Chapter Twenty-Nine
How to Consecrate the Priests
29:1 “Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. Take one bull of the herd and two rams without blemish, 2 and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers smeared with oil. You shall make them of fine wheat flour.
God now outlines the process on how to consecrate the priests. Sacrifices will need to be made for their sins. The procedure given in this chapter will later be amplified and defined in Leviticus 4:1-5:13 as a “sin offering.” God instructs Moses to find one bull and two rams without blemish from the herd. Then he is to prepare unleavened bread (Hebrew word ‘lě'·hem’,[1] primarily referring to bread, but can be a general term meaning food, nourishment, etc.); unleavened cakes (Hebrew word ‘hǎl·loṯ’,[2] meaning a cake, a loaf, or a ring-shaped bread, first appearance in the Bible); and unleavened wafers (Hebrew ‘reqî·qē’,[3] used for the first time in Scripture, refers to a thin cake, like a wafer or cracker) smeared with oil (Hebrew ‘mešǔ·ḥîm’,[4] the verb form of the noun ‘miš·ḥā(h)’,[5] usually translated as anoint, to cover, and rub with oil). Later identified as a “grain offering,” (see Leviticus chapter two) each item was to be made of fine wheat flour.
29:3 You shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket, and bring the bull and the two rams. 4 You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water.
The baked items were to be placed in one basket and the full basket was to be brought, along with the bull and two rams, to the assembled Tabernacle. It is interesting to note the contrast in these items. The animals were to be sacrificed for sin and the unleavened baked goods representing being sin-free.
Then Moses was to bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tabernacle and wash them with water. The cleansing of water was the first step in their consecration. The instructions to construct the bronze basin (also known as the laver) used for washing will be given later in Exodus 30:17-21.
29:5 Then you shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the coat and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpiece, and gird him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod. 6 And you shall set the turban on his head and put the holy crown on the turban.
After washing, Aaron was to put on the garments prepared for him being the High Priest. The turban was then to be placed on his head, followed by the holy crown placed on top of the turban. The word translated here as ‘crown’ is the Hebrew word ‘nē’·zěr’,[6] which is first seen here. It is a noun that means consecration, separation, or ordination, a diadem, used in Scripture to refer to the consecration of the high priest (see Leviticus 21:12); a person taking a vow as a Nazirite (see Numbers 6:5-12); refer to a king’s crown (see 2 Samuel 1:10; 2 Kings 11:12) or as it is used here, referring to the golden plate that had the words, “Holy to YHWH” engraved on it, thus separating him for God (see Exodus 28:36-38).
29:7 You shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him.
Moses is then to anoint his brother Aaron using the anointing oil that will be described in the next chapter (see Exodus 30:22-36). Many debate whether the other priests were anointed when they entered into service to God, however, there is no mention of anointing them in this manner in this chapter, nor is there any mention in the narrative text in the book of Leviticus (see Leviticus 8:12). It appears that the title “the anointed priest” (Hebrew “hǎ mā·šîaḥ kō·hēn”), that will be used later, refers only to the High Priest alone (see Leviticus 4:3, 5, 16; 6:22) apart from Numbers 3:3, where the term ‘priests’, being plural, infers more than one.
29:8 Then you shall bring his sons and put coats on them, 9 and you shall gird Aaron and his sons with sashes and bind caps on them. And the priesthood shall be theirs by a statute forever. Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.
Aaron’s sons, who would be serving as priests, were to be dressed in the garments prepared for them. God informs Moses that the priesthood would remain in the line of Aaron forever by saying, “Then the right to the priesthood will be theirs by law forever.” (Exodus 29:9b, NLT) The last portion of the same verse could be interpreted to refer to the dressing and the anointing outlined in verses 1-8 for the process of ordaining all of them as priests or as an introduction to the instruction that follows in verses 10-46, involving the sacrifices. However, they shouldn’t be considered separate events, as each component is necessary for their consecration (the preparation of the person who is to serve God and handle the required sacrifices as intermediaries between God and His people to provide atonement for their sin).
29:10 “Then you shall bring the bull before the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull.
