Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Exodus 29
Exodus 29:7Then you shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him.
The act of pouring anointing oil on Aaron's head signifies his official setting apart and empowerment by God for the role of high priest.Exodus 29:20Then you shall kill the ram and take part of its blood and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron and on the tips of the right ears of his sons, and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the great toes of their right feet, and throw the rest of the blood against the sides of the altar.
Placing blood on the ear, thumb, and toe symbolically dedicates everything the priest hears, does, and everywhere he goes to the service of God.Exodus 29:45-46I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. They shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.
This passage reveals the grand purpose behind the tabernacle, priesthood, and sacrifices: for God to live among His people and be in a relationship with them.
Historical & Cultural Context
The Blueprint for the Priesthood
Following the detailed instructions for the Tabernacle and the special garments for the priests in Exodus 25-28, God now turns to the people who will serve within this holy space. Moses is on Mount Sinai, receiving the blueprint for Israel's entire system of worship. This chapter is not a narrative of events happening, but rather a set of divine commands for a future ceremony that will officially launch the Aaronic priesthood.
Preparing Mediators for a Holy God
The scene is one of divine legislation, establishing a crucial link between a holy God and a sinful people. The priests are to be human mediators, but they themselves are imperfect. Therefore, this chapter outlines the meticulous process required to make them fit for service, emphasizing that access to God is on His terms and requires purification and dedication.
The Ordination of Aaron and His Sons
In Exodus 29, God gives Moses the specific instructions for the ordination of Aaron and his sons. This sacred ceremony, which takes place at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, is a solemn and symbolic process. It involves washing, clothing, anointing, and a series of specific sacrifices designed to cleanse the priests from sin and dedicate them completely to God's service.
Washing, Clothing, and Anointing (Exodus 29:1-9)
29 “Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. Take one bull of the herd and two rams without blemish,
2 And unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers smeared with oil. You shall make them of fine wheat flour.
3 You shall put them all in one basket and bring them in the basket and bring the bull and the two rams.
4 You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting and wash them with water.
5 Then you shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the coat and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpiece, and gird him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod.
6 and you shall put the turban on his head and put the holy crown on the turban.
7 Then you shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him.
8 Then you shall bring his sons and put coats on them,
9 And you shall gird Aaron and his sons with sashes and bind caps on them. And the priesthood shall be theirs by a statute forever. Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.
Commentary:
The priests are washed, dressed in holy garments, and anointed with oil to purify and set them apart for God's service.
The Sin Offering for the Priests (Exodus 29:10-14)
10 Then you shall bring the bull before the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull.
11 Then you shall kill the bull before the Lord at the entrance of the tent of meeting,
12 And you shall take part of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and the rest of the blood you shall pour out at the base of the altar.
13 And you shall take all the fat that covers the entrails, and the long lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar.
14 But the flesh of the bull and its skin and its dung you shall burn with fire outside the camp; it is a sin offering.
Commentary:
A bull is sacrificed as a sin offering to atone for the priests' own sins before they can begin their ministry.
The Burnt and Ordination Offerings (Exodus 29:15-28)
15 Then you shall take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram,
16 and you shall burn the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the LORD. It is a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD.
17 Then you shall cut the ram into pieces, and wash its entrails and its legs, and put them with its pieces and its head,
18 And burn the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the Lord. It is a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord.
19 And you shall take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram,
20 Then you shall kill the ram and take part of its blood and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron and on the tips of the right ears of his sons, and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the great toes of their right feet, and throw the rest of the blood against the sides of the altar.
21 Then you shall take part of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments, and on his sons and his sons' garments with him. He and his garments shall be holy, and his sons and his sons' garments with him.
22 "You shall also take the fat from the ram and the fat tail, and the fat that covers the entrails, and the long lobe of the liver and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and the right thigh (for it is a ram of ordination),"
23 And one loaf of bread and one cake of bread made with oil, and one wafer out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before the Lord.
24 and put all these in the hands of Aaron and in the hands of his sons and wave them as a wave offering before the Lord.
25 And you shall receive them from their hands and burn them on the altar as a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma before the Lord. It is a food offering to the Lord.
26 "You shall take the breast of the ram of Aaron's ordination and wave it for a wave offering before the Lord, and it shall be your portion.
27 And you shall consecrate the breast of the wave offering that is waved and the thigh of the priests' portion that is contributed from the ram of ordination, from what was Aaron's and his sons'.
28 It shall be for Aaron and his sons as a perpetual due from the people of Israel, for it is a contribution. It shall be a contribution from the people of Israel from their peace offerings, their contribution to the Lord.
Commentary:
Two rams are offered, one for total dedication to God and the second to officially ordain the priests for their sacred duties.
A Seven-Day Consecration (Exodus 29:29-37)
29 “The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him; they shall be anointed in them and ordained in them.
30 They shall eat those things with which atonement was made at their ordination and consecration, but an outsider shall not eat of them, because they are holy.
31 And you shall take the ram of ordination, and boil its flesh in a holy place.
32 And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket in the entrance of the tent of meeting.
33 They shall eat those things with which atonement was made at their ordination and consecration, but an outsider shall not eat of them, because they are holy.
34 If any of the flesh of the ordination offering or of the bread remains until the morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire. It shall not be eaten, because it is holy.
