Albert Barnes Commentary Leviticus 8
Albert Barnes Commentary
Leviticus 8
Albert Barnes Commentary
Leviticus 8
"Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and the bullock of the sin-offering, and the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread;" — Leviticus 8:2 (ASV)
A bullock ... two rams ... a basket - compare Exodus 29:1-3. This shows the coherence of this part of Leviticus with the latter part of Exodus. The basket of unleavened bread used on this occasion appears to have contained:
- cakes or loaves of the ordinary unleavened bread;
- cakes of oiled bread, rather, oil bread (see Leviticus 2:1, Leviticus 2:4); and
- oiled wafers (see Leviticus 2:4, Leviticus 2:6).
Rabbinical tradition says that there were six cakes of each sort.
"and assemble thou all the congregation at the door of the tent of meeting." — Leviticus 8:3 (ASV)
Gather ... - Rather, gather all the assembly together toward the entrance of the tent of meeting. See Leviticus 4:13. The whole body of the people were summoned on this occasion, and the elders probably occupied the first places.
The elders are especially called together in an unequivocal manner to receive directions to provide the first sacrifices for the nation, to be offered by the newly consecrated priests (Leviticus 9:1), and the body of the people afterward assemble as they do here (Leviticus 9:5).
The spot designated was the portion of the court in front of the tabernacle (see Leviticus 1:3 note). Toward this space, the people were commanded to assemble to witness the great national ceremony of the consecration of the priesthood.
This was the solemn setting apart of one of their families, whose members were from then on to stand as mediators between them and Yahweh in carrying out the precepts of the ceremonial law.
Those who could do so, may have come into the court, and a great number of others may have occupied the heights which overlooked the enclosure of the court. As the series of ceremonies was repeated every day for a week (Leviticus 8:33), it is natural to suppose that some of the people attended on one day and some on another.
"And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water." — Leviticus 8:6 (ASV)
Washed them with water - Moses caused them to bathe entirely , not merely to wash their hands and feet, as they were to do in their daily ministrations. See the marginal reference. This bathing, which the high priest had also to go through on the day of atonement, was symbolic of the spiritual cleansing required of all (2 Corinthians 7:1), but especially of those who had to draw near to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people (Hebrews 7:26; Matthew 3:15).
"And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the skilfully woven band of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith. And he placed the breastplate upon him: and in the breastplate he put the Urim and the Thummim. And he set the mitre upon his head; and upon the mitre, in front, did he set the golden plate, the holy crown; as Jehovah commanded Moses." — Leviticus 8:7-9 (ASV)
See the notes at Exodus 28:0.
Leviticus 8:9. The holy crown – The golden plate of the mitre was so called as the distinctive badge of the high priest’s consecration. See Leviticus 21:12.
"And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them." — Leviticus 8:10 (ASV)
Moses first anointed with the holy oil (Exodus 30:25) the tabernacle and everything in it, that is, the ark of the covenant, the table of showbread, the candlestick and the golden altar, with all the articles that belonged to them.
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