8So Aaron came near to the altar and slaughtered the calf of the sin offering which was for himself. 9Aaron’s sons presented the blood to him; and he dipped his finger in the blood and put some on the horns of the altar, and poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. 10The fat and the kidneys and the lobe of the liver of the sin offering, he then offered up in smoke on the altar just as the LORD had commanded Moses. 11The flesh and the skin, however, he burned with fire outside the camp.

      12Then he slaughtered the burnt offering; and Aaron’s sons handed the blood to him and he sprinkled it around on the altar. 13They handed the burnt offering to him in pieces, with the head, and he offered them up in smoke on the altar. 14He also washed the entrails and the legs, and offered them up in smoke with the burnt offering on the altar.

      15Then he presented the people’s offering, and took the goat of the sin offering which was for the people, and slaughtered it and offered it for sin, like the first. 16He also presented the burnt offering, and offered it according to the ordinance. 17Next he presented the grain offering, and filled his hand with some of it and offered it up in smoke on the altar, besides the burnt offering of the morning.

      18Then he slaughtered the ox and the ram, the sacrifice of peace offerings which was for the people; and Aaron’s sons handed the blood to him and he sprinkled it around on the altar. 19As for the portions of fat from the ox and from the ram, the fat tail, and the fat covering, and the kidneys and the lobe of the liver, 20they now placed the portions of fat on the breasts; and he offered them up in smoke on the altar. 21But the breasts and the right thigh Aaron presented as a wave offering before the LORD, just as Moses had commanded.

      22Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them, and he stepped down after making the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings. 23Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting. When they came out and blessed the people, the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. 24Then fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

Parallel Verses

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
and he said to Aaron, "Take for yourself a calf, a bull, for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without defect, and offer them before the LORD.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
He told Aaron, "Take a calf that has no defects for yourself as an offering for sin and a ram that has no defects as a burnt offering. Sacrifice them in the LORD's presence.

King James Bible
And he said unto Aaron, Take thee a young calf for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the LORD.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Take of the herd a calf for sin, and a ram for a holocaust, both without blemish, and offer them before the Lord.

Darby Bible Translation
and said to Aaron, Take thee a young calf for a sin-offering, and a ram for a burnt-offering, without blemish, and present them before Jehovah;

English Revised Version
and he said unto Aaron, Take thee a bull calf for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before the LORD.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said to Aaron, Take thee a young calf for a sin-offering, and a ram for a burnt-offering, without blemish, and offer them before the LORD.

World English Bible
and he said to Aaron, "Take a calf from the herd for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without blemish, and offer them before Yahweh.

Young's Literal Translation
and he saith unto Aaron, 'Take to thyself a calf, a son of the herd, for a sin-offering, and a ram for a burnt-offering, perfect ones, and bring near before Jehovah.

Cross References

Leviticus 4:3 if the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer to the LORD a bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.

Leviticus 9:3 "Then to the sons of Israel you shall speak, saying, 'Take a male goat for a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both one year old, without defect, for a burnt offering,

Ezekiel 29:1 In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth of the month, the word of the LORD came to me saying,

Commentary

Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary

Chapter 9

Aaron and his sons, having been solemnly consecrated to the priesthood, are in this chapter entering upon the execution of their office, the very next day after their consecration was completed. I. Moses (no doubt by direction from God) appoints a meeting between God and his priests, as the representatives of his people, ordering them to attend him, and assuring them that he would appear to them (v. 1-7). II. The meeting is held according to the appointment. 1. Aaron attends on God by sacrifice, offering a sin-offering and burnt-offering for himself (v. 8-14), and then the offerings for the people, whom he blessed in the name of the Lord (v. 15-22). 2. God signifies his acceptance, (1.) Of their persons, by showing them his glory (v. 23). (2.) Of their sacrifices, by consuming them with fire from heaven (v. 24).

