Preparing for the Ordination
Study note
God commanded Moses to gather the entire community to witness the ordination of Aaron and his sons. This was a public event because the priests would serve the whole nation. Moses brought everything needed: the special clothing, the anointing oil, a bull for the sin offering, two rams, and a basket of bread without yeast. The people assembled at the entrance of the Tabernacle.
1 Then the Lord gave Moses these instructions: And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2 "Bring Aaron and his sons. Bring the priestly clothes. Bring the anointing oil. Bring the bull for the sin gift. Bring the two rams. Bring the basket of bread made without yeast." Take 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;
3 "Then gather the whole group at the Tabernacle entrance." And gather thou all the congregation together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
4 Moses did exactly what the Lord told him. The community gathered at the Tabernacle entrance. And Moses did as the LORD commanded him; and the assembly was gathered together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
5 Moses announced to them, "What I am about to do is exactly what the Lord has ordered." And Moses said unto the congregation, This is the thing which the LORD commanded to be done.
Washing and Dressing Aaron
Study note
Moses washed Aaron with water, symbolizing purity. Then he dressed him in each piece of the priestly robes: the inner robe, the sash, the outer robe, the ephod (a decorated vest), and the breastplate containing the Urim and Thummim, which were used to seek God's guidance. Finally, Moses placed the turban on his head with a golden plate on the front engraved with 'Holy to the Lord.' Each garment had spiritual meaning.
6 Moses had Aaron and his sons step forward, and he washed their bodies with water. And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water.
7 He dressed Aaron in the inner robe, wrapped the sash around his waist, put the outer robe on him, and placed the ephod on top. Then he fastened the decorative belt of the ephod around him. And 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.
8 He put the breastplate on Aaron's chest. He placed the Urim and Thummim inside it. These were special sacred objects used to learn God's will. And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim.
9 He placed the turban on Aaron's head and fastened the gold plate to the front of it -- the sacred crown. This was all done just as the Lord had told Moses. And 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.
Anointing the Tabernacle and Aaron
Study note
Moses used special anointing oil to consecrate the Tabernacle and everything in it, setting it all apart for God's use. He sprinkled oil on the altar seven times. Then he poured oil on Aaron's head, officially setting him apart as the high priest. Aaron's sons were then washed and dressed in their priestly robes, though their clothing was simpler than their father's.
10 Moses picked up the anointing oil. He anointed the Tabernacle and everything inside it. He set it all apart as sacred. And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them.
11 He flicked some oil on the altar seven times. He anointed the altar and all its tools. He anointed the washing basin and its stand. He set everything apart as sacred. And 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.
12 He poured a portion of the anointing oil on Aaron's head to anoint him and set him apart as sacred. And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.
13 Moses then brought Aaron's sons forward. He put robes on them, tied sashes around their waists, and placed caps on their heads. He did it all just as the Lord told him to. And 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.
The Sin Offering
Study note
Even the priests needed their sins forgiven before they could serve God. Aaron and his sons placed their hands on the bull's head, transferring their sins to it. Moses killed the bull, put blood on the horns of the altar, and poured the rest at its base. The fat was burned on the altar, but the rest of the bull was burned outside the camp. This cleansing of the altar and the priests was necessary before any other service could begin.
14 Next came the bull for the sin offering. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the bull's head. And 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.
15 Moses slaughtered it, took the blood, and used his finger to smear it on the horns all around the altar, purifying the altar. He poured the remaining blood at the altar's base. This is how he set the altar apart and made it clean for sacred use. 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.
16 Moses removed all the fat from the inner organs. He took the skin covering the liver. He took both kidneys with their fat. He burned it all on the altar. And 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.
17 The rest of the bull -- the hide, the meat, and the waste -- he burned outside the camp, following the Lord's instructions exactly. But the bullock, and his hide, his flesh, and his dung, he burnt with fire without the camp; as the LORD commanded Moses.
