Live-Wire Bible Study - Day 36 - Leviticus 8–11 · Hebrews 4 · Psalm 110 - FeedTheGoodHorse
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Day 36: Leviticus 8–11 · Hebrews 4 · Psalm 110 · Commentary · Commentary² · Audio
The Bible text is included for reading continuity; it is accurate in substance, aligned with major modern translations, and may be read alongside any Bible you prefer.1
Special Note about the following Bible text: The following translation uses the Hebrew terms tamé (טָמֵא) and tahor (טָהוֹר) instead of the traditional “unclean” and “clean.” These terms describe ritual status in relation to sanctuary access, not moral fault, shame, or physical dirtiness. A fuller explanation will follow in a dedicated article.
Leviticus 8
Jehovah spoke to Moses:
Take Aaron and his sons with him, the garments, the anointing oil, the bull for the sin offering, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread, and assemble the whole congregation at the entrance of the tent of meeting.
Moses did as Jehovah commanded him. The congregation was assembled at the entrance of the tent of meeting. Moses said to the congregation, “This is the thing that Jehovah commanded to be done.”
Moses brought Aaron and his sons near and washed them with water. He put the tunic on him, wrapped him with the sash, clothed him with the robe, placed the ephod on him, and bound it to him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod. He set the breastpiece on him and placed in the breastpiece the Urim and the Thummim. He set the turban on his head and placed the gold plate, the holy crown, on the front of the turban, as Jehovah commanded Moses.
Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tabernacle and everything in it, and he made them tahor for sacred use. He sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times, anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, to make them tahor for sacred use. He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him to set him apart.
Moses brought Aaron’s sons near and clothed them with tunics, wrapped them with sashes, and tied headbands on them, as Jehovah commanded Moses.
He brought the bull for the sin offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the bull. He slaughtered it. Moses took the blood and put it on the horns of the altar with his finger and made tahor-status movement on the altar, and he poured out the blood at the base of the altar and set it apart to make atonement for it. He took all the fat that was on the entrails, the lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys with their fat, and Moses burned them on the altar. But the bull, its hide, its flesh, and its waste he burned with fire outside the camp, as Jehovah commanded Moses.
He presented the ram for the burnt offering. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. He slaughtered it, and Moses splashed the blood against the sides of the altar. He cut the ram into pieces, and Moses burned the head, the pieces, and the fat. He washed the entrails and the legs with water, and Moses burned the whole ram on the altar. It was a burnt offering for a pleasing aroma, an offering made by fire to Jehovah, as Jehovah commanded Moses.
He presented the second ram, the ram of ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head. He slaughtered it. Moses took some of its blood and put it on Aaron’s right ear, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. He brought Aaron’s sons near, and Moses put some of the blood on their right ears, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet, and splashed the blood against the sides of the altar.
He took the fat, the fat tail, all the fat that was on the entrails, the lobe of the liver, the two kidneys with their fat, and the right thigh. From the basket of unleavened bread he took one unleavened loaf, one loaf of bread mixed with oil, and one wafer, and placed them on the fat and on the right thigh. He placed all these in the hands of Aaron and in the hands of his sons and waved them as a wave offering before Jehovah. Then Moses took them from their hands and burned them on the altar on top of the burnt offering. They were an ordination offering for a pleasing aroma, an offering made by fire to Jehovah.
Moses took the breast and waved it as a wave offering before Jehovah. It was Moses’ portion of the ram of ordination, as Jehovah commanded Moses.
Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood that was on the altar and sprinkled it on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. He set Aaron and his garments apart, and his sons and their garments with him.
Moses said to Aaron and his sons, “Boil the flesh at the entrance of the tent of meeting and eat it there with the bread that is in the basket of ordination offerings, as I commanded, saying, ‘Aaron and his sons are to eat it.’ What remains of the flesh and the bread you are to burn with fire. You are not to go out from the entrance of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the days of your ordination are completed, for your ordination will last seven days. As has been done today, Jehovah has commanded to be done to make atonement for you. You are to remain at the entrance of the tent of meeting day and night for seven days and keep the charge of Jehovah, so that you do not die, for so I have been commanded.”
