【Holy Bible】Message Leviticus

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Leviticus

Introduction

One of the stubbornly enduring habits of the human race is to insist on domesticating God. We are determined to tame him. We figure out ways to harness God to our projects. We try to reduce God to a size that conveniently fits our plans and ambitions and tastes.

But our Scriptures are even more stubborn in telling us that we can't do it. God cannot be fit into our plans, we must fit into his. We can't use God—God is not a tool or appliance or credit card.

"Holy" is the word that sets God apart and above our attempts to enlist him in our wish-fulfillment fantasies or our utopian schemes for making our mark in the world. Holy means that God is alive on God's terms, alive in a way that exceeds our experience and imagination. Holy refers to life burning with an intense purity that transforms everything it touches into itself.

Because the core of all living is God, and God is a holy God, we require much teaching and long training for living in response to God as he is and not as we want him to be. The book of Leviticus is a narrative pause in the story of our ancestors as they are on their way, saved out of Egypt, to settle in the land of Canaan. It is a kind of extended time-out of instruction, a detailed and meticulous preparation for living "holy" in a culture that doesn't have the faintest idea what "holy" is. The moment these people enter Canaan they will be picking their way through a lethal minefield of gods and goddesses that are designed to appeal to our god-fantasies: "Give us what we want when we want it on our own terms." What these god-fantasies in fact do is cripple or kill us. Leviticus is a start at the "much teaching and long training" that continues to be adapted and reworked in every country and culture where God is forming a saved people to live as he created them to live—holy as God is holy.

The first thing that strikes us as we read Leviticus in this light is that this holy God is actually present with us and virtually every detail of our lives is affected by the presence of this holy God; nothing in us, our relationships, or environment is left out. The second thing is that God provides a way (the sacrifices and feasts and Sabbaths) to bring everything in and about us into his holy presence, transformed in the fiery blaze of the holy. It is an awesome thing to come into his presence and we, like ancient Israel, stand in his presence at every moment (Psalm 139). Our Lord is not dwelling in a tent or house in our neighborhood. But he makes his habitation in us and among us as believers and says, "I am holy; you be holy" (1 Peter 1:16, citing Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7).

Once we realize this, the seemingly endless details and instructions of Leviticus become signposts of good news to us: God cares that much about the details of our lives, willing everything in and about us into the transformation that St. Paul later commended:

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (Romans 12:1-2)

(MSG)

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Chapter 1

Whole-Burnt-Offering

1 God called Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting: 2 "Speak to the People of Israel. Tell them, When anyone presents an offering to God, present an animal from either the herd or the flock. 3 "If the offering is a Whole-Burnt-Offering from the herd, present a male without a defect at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting that it may be accepted by God. 4 Lay your hand on the head of the Whole-Burnt-Offering so that it may be accepted on your behalf to make atonement for you. 5 Slaughter the bull in God's presence. Aaron's sons, the priests, will make an offering of the blood by splashing it against all sides of the Altar that stands at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 6 Next, skin the Whole-Burnt-Offering and cut it up. 7 Aaron's sons, the priests, will prepare a fire on the Altar, carefully laying out the wood, 8 and then arrange the body parts, including the head and the suet, on the wood prepared for the fire on the Altar. 9 Scrub the entrails and legs clean. The priest will burn it all on the Altar: a Whole-Burnt-Offering, a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God. 10 "If the Whole-Burnt-Offering comes from the flock, whether sheep or goat, present a male without defect. 11 Slaughter it on the north side of the Altar in God's presence. The sons of Aaron, the priests, will throw the blood against all sides of the Altar. 12 Cut it up and the priest will arrange the pieces, including the head and the suet, on the wood prepared for burning on the Altar. 13 Scrub the entrails and legs clean. The priest will offer it all, burning it on the Altar: a Whole-Burnt-Offering, a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God. 14 "If a bird is presented to God for the Whole-Burnt-Offering it can be either a dove or a pigeon. 15 The priest will bring it to the Altar, wring off its head, and burn it on the Altar. But he will first drain the blood on the side of the Altar, 16 remove the gizzard and its contents, and throw them on the east side of the Altar where the ashes are piled. 17 Then rip it open by its wings but leave it in one piece and burn it on the Altar on the wood prepared for the fire: a Whole-Burnt-Offering, a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God.