The bull was to be brought near the entry of the Tabernacle courtyard and Aaron and his sons were to lay (Hebrew ‘sā·māḵ’,[7] a verb meaning to lean in, to sustain, or to lay on) their hands on the head of the bull. This association designates the bull as their representative for their sins, in a sense symbolically transferring the sin from them to the animal. It also provides a connection to the animal, for these men, and for all people that will follow this procedure in the future, so that they cannot escape the reality that this innocent animal was about to die for their sins. Later in Leviticus, the process is clarified: “Lay your hand on the animal’s head, and the LORD will accept its death in your place to purify you, making you right with him.” (Leviticus 1:4, NLT)
29:11 Then you shall kill the bull before the LORD at the entrance of the tent of meeting, 12 and shall take part of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and the rest of the blood you shall pour out at the base of the altar. 13 And you shall take all the fat that covers the entrails, and the long lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar. 14 But the flesh of the bull and its skin and its dung you shall burn with fire outside the camp; it is a sin offering.
The bull is to then be killed (Hebrew word ‘šā·ḥǎṭ·tā’,[8] a verb meaning to kill or to slaughter, regarding sacrifices it usually refers to the killing of the animal followed by the separation of internal parts) before God at the entrance of the Tabernacle. Some of the blood was to be put on the horns of the bronze altar transferred using his finger (daubing) and the rest of the blood was to be poured out at the base or foundation of the same altar. Next, the fatty parts found around the entrails, liver, and kidneys were to be burned on the altar as an offering to God. The unwanted portions were to be burned in a fire outside of the camp, away from the Tabernacle. This procedure is identified for the first time as a sin offering (Hebrew word ‘ḥǎṭ·ṭā(‘)ṯ’,[9] a noun meaning sin, transgression, punishment, or in this context, a sin offering).
29:15 “Then you shall take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram, 16 and you shall kill the ram and shall take its blood and throw it against the sides of the altar. 17 Then you shall cut the ram into pieces, and wash its entrails and its legs, and put them with its pieces and its head, 18 and burn the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the LORD. It is a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD.
Once the “sin offering” is complete, one of the two rams is to be offered in a manner that will later be referred to as a “burnt offering.” The most common type and most often referenced type of offering found in Scripture, as it is used as a voluntary act of worship, atonement of unintentional sin, or as an expression of devotion and commitment to God. The ram was to be dissected, and the entrails and legs were to be washed and then placed, along with the other parts and its head, on the bronze altar and the whole ram is to be burned (Hebrew word ‘hiq·ṭǎr·tā’,[10] a verb meaning to “produce smoke” or “make into smoke.”) God considered the burnt offering to be a pleasant aroma. It is then called here a “food offering,” the Hebrew word is ‘iš·šě(h)’,[11] a noun referring to an offering made by fire, also known as a “fire offering.” The word is used in conjunction with any offering made by means of fire, making it a general term applied to all sacrifices (see Deuteronomy 18:1; 1 Samuel 2:28).
29:19 “You shall take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram, 20 and you shall kill the ram and take part of its blood and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron and on the tips of the right ears of his sons, and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the great toes of their right feet, and throw the rest of the blood against the sides of the altar.
The second ram was to be used for the rather unique ordination process (see verse 22), the blood from the bull and the first ram was to prepare for this unique consecration and ordination (Hebrew word ‘mil·lǔ·’îm’,[12] a noun designating a setting, a mounting, or an installation into a setting. It is also used to place someone in a position, see Leviticus 7:37; 8:22). God now ‘sets’ or ‘installs’ Aaron and his sons in the positions of High Priest and priests, respectively.
Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on the head of the ram. Then the ram was to be killed and some of the blood was to be applied to the tip of the right ear of Aaron and to the tips of the right ears of each of his sons. Then it was to be applied to the thumbs on their right hand and the big toe on their right foot. The remainder of the blood was to be thrown against the sides of the altar. The right side, or more accurately the right-hand side (the Hebrew word ‘yemā·nî’,[13] refers to being on the right, a right hand), is significant as it often represents, depending on context, a position of honor, power, authority, and favor[14].
It is interesting to note that even though the reasons why God selected the locations where the blood was to be applied on these priests is widely speculated by human thinking, the three sites are intriguing. In service to God one hears the Word of God through their ears (see Isaiah 53:1; Romans 10:17; Galatians 3:1-9; Revelation 2:7, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; 13:9), offers prayers, praise, and service to God through the lifting up and laying on of hands (see Exodus 29:10, 15, 19; Leviticus 1:4; 8:14; Psalm 28:2; 63:4; 88:9; 119:48; 134:2; 141:2; Lamentations 2:19; 1 Timothy 2:8), and follows God and shows their devotion and willingness to serve with their feet (see Psalm 119:105; John 8:12; 12:35-36; Romans 8:4; 13:13; 2 Corinthians 5:6-10; Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 2:10; 4:1-3; 5:1-21; Philippians 3:17-21; Colossians 1:9-14; 2:6-7: 4:5-6; 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12: 4:1, 12; 1 John 1:5-10; 2:4-6; 2 John 6).