Verses 1-7

Orders are here given for another solemnity upon the eighth day; for the newly-ordained priests were set to work immediately after the days of their consecration were finished, to let them know that they were not ordained to be idle: He that desires the office of a bishop desires a good work, which must be looked at with desire, more than the honour and benefit. The priests had not so much as one day's respite from service allowed them, that they might divert themselves, and receive the compliments of their friends upon their elevation, but were busily employed the very next day; for their consecration was the filling of their hands. God's spiritual priests have constant work cut out for them, which the duty of every day requires; and those that would give up their account with joy must redeem time; see Eze. 43:26, 27. Now, 1. Moses raises their expectation of a glorious appearance of God to them this day (v. 4): "To day the Lord will appear to you that are the priests." And when all the congregation are gathered together, and stand before the Lord, he tells them (v. 6), The glory of the Lord shall appear to you. Though they had reason enough to believe God's acceptance of all that they had done according to his appointment, upon the general assurance we have that he is the rewarder of those that diligently seek him (even if he had not given them any sensible token of it), yet that if possible they and theirs might be effectually obliged to the service and worship of God, and might never turn aside to idols, the glory of God appeared to them, and visibly owned what they had done. We are not now to expect such appearances; we Christians walk more by faith, and less by sight, than they did. But we may be sure that God draws nigh to those who draw nigh to him, and that the offerings of faith are really acceptable to him, though, the sacrifices being spiritual, the tokens of the acceptance are, as it is fit they should be, spiritual likewise. To those who are duly consecrated to God he will undoubtedly manifest himself. 2. He puts both priests and people upon preparing to receive this favour which God designed them. Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel, are all summoned to attend, v. 1. Note, God will manifest himself in the solemn assemblies of his people and ministers; and those that would have the benefit and comfort of God's appearances must in them give their attendance. (1.) Aaron is ordered to prepare his offerings: A young calf for a sin-offering, v. 2. The Jewish writers suggest that a calf was appointed for a sin-offering to remind him of his sin in making the golden calf, by which he had rendered himself for ever unworthy of the honour of the priesthood, and which he had reason to reflect upon with sorrow and shame in all the atonements he made. (2.) Aaron must direct the people to get theirs ready. Hitherto Moses had told the people what they must do; but now Aaron, as high priest over the house of God, must be their teacher, in things pertaining to God: Unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, v. 3. Now that he was to speak from them to God in the sacrifices (the language of which he that appointed them very well understood) he must speak from God to them in the laws about the sacrifices. Thus Moses would engage the people's respect and obedience to him, as one that was set over them in the Lord, to admonish them. (3.) Aaron must offer his own first, and then the people's, v. 7. Aaron must now go to the altar, Moses having shown him the way to it; and there, [1.] He must make an atonement for himself; for the high priest, being compassed with infirmity, ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins (Heb. 5:2, 3), and for himself first; for how can we expect to be accepted in our prayers for others, if we ourselves be not reconciled to God? Nor is any service pleasing to God till the guilt of sin be removed by our interest in the great propitiation. Those that have the care of the souls of others are also hereby taught to look to their own in the first place; this charity must begin at home, though it must not end there. It is the charge to Timothy, to take care to save himself first, and then those that heard him, 1 Tim. 4:16. The high priest made atonement for himself, as one that was joined with sinners; but we have a high priest that was separated from sinners, and needed no atonement. When Messiah the prince was cut off as a sacrifice, it was not for himself; for he knew no sin. [2.] He must make an atonement for the people, by offering their sacrifices. Now that he was made a high priest he must lay to heart the concerns of the people, and this as their great concern, their reconciliation to God, and the putting away of sin which had separated between them and God. He must make atonement as the Lord commanded. See here the wonderful condescension of the mercy of God, that he not only allows an atonement to be made, but commands it; not only admits, but requires us to be reconciled to him. No room therefore is left to doubt but that the atonement which is commanded will be accepted.

Calvin's Commentary

1. And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel;

1. Factum est die octavo, ut vocaret Moses Aharon, et filius ejus, et seniores Israel.

2. And he said unto Aaron, Take thee a young calf for a sin-offering, and a ram for a burnt-offering, without blemish, and offer them before the Lord.

2. Dixitque ad Aharon, Tolle tibi vitulum filium bovis in sacrificium pro peccato, et arietem in holocaustum, integros, et offer coram Jehova.

3. And unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, saying, Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin-offering; and a calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt-offering;

3. Ad filius vero Israel loqueris, dicendo, Tollite hircum caprarum in sacrificium pro peccato, et vitulum, et agnum, anniculos immaculatos in holocaustum.

4. Also a bullock and a ram for peace-offerings, to sacrifice before the Lord; and a meat-offering mingled with oil: for to-day the Lord will appear unto you.

4. Bovem quoque et arietem pro sacrificio prosperitatum, ut sacrificetis coram Jehova, ct minham conspersam oleo: quia hodie Jehova apparebit vobis.

5. And they brought that which Moses commanded before the tabernacle of the congregation; and all the congregation drew near, and stood before the Lord.

5. Tulerunt ergo qum praeceperat Moses coram tabernaculo conventionis, et accessit totus coetus, et steterunt coram Jehova.

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.

6. Tunc dixit Moses, Hoc est verbum quod praecepit Jehova, facite, et apparebit vobis gloria Jehovae.

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 the people: and offer the offering of the people, and make an atonement for them; as the Lord commanded.

7. Ad Aharon vero dixit Moses, Accede ad altare, et fac oblationem pro peccato tuo, et holocaustum tuum, et expiationem fac pro te et pro populo: fac etiam oblationem populi, ire expiationem pro eis, quemadmodum praecepit Jehova.

8. Aaron therefore went unto the altar, and slew the calf of the sin-offering which was for himself.

8. Accessit itaque Aharon ad altare, et mactavit vitulum suum, oblationem pro peccato.

9. And the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto him; and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it upon the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the bottom of the altar:

9. Et obtulerunt filii Aharon ei sanguinere, qui tinxit digitum suum in sanguine, et posuit super cornua altaris, residuum veto sanguinem fudit ad basira altaris.

10. But the fat, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver of the sin-offering, he burnt upon the altar; as the Lord commanded Moses.

10. Adipem autem et renes, et fibram jecoris hostiae pro peccato, adolevit super altare, quemadmodum praeceperat Jehova Mosi.

11. And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp.

11. Camera vero et pellem igni combussit extra castra.

12. And he slew the burnt-offering; and Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled round about upon the altar.

12. Mactavit et hostiam pro holocausto, et obtulernnt filii Aharon ei sanguinem, quem sparsit super altare per circuitum:

13. And they presented the burnt-offering unto him, with the pieces thereof, and the head; and he burnt them upon the altar.

13. Holocaustum quoque ei obtulerunt in frustis suis, et caput: et adolevit super altare.

14. And he did wash the inwards and the legs, and burnt them upon the burnt-offering on the altar.

14. Deinde layit intestina et erura, ei adolevit cum holocausto super altare.

15. And he brought the people's offering, and took the goat, which was the sin-offering for the people, and slew it, and offered it for sin, as the first.

15. Obtulit et oblationem populi, tulitque hircum oblationis pro peccato qui erat populi: mactavitque eum, et pro peccato obtulit ipsum sicut primum.

16. And he brought the burnt-offering, and offered it according to the manner.

16. Obtulit quoque holocaustum, et apparavit illud secundum praescripture.

17. And he brought the meat-offering, and took an handful thereof, and burnt it upon the altar, beside the burnt-sacrifice of the morning.

17. Obtulit et minham, implevitque manum suam ex ipsa, et adolevit super altare, praeter holocaustum matutinum.

18. He slew also the bullock and the ram for a sacrifice of peace-offerings which was for the people: and Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar round about,

18. Mactavit insuper bovera et arietem in sacrificium pacificorum quod erat populi: et obtulerunt filii Aharon sanguinem, quem sparsit super altare per circuitum.

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:

19. Et adipes bovis et arietis, caudam et adipem qui operit intestina et renes, et fibram jecoris.

20. And they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon the altar:

20. Posueruntque adipes super pectuscula, et adolevit adipes super altare.

21. And the breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved for a wave-offering before the Lord; as Moses commanded.

21. Pectuscula vero et armum dextrum agitavit Aharon agitatione coram Jehova, quemadmodum praeceperat Jehova Mosi.

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.

22. Posthaec elevavit Aharon ma-num suam ad populum, benedixitque eis, et descendit a faciendo oblationem pro peccato, et holocaustum, et sacrificium prosperitatum.

23. And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people.

23. Et venit Moses et Aharon ad tabernaculum conventionis, et egressi sunt, et benedixerunt populo: et apparuit gloria Jehovae toti populo.

24. And there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt-offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

24. Egressusque est ignis a facie Jehovae, et consumpsit super altare holocaustum et adipes: quod videns universus populus, laudaverunt, et ceciderunt super facies suas.

