Leviticus 8:15 - He killed it; and Moses took the blood, and put it around on the horns of the altar with his finger, and purified the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar, and sanctified it, to make atonement for it.

Generated Verse: Leviticus 8:15

What does "Leviticus 8:15" mean?


Leviticus 8:15 describes a specific ritual act performed during the ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests. Let's break down the meaning:

"He killed it..." This refers to the priest killing a bull (mentioned earlier in the chapter) that served as a sin offering. This animal sacrifice was a crucial part of the ordination ceremony.

"...and Moses took the blood..." Moses, acting as the mediator between God and the people, collected the blood of the sacrificed bull.

"...and put it around on the horns of the altar with his finger..." The "horns" of the altar were protrusions at the four corners, considered sacred points. Applying the blood to these horns was symbolic. The blood represented life, and placing it on the altar's horns signified the application of that life to the most sacred parts of the altar. This act was meant to cleanse and purify the altar.

"...and purified the altar..." The application of blood was a cleansing agent in the Old Testament sacrificial system. The altar, used for offering sacrifices to God, needed to be free from any ritual impurity.

"...and poured out the blood at the base of the altar..." After applying blood to the horns, the remaining blood was poured out at the base of the altar. This signified a complete offering and atonement, and further purification.

"...and sanctified it, to make atonement for it." "Sanctified" means to set apart as holy. By applying the blood in this specific way, the altar was consecrated and made fit for its intended purpose: to be the place where sacrifices could be offered to God, thereby making atonement (covering for sins) for the people.

In essence, the verse describes a ritual of purification and dedication. The blood of the sacrifice was used to cleanse and set apart the altar, making it holy and suitable for offering sacrifices that would atone for sin. This was a key part of establishing the priestly system and enabling them to properly serve God and mediate between Him and the people. The altar needed to be ritually cleansed and sanctified so that the subsequent sacrifices offered upon it would be acceptable to God.

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