Then take the anointing oil
The anointing oil was a sacred mixture used for consecrating priests, kings, and sacred objects. It was composed of specific ingredients as detailed in Exodus 30:22-25, including myrrh, cinnamon, calamus, cassia, and olive oil. This oil symbolized the Holy Spirit's presence and empowerment, setting apart individuals and items for God's service. The use of anointing oil in the Old Testament foreshadows the anointing of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, whose title means "Anointed One."

and anoint him
Anointing was a significant ritual in ancient Israel, signifying the setting apart of a person for a holy purpose. In this context, it refers to the consecration of Aaron and his sons as priests. This act of anointing was a public declaration of their divine appointment and authority to serve in the tabernacle. The anointing of priests is a type of Christ, who is our High Priest, anointed by God to intercede on behalf of humanity (Hebrews 4:14-16).

by pouring it on his head
The act of pouring oil on the head was a common practice in ancient Near Eastern cultures, symbolizing the outpouring of God's Spirit and blessing. This method of anointing was not just a symbolic gesture but a tangible expression of God's favor and empowerment. In Psalm 133:2, the anointing oil running down Aaron's beard is a metaphor for unity and blessing. This imagery is fulfilled in the New Testament with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on believers, as seen in Acts 2, marking them as God's chosen people.

1. Moses
The leader of the Israelites, chosen by God to deliver His people from Egypt and to establish the priesthood.

2. Aaron
The brother of Moses, appointed as the first high priest of Israel.

3. Anointing Oil
A sacred mixture used for consecrating priests and sacred objects, symbolizing the Holy Spirit and God's blessing.

4. Tabernacle
The portable dwelling place for the divine presence among the Israelites, where the anointing took place.

5. Consecration Ceremony
A ritual to set apart Aaron and his sons for the priesthood, involving sacrifices and anointing.Symbolism of Anointing
Anointing with oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit's presence and empowerment. In the New Testament, believers are anointed by the Holy Spirit, signifying their consecration to God.

Priestly Role and Responsibility
Aaron's anointing set him apart for a holy purpose. As believers, we are called to be a "royal priesthood," living lives that reflect our consecration to God.

God's Sovereign Choice
The anointing of Aaron was a divine appointment. Similarly, God chooses and equips us for specific roles in His kingdom, and we should seek to fulfill them faithfully.

Unity and Community
The anointing oil running down Aaron's head signifies unity among God's people. We are called to live in harmony, supporting one another in our spiritual journeys.

Holiness and Purity
The anointing oil was a symbol of purity and holiness. As Christians, we are to pursue holiness, allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us into the image of Christ.(7) The anointing oil--i.e., the oil mentioned in Exodus 25:6, and recently glanced at in Exodus 28:41. On its composition see Exodus 30:23-25.

Pour it upon his head.--As the ablution typified cleansing from sin, so the anointing was emblematic of the outpouring of Divine grace upon the person anointed. The pouring of the oil on Aaron's head was perhaps to indicate the freeness and abundance with which God gives His grace to His servants. (Comp. Psalm 133:2.)

Coats--i.e., tunics. (See Note 1 on Exodus 28:40.) . . .

Verse 7. - The Chrism or Anointing. Verse 7. - The anointing oil had been mentioned previously in Exodus 25:6, when "spices" had been required from the congregation to form a portion of it. Its composition is given in Exodus 30:23-25; a passage from which we gather that it was exceedingly rich and costly. And pour it upon his head. Compare Psalm 133:2. While ablution is a rite common to many religions, the religious use of unction is peculiar to the Mosaic and the Christian. In the Mosaic it was applied to initiate into their office the prophet, the priest, and the king. In Christianity it was originally a rite by which sick persons were miraculously cured (James 5:14, 15), from which use it was afterwards extended by ecclesiastical authority to other important ceremonies. The typical meaning under Christianity is clear; the oil represents the Holy Spirit, and the anointing the outpouring of that Spirit on those who are the objects of it. Christ himself obtained his title of Christ (or Messiah), because he was "anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power" (Acts 10:38). Under Mosaism this idea was, at most, latent. Unction was understood to mark

(1) Dignity, because the olive was the first of trees (Judges 9:9); and

(2) Continuance, because oil preserves things for a long time from corruption. Unction with the holy oil of the sanctuary no doubt further signified consecration to God's service. It was applied not only to the priests, but to the tabernacle, the ark, the table of shew-bread with its vessels, the seven branched candlestick, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering, and the laver, all of which thereupon became "most holy" (Exodus 30:26-29).

Parallel Commentaries ...

Then take
וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֙ (wə·lā·qaḥ·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

the anointing
הַמִּשְׁחָ֔ה (ham·miš·ḥāh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4888: Unction, a consecratory gift

oil
שֶׁ֣מֶן (še·men)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8081: Grease, liquid, richness

and anoint him
וּמָשַׁחְתָּ֖ (ū·mā·šaḥ·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 4886: To rub with oil, to anoint, to consecrate, to paint

by pouring
וְיָצַקְתָּ֖ (wə·yā·ṣaq·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3332: To pour out, to melt, cast as metal, to place firmly, to stiffen, grow hard

it on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

his head.
רֹאשׁ֑וֹ (rō·šōw)
Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7218: The head


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OT Law: Exodus 29:7 Then you shall take the anointing oil (Exo. Ex)