The big picture
Aaron, the chosen chief priest, is the brother of Moses, Israel's leader. His sons will serve with him. Israel, the people God freed from Egypt, the land of their slavery, has heard plans for the priests' clothes. Now God explains how to set these men apart. Washing, oil, killed animals and a shared meal prepare them. Daily gifts will follow, because God intends to live among the people after this first rite ends.
In this chapter
- The Priests Are Washed and Dressed Exodus 29:1-9
Moses must bring a young bull, two sound rams, and a basket of unleavened breads made with oil.
- The Bull and First Ram Are Offered Exodus 29:10-18
The priestly family lays hands on the bull's head before it is killed.
- Blood and Oil Mark the Priests Exodus 29:19-25
The second ram is killed after Aaron and his sons lay hands on it.
- A Sacred Meal Has Assigned Portions Exodus 29:26-34
Parts of the ram are presented before God and assigned to Moses and the priestly family.
- Seven Days Set the Altar Apart Exodus 29:35-37
The appointment of Aaron and his sons lasts seven days, with all the commanded actions carried out.
- Daily Offerings Accompany God's Dwelling Exodus 29:38-46
Two year-old lambs are offered each day, one in the morning and one in the evening.
Central truth
God sets priests and altar apart through a careful ceremony, then gives daily offerings for his continuing presence among Israel.
Scripture beside the summary
Exodus · King James Version · 46Exodus 29:1-9
The Priests Are Washed and Dressed
Moses must bring a young bull, two sound rams, and a basket of unleavened breads made with oil. At the tent entrance he washes Aaron and his sons. Aaron receives the full priestly clothing, including the head covering and its sacred plate. Moses pours anointing oil on his head. The sons receive their coats, belts, and caps. This sets the family apart for a lasting priestly office. Their appointment does not rest only on being named; their bodies and clothing are prepared through the actions God specifies.
In everyday life
A fire crew recruit stands beside laid-out gear while a trainer checks his coat and mask. He learns how to fit each piece before his first call. Joining the crew does not mean he can skip these steps. The gear prepares him to fight fires; oil and washing set Aaron's family apart for service to God.
Notice
Exodus 29:4 The washing occurs at the entrance before the garments are put on. Preparation begins with the people themselves, not only with the clothing they will wear.
Exodus 29:1-9
King James Version1And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest’s office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish,
2And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shalt thou make them.
3And thou shalt put them into one basket, and bring them in the basket, with the bullock and the two rams.
4And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water.
5And thou shalt take the garments, and put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastplate, and gird him with the curious girdle of the ephod:
6And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre.
7Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him.
8And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them.
9And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest’s office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.
Exodus 29:10-18
The Bull and First Ram Are Offered
The priestly family lays hands on the bull's head before it is killed. Some blood marks the altar's horns, and the rest is poured at its base. Fat and certain inner parts burn on the altar; the body, skin, and dung burn outside the camp as a sin offering. The priests then lay hands on the first ram. Its blood goes around the altar, and its washed, divided body is burned there whole. These are different offerings with different handling. The appointment includes dealing with sin and presenting an entire burnt offering to God.
In everyday life
A recycling-centre worker sorts a mixed delivery before opening the public bays. Some material goes to one approved container, while hazardous items leave by a separate route. He cannot treat every load alike because their purposes and handling differ. Animal sacrifice concerns sin and offering to God, not the disposal of used materials.
Notice
Exodus 29:14 The bull's body is burned outside the camp, unlike the whole ram burned on the altar. The different locations belong to different kinds of offering.
Exodus 29:10-18
King James Version10And thou shalt cause a bullock to be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the bullock.
11And thou shalt kill the bullock before the LORD, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
12And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar.
13And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul that is above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and burn them upon the altar.
14But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering.
15Thou shalt also take one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.
16And thou shalt slay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and sprinkle it round about upon the altar.
17And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces, and wash the inwards of him, and his legs, and put them unto his pieces, and unto his head.
18And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt offering unto the LORD: it is a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Exodus 29:19-25
Blood and Oil Mark the Priests
The second ram is killed after Aaron and his sons lay hands on it. Blood touches each man's right ear, right thumb, and right big toe, then the altar. Blood and anointing oil are sprinkled on the priests and their garments, setting them apart together. Selected fat, the right shoulder, and breads are placed in their hands and presented before the LORD. Moses then burns these on the altar. This ram belongs especially to their appointment. The ceremony involves their bodies, clothing, and hands rather than words of appointment alone.
In everyday life
The novice craft judge receives the official tools into her hands during an appointment ceremony. Her clothing and role are acknowledged before she begins to use them. The public act joins a named duty to the person who will carry it. The priests are marked with sacrificial blood and sacred oil, which no civic ceremony can duplicate.
Notice
Exodus 29:21 Priests and garments are sprinkled together. The ceremony sets apart both those who serve and the clothing in which they approach God.
Exodus 29:19-25
King James Version19And thou shalt take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.
20Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and upon the thumb of their right hand, and upon the great toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.
21And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him.
