The consecration of Aaron CHAP. VIII. and his sons commanded. CHAPTER VIII. 'Moses is commanded to consecrate Aaron and his sons, 1-3. Moses convenes the congregation; washes, clothes, and anoints Aaron, 4-12. He also clothes Aaron's sons, 13. Offers a bullock for them as a sinoffering, 14-17. And a ram for a burnt-offering, 18-21. And another ram for a consecration-offering, 22-24. The fat, with cakes of unleavened bread, and the right shoulder of the ram, he offers as a waveoffering, and afterwards burns, 25-28. The breast, which was the part of Moses, he also waves, 29. And sprinkles oil and blood upon Aaron and his sons, 30. The flesh of the consecration ram is to be boiled and eaten at the door of the tabernacle, 31, 32. Moses commands Aaron and his sons to abide seven days at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, which they do accordingly, 33–36. A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. An. Exod. Isr. 2. A. M. 2514. AND the LORD spake unto anointed the tabernacle and all b Moses, saying, Abib or Nisan. with him, and the garments, and the anoint--11 And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar ing oil, and a bullock for the sin-offering, and seven times, and anointed the altar and all his two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread; vessels, both the laver and his foot, to sanctify 3 And gather thou all the congregation them. together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 4 And Moses did as the LORD commanded him; and the assembly was gathered together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 5 And Moses said unto the congregation, & This is the thing which the LORD commanded to be done. m 12 And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sanctify him. 6 And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, hands upon the head of the bullock for the e and washed them with water. 7 f 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 And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim. 9 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. sin-offering." 15 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 s 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 But the bullock, and his hide, his flesh, and his dung, he burnt with fire without the t 10 And Moses took the anointing oil, and camp; as the LORD commanded Moses. NOTES ON CHAP. VIII. Verse 2. Take Aaron and his sons] The whole subject of this chapter has been anticipated in the notes on Exod. xxviii. 1, &c., and xxix. 1, &c., in which all the sacrifices, rites, and ceremonies have been explained in considerable detail; and to those notes the reader is referred. It is only necessary to observe that Aaron and his sons were not anointed until now. Before, the thing was commanded; now, first performed. VOL. I. 35) The offerings made at the A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. Abib or Nisan. A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. Abib or Nisan. 18 "And he brought the ram | right ear, and upon the thumb An. Exod. Isr. 2. for the burnt-offering and Aaron of his right hand, and upon the An. Exod. Isr. 2. and his sons laid their hands great toe of his right foot. upon the head of the ram. 24 And he brought Aaron's sons, and Moses 19 And he killed it; and Moses sprinkled put of the blood upon the tip of their right the blood upon, the altar round about. ear, and upon the thumbs of their right 20. And he cut the ram into pieces; and Mo- hands, and upon the great toes of their right ses burnt the head, and the pieces, and the fat. feet and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the 21 And he washed the inwards and the legs altar round about. 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. 22 And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram. W 23 And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron's u Exod. xxix. 15. - Exod. xxix. 18.- w Exod. xxix. 19, 31. Verse 23. Put it upon the tip of Aaron's right ear, c.] See this significant ceremony explained in the note on Exod. xxix. 20. Calmet remarks that the consecration of the high priest among the Romans bore a considerable resemblance to the consecration of the Jewish high priest. "The Roman priest, clothed with a garment of silk, his head covered with a crown of gold adorned with sacred ribbons, was conducted into a subterranean place, over which there was a floor of planks pierced through with many holes. On this floor they sacrificed a bullock, whose blood was freely poured out on the planks or floor, which running through the holes fell upon the priest, who stood under to receive this