Leviticus 9:7
Then Moses 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 bring the offering of the people and make atonement for them, as the LORD has commanded.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
What's easily missed is that Aaron, now the High Priest, is first instructed to make atonement for himself before he can do so for the people. This highlights the profound truth that even those called to serve God must first deal with their own sinfulness to be fit for sacred duty.
This verse marks the crucial moment when Aaron, newly consecrated as the high priest, is about to begin his official duties. Moses, acting as God's direct spokesperson, instructs Aaron to first offer sacrifices for himself and then for the people, underscoring that even the high priest needed atonement. The context is the very beginning of the Levitical priesthood's service, following their consecration, and immediately before the glorious manifestation of God's presence, signifying the acceptance of these offerings.
Before Aaron could serve the people, he had to deal with his own sin. This wasn't a small detail; it was the essential first step.
Moses' instruction to Aaron is clear: 'offer your sin offering... and make atonement for yourself.' This highlights a crucial principle in God's economy: mediation requires purity.
A Sinner Serving Sinners
Even as the newly consecrated High Priest, Aaron was still a sinner. His sin offering wasn't just symbolic; it acknowledged his inherent sinfulness and the need for atonement before he could minister for others. This underscores the imperfection of the Levitical priesthood, as the New Testament points out (Hebrews 7:27). A priest couldn't truly atone for others until he himself was purified.
The Pattern for Ministry
This order—atonement for oneself first, then for the people—teaches us that true spiritual leadership flows from a place of personal cleansing and right standing with God. Ministers and leaders, like Aaron, must first deal with their own shortcomings and seek God's favor before effectively leading or ministering to others.
Aaron didn't just decide to step up to the altar. His actions were dictated by a higher authority, a fact Moses emphasized.
Moses' repeated phrase, 'as the LORD commanded,' is more than just a formality; it's the bedrock of legitimate priestly service.
God's Ordained Service
Aaron was the High Priest, but his authority to act stemmed directly from God's commands to Moses. He was called, consecrated, and commissioned. This wasn't a matter of personal initiative but of obedience to divine instruction. God wants His people to worship and serve Him in ways He dictates, not by human invention.
The Unseen Reality Behind the Ritual
This emphasis on command points to the reality that worship and atonement are not merely human activities but divine acts mediated through human obedience. The sacrifices weren't magical; their efficacy was rooted in God's covenant and His decree. This established a pattern: true ministry is always tethered to God's Word and His specific instructions.
Understand the original words
mizbeach · Hebrew Noun
A place of sacrifice, typically made of earth or stone, where offerings are presented to God. It represents the meeting point between the holy God and sinful humanity, requiring blood to facilitate approach.
chattat · Hebrew Noun
A sacrifice prescribed to provide purification from ritual impurity or sin. It focuses on the removal of guilt and the restoration of a person's standing before God.
olah · Hebrew Noun
A voluntary offering where the animal was entirely consumed by fire, symbolizing total dedication, surrender, and the offerer's desire to be fully acceptable to God.
kaphar · Hebrew Verb
This passage directly references the Old Testament high priest's need to offer sacrifices for his own sins first, highlighting the imperfection of the Levitical system compared to Christ's perfect, once-for-all sacrifice.
Hebrews 5:3This verse speaks to the necessity for the high priest to offer sacrifices for sins, both his own and the people's, underscoring the theme of atonement for sin that is central to Leviticus 9:7.
Exodus 32:1-35This chapter details the sin of the golden calf, which the commentaries suggest Aaron and the people needed atonement for, directly linking to the 'atonement for thyself and for the people' in Leviticus 9:7.
Leviticus 4:3This verse explains the specific sin offering required for the anointed priest if he sins, making him guilty before the people, which aligns with the reason Aaron had to make atonement for himself first.
1 Peter 2:5This New Testament passage calls believers 'living stones' and 'a spiritual house,' likening them to priests who offer spiritual sacrifices, echoing the priestly duties and sacrificial theme found in Leviticus 9:7.
calvinLeviticus 9:1-24: "And it came to pass on the eighth day, that Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel;"
And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar, and offer thy sin-offering, and thy burnt-offering, and make an atonement for thyself, and the people: and offer the offering of the people, and make an atonement for them; as the Lord commanded.
Ad Aharon vero dixit Moses, Accede ad altare, et fac oblationem pro peccato tuo, et holocaustum tuum, et expiationem fac pro te…
barnesLeviticus 9:7: "And Moses said unto Aaron, Go unto the altar, and offer thy sin offering, and thy burnt offering, and make an atonement for thyself, and for the people: and offer the offering of the people, and make an atonement for them; as the LORD commanded."
It is to be remarked that Aaron offers no peace-offering for himself. It was enough that he should participate in the peace-offerings of the consecration Leviticus 8:31 , and in the two peace-offerings about to be sacrificed for the peo…
What's easily missed is that Aaron, now the High Priest, is first instructed to make atonement for himself before he can do so for the people. This highlights the profound truth that even those called to serve God must first deal with their own sinfulness to be fit for sacred duty.
This verse marks the crucial moment when Aaron, newly consecrated as the high priest, is about to begin his official duties. Moses, acting as God's direct spokesperson, instructs Aaron to first offer sacrifices for himself and then for the people, underscoring that even the high priest needed atonement. The context is the very beginning of the Levitical priesthood's service, following their consecration, and immediately before the glorious manifestation of God's presence, signifying the acceptance of these offerings.
This verse marks the crucial moment when Aaron, newly consecrated as the high priest, is about to begin his official duties. Moses, acting as God's direct spokesperson, instructs Aaron to first offer sacrifices for himself and then for the people, underscoring that even the high priest needed atonement. The context is the very beginning of the Levitical priesthood's service, following their consecration, and immediately before the glorious manifestation of God's presence, signifying the acceptance of these offerings.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Leviticus 9:7 is available in the Sola app.
The act of covering sin through a sacrifice, resulting in reconciliation and the removal of divine wrath. It is the means by which a holy God maintains fellowship with a sinful people.
"Then Moses 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 bring the offering of the people and make atonement for them, as the LORD has com…" — What's easily missed is that Aaron, now the High Priest, is first instructed to make atonement for himself before he can do so for the people. This highlights the profound truth that even those cal…
