Exodus 29

1 “Now this [the thing that follows] is what you are to do to consecrate [set apart as holy, dedicate] Aaron and his sons to serve Me as priests [ministers, spiritual leaders]: Take a young bull [a calf, an unblemished animal] and two rams [strong male sheep, without defect] without blemish [unblemished, perfect, having no flaws], word study 2 along with unleavened bread [without yeast], unleavened cakes [flatbreads, sweet breads] mixed with oil [olive oil, anointing], and unleavened wafers [thin, flat breads] anointed with oil [set apart, consecrated]. Make them out of fine wheat flour [high-quality, refined flour], word study 3 put them [in one basket, together] in a basket [made of woven willow twigs or osiers], and present [bring near, offer] them in the basket, along with the bull [a young bullock, used as a sacrifice] and the two [a pair, a duo] rams [strong]. word study 4 Then present [bring near, approach] Aaron [the first high priest, brother of Moses] and his sons [descendants, heirs] at the entrance [doorway, gate] to the Tent [tabernacle, sacred dwelling] of Meeting [assembly, appointed time] and wash [bathe, cleanse] them with water [liquid, source of refreshment]. word study 5 Take the garments [clothing, robes] and clothe Aaron [the high priest, Moses’ brother] with the tunic [long, shirt-like garment], the robe [outer garment] of the ephod [special vest, priestly garment], the ephod itself, and the breastplate [sacred pouch, holding Urim and Thummim]. Fasten the ephod on him with its woven [decorative, intricately designed] waistband [girdle, strap]. word study 6 Put the [mitre, head-dress] turban [mitsnepheth, symbolizing official status] on his head and attach the holy [holy crown, consecration] diadem [dedication to God] to the turban [mitsnepheth, worn by high priests and kings]. word study 7 Then take [receive, get] the anointing [consecrating, setting apart] oil [olive oil, ointment] and anoint [rub oil on, consecrate] him by pouring [liberally applying] it on his head [the topmost part of the body]. word study 8 Present [bring near, approach] his sons [descendants, offspring] as well and clothe [put on, wrap with] them with [in] tunics [long garments, robes]. word study 9 Wrap the sashes [girdles, belts] around Aaron [the first high priest] and his sons and tie [bind, fasten] headbands [headgear, turbans] on them. The priesthood [office of priest, spiritual leadership] shall be theirs by a permanent [perpetual, eternal] statute [ordinance, divine law]. In this way you are to ordain [consecrate, set apart] Aaron and his sons. word study 10 You are to present [bring near, offer] the bull [young ox, sacrifice] at the front [face, presence] of the Tent [tabernacle, dwelling place] of Meeting [assembly, gathering], and Aaron [the high priest] and his sons [descendants, successors] are to lay [place, rest] their hands [an open hand; strength, a side or share] on its head [the topmost part of the body]. word study 11 And you shall slaughter [kill, slay] the bull [young ox, bullock] before [in the presence of, face to face with] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] at [by, near] the entrance [doorway, gate] to the Tent [tabernacle, portable place of worship] of Meeting [appointed gathering, sacred assembly]. word study 12 Take [receive, get] some of the blood [the liquid that flows through the body] of the bull [young ox, sacrifice] and put it on the horns [a horn; a hill or peak] of the altar [place of sacrifice, worship] with your finger [a toe]; then pour out [shed, spill] the rest of the blood [remaining, all] at the base [foundation, bottom] of the altar [sacred table, place of offering]. word study 13 Take all the fat [richest or best part] that covers [envelops, hides from view] the entrails [inner parts, midst] and the lobe [caudate lobe, flap] of the liver [heaviest organ], and both kidneys [essential organs] with the fat [choicest, most valuable] on them, and burn them [offer as a sacrifice, turn into smoke] on the altar [place of sacrifice, worship]. word study 14 But burn [with fire, completely consume] the flesh [body, meat] of the bull [young ox, sacrifice] and its hide [skin, leather] and dung [refuse, excrement] outside [beyond the boundary] the camp [encampment, group of people]; it is a sin [guilt, punishment] offering [sacrifice, atonement]. word study 15 Take [select, choose] one [a single, unique] of the rams [a strong male sheep], and Aaron [the first high priest of the Israelites] and his sons [descendants, heirs] shall lay [place, put] their hands [an open hand; strength, a side or share] on [upon, above] its head [the topmost part of the body]. word study 16 You are to slaughter [kill, slay] the ram [a strong tree], take [get, receive] its blood [the liquid essential for life], and sprinkle [scatter, splatter] it on all sides [around, round about] of the altar [a place of sacrifice, where offerings are made to God]. word study 17 Cut the ram [a strong tree] into pieces [fragments, parts], wash the entrails [inner parts, midst] and legs [from the knee to the ankle], and place them with its head [the topmost part of the body] and other pieces [fragments, parts]. word study 18 Then burn [completely consume] the entire ram [a mighty man; a post] on the altar [a place of sacrifice, where offerings are made to God]; it is a burnt offering [a step or stairs, often used to describe the ascent to the altar] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], a pleasing aroma [a sweet savour, a soothing fragrance], an offering made by fire [a food offering, a sacrifice given to God] to the LORD. word study 19 Take [receive, get] the second [another, next] ram [a strong male sheep], and Aaron [the first high priest, Moses’ brother] and his sons [descendants, offspring] are to lay [place, put] their hands [an open hand; strength, a side or share] on [upon, over] its head [the topmost part of the body]. word study 20 Slaughter [to kill as a sacrifice, slay] the ram [a strong tree], take [to get, receive] some of its blood [the liquid that flows through the body, essential for life], and put [to give, set] it on the right [the direction of strength, south] earlobes [the lobe, tip of the ear] of Aaron [the brother of Moses, first high priest] and his sons, on the thumbs [the largest digit on the hand] of their right hands, and on the big toes [the largest digit on the foot] of their right feet [the foot]. Sprinkle [to scatter, throw] the remaining blood [the leftover, excess] on all sides [around, surrounding] of the altar [a place of sacrifice, where offerings are made to God]. word study 21 And take [receive, get] some of the blood [the liquid that flows through the body] on the altar [place of sacrifice, worship] and some of the anointing [consecrating, setting apart] oil and sprinkle [scatter, shed] it on Aaron [the high priest, mediator] and his garments [clothing, robes], as well as on his sons [descendants, spiritual offspring] and their garments [clothing, robes]. Then he [Aaron, the high priest] and his garments will be consecrated [set apart, made holy], as well as his sons and their garments [with him, together]. word study 22 Take the fat [richest or best part] from the ram [a mighty man; a post], the fat tail [or rump], the fat covering [or that covers] the entrails [inner parts or intestines], the lobe [or caul] of the liver, both kidneys [essential organs] with the fat on them, and the right thigh [leg] (since this is a ram for ordination [or consecration, setting apart for a special purpose]), word study 23 along with one loaf of bread [a round cake], one cake of bread made with [olive] oil [olive oil, ointment], and one wafer [flatbread, a thin cake] from the basket [a woven container] of unleavened bread [sweet bread without yeast] that is before [in the presence of] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. word study 24 Put all these [everything, the whole] in the hands [palms, grasp] of Aaron [the first high priest, Moses’ brother] and his sons [descendants, heirs] and wave [move back and forth, sprinkle] them before [in the presence of, facing] the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] as a wave offering [a specific type of sacrifice, a gesture of dedication]. word study 25 Then take [receive from their hands] them from their hands and burn [offer, make perfume] them on the altar [a place of sacrifice] atop the burnt offering [a step or stairs, often used to describe the ascent to the altar] as a pleasing [sweet, soothing] aroma [a pleasant fragrance, often associated with sacrifices to God] before the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]; it is an offering [a sacrifice, a gift to God] made by fire [an ishshah, a food offering or sacrifice given to God] to the LORD [the supreme God, the Creator]. word study 26 Take the breast [front of the animal] of the ram [a strong tree, like an oak] of Aaron’s ordination [setting, installing as priest] and wave [move back and forth, like an offering to God] it before the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] as a wave offering [a specific type of offering, where a portion is waved before God], and it will be your portion [a part or share of something, a division of the sacrifice]. word study 27 Consecrate [set apart as holy, dedicate] for Aaron [the first high priest, brother of Moses] and his sons [descendants, spiritual heirs] the breast [front, upper part] of the wave offering [a specific type of sacrifice, lifted up to God] that is waved [moved back and forth, presented to God] and the thigh [leg, lower part] of the heave offering [a contribution, lifted up to God] that is lifted up [exalted, raised high] from the ram [a strong male sheep] of ordination [setting apart, installation, consecration]. word study 28 This will belong to Aaron [the first high priest, brother of Moses] and his sons as a regular portion [a perpetual right, by a statute] from the Israelites, for it is the heave offering [a contribution, a special offering lifted up] the Israelites will make to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God] from their peace offerings [sacrifices of thanksgiving, voluntary sacrifices]. word study 29 The holy [set apart, sacred] garments that belong to Aaron [the first high priest] will belong to his sons [descendants, spiritual heirs] after him, so they can be anointed [consecrated, set apart for service] and ordained [consecrated, filled with God’s Spirit] in them. word study 30 The son [descendant, offspring] who succeeds him as priest [one who serves God and leads others in worship] and enters [comes into, approaches] the Tent [tabernacle, nomad’s home] of Meeting [appointed time, sacred season] to minister [serve, attend to] in the Holy Place [sacred area, set-apart space] must wear them for seven days [a literal 24-hour period or a figurative space of time]. word study 31 You are to take [get, acquire] the ram [strong tree] of ordination [setting, installing, consecration] and boil [cook, ripen] its flesh [body, living thing] in a holy [set apart, sacred] place [location, condition]. word study 32 At the entrance [doorway, threshold] to the Tent [tabernacle, sacred dwelling] of Meeting [appointed gathering, sacred season], Aaron [the first high priest, Moses’ brother] and his sons [descendants, spiritual offspring] are to eat [devour, consume] the meat [flesh, body] of the ram [a mighty man; a post] and the bread [food, grain, spiritual nourishment] that is in the basket [woven container, carrying vessel]. word study 33 They must eat [as a sacramental act, devour] those things by which atonement [covering, forgiveness] was made for their ordination [consecration, dedication] and consecration [sanctification, setting apart]. But no outsider [stranger, foreigner] may eat them, because these things are [considered, deemed] sacred [holy, set apart]. word study 34 And if any of the meat [flesh, the body or a person] of ordination [setting, installing something in a ceremonial context] or any bread [food, especially grain] is left [to remain, excel or have more than enough] until the morning [the break of day, a time of new beginnings], you are to burn up [to set on fire, kindle flames] the remainder [what is left, to remain]. It must not be eaten [to devour, consume], because it is [holy, set-apart] [dedicated to God, belonging to Him] sacred. word study 35 This is what you are to do [in this way, thus] for Aaron [the first high priest] and his sons [descendants, spiritual leaders] based on all [everything, every command] that I have commanded [given orders, appointed] you, taking [for a period of, during] seven days to ordain [consecrate, set apart] them. word study 36 Sacrifice a bull [young ox] as a sin [guilt, punishment for sin] offering each day [daily] for atonement [making things right with God]. Purify [cleanse, make holy] the altar [place of sacrifice] by making atonement [reconciliation, forgiveness] for it, and anoint [rub oil on, set apart] it to consecrate [set apart as holy, dedicate] it. word study 37 For [a period of] seven days [a week, a complete cycle] you shall make atonement [purification, cleansing] for the altar [a place of sacrifice, a symbol of worship] and consecrate [set apart, dedicate] it. Then the altar [the sacred table] will become most holy [completely sanctified, utterly dedicated]; whatever [all that, everything] touches [comes into contact with, reaches] the altar [the sacred place of sacrifice] will be holy [set apart, consecrated, sacred]. word study 38 This [what has been specified] is what you are to offer [present, sacrifice] regularly [daily, continually] on the altar [place of sacrifice], each day [every morning and evening]: two [a pair, dual] lambs [young rams, sons of a year] that are a year old [in their first year, sons of a year]. word study 39 Offer one [single, unique] lamb [a young ram] in the morning [at dawn, the break of day] and the other [second, another] at twilight [in the evening, between the evenings]. word study 40 With the first lamb [one young ram] offer a tenth [a tithe, 10%] of an ephah of fine flour [used for baking and offerings], mixed [to feed or anoint] with a quarter [one-fourth, a fourth part] hin of oil [olive oil] from pressed [beaten, pounded] olives, and a drink offering [a liquid sacrifice] of a quarter hin of wine [fermented wine]. word study 41 And offer the second [alternative, another] lamb at twilight [between the evenings, at sundown] with the same grain offering [meal offering, gift of fine flour] and drink offering [libation, liquid sacrifice] as in the morning [at the break of day], as a pleasing aroma [soothing fragrance, sweet savor], an offering made by fire [burnt offering, sacrifice consumed by flames] to the LORD [Yehovah, the supreme God]. word study 42 For the generations [your descendants, all future generations] to come, this burnt offering [continual sacrifice, regular offering] shall be made regularly [continually, every day] at the entrance [door, gateway] to the Tent of Meeting [tabernacle, sacred tent] before the LORD [Yehovah, the Lord God], where I will meet you [come face to face with you, appear to you] to speak with you [communicate, converse]. word study 43 I will also [appoint a time to] meet with the Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob] there [in that place, at that location], and that place [the tabernacle, the Tent] will be consecrated [sanctified, set apart as holy] by My [divine] glory [great honor, splendor, majesty]. word study 44 So I will consecrate [set apart as holy, sanctify] the Tent [tabernacle, sacred dwelling] of Meeting [appointed time, gathering place] and the altar [place of sacrifice, offering], and I will consecrate [dedicate, make holy] Aaron [the first high priest] and his sons [descendants, spiritual heirs] to serve Me as [to minister, perform sacred duties as] priests [spiritual leaders, intermediaries]. word study 45 Then I will dwell [live among, tabernacle in the midst of] among the Israelites [children of Israel, descendants of Jacob] and be [exist as, come into being as] their God [Elohim, the one supreme God, their divine Redeemer]. word study 46 And they will know [clearly understand, perceive] that I [emphatically, the one speaking] am the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] their God [Elohim, the one supreme God], who brought them out [led them forth, extracted] of the land [country, territory] of Egypt [a country in northeastern Africa] so that I might dwell [live, tabernacle] among them [in their midst, as their companion]. I am the LORD their God. word study