This chapter gives an account of the form and order of the consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priestly office; preparatory to which Moses is ordered to take a young bullock, two rams, bread, cakes, and wafers unleavened, and bring them and Aaron and his sons to the door of the congregation, where the ceremony was to be publicly performed, and which began with washing them, Ex 29:1 and then proceeded by putting on the priestly garments directed to be made in the preceding chapter, first on Aaron, who also was anointed, Ex 29:5 and then upon his sons, Ex 29:8 after which the bullock and the two rams were to be slain, and orders are given what was to be done with their blood, and the several parts of them, as well as with the cakes and wafers, Ex 29:10 and directions are given to make these wave and heave offerings, Ex 29:24 and that the garments of Aaron's should be his son's that succeeded him, Ex 29:29, and that the flesh of the ram of consecration with the bread should be eaten by Aaron and his sons and no other, Ex 29:31, the altar also where they were to officiate was to be cleansed, sanctified, and an atonement made for it, Ex 29:36 after which two lambs every day, morning and evening, were to be offered on it in all succeeding generations, Ex 29:38, and the chapter is closed with a promise that the Lord would meet with the children of Israel at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and would sanctify the tabernacle, and dwell among them, and be their God, Ex 29:43.
Ver. 1. And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them,.... To Aaron and his sons: to "hallow" them; to sanctify them, set them apart, and consecrate them:to minister unto me in the priest's office; for which the Lord had appointed them, to which he had chose, called, and separated them:take one young bullock, and two rams without blemish; a young bullock was an heifer of three years old, according to Kimchi , and such an one was used in sacrifice in former times, see Ge 15:9 though Maimonides says it was one of two years, and so Abendana , whose words are,"a bullock is a son of two years, and a ram is after he has entered into the second year thirty one days;''and so Ben Gersom; the bullock was an emblem of the strength, laboriousness, and patience of Christ, and both of them being without blemish, were typical of his purity and perfection in his nature and life, and especially in his sacrifice.
Comment. in Psal. lxix. 32. Hilchot Zebachim, c. 1. sect. 14. Not.