Leviticus

Consecration of Aaron and His Sons

The Lord spoke to Moses:

“Take Aaron, along with his sons, and the vestments, the anointing oil, the bull for the sin offering, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread.

Then gather the entire community at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.”

Moses did as the Lord commanded; the community gathered at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.

And Moses said to them:

“This is what the Lord has commanded.”

He brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water.

He put the tunic on Aaron, wrapped the sash around his waist, dressed him in the robe, and placed the Ephod on him. Then he secured the woven band of the Ephod around his waist.

He put the embroidered linen breastpiece on him and placed the Urim and Thummim in it.

He placed the turban on his head, featuring the golden ornament at the front; this is the sacred sign of dedication, as the Lord commanded Moses to do.

Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the Holy Tent and everything in it, to consecrate them.

He sprinkled the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and its furnishings, the basin, and its stand, to dedicate them all to the Lord.

Then he ordained Aaron by pouring the anointing oil on his head.

Then Moses brought Aaron’s sons forward; he dressed them in shirts, tied the sashes around their waists, and put on their headpieces, as the Lord had commanded him to do.

Then he brought forward the bull for the sin offering. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the bull’s head.

Moses then slaughtered it and took the blood, applying some on the corners around the altar to atone for its sin. Afterwards, he poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar, dedicating it to the Lord through atonement.

He took all the fat covering the internal organs, including the best part of the liver, the two kidneys, and their fat, burning them all on the altar.

After that, he burned the bull’s skin, its flesh, and its intestines outside the camp, as the Lord had commanded him.

Then he had the ram for the burnt offering brought forward. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head.

Moses slaughtered it and poured its blood on the sides of the altar.

Then he quartered the ram, burning the head, the pieces, and the fat.

He washed the internal organs and legs, then burned the whole ram on the altar. This was a burnt offering, a sweet-smelling offering to the Lord, a burnt offering by fire for the Lord, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Then he brought forward the other ram for the sacrifice during the ordination of the priests. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the ram’s head,

and Moses slaughtered it. He took some of its blood and applied it to the lobe of Aaron’s right ear, the thumb of his right hand, and the big toe of his right foot.

Then he made the sons of Aaron come forward, and he put some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears, the thumbs of their right hands, and the big toes of their right feet. Next, Moses poured the rest of the blood on the sides of the altar.

Then he took the fat: the tail, all the fat that is on the internal organs, the best part of the liver, the two kidneys, and their fat, and the right hind leg.

From the basket of unleavened bread placed before the Lord, he took an unleavened cake, a loaf of bread made with oil, and a wafer; he placed these on the fat and the right hind leg,

put it all into Aaron’s hands and those of his sons, who waved them before the Lord.

Then Moses took them back and burned them on the altar in addition to the burnt offering.

This was the sacrifice for the ordination of priests, a sweet-smelling offering to the Lord, an offering by fire to the Lord.

Then Moses took the breast and made the offering before the Lord. This was the share of the ram of ordination for Moses, as the Lord had commanded.

Then Moses took the anointing oil and the blood from the altar and sprinkled Aaron and his garments with it, along with his sons and their garments. In this way, he consecrated Aaron and his garments, as well as his sons and their garments, to the Lord.

Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons, “Cook the meat at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, and eat it there, and also the bread for the sacrifice of priestly ordination that is in the basket, as I commanded when I said: Aaron and his sons are to eat it.

What remains of the meat and bread you will burn.

For seven days, you must not leave the entrance of the Tent of Meeting until your ordination ends, for your hands will be consecrated for seven days.

All that we have done today is the rite of atonement for you as the Lord has commanded us to do.

And for seven days, day and night, you must remain at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, doing what the Lord has commanded, lest you die. For this is the commandment I received.”

And Aaron and his sons did everything the Lord commanded through Moses.