Leviticus Chapter 8 — The Consecration of the Priests

Moses performs the public ceremony to consecrate Aaron and his sons as priests, following the Lord's instructions for washing, clothing, and sacrifice.

ConsecrationPriesthoodRitual PurityObedience

1The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

2“Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and the bull of the sin offering, and the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread;

3and assemble all the congregation at the door of the Tent of Meeting.”

4Moses did as the LORD commanded him; and the congregation was assembled at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

5Moses said to the congregation, “This is the thing which the LORD has commanded to be done.”

6Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water.

7He put the tunic on him, tied the sash on him, clothed him with the robe, put the ephod on him, and he tied the skillfully woven band of the ephod on him and fastened it to him with it.

8He placed the breastplate on him. He put the Urim and Thummim in the breastplate.

9He set the turban on his head. He set the golden plate, the holy crown, on the front of the turban, as the LORD commanded Moses.

10Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and sanctified them.

11He sprinkled it on the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its vessels, and the basin and its base, to sanctify them.

12He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.

13Moses brought Aaron’s sons, and clothed them with tunics, and tied sashes on them, and put headbands on them, as the LORD commanded Moses.

14He brought the bull of the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull of the sin offering.

15He killed it; and Moses took the blood, and put it around on the horns of the altar with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar, and sanctified it, to make atonement for it.

16He took all the fat that was on the innards, and the cover of the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat; and Moses burned it on the altar.

17But the bull, and its skin, and its meat, and its dung, he burned with fire outside the camp, as the LORD commanded Moses.

18He presented the ram of the burnt offering. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram.

19He killed it; and Moses sprinkled the blood around on the altar.

20He cut the ram into its pieces; and Moses burned the head, and the pieces, and the fat.

21He washed the innards and the legs with water; and Moses burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering for a pleasant aroma. It was an offering made by fire to the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

22He presented the other ram, the ram of consecration. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram.

23He killed it; and Moses took some of its blood, and put it on the tip of Aaron’s right ear, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the great toe of his right foot.

24He brought Aaron’s sons; and Moses put some of the blood on the tip of their right ear, and on the thumb of their right hand, and on the great toe of their right foot; and Moses sprinkled the blood around on the altar.

25He took the fat, the fat tail, all the fat that was on the innards, the cover of the liver, the two kidneys and their fat, and the right thigh;

26and out of the basket of unleavened bread that was before the LORD, he took one unleavened cake, one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer, and placed them on the fat and on the right thigh.

27He put all these in Aaron’s hands and in his sons’ hands, and waved them for a wave offering before the LORD.

28Moses took them from their hands, and burned them on the altar on the burnt offering. They were a consecration offering for a pleasant aroma. It was an offering made by fire to the LORD.

29Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave offering before the LORD. It was Moses’ portion of the ram of consecration, as the LORD commanded Moses.

30Moses took some of the anointing oil, and some of the blood which was on the altar, and sprinkled it on Aaron, on his garments, and on his sons, and on his sons’ garments with him, and sanctified Aaron, his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him.

31Moses said to Aaron and to his sons, “Boil the meat at the door of the Tent of Meeting, and there eat it and the bread that is in the basket of consecration, as I commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons shall eat it.’

32What remains of the meat and of the bread you shall burn with fire.

33You shall not go out from the door of the Tent of Meeting for seven days, until the days of your consecration are fulfilled: for he shall consecrate you seven days.

34What has been done today, so the LORD has commanded to do, to make atonement for you.

35You shall stay at the door of the Tent of Meeting day and night seven days, and keep the LORD’s command, that you don’t die: for so I am commanded.”

36Aaron and his sons did all the things which the LORD commanded by Moses.

WEB Translation

Notable Verses

Leviticus 8:12

He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.

This verse records the specific act of anointing the High Priest, setting him apart for holy service.

Leviticus 8:36

Aaron and his sons did all the things which the LORD commanded by Moses.

This concludes the chapter by emphasizing the complete obedience of the new priests to the divine instructions.

Chapter Summary

In Leviticus 8, the Lord instructs Moses to assemble the congregation at the Tent of Meeting for the official ordination of Aaron and his sons. Moses begins by washing the new priests with water and dressing Aaron in his elaborate high priestly garments, including the tunic, ephod, and the breastplate containing the Urim and Thummim. He then anoints the tabernacle, its furnishings, and Aaron himself with sacred oil. The ceremony involves three specific sacrifices: a bull for a sin offering, a ram for a burnt offering, and a second ram for the consecration. Moses applies the blood of the final ram to the right ears, thumbs, and toes of Aaron and his sons, symbolizing their total devotion to God's service. The chapter concludes with the priests receiving portions of the sacrifice to eat and a command to remain at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting for seven days to complete their consecration, ensuring they fulfill the Lord's requirements perfectly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Moses washed them, dressed them in priestly garments, and anointed them with oil. He then performed specific animal sacrifices, applying the blood to their bodies and the altar to sanctify them for their new roles.

This symbolic act represented the dedication of the priest's entire being to God. It signified that their ears should hear God's word, their hands should do His work, and their feet should walk in His ways.

While the ritual ceremony was performed in front of the congregation, Aaron and his sons were required to stay at the door of the Tent of Meeting for seven full days and nights to complete their period of consecration.

Study Note

The installation of the priesthood in this chapter follows the exact blueprint provided to Moses in Exodus 29, demonstrating a meticulous transition from command to execution.

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