29:21 Then you shall take part of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments, and on his sons and his sons’ garments with him. He and his garments shall be holy, and his sons and his sons’ garments with him.
Then Moses is to take some of the blood from the second ram that was earlier thrown on the altar (see verse 16) and some of the anointing oil (see verse seven) and sprinkle them (the word ‘it’ was implied in this translation, there is no reference in the Hebrew to the material being sprinkled as being singular, it was both the blood and the oil) on Aaron and his garments and then on his sons and their garments.
It is also interesting to note, as discussed earlier, blood is required for atonement[15] and we also saw how oil is connected to God’s plan for salvation with words like ‘anointed’, being the root word for the title ‘Messiah’ (Christ). Together the two elements paint a picture of the burden of sin and eternal condemnation being fully conquered and achieved for all of humanity by God Himself, today all anyone needs to do is accept Jesus as their Savior.
29:22 “You shall also take the fat from the ram and the fat tail and the fat that covers the entrails, and the long lobe of the liver and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and the right thigh (for it is a ram of ordination),
Similar to the process involving the bull, the fat was removed from the entrails, the long lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them (see verse 13). Here we are introduced to a new term, “fat tail” (Hebrew word ‘ǎl·yā(h)’,[16] describing the fat tail or rump of sheep) it is also the name of a variety of domestic sheep (fat-tailed) that are still common in the Middle East and surrounding areas. The fat tail was to be included, along with the right thigh which is normally given to the priests to consume (see Leviticus 7:32-33), perhaps that is why it states that this is a ram for ordination, to remind the reader that this was indeed a unique process, different than all the other offerings (see also Leviticus 7:37; 8:28, 31, 33).
29:23 and one loaf of bread and one cake of bread made with oil, and one wafer out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before the LORD. 24 You shall put all these on the palms of Aaron and on the palms of his sons, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD.
The fat and meat from the second ram and the unleavened baked goods (see verses 2-3) are to be given to Aaron and his sons, and they wave them as a wave offering before YHWH. The word translated here as ‘wave’, are the Hebrew words ‘hē·nǎp·tā’,[17] a verb meaning to move back and forth or to sprinkle; and ‘tenû·pā(h)’,[18] a noun meaning swinging, waving, or a wave offering. This is the first appearance of the word in the Bible. While the ordination offering is unique, the wave offering is not and is often employed in Scripture (see Leviticus 7:30, 34; 8:27, 29; 9:21; 10:14-15; 14:12, 21, 24; 23:15, 17, 20; Numbers 5:25; 6:20; 8:11, 13, 15, 21; 18:11, 18). The Mishnah Menahot (5:6) records this procedure for a typical wave offering:
These [are offerings which] require waving and do not require bringing near:
(1) the log of oil of the mesora and (2) his guilt offering [Lev. 14:12] and (3) firstfruits—this is in accord with the opinion of R. Eliezer b. Jacob [M. Bik. 2:4, 3:6]—and (4) the sacrificial parts of the peace offerings of an individual, and (5) their breast and thigh [Lev. 10:15]—both those of Israelite men and women but not those of others—and the (6) two loaves of bread, and the two lambs of Aseret [Shabuot]. How does one carry out the rite? One puts the two loaves of bread on top of the two lambs and places his two hands below and swings them forward and backward and upward and downward, as it is written, Which is waved and which is raised up [Ex. 29:27]. The waving was at the east [of the altar], and the bringing near of the west [at the southwestern corner]. And the wavings come before the bringings near. The meal offering of the omer [on the sixteenth of Nisan, Lev. 23:11], and the meal offering of the woman accused of adultery [Num. 5:25] require [both] waving and bringing near. The shewbread and the meal offering brought with drink offerings [require] neither waving nor bringing near.[19]
29:25 Then you shall take them from their hands and burn them on the altar on top of the burnt offering, as a pleasing aroma before the LORD. It is a food offering to the LORD. 26 “You shall take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s ordination and wave it for a wave offering before the LORD, and it shall be your portion.
Once the wave offering is completed, Moses is to take the items from their hands and place them on the bronze altar on top of the burnt offering as the aroma will be pleasing to YHWH, it is a food offering (or fire offering, see commentary for under verses 15-18 above). While many of the offerings will be completely consumed by fire, like the burnt offering, others will provide food for the priests (see Leviticus 7:8-10, 14-16, 31-35), here the breast meat from the second ram was to be waved before YHWH and then given to Moses to eat.
