(12) And he slew the burnt offering.—As was the order of the sacrifices which Moses brought (see Leviticus 8:18-21), so here the sin offering is followed by the burnt offering. The ram (see Leviticus 9:2) which constituted this sacrifice Aaron slew at the north side of the altar (see Leviticus 1:11), and after the blood had been received into the bowl by his sons who assisted him, and had been handed to him, Aaron sprinkled it around the altar in the same manner as Moses had done before. (See Leviticus 8:19.)

9:1-21 These many sacrifices, which were all done away by the death of Christ, teach us that our best services need washing in his blood, and that the guilt of our best sacrifices needs to be done away by one more pure and more noble than they. Let us be thankful that we have such a High Priest. The priests had not a day's respite from service allowed. God's spiritual priests have constant work, which the duty of every day requires; they that would give up their account with joy, must redeem time. The glory of God appeared in the sight of the people, and owned what they had done. We are not now to expect such appearances, but God draws nigh to those who draw nigh to him, and the offerings of faith are acceptable to him; though the sacrifices being spiritual, the tokens of the acceptance are spiritual likewise. When Aaron had done all that was to be done about the sacrifices, he lifted up his hands towards the people, and blessed them. Aaron could but crave a blessing, God alone can command it.Aaron did not act according to the ordinary Law Leviticus 4:5-7, Leviticus 4:16-18, but as Moses had done in the sin-offering of the consecration ceremony (Leviticus 8:15; compare also Leviticus 4:25, Leviticus 4:30, Leviticus 4:34). The probable reason of this was that he had not yet been formally introduced as the high priest into the holy place of the tabernacle.

Brought the blood - They most likely held the basons in which the blood was received as it ran from the victim, and then handed them to their father. See Leviticus 1:5.

8. Aaron … went unto the altar, and slew the calf of the sin offering—Whether it had been enjoined the first time, or was unavoidable from the divisions of the priestly labor not being as yet completely arranged, Aaron, assisted by his sons, appears to have slain the victims with his own hands, as well as gone through all the prescribed ritual at the altar. No text from Poole on this verse.

And he slew the burnt offering,.... The ram, which was for himself also; this he slew at the north side of the altar, Leviticus 1:11.

and Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood: which they had received into a basin, when it was slain:

which he sprinkled round about upon the altar; as he had seen Moses do before him, Leviticus 8:19.

And he slew the burnt offering; and Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled round about upon the altar.