Charles Ellicott Commentary Hebrews 9:21

"Moreover the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry he sprinkled in like manner with the blood." — Hebrews 9:21 (ASV)

He sprinkled with blood.—Rather, he sprinkled in like manner with the blood. It is remarkable that the word rendered “in like manner” (found in the Bishops’ Bible, “likewise,” and in other versions) should have been overlooked in the Authorised Version.

The incident mentioned here belongs, of course, to a later date. It is not expressly recorded in Scripture but is related by Josephus (Antiquities 3.8.6); and, apart from internal probability, it might almost be concluded from the narrative of the Pentateuch itself.

In Exodus 40:9-15, we read of the divine injunction that Moses should put the anointing oil not only upon Aaron and his sons, their garments, and the altar, but also upon the Tabernacle and its vessels.

In Leviticus 8:10-12, the fulfilment of this command is recorded; but in the later verses of the same chapter, we read that the altar was sprinkled with the blood of the sin offering (Hebrews 9:15), and that Moses sprinkled Aaron and his sons and their garments with the anointing oil and the blood which was upon the altar.

Clearly, we may infer that the Tabernacle and its vessels were included in this latter ceremony.

Whatever was connected with the covenant that God made with His people had to be sprinkled with the blood, which at once typified purification (Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 9:24), and ratified the covenant (Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 9:17).