“Thus you shall do to Aaron and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. Through seven days shall you ordain them,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The seven-day duration of the consecration wasn't just a prolonged ceremony; it emphasized that the priests' entire being and future service were being set apart, requiring deep reflection and a full immersion into their sacred role before they officially began. This extended process highlighted the gravity of their calling, ensuring they understood the profound separation and dedication required for ministering before God.
“Thus you shall do to Aaron and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. Through seven days shall you ordain them,
English Standard Version (ESV)
After a lengthy, detailed description of the sacrificial rituals and specific actions to consecrate Aaron and his sons as priests, this verse summarizes the entire process, emphasizing its completion over a seven-day period. This period of intense, repeated ceremony established their sacred office before they could properly minister.
Why did the consecration of priests take a full seven days? It wasn't just a quick ceremony; it was an immersive process.
The repeated, seven-day duration of the consecration ritual in Exodus 29 wasn't just for emphasis; it symbolized a complete and total setting apart. The number seven itself often signifies divine perfection and completion in Scripture.
A Complete Transformation
This wasn't a one-time event but a sustained period where Aaron and his sons were separated from their ordinary lives and immersed in the sacred duties of the priesthood. This extended period allowed for the deep internalization of their new identity and responsibilities.
Preparing for Sacred Service
By repeating the ceremonies daily for seven days, the priests were thoroughly consecrated. This immersive experience prepared them not just physically but also spiritually and mentally for the weighty task of mediating between God and the people. It underscored that entering God's service is a profound transition, not a casual step.
Was the consecration just a series of rituals, or did it signify something deeper about the nature of priesthood and holiness?
The detailed rituals described in Exodus 29, culminating in the seven-day consecration, were far more than symbolic acts; they were the divinely appointed means to impart a unique holiness to the priests. This wasn't about earning favor through works, but about being set apart by God's own design.
Imparting Sacredness
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The sprinkling of blood and anointing oil, the specific placement of blood on ears, thumbs, and toes, and the eating of consecrated portions all served to transfer a sacred status to Aaron and his sons. This indicated that their very beings—their hearing, their actions, their walk—were now dedicated to God's service.
A Shadow of Christ
Commentators like Calvin and Benson rightly point out that this Old Testament priesthood was a 'shadow of good things to come.' The repeated rituals and the blood atonement foreshadowed the ultimate consecration and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest. His anointing and sacrifice were perfect and complete, making a way for us to enter into God's presence.
Understand the original words
mala' · Hebrew Verb
To fill the hands, initiating a person into a specific office or service before God, involving specific rites of purification and sacrifice to establish the person in their new role.
This passage reiterates the seven-day consecration period for Aaron and his sons, emphasizing that their ordination was not complete until the full week had passed.
Hebrews 7:26While Exodus describes the physical consecration of earthly priests, Hebrews highlights the perfect and eternal consecration of Jesus Christ as our High Priest, who was holy and separate from sinners.
1 Peter 2:5Exodus details the ordination of a specific priestly class, whereas 1 Peter describes how all believers are consecrated as spiritual priests, called to offer spiritual sacrifices to God.
John 17:19The Old Testament consecration of priests with blood and oil pointed towards Christ's ultimate consecration for us. John 17:19 reveals Jesus' own prayer that He sanctifies Himself for His followers, mirroring this concept of setting apart for a sacred purpose.
calvinExodus 29:1-35: "And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, to minister unto me in the priest's office: Take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish,"
And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest's office shall be theirs for a perpetual statute: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.
Cingesque illos baltheo: Aharon et flios ejus, et aptabis eis pileos, et erit eis sacerdotium in statutum perp…
pulpitExodus 29:35: "And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons, according to all things which I have commanded thee: seven days shalt thou consecrate them."
Verses 35-37. - The repetition of the ceremonial, and the consecration of the altar. Verse 35. - Seven days shalt thou consecrate them. The repetition of the ceremony seven times on seven separate days seems to be intended. Thus was an ideal completeness given to it. Compare the seven days' compassing around of Jericho (Joshua 6:3, 4,),…
The seven-day duration of the consecration wasn't just a prolonged ceremony; it emphasized that the priests' entire being and future service were being set apart, requiring deep reflection and a full immersion into their sacred role before they officially began. This extended process highlighted the gravity of their calling, ensuring they understood the profound separation and dedication required for ministering before God.
After a lengthy, detailed description of the sacrificial rituals and specific actions to consecrate Aaron and his sons as priests, this verse summarizes the entire process, emphasizing its completion over a seven-day period. This period of intense, repeated ceremony established their sacred office before they could properly minister.
After a lengthy, detailed description of the sacrificial rituals and specific actions to consecrate Aaron and his sons as priests, this verse summarizes the entire process, emphasizing its completion over a seven-day period. This period of intense, repeated ceremony established their sacred office before they could properly minister.
"“Thus you shall do to Aaron and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. Through seven days shall you ordain them," — The seven-day duration of the consecration wasn't just a prolonged ceremony; it emphasized that the priests' entire being and future service were being set apart, requiring deep reflection and a full…
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Last reviewed October 2026