Lev 1:1-17 (MSG)

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Chapter 2

Grain-Offering

1 "When you present a Grain-Offering to God, use fine flour. Pour oil on it, put incense on it, 2 and bring it to Aaron's sons, the priests. One of them will take a handful of the fine flour and oil, with all the incense, and burn it on the Altar for a memorial: a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God. 3 The rest of the Grain-Offering is for Aaron and his sons—a most holy part of the Fire-Gifts to God. 4 "When you present a Grain-Offering of oven-baked loaves, use fine flour, mixed with oil but no yeast. Or present wafers made without yeast and spread with oil. 5 "If you bring a Grain-Offering cooked on a griddle, use fine flour mixed with oil but without yeast. 6 Crumble it and pour oil on it—it's a Grain-Offering. 7 "If you bring a Grain-Offering deep-fried in a pan, make it of fine flour with oil. 8 "Bring the Grain-Offering you make from these ingredients and present it to the priest. He will bring it to the Altar, 9 break off a memorial piece from the Grain-Offering, and burn it on the Altar: a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God. 10 The rest of the Grain-Offering is for Aaron and his sons—a most holy part of the gifts to God. 11 "All the Grain-Offerings that you present to God must be made without yeast; you must never burn any yeast or honey as a Fire-Gift to God. 12 You may offer them to God as an offering of firstfruits but not on the Altar as a pleasing fragrance. 13 Season every presentation of your Grain-Offering with salt. Don't leave the salt of the covenant with your God out of your Grain-Offerings. Present all your offerings with salt. 14 "If you present a Grain-Offering of firstfruits to God, bring crushed heads of the new grain roasted. 15 Put oil and incense on it—it's a Grain-Offering. 16 The priest will burn some of the mixed grain and oil with all the incense as a memorial—a Fire-Gift to God.

Lev 2:1-16 (MSG)

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Chapter 3

The Peace-Offering

1 "If your offering is a Peace-Offering and you present an animal from the herd, either male or female, it must be an animal without any defect. 2 Lay your hand on the head of your offering and slaughter it at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron's sons, the priests, will throw the blood on all sides of the Altar. 3 As a Fire-Gift to God from the Peace-Offering, present all the fat that covers or is connected to the entrails, 4 the two kidneys and the fat around them at the loins, and the lobe of the liver that is removed along with the kidneys. 5 Aaron and his sons will burn it on the Altar along with the Whole-Burnt-Offering that is on the wood prepared for the fire: a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance to God. 6 "If your Peace-Offering to God comes from the flock, bring a male or female without defect. 7 If you offer a lamb, offer it to God. 8 Lay your hand on the head of your offering and slaughter it at the Tent of Meeting. The sons of Aaron will throw its blood on all sides of the Altar. 9 As a Fire-Gift to God from the Peace-Offering, present its fat, the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, all the fat on and connected to the entrails, 10 the two kidneys and the fat around them on the loins, and the lobe of the liver which is removed along with the kidneys. 11 The priest will burn it on the Altar: a meal, a Fire-Gift to God. 12 "If the offering is a goat, bring it into the presence of God, 13 lay your hand on its head, and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron's sons will throw the blood on all sides of the Altar. 14 As a Fire-Gift to God present the fat that covers and is connected to the entrails, 15 the two kidneys and the fat which is around them on the loins, and the lobe of the liver which is removed along with the kidneys. 16 The priest will burn them on the Altar: a meal, a Fire-Gift, a pleasing fragrance. "All the fat belongs to God. 17 This is the fixed rule down through the generations, wherever you happen to live: Don't eat the fat; don't eat the blood. None of it."

