Bible Strands
Exodus 29:15
Take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — God commands Moses to direct Aaron and his sons to take one of the rams during the priestly consecration sequence at the Tent of Meeting.
The words — The Hebrew verb סָמַךְ (Sa.me.Khu) means "they will lay," describing the physical act of placing hands on the ram’s head. This action follows the noun אַ֥יִל ('A.yil), "the ram," and the numeral אֶחָ֖ד ('e.Chad), "one."
The thread — The identical hand-laying command repeats on a second ram in Exodus 29:19 and on the bull in Exodus 29:10. Both rams are initially gathered in a basket in Exodus 29:3.
Why it lands — The text commands a tangible physical contact before the animal is slaughtered. It requires the reader to note the ritual's structural sequence without assigning unlisted theological meaning.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Thou shalt also take one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.
Cross-references
- Exodus 29:19 Take the second ram, and Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on its head.
- Exodus 29:3 put them in a basket, and present them in the basket, along with the bull and the two rams.
- Exodus 29:10 You are to present the bull at the front of the Tent of Meeting, and Aaron and his sons are to lay their hands on its head.
- Leviticus 1:4 He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, so it can be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him.
- Leviticus 8:18 Then Moses presented the ram for the burnt offering, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on its head.