The Ram of Ordination

(Exodus 29:10–30)

After that, [Moses] presented the other ram, the ram of ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on [its] head. 23 Moses slaughtered [the ram] and took some of its blood and put it on Aaron’s right earlobe on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 24 Moses also presented Aaron’s sons and put some of the blood on their right earlobes on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Then [he] splattered the blood on all sides of the altar.

25 

And [Moses] took the fat— the fat tail, all the fat that was on the entrails, the lobe of the liver, and both kidneys with their fat— as well as the right thigh. 26 And from the basket of unleavened bread that was before the LORD, he took one cake of unleavened bread, one cake of bread made with oil, and one wafer, and he placed them on the fat portions and on the right thigh. 27 He put all [these] in the hands of Aaron and his sons and waved them before the LORD as a wave offering.

28 

Then Moses took these from their hands and burned them on the altar with the burnt offering. This was an ordination offering, a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD. 29 He also took the breast — Moses’ portion of the ram of ordination — and waved it before the LORD as a wave offering, as the LORD had commanded him.

30 

Next, Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood that was on the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his garments, and on his sons and their garments. So he consecrated Aaron and his garments, as well as [Aaron’s] sons and their garments.

31 

And Moses said to Aaron and his sons,“Boil the meat at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and eat it there with the bread that is in the basket of ordination offerings, as I commanded, saying,‘Aaron and his sons are to eat it.’ 32 Then you must burn up the remainder of the meat and bread.

33 

You must not go outside the entrance to the Tent of Meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are complete; for it will take seven days to ordain you. 34 What has been done today has been commanded by the LORD in order to make atonement on your behalf. 35 You must remain at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting day and night for seven days and keep the LORD’s charge so that you will not die, for this is what I have been commanded.”

36 

So Aaron and his sons did everything the LORD had commanded through Moses. 9