7 And Moses saith unto Aaron, `Draw near unto the altar, and make thy sin-offering, and thy burnt-offering, and make atonement for thyself, and for the people, and make the offering of the people, and make atonement for them, as Jehovah hath commanded.'
8 And Aaron draweth near unto the altar, and slaughtereth the calf of the sin-offering, which `is' for himself;
9 and the sons of Aaron bring the blood near unto him, and he dippeth his finger in the blood, and putteth `it' on the horns of the altar, and the blood he hath poured out at the foundation of the altar;
10 and the fat, and the kidneys, and the redundance of the liver, of the sin-offering, he hath made a perfume on the altar, as Jehovah hath commanded Moses;
11 and the flesh and the skin he hath burnt with fire, at the outside of the camp.
12 And he slaughtereth the burnt-offering, and the sons of Aaron have presented unto him the blood, and he sprinkleth it on the altar round about;
13 and the burnt-offering they have presented unto him, by its pieces, and the head, and he maketh perfume on the altar;
14 and he washeth the inwards and the legs, and maketh perfume for the burnt-offering on the altar.
15 And he bringeth near the offering of the people, and taketh the goat of the sin-offering which `is' for the people, and slaughtered it, and maketh it a sin-offering, like the first;
16 and he bringeth near the burnt-offering, and maketh it, according to the ordinance;
17 and he bringeth near the present, and filleth his palm with it, and maketh perfume on the altar, apart from the burnt-offering of the morning.
18 And he slaughtereth the bullock and the ram, a sacrifice of the peace-offerings, which `are' for the people, and sons of Aaron present the blood unto him (and he sprinkleth it on the altar round about),
19 and the fat of the bullock, and of the ram, the fat tail, and the covering `of the inwards', and the kidneys, and the redundance above the liver,
20 and they set the fat on the breasts, and he maketh perfume with the fat on the altar;
21 and the breasts, and the right leg hath Aaron waved -- a wave-offering before Jehovah, as He hath commanded Moses.
22 And Aaron lifteth up his hand towards the people, and blesseth them, and cometh down from making the sin-offering, and the burnt-offering, and the peace-offerings.
23 And Moses goeth in -- Aaron also -- unto the tent of meeting, and they come out, and bless the people, and the honour of Jehovah appeareth unto all the people;
24 and fire cometh out from before Jehovah, and consumeth on the altar the burnt-offering, and the fat; and all the people see, and cry aloud, and fall on their faces.
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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."