Leviticus 8

AND the LORD spake unto Moses This is here premised, to show that Moses did not confer the Priesthood upon Aaron by virtue of his relation or affection to him, but by Gods appointment, which also appears from the following story., saying,

Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oyl, and a bullock for the sin-offering, and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread.

And gather thou all the congregation The elders which represented all, and as many of the people, as would and could get thither, that all might be witnesses both of Aarons commission from God, and of his work and business together, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

And Moses did as the LORD commanded him, and the assembly was gathered together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,

And Moses said unto the congregation, This is the thing which the LORD commanded to be done.

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

And he put upon him the coat The linen breeches prescribed Exod. 28. 42. are not here mentioned, because they were not to be put on at his consecration, but afterwards in the execution of his office. 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.

And he put the breast-plate upon him: also he put in the breast-plate the Urim and the Thummim.

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 Of which see Exod. 29. 6., as the LORD commanded Moses.

And Moses took the anointing oyl, and anointed the tabernacle, and all that was therein, and sanctified them.

And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times To signifie the singular use and holiness of it, which it was not only to have in it self, but also to communicate to all the sacrifices laid upon it., and anointed the altar, and all his vessels, both the laver Where the Priests washed themselves and the sacrifices and vessels or instruments of the holy ministration. See Levit. 6. 28., and his foot, to sanctifie them.

And he poured In a plentiful manner, as appears from Psal. 133. 2. whereas other persons and things were only anointed or sprinkled with it. of the anointing oyl upon Aarons head, and anointed him, to sanctifie him.

And Moses brought Aarons sons, and put coats upon them, and girded them with girdles, and put bonnets upon them, as the LORD commanded Moses.

And he brought the bullock There were indeed seven bullocks to be offered at his consecration, one every day, Exod. 29. 35, 36. but here he mentions only one, either by a common Enallage of number, or because he here describes only the work of the first day, and leaves the rest to be gathered from it: of which see ver. 33. for the sin-offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock for the sinoffering.

And he flew 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.

And he took all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caule above the liver, and the two kidneys, and their fat, and Moses burned it upon the altar.

But the bullock, and his hide Which in the offerings for the people was not burnt, but given to the Priest., his flesh, and his dung, he burnt with fire without the camp, as the LORD commanded Moses.

And he brought the ram for the burntoffering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.

And he Either Moses, as in the following clause, the pronoun being put for the noun; or some other person by Moses his appointment, which may be the reason why he is not named here, as he is to the sprinkling of the blood, which was an action more proper to the Priest, and more essential to the sacrifice, as the learned have observed. killed it, and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about.

And he cut the ram into pieces, and Moses burnt the head, and the pieces, and the fat.

And he washed the inwards and the legs in water, and Moses burnt the whole ram upon the altar: It was a burnt-sacrifice for a sweet favour, and an offering made by fire unto the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

And he brought the other ram, the ram of consecration, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the ram.

And he slew it, and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip The lowest and softest part of the ear called the tip or lap of the ear. See Exod. 29. 20. of Aarons right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot.

And... e brought Aarons sons, and Moses put of the blood upon the tip of their right ear, and upon the thumbs of their right hands, and upon the great toes of their right feet: and Moses sprinkled the blood upon the altar round about.

And he took the fat, and the rump, and all the fat that was upon the inwards, and the caui above the liver, and the two kidneys and their fat, and the right shoulder.

And out of the basket of unleavened bread, that was before the LORD, he took one unleavened cake, and a cake of oyled bread, and one wafer, and put them upon the fat, and upon the right shoulder.

And he put all upon Aarons hands, and upon his sons hands, and waved them for a waveoffering before the LORD.

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.

And Moses took the breast, and waved it for a wave-offering before the LORD: For of the ram of consecration it was Moses part Who at this time administring the Priests office was to receive the Priests wages; it being most just and reasonable that the work and wages should go together., as the LORD commanded Moses.

And Moses took of the anointing oyl, 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.

And Moses said unto Aaron, and to his sons, Boil the flesh That which was left of the ram, and particularly the breast, which was said to be Moses his part, ver. 29. and by him was given to Aaron, that he and his sons might eat of it in token that they and only they should have the right to do so for the future. at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and there eat it with the bread that is in the basket of consecrations, as I commanded, saying, Aaron and his sons shall eat it.

And that which remaineth of the flesh, and of the bread, shall ye burn with fire.

And ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation in seven days, untill the days of your consecration be at an end: for seven days In which the same ceremonies were to be repeated, as the next verse implies and other rites to be performed. shall he Either God; or, for the words may be spoken by Moses either in Gods name or in his own Moses speaking of himself in the third person, which is very common in Scripture. consecrate you.

As he has done this day, so the LORD has commanded to do, to make an atonement for you.

Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the LORD What God has commanded you concerning your consecration., that ye die not If the threatning seem too severe for the fault, it must be considered both that it is the usual practise of Lawgivers most severely to punish the first offences for the terrour and caution of others and for the maintenance of their own authority; and that this transgression was aggravated by many circumstances, being committed by sacred and eminent persons and that in the presence of the people which made it a publick scandal, and in Gods worship, where he is very tender and jealous, and against a plain and easie command of God, and at a time when they were receiving high favours and priviledges from God. Nor is sin to be esteemed or measured by the idle fancies of men of corrupt minds and lives, whose interests and lusts easily blind their minds, but by the Authority, Majesty, and Will of the great, and wise, and iust Lawgiver., for so I am commanded.

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