Exodus 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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

THE SEVENFOLD REPETITION OF THE CONSECRATION CEREMONIAL.

(35) Seven days shalt thou consecrate them.—The number seven possessed an ideal completeness, resting on the primeval facts of creation (Genesis 1, 2). It is the number almost exclusively used under the old covenant, when acts are to attain their result by repetition. (See Leviticus 4:6; Leviticus 4:17; Leviticus 8:11; Leviticus 14:7; Leviticus 16:14; Numbers 19:4; Joshua 6:4; 1Kings 18:43; 2Kings 5:10; Psalm 119:164; &c.) Here we are to understand a sevenfold repetition of the entire ceremonial of consecration. (See Leviticus 8:33-34.)

Benson Commentary

Exodus 29:35. Seven days shalt thou consecrate them — Though all the ceremonies were performed on the first day, yet they were not to look upon their consecration as completed till the seven days’ end, which put a solemnity upon their admission, and a distance between this and their former state, and obliged them to enter upon their work with a pause, giving them time to consider the weight of it. This was to be observed in after ages: he that was to succeed Aaron in the high-priesthood, must put on the holy garments seven days together, in token of a deliberate advance into his office, and that one sabbath might pass over him in his consecration. Every day of the seven, in this first consecrations, a bullock was to be offered for a sin-offering, which was to intimate, 1st, That though atonement was made, yet they must still keep up a penitent sense of sin, and often repeat the confession of it. 2d, That those sacrifices which were thus offered day by day, could not make the comers thereunto perfect, for then they would have ceased to be offered, Hebrews 10:1-2. They must therefore expect the bringing in of a better hope. Now this consecration of the priests was a shadow of good things to come. 1st, Our Lord Jesus is the great High-Priest of our profession, called of God to be so consecrated for evermore, anointed with the Spirit above his fellows, clothed with the holy garments, even with glory and beauty, sanctified by his own blood, not that of bullocks and rams. 2d, All believers are spiritual priests, to offer spiritual sacrifices, (1 Peter 2:5,) washed in the blood of Christ, and so made to our God priests, Revelation 1:5-6. They also are clothed with the beauty of holiness, and have received the anointing, 1 John 2:27. 3d, It is likewise here intimated that gospel ministers are to be solemnly set apart to the work of the ministry with great deliberation and seriousness, both in the ordainers and in the ordained, as those that are employed in a great work, and intrusted with a great charge.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

29:1-37 Aaron and his sons were to be set apart for the priest's office, with ceremony and solemnity. Our Lord Jesus is the great High Priest of our profession, called of God to be so; anointed with the Spirit, whence he is called Messiah, the Christ; clothed with glory and beauty; sanctified by his own blood; made perfect, or consecrated through sufferings, Heb 2:10. All believers are spiritual priests, to offer spiritual sacrifices,

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A stranger - One of another family, i. e. in this case, one not of the family of Aaron.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

35. seven days shalt thou consecrate them—The renewal of these ceremonies on the return of every day in the seven, with the intervention of a Sabbath, was a wise preparatory arrangement, in order to afford a sufficient interval for calm and devout reflection (Heb 9:1; 10:1).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And thus shall thou do unto Aaron, and to his sons,.... For their consecration, washing, clothing, anointing them, sprinkling blood upon them and their garments, and offering sacrifice for them:

according to all things which I have commanded thee; no one thing was to be omitted, and we find they were carefully and punctually observed, Leviticus 8:1.

seven days shalt thou consecrate them: so long the rites and ceremonies of the consecration were to be performing, that they might be thoroughly used to the putting on of their garments, and the offering of sacrifices as they saw performed by Moses; and in all respects be fitted for the discharge of their office: the Jewish writers generally say that seven days were appointed, that a sabbath might pass over them.

Geneva Study Bible

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.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

35. To make it the more solemn and efficacious, the entire installation-ceremony is to be repeated every day for seven days (cf. Leviticus 8:33-35). In Lev. it is added that the priests are to remain during the whole of the seven days at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.

consecrate] install.

Pulpit Commentary

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 washings in Jordan by Naaman (2 Kings 5:14), the seven ascents to the top of Carmel by the servant of Elijah (1 Kings 18:43, 44), etc. Exodus 29:35

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Consecration of Aaron and his Sons through the anointing of their persons and the offering of sacrifices, the directions for which form the subject of vv. 1-35. This can only be fully understood in connection with the sacrificial law contained in Leviticus 1-7. It will be more advisable therefore to defer the examination of this ceremony till we come to Leviticus 8, where the consecration itself is described. The same may also be said of the expiation and anointing of the altar, which are commanded in Exodus 29:36 and Exodus 29:37, and carried out in Leviticus 8:11.