The Burnt Offering
Study note
After the sin offering came a burnt offering ram, representing the complete dedication of Aaron and his sons to God's service. They placed their hands on the ram, it was killed, and the blood was splashed on all sides of the altar. The entire ram was burned on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. This showed that the priests were giving their whole lives to God.
18 Next he brought the ram for the burnt offering. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the ram's head. And he brought the ram for the burnt offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.
19 Moses slaughtered it and threw the blood against every side of the altar. And he killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about.
20 He cut the ram into sections and burned the head, the body pieces, and the fat. And he cut the ram into pieces; and Moses burnt the head, and the pieces, and the fat.
21 After washing the inner parts and legs with water, Moses burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering that made a pleasing smell -- a fire gift to the Lord -- just as the Lord had told Moses. And 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.
The Ram of Ordination
Study note
The second ram was special, called the 'ram of ordination.' Moses put some of its blood on the right ear, right thumb, and right big toe of Aaron and each of his sons. This symbolized that their hearing, their work, and their walk in life were all dedicated to God. Moses then waved certain parts before the Lord and sprinkled anointing oil and blood on Aaron and his sons and their clothing, making them holy.
22 Then he brought out the second ram, the one for the ordination ceremony. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.
23 Moses killed it. He took some of the blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron's right ear, the thumb of his right hand, and the big toe of his right foot. 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.
24 He then brought Aaron's sons forward and dabbed blood on the lobes of their right ears, the thumbs of their right hands, and the big toes of their right feet. Moses threw the remaining blood against every side of the altar. And 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.
25 He set aside the fat and the fat tail. He took all the fat around the inner organs. He took the skin covering the liver. He took both kidneys with their fat. He took the right thigh. And 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:
26 From the basket of yeast-free bread that had been placed before the Lord, he selected one thick cake without yeast, one cake made with oil, and one thin wafer. He laid these on top of the fat portions and the right thigh. And 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:
27 He put everything into the hands of Aaron and his sons. They lifted it all up and waved it before the Lord as a wave offering. And he put all upon Aaron's hands, and upon his sons' hands, and waved them for a wave offering before the LORD.
28 Then Moses took everything back from their hands and burned it on the altar on top of the burnt offering. This was the ordination offering -- a fire gift that produced a pleasing aroma to the Lord. And 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.
29 Moses also took the breast of the ram and waved it before the Lord as a wave offering. This portion was Moses' own share from the ordination ram, exactly as the Lord had instructed. And 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.
30 Moses took some of the anointing oil and some blood from the altar and sprinkled it on Aaron and his clothing, and on Aaron's sons and their clothing. In this way, he set apart Aaron, his sons, and all their clothing as sacred. And 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.
Seven Days of Ordination
Study note
Moses told Aaron and his sons to cook and eat the remaining meat at the Tabernacle entrance. Any leftover food had to be burned. They were not allowed to leave the Tabernacle entrance for seven days while their ordination was being completed. These seven days gave them time to prepare spiritually for their sacred duties. Aaron and his sons obeyed everything the Lord commanded through Moses.
31 Then Moses told Aaron and his sons, "Prepare the meat at the Tabernacle entrance and eat it there, along with the bread from the ordination basket. I was told, 'Aaron and his sons are to eat it.'" And 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.
32 "Whatever meat and bread you do not finish must be burned up completely." And that which remaineth of the flesh and of the bread shall ye burn with fire.
33 "Stay at the Tabernacle entrance for the next seven full days without leaving. That is how long it takes to finish your ordination." And 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.
34 "Everything done today was ordered by the Lord to make things right between you and him." As he hath done this day, so the LORD hath commanded to do, to make an atonement for you.
35 "You must remain at the Tabernacle entrance around the clock for seven days, doing whatever the Lord requires. If you do not, you will die. These are the instructions I was given." 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.
36 Aaron and his sons carried out everything the Lord had commanded through Moses. So Aaron and his sons did all things which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.