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.

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.

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.