Aaron
The name Aaron means “a teacher; lofty; mountain of strength”
Summary
Profile
Aaron was the older brother of Moses (see Exodus 6:20; 7:7). He played an important role in establishing Israel and its institutions, especially the priesthood. He first appears after Moses was called by God at the burning bush (Exodus 3:1–4:17). Moses hesitated to accept his mission from God, saying he was not able to lead the Israelites out of Egypt because he struggled with speech (Exodus 4:10). Despite God's reassurances, Moses continued to resist until God appointed Aaron to speak for him. After that, Aaron often stood by Moses, speaking to the Israelite leaders and demanding that Pharaoh allow the Israelites to leave Egypt (Exodus 5:1–5).
During the Israelites' time in the wilderness, God chose Aaron and his sons to be priests (Exodus 28:1–5; 29:1–46; Leviticus 8:1–36). Aaron became Israel's first high priest. His role was important on the Day of Atonement. This was the only day when the high priest entered the Most Holy Place to cleanse it from Israel's sins (Leviticus 16). Before doing this, the high priest had to offer a sacrifice for his own sins.
Aaron was not a perfect leader. While Moses was on Mount Sinai getting the law from God, Aaron helped the people make an idol (Exodus 32). When Moses came back, Aaron made weak excuses and blamed the people. This event led to the death of three thousand Israelites and a plague.
Aaron and his sister, Miriam, once wrongly questioned the authority of Moses. This led to Miriam temporarily having leprosy (Numbers 12). Later, when other Levites questioned Aaron's authority, God confirmed Aaron's role by making his staff bloom with almond blossoms (Numbers 17). However, because Moses and Aaron questioned God's authority (Numbers 20:1–13), they both died in the wilderness and did not enter the Promised Land (Numbers 20:22–29).
Jesus is now the Great High Priest, with more authority and power than Aaron (see Hebrews 7–10).
Passages for Further Study
Exodus 4:14–17, 27–31; 6:20–27; 7:1–2; 28:1–5; 32:1–25; Numbers 12:1–12; 20:1–13, 22–29; Acts 7:39–41
Events
- Exodus from Egyptc. 1491 BC
- Wilderness Wanderingsc. 1491 BC
Glossary entries
Family members
Alternative names
Mentions
Includes 104 verses that refer to Aaron without naming them, as “he”, “she”, or the subject of a verb.
- Then the anger of the LORD burned against Moses, and He said, “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well, and he is now on his way to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.
- Exodus 4:15Referred to, not namedYou are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth. I will help both of you to speak, and I will teach you what to do.
- Exodus 4:16Referred to, not namedHe will speak to the people for you. He will be your spokesman, and it will be as if you were God to him.
- Meanwhile, the LORD had said to Aaron, “Go and meet Moses in the wilderness.” So he went and met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him.
- And Moses told Aaron everything the LORD had sent him to say, and all the signs He had commanded him to perform.
- Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the Israelites,
- …and Aaron relayed everything the LORD had said to Moses. And Moses performed the signs before the people,
- After that, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let My people go, so that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’”
- But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you draw the people away from their work? Get back to your labor!”
- When they left Pharaoh, they confronted Moses and Aaron, who stood waiting to meet them.
- Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge concerning both the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.
- And Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.
- And Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
- Aaron’s son Eleazar married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These were the heads of the Levite families by their clans.
- It was this Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, “Bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt by their divisions.”
- Moses and Aaron were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt in order to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.
- The LORD answered Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.
- You are to speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his land.
- So Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded them.
- Moses was eighty years old and Aaron was eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.
- The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,
- “When Pharaoh tells you, ‘Perform a miracle,’ you are to say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,’ and it will become a serpent.”
- So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD had commanded. Aaron threw his staff down before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent.
- Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up the other staffs.
- And the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over their rivers and canals and ponds and all the reservoirs—that they may become blood.’ There will be blood throughout the land of Egypt, even in the vessels of wood and stone.”
- Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded; in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials, Aaron raised the staff and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was turned to blood.
- And the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers and canals and ponds, and cause the frogs to come up onto the land of Egypt.’”
- So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.
- Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people. Then I will let your people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.”
- After Moses and Aaron had left Pharaoh, Moses cried out to the LORD for help with the frogs that He had brought against Pharaoh.
- Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, that it may turn into swarms of gnats throughout the land of Egypt.’”
- This they did, and when Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, gnats came upon man and beast. All the dust of the earth turned into gnats throughout the land of Egypt.
- Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within this land.”
- Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from the furnace; in the sight of Pharaoh, Moses is to toss it into the air.
- Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said. “The LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.
- So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and told him, “This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, so that they may worship Me.
- So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. “Go, worship the LORD your God,” he said. “But who exactly will be going?”
- Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you.
- Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that he would not let the Israelites go out of his land.
- Now the LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,
- And the Israelites went and did just what the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron.
- Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, “Get up, leave my people, both you and the Israelites! Go, worship the LORD as you have requested.
- And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the statute of the Passover: No foreigner is to eat of it.
- Then all the Israelites did this—they did just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron.
- Then Miriam the prophetess, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her with tambourines and dancing.
- And there in the desert the whole congregation of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron.
- So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “This evening you will know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt,
- Then Moses said to Aaron, “Tell the whole congregation of Israel, ‘Come before the LORD, for He has heard your grumbling.’”
- And as Aaron was speaking to the whole congregation of Israel, they looked toward the desert, and there in a cloud the glory of the LORD appeared.
- So Moses told Aaron, “Take a jar and fill it with an omer of manna. Then place it before the LORD to be preserved for the generations to come.”
- And Aaron placed it in front of the Testimony, to be preserved just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
- Joshua did as Moses had instructed him and fought against the Amalekites, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.
- When Moses’ hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur held his hands up, one on each side, so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down.
- Then Moses’ father-in-law Jethro brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.
- And the LORD replied, “Go down and bring Aaron with you. But the priests and the people must not break through to come up to the LORD, or He will break out against them.”
- Then the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to the LORD—you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of Israel’s elders—and you are to worship at a distance.
- Exodus 24:2Referred to, not namedMoses alone shall approach the LORD, but the others must not come near. And the people may not go up with him.”
- Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel,
- And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. Aaron and Hur are here with you. Whoever has a dispute can go to them.”
- In the Tent of Meeting, outside the veil that is in front of the Testimony, Aaron and his sons are to tend the lamps before the LORD from evening until morning. This is to be a permanent statute for the Israelites for the generations to come.
- “Next, have your brother Aaron brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, to serve Me as priests.
- Make holy garments for your brother Aaron, to give him glory and splendor.
- You are to instruct all the skilled craftsmen, whom I have filled with a spirit of wisdom, to make garments for Aaron’s consecration, so that he may serve Me as priest.
- These are the garments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make these holy garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so that they may serve Me as priests.
- Exodus 28:8Referred to, not namedAnd the skillfully woven waistband of the ephod must be of one piece, of the same workmanship—with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen.
- Fasten both stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as memorial stones for the sons of Israel. Aaron is to bear their names on his two shoulders as a memorial before the LORD.
- Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he shall bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of judgment, as a continual reminder before the LORD.
- And place the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece of judgment, so that they will also be over Aaron’s heart whenever he comes before the LORD. Aaron will continually carry the judgment of the sons of Israel over his heart before the LORD.
- Aaron must wear the robe whenever he ministers, and its sound will be heard when he enters or exits the sanctuary before the LORD, so that he will not die.
- And it will be worn on Aaron’s forehead, so that he may bear the iniquity of the holy things that the sons of Israel consecrate with regard to all their holy gifts. It shall always be on his forehead, so that they may be acceptable before the LORD.
- Make tunics, sashes, and headbands for Aaron’s sons, to give them glory and splendor.
- After you put these garments on your brother Aaron and his sons, anoint them, ordain them, and consecrate them so that they may serve Me as priests.
- Exodus 28:42Referred to, not namedMake linen undergarments to cover their bare flesh, extending from waist to thigh.
- Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die. This is to be a permanent statute for Aaron and his descendants.
- Exodus 29:1Referred to, not named“Now this is what you are to do to consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve Me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams without blemish,
- Then present Aaron and his sons at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water.
- Take the garments and clothe Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod itself, and the breastplate. Fasten the ephod on him with its woven waistband.
- Exodus 29:6Referred to, not namedPut the turban on his head and attach the holy diadem to the turban.