22Also thou shalt take of the ram the fat and the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and the right shoulder; for it is a ram of consecration:
23And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before the LORD:
24And thou shalt put all in the hands of Aaron, and in the hands of his sons; and shalt wave them for a wave offering before the LORD.
25And thou shalt receive them of their hands, and burn them upon the altar for a burnt offering, for a sweet savour before the LORD: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Exodus 29:26-34
A Sacred Meal Has Assigned Portions
Parts of the ram are presented before God and assigned to Moses and the priestly family. The breast and shoulder become regular priestly portions from Israel's peace offerings. Aaron's sacred garments pass to the son who succeeds him, who wears them during his seven-day appointment. Aaron and his sons eat the ram's meat and basket bread at the tent entrance. Outsiders cannot share this sacred food. Any remainder at morning must be burned. The meal belongs to their appointment and cannot be treated as ordinary leftovers for anyone to use.
In everyday life
An award steward places food parcels beside the named lockers of new mountain-rescue volunteers. Each has a share, and the team leader's coat will pass to the next holder of that role. Supplies belong to service rather than any member's private claim. Aaron's sacred meal deals with guilt before God, which these parcels cannot do.
Notice
Exodus 29:29 Aaron's garments pass to his successor. The sacred office is expected to continue after the first wearer, with the clothing serving more than one lifetime.
Exodus 29:26-34
King James Version26And thou shalt take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s consecration, and wave it for a wave offering before the LORD: and it shall be thy part.
27And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the shoulder of the heave offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of the consecration, even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons:
28And it shall be Aaron’s and his sons’ by a statute for ever from the children of Israel: for it is an heave offering: and it shall be an heave offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifice of their peace offerings, even their heave offering unto the LORD.
29And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons’ after him, to be anointed therein, and to be consecrated in them.
30And that son that is priest in his stead shall put them on seven days, when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation to minister in the holy place.
31And thou shalt take the ram of the consecration, and seethe his flesh in the holy place.
32And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
33And they shall eat those things wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them: but a stranger shall not eat thereof, because they are holy.
34And if ought of the flesh of the consecrations, or of the bread, remain unto the morning, then thou shalt burn the remainder with fire: it shall not be eaten, because it is holy.
Exodus 29:35-37
Seven Days Set the Altar Apart
The appointment of Aaron and his sons lasts seven days, with all the commanded actions carried out. A bull is offered each day as a sin offering for atonement. The altar itself is cleansed, anointed, and set apart. After this, it is most holy, and whatever touches it is holy. The altar is not ready merely because its construction is finished. God has set a time to prepare this place for gifts brought to him. Those serving at it must be made ready too.
In everyday life
The new clean-room supervisor keeps the doors closed through a full commissioning schedule. Each day's checks must be completed before the room enters use. Finished walls and installed equipment do not by themselves make the space ready. The altar's seven days mark it as holy before God, not the verified cleanliness of a technical room.
Notice
Exodus 29:36 The altar itself receives cleansing and anointing. The appointed place of sacrifice must be set apart along with the priests who use it.
Exodus 29:35-37
King James Version35And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons, according to all things which I have commanded thee: seven days shalt thou consecrate them.
36And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it.
37Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy: whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.
Exodus 29:38-46
Daily Offerings Accompany God's Dwelling
Two year-old lambs are offered each day, one in the morning and one in the evening. Flour mixed with oil and a wine offering accompany them. This continues through the generations at the tent entrance, where God will meet and speak with his people. God promises to make the tent, altar, and priests holy through his presence. He will dwell among Israel and be their God. This is why God brought them from Egypt: he will live with them. Daily worship gives that bond a form that lasts.
In everyday life
A residential carer prepares the morning table and returns at dusk to set it again. The repeated care makes a shared home function long after its opening day. Living together needs a daily pattern, not only a welcome ceremony. Israel's offerings accompany God's promised presence and holiness, not the maintenance needs of a human household.
Notice
Exodus 29:46 God connects leaving Egypt with his dwelling among Israel. Freedom from the old masters leads toward his presence, rather than ending with departure alone.
Exodus 29:38-46
King James Version38Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually.
39The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even:
40And with the one lamb a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of beaten oil; and the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering.
41And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereto according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
42This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD: where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee.
43And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.
44And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar: I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons, to minister to me in the priest’s office.
45And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God.
46And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the LORD their God.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Exodus 29:1 begins with “And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest’s office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without…”
Where the chapter turns
Exodus 29:20 forms a natural hinge: “Then shalt thou kill the ram, and take of his blood, and put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons, and…”
The final note
Exodus 29:46 leaves the reader with “And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the LORD their God.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words sons, offering, Aaron, altar, LORD, bullock help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
KJV words made clear
- consecrate
- Set apart a person or object for a particular sacred duty.
- atonement
- The appointed dealing with sin or impurity so people or things can stand accepted before God.
- heave offering
- A portion lifted or presented to God and assigned for priestly use.
- hin
- An ancient liquid measure of roughly four litres.
Music and video connected to the passage
Related media appears when its Scripture reference overlaps this study. Music and video can illuminate a theme while the biblical text remains the foundation.
