Aaron's First Offering and the Glory of the Lord

On the eighth day after the ordination of the priests, Moses called Aaron, his sons, and the elders of Israel. The command was direct: Aaron was to take a calf for a sin-offering and a ram for a burnt-offering, both without blemish, and offer them before the Lord. Then the people were to bring a he-goat for a sin-offering, a calf and a lamb for a burnt-offering, and an ox and a ram for peace-offerings, along with a grain-offering mixed with oil. The reason given was stark: “Today the Lord appears to you.”

The congregation brought what Moses commanded to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and all the people drew near and stood before the Lord. Moses told them plainly: “This is the thing that the Lord commanded you to do, and the glory of the Lord shall appear to you.” The entire assembly waited, not for a sermon, but for a visible act of God.

Moses then directed Aaron to approach the altar, offer his sin-offering and burnt-offering, and make atonement for himself and for the people. Aaron did not hesitate. He drew near to the altar and slaughtered the calf for his own sin-offering. His sons handed him the blood; he dipped his finger and put it on the horns of the altar, then poured the rest at the base. The fat, kidneys, and the caul of the liver he burned on the altar, exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses. The flesh and the skin he burned outside the camp.

Next, Aaron slaughtered the burnt-offering for himself. His sons again handed him the blood, and he sprinkled it around the altar. They passed him the pieces—the head, the washed inwards, the legs—and he burned them all on the altar according to the ordinance. The morning burnt-offering had already been made; this was the additional sequence for this day.

Then Aaron turned to the people’s offerings. He took the goat for the people’s sin-offering, slaughtered it, and offered it just as he had done with the first. He presented the burnt-offering for the people and offered it according to the regulation. He also brought the grain-offering, took a handful, and burned it on the altar, on top of the morning burnt-offering.

Finally came the peace-offerings: the ox and the ram for the people. Aaron slaughtered them. His sons handed him the blood, and he sprinkled it around the altar. They placed the fat portions—the fat tail, the fat covering the entrails, the kidneys, the caul of the liver—on the breasts of the animals, and Aaron burned the fat on the altar. The breasts and the right thigh he waved as a wave-offering before the Lord, just as Moses had commanded.

When the offerings were complete, Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them. Then he came down from the altar. Moses and Aaron went together into the tent of meeting, and when they came out, they blessed the people again. At that moment, the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people.

Fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt-offering and the fat on the altar. The people saw it. They did not speak in quiet reverence; they shouted and fell on their faces. The chapter does not report a single word from the congregation after that. The sight of the fire was enough.