assembled congregation, and in the attitude of profoundest reverence they worshipped "a present Deity."