sacred aspersion, and who, in order. to be completely covered with the blood, took care to present the whole of his body, his clothes, face, eyes, nose, lips, and even his tongue, to receive the drops of blood falling through the pierced floor above. Being completely covered with this sanguineous shower, he ascended from his subterranean place, and was acknowledged and adored by the people as Pontifex Maximus, or supreme high priest." These rites, which bear a striking allusion to those used in the consecration of Aaron, and from which they were probably borrowed, and disguised by the introduction of their own superstitions, are particularly described by Aurelius Prudentius, in his poem entitled Romani Martyris Supplicium, from which I shall select those verses, the subject of which is given above, as the passage is curious, and the work not common. "Summus sacerdos nempe sub terram scrobe 530 25 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 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 : * Exod. xxix. 22. - Exod. xxix. 23. Pateat minutis ut frequens hiatibus.— Tum per frequentes mille rimarum vias Nec jam palato parcit, et linguam rigat, Of these lines the reader will not be displeased to find the following poetical version: "For when, with sacred pomp and solemn state, Aaron and his sons, being anointed, A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. Abib or Nisan. CHAP. VIII. abide in the tabernacle seven days. upon nacle of the congregation and A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. Abib or Nisan. is in the basket of consecrations, as I commanded, saying, Aaron and his sons shall eat it. An. Exod. Isr. 2. Aarons' hands, and upon his there eat it with the bread that An. Exod. Isr. 2. son's hands, and waved them for a wave-offering before the LORD. 28 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 And Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave-offering before the LORD for of the ram of consecration it was Moses' b part; as the LORD commanded Moses. 30 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. 31 And Moses said unto Aaron and to his d Boil the flesh at the door of the taber sons, Exod. xxix. 24, &c.- a Exod. xxix. 25. b Exod. xxix. 26.— Exod. xxix. 21; xxx. 30; Num. iii. 3. Exod. xxix. 31, 32. Drop after drop, in swift succession shed, His outspread garments drink the crimson shower; Verse 27. And waved them for a wave-offering] See the nature of this and the heave-offering in the note on Exod. xxix. 27. Verse 30. And Moses took the blood-and sprinkled it upon Aaron, &c.] Thus we find that the high priest himself must be sprinkled with the blood of the sacrifice; and our blessed Lord, of whom Aaron was a type, was sprinkled with his own blood.. 1. In his agony in the garden. 2. In his being crowned with thorns. 3. In the piercing of his hands and his feet. And, 4. In his side being pierced with the spear. All 32. And that which remaineth of the flesh and of the bread shall ye burn with fire. 33 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 As he hath done this day, so the LORD hath commanded to do, to make an atonement for you. 35 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 So Aaron and his sons did all things which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses. these were so many acts of atonement performed by the high priest. Verse 33. For seven days shall he consecrate you:] This number was the number of perfection among the Hebrews; and the seven days' consecration implied a perfect and full consecration to the sacerdotal office. See the note on Exod. xxix. 30. Verse 36. So Aaron and his sons did] This chapter shows the exact fulfilment of the commands delivered to Moses, Exod. xxix.; and consequently the complete preparation of Aaron and his sons to fill the awfully important office of priests and mediators between God and Israel, to offer sacrifices and make atonement for the sins of the people. "Thus," says Mr. Ainsworth, "the covenant of the priesthood was confirmed unto the tribe of Levi in Aaron and his sons, which covenant was life and peace, Mal. ii. 5. But these are made priests without an oath; also, there were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death; and they served unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, offering gifts and sacrifices which could not make him who did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience; for they were carnal ordinances imposed upon them till the time of reformation, that is, until the time of Christ, who was made a priest of God with an oath, and made surety of a better covenant, established on