35 "Thus you shall do to Aaron and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. Through seven days shall you ordain them,"
36 and every day you shall offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. Also you shall purify the altar, when you make atonement for it, and shall anoint it to consecrate it.
37 Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar shall become holy.
Commentary:
The entire ordination ceremony is repeated for seven days, emphasizing the great importance of holiness for both the priests and the altar.
The Daily Offerings and God's Promise (Exodus 29:38-46)
38 "Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day regularly."
39 The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight;
40 And with the first lamb a tenth measure of fine flour mingled with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and a fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering.
41 The other lamb you shall offer at twilight, and shall offer with it a grain offering and its drink offering, as in the morning, for a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord.
42 It shall be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet with you, to speak to you there.
43 There I will meet with the people of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory.
44 I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar. Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate to serve me as priests.
45 I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God.
46 They shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.
Commentary:
God establishes a daily sacrifice and reveals His ultimate goal: to dwell in the midst of His people and be in relationship with them.
Core Truths in the Consecration Ceremony
Holiness and Consecration
This chapter is all about what it means to be consecrated, or set apart for a holy purpose. The washing, anointing, and sacrifices were more than rituals. They were tangible actions that transitioned Aaron and his sons from an ordinary status to one where they were fit to serve in God's holy presence. It shows that holiness is not an internal feeling but a declared status given by God that requires a visible change.
The Necessity of Atonement
Before the priests could help others, they needed atonement for themselves. Atonement means making things right after a wrong has been done. The sin offering for the priests demonstrates that everyone, even the spiritual leaders, falls short and needs God's grace to cover their sin before they can approach Him.
Symbolism in Worship
Every detail in this ceremony is packed with meaning. The blood on the ear, thumb, and toe wasn't random. It symbolized the dedication of the whole person - their hearing, actions, and walk - to God. These physical symbols were meant to teach deep spiritual truths about full devotion.
God's Desire for Presence
The final verses reveal the heart behind all the rules. The entire system of priests and sacrifices was designed to make it possible for a perfect God to live among imperfect people. His ultimate desire is not for rituals, but for a relationship with the people He rescued.
Living a Consecrated Life Today
This chapter shows the immense gap between God's holiness and our imperfection. While we no longer offer animal sacrifices, it reminds us that we cannot approach God on our own terms. It deepens our appreciation for Jesus, our great High Priest, who performed the one sacrifice that truly cleanses us and allows us to draw near to God.
Just as the priests were set apart for service, believers today are called to be set apart for God's purposes. The symbolism in Exodus 29:20 gives us a beautiful picture of this: you can consecrate what you listen to (your ear), the work you do (your thumb), and the places you go (your toe). It means intentionally dedicating all parts of your life to honoring Him.
The priests' cleansing shows that God's holiness is pure and cannot coexist with sin. Their need for atonement highlights that our own efforts are never enough to make us right with God. This points us directly to our need for Jesus, whose sacrifice cleanses us once and for all, making us truly fit to be in God's presence and serve Him.
God's Plan for Dwelling With Us
Exodus 29 reveals God's absolute holiness and His gracious plan to bridge the gap between Himself and humanity. The detailed consecration of priests shows that approaching Him requires purification and a mediator He provides. This entire system, with its sacrifices and rituals, points forward to the one true High Priest, Jesus, whose perfect sacrifice makes it possible for God to dwell near us and within us.
What This Means for Us Today
The intricate process of setting priests apart demonstrates the seriousness of entering God's presence. Today, through Christ, we are all invited to be part of a 'royal priesthood,' not through animal sacrifice, but by accepting the one perfect sacrifice He made for us. This chapter invites us to live consecrated lives, wholly dedicated to the God who made a way to dwell with us.
- In what area of your life do you need to remember that you have been set apart for God's purposes?
- How does reflecting on the priests' need for atonement deepen your gratitude for Jesus' sacrifice?
- Where can you better dedicate your hearing, your actions, and your path to God this week?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
Connections Across Scripture
This chapter provides the historical account of Moses actually carrying out the ordination ceremony commanded in Exodus 29.
The author of Hebrews explains how the Old Testament priesthood and sacrifices were a shadow pointing to the superior, perfect, and final sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
This verse expands the concept of priesthood to all believers, calling them a 'royal priesthood' and a 'holy nation,' set apart to declare God's praises.
Theological Themes
Paul's call for believers to offer their bodies as 'living sacrifices' echoes the theme of total dedication seen in the burnt offering.
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think God required such specific and detailed rituals for the priests? What does this teach us about His character and His view of sin?
- The priests had blood applied to their ear, thumb, and toe (Exodus 29:20). If you were to apply this symbolism to your life today, what specific things in your hearing, work, and walk would you dedicate to God?
- The chapter ends with God's promise to dwell with Israel (Exodus 29:45-46). How does knowing this is the ultimate goal change your perspective on all the rules and rituals that come before it?
Glossary
figures
theological concepts
Consecration
The act of setting something or someone apart from common use to be dedicated as sacred for God's service.
Atonement
The process of repairing the relationship between God and people, which was broken by sin, through a prescribed sacrifice.
Sin Offering
A sacrifice made to atone for unintentional sins and purify from defilement, acknowledging personal guilt.
Burnt Offering
A sacrifice that was completely burned on the altar, symbolizing total surrender and devotion to God.