Exodus 29 30

Exodus 29:30 kjv

And that son that is priest in his stead shall put them on seven days, when he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation to minister in the holy place.

Exodus 29:30 nkjv

That son who becomes priest in his place shall put them on for seven days, when he enters the tabernacle of meeting to minister in the holy place.

Exodus 29:30 niv

The son who succeeds him as priest and comes to the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place is to wear them seven days.

Exodus 29:30 esv

The son who succeeds him as priest, who comes into the tent of meeting to minister in the Holy Place, shall wear them seven days.

Exodus 29:30 nlt

The descendant who succeeds him as high priest will wear these clothes for seven days as he ministers in the Tabernacle and the Holy Place.

Exodus 29 30 Cross References

VerseTextReference
Exod 28:2"You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty."Purpose of priestly garments for glory & beauty
Exod 28:4"...make holy garments for Aaron your brother...that he may minister to Me in the priest's office."Garments for priestly ministry
Exod 29:1"This is what you shall do to them to consecrate them..."Introduction to consecration ceremony
Lev 8:7-9Moses put the holy garments on Aaron and anointed him.Moses attiring Aaron in his holy garments
Lev 8:33-35"...for seven days you shall not go outside the entrance...until the days of your consecration are completed."Seven-day consecration period
Lev 16:32"The priest who is anointed...shall make atonement...and shall put on the linen garments..."High priest's duties & required garments
Num 3:7"...keep the charge of the whole congregation...to do the service of the tabernacle."Charge of Levitical service
Num 20:28"...and put them on Eleazar his son. So Aaron died there on the top of the mountain."Example of priestly succession (Aaron to Eleazar)
Num 25:13"He and his descendants after him shall have a perpetual covenant of a priesthood."Covenant of perpetual priesthood
Josh 22:13Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest.Phinehas's priestly lineage confirmed
1 Chr 24:1Now the divisions of the sons of Aaron were these...Hereditary nature of Aaronic priesthood
2 Chr 26:18-19Uzziah presumptuously wore priestly robes and entered to offer incense, was struck with leprosy.Danger of unlawful priestly attire/duties
Ps 110:4"You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."Prophecy of eternal priesthood (Christ)
Isa 61:10"He has clothed me with the garments of salvation; He has covered me with the robe of righteousness."Spiritual garments of salvation/righteousness
Heb 5:1"For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God..."Definition of high priest's role
Heb 7:11-12"If perfection had been by the Levitical priesthood...what further need was there for another priest...?"Imperfection of Levitical priesthood
Heb 7:15-17"...another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent but by the power of an indestructible life."Christ's superior priesthood by power of life
Heb 7:23-24"The former priests were many...because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but He holds His priesthood permanently..."Christ's permanent, non-successional priesthood
Heb 8:1-2"We have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the Holy Place and in the true tabernacle..."Christ, minister in true Holy Place
Heb 9:11-12"But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come...entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of His own blood..."Christ's entry into heavenly Holy Place
1 Pet 2:9"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation..."Believers as a spiritual priesthood

Exodus 29 verses

Exodus 29 30 Meaning

This verse mandates that the priestly garments, specifically those of the High Priest, are to be worn by the succeeding high priest for a period of seven days. This wearing occurs during his specific duties within the Tabernacle, particularly when he enters the Tent of Meeting to minister in the Holy Place. It signifies the proper transfer of authority, consecration, and the continuity of the divinely appointed Aaronic priesthood.

Exodus 29 30 Context

Exodus chapter 29 details the elaborate ritual for the ordination and consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood. Following instructions for specific sacrifices, anointing, and filling their hands with their portion of the offerings (Exod 29:1-29), this verse shifts focus from the initial consecration to the perpetuity of the High Priestly office. It establishes the rule for how the high priestly garments—essential symbols of the office, as detailed in Exodus 28—would be passed on and utilized by future high priests. Historically, this laid the foundational administrative and ritual guidelines for the continuation of sacred service, ensuring a clear and divinely ordered succession within the Tabernacle and later, the Temple, establishing the visual continuity of the unique authority.

