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Leviticus 8 · a question people ask

Were Aaron's sons anointed too?

In the text

Exodus says to anoint them: "You shall anoint them, as you anointed their father" (Exodus 40:15), as Exodus 28:41 and Exodus 30:30 also command. In this chapter the oil is poured on one head only: "He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head" (8:12). For the sons, the oil comes later, with blood: Moses "sprinkled it on Aaron, on his garments, and on his sons, and on his sons’ garments with him" (8:30). The Bible still calls the sons anointed. Numbers names them "the priests who were anointed" (Numbers 3:3), and Moses tells Aaron, Eleazar and Ithamar, "the anointing oil of the LORD is on you" (10:7). The law later describes the high priest as the one "upon whose head the anointing oil is poured" (21:10).

The verses

“You shall put them on Aaron your brother, and on his sons with him, and shall anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister to me in the priest’s office.”
Exodus 28:41 · World English Bible
“You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and sanctify them, that they may minister to me in the priest’s office.”
Exodus 30:30 · World English Bible
“You shall put on Aaron the holy garments; and you shall anoint him, and sanctify him, that he may minister to me in the priest’s office. You shall bring his sons, and put tunics on them. You shall anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may minister to me in the priest’s office. Their anointing shall be to them for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.””
Exodus 40:13-15 · World English Bible
“He poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him.”
Leviticus 8:12 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Leviticus 8

Leviticus 8: As the LORD commanded Moses

Leviticus 8 is Exodus 29 carried out, in front of the whole congregation (8:3-4). Five times it says a step was done "as the LORD commanded Moses" (8:9, 8:13, 8:17, 8:21, 8:29), and it ends, "Aaron and his sons did all the things which the LORD commanded by Moses" (8:36).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions