Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 29:31

And thou shalt take the ram of the consecration, and seethe his flesh in the holy place.

31. seethe ] i.e. boil, as the word is actually rendered (in both AV. and RV.) in the parallel place, Lev 8:31.

its flesh ] apart from the right thigh ( v. 22), and, if v. 27 form an original part of the regulation, the breast.

in a holy place, i.e. in the court: see on Lev 6:16. In the, Lev 8:31, ‘at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting,’ where also (as directed here in v. 32) it is to be eaten.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

31 34. Continuation of v. 26 (cf. Lev 8:31-32). The sacrificial meal accompanying the peace-offering; the flesh of the ram of installation to be eaten by Aaron and his sons in the court of the Tent of Meeting. For the general principle, see Lev 7:15-21; and cf. on Exo 18:12.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

In the court-yard at the door of the tabernacle, where it was both boiled and eaten, as appears from this and the next verse, and from Lev 8:31. And part of this was eaten by the person or persons that brought the offering, though they were of the people, who were not admitted into any other holy place but this.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

And thou shalt take the ram of the consecration,…. For the other ram was cut in pieces and burnt, even the whole of it:

and seethe his flesh in the holy place; not in that part of the tabernacle which was properly the holy place, as distinguished from the holy of holies, and from the court of the tabernacle; for in that there was no convenience for boiling, but in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation, even at the door of it, as in Le 8:31.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Verses 31-37:

The remainder of the “ram of consecration” was “seethed” (boiled) and eaten by the priests, along with the bread offering (v. 23) at the tabernacle door. Any portion remaining until the following morning was burned. The ceremonies of consecration were to be repeated each day for seven days. Each day the altar was to be cleansed, and anointed again. The repetition of these ceremonies emphasized their importance.

It is implied that this seven day observance was to be repeated each time a new high priest came to office.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

THE FEAST UPON THE CONSECRATION OFFERINGS.

(31-34) The writer having digressed in Exo. 29:27 from his main subject (the consecration of Aaron and his sons) to the consideration of certain permanent laws which arose out of the occasion, returns to his main subject at this point, and records the directions which he received with respect to the feast that followed, as a matter of course, on the consecration sacrifice. The parts of the victim neither consumed on the altar nor assigned to the officiating priest, were to be boiled at the door of the Tabernacle (Lev. 8:31), and there consumed by Aaron and his sons, together with the loaf of unleavened bread, the oiled cake, and the wafer, which still remained in the basket of consecrations (Lev. 8:31) mentioned in Exo. 29:3; Exo. 29:23. No strangeri.e., no laymanwas to join with them in the feast (Exo. 29:33); and, if they were unable to consume the whole, what remained was to be burnt. (Comp. the injunctions with respect to the paschal lamb, given in Exo. 12:10; Exo. 23:18.) Christian ritualism draws from these injunctions the propriety of an entire consumption of the elements on each occasion of the celebration of the Eucharist.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

31-37. Eat the flesh of the ram The ceremony of consecration, continuing for seven days, afforded opportunity for divers acts of worship, and for feasting upon the flesh of the peace offerings . This latter the priests were to do at the door of the tabernacle; and of the portion dedicated to them, and regarded therefore as specially holy, no stranger, no one outside the priestly family, was permitted to eat. No portions either of the flesh of the consecrations or of the bread which remained over unto the next day after they had been consecrated, were permitted to be eaten, but must all be burned. So, too, the altar of burnt offerings was to be cleansed, anointed, and sanctified on each of the seven days, probably by such forms of consecration as are mentioned in Exo 29:12; Exo 29:20.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

The Active Part of Aaron and His Sons In The Ceremony ( Exo 29:31-34 ).

Meanwhile we move back to the consecration of Aaron and his sons in the present.

Exo 29:31-34

“And you shall take the ram of consecration and boil its flesh in a holy place, and Aaron and his sons will eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket at the door of the Tent of Meeting, and they will eat those things with which atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them. But a stranger shall not eat of them for they are holy. And if aught of the flesh of the consecration, or of the bread, remain until the morning, then you will burn the remainder with fire. It shall not be eaten because it is holy.”