Lev 3:1-17 (MSG)

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Chapter 4

The Absolution-Offering

1 God spoke to Moses, 2 "Tell the Israelites: When a person sins unintentionally by straying from any of God's commands, breaking what must not be broken, 3 if it's the anointed priest who sins and so brings guilt on the people, he is to bring a bull without defect to God as an Absolution-Offering for the sin he has committed. 4 Have him bring the bull to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting in the presence of God, lay his hand on the bull's head, and slaughter the bull before God. 5 He is then to take some of the bull's blood, bring it into the Tent of Meeting, 6 dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle some of it seven times before God, before the curtain of the Sanctuary. 7 He is to smear some of the blood on the horns of the Altar of Fragrant Incense before God which is in the Tent of Meeting. He is to pour the rest of the bull's blood out at the base of the Altar of Whole-Burnt-Offering at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. 8 He is to remove all the fat from the bull of the Absolution-Offering, the fat which covers and is connected to the entrails, 9 the two kidneys and the fat that is around them at the loins, and the lobe of the liver which he takes out along with the kidneys 10 —the same procedure as when the fat is removed from the bull of the Peace-Offering. Finally, he is to burn all this on the Altar of Burnt Offering. 11 Everything else—the bull's hide, meat, head, legs, organs, and guts— 12 he is to take outside the camp to a clean place where the ashes are dumped and is to burn it on a wood fire. 13 "If the whole congregation sins unintentionally by straying from one of the commandments of God that must not be broken, they become guilty even though no one is aware of it. 14 When they do become aware of the sin they've committed, the congregation must bring a bull as an Absolution-Offering and present it at the Tent of Meeting. 15 The elders of the congregation will lay their hands on the bull's head in the presence of God and one of them will slaughter it before God. 16 The anointed priest will then bring some of the blood into the Tent of Meeting, 17 dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle some of it seven times before God in front of the curtain. 18 He will smear some of the blood on the horns of the Altar which is before God in the Tent of Meeting and pour the rest of it at the base of the Altar of Whole-Burnt-Offering at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. 19 He will remove all the fat and burn it on the Altar. 20 He will follow the same procedure with this bull as with the bull for the Absolution-Offering. The priest makes atonement for them and they are forgiven. 21 They then will take the bull outside the camp and burn it just as they burned the first bull. It's the Absolution-Offering for the congregation. 22 "When a ruler sins unintentionally by straying from one of the commands of his God which must not be broken, he is guilty. 23 When he becomes aware of the sin he has committed, he must bring a goat for his offering, a male without any defect, 24 lay his hand on the head of the goat, and slaughter it in the place where they slaughter the Whole-Burnt-Offering in the presence of God—it's an Absolution-Offering. 25 The priest will then take some of the blood of the Absolution-Offering with his finger, smear it on the horns of the Altar of Whole-Burnt-Offering, and pour the rest at the base of the Altar. 26 He will burn all its fat on the Altar, the same as with the fat of the Peace-Offering. "The priest makes atonement for him on account of his sin and he's forgiven. 27 "When an ordinary member of the congregation sins unintentionally, straying from one of the commandments of God which must not be broken, he is guilty. 28 When he is made aware of his sin, he shall bring a goat, a female without any defect, and offer it for his sin, 29 lay his hand on the head of the Absolution-Offering, and slaughter it at the place of the Whole-Burnt-Offering. 30 The priest will take some of its blood with his finger, smear it on the horns of the Altar of Whole-Burnt-Offering, and pour the rest at the base of the Altar. 31 Finally, he'll take out all the fat, the same as with the Peace-Offerings, and burn it on the Altar for a pleasing fragrance to God. "In this way, the priest makes atonement for him and he's forgiven. 32 "If he brings a lamb for an Absolution-Offering, he shall present a female without any defect, 33 lay his hand on the head of the Absolution-Offering, and slaughter it at the same place they slaughter the Whole-Burnt-Offering. 34 The priest will take some of the blood of the Absolution-Offering with his finger, smear it on the horns of the Altar of Burnt-Offering, and pour the rest at the base of the Altar. 35 He shall remove all the fat, the same as for the lamb of the Peace-Offering. Finally the priest will burn it on the Altar on top of the gifts to God. "In this way, the priest makes atonement for him on account of his sin and he's forgiven.

