Leviticus 8 14

Leviticus 8:14 kjv

And he brought the bullock for the sin offering: and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bullock for the sin offering.

Leviticus 8:14 nkjv

And he brought the bull for the sin offering. Then Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull for the sin offering,

Leviticus 8:14 niv

He then presented the bull for the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head.

Leviticus 8:14 esv

Then he brought the bull of the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull of the sin offering.

Leviticus 8:14 nlt

Then Moses presented the bull for the sin offering. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the bull's head,

Leviticus 8 verses

Leviticus 8 14 Meaning

Leviticus 8:14 describes the initial act of purification during the ordination ceremony of Aaron and his sons as priests. A bullock is brought as a sin offering to atone for their sins and defilement. Aaron and his sons physically lay their hands on the animal's head, symbolically transferring their uncleanness and guilt onto the offering. This essential step establishes their need for atonement before they can commence their sacred duties of ministering to God on behalf of the people.

Leviticus 8 14 Context

Leviticus chapter 8 details the seven-day consecration ceremony of Aaron and his sons as priests, as instructed by the LORD through Moses in Exodus 29. This elaborate ritual marks their transition from common men to set-apart officiants for the Tabernacle service. Verse 14 initiates the sacrificial portion of this ceremony. Following the anointing with oil, which symbolically designates them for service, the offering of the bullock for the sin offering serves as a crucial act of purification. This act is essential to make them ritually clean and acceptable to stand before a holy God and mediate for the people of Israel. This context underscores the paramount importance of dealing with sin and uncleanness before engaging in divine service, setting the precedent for all future priestly duties and highlighting the meticulousness of God's holy requirements.

Leviticus 8 14 Word analysis

• And he brought: This refers to Moses. In the entire ordination narrative, Moses acts as the direct agent and mediator, carrying out every instruction precisely as commanded by God. He represents the divine authority behind the ritual, underscoring that the priesthood is established by divine appointment, not human initiative.
• the bullock: (Hebrew: par) A male bovine, typically three years old or more, signifying a large, valuable, and strong animal. Its substantial value and size for a sacrifice indicates the gravity of the sin it atoned for, as well as the high status of the individuals (Aaron and his sons) for whom it was offered.
• for the sin offering: (Hebrew: chatta't - חַטָּאת). This term refers not merely to "sin" but specifically to a type of sacrifice dedicated to atoning for unintentional sins or ceremonial impurity that defiled the person or the sanctuary. The chatta't was essential for purification and making amends for specific moral or ritual failures. Unlike other offerings which focused on devotion or fellowship, the primary purpose of the sin offering was expiation and purification, rectifying the covenant relationship disturbed by sin. It involved the blood being smeared on the altar, sometimes carried into the Tabernacle, symbolizing cleansing and neutralizing defilement.
• and Aaron and his sons: The subjects of this specific act. They are the chosen ones to be priests, yet despite their calling, they are human and thus tainted by sin. This demonstrates that even God's appointed servants must undergo a process of purification to be able to approach Him in holiness.
• laid their hands: (Hebrew: samakh - סָמַךְ) Literally means "to lean upon," "to rest upon," or "to support." In sacrificial rituals, this act signifies identification, transference, and substitution. It symbolizes the transfer of guilt, impurity, and even the "life" or essence of the worshipper's unworthiness onto the innocent animal. It is a deeply personal act, indicating that the individuals acknowledge their sin and consent to the animal's death as their substitute. This intimate contact connected the sacrificer to the sacrifice, making it truly theirs.
• upon the head: The most prominent part of the animal, symbolizing its whole being. Placing hands here emphasized the total dedication of the animal to the sacrificial purpose and the complete transfer of guilt and impurity.

Words-group analysis

• "the bullock for the sin offering": This phrase precisely identifies the animal and its specific ritual purpose. The bullock was specifically chosen to address the priests' impurity, not for fellowship or general thanksgiving, emphasizing the foundational need for atonement before fellowship could begin.
• "laid their hands upon the head of the bullock for the sin offering": This entire phrase encapsulates the crucial act of identifying the individuals (Aaron and his sons) with their substitute. It vividly portrays the symbolic imputation of sin from the offerers to the spotless animal, a ritualistic confession and declaration that the animal was to die for their sin. This foreshadows the truth of imputation in the New Testament, where believers are identified with Christ's sin-bearing work, and His righteousness is imputed to them.

Leviticus 8 14 Bonus section

• The ceremonial act in this verse underscores a foundational principle: human fallenness necessitates divine provision for cleansing. God initiated this process, providing the means and the ritual, not man devising a way to approach God.
• The sacrifice being a "bullock" (a highly valuable animal) for consecration shows the gravity of equipping priests. This foreshadows the inestimable value of Christ's sacrifice for those called to be "a kingdom of priests" (1 Pet 2:9, Rev 1:6).
• The role of Moses, acting precisely as God commanded, reinforces the divine authority behind every detail of the ritual, ensuring that the consecration was according to God's will and thus efficacious. It emphasizes obedience in religious service.
• This verse provides a crucial type-antitype relationship. The temporary and repetitive nature of these animal sacrifices (evident through subsequent needs for atonement) serves as a backdrop, magnifying the perfection and finality of Christ's single, ultimate sacrifice on the cross (Hebrews 9 & 10).

Leviticus 8 14 Commentary

Leviticus 8:14 reveals a profound theological truth at the heart of the Old Covenant priesthood: before anyone can minister in the presence of a holy God, they must first be cleansed from sin. The bullock as a sin offering, with the accompanying laying on of hands, underscores the principle of substitutionary atonement—sin requires a sacrifice, and that sacrifice must bear the burden of the sin for the sinner. This ritual highlighted the inherent sinfulness of even the chosen ones, demonstrating their utter dependence on God's provided means for dealing with transgression. It served as a vital visual aid, instructing Aaron and his sons, as well as the people watching, about the pervasive nature of sin and the serious requirements for holiness to approach a perfect God. Ultimately, this detailed ceremonial act pointed forward to Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb, who willingly allowed the sins of all humanity to be "laid upon" Him, offering Himself as the perfect, once-for-for-all sin offering, needing no purification for Himself, thereby providing true and eternal cleansing for those who identify with Him by faith.