Exodus29
New International Version
1“This is what you are to do to consecrate them, so they may serve me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams without defect.
2And from the finest wheat flour make round loaves without yeast, thick loaves without yeast and with olive oil mixed in, and thin loaves without yeast and brushed with olive oil.
3Put them in a basket and present them along with the bull and the two rams.
4Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting and wash them with water.
5Take the garments and dress Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod itself and the breastpiece. Fasten the ephod on him by its skillfully woven waistband.
6Put the turban on his head and attach the sacred emblem to the turban.
7Take the anointing oil and anoint him by pouring it on his head.
8Bring his sons and dress them in tunics
9and fasten caps on them. Then tie sashes on Aaron and his sons. The priesthood is theirs by a lasting ordinance. “Then you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.
10“Bring the bull to the front of the tent of meeting, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.
11Slaughter it in the Lord’s presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
12Take some of the bull’s blood and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and pour out the rest of it at the base of the altar.
13Then take all the fat on the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, and both kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar.
14But burn the bull’s flesh and its hide and its intestines outside the camp. It is a sin offering.
15“Take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.
16Slaughter it and take the blood and splash it against the sides of the altar.
17Cut the ram into pieces and wash the internal organs and the legs, putting them with the head and the other pieces.
18Then burn the entire ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the Lord, a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord.
19“Take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.
20Slaughter it, take some of its blood and put it on the lobes of the right ears of Aaron and his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Then splash blood against the sides of the altar.
21And take some blood from the altar and some of the anointing oil and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. Then he and his sons and their garments will be consecrated.
22“Take from this ram the fat, the fat tail, the fat on the internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, both kidneys with the fat on them, and the right thigh. (This is the ram for the ordination.)
23From the basket of bread made without yeast, which is before the Lord, take one round loaf, one thick loaf with olive oil mixed in, and one thin loaf.
24Put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons and have them wave them before the Lord as a wave offering.
25Then take them from their hands and burn them on the altar along with the burnt offering for a pleasing aroma to the Lord, a food offering presented to the Lord.
26After you take the breast of the ram for Aaron’s ordination, wave it before the Lord as a wave offering, and it will be your share.
27“Consecrate those parts of the ordination ram that belong to Aaron and his sons: the breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented.
28This is always to be the perpetual share from the Israelites for Aaron and his sons. It is the contribution the Israelites are to make to the Lord from their fellowship offerings.
29“Aaron’s sacred garments will belong to his descendants so that they can be anointed and ordained in them.
30The son who succeeds him as priest and comes to the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place is to wear them seven days.
31“Take the ram for the ordination and cook the meat in a sacred place.
32At the entrance to the tent of meeting, Aaron and his sons are to eat the meat of the ram and the bread that is in the basket.
33They are to eat these offerings by which atonement was made for their ordination and consecration. But no one else may eat them, because they are sacred.
34And if any of the meat of the ordination ram or any bread is left over till morning, burn it up. It must not be eaten, because it is sacred.
35“Do for Aaron and his sons everything I have commanded you, taking seven days to ordain them.
36Sacrifice a bull each day as a sin offering to make atonement. Purify the altar by making atonement for it, and anoint it to consecrate it.
37For seven days make atonement for the altar and consecrate it. Then the altar will be most holy, and whatever touches it will be holy.
38“This is what you are to offer on the altar regularly each day: two lambs a year old.
39Offer one in the morning and the other at twilight.
40With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah of the finest flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil from pressed olives, and a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering.
41Sacrifice the other lamb at twilight with the same grain offering and its drink offering as in the morning—a pleasing aroma, a food offering presented to the Lord.
42“For the generations to come this burnt offering is to be made regularly at the entrance to the tent of meeting, before the Lord. There I will meet you and speak to you;
43there also I will meet with the Israelites, and the place will be consecrated by my glory.
44“So I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests.
45Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God.
