Leviticus 9: Aaron offers the first sacrifices, and fire comes from Yahweh
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What happens?
On the eighth day Moses tells Aaron to offer sacrifices for himself and for the people. Aaron offers the sin offering, the burnt offering, the meal offering and the peace offerings, and he blesses the people. Yahweh's glory appears to all the people, fire comes out from before Yahweh and burns up the offering on the altar, and the people shout and fall on their faces.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. Moses speaks in verses 2 to 4, 6 and 7, telling Aaron and the people what Yahweh has commanded. Those are Moses' words, and God does not speak in this chapter, so no verse is in gold. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1On the eighth day, Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel;
In plain English: On the eighth day Moses called Aaron, his sons, and the elders of Israel,
Good to know: The eighth day comes after the seven days of consecration in .
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2and he said to Aaron, “Take a calf from the herd for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without defect, and offer them before Yahweh.
In plain English: and he said to Aaron, "Take a calf from the herd for a sin offering (or: purification offering), and a ram for a burnt offering, both without defect, and offer them before Yahweh.
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3You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both a year old, without defect, for a burnt offering;
In plain English: Then speak to the Israelites and say, 'Take a male goat for a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both a year old and without defect, for a burnt offering,
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4and a bull and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before Yahweh; and a meal offering mixed with oil: for today Yahweh appears to you.’”
In plain English: and a bull (or: an ox) and a ram for peace offerings (or: fellowship offerings), to sacrifice before Yahweh, and a meal offering (or: grain offering) mixed with oil. For today Yahweh will appear to you.'"
The Hebrew word: "Peace offerings" is shelamim, which sounds like shalom, peace. The dictionary gives it as "requital, i.e. a (voluntary) sacrifice in thanks".
How it is translated: This Bible says "peace offering" in all 84 verses that use the word. Other Bibles say "fellowship offering" or "sacrifice of well-being".
What changes: Read as "thank offering" or "offering of well-being", the name points to giving thanks or to being well and whole, and not only to peace.
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5They brought what Moses commanded before the Tent of Meeting. All the congregation came near and stood before Yahweh.
In plain English: They brought what Moses commanded to the front of the Tent of Meeting. The whole community came near and stood before Yahweh.
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6Moses said, “This is the thing which Yahweh commanded that you should do; and Yahweh’s glory shall appear to you.”
In plain English: Moses said, "This is what Yahweh has commanded you to do, and Yahweh's glory will appear to you (or: so that Yahweh's glory may appear to you)."
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7Moses said to Aaron, “Draw near to the altar, and offer your sin offering, and your burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself, and for the people; and offer the offering of the people, and make atonement for them, as Yahweh commanded.”
In plain English: Moses said to Aaron, "Come near to the altar and offer your sin offering and your burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself and for the people. Then offer the people's offering and make atonement for them, as Yahweh commanded."
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8So Aaron came near to the altar, and killed the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself.
In plain English: So Aaron came near to the altar and killed the calf for the sin offering, which was for himself.
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9The sons of Aaron presented the blood to him; and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it on the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar;
In plain English: Aaron's sons brought the blood to him. He dipped his finger in the blood and put it on the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar.
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10but the fat, and the kidneys, and the cover from the liver of the sin offering, he burned upon the altar, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
In plain English: But the fat, the kidneys, and the covering of the liver from the sin offering he burned on the altar, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
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11The meat and the skin he burned with fire outside the camp.
In plain English: The meat and the skin he burned with fire outside the camp.
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12He killed the burnt offering; and Aaron’s sons delivered the blood to him, and he sprinkled it around on the altar.
In plain English: He killed the burnt offering. Aaron's sons handed him the blood, and he sprinkled it all around on the altar.
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13They delivered the burnt offering to him, piece by piece, and the head. He burned them upon the altar.
In plain English: They handed him the burnt offering piece by piece, and the head, and he burned them on the altar.
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14He washed the innards and the legs, and burned them on the burnt offering on the altar.
In plain English: He washed the inner parts and the legs, and burned them on top of the burnt offering on the altar.
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15He presented the people’s offering, and took the goat of the sin offering which was for the people, and killed it, and offered it for sin, like the first.
In plain English: He brought the people's offering. He took the goat for the sin offering, which was for the people, killed it, and offered it for sin, as he had done with the first.
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16He presented the burnt offering, and offered it according to the ordinance.
In plain English: He brought the burnt offering and offered it the way the rule (or: the ordinance) says.
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17He presented the meal offering, and filled his hand from there, and burned it upon the altar, in addition to the burnt offering of the morning.
In plain English: He brought the meal offering, took a handful of it, and burned it on the altar, besides the morning burnt offering.
The Hebrew word: "Meal offering" is minchah, which the dictionary gives as "a donation": a gift. In this chapter it is mixed with oil ().
How it is translated: This Bible says "meal offering" in 125 of the 194 verses that use the word, and also "tribute" and "present".
What changes: Read as "gift" or "tribute", the name says what the offering is, something given, and not what it is made of.
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18He also killed the bull and the ram, the sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people. Aaron’s sons delivered to him the blood, which he sprinkled around on the altar;
In plain English: He also killed the bull (or: the ox) and the ram, the sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people. Aaron's sons handed him the blood, and he sprinkled it all around on the altar,
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19and the fat of the bull and of the ram, the fat tail, and that which covers the innards, and the kidneys, and the cover of the liver;
In plain English: and the fat of the bull and of the ram: the fat tail, the fat that covers the inner parts, the kidneys, and the covering of the liver.
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20and they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burned the fat on the altar.
In plain English: They put the fat on the breasts, and he burned the fat on the altar.
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21Aaron waved the breasts and the right thigh for a wave offering before Yahweh, as Moses commanded.
In plain English: Aaron waved the breasts and the right thigh as a wave offering before Yahweh, as Moses commanded.
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22Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people, and blessed them; and he came down from offering the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings.
In plain English: Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them. Then he came down from offering the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings.
Good to know: The verse does not give the words of Aaron's blessing. to 26 later gives the words Aaron and his sons are to use: "Yahweh bless you, and keep you."
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23Moses and Aaron went into the Tent of Meeting, and came out, and blessed the people; and Yahweh’s glory appeared to all the people.
In plain English: Moses and Aaron went into the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people, and Yahweh's glory appeared to all the people.
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24Fire came out from before Yahweh, and consumed the burnt offering and the fat upon the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted, and fell on their faces.
In plain English: Fire came out from before Yahweh and burned up (literally: ate) the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted (or: shouted for joy) and fell on their faces.
Good to know: The same words, "fire came out from before Yahweh", open .
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