ARKCODEX
Exodus
Ch. 29
Instructions for Ordaining Aaron and His Sons as Priests
1“This is what you are to do to Aaron and his sons to dedicate them as priests in my service. Take one young bull and two rams without any defects.
2Use the best wheat flour, but no yeast, and make some bread with olive oil, some without it, and some in the form of thin cakes brushed with oil.
3Put them in a basket and offer them to me when you sacrifice the bull and the two rams.
4“Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent of my presence, and have them take a ritual bath.
5Then dress Aaron in the priestly garments—the shirt, the robe that goes under the ephod, the ephod, the breastpiece, and the belt.
6Put the turban on him and tie on it the sacred sign of dedication engraved ‘Dedicated to the Lord.’
7Then take the anointing oil, pour it on his head, and anoint him.
8“Bring his sons and put shirts on them;
9put sashes around their waists and tie caps on their heads. That is how you are to ordain Aaron and his sons. They and their descendants are to serve me as priests forever.
10“Bring the bull to the front of the Tent of my presence and tell Aaron and his sons to put their hands on its head.
11Kill the bull there in my holy presence at the entrance of the Tent.
12Take some of the bull's blood and with your finger put it on the projections of the altar. Then pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
13Next, take all the fat which covers the internal organs, the best part of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar as an offering to me.
14But burn the bull's flesh, its skin, and its intestines outside the camp. This is an offering to take away the sins of the priests.
15“Take one of the rams and tell Aaron and his sons to put their hands on its head.
16Kill it, and take its blood and throw it against all four sides of the altar.
17Cut the ram in pieces; wash its internal organs and its hind legs, and put them on top of the head and the other pieces.
18Burn the whole ram on the altar as a food offering. The odor of this offering pleases me.
19“Take the other ram—the ram used for dedication—and tell Aaron and his sons to put their hands on its head.
20Kill it, and take some of its blood and put it on the lobes of the right ears of Aaron and his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet. Throw the rest of the blood against all four sides of the altar.
21Take some of the blood that is on the altar and some of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his clothes and on his sons and their clothes. He, his sons, and their clothes will then be dedicated to me.
22“Cut away the ram's fat, the fat tail, the fat covering the internal organs, the best part of the liver, the two kidneys with the fat on them, and the right thigh.
23From the basket of bread which has been offered to me, take one loaf of each kind: one loaf made with olive oil and one made without it and one thin cake.
24Put all this food in the hands of Aaron and his sons and have them dedicate it to me as a special gift.
25Then take it from them and burn it on the altar, on top of the burnt offering, as a food offering to me. The odor of this offering pleases me.
26“Take the breast of this ram and dedicate it to me as a special gift. This part of the animal will be yours.
27“When a priest is ordained, the breast and the thigh of the ram being used for the ordination are to be dedicated to me as a special gift and set aside for the priests.
28It is my unchanging decision that when my people make their fellowship offerings, the breast and the thigh of the animal belong to the priests. This is the people's gift to me, the Lord.
29“Aaron's priestly garments are to be handed on to his sons after his death, for them to wear when they are ordained.
30The son of Aaron who succeeds him as priest and who goes into the Tent of my presence to serve in the Holy Place is to wear these garments for seven days.
31“Take the meat of the ram used for the ordination of Aaron and his sons and boil it in a holy place.
32At the entrance of the Tent of my presence they are to eat it along with the bread left in the basket.
33They shall eat what was used in the ritual of forgiveness at their ordination. Only priests may eat this food, because it is sacred.
34If some of the meat or some of the bread is not eaten by morning, it is to be burned; it is not to be eaten, for it is sacred.
35“Perform the rites of ordination for Aaron and his sons for seven days exactly as I have commanded you.
36Each day you must offer a bull as a sacrifice, so that sin may be forgiven. This will purify the altar. Then anoint it with olive oil to make it holy.
37Do this every day for seven days. Then the altar will be completely holy, and anyone or anything that touches it will be harmed by the power of its holiness.
The Daily Offerings
38“Every day for all time to come, sacrifice on the altar two one-year-old lambs.
39Sacrifice one of the lambs in the morning and the other in the evening.
40With the first lamb offer two pounds of fine wheat flour mixed with one quart of pure olive oil. Pour out one quart of wine as an offering.