- Exodus 29:7Referred to, not namedThen take the anointing oil and anoint him by pouring it on his head.
- Exodus 29:8Referred to, not namedPresent his sons as well and clothe them with tunics.
- Wrap the sashes around Aaron and his sons and tie headbands on them. The priesthood shall be theirs by a permanent statute. In this way you are to ordain Aaron and his sons.
- You are to present the bull at the front of the Tent of Meeting, and Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on its head.
- Take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.
- Take the second ram, and Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on its head.
- Slaughter the ram, take some of its blood, and put it on the right earlobes of Aaron and his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Splatter the remaining blood on all sides of the altar.
- And take some of the blood on the altar and some of the anointing oil and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments, as well as on his sons and their garments. Then he and his garments will be consecrated, as well as his sons and their garments.
- Put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons and wave them before the LORD as a wave offering.
- Exodus 29:25Referred to, not namedThen take them from their hands and burn them on the altar atop the burnt offering as a pleasing aroma before the LORD; it is a food offering to the LORD.
- Take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s ordination and wave it before the LORD as a wave offering, and it will be your portion.
- Consecrate for Aaron and his sons the breast of the wave offering that is waved and the thigh of the heave offering that is lifted up from the ram of ordination.
- This will belong to Aaron and his sons as a regular portion from the Israelites, for it is the heave offering the Israelites will make to the LORD from their peace offerings.
- The holy garments that belong to Aaron will belong to his sons after him, so they can be anointed and ordained in them.
- Exodus 29:30Referred to, not namedThe son who succeeds him as priest and enters the Tent of Meeting to minister in the Holy Place must wear them for seven days.
- At 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.
- Exodus 29:33Referred to, not namedThey must eat those things by which atonement was made for their ordination and consecration. But no outsider may eat them, because these things are sacred.
- This is what you are to do for Aaron and his sons based on all that I have commanded you, taking seven days to ordain them.
- So I will consecrate the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and I will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve Me as priests.
- And Aaron is to burn fragrant incense on it every morning when he tends the lamps.
- When Aaron sets up the lamps at twilight, he must burn the incense perpetually before the LORD for the generations to come.
- Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on the horns of the altar. Throughout your generations he shall make atonement on it annually with the blood of the sin offering of atonement. The altar is most holy to the LORD.”
- …with which Aaron and his sons are to wash their hands and feet.
- Exodus 30:20Referred to, not namedWhenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister by presenting a food offering to the LORD, they must wash with water so that they will not die.
- Exodus 30:21Referred to, not namedThus they are to wash their hands and feet so that they will not die; this shall be a permanent statute for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come.”
- Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them to serve Me as priests.
- …as well as the woven garments, both the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests,
- Now when the people saw that Moses was delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him!”
- So Aaron told them, “Take off the gold earrings that are on your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.”
- Then all the people took off their gold earrings and brought them to Aaron.
- Exodus 32:4Referred to, not namedHe took the gold from their hands, and with an engraving tool he fashioned it into a molten calf. And they said, “These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”
- When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before the calf and proclaimed: “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.”
- “What did this people do to you,” Moses asked Aaron, “that you have led them into so great a sin?”
- “Do not be enraged, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know that the people are intent on evil.
- Exodus 32:23Referred to, not namedThey told me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him!’
- Exodus 32:24Referred to, not namedSo I said to them, ‘Whoever has gold, let him take it off,’ and they gave it to me. And when I threw it into the fire, out came this calf!”
- Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them run wild and become a laughingstock to their enemies.
- And the LORD sent a plague on the people because of what they had done with the calf that Aaron had made.
- Aaron and all the Israelites looked at Moses, and behold, his face was radiant. And they were afraid to approach him.
- But Moses called out to them; so Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke to them.
- …and the woven garments for ministering in the holy place—both the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests.”
- This is the inventory for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the Testimony, as recorded at Moses’ command by the Levites under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.
- From the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn they made specially woven garments for ministry in the sanctuary, as well as the holy garments for Aaron, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
- Exodus 39:5Referred to, not namedAnd the skillfully woven waistband of the ephod was of one piece with the ephod, of the same workmanship—with gold, with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and with finely spun linen, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
- For Aaron and his sons they made tunics of fine linen, the work of a weaver,
- …and the woven garments for ministering in the sanctuary, both the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons to serve as priests.
- Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water.
- And you are to clothe Aaron with the holy garments, anoint him, and consecrate him, so that he may serve Me as a priest.
- Exodus 40:14Referred to, not namedBring his sons forward and clothe them with tunics.
- …and from it Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and feet.
- And he shall slaughter the young bull before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons the priests are to present the blood and splatter it on all sides of the altar at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
- The sons of Aaron the priest shall put a fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire.
- Then Aaron’s sons the priests are to arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat, atop the burning wood on the altar.
- He shall slaughter it on the north side of the altar before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons the priests are to splatter its blood against the altar on all sides.
- …and bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the flour and oil, together with all the frankincense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
- The remainder of the grain offering shall belong to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the food offerings to the LORD.
- But the remainder of the grain offering shall belong to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the food offerings to the LORD.
- He is to lay his hand on the head of the offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall splatter the blood on all sides of the altar.
- Then Aaron’s sons are to burn it on the altar atop the burnt offering that is on the burning wood, as a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
- He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splatter its blood on all sides of the altar.
- He must lay his hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splatter its blood on all sides of the altar.
- “Command Aaron and his sons that this is the law of the burnt offering: The burnt offering is to remain on the hearth of the altar all night, until morning, and the fire must be kept burning on the altar.
- Now this is the law of the grain offering: Aaron’s sons shall present it before the LORD in front of the altar.
- Aaron and his sons are to eat the remainder. It must be eaten without leaven in a holy place; they are to eat it in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.
- Leviticus 6:17Referred to, not namedIt must not be baked with leaven; I have assigned it as their portion of My food offerings. It is most holy, like the sin offering and the guilt offering.
- Any male among the sons of Aaron may eat it. This is a permanent portion from the food offerings to the LORD for the generations to come. Anything that touches them will become holy.”
- “This is the offering that Aaron and his sons must present to the LORD on the day he is anointed: a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a regular grain offering, half of it in the morning and half in the evening.
- Leviticus 6:22Referred to, not namedThe priest, who is one of Aaron’s sons and will be anointed to take his place, is to prepare it. As a permanent portion for the LORD, it must be burned completely.
- “Tell Aaron and his sons that this is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered, the sin offering shall be slaughtered before the LORD; it is most holy.
- Leviticus 6:27Referred to, not namedAnything that touches its flesh will become holy, and if any of the blood is spattered on a garment, you must wash it in a holy place.
- …and every grain offering, whether dry or mixed with oil, belongs equally to all the sons of Aaron.
- The priest is to burn the fat on the altar, but the breast belongs to Aaron and his sons.
- The son of Aaron who presents the blood and fat of the peace offering shall have the right thigh as a portion.
- I have taken from the sons of Israel the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution of their peace offerings, and I have given them to Aaron the priest and his sons as a permanent portion from the sons of Israel.’”
- This is the portion of the food offerings to the LORD for Aaron and his sons since the day they were presented to serve the LORD as priests.
- Leviticus 7:36Referred to, not namedOn the day they were anointed, the LORD commanded that this be given them by the sons of Israel. It is a permanent portion for the generations to come.
- “Take Aaron and his sons, their garments, the anointing oil, the bull of the sin offering, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread,
- Then Moses presented Aaron and his sons and washed them with water.
- Leviticus 8:7Referred to, not namedHe put the tunic on Aaron, tied the sash around him, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him. He tied the woven band of the ephod around him and fastened it to him.
- Leviticus 8:8Referred to, not namedThen he put the breastpiece on him and placed the Urim and Thummim in the breastpiece.
- Leviticus 8:9Referred to, not namedMoses also put the turban on Aaron’s head and set the gold plate, the holy diadem, on the front of the turban, as the LORD had commanded him.
- He also poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to consecrate him.
- Then Moses presented Aaron’s sons, put tunics on them, wrapped sashes around them, and tied headbands on them, just as the LORD had commanded him.
- Moses then brought the bull near for the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head.
- Then Moses presented the ram for the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head.
- After that, Moses presented the other ram, the ram of ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head.
- Moses slaughtered the ram and took some of its blood and put it on Aaron’s right earlobe, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.
