Exodus 8
Leviticus 8 is the chapter that records how Moses, according to God’s command, ordains Aaron and his sons as priests. It consists of 36 verses and describes in detail how the ordination ceremony is carried out. This chapter has the following overall structural flow:
- Preparation for the ordination ceremony (verses 1–4): Moses gathers the congregation at the entrance of the tabernacle and arranges everything needed for the ordination ceremony (clothing, oil, offerings, etc.).
- Ordination of Aaron and his sons (verses 5–13): He puts the special garments on Aaron and his sons and pours anointing oil on them to set them apart as holy.
- Order of the sacrificial offerings (verses 14–30): He presents the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the ordination offering in sequence, symbolizing the holiness and dedication of the priestly office.
- Completion of the ordination and instructions (verses 31–36): Along with the remaining procedures of the ordination ceremony, an instruction is given to remain holy without leaving the tabernacle for seven days.
1verseThe LORD spoke to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘This is what the LORD says, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.
2verseIf you refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your borders with frogs.
3verseThe river will swarm with frogs, which will go up and come into your house, and into your bedroom, and on your bed, and into the house of your servants, and on your people, and into your ovens, and into your kneading troughs.
4verseThe frogs shall come up both on you, and on your people, and on all your servants.”’”
5verseThe LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your rod over the rivers, over the streams, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.’”
6verseAaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.
7verseThe magicians did the same thing with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.
8verseThen Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Entreat the LORD, that he take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.”
9verseMoses said to Pharaoh, “I give you the honor of setting the time that I should pray for you, and for your servants, and for your people, that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses, and remain in the river only.”
10versePharaoh said, “Tomorrow.” Moses said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God.
11verseThe frogs shall depart from you, and from your houses, and from your servants, and from your people. They shall remain in the river only.”
12verseMoses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to the LORD concerning the frogs which he had brought on Pharaoh.
13verseThe LORD did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields.
14verseThey gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank.
15verseBut when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and didn’t listen to them, as the LORD had spoken.
16verseThe LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.’”
17verseThey did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and struck the dust of the earth, and there were lice on man, and on animal; all the dust of the earth became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
18verseThe magicians tried with their enchantments to produce lice, but they couldn’t. There were lice on man, and on animal.
19verseThen the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is God’s finger;” but Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them, as the LORD had spoken.
20verseThe LORD said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; behold, he comes out to the water; and tell him, ‘This is what the LORD says, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.
21verseElse, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you, and on your servants, and on your people, and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground they are on.
22verseI will set apart in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, to the end you may know that I am the LORD on the earth.
23verseI will put a division between my people and your people. This sign shall happen by tomorrow.”’”
24verseThe LORD did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses. In all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies.
25versePharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land!”
26verseMoses said, “It isn’t appropriate to do so; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God. Behold, if we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, won’t they stone us?
27verseWe will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us.”
28versePharaoh said, “I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness, only you shall not go very far away. Pray for me.”
29verseMoses said, “Behold, I am going out from you. I will pray to the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only don’t let Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.”
30verseMoses went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to the LORD.
31verseThe LORD did according to the word of Moses, and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. There remained not one.
32versePharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he didn’t let the people go.
Meaning and Symbolism
Leviticus 8 shows how the beginning of the priestly office was carried out strictly according to God’s command. The acts of clothing Aaron and his sons and anointing them with oil signify that they are set apart as holy. The offerings—the sin offering, burnt offering, and ordination offering—symbolize purification, dedication, and their special responsibility before God.
This ordination ceremony, carried out before the assembled congregation at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, emphasizes that Israel stands together before God. In addition, the seven-day ordination period points to completeness, sufficient preparation, and sustained dedication.
Points for Meditation
- If God wants anyone to become His worker, He requires holiness (being set apart) and dedication.
- The ordination carried out in the presence of everyone suggests that God’s workers should be trusted and built up within the community.
- The detailed repetition of the ordination ceremony helps us realize the importance of obeying as God instructed.
Try Applying It to Yourself
- Today, how am I preparing for the role and mission God has given me? What does holiness in my life look like?
- You can also check yourself to see whether you are trying to align your life with God’s instructions and order.
- Let’s meditate again on the preciousness of the time we stand before God together with the community.
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