Bible Strands
Leviticus 8:23
Moses slaughtered the ram and took some of its blood and put it on Aaron’s right earlobe, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses acts during the tabernacle inauguration to consecrate Aaron and his sons. He applies the blood of the ordination ram to the high priest’s right earlobe, right thumb, and right big toe.
The words — The passage highlights וַ/יִּתֵּ֛ן (va/i.yi.Ten), meaning "and he put it," and תְּנ֥וּךְ (te.Nukh), meaning "the lobe." These terms emphasize the deliberate, physical placement of the blood on specific anatomical locations.
The thread — This exact application pattern appears in Exodus 29:20 for the initial consecration and recurs in Leviticus 14:14 for ritual cleansing. Leviticus 14:17 parallels the location but specifies oil rather than blood.
Why it lands — The text records a physical marking that sets apart the priest for service. Readers observe how ritual action designates sacred function without abstract commentary.
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
And he slew it; and Moses took of the blood of it, and put it upon the tip of Aaron’s right ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot.
Cross-references
- Exodus 29:20 Slaughter the ram, take some of its blood, and put it on the right earlobes of Aaron and his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Splatter the remaining blood on all sides of the altar.
- Leviticus 14:14 The priest is to take some of the blood from the guilt offering and put it on the right earlobe of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot.
- Leviticus 14:17 And the priest is to put some of the oil remaining in his palm on the right earlobe of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on top of the blood of the guilt offering.
- Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
- Leviticus 14:28 The priest shall also put some of the oil in his palm on the right earlobe of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot—on the same places as the blood of the guilt offering.
- Romans 6:13 Do not present the parts of your body to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and present the parts of your body to Him as instruments of righteousness.
- Romans 6:19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to escalating wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.
- 1 Corinthians 1:2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
- 1 Corinthians 1:30 It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
- 1 Corinthians 6:20 you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body.