The Ordination of Aaron & His Sons
October 7, 2026
Commentary
The Lord said to Moses (v. 1): “Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, the anointing oil, a bull as the sin offering, two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread” (v. 2). Then bring the whole community of Israel togeth-er at the entrance of the tabernacle of meeting (v. 3). Moses obeyed the Lord, and when everyone had gathered (v. 4), he said, “This is what the LORD commanded to be done” (v. 5). After Moses told Aaron and his sons to step forward, he had them wash themselves with water (v. 6). He put the priestly tunic and robe on Aaron and wrapped the sash around his waist (v. 7). Then he put the sacred ephod on Aaron and fastened it with the skillfully woven band. Next, he put the breastplate on Aaron, which was used for learning what the Lord wanted His people to do (v. 8). He placed the turban on Aaron’s head, and on the front of the turban was the holy crown, the gold plate that showed his dedication to the Lord (v. 9).
Moses then took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, dedicating them to the Lord (v. 10). He sprinkled some of the oil on the altar seven times, and he anointed the altar and all its utensils, as well as the bronze laver and its base (v. 11). He also poured some of the oil on Aaron’s head to anoint and dedicate him to the Lord (v. 12). Moses dressed Aaron’s sons in their tunics and tied sashes around them, as the Lord had commanded (v. 13).
Moses brought out the bull that was to be sacrificed as the sin offering. After it was killed, he put some of its blood on each of the 4 horns of the bronze altar and poured out the rest at the base of the altar. This purified the altar and made it a fit place for offering the sacrifice for sin. He then took the fat from the bull’s insides, the lower part of the liver, and the two kidneys with their fat, and burned them on the altar. Finally, he took the bull’s skin, flesh, and remaining parts and burned them outside the camp, just as the Lord had commanded (vv. 14-17).
Application
Serving God begins with being prepared, cleansed, and fully dedicated to Him. Am I preparing my heart to serve Him faithfully? Is there anything I need to surrender or cleanse from my life? Am I willing to obey God even when He asks me to do difficult things? Do I treat my service to God as a privilege or merely as a responsibility?
Leviticus 8:1–17 (NET)
1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses: 2 “Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, the anointing oil, the sin offering bull, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread, 3 and assemble the whole congregation at the entrance of the Meeting Tent.” 4 So Moses did just as the Lord commanded him, and the congregation assembled at the entrance of the Meeting Tent. 5 Then Moses said to the congregation: “This is what the Lord has commanded to be done.”
6 So Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water. 7 Then he put the tunic on Aaron, wrapped the sash around him, and clothed him with the robe. Next he put the ephod on him and placed on him the decorated band of the ephod, and fastened the ephod closely to him with the band. 8 He then set the breastpiece on him and put the Urim and Thummim into the breastpiece. 9 Finally, he set the turban on his head and attached the gold plate, the holy diadem, to the front of the turban just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
10 Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, and so consecrated them. 11 Next he sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times and so anointed the altar, all its vessels, and the washbasin and its stand to consecrate them. 12 He then poured some of the anointing oil on the head of Aaron and anointed him to consecrate him. 13 Moses also brought forward Aaron’s sons, clothed them with tunics, wrapped sashes around them, and wrapped headbands on them just as the Lord had commanded Moses.
14 Then he brought near the sin offering bull and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the sin offering bull, 15 and he slaughtered it. Moses then took the blood and put it all around on the horns of the altar with his finger and purified the altar, and he poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar and so consecrated it to make atonement on it. 16 Then he took all the fat on the entrails, the protruding lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat, and Moses offered it all up in smoke on the altar, 17 but the rest of the bull—its hide, its flesh, and its dung—he completely burned up outside the camp just as the Lord had commanded Moses.