24 And he brought H7126 Aaron's H175 sons, H1121 and Moses H4872 put H5414 of the blood H1818 upon the tip H8571 of their right H3233 ear, H241 and upon the thumbs H931 of their right H3233 hands, H3027 and upon the great toes H931 of their right H3233 feet: H7272 and Moses H4872 sprinkled H2236 the blood H1818 upon the altar H4196 round about. H5439
Whereupon G3606 neither G3761 the first G4413 testament was dedicated G1457 without G5565 blood. G129 For G1063 when G5259 Moses G3475 had spoken G2980 every G3956 precept G1785 to all G3956 the people G2992 according G2596 to the law, G3551 he took G2983 the blood G129 of calves G3448 and G2532 of goats, G5131 with G3326 water, G5204 and G2532 scarlet G2847 wool, G2053 and G2532 hyssop, G5301 and sprinkled G4472 both G5037 the book, G975 G846 and G2532 all G3956 the people, G2992 Saying, G3004 This G5124 is the blood G129 of the testament G1242 which G3739 God G2316 hath enjoined G1781 unto G4314 you. G5209 Moreover G1161 G3668 he sprinkled G4472 with blood G129 both G2532 the tabernacle, G4633 and G2532 all G3956 the vessels G4632 of the ministry. G3009 And G2532 almost G4975 all things G3956 are G2511 by G2596 the law G3551 purged G2511 with G1722 blood; G129 and G2532 without G5565 shedding of blood G130 is G1096 no G3756 remission. G859
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Leviticus 8
Commentary on Leviticus 8 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 8
Le 8:1-36. Moses Consecrates Aaron and His Sons.
2. Take Aaron and his sons—The consecration of Aaron and his sons had been ordered long before (Ex 29:1-46), but it is now described with all the details of the ceremonial, as it was gone through after the tabernacle was completed and the regulations for the various sacrifices enacted.
3-5. gather thou all the congregation together, &c.—It was manifestly expedient for the Israelitish people to be satisfied that Aaron's appointment to the high dignity of the priesthood was not a personal intrusion, nor a family arrangement between him and Moses; and nothing, therefore, could be a more prudent or necessary measure, for impressing a profound conviction of the divine origin and authority of the priestly institution, than to summon a general assembly of the people, and in their presence perform the solemn ceremonies of inauguration, which had been prescribed by divine authority.
6. Moses … washed them with water—At consecration they were subjected to entire ablution, though on ordinary occasions they were required, before entering on their duties, only to wash their hands and feet. This symbolical ablution was designed to teach them the necessity of inward purity, and the imperative obligation on those who bore the vessels and conducted the services of the sanctuary to be holy.
7-9. he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle—The splendor of the official vestments, together with the gorgeous tiara of the high priest, was intended, doubtless, in the first instance, to produce in the minds of the people a high respect for the ministers of religion; and in the next, from the predominant use of linen, to inculcate upon Aaron and his sons the duty of maintaining unspotted righteousness in their characters and lives.
10-12. took the anointing oil, &c.—which was designed to intimate that persons who acted as leaders in the solemn services of worship should have the unction of the Holy One both in His gifts and graces.
14-17. brought the bullock for the sin offering, &c.—a timely expression of their sense of unworthiness—a public and solemn confession of their personal sins and a transference of their guilt to the typical victim.
18-21. brought the ram, &c.—as a token of their entire dedication to the service of God.
22-30. brought the other ram,—&c. After the sin offering and burnt offering had been presented on their behalf, this was their peace offering, by which they declared the pleasure which they felt in entering upon the service of God and being brought into close communion with Him as the ministers of His sanctuary, together with their confident reliance on His grace to help them in all their sacred duties.
33. ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, &c.—After all these preliminaries, they had still to undergo a week's probation in the court of the tabernacle before they obtained permission to enter into the interior of the sacred building. During the whole of that period the same sacrificial rites were observed as on the first day, and they were expressly admonished that the smallest breach of any of the appointed observances would lead to the certain forfeiture of their lives [Le 8:35].