Aaron and his sons did all the things that Jehovah commanded through Moses.
Leviticus 9
On the eighth day Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel. He said to Aaron, “Take for yourself a bull calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without defect, and present them before Jehovah. And speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, each a year old and without defect, for a burnt offering, and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before Jehovah, and a grain offering mixed with oil, for today Jehovah will appear to you.’”
They brought what Moses commanded before the tent of meeting. All the congregation drew near and stood before Jehovah.
Moses said, “This is what Jehovah commanded you to do, that the glory of Jehovah may appear to you.”
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. Then offer the offering of the people and make atonement for them, as Jehovah commanded.”
Aaron drew near to the altar and slaughtered the calf of the sin offering that was for himself. The sons of Aaron brought the blood to him, and he dipped his finger in the blood and put it on the horns of the altar and poured out the blood at the base of the altar. But the fat, the kidneys, and the lobe of the liver from the sin offering he burned on the altar, as Jehovah commanded Moses. The flesh and the hide he burned with fire outside the camp.
He slaughtered the burnt offering, and Aaron’s sons handed him the blood, and he splashed it against the altar all around. They handed him the burnt offering piece by piece and the head, and he burned them on the altar. He washed the entrails and the legs and burned them on top of the burnt offering on the altar.
Then he presented the people’s offering. He took the goat of the sin offering that was for the people and slaughtered it and offered it for sin, as with the first one. He presented the burnt offering and offered it according to the rule. He presented the grain offering, filled his hand from it, and burned it on the altar, in addition to the burnt offering of the morning.
He slaughtered the ox and the ram, the sacrifice of peace offerings for the people. Aaron’s sons handed him the blood, and he splashed it against the altar all around. They brought the fat pieces from the ox and from the ram: the fat tail, the covering fat, the kidneys, and the lobe of the liver. They placed the fat pieces on the breasts, and he burned the fat on the altar. Aaron waved the breasts and the right thigh as a wave offering before Jehovah, as Moses commanded.
Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them. Then he came down from offering the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings.
Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people, and the glory of Jehovah appeared to all the people. Fire came out from before Jehovah and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.
Leviticus 10
Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his firepan and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before Jehovah, which he had not commanded them. Fire came out from before Jehovah and consumed them, and they died before Jehovah.
Moses said to Aaron, “This is what Jehovah spoke, saying,
‘Among those who draw near to me
I will be set apart,
and before all the people
I will be honored.’”
Aaron was silent.
Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Come near; carry your brothers away from the front of the sanctuary and outside the camp.” They came near and carried them in their tunics outside the camp, as Moses had said.
Moses said to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar his sons, “Do not let the hair of your heads hang loose and do not tear your garments, so that you do not die and wrath does not come upon all the congregation. But your brothers, the whole house of Israel, shall weep for the burning that Jehovah has kindled. You are not to go out from the entrance of the tent of meeting, lest you die, for the anointing oil of Jehovah is upon you.” They did according to the word of Moses.
Jehovah spoke to Aaron, saying, “Drink no wine or strong drink, you or your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die. It is a permanent statute throughout your generations, to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the tamé and the tahor, and to teach the sons of Israel all the statutes that Jehovah has spoken to them through Moses.”
Moses spoke to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar his surviving sons, “Take the grain offering that remains from Jehovah’s fire offerings and eat it unleavened beside the altar, for it is most holy. You shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your portion and your sons’ portion from Jehovah’s fire offerings, for so I have been commanded. But the breast that is waved and the thigh that is contributed you shall eat in a tahor place, you and your sons and your daughters with you, for they are given as your portion and your sons’ portion from the sacrifices of peace offerings of the sons of Israel. The thigh that is contributed and the breast that is waved they shall bring with the fire offerings of the fat pieces, to wave as a wave offering before Jehovah, and it shall be yours and your sons’ with you as a permanent statute, as Jehovah has commanded.”