better promises. And because he continueth for ever, he hath a priesthood which passeth not from one to another, and is a minister of the true tabernacle, which God pitched and not man. Not by the blood of bulls and of goats, but by his own blood, he entered once into the holy place, having found ever Aaron and the people are. LEVITICUS. lasting redemption for us; and is therefore able to save to the uttermost them who come unto God through him, as he ever liveth to make intercession for them." Taken in reference to his priesthood and sacrifice, all to make offerings to the Lord. these rites and ceremonies are significant and edifying; but taken out of this relation, they would be as absurd and nugatory as the consecration of the Roman Pontifex Maximus, mentioned above by Prudentius. CHAPTER IX: Aaron is commanded to offer, on the eighth day, a sin-offering and a burnt-offering, 1, 2. The people are commanded also to offer a sin-offering, a burnt-offering, peace-offerings, and a meat-offering, 3, 4. They do as they were commanded; and Moses promises that God shall appear among them, 5, 6. Aaron is commanded to make an atonement for the people, 7. He and his sons prepare and offer the different sacrifices, 8-21. Aaron and Moses bless the congregation, 22, 23. And the fire of the Lord consumes the sacrifice, 24. 4 Also a bullock and a ram for peace-offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD; and meat-offering mingled with oil: for fto-day the LORD will appear unto you. с 6 And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commanded that ye should do; and the glory of the LORD shall appear unto you, 7 And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar, and offer thy sin-offering, and thy burnt-offering, and make an atonement for thyself; and for the people and offer the offering of the people, and make an atonement for them; as the LORD commanded. 8 Aaron therefore went unto the altar, and slew the calf of the sin-offering, which was for himself. 9 And the sons of Aaron brought the blood 5 And they brought that which Moses com- unto him and he dipped his finger in the a Ezek. xliii. 27.- Chap. iv. 3; viii. 14; Exod, xxix. 1. Chap. viii. 18. Chap. iv. 23; Ezra vi. 17; x. 19.- Chap. Ver. 6, 23; Exod. xxix. 43. ii. 4. NOTES ON CHAP. IX. Verse 1. On the eighth day] This was the first day after their consecration, before which they were deemed unfit to minister in holy things, being considered as in a state of imperfection. "All creatures," says Ainsworth, "for the most part were in their uncleanness and imperfection seven days, and perfected on the eighth; as children by circumcision, Lev. xii. 2, 3; young beasts for sacrifice, chap. xxii. 27; persons that were unclean by leprosies, issues, and the like, chap. xiv. 8–10; xv. 13, 14; Num. vi. 9, 10. So here, the priests, until the eighth day, were not admitted to minister in their office." Verse 2. Take thee a young calf, &c.] As these sacrifices were for Aaron himself, they are furnished by himself and not by the people, for they were designed to make atonement for his own sin. See chap. iv. 3. And this is supposed by the Jews to have been intended to make an atonement for his sin in the matter of the golden calf. This is very probable, as no formal atonement for that transgression had yet been made. Verse 3. Take ye a kid] In chap. iv. 14 a young bullock is commanded to be offered for the sin of the people; but here the offering is a kid, which was the sacrifice appointed for the sin of the ruler, chap. iv. 22, 23, and hence some think that the reading of the Samaritan and the Septuagint is to be preferred. Speak unto the ELDERS of Israel, these being the only princes or rulers of Israel at that time; and for them it is possible this sacrifice was designed. It is however supposed that the sacrifice appointed chap. iv. 14 was for a particular sin, but this for sin in general; and that it is on this account that the sacrifices differ. Verse 6. And the glory of the Lord shall appear] God shall give the most sensible signs of his presence among you; this he did in general by the cloud on the tabernacle, but in this case the particular proof was the fire that came out from before the Lord, and consumed the burnt-offering; see ver. 23, 24. Verse 7. Make an atonement for thyself] This showed the imperfection of the Levitical law; the high priest was obliged to make an expiation for his own sins before he could make one for the sins of the The sacrifice being ended, A. M. 2514. 1 CHAP. IX. Aaron blesses the people. V A. M. 2514. blood, and 1 put it upon the horns. 