The Law · Chapter 8 of 27

Leviticus 8

Moses carries out the ordination God had commanded. Before the whole assembly he washes Aaron and his sons, robes Aaron in the high priestly garments, and anoints the tabernacle and Aaron with oil. He offers the sin offering, burnt offering, and the ram of consecration, putting blood on the priests' ears, thumbs, and toes. For seven days they remain at the tent, consecrated to serve.

What happens in Leviticus 8

What God had prescribed in Exodus is now performed. Moses gathers the whole congregation to the door of the tent and installs the priesthood. He washes Aaron and his sons with water, then dresses Aaron in the coat, robe, ephod, and breastplate with the Urim and Thummim, and sets the golden plate, the holy crown, on the turban. He anoints the tabernacle, the altar, and Aaron himself with oil. Three sacrifices follow: a bull for a sin offering to purify the altar, a ram for a burnt offering, and a second ram, the ram of consecration.

From its blood Moses touches the right ear, right thumb, and right big toe of Aaron and his sons, then sprinkles blood and anointing oil on them and their garments. The priests eat the consecration meal and remain at the tent seven days to complete their ordination.

Leviticus 8 in context

For seven chapters God has given the laws of sacrifice; now the priests who will administer them are set apart. Exodus had commanded this ordination in detail, and Leviticus 8 records its faithful execution, repeating the refrain as the LORD commanded Moses.

Israel could not approach God directly, so a mediating priesthood was consecrated to stand between the holy God and the people at the altar.

Main themes of Leviticus 8

Leviticus 8 (KJV)

1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and a bullock for the sin offering, and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread; 3And gather thou all the congregation together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 4And Moses did as the LORD commanded him; and the assembly was gathered together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 5And Moses said unto the congregation, This is the thing which the LORD commanded to be done. 6And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. 7And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith. 8And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim. 9And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, even upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the LORD commanded Moses. 10And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them. 11And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all his vessels, both the laver and his foot, to sanctify them. 12And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him. 13And Moses brought Aaron’s sons, and put coats upon them, and girded them with girdles, and put bonnets upon them; as the LORD commanded Moses. 14And he brought the bullock for the sin offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock for the sin offering. 15And 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. 16And he took all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and Moses burned it upon the altar. 17But the bullock, and his hide, his flesh, and his dung, he burnt with fire without the camp; as the LORD commanded Moses. 18And he brought the ram for the burnt offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram. 19And he killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about. 20And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moses burnt the head, and the pieces, and the fat. 21And he washed the inwards and the legs in water; and Moses burnt the whole ram upon the altar: it was a burnt sacrifice for a sweet savour, and an offering made by fire unto the LORD; as the LORD commanded Moses. 22And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram. 23And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron’s right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot. 24And he brought Aaron’s sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about. 25And he took the fat, and the rump, and all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and the right shoulder: 26And out of the basket of unleavened bread, that was before the LORD, he took one unleavened cake, and a cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and put them on the fat, and upon the right shoulder: 27And he put all upon Aaron’s hands, and upon his sons’ hands, and waved them for a wave offering before the LORD. 28And Moses took them from off their hands, and burnt them on the altar upon the burnt offering: they were consecrations for a sweet savour: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 29And Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave offering before the LORD: for of the ram of consecration it was Moses’ part; as the LORD commanded Moses. 30And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon his sons’ garments with him; and sanctified Aaron, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him. 31And Moses said unto Aaron and to his sons, Boil the flesh at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and there eat it with the bread that is in the basket of consecrations, as I commanded, saying, Aaron and his sons shall eat it. 32And that which remaineth of the flesh and of the bread shall ye burn with fire. 33And ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation in seven days, until the days of your consecration be at an end: for seven days shall he consecrate you. 34As he hath done this day, so the LORD hath commanded to do, to make an atonement for you. 35Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the LORD, that ye die not: for so I am commanded. 36So Aaron and his sons did all things which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

Verses to carry from Leviticus 8

“And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.”Leviticus 8:12

“And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron’s right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot.”Leviticus 8:23

“Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the LORD, that ye die not: for so I am commanded.”Leviticus 8:35

Reflection

No priest here appointed himself. Aaron was washed, clothed, and anointed by another, then marked with blood on ear, hand, and foot. The picture invites us to let God set us apart entire: our listening, our labor, our walking, all given to Him. We do not make ourselves holy; we receive it from His hand.

A prayer from Leviticus 8