Lev 4:1-35 (MSG)

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Chapter 5

1 "If you sin by not stepping up and offering yourself as a witness to something you've heard or seen in cases of wrongdoing, you'll be held responsible. 2 "Or if you touch anything ritually unclean, like the carcass of an unclean animal, wild or domestic, or a dead reptile, and you weren't aware of it at the time, but you're contaminated and you're guilty; 3 "Or if you touch human uncleanness, any sort of ritually contaminating uncleanness, and you're not aware of it at the time, but later you realize it and you're guilty; 4 "Or if you impulsively swear to do something, whether good or bad—some rash oath that just pops out—and you aren't aware of what you've done at the time, but later you come to realize it and you're guilty in any of these cases; 5 "When you are guilty, immediately confess the sin that you've committed 6 and bring as your penalty to God for the sin you have committed, a female lamb or goat from the flock for an Absolution-Offering. "In this way, the priest will make atonement for your sin. 7 "If you can't afford a lamb, bring as your penalty to God for the sin you have committed, two doves or two pigeons, one for the Absolution-Offering and the other for the Whole-Burnt-Offering. 8 Bring them to the priest who will first offer the one for the Absolution-Offering: He'll wring its neck but not sever it, 9 splash some of the blood of the Absolution-Offering against the Altar, and squeeze the rest of it out at the base. It's an Absolution-Offering. 10 He'll then take the second bird and offer it as a Whole-Burnt-Offering, following the procedures step-by-step. "In this way, the priest will make atonement for your sin and you're forgiven. 11 "If you cannot afford the two doves or pigeons, bring two quarts of fine flour for your Absolution-Offering. Don't put oil or incense on it—it's an Absolution-Offering. 12 Bring it to the priest; he'll take a handful from it as a memorial and burn it on the Altar with the gifts for God. It's an Absolution-Offering. 13 "The priest will make atonement for you and any of these sins you've committed and you're forgiven. The rest of the offering belongs to the priest, the same as with the Grain-Offering."

Compensation-Offering

14 God spoke to Moses, 15 "When a person betrays his trust and unknowingly sins by straying against any of the holy things of God, he is to bring as his penalty to God a ram without any defect from the flock, the value of the ram assessed in shekels, according to the Sanctuary shekel for a Compensation-Offering. 16 He is to make additional compensation for the sin he has committed against any holy thing by adding twenty percent to the ram and giving it to the priest. "Thus the priest will make atonement for him with the ram of the Compensation-Offering and he's forgiven. 17 "If anyone sins by breaking any of the commandments of God which must not be broken, but without being aware of it at the time, the moment he does realize his guilt he is held responsible. 18 He is to bring to the priest a ram without any defect, assessed at the value of the Compensation-Offering. "Thus the priest will make atonement for him for his error that he was unaware of and he's forgiven. 19 It is a Compensation-Offering; he was surely guilty before God."

Lev 5:1-19 (MSG)

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Chapter 6

1 God spoke to Moses, 2 "When anyone sins by betraying trust with God by deceiving his neighbor regarding something entrusted to him, or by robbing or cheating or threatening him; 3 or if he has found something lost and lies about it and swears falsely regarding any of these sins that people commonly commit— 4 when he sins and is found guilty, he must return what he stole or extorted, restore what was entrusted to him, return the lost thing he found, 5 or anything else about which he swore falsely. He must make full compensation, add twenty percent to it, and hand it over to the owner on the same day he brings his Compensation-Offering. 6 He must present to God as his Compensation-Offering a ram without any defect from the flock, assessed at the value of a Compensation-Offering. 7 "Thus the priest will make atonement for him before God and he's forgiven of any of the things that one does that bring guilt."