41Sacrifice the second lamb in the evening, and offer with it the same amounts of flour, olive oil, and wine as in the morning. This is a food offering to me, the Lord, and its odor pleases me.
42For all time to come, this burnt offering is to be offered in my presence at the entrance of the Tent of my presence. That is where I will meet my people and speak to you.
43There I will meet the people of Israel, and the dazzling light of my presence will make the place holy.
44I will make the Tent and the altar holy, and I will set Aaron and his sons apart to serve me as priests.
45I will live among the people of Israel, and I will be their God.
46They will know that I am the Lord their God who brought them out of Egypt so that I could live among them. I am the Lord their God.
Leviticus
Ch. 21
The Holiness of the Priests
1The Lord commanded Moses to tell the Aaronite priests, “No priest is to make himself ritually unclean by taking part in the funeral ceremonies when a relative dies,
2unless it is his mother, father, son, daughter, brother,
3or unmarried sister living in his house.
4He shall not make himself unclean at the death of those related to him by marriage.
5“No priest shall shave any part of his head or trim his beard or cut gashes on his body to show that he is in mourning.
6He must be holy and must not disgrace my name. He offers food offerings to me, and he must be holy.
7A priest shall not marry a woman who has been a prostitute or a woman who is not a virgin or who is divorced; he is holy.
8The people must consider the priest holy, because he presents the food offerings to me. I am the Lord; I am holy and I make my people holy.
9If a priest's daughter becomes a prostitute, she disgraces her father; she shall be burned to death.
10“The High Priest has had the anointing oil poured on his head and has been consecrated to wear the priestly garments, so he must not leave his hair uncombed or tear his clothes to show that he is in mourning.
11-12He has been dedicated to me and is not to make himself ritually unclean nor is he to defile my sacred Tent by leaving it and entering a house where there is a dead person, even if it is his own father or mother.
13He shall marry a virgin,
14not a widow or a divorced woman or a woman who has been a prostitute. He shall marry only a virgin from his own clan.
15Otherwise, his children, who ought to be holy, will be ritually unclean. I am the Lord and I have set him apart as the High Priest.”
16The Lord commanded Moses
17to tell Aaron, “None of your descendants who has any physical defects may present the food offering to me. This applies for all time to come.
18No man with any physical defects may make the offering: no one who is blind, lame, disfigured, or deformed;
19no one with a crippled hand or foot;
20no one who is a hunchback or a dwarf; no one with any eye or skin disease; and no eunuch.
21No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any physical defects may present the food offering to me.
22Such a man may eat the food offered to me, both the holy food offering and the very holy food offering,
23but because he has a physical defect, he shall not come near the sacred curtain or approach the altar. He must not profane these holy things, because I am the Lord and I make them holy.”
24This, then, is what Moses said to Aaron, the sons of Aaron, and to all the people of Israel.
Psalms
Ch. 119
Faith in the Law of the Lord
89Your word, O Lord, will last forever; it is eternal in heaven.
90Your faithfulness endures through all the ages; you have set the earth in place, and it remains.
91All things remain to this day because of your command, because they are all your servants.
92If your law had not been the source of my joy, I would have died from my sufferings.
93I will never neglect your instructions, because by them you have kept me alive.
94I am yours—save me! I have tried to obey your commands.
95The wicked are waiting to kill me, but I will meditate on your laws.
96I have learned that everything has limits; but your commandment is perfect.
Love for the Law of the Lord
97How I love your law! I think about it all day long.
98Your commandment is with me all the time and makes me wiser than my enemies.
99I understand more than all my teachers, because I meditate on your instructions.
100I have greater wisdom than those who are old, because I obey your commands.
101I have avoided all evil conduct, because I want to obey your word.
102I have not neglected your instructions, because you yourself are my teacher.
103How sweet is the taste of your instructions— sweeter even than honey!
104I gain wisdom from your laws, and so I hate all bad conduct.
Light from the Law of the Lord
105Your word is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path.
106I will keep my solemn promise to obey your just instructions.
107My sufferings, Lord, are terrible indeed; keep me alive, as you have promised.
108Accept my prayer of thanks, O Lord, and teach me your commands.
109I am always ready to risk my life; I have not forgotten your law.
