Leviticus Chapter 10

At a Glance

  • Leviticus 9 narrates the first public appearance of Aaron as high priest after his ordination.
  • Leviticus 9 follows the inauguration of the priesthood in Leviticus 8 and serves as the narrative confirmation of the sacrificial system with the Lord’s appearing.
  • - Atonement as corporate reconciliation: Aaron’s offerings cover the people’s sins and unfaithfulness.
  • - Divine presence as validation: The glory of the Lord appearing confirms the efficacy of sacrifice.
  • - Mediators and the people: The priest acts on behalf of Israel, highlighting the necessity of mediators in approaching God.

Leviticus 9 narrates the first public appearance of Aaron as high priest after his ordination. Moses commands the offerings for sin, burnt, peace, and meat offerings, and then, in a climactic moment, the glory of the Lord appears to all Israel. Aaron begins with a sin offering for himself, then offers for the people, and the people observe as the ritual culminates in the divine manifestation. The appearance of God’s glory confirms the efficacy of the sacrifices and the legitimacy of the priestly mediation. The chapter emphasizes both the necessity of atonement before God’s people and the power of the sacrifices to bring reconciliation. It’s a turning point in the narrative arc: the prescribed ritual order results in divine approbation and visible holiness.

Leviticus 9 follows the inauguration of the priesthood in Leviticus 8 and serves as the narrative confirmation of the sacrificial system with the Lord’s appearing. The combination of rite and revelation underscores the covenant’s experiential dimension: God meets Israel in the sanctuary, and the sacrifices enable a right relationship. The genre blends sacred narrative with liturgical instruction, illustrating the continuity between ritual obedience and divine presence.

- Atonement as corporate reconciliation: Aaron’s offerings cover the people’s sins and unfaithfulness.

- Divine presence as validation: The glory of the Lord appearing confirms the efficacy of sacrifice.

- Mediators and the people: The priest acts on behalf of Israel, highlighting the necessity of mediators in approaching God.

- Obedience as pathway to blessing: Adherence to the liturgical order is rewarded with divine encounter.

The chapter speaks to contemporary faith communities about the centrality of atonement and worship in experiencing God’s presence. It invites believers to approach God with humility, thanksgiving, and reverence, recognizing that spiritual cleansing and reconciliation are not abstract ideas but lived experiences through worship and communal confession. The narrative reinforces the importance of trusted leadership and faithful ritual practice as a conduit for seeing God at work in the community.

Key Themes

Atonement as corporate reconciliation: Aaron’s offerings cover the people’s sins and unfaithfulness.Divine presence as validation: The glory of the Lord appearing confirms the efficacy of sacrifice.Mediators and the people: The priest acts on behalf of Israel, highlighting the necessity of mediators in approaching God.Obedience as pathway to blessing: Adherence to the liturgical order is rewarded with divine encounter.

Chapter Text

1

And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.

2

And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.

3

Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

4

And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.

5

So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said.

6

And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the LORD hath kindled.

7

And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses.

8

And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying,

9

Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:

10

And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

11

And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.

12

And Moses spake unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons that were left, Take the meat offering that remaineth of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, and eat it without leaven beside the altar: for it is most holy:

13

And ye shall eat it in the holy place, because it is thy due, and thy sons’ due, of the sacrifices of the LORD made by fire: for so I am commanded.

14

And the wave breast and heave shoulder shall ye eat in a clean place; thou, and thy sons, and thy daughters with thee: for they be thy due, and thy sons’ due, which are given out of the sacrifices of peace offerings of the children of Israel.

15

The heave shoulder and the wave breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat, to wave it for a wave offering before the LORD; and it shall be thine, and thy sons’ with thee, by a statute for ever; as the LORD hath commanded.

16

And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt: and he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron which were left alive, saying,

17

Wherefore have ye not eaten the sin offering in the holy place, seeing it is most holy, and God hath given it you to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the LORD?

18

Behold, the blood of it was not brought in within the holy place: ye should indeed have eaten it in the holy place, as I commanded.

19

And Aaron said unto Moses, Behold, this day have they offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the LORD; and such things have befallen me: and if I had eaten the sin offering to day, should it have been accepted in the sight of the LORD?

20

And when Moses heard that, he was content.

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