17 And he brought the meatAn. Exod. Isr. 2. of the altar, and poured out the offering, and took a handful An. Exod: Isr. 2. Abib or Nisan. blood at the bottom of the altar: thereof, and burnt it upon the Abib or Nisan. 10 But the fat, and the kidneys, and the altar, beside the burnt-sacrifice of the morning. caul above the liver, of the sin-offering, he 18 He slew also the bullock and the ram for burnt upon the altar; as the LORD com- a sacrifice of peace-offerings, which was for manded Moses. the people and Aaron's sons presented unto 11 And the flesh and the hide he burnt him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the with fire without the camp. altar round about; 19 And the fat of the bullock and of the ram, the rump, and that which covereth the inwards, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver: 20 And they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon the altar: 21 And the breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved for a wave-offering before the LORD; as Moses commanded. 22 And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin-offering, and the burnt-offering, and peace-offerings. 23 And Moses and Aaron went into the C 16 And he brought the burnt-offering, and tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, offered it according to the " manner. and blessed the people and the glory of Chap. viii. 16.- Chap. iv. 8. ii, 1, 2.- - Heb. filled his hand out of it. - Exod. xxix. 38. -P Chap. i. 5; viii. 19. Chap. viii. Chap. iii. 1, &c.- Chap. iii. 5, 16. Exod. xxix. 24, 26; Ver. 3; Isa. liii. 10; Heb. ii. 17; chap. vii. 30, 31, 32, 33, 34. Num. vi. 23; Deut. xxi. 5; Or, ordinance.- Ver. 4; chap. Luke xxiv. 50.- Ver. 6; Num. xiv. 10; xvi. 19, 42. 1 See chap. iv. 7. m Chap. iv. 11; viii. 17. 20. Chap. viii. 21.v. 3. Chap. i. 3, 10. .n people. See the use made of this by the apostle, Heb. v. 3; vii. 27; ix. 7. Verse 22. And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them] On lifting up the hands in prayer, see Exod. ix. 29. The form of the blessing we have in Num. vi. 23, &c.: "The LORD bless thee and keep thee! The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee! The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace!" See the notes on these passages. And came down from offering of the sin-offering, &c.] A sin-offering, a burnt-offering, a meat-offering, and peace-offerings, were made to God that his glory might appear to the whole congregation. This was the end of all sacrifice and religious service; not to confer any obligation on God, but to make an atonement for sin, and to engage him to dwell among and influence his worshippers. ance of the sacrifice. This was done probably, 1. In the case of Abel, Gen. iv. 4. 2. In the case of Aaron; see above, ver. 24. 3. In the case of Gideon, Judg. vi. 21. 4. In the case of Manoah and his wife. Compare Judg. xiii. 19-23. 5. In the case of David dedicating the threshing-floor of Ornan, 1 Chron. xxi. 28. 6. In the case of Solomon dedicating the temple, 2 Chron. vii. 1. 7. In the case of Elijah, 1 Kings xviii. 38. Hence to express the accepting of an offering, sacrifice, &c., the verb dishshen is used, which signifies to reduce to ashes, i. e., by fire from heaven. See Psa. xx. 3. In such a case as this, it was necessary that the fire should appear to be divinely sent, and should come in such a way as to preclude the supposition that any art or deceit had been practised on the occasion. Hence it is not intimated that Moses and Aaron brought it out of the tabernacle, professing that God had kindled it there for them, but " the fire CAME OUT from BEFORE the Lord, and ALL the PEOPLE SAW it. The victims were consumed by a fire evidently of no human kindling. Josephus says that "a fire proceeded from the victims themselves of its own accord, which had the appearance of a flash of And the glory of the Lord appeared] To show that lightning;” εξ αυτων πυρ ανήφθη αυτομάτον, και όμοιον every thing was done according to the Divine mind, αστραπης λαμπηδόνι ὁρωμενον τη φλόγι" " and con1. The glory of Jehovah appears unto all the people; sumed all that was upon the altar."-Antiq., lib. iii., 2. A fire came out from before the Lord, and con- c. 8, s. 6, edit. Haverc.. And it is very likely that sumed the burnt-offering. This was the proof which by the agency of the ethereal or electric spark, sent God gave upon extraordinary occasions of his accept- immediately from the Divine presence, the victims Verse 23. Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle] It is supposed that Moses accompanied Aaron into the tabernacle to show him how to offer the incense, prepare the lamps and the perfume, adjust the shew-bread, &c., &c. |