Leviticus 9:22 kjv
And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.
Leviticus 9:22 nkjv
Then Aaron lifted his hand toward the people, blessed them, and came down from offering the sin offering, the burnt offering, and peace offerings.
Leviticus 9:22 niv
Then Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them. And having sacrificed the sin offering, the burnt offering and the fellowship offering, he stepped down.
Leviticus 9:22 esv
Then Aaron 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.
Leviticus 9:22 nlt
After that, Aaron raised his hands toward the people and blessed them. Then, after presenting the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering, he stepped down from the altar.
Leviticus 9 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 6:23-27 | "Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites:… The LORD bless you and keep you… and give you peace.’ So they will put My name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” | Priestly blessing formula instructed by God. |
| Deut 10:8 | "At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi… to bless in His name…" | Levites chosen for priestly function to bless. |
| 2 Chr 6:3 | "And the king turned his face about and blessed all the assembly of Israel…" | A kingly blessing, often with similar solemnity. |
| Luke 24:50 | "He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up His hands He blessed them." | Jesus, the High Priest, blesses before ascension. |
| Ps 134:2 | "Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and bless the LORD." | Lifting hands in worship and blessing. |
| 1 Tim 2:8 | "I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands…" | A gesture for prayer, connected to blessing. |
| Heb 5:1-4 | "For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins…" | Definition of high priestly role, including offerings. |
| Lev 8:30 | "Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood… and sprinkled it on Aaron and his garments… and on his sons…" | Aaron's consecration preceding his service. |
| Lev 9:7 | "Then Moses said to Aaron, 'Go to the altar and offer your sin offering and your burnt offering… and the offering for the people…" | Context of Aaron preparing for these specific sacrifices. |
| Lev 1 | (Description of the burnt offering) | Details the ritual of the burnt offering. |
| Lev 3 | (Description of the peace offering) | Details the ritual of the peace offering. |
| Lev 4 | (Description of the sin offering) | Details the ritual of the sin offering. |
| Heb 9:11-14 | "But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), He 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, thus securing an eternal redemption." | Christ's superior, singular sacrifice fulfills animal offerings. |
| Eph 5:2 | "Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." | Christ's sacrificial act as the ultimate offering. |
| Lev 9:23-24 | "And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting… And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar…" | Immediate divine confirmation of the offerings and priesthood. |
| 1 Kgs 8:54 | "Now as Solomon finished offering all this entire prayer and supplication to the LORD, he arose from before the altar… and knelt on his knees with his hands spread out toward heaven." | Solomon blesses congregation after a prayer and dedication. |
| 2 Chr 7:1-3 | "As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple." | Divine fire confirming acceptance of sacrifice and temple. |
| Exod 40:34-35 | "Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting…" | God's glory filling the Tabernacle, showing His presence. |
| Mal 2:7 | "For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts." | Priestly role of conveying divine knowledge and word. |
| Heb 7:22-28 | "Consequently, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant… He holds His priesthood permanently… He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." | Christ as the enduring and perfect High Priest and intercessor. |
| Heb 4:14-16 | "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses… Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." | Believers' access to God through the High Priest, Jesus. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him…" | The church as a "royal priesthood" in Christ. |
| Rom 15:13 | "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." | A New Testament blessing from God. |
Leviticus 9 verses
Leviticus 9 22 Meaning
Leviticus 9:22 describes Aaron, as the newly consecrated High Priest, performing his first public act of blessing the Israelite congregation. This solemn action immediately follows the completion of specific offerings for atonement, dedication, and fellowship – namely, the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offering. It signifies the transfer of divine favor and peace from God to His people through the designated priestly mediator, marking the successful inauguration of the Tabernacle's sacrificial system and priesthood.
Leviticus 9 22 Context
Leviticus chapter 9 details the climactic eighth day of the seven-day ordination of Aaron and his sons into the priesthood. Following a week of private consecration and ritual instruction in Leviticus 8, this day marks their official public inauguration, where Aaron performs sacrifices for himself and the entire congregation for the first time. The aim is to make atonement for Israel's sin, to dedicate the people to God, and to enable fellowship with Him, so that the "glory of the LORD" might appear to them. Verse 22 occurs immediately after Aaron has meticulously offered a sin offering, burnt offering, and peace offering for the people, preparing the way for God's divine manifestation of approval. Historically, this event signifies the establishment of the formal means by which a holy God would dwell among an imperfect people, a crucial pillar of the Mosaic Covenant and the functioning of the Tabernacle system. This divine design for priesthood stands distinct from surrounding ancient Near Eastern practices, emphasizing divine appointment, ritual purity, and a specific pathway to atonement and blessing, thus indirectly challenging human-made religious systems and idolatry by establishing God's unique and holy requirements.
Leviticus 9 22 Word analysis
- וַיִּשָּׂא (vayyiśśā) – And he lifted: From the Hebrew verb נָשָׂא (nasa), meaning "to lift" or "to carry." It indicates a deliberate, formal, and authoritative gesture, signifying the commencement of a solemn action.
