And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them.

LEVITICUS 8:10KJV
Know the Bible

Leviticus 8:10 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 8:10 mean?

Leviticus 8:10 describes Moses taking special anointing oil and using it to anoint the tabernacle and everything inside it, setting them apart as holy. This act marked the tabernacle and its contents as dedicated for God’s service, making them distinct from ordinary things.

In this verse, Moses is following God’s instructions during the ceremony to dedicate the tabernacle, the sacred tent where Israel would worship. The anointing oil was a unique blend used only for holy purposes, and by applying it, Moses was officially making the tabernacle and its furnishings suitable for worship. This moment is part of a larger process where the priests and the place itself are prepared for their special roles.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 8:10

  • מִשְׁחָה (mishchah, "anointing"): This word refers to a specific kind of oil set apart for sacred use. Its use here highlights that the oil itself was not ordinary but made for the purpose of making things holy.
  • שֶׁמֶן (shemen, "oil"): This is the general word for oil, but in this context, it is the base for the special anointing oil, showing the everyday turned into something sacred.
  • מָשַׁח (mashach, "anointed"): This verb means to smear or rub with oil, but in religious settings, it carries the sense of officially dedicating something to God.
  • קָדַשׁ (qadash, "sanctified"): This word means to make something holy or set apart. Here, it shows that the tabernacle and all inside it were now considered holy and reserved for God’s purposes.

Why Leviticus 8:10 matters

  • Leviticus 8:10 clarifies that the tabernacle and its contents were not automatically holy; they became holy through a specific act of anointing, emphasizing the importance of ceremony and obedience in worship.
  • The verse shows that holiness in the Bible often involves both physical actions and symbolic meaning, not just inner attitudes.
  • This act connects to the wider passage by marking the start of the priests’ ministry and the use of the tabernacle, highlighting the seriousness and care involved in approaching God.

Where else these words appear

“anointing” Hebrew H4888 · used in 24 verses

  • Exodus 25:6 Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,
  • Exodus 35:8 And oil for the light, and spices for anointing oil, and for the sweet incense,
  • Leviticus 8:2 Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and a bullock for the sin offering, and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread;

“anointed” Hebrew H4886 · used in 66 verses

  • Genesis 31:13 I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a vow unto me: now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the land of thy kindred.
  • Numbers 7:1 And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them;
  • 1 Kings 1:39 And Zadok the priest took an horn of oil out of the tabernacle, and anointed Solomon. And they blew the trumpet; and all the people said, God save king Solomon.

“tabernacle” Hebrew H4908 · used in 129 verses

  • Exodus 25:9 According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.
  • Exodus 40:17 And it came to pass in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up.
  • Numbers 16:9 Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the God of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of the LORD, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?