29:27 And you shall consecrate the breast of the wave offering that is waved and the thigh of the priests’ portion that is contributed from the ram of ordination, from what was Aaron’s and his sons’. 28 It shall be for Aaron and his sons as a perpetual due from the people of Israel, for it is a contribution. It shall be a contribution from the people of Israel from their peace offerings, their contribution to the LORD.
Verses 27-30 appear to be parenthetic pointing to future ordination offerings. God is not implying that the meat offered was not already consecrated, He is reminding them that the meat must remain holy and only be consumed by the priests (not to be offered back to the people). This reminder can essentially apply to all contributions and offerings, if something is given to God, it is no longer theirs to choose how the offering is to be consumed.
29:29 “The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him; they shall be anointed in them and ordained in them. 30 The son who succeeds him as priest, who comes into the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place, shall wear them seven days.
The garments prepared for Aaron and his sons shall be used by his descendants for future anointing and ordination as priests. The son that succeeds Aaron as High Priest is to come into the Tabernacle wearing the garments for seven days (see Numbers 20:22-29 regarding the first High Priest replacement after Aaron’s death).
29:31 “You shall take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in a holy place. 32 And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket in the entrance of the tent of meeting. 33 They shall eat those things with which atonement was made at their ordination and consecration, but an outsider shall not eat of them, because they are holy. 34 And if any of the flesh for the ordination or of the bread remain until the morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire. It shall not be eaten, because it is holy.
In the Hebrew it simply states, “holy place,” so some English translations render it “in a holy place,” while others state “in the holy place.” In either case, the holy place would be within the Tabernacle courtyard. The instruction to boil the flesh of the ram of ordination seems vague, however, based on details found elsewhere in the Bible, it is probable that large pots were used on the bronze altar (see Exodus 27:3; 38:3; Leviticus 6:28; 1 Samuel 2:13-15).
Once everything was cooked, Aaron and his sons are to then eat the meat and bread. If anything was left over the following morning, it was to be burned and not eaten.
29:35 “Thus you shall do to Aaron and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. Through seven days shall you ordain them,
The process for ordination of the priests is summarized here as being a seven-day event. Many translations append the next two or more verses with the above ceremony, including them as part of the ordination process, essentially requiring the ordination offerings to be repeated every day for a week. While it is possible that God wished the consecration of the bronze altar to be done at the same time as the consecration and ordination of the priests, these verses seem to address the consecration of the altar as a separate and distinct process.
29:36 and every day you shall offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. Also you shall purify the altar, when you make atonement for it, and shall anoint it to consecrate it. 37 Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar shall become holy.
Why does an altar need atonement? While the Hebrew word ‘ḵǎp·pěr’[20] certainly implies a covering or concealment, it can also refer to the change of someone’s or some thing’s nature. The bronze altar would have been constructed out of materials that were not necessarily originally holy in nature. The altar was to serve in a unique capacity, to aid in the process of making other things holy or made acceptable before God. Therefore, the altar needed to be atoned, consecrating it for service to God.
This process would also require seven days to complete. Each day a bull was to be offered for a sin offering. At the end of the week, being holy, the altar would be ready to serve God. The altar is to be considered holy (the phrase translated here as “most holy,” are the Hebrew words “qō’·ḏěš qā·ḏā·šîm,”[21] or holy of holies, essentially the same word repeated signifying the highest level of holiness). The wording “shall become” is implied from the Hebrew verb ‘yiq·dāš’[22] (holy), that whatever is prepared and offered on the altar will be consecrated and considered holy before God. The last sentence is often misunderstood, we need to remember that touching something does not make an item (or person) holy. Holiness is not transferable; however, defilement (made unclean) is transferable with a touch (see Haggai 2:10-19).
29:38 “Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly. 39 One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight.
Once everything is in place and consecrated, and the priests have been ordained, there are to be daily sacrifices offered. Two lambs are to be selected, one to be offered in the morning and the other offered at twilight (Hebrew phrase “bên[23] hā ‘ǎr·bā’·yim,”[24] referring to the period between day and night).
29:40 And with the first lamb a tenth measure of fine flour mingled with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and a fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering. 41 The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and shall offer with it a grain offering and its drink offering, as in the morning, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD. 42 It shall be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there.