- אַהֲרֹן (ʾAharon) – Aaron: The divinely chosen brother of Moses, serving as Israel's first High Priest. His name here emphasizes his unique position as the mediator between God and the people during the Mosaic era.
- אֶת־יָדָיו (ʾet-yadāw) – his hands: The Hebrew uses a dual form for "hands," emphasizing the raising of both hands. This gesture is widely associated with prayer, invoking divine power, and imparting blessing in ancient Near Eastern and biblical contexts (e.g., Ps 134:2; Lam 3:41; 1 Tim 2:8). It denotes an act of channeling or conveying divine favor.
- אֶל־הָעָם (ʾel-haʿām) – toward the people: Specifies the beneficiaries of the blessing – the entire assembly of Israel. This underscores Aaron's representational role, directing God's favor to His chosen nation.
- וַיְבָרְכֵם (vayᵉvarkēm) – and blessed them: From the verb בָּרַךְ (barak), meaning "to bless." This is a priestly blessing, a verbal pronouncement invoking divine favor, prosperity, and peace upon the people. Aaron serves as God's instrument in bestowing this divine favor.
- וַיֵּרֶד (vayyered) – And he came down / Then he stepped down: From the verb יָרַד (yarad), meaning "to go down" or "to descend." This implies Aaron was on an elevated position (likely the altar platform or a designated area) during the sacrificial rites and now concludes that segment of the ceremony by descending to ground level. It signifies the completion of the elevated ritual actions.
- מֵעֲלֹת (meʿalot) – from offering: From the verb עָלָה (ʿalah), meaning "to go up" or "to ascend," specifically used here for "offering up" sacrifices, as their smoke ascends to God. It highlights that the blessing followed the performance of the sacrificial rituals.
- הַחַטָּאת (haḥaṭṭāʾt) – the sin offering: (As detailed in Lev 4). This sacrifice's primary purpose was to make atonement for unintentional sins and to cleanse the sanctuary and people from ritual impurity, making them acceptable to approach God.
- וְהָעֹלָה (vᵉhāʿolāh) – and the burnt offering: (As detailed in Lev 1). This offering represented complete dedication to God, entirely consumed on the altar, symbolizing total surrender and propitiation.
- וְהַשְּׁלָמִים (vᵉhashshᵉlamim) – and the peace/fellowship offering: (As detailed in Lev 3). This sacrifice was characterized by shared communion: portions for God, the priest, and the offerer. It symbolized peace, thanksgiving, and restored fellowship between God and His people.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them": This action encapsulates the core function and authority of the High Priest: to intercede with God on behalf of the people and, conversely, to mediate God's blessing to the people. The uplifted hands indicate a divinely ordained posture for this solemn act of invoking and conveying divine favor, foreshadowing the blessings pronounced by Jesus, our High Priest.
- "he came down from offering the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offering": This phrase details the necessary precondition for the blessing. God's favor is pronounced after the atoning (sin), dedicatory (burnt), and fellowship (peace) offerings have been meticulously performed. This sequence emphasizes that forgiveness, reconciliation, and full surrender to God are essential prerequisites for experiencing His unreserved blessing and intimate fellowship. The completion of these foundational offerings marks a state of ceremonial and spiritual readiness for God's glory to appear.
Leviticus 9 22 Bonus section
- The structure of the inaugural rites emphasizes God's protocol: approach Him not through human initiative, but through divinely appointed mediators and means, ensuring purity and obedience.
- Aaron's descending from the altar area signifies the completion of the specific high-level sacrificial rites that demanded his immediate presence and perhaps a higher vantage point for offering and addressing the crowd. It transitions from an active, laborious ritual to a declarative, blessing role.
- This verse anticipates the climactic divine appearance in Lev 9:23-24, where God’s glory responds to the complete and accepted offerings and the High Priest’s blessing, consuming the offerings with fire from the Lord and demonstrating His tangible presence among His people.
- The New Testament highlights that Christ, our High Priest, blesses us directly and perpetually, not needing to come down from a physical altar, but seated at the right hand of God, continually interceding for and blessing His people.
Leviticus 9 22 Commentary
Leviticus 9:22 is a profound moment illustrating the intricate link between atonement, dedication, and divine blessing in God's covenant with Israel. Aaron's solemn act of blessing the people with uplifted hands signifies the inauguration of his role as the High Priest, channeling God's favor to His people. This blessing is not arbitrary but flows directly from the completed sacrificial acts. The prior execution of the sin offering, burnt offering, and peace offering provided the necessary atonement for sin, expressed the people's total dedication to God, and established the ground for communal fellowship with Him. Therefore, the blessing is God's seal of approval, signifying His acceptance of the people and the newly established Tabernacle worship system. This divinely ordered sequence – purification and dedication followed by divine blessing and the manifestation of glory (v. 23-24) – provides a profound Old Testament type for the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. As our ultimate High Priest, Jesus's once-for-all sacrifice encompasses the complete fulfillment of all these offerings, procuring eternal redemption and the pouring out of boundless spiritual blessings upon His new covenant people (Eph 1:3).