Exodus 29

Exodus 25–31 records God's instructions to Moses at Mount Sinai concerning the tabernacle and its system of sacrifice. Exodus 28 prescribes the priestly garments, and this chapter follows it by describing how the priests are clothed in those garments and installed in office.

Outline

• Verses 1–3 Materials for the ordination: one young bull, two rams without blemish, and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes, and wafers made of fine wheat flour.
• Verses 4–9 Aaron and his sons are washed with water at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. Aaron is dressed in his garments, including the ephod, the breastplate, and the mitre with the holy crown, and the anointing oil is poured on him. His sons receive coats, girdles, and bonnets.
• Verses 10–14 A bull is offered as a sin offering. Its flesh, skin, and dung are burned outside the camp.
• Verses 15–18 The first ram is burned whole as a burnt offering.
• Verses 19–28 The ram of consecration is slaughtered, and its blood is put on the tip of the right ear, the thumb of the right hand, and the great toe of the right foot. Blood and anointing oil are sprinkled on the men and their garments, and a wave offering (an offering presented by waving) is made. The breast and the thigh become the priests' portion.
• Verses 29–30 Aaron's holy garments pass to the son who succeeds him, and that son wears them for seven days.
• Verses 31–34 Only the priests may eat the flesh and bread of the consecration, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. Whatever remains until morning is to be burned.
• Verses 35–37 The ordination is carried out over seven days, with a sin offering each day, and the altar is also made holy.
• Verses 38–42 Two lambs of the first year are to be offered every day, one in the morning and one in the evening. With each lamb are offered a tenth of an ephah of flour, a fourth of a hin of oil, and a fourth of a hin of wine.
• Verses 43–46 God promises to meet Israel at the tabernacle of the congregation and to dwell among them.

Key Verses

• Exodus 29:42 "where I will meet you, to speak there unto thee": This verse presents the daily burnt offering as the occasion of meeting with God.
• Exodus 29:45–46 "And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God": These verses identify the purpose of the Exodus as God's dwelling among His people.

People and Places

• Moses: The "thou" addressed by the commands in this chapter and the one who performs the ordination.
• Aaron: Moses' brother, installed as the first high priest.
• Aaron's sons: Named in chapter 28 as Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
• The tabernacle of the congregation and the altar: The tabernacle of the congregation refers to the tabernacle, and the altar is the altar of burnt offering.
• Egypt: The land out of which God brought Israel.

Points for Reflection

• The carrying out of this chapter's instructions is narrated in Leviticus 8.
• The term rendered "consecrate" is generally understood to derive from a Hebrew expression meaning "to fill the hand."
• The text itself does not explain the meaning of applying blood to the ear, hand, and foot. The interpretation that the rite sanctifies the whole of life—hearing, acting, and walking—belongs to the interpretive tradition.
• Hebrews 10 contrasts the priests who repeat the same sacrifices daily with Christ, who offered Himself once.
• Many Protestant denominations read the priestly system of this chapter, together with passages such as 1 Peter 2:5, in connection with the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. The Catholic and Anglican traditions, which maintain an ordained priesthood, sometimes read it as a type (a foreshadowing pattern) of holy orders.