- Moses also presented Aaron’s sons and put some of the blood on their right earlobes, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Then he splattered the blood on all sides of the altar.
- He put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons and waved them before the LORD as a wave offering.
- Leviticus 8:28Referred to, not namedThen Moses took these from their hands and burned them on the altar with the burnt offering. This was an ordination offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD.
- Next, Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood that was on the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his garments, and on his sons and their garments. So he consecrated Aaron and his garments, as well as Aaron’s sons and their garments.
- And Moses said to Aaron and his sons, “Boil the meat at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and eat it there with the bread that is in the basket of ordination offerings, as I commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons are to eat it.’
- Leviticus 8:32Referred to, not namedThen you must burn up the remainder of the meat and bread.
- Leviticus 8:33Referred to, not namedYou must not go outside the entrance to the Tent of Meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are complete; for it will take seven days to ordain you.
- Leviticus 8:34Referred to, not namedWhat has been done today has been commanded by the LORD in order to make atonement on your behalf.
- Leviticus 8:35Referred to, not namedYou must remain at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting day and night for seven days and keep the LORD’s charge so that you will not die, for this is what I have been commanded.”
- So Aaron and his sons did everything the LORD had commanded through Moses.
- On the eighth day Moses summoned Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel.
- He said to Aaron, “Take for yourself a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without blemish, and present them before the LORD.
- Leviticus 9:3Referred to, not namedThen speak to the Israelites and say, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, a calf and a lamb—both a year old and without blemish—for a burnt offering,
- Leviticus 9:5Referred to, not namedSo they took what Moses had commanded to the front of the Tent of Meeting, and the whole congregation drew near and stood before the LORD.
- Then Moses said to Aaron, “Approach the altar and sacrifice your sin offering and your burnt offering to make atonement for yourself and for the people. And sacrifice the people’s offering to make atonement for them, as the LORD has commanded.”
- So Aaron approached the altar and slaughtered the calf as a sin offering for himself.
- The sons of Aaron brought the blood to him, and he dipped his finger in the blood and applied it to the horns of the altar. And he poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
- Leviticus 9:10Referred to, not namedOn the altar he burned the fat, the kidneys, and the lobe of the liver from the sin offering, as the LORD had commanded Moses.
- Leviticus 9:11Referred to, not namedBut he burned up the flesh and the hide outside the camp.
- Then Aaron slaughtered the burnt offering. His sons brought him the blood, and he splattered it on all sides of the altar.
- Leviticus 9:13Referred to, not namedThey brought him the burnt offering piece by piece, including the head, and he burned them on the altar.
- Leviticus 9:14Referred to, not namedHe washed the entrails and the legs and burned them atop the burnt offering on the altar.
- Leviticus 9:15Referred to, not namedAaron then presented the people’s offering. He took the male goat for the people’s sin offering, slaughtered it, and offered it for sin like the first one.
- Leviticus 9:16Referred to, not namedHe presented the burnt offering and offered it according to the ordinance.
- Leviticus 9:17Referred to, not namedNext he presented the grain offering, took a handful of it, and burned it on the altar in addition to the morning’s burnt offering.
- Then he slaughtered the ox and the ram as the people’s peace offering. His sons brought him the blood, and he splattered it on all sides of the altar.
- Leviticus 9:20Referred to, not named…and placed these on the breasts. Aaron burned the fat portions on the altar,
- …but he waved the breasts and the right thigh as a wave offering before the LORD, as Moses had commanded.
- Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them. And having made the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering, he stepped down.
- Moses and Aaron then entered the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people, and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people.
- Now Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense, and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to His command.
- Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD meant when He said: ‘To those who come near Me I will show My holiness, and in the sight of all the people I will reveal My glory.’” But Aaron remained silent.
- Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel, and said to them, “Come here; carry the bodies of your cousins outside the camp, away from the front of the sanctuary.”
- Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Do not let your hair become disheveled and do not tear your garments, or else you will die, and the LORD will be angry with the whole congregation. But your brothers, the whole house of Israel, may mourn on account of the fire that the LORD has ignited.
- Leviticus 10:7Referred to, not namedYou shall not go outside the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, or you will die, for the LORD’s anointing oil is on you.” So they did as Moses instructed.