Leviticus 9 Chapter Introduction

Structure and Formatting

This chapter is another narrative piece in which Moses instructs Aaron to offer sin and burnt offerings for himself, and sin, burnt, grain, and peace offerings for the people, so that the “glory of Yahweh” would appear to the people, having atoned them. After instructing Aaron (9:1–7), Aaron offers for himself the sin offering, offering a bull calf in the prescribed way (9:8–11). Next, he offers the burnt offering for himself, offering a ram in the prescribed way (9:12–14). After this, Aaron makes sacrifices for the people of Israel, offering a male goat for a sin offering (9:15), a bull calf and a lamb for burnt offerings (9:16), a grain offering (9:17), and finally, an ox and a ram for peace offerings (9:18–20) complete with a wave offering of the breast meat and the right thigh of the ox and the ram (9:21). In an incredible conclusion, Aaron blesses the people, and Moses and Aaron enter the sacred tent (9:22–23). When they come out, after blessing the people again, the “glory of Yahweh” appears to the people as “fire from before the face of Yahweh” comes out of the sacred tent and consumes the fat and meat on the burnt offering altar (9:23–24). In response to this incredible sight, the people shout and fall to the ground (9:24). The structure of the chapter is as follows:

1. Moses instructs Aaron (9:1–7)
2. Aaron performs sacrifices for himself (9:8–14)
   1. the sin offering for Aaron (9:8–11)
   2. the burnt offering for Aaron (9:12–14)
3. Aaron performs sacrifices for the people of Israel (9:15–21)
   1. the sin offering for the people (9:15)
   2. the burnt offering for the people (9:16)
   3. the grain offering for the people (9:17)
   4. the peace offering for the people, including the wave offering (9:18–21)
4. The glory of Yahweh appears to the people (9:22–24)

Religious and Cultural Concepts in This Chapter

Most of the special concepts in this chapter are discussed in the Introduction to Leviticus, including the burnt, grain, sin, and peace offerings, including the wave offering, the unique function of blood, the abstract noun “atonement,” and the ritual act of converting sacrifices to smoke on the altar.