Further Instructions

8 God spoke to Moses, 9 "Command Aaron and his sons. Tell them, These are the instructions for the Whole-Burnt-Offering. Leave the Whole-Burnt-Offering on the Altar hearth through the night until morning, with the fire kept burning on the Altar. 10 Then dress in your linen clothes with linen underwear next to your body. Remove the ashes remaining from the Whole-Burnt-Offering and place them beside the Altar. 11 Then change clothes and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place. 12 Meanwhile keep the fire on the Altar burning; it must not go out. Replenish the wood for the fire every morning, arrange the Whole-Burnt-Offering on it, and burn the fat of the Peace-Offering on top of it all. 13 Keep the fire burning on the Altar continuously. It must not go out.
14 "These are the instructions for the Grain-Offering. Aaron's sons are to present it to God in front of the Altar. 15 The priest takes a handful of the fine flour of the Grain-Offering with its oil and all its incense and burns this as a memorial on the Altar, a pleasing fragrance to God. 16 Aaron and his sons eat the rest of it. It is unraised bread and so eaten in a holy place—in the Courtyard of the Tent of Meeting. 17 They must not bake it with yeast. I have designated it as their share of the gifts presented to me. It is very holy, like the Absolution-Offering and the Compensation-Offering. 18 Any male descendant among Aaron's sons may eat it. This is a fixed rule regarding God's gifts, stretching down the generations. Anyone who touches these offerings must be holy."
19 God spoke to Moses, 20 "This is the offering which Aaron and his sons each are to present to God on the day he is anointed: two quarts of fine flour as a regular Grain-Offering, half in the morning and half in the evening. 21 Prepare it with oil on a griddle. Bring it well-mixed and then present it crumbled in pieces as a pleasing fragrance to God. 22 Aaron's son who is anointed to succeed him offers it to God—this is a fixed rule. The whole thing is burned. 23 Every Grain-Offering of a priest is burned completely; it must not be eaten."
24 God spoke to Moses, 25 "Tell Aaron and his sons: These are the instructions for the Absolution-Offering. Slaughter the Absolution-Offering in the place where the Whole-Burnt-Offering is slaughtered before God—the offering is most holy. 26 The priest in charge eats it in a holy place, the Courtyard of the Tent of Meeting. 27 Anyone who touches any of the meat must be holy. A garment that gets blood spattered on it must be washed in a holy place. 28 Break the clay pot in which the meat was cooked. If it was cooked in a bronze pot, scour it and rinse it with water. 29 Any male among the priestly families may eat it; it is most holy. 30 But any Absolution-Offering whose blood is brought into the Tent of Meeting to make atonement in the Sanctuary must not be eaten, it has to be burned.

Lev 6:1-30 (MSG)

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Chapter 7

1 "These are the instructions for the Compensation-Offering. It is most holy. 2 Slaughter the Compensation-Offering in the same place that the Whole-Burnt-Offering is slaughtered. Splash its blood against all sides of the Altar. 3 Offer up all the fat: the fat tail, the fat covering the entrails, 4 the two kidneys and the fat encasing them at the loins, and the lobe of the liver that is removed with the kidneys. 5 The priest burns them on the Altar as a gift to God. It is a Compensation-Offering. 6 Any male from among the priests' families may eat it. But it must be eaten in a holy place; it is most holy. 7 "The Compensation-Offering is the same as the Absolution-Offering—the same rules apply to both. The offering belongs to the priest who makes atonement with it. 8 The priest who presents a Whole-Burnt-Offering for someone gets the hide for himself. 9 Every Grain-Offering baked in an oven or prepared in a pan or on a griddle belongs to the priest who presents it. It's his. 10 Every Grain-Offering, whether dry or mixed with oil, belongs equally to all the sons of Aaron.
11 "These are the instructions for the Peace-Offering which is presented to God. 12 If you bring it to offer thanksgiving, then along with the Thanksgiving-Offering present unraised loaves of bread mixed with oil, unraised wafers spread with oil, and cakes of fine flour, well-kneaded and mixed with oil. 13 Along with the Peace-Offering of thanksgiving, present loaves of yeast bread as an offering. 14 Bring one of each kind as an offering, a Contribution-Offering to God; it goes to the priest who throws the blood of the Peace-Offering. 15 Eat the meat from the Peace-Offering of thanksgiving the same day it is offered. Don't leave any of it overnight. 16 "If the offering is a Votive-Offering or a Freewill-Offering, it may be eaten the same day it is sacrificed and whatever is left over on the next day may also be eaten. 17 But any meat from the sacrifice that is left to the third day must be burned up. 18 If any of the meat from the Peace-Offering is eaten on the third day, the person who has brought it will not be accepted. It won't benefit him a bit—it has become defiled meat. And whoever eats it must take responsibility for his iniquity. 19 Don't eat meat that has touched anything ritually unclean; burn it up. Any other meat can be eaten by those who are ritually clean. 20 But if you're not ritually clean and eat meat from the Peace-Offering for God, you will be excluded from the congregation. 21 And if you touch anything ritually unclean, whether human or animal uncleanness or an obscene object, and go ahead and eat from a Peace-Offering for God, you'll be excluded from the congregation."
22 God spoke to Moses, 23 "Speak to the People of Israel. Tell them, Don't eat any fat of cattle or sheep or goats. 24 The fat of an animal found dead or torn by wild animals can be put to some other purpose, but you may not eat it. 25 If you eat fat from an animal from which a gift has been presented to God, you'll be excluded from the congregation. 26 And don't eat blood, whether of birds or animals, no matter where you end up living. 27 If you eat blood you'll be excluded from the congregation."
28 God spoke to Moses, 29 "Speak to the People of Israel. Tell them: When you present a Peace-Offering to God, bring some of your Peace-Offering as a special sacrifice to God, 30 a gift to God in your own hands. Bring the fat with the breast and then wave the breast before God as a Wave-Offering. 31 The priest will burn the fat on the Altar; Aaron and his sons get the breast. 32 Give the right thigh from your Peace-Offerings as a Contribution-Offering to the priest. 33 Give a portion of the right thigh to the son of Aaron who offers the blood and fat of the Peace-Offering as his portion. 34 From the Peace-Offerings of Israel, I'm giving the breast of the Wave-Offering and the thigh of the Contribution-Offering to Aaron the priest and his sons. This is their fixed compensation from the People of Israel." 35 From the day they are presented to serve as priests to God, Aaron and his sons can expect to receive these allotments from the gifts of God. 36 This is what God commanded the People of Israel to give the priests from the day of their anointing. This is the fixed rule down through the generations. 37 These are the instructions for the Whole-Burnt-Offering, the Grain-Offering, the Absolution-Offering, the Compensation-Offering, the Ordination-Offering, and the Peace-Offering 38 which God gave Moses at Mount Sinai on the day he commanded the People of Israel to present their offerings to God in the wilderness of Sinai.