Moses diligently inquired about the goat of the sin offering, and behold, it had been burned. He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the surviving sons of Aaron, saying, “Why have you not eaten the sin offering in the place of the sanctuary, since it is most holy and he has given it to you to bear the guilt of the congregation, to make atonement over them before Jehovah? Behold, its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary. You certainly should have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded.”
Aaron said to Moses, “Behold, today they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before Jehovah, and such things as these have happened to me. If I had eaten the sin offering today, would it have been good in the eyes of Jehovah?” When Moses heard that, it was good in his eyes.
Leviticus 11
Jehovah spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them, “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘These are the living creatures that you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth. Whatever parts the hoof and is cloven-footed and chews the cud among the animals, that you may eat. But these you shall not eat among those that chew the cud or part the hoof: the camel, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof; it is tamé to you. The rock badger, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof; it is tamé to you. The hare, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof; it is tamé to you. And the pig, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud; it is tamé to you. You shall not eat of their flesh, and you shall not touch their carcasses; they are tamé to you.
These you may eat of all that are in the waters: whatever has fins and scales in the waters, in the seas and in the streams, that you may eat. But whatever does not have fins and scales in the seas and in the streams, of all that swarm in the waters and of all living creatures that are in the waters, they are detestable to you. They shall remain detestable to you; you shall not eat of their flesh, and you shall detest their carcasses. Everything in the waters that does not have fins and scales is detestable to you.
These you shall detest among the birds; they shall not be eaten; they are detestable: the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture, the kite, the falcon of any kind, every raven of any kind, the ostrich, the nighthawk, the seagull, the hawk of any kind, the little owl, the cormorant, the short-eared owl, the barn owl, the desert owl, the carrion vulture, the stork, the heron of any kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.
All winged insects that go on all fours are detestable to you. Yet these you may eat among the winged insects that go on all fours: those that have jointed legs above their feet with which to hop on the ground. Of them you may eat: the locust of any kind, the bald locust of any kind, the cricket of any kind, and the grasshopper of any kind. But all other winged insects that have four feet are detestable to you.
By these you shall become tamé. Whoever touches their carcass shall be tamé until evening, and whoever carries any part of their carcass shall wash his garments and be tamé until evening. Every animal that parts the hoof but is not cloven-footed or does not chew the cud is tamé to you. Everyone who touches them shall be tamé. And all that walk on their paws among the animals that go on all fours are tamé to you. Whoever touches their carcass shall be tamé until evening, and whoever carries their carcass shall wash his garments and be tamé until evening. They are tamé to you.
These are tamé to you among the swarming things that swarm on the ground: the mole rat, the mouse, the great lizard of any kind, the gecko, the monitor lizard, the lizard, the sand lizard, and the chameleon. These are tamé to you among all that swarm. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be tamé until evening.
Whatever one of them falls on when it is dead shall be tamé, whether any wooden vessel or garment or skin or sack, any article of use; it shall be put into water, and it shall be tamé until evening; then it shall be tahor. If any of them falls into an earthen vessel, all that is in it shall be tamé, and you shall break it. Any food in it that could be eaten, on which water comes, shall be tamé; and all drink that could be drunk from every such vessel shall be tamé. Everything on which any part of their carcass falls shall be tamé; whether oven or cooking pot, it shall be broken down; they are tamé and shall remain tamé to you. Nevertheless, a spring or a cistern holding water shall be tahor; but whoever touches a carcass in them shall be tamé. If any part of their carcass falls on seed that is to be sown, it is tahor. But if water is put on the seed and any part of their carcass falls on it, it is tamé to you.
If any animal that you may eat dies, whoever touches its carcass shall be tamé until evening, and whoever eats of its carcass shall wash his garments and be tamé until evening. Whoever carries the carcass shall wash his garments and be tamé until evening.