110The wicked lay a trap for me, but I have not disobeyed your commands.
111Your commandments are my eternal possession; they are the joy of my heart.
112I have decided to obey your laws until the day I die.
Safety in the Law of the Lord
113I hate those who are not completely loyal to you, but I love your law.
114You are my defender and protector; I put my hope in your promise.
115Go away from me, you sinful people. I will obey the commands of my God.
116Give me strength, as you promised, and I shall live; don't let me be disappointed in my hope!
117Hold me, and I will be safe, and I will always pay attention to your commands.
118You reject everyone who disobeys your laws; their deceitful schemes are useless.
119You treat all the wicked like rubbish, and so I love your instructions.
120Because of you I am afraid; I am filled with fear because of your judgments.
Obedience to the Law of the Lord
121I have done what is right and good; don't abandon me to my enemies!
122Promise that you will help your servant; don't let the arrogant oppress me!
123My eyes are tired from watching for your saving help, for the deliverance you promised.
124Treat me according to your constant love, and teach me your commands.
125I am your servant; give me understanding, so that I may know your teachings.
126Lord, it is time for you to act, because people are disobeying your law.
127I love your commands more than gold, more than the finest gold.
128And so I follow all your instructions; I hate all wrong ways.
Desire to Obey the Law of the Lord
129Your teachings are wonderful; I obey them with all my heart.
130The explanation of your teachings gives light and brings wisdom to the ignorant.
131In my desire for your commands I pant with open mouth.
132Turn to me and have mercy on me as you do on all those who love you.
133As you have promised, keep me from falling; don't let me be overcome by evil.
134Save me from those who oppress me, so that I may obey your commands.
135Bless me with your presence and teach me your laws.
136My tears pour down like a river, because people do not obey your law.
The Justice of the Law of the Lord
137You are righteous, Lord, and your laws are just.
138The rules that you have given are completely fair and right.
139My anger burns in me like a fire, because my enemies disregard your commands.
140How certain your promise is! How I love it!
141I am unimportant and despised, but I do not neglect your teachings.
142Your righteousness will last forever, and your law is always true.
143I am filled with trouble and anxiety, but your commandments bring me joy.
144Your instructions are always just; give me understanding, and I shall live.
A Prayer for Deliverance
145With all my heart I call to you; answer me, Lord, and I will obey your commands!
146I call to you; save me, and I will keep your laws.
147Before sunrise I call to you for help; I place my hope in your promise.
148All night long I lie awake, to meditate on your instructions.
149Because your love is constant, hear me, O Lord; show your mercy, and preserve my life!
150My cruel persecutors are coming closer, people who never keep your law.
151But you are near to me, Lord, and all your commands are permanent.
152Long ago I learned about your instructions; you made them to last forever.
A Plea for Help
153Look at my suffering, and save me, because I have not neglected your law.
154Defend my cause, and set me free; save me, as you have promised.
155The wicked will not be saved, for they do not obey your laws.
156But your compassion, Lord, is great; show your mercy and save me!
157I have many enemies and oppressors, but I do not fail to obey your laws.
158When I look at those traitors, I am filled with disgust, because they do not keep your commands.
159See how I love your instructions, Lord. Your love never changes, so save me!
160The heart of your law is truth, and all your righteous judgments are eternal.
Dedication to the Law of the Lord
161Powerful people attack me unjustly, but I respect your law.
162How happy I am because of your promises— as happy as someone who finds rich treasure.
163I hate and detest all lies, but I love your law.
164Seven times each day I thank you for your righteous judgments.
165Those who love your law have perfect security, and there is nothing that can make them fall.
166I wait for you to save me, Lord, and I do what you command.
167I obey your teachings; I love them with all my heart.
168I obey your commands and your instructions; you see everything I do.
A Prayer for Help
169Let my cry for help reach you, Lord! Give me understanding, as you have promised.
170Listen to my prayer, and save me according to your promise!
171I will always praise you, because you teach me your laws.
172I will sing about your law, because your commands are just.
173Always be ready to help me, because I follow your commands.
174How I long for your saving help, O Lord! I find happiness in your law.
175Give me life, so that I may praise you; may your instructions help me.
176I wander about like a lost sheep; so come and look for me, your servant, because I have not neglected your laws.