Lev 7:1-38 (MSG)

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Chapter 8

The Ordination of Priests

1 God spoke to Moses. He said, 2 "Take Aaron and with him his sons, the garments, the anointing oil, the bull for the Absolution-Offering, the two rams, and the basket of unraised bread. 3 Gather the entire congregation at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting." 4 Moses did just as God commanded him and the congregation gathered at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. 5 Moses addressed the congregation: "This is what God has commanded to be done." 6 Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward and washed them with water. 7 He put the tunic on Aaron and tied it around him with a sash. Then he put the robe on him and placed the Ephod on him. He fastened the Ephod with a woven belt, making it snug. 8 He put the Breastpiece on him and put the Urim and Thummim in the pouch of the Breastpiece. 9 He placed the turban on his head with the gold plate fixed to the front of it, the holy crown, just as God had commanded Moses. 10 Then Moses took the anointing oil and anointed The Dwelling and everything that was in it, consecrating them. 11 He sprinkled some of the oil on the Altar seven times, anointing the Altar and all its utensils, the Washbasin and its stand, consecrating them. 12 He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron's head, anointing him and thus consecrating him. 13 Moses brought Aaron's sons forward and put tunics on them, belted them with sashes, and put caps on them, just as God had commanded Moses. 14 Moses brought out the bull for the Absolution-Offering. Aaron and his sons placed their hands on its head. 15 Moses slaughtered the bull and purified the Altar by smearing the blood on each of the horns of the Altar with his finger. He poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the Altar. He consecrated it so atonement could be made on it. 16 Moses took all the fat on the entrails and the lobe of liver and the two kidneys with their fat and burned it all on the Altar 17 . The bull with its hide and meat and guts he burned outside the camp, just as God had commanded Moses. 18 Moses presented the ram for the Whole-Burnt-Offering. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. 19 Moses slaughtered it and splashed the blood against all sides of the Altar. 20 He cut the ram up into pieces and then burned the head, the pieces, and the fat. 21 He washed the entrails and the legs with water and then burned the whole ram on the Altar. It was a Whole-Burnt-Offering, a pleasing fragrance—a gift to God just as God had commanded Moses. 22 Moses then presented the second ram, the ram for the Ordination-Offering. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the ram's head. 23 Moses slaughtered it and smeared some of its blood on the lobe of Aaron's right ear, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 24 Then Aaron's sons were brought forward and Moses smeared some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Moses threw the remaining blood against each side of the Altar. 25 He took the fat, the fat tail, all the fat that was on the entrails, the lobe of the liver, the two kidneys with their fat, and the right thigh. 26 From the basket of unraised bread that was in the presence of God he took one loaf of the unraised bread made with oil and one wafer. He placed these on the fat portions and the right thigh. 27 He put all this in the hands of Aaron and his sons who waved them before God as a Wave-Offering. 28 Then Moses took it all back from their hands and burned them on the Altar on top of the Whole-Burnt-Offering. These were the Ordination-Offerings, a pleasing fragrance to God, a gift to God. 29 Then Moses took the breast and raised it up as a Wave-Offering before God; it was Moses' portion from the Ordination-Offering ram, just as God had commanded Moses. 30 Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood from the Altar and sprinkled Aaron and his garments, and his sons and their garments, consecrating Aaron and his garments and his sons and their garments. 31 Moses spoke to Aaron and his sons: "Boil the meat at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting and eat it there with the bread from the basket of ordination, just as I commanded, saying, 'Aaron and his sons are to eat it.' 32 Burn up the leftovers from the meat and bread. 33 Don't leave through the entrance of the Tent of Meeting for the seven days that will complete your ordination. Your ordination will last seven days. 34 God commanded what has been done this day in order to make atonement for you. 35 Stay at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting day and night for seven days. Be sure to do what God requires, lest you die. This is what I have been commanded." 36 Aaron and his sons did everything that God had commanded by Moses.