Exodus 29 30 Word analysis

  • Seven days (שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, shiv‘at yamim):
    • This duration often symbolizes completeness and divine perfection in the Bible (e.g., creation week, consecration periods).
    • It indicates a full cycle or period of dedication and transition.
    • For the incoming priest, it established a complete week of assuming the full responsibility and sanctity of the office under divine instruction, mirroring the seven days of the initial consecration for Aaron and his sons (Exod 29:35, Lev 8:33).
  • Shall the son who succeeds him (לְבָשָׁם בְּנוֹ תַּחְתָּיו, levasham beno taḥtāv):
    • Son (בְּנוֹ, beno): Emphasizes the hereditary nature of the Aaronic priesthood, passing from father to son. This divine decree ensured a specified, unalterable line of succession, distinct from elected or appointed religious roles in pagan societies.
    • Who succeeds him (תַּחְתָּיו, taḥtāv, literally "in his place"): Highlights the continuity and lawful transfer of the priestly office. It points to a singular, authoritative office held by one person at a time.
  • As priest wear them (כֹּהֵן לָבָשׁ, kohen lavash):
    • As priest (כֹּהֵן, kohen): Designates the specific role of service before God. It reinforces that the act of wearing is directly tied to the function and authority of the priest.
    • Wear them (לָבָשָׁם, lavasham): Refers specifically to the "holy garments" (Exod 28:2, 4). These garments were not mere attire but invested with symbolic and spiritual significance—"for glory and for beauty" and representing the priest's holiness, separation, and identification with God's presence. The act of wearing them was essential to legitimate ministry.
  • When he comes into the tent of meeting (בְּבֹאוֹ אֶל־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, b'vo'o el ohel mo'ed):
    • Tent of Meeting (אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, ohel mo'ed): This refers to the Tabernacle, the dwelling place where God met with His people (Exod 25:22). It indicates the specific sacred space where the high priest's duties were performed, underscoring the necessity of divine authorization and ritual purity for entering God's presence.
  • To minister in the Holy Place (לְשָׁרֵת בַּקֹּדֶשׁ, lesharêth bakodesh):
    • To minister (לְשָׁרֵת, lesharêth): Implies service, particularly sacred service or liturgical duty before God. It defines the purpose of his entry.
    • In the Holy Place (בַּקֹּדֶשׁ, bakodesh, literally "in the holiness"): Refers to the main chamber of the Tabernacle, before the veil to the Most Holy Place. This clarifies the precise location of his service, distinct from outer court duties or casual presence. The "Holiness" also conveys the sacredness of the tasks performed within.

Exodus 29 30 Bonus section

The uniqueness of the high priestly garments, detailed in Exod 28, represents spiritual truths. They were not merely functional but profoundly symbolic, serving "for glory and for beauty" (Exod 28:2). The ephod with the onyx stones bearing the names of the tribes of Israel, and the breastpiece with the Urim and Thummim, signified the high priest's representative role for the entire nation before God, bearing them on his heart and shoulders. The seven-day period for the high priest's successor, parallel to the original seven-day consecration (Exod 29:35; Lev 8:33), underscores the completeness and divine approval necessary for assuming such a sacred and mediating role. This echoes the concept of fullness and perfection often associated with the number seven throughout Scripture, highlighting the divine establishment and blessing upon the priestly succession. This entire system prefigured Jesus Christ's perfect, eternal priesthood. He wears no physical garments for His ministry is heavenly, and His holiness is intrinsic. He required no successive line, being the one "High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" (Heb 7:17).

Exodus 29 30 Commentary

Exodus 29:30 is a concise but crucial regulation that secures the future of the Aaronic high priesthood, ensuring its divinely appointed succession and ceremonial integrity. By mandating a seven-day wearing of the high priestly garments for the successor, it emphasizes a prescribed period of solemn installation rather than a mere change of clothes. This ritual reinforces the deep sanctity attached to the office, requiring the new high priest to publicly assume the mantle of his predecessor with appropriate reverence and demonstration of continuous authority from God. The hereditary nature ensures a clear, unbroken lineage, signifying God's covenant faithfulness through generations. Furthermore, specifying the "Tent of Meeting" and "Holy Place" grounds the legitimate exercise of his office in a divinely ordained, sacred location. This ordinance powerfully illustrates the principle that divine service must be conducted according to divine specifications, highlighting order, holiness, and succession in the unfolding of God's redemptive plan, ultimately pointing to the eternal, non-hereditary priesthood of Christ, who inherited His authority not by lineage but by an indestructible life (Heb 7:16).