Leviticus 9

1 And it came to pass on the eighth day, [that] Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel;

2 And he said to Aaron, Take thee a young calf for a sin-offering, and a ram for a burnt-offering, without blemish, and offer [them] before the LORD.

3 And to the children of Israel thou shalt speak, saying, Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin-offering; and a calf and a lamb, [both] of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt-offering;

4 Also a bullock and a ram for peace-offerings, to sacrifice before the LORD; and a meat-offering mingled with oil: for to-day the LORD will appear to you.

5 And they brought [that] which Moses commanded before the tabernacle of the congregation: and all the congregation drew near and stood before the LORD.

6 And Moses said, This [is] the thing which the LORD commanded that ye should do: and the glory of the LORD shall appear to you.

7 And Moses said to Aaron, Go to the altar, and offer thy sin-offering, and thy burnt-offering, and make an atonement for thyself, and for the people: and offer the offering of the people, and make an atonement for them; as the LORD commanded.

8 Aaron therefore went to the altar, and slew the calf of the sin-offering, which [was] for himself.

9 And the sons of Aaron brought the blood to him: and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put [it] upon the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the bottom of the altar:

10 But the fat, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver of the sin-offering, he burnt upon the altar; as the LORD commanded Moses.

11 And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp.

12 And he slew the burnt-offering; and Aaron's sons presented to him the blood, which he sprinkled around upon the altar.

13 And they presented the burnt-offering to him, with the pieces of it, and the head: and he burnt [them] upon the altar.

14 And he washed the inwards and the legs, and burnt [them] upon the burnt-offering on the altar.

15 And he brought the people's offering, and took the goat, which [was] the sin-offering for the people, and slew it, and offered it for sin, as the first.

16 And he brought the burnt-offering, and offered it according to the manner.

17 And he brought the meat-offering, and took a handful of it, and burnt [it] upon the altar, beside the burnt-sacrifice of the morning.

18 He slew also the bullock and the ram [for] a sacrifice of peace-offerings, which [was] for the people: and Aaron's sons presented to him the blood, which he sprinkled around upon the altar,

19 And the fat of the bullock, and of the ram, the rump, and that which covereth [the inwards], and the kidneys, and the caul [above] the liver:

20 And they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon the altar:

21 And the breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved [for] a wave-offering before the LORD; as Moses commanded.

22 And Aaron lifted up his hand towards the people, and blessed them; and came down from offering the sin-offering, and the burnt-offering, and peace-offerings.

23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people.

24 And there came out a fire from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt-offering and the fat: [which], when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

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Leviticus 9 Commentary

Chapter 9

The first offerings of Aaron for himself and the people. (1-21) Moses and Aaron bless the people, Fire cometh upon the altar from the Lord. (22-24)

Verses 1-21 These many sacrifices, which were all done away by the death of Christ, teach us that our best services need washing in his blood, and that the guilt of our best sacrifices needs to be done away by one more pure and more noble than they. Let us be thankful that we have such a High Priest. The priests had not a day's respite from service allowed. God's spiritual priests have constant work, which the duty of every day requires; they that would give up their account with joy, must redeem time. The glory of God appeared in the sight of the people, and owned what they had done. We are not now to expect such appearances, but God draws nigh to those who draw nigh to him, and the offerings of faith are acceptable to him; though the sacrifices being spiritual, the tokens of the acceptance are spiritual likewise. When Aaron had done all that was to be done about the sacrifices, he lifted up his hands towards the people, and blessed them. Aaron could but crave a blessing, God alone can command it.

Verses 22-24 When the solemnity was finished, and the blessing pronounced, God testified his acceptance. There came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed the sacrifice. This fire might justly have fastened upon the people, and have consumed them for their sins; but its consuming the sacrifice signified God's acceptance of it, as an atonement for the sinner. This also was a figure of good things to come. The Spirit descended upon the apostles in fire. And the descent of this holy fire into our souls, to kindle in them pious and devout affections toward God, and such a holy zeal as burns up the flesh and the lusts of it, is a certain token of God's gracious acceptance of our persons and performances. Nothing goes to God, but what comes from him. We must have grace, that holy fire, from the God of grace, else we cannot serve him acceptably, ( Hebrews 12:28 ) . The people were affected with this discovery of God's glory and grace. They received it with the highest joy; triumphing in the assurance given them that they had God nigh unto them. And with the lowest reverence; humbly adoring the majesty of that God, who vouchsafed thus to manifest himself to them. That is a sinful fear of God, which drives us from him; a gracious fear makes us bow before him.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 9

Aaron and his sons, being consecrated to and invested with the priest's office, are called upon to the exercise of it, to offer a sin offering and a burnt offering for themselves, and all sorts of offerings, a sin offering, a burnt offering, peace offerings, and a meat offering, for the people; and a promise is made for their encouragement, that the glory of the Lord would appear to them, Le 9:1-7 and which were in their course accordingly offered; first, Aaron's sin offering for himself, Le 9:8-11 then his burnt offering, Le 9:12-14 after that the several offerings of the people before mentioned, Le 9:15-21 when Aaron and Moses blessed the people, the one as soon as he had done offering, and both together when they came out of the tabernacle, Le 9:22,23 upon which a fire came forth from the Lord, and consumed the burnt offering upon the altar, Le 9:24.