46They will know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Exodus 29.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The sacrifice and ceremony for the consecration of the priests. (1–37). The continual burnt-offerings, God's promise to dwell among Israel. (38–46).
vv1-37
Aaron and his sons were to be set apart for the priest's office, with ceremony and solemnity. Our Lord Jesus is the great High Priest of our profession, called of God to be so; anointed with the Spirit, whence he is called Messiah, the Christ; clothed with glory and beauty; sanctified by his own blood; made perfect, or consecrated through sufferings, Heb 2:10. All believers are spiritual priests, to offer spiritual sacrifices, 1Pe 2:5, washed in the blood of Christ, and so made to our God priests, Re 1:5, 6. They also are clothed with the beauty of holiness, and have received the anointing, 1Jo 2:27. The Spirit of God is called the finger of God, (Lu 11:20, compared with Mt 12:28,) and by him the merit of Christ is applied to our souls. This consecration signifies the admission of a sinner into the spiritual priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
vv38-46
A lamb was to be offered upon the altar every morning, and a lamb every evening. This typified the continual intercession which Christ ever lives to make for his church. Though he offered himself but once for all, that one offering thus becomes a continual offering. This also teaches us to offer to God the spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise every day, morning and evening. Our daily devotions are the most needful of our daily works, and the most pleasant of our daily comforts. Prayer-time must be kept up as duly as meal-time. Those starve their own souls, who keep not up constant attendance on the throne of grace; constancy in religion brings in the comfort of it.
Key Words
אֲשֶׁר: who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
עָשָׂה: to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
קָדַשׁ: to be (causatively, make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally)
כָּהַן: to officiate as a priest; figuratively, to put on regalia
לָקַח: to take (in the widest variety of applications)
אֶחָד: properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first
פַּר: a bullock (apparently as breaking forth in wild strength, or perhaps as dividing the hoof)
בָּקָר: beef cattle or an animal of the ox family of either gender (as used for plowing); collectively, a herd
שְׁנַיִם: two; also (as ordinal) twofold
אַיִל: properly, strength; hence, anything strong; specifically a chief (politically); also a ram (from his strength); a pilaster (as a strong support); an oak or other strong tree
Cross References
Exodus 29The burning of the sin offering bullock outside the camp prefigures Christ's suffering outside the gate.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
The historical fulfillment of sprinkling the anointing oil and blood on Aaron and his garments.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Explicit parallel of God's promise to meet and speak with Israel there.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The historical fulfillment and enactment of these very consecration rites by Moses.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Describes the oil poured on Aaron's head, running down his beard, signifying the Spirit's abundance.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The anointing of the priest typifies Christ being anointed with the Holy Spirit for ministry.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Contrast between earthly priests offering daily sacrifices and Christ's once-for-all perfect sacrifice.
Supported by JFB
Jesus references this law, confirming that the altar is what sanctifies the gift placed upon it.
Supported by JFB
The parallel liturgical law detailing the morning and evening continual burnt offerings.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The historical fulfillment where the tabernacle was sanctified by God's glory.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The ultimate eschatological fulfillment of God dwelling with His people.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Paul cites the promise of God dwelling in them to describe the church.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Washing with water signifies the absolute necessity of spiritual cleansing before serving God.
Supported by JFB
Laying hands on the sacrifice's head to confess sin and transfer guilt.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The burnt offering's sweet savor typifies Christ's offering of Himself as a sweet-smelling savor.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Identical ritual of applying blood to the right ear, thumb, and toe for cleansing.
Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB
Celebrates the precious anointing oil running down Aaron's head onto his priestly garments.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Moses takes the breast of the ram of consecration as his portion, just as commanded.
Supported by JFB
The general statute reserving the wave breast and heave shoulder of peace offerings for the priests.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Moses executes the command to boil the ram of consecration and eat it at the tabernacle door.
Supported by JFB
The spiritual application of the daily sacrifices, equating prayer with the evening incense and sacrifice.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Daniel refers to the 'evening oblation', showing the continuity of this practice.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The evening sacrifice as a type of the believer's daily prayers.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Confirms the continual burnt offering was ordained in Mount Sinai.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Pentateuchal parallel reiterating the promise to walk and dwell among Israel.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Contrasts the imperfect, sinful Levitical priests who needed sacrifices with our holy, undefiled High Priest.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Unleavened bread signifies sincerity and truth, typified by Christ's freedom from all malice.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Identifies the holy crown placed upon the mitre as the engraved plate of gold.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Explains that according to the law, almost all things are purged and dedicated with blood.
Supported by Matthew Poole, Matthew Henry
The literal transfer of Aaron's holy garments to his son Eleazar at his death.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Confirms that holy food is reserved exclusively for Aaron and his sons to eat in a holy place.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Further instructions on the meeting place before the testimony.
Identifies the tabernacle as the place where God meets with Moses.
Believers are washed in Christ's blood to become a spiritual priesthood.
Supported by Matthew Henry
The foundational covenant formula: 'I will be to you a God'.
Believers are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.