Lev 8:1-36 (MSG)

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Chapter 9

The Priests Go to Work

1 On the eighth day, Moses called in Aaron and his sons and the leaders of Israel. 2 He spoke to Aaron: "Take a bull-calf for your Absolution-Offering and a ram for your Whole-Burnt-Offering, both without defect, and offer them to God. 3 "Then tell the People of Israel, Take a male goat for an Absolution-Offering and a calf and a lamb, both yearlings without defect, for a Whole-Burnt-Offering 4 and a bull and a ram for a Peace-Offering, to be sacrificed before God with a Grain-Offering mixed with oil, because God will appear to you today." 5 They brought the things that Moses had ordered to the Tent of Meeting. The whole congregation came near and stood before God. 6 Moses said, "This is what God commanded you to do so that the Shining Glory of God will appear to you." 7 Moses instructed Aaron, "Approach the Altar and sacrifice your Absolution-Offering and your Whole-Burnt-Offering. Make atonement for yourself and for the people. Sacrifice the offering that is for the people and make atonement for them, just as God commanded." 8 Aaron approached the Altar and slaughtered the calf as an Absolution-Offering for himself. 9 Aaron's sons brought the blood to him. He dipped his finger in the blood and smeared some of it on the horns of the Altar. He poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the Altar. 10 He burned the fat, the kidneys, and the lobe of the liver from the Absolution-Offering on the Altar, just as God had commanded Moses. 11 He burned the meat and the skin outside the camp. 12 Then he slaughtered the Whole-Burnt-Offering. Aaron's sons handed him the blood and he threw it against each side of the Altar. 13 They handed him the pieces and the head and he burned these on the Altar. 14 He washed the entrails and the legs and burned them on top of the Whole-Burnt-Offering on the Altar. 15 Next Aaron presented the offerings of the people. He took the male goat, the Absolution-Offering for the people, slaughtered it, and offered it as an Absolution-Offering just as he did with the first offering. 16 He presented the Whole-Burnt-Offering following the same procedures. 17 He presented the Grain-Offering by taking a handful of it and burning it on the Altar along with the morning Whole-Burnt-Offering. 18 He slaughtered the bull and the ram, the people's Peace-Offerings. Aaron's sons handed him the blood and he threw it against each side of the Altar. 19 The fat pieces from the bull and the ram—the fat tail and the fat that covers the kidney and the lobe of the liver— 20 they laid on the breasts and Aaron burned it on the Altar. 21 Aaron waved the breasts and the right thigh before God as a Wave-Offering, just as God commanded. 22 Aaron lifted his hands over the people and blessed them. Having completed the rituals of the Absolution-Offering, the Whole-Burnt-Offering, and the Peace-Offering, he came down from the Altar. 23 Moses and Aaron entered the Tent of Meeting. When they came out they blessed the people and the Glory of God appeared to all the people. 24 Fire blazed out from God and consumed the Whole-Burnt-Offering and the fat pieces on the Altar. When all the people saw it happen they cheered loudly and then fell down, bowing in reverence.

Lev 9:1-24 (MSG)