1. And it came to pass on the eighth day We have here related how Aaron and his sons, after the time of their consecration was fulfilled, began to execute their office. It was necessary that He should be his brother's disciple, in order to follow the pattern laid down by God. And we must bear in mind that Moses, who was not appointed priest by a solemn rite, sanctified the others, in order that the authority and the efficacy of the outward sign should rest in God alone. This, therefore, is contained in the earlier portion of the chapter, how, after Aaron had been initiated in the priest's office for seven days, He commenced the work entrusted to him by God's command: the second part shews how the sacrifices were approved by a divine miracle, in ratification of the priesthood which God had instituted. But, first of all, He enumerates the ordinary kinds of sacrifice, viz., for sin, the burnt-offering; and for thanksgiving, the sacrifice with the meat-offering (minha) and the sprinkling: that in every respect Aaron might be accounted the lawful priest of God.

6. And Moses said, This is the thing which the Lord commanded He seems, indeed, to address himself to the whole people, to whom also the promise belonged; but in the word "do ye," [413] He specially speaks to the sons of Aaron; and he promises what, at the end of the chapter, he will state to have been fulfilled, that the glory of God should be manifested in approbation of the priesthood, in order that they may set about their duties more cheerfully. For this was no common aid to their faith and assurance, that their office should be thus, as it were, sealed by God.

7. And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar Here is repeated what was stated elsewhere, that the priest, as being himself a sinner, must first make entreaty for himself, before he propitiates God towards others. Hence the Apostle justly infers that the legal priesthood was weak and merely typical. (Hebrews 5:1.) For none can be a true peace-maker, except he, who, in reliance on his perfect innocence, presents himself before God to obtain pardon for others, and, being pure from every blemish, requires no expiation for himself. All else to the end of the chapter I pass over, because Moses only records how Aaron sacrificed according to God's command and the legal ritual.

22. And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people This was a kind of application of the sacrifice, in order that the people might know that God was reconciled to them through the priest as their mediator and surety. The form of benediction [414] has been already expoundled; at present let this one point suffice, that, when by the lifting up of their hands the priests testified of God's paternal favor to the people, their commission was ratified and efficacious. Of this the sacred history presents to us a memorable instance, where it records, that

"the priests and Levites blessed the people, and their voice was heard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling-place, even unto heaven." (2 Chronicles 30:27.)

The fulfilment of this type was at length manifested in Christ, who is not only the source and cause of blessing, but publishes it by the Gospel with effectual results; for He came to "preach peace to them which were afar off, and to them that were nigh," (Ephesians 2:17;) and although He does not appear or speak in a visible form, yet we know what He says, viz., that

"whatsoever His disciples shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever they shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 18:18.)

23. And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle This is a repetition of the same statement, except that what had been said of Aaron only is now also ascribed to Moses, i.e., that he blessed the people, but for a different reason, for although he was God's prophet, yet Aaron, in right of his office, was the only mediator. What follows, "the glory of the Lord appeared," may be read separately, viz., that the majesty of God was manifested in some conspicuous sign; or else it is connected with the concluding verse, where it is said, that "there came a fire out from before the Lord, etc." If we prefer the latter, the account of the consuming of the sacrifice was added expositively, as if it were said that God appeared when He sent forth the fire to consume the sacrifice. By this auspice, or rather miracle, God manifested that He was the Author of the legal priesthood, so that it should be held in reverence for ever. The same thing sometimes occurred afterwards, when in troubled circumstances, it had need of extraordinary confirmation: thus fire consumed the sacrifice of Manoah, (Judges 13:20;) or, when God's service and pure religion required to be vindicated in opposition to superstitious counterfeits; thus the sacrifice of Elijah was utterly consumed and reduced to ashes without the application of fire. (1 Kings 18:38.) Or, lastly, when God would shew that He delighted in Mount Sion, which He had chosen for His resting-place and home: for which reason, the first sacrifice of Solomon was consumed by fire from heaven. (2 Chronicles 7:1.)

Lest posterity should doubt of this matter, as if it were not thoroughly certain, Moses says that the whole people was stirred up by the sight to praise God, "and fell on their faces."

Footnotes:

[413] "That ye should do." -- A. V.

[414] See ante on Numbers 6:22-27, [71]vol. 2, p. 245 et seq.

Links

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