Aaron and his sons were now to actively participate in the ceremony. The initial stage of their consecration is complete and they can now partake of the peace offering. Participation by the offerer in a peace offering would later be a regular event (and probably had been in the past. The laws of Leviticus were undoubtedly based on the past). It was a kind of one-sided fellowship meal, (God did not take part in the eating), an indication that the person was at peace with God through his offerings and sacrifices from a true heart, and an expression of worship and gratitude. Thus Aaron and his sons may eat what remains of the ram of consecration after Moses has arranged for it to be boiled in a holy place (at the door of the Tent of Meeting. In the event Moses requests Aaron and his sons to boil it – Lev 8:31), and may also eat the bread that Moses had brought in the basket to the Tent of Meeting (Exo 29:2). But any that is not eaten by morning was to be burned. This latter was because of its especial holiness.

“ And they will eat those things with which atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them.” We note firstly that the Peace Offering also ‘makes atonement’. The shedding of blood in whatever form ever has in mind the need for sin to be paid for, and emphasises the fact that everything man does, even his dedication and consecration of himself, is tainted with sin, so that every blood sacrifice contained within it an element of atonement. But the eating of this sacrifice before Yahweh is indicating an acceptance by Him of their consecration and their being separated to God and declared ‘holy’. They are now his representatives on behalf of the people, consecrated and sanctified to His service.

“ But a stranger shall not eat of them for they are holy.” This is the use of the word ‘stranger’ (zor) to signify anyone not of Aaron’s family (compare Num 16:40; see also 30:33: Lev 22:12-13). Compare its use in the ‘strange’ fire. What was not in accordance with God’s ordinance was ‘strange’. It is emphasising their unique status as against the whole people. They are a family set apart from all others. When it comes to the priesthood all others are ‘strangers’. So this meat and bread is for the priests alone. Indeed later it is revealed that it must be eaten there in the presence of Yahweh after which they must remain there for the seven days of their consecration (Lev 8:31-33).

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

The Portion of the Priests

v. 31. And thou shalt take the ram of the consecration, and seethe his flesh in the Holy Place; it was sacred food intended to nourish them during the week of consecration.

v. 32. And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, by the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, that being their official place of abode when they were engaged in their work.

v. 33. And they shall eat those things wherewith the atonement was made, the parts of the daily offerings of consecration, which also served for expiation, to consecrate and to sanctify them. But a stranger shall not eat thereof, because they are holy, set apart for the worship of the Lord.

v. 34. And if aught of the flesh of the consecrations or of the bread remain unto the morning, the priests finding themselves unable to eat all, then thou shalt burn the remainder with fire; it shall not be eaten, because it is holy. Once being set aside for the Lord’s use, it should not be returned to profane use.

v. 35. And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron and to his sons according to all things which I have commanded thee: seven days shalt thou consecrate them. Moses was held responsible for the proper and complete execution of God’s orders.

v. 36. And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin-offering for atonement, as on the first day, vv. 10 and 11; and thou shalt cleanse the altar when thou hast made an atonement for it; the altar was also included in the rites of expiation and dedication; and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it.

v. 37. Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar and sanctify it; and it shall be an altar most holy; whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy, set apart and dedicated to the Lord. Thus was the altar, in a symbolic sense, cleansed from defilement, and placed exclusively in the service of Jehovah, designed for permanent use in His service.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Exo 29:31. Thou shalt take the ram, &c. All that remained of the flesh of the ram (see Exo 29:22.) was to be eaten by the priests in the court of the sanctuary, (Lev 8:31.) as was the manner in peace-offerings; and this was considered as feasting with God, in token of favour and friendship with him. They were to eat the bread and cakes tempered with oil; which was contrary to the manners of the Egyptians, who carefully abstained from such use of oil.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Exo 29:31 And thou shalt take the ram of the consecration, and seethe his flesh in the holy place.

Ver. 31. And thou shalt take the ram, ] i.e., The remnant of him.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

the Continual Daily Offerings

Exo 29:31-46

The consecration ceremony was repeated on seven succeeding days, and must have produced a profound impression. Thus line was upon line; and we may magnify Gods patience, in being willing through these repeated ordinances to educate the Hebrew people to the sublimest spirituality.

Notice the injunctions for daily services! No religious life can thrive without its regular hours and habits of devotion, such as these offerings suggest. Morning and evening prayers have been the custom in all ages. With the one we go forth to our labor till the evening, asking our Father to give guidance and protection. With the other we entreat forgiveness and mercy. See Psa 55:17; Dan 6:10. The chapter ends with many great and precious promises, which we who believe in Jesus may claim and enjoy.

Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary

the ram: Exo 29:27

seethe his flesh: Lev 8:31, 1Sa 2:13, 1Sa 2:15, Eze 46:20-24

Reciprocal: Num 18:10 – In the Eze 42:13 – they be holy

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge