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;

LEVITICUS 8:2KJV
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Leviticus 8:2 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 8:2 mean?

Leviticus 8:2 records God’s instruction to Moses to bring together Aaron, Aaron’s sons, and the things needed for a ceremony that will set them apart to serve as priests. The verse is a preparation list: the people, clothing, oil, animals, and bread all have a place in what follows.

God is speaking to Moses, as verse 1 makes clear. The garments and oil belong alongside the animals and bread because the ceremony includes dressing and anointing the priests as well as presenting offerings.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 8:2

  • “offering” — חַטָּאת (ḥaṭṭāʾt): This word can mean “sin” or “sin offering,” depending on the setting. Here it names the kind of offering for which the bullock is brought.
  • “anointing” — מִשְׁחָה (mishḥah): This word refers to anointing, or applying oil. The phrase identifies the oil by its intended use in the ceremony.

Why Leviticus 8:2 matters

  • Aaron’s sons are included with him, not merely present as spectators. Moses is told to take “Aaron and his sons with him,” and later in the passage Moses dresses them for their priestly service.
  • The animals have distinct roles. The verse identifies the bullock for the sin offering, while the two rams are used separately later in the ceremony.
  • The bread is prepared without a raising agent. The “basket of unleavened bread” is brought alongside the animals, and portions of the bread are used with the second ram later in the passage.

Where else these words appear

“basket” Hebrew H5536 · used in 13 verses

  • Genesis 40:16 When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was good, he said unto Joseph, I also was in my dream, and, behold, I had three white baskets on my head:
  • Exodus 29:23 And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of the unleavened bread that is before the LORD:
  • Numbers 6:15 And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings.

“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 8:10 And Moses took the anointing oil, and anointed the tabernacle and all that was therein, and sanctified them.

“bread” Hebrew H4682 · used in 42 verses

  • Genesis 19:3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
  • Leviticus 2:4 And if thou bring an oblation of a meat offering baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.
  • Deuteronomy 16:16 Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the LORD empty:

“bullock” Hebrew H6499 · used in 119 verses

  • Genesis 32:15 Thirty milch camels with their colts, forty kine, and ten bulls, twenty she asses, and ten foals.
  • Numbers 7:63 One young bullock, one ram, one lamb of the first year, for a burnt offering:
  • Numbers 29:33 And their meat offering and their drink offerings for the bullocks, for the rams, and for the lambs, shall be according to their number, after the manner: