Exodus 29:8-9

The Consecration of Aaron and His Sons (Exodus 29:8).

Exodus 29:8

“And you shall bring his sons, and put robes on them, and you shall gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and bind caps on them, and they will have the priesthood by a perpetual statute. And you shall fill the hand of Aaron and the hand of his sons.”

His sons are now included with Aaron in the ceremony. They are to be robed along with Aaron, and girdled with the robes and girdles previously described (Exodus 28:40), and they are to be encapped with their tight fitting caps. And from this day the priesthood will be in their family perpetually by a perpetual statute.

“ And you shall fill the hand of Aaron and the hand of his sons.” To fill the hand meant to consecrate someone to a responsibility. Thus a king may have his hand filled with a sceptre. Here the filling of the hand is more abstract. It has in mind the whole of the forthcoming activities (but see Exodus 29:23). They are to be completely consecrated to God. How solemn a moment was this. How tragic its consequences for at least two of them because of their arrogance or carelessness (Numbers 3:4).