Every swarming thing that swarms on the ground is detestable; it shall not be eaten. Whatever goes on its belly, whatever goes on all fours, and whatever has many feet among all the swarming things that swarm on the ground, you shall not eat, for they are detestable. You shall not make yourselves detestable with any swarming thing that swarms, and you shall not make yourselves tamé with them, so that you become tamé by them. For I am Jehovah your God. You shall set yourselves apart and be set apart, for I am set apart. You shall not make yourselves tamé with any swarming thing that moves on the ground. For I am Jehovah who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You shall be set apart, for I am set apart.”
This is the instruction about the animals and the birds and every living creature that moves in the waters and every creature that swarms on the ground, to distinguish between the tamé and the tahor, and between the living creature that may be eaten and the living creature that may not be eaten.
Hebrews 4
Since the promise of entering his rest still remains, let us be careful that none of you seems to have fallen short of it. Good news was announced to us just as it was to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them because it was not joined with trust in those who heard. We who have trusted enter that rest, just as he has said,
“As I swore in my anger,
‘They will not enter my rest,’”
although his works were completed from the foundation of the world. He has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” Again in this passage he says, “They will not enter my rest.”
Since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news did not enter because of disobedience, he again sets a certain day—“Today”—saying through David after so long a time,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.”
If Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. So a sabbath-rest remains for the people of God. The one who has entered his rest has also rested from his works, just as God did from his.
Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one falls by following the same pattern of disobedience. The word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. No creature is hidden from his sight. All things are exposed and laid bare before the eyes of the one to whom we must give account.
Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus, the Son of God—let us hold firmly to our confession. We do not have a high priest unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one tested in every respect as we are, yet without sin. Let us approach the throne of favor with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find favor to help in time of need.
Psalm 110
The Lord says to my lord,
“Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies
a footstool for your feet.”
The Lord will send out from Zion
the staff of your strength:
“Rule in the midst of your enemies.”
Your people will offer themselves freely
on the day of your power.
In holy splendor, from the womb of the dawn,
your youth will come to you like dew.
The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind:
“You are a priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek.”
The Lord is at your right hand;
he will shatter kings on the day of his anger.
He will judge among the nations;
he will fill the valleys with corpses;
he will shatter heads over the wide earth.
He will drink from the stream along the way;
therefore he will lift up his head.
Commentary – Day 36
Leviticus 8–11 · Hebrews 4 · Psalm 110
Jehovah commands that the whole congregation be assembled at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and the work begins in public. Aaron and his sons are washed with water. Garments are placed in sequence and secured in place: tunic, sash, robe, ephod with its woven band, breastpiece with Urim and Thummim, turban, the golden plate set on the front. Oil is poured, and the tabernacle and everything in it is anointed. The altar is sprinkled seven times. Oil is poured on Aaron’s head. The priest is made by washing, clothing, and anointing.
Then blood is introduced as another medium of consecration. Hands are laid on the bull. Blood is put on the horns of the altar and poured at the base. Fat is turned into smoke. The body is burned with fire outside the camp. The burnt offering is cut and washed and turned into smoke. The ram of ordination adds markings: blood on the right ear, the right thumb, the right big toe. The same marking is placed on the sons. Ear, hand, and foot are touched before they serve. The ordination offering is waved in their hands and then burned on the altar. Garments themselves are sprinkled with oil and blood. Consecration reaches skin and fabric.
Seven days are counted at the entrance. They remain day and night. The instruction is not only what to do, but where to remain. The boundary is enforced with the words “so that you do not die.” The charge is kept by staying in place until the days are completed.
On the eighth day the sequence turns outward. Aaron is told to take offerings for himself and for the people because “today Jehovah will appear.” The congregation draws near and stands before Jehovah. Aaron approaches the altar. Blood is handled again in the same pattern: horns, base, splashing around. Fat rises in smoke. Flesh is burned outside the camp. After offerings, Aaron lifts his hands and blesses the people. Moses and Aaron go into the tent of meeting and come out. The glory appears to all the people. Fire comes out from before Jehovah and consumes the offering on the altar. The people shout and fall on their faces. Fire tended on the altar is answered by fire that comes from before Jehovah.
Then the same element becomes lethal. Nadab and Abihu bring fire that was not commanded. Fire comes out from before Jehovah and consumes them. They die before Jehovah. The boundary is spoken: among those who come near, he is treated as holy. Aaron is silent. Bodies are carried outside the camp in their tunics. The anointing oil remains on the living. They are told not to leave the entrance. Wine and strong drink are forbidden when entering the tent of meeting. The purpose is named: to distinguish between the holy and the common, between tamé and tahor, and to teach the statutes spoken through Moses.
Leviticus 11 carries that distinction into animals, water, carcasses, seed, garments, and vessels. Divided hoof and chewing cud. Fins and scales. Carcasses render tamé until evening. Garments are washed. Clay vessels are broken. Food becomes tamé when water comes on it and it touches a carcass. A spring remains tahor. Seed remains tahor when dry, but becomes tamé when wetted and touched by a carcass. The chapter ends by naming its own aim: to distinguish between tamé and tahor, between what may be eaten and what may not, joined to the words, “You are to be holy, for I am holy,” from the one who brought them up from Egypt.
Hebrews speaks of rest as something that remains. God rested on the seventh day from all his works, yet another day is named “Today.” Those who heard earlier did not enter because the message was not joined with trust. A sabbath-rest remains for the people of God. The one who has entered rests from works as God rested from his.
Then the language shifts from rest to exposure. The word of God is living and active, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, judging thoughts and intentions. No creature is hidden from his sight. All things are exposed and laid bare before the eyes of the one to whom account is given. In Leviticus, tamé spreads by touch and must be named, washed, broken, or burned. In Hebrews, what is hidden is brought into the open without appeal to vessels or water.
Hebrews names a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, tested in every respect as we are, yet without sin. Approach is spoken of in terms of mercy and help in time of need.
Psalm 110 speaks of a lord invited to sit at the right hand until enemies become a footstool. Strength goes out from Zion. The Lord swears and will not change his mind: a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. Kings are shattered. Nations are judged. The figure drinks from the stream along the way and lifts his head.
Consecration and destruction occur by the same fire. The difference is not intensity but command. What is washed, marked, and kept in place lives. What crosses the boundary without instruction dies. The text does not blur these outcomes. It names a purpose: to distinguish between holy and common, between tamé and tahor, and to teach. Proximity is not neutral. It requires discernment before it offers blessing.
Garments are washed. Vessels are broken. Fire consumes what is commanded and what is not commanded. Blood marks ear, hand, and foot. A day is called “Today.” A priest is sworn by oath. Fire comes out from before Jehovah. Nothing is hidden before the eyes of the one to whom account is given.
Leviticus 8–9 ordains Aaron publicly: washed with water, clothed in layered garments, anointed with oil, and consecrated through blood on horns and base of the altar. The ram of ordination marks right ear, right thumb, and right big toe. Seven days are kept at the entrance; on the eighth day offerings are made and the glory appears as fire from before Jehovah consuming the altar offering, with the people falling facedown. Leviticus 10 reverses the scene: Nadab and Abihu bring unauthorized fire and are consumed; Aaron is silent, and priests are charged to distinguish holy/common and tamé/tahor, including a ban on wine when entering. Leviticus 11 extends distinction into diet, carcass contact, washing, and vessels broken or restored to tahor-status.
Hebrews 4 speaks of a promised rest that remains, “Today,” a sabbath-rest, and a word that pierces and exposes, alongside a great high priest who has passed through the heavens. Psalm 110 joins enthronement at the right hand with an oath: a priest forever in Melchizedek’s order.
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