Along with the sacrifice of the first lamb, a tenth measure of fine flour (a measure is believed to be the equivalent to a ephah,[25] making this approximately two quarts of flour) mixed with a fourth of a hin (first time this word appears in Scripture, this transliterated word is a liquid measure, estimated to be roughly one gallon, here as a fourth it would be approximately one quart) of whipped oil and a fourth of a hin of wine is to be offered as a drink offering (only the second time this term is used, first time was in reference to Jacob pouring oil on the pillar of stone where God spoke to him at Bethel, it will now become an integral part of worship offered through sacrifice, see Genesis 35:14).
The second lamb was to be sacrificed along with a grain offering and another drink offering like the one offered in the morning. While the Hebrew term (‘min·ḥǎṯ’)[26] was used twelve times in the book of Genesis (usually translated as ‘present’ or ‘offering’), it is used here for the first time to describe a grain offering (also referred to as a meal offering or gift offering) that will be required for various reasons by God’s law, it will be a sacrifice that does not include the sacrifice of any animal (see Leviticus chapter 2).[27] These sacrifices will be considered regular and ongoing burnt offerings that will be performed at the entrance to the Tabernacle where the bronze altar is located.[28] The location where God will meet and talk with Moses.
29:43 There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory.
Following His decree that He will meet and talk with Moses, God now adds that He will meet all the people of Israel and the Tabernacle will be sanctified, meaning to be set apart or made holy by His glory.
29:44 I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar. Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests.
The Tabernacle and every component of the Tabernacle, including the bronze altar will be consecrated and each of the priests will be consecrated, so that they can serve a holy God.
29:45 I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. 46 And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.
Why build a Tabernacle? So that a holy God could dwell among the people of Israel. The Israelites will see that YHWH is their God, the same one who brought them out of the land of Egypt. An incredible honor, they get to have their God dwell among them! God is saying that He brought them out so that He could be with them.
Considerations
The Bible speaks about a number of processes for the purpose of making someone or something acceptable or holy to God. While the processes vary significantly, there is an important truth that needs to be understood, none of them actually clean or make something holy on their own. True, the text will often say something like “consecrate yourselves” (see Joshua 3:5) or request something to be consecrated by following a procedure, as listed several times above, but the protocol or the procedure alone does not work without the active ingredient, namely God.
It may require an effort to follow a procedure, but it is God who does all the work. Going through the motions in the Old Testament is equivalent of going through the motions in the New Testament, worthless, unless one truly has a desire to please and serve God in their hearts. Nothing anyone can ever say or do can ever wash away, conceal, or remove the stain of their sin, unless they come to God and let Him clean them.
The book of Hosea records, “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6) God wants His people to love and to seek Him, not follow dispassionately or follow blindly by procedure, even if He wrote the rules. Jesus quoted this passage from Hosea twice as He also pointed out the futility of heartless obedience (see Matthew 9:13; 12:7).[29] Christians are made holy through the efforts and blood of Jesus Christ. Nothing, including going to church, being baptized, or taking communion, can save a person. Salvation is through faith alone, the believing of Jesus and trusting Him to save you when you die. All procedures, protocols, rituals, or processes are without power to save, only God can cleanse and save.
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[1] Strong’s Hebrew 3899.
[2] ‘ḥǎl·lā(h)’, singular, Strong’s Hebrew 2471.
[3] Strong’s Hebrew 7550.
[4] Strong’s Hebrew 4886.
[5] Strong’s Hebrew 4888.
[6] Strong’s Hebrew 5145.
[7] Strong’s Hebrew 5564.
[8] Strong’s Hebrew 7819.
[9] Strong’s Hebrew 2403.
[10] Strong’s Hebrew 6999.
[11] Strong’s Hebrew 801.
[12] Strong’s Hebrew 4394.
[13] Strong’s Hebrew 3233.
[14] See commentary under Genesis 15:6.
[15] See commentaries under Genesis 3:21; 6:14-16; 14:17-18 and the Considerations under Exodus 26:36-37.
[16] Strong’s Hebrew 451.
[17] Strong’s Hebrew 5130.
[18] Strong’s Hebrew 8573.
[19] Neusner, J. (1988). The Mishnah : A new translation (p. 743). New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
[20] Strong’s Hebrew 3722.
[21] Strong’s Hebrew 6944 (twice).
[22] Strong’s Hebrew 6942.
[23] Strong’s Hebrew 996.
[24] Strong’s Hebrew 6153.
[25] See Considerations under Genesis 18:16-21.
[26] Strong’s Hebrew 4503.
[27] See also Overview of Offerings after Leviticus chapter seven.
[28] See commentary under Exodus 27:20 regarding the word ‘regular’.
[29] See also Considerations under Exodus 20:21 regarding this passage.