Leviticus 9:16-21 Meaning: Offered According to the Ordinance
16He presented the burnt offering, and offered it according to the ordinance.
17He presented the meal offering, and filled his hand from there, and burned it upon the altar, in addition to the burnt offering of the morning.
18He also killed the bull and the ram, the sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people. Aaron’s sons delivered to him the blood, which he sprinkled around on the altar;
19and the fat of the bull and of the ram, the fat tail, and that which covers the innards, and the kidneys, and the cover of the liver;
20and they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burned the fat on the altar.
21Aaron waved the breasts and the right thigh for a wave offering before Yahweh, as Moses commanded.
16And he brought the burnt offering, and offered it according to the manner.
17And he brought the meat offering, and took an handful thereof, and burnt it upon the altar, beside the burnt sacrifice of the morning.
18He slew also the bullock and the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people: and Aaron’s sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar round about,
19And the fat of the bullock and of the ram, the rump, and that which covereth the inwards, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver:
20And they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon the altar:
21And the breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved for a wave offering before the Lord; as Moses commanded.
16And he presented the burnt-offering, and offered it according to the ordinance.
17And he presented the meal-offering, and filled his hand therefrom, and burnt it upon the altar, besides the burnt-offering of the morning.
18He slew also the ox and the ram, the sacrifice of peace-offerings, which was for the people: and Aaron’s sons delivered unto him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar round about,
19and the fat of the ox and of the ram, the fat tail, and that which covereth the inwards, and the kidneys, and the caul of the liver:
20and they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon the altar:
21and the breasts and the right thigh Aaron waved for a wave-offering before Jehovah; as Moses commanded.
16and he bringeth near the burnt-offering, and maketh it, according to the ordinance;
17and he bringeth near the present, and filleth his palm with it, and maketh perfume on the altar, apart from the burnt-offering of the morning.
18And he slaughtereth the bullock and the ram, a sacrifice of the peace-offerings, which are for the people, and sons of Aaron present the blood unto him (and he sprinkleth it on the altar round about),
19and the fat of the bullock, and of the ram, the fat tail, and the covering of the inwards , and the kidneys, and the redundance above the liver,
20and they set the fat on the breasts, and he maketh perfume with the fat on the altar;
21and the breasts, and the right leg hath Aaron waved--a wave-offering before Jehovah, as He hath commanded Moses.
16And he presented the burnt-offering and offered it according to the ordinance.
17And he presented the oblation, and took a handful of it, and burned it on the altar, besides the burnt-offering of the morning.
18And he slaughtered the bullock and the ram of the sacrifice of peace-offering which was for the people. And Aaron's sons delivered to him the blood, and he sprinkled it on the altar round about;
19and the pieces of fat of the bullock and of the ram, the fat tail and what covers [the inwards], and the kidneys, and the net of the liver;
20and they put the pieces of fat on the breast-pieces, and he burned the pieces of fat on the altar;
21and the breast-pieces and the right shoulder Aaron waved as a wave-offering before Jehovah, as Moses had commanded.
Meaning in one sentence
What does 'according to the ordinance' mean in Leviticus 9? This passage shows Aaron’s first complete service, following God’s pattern exactly.
Context
This passage sits at a turning point in the book of Leviticus. The previous eight chapters have laid down the laws for sacrifices and the ordination of Aaron and his sons as priests. Now, on the eighth day, Aaron steps into his full role. He begins offering sacrifices not for himself this time, but for the people. The burnt offering, the grain offering, and the peace offerings all come in the order God had given. Every detail matters: the kind of animal, how the blood is handled, which parts are burned and which are waved. This is not improvisation. It is the first public service of the newly consecrated priesthood, and the whole congregation watches. What happens next, the glory of the Lord appearing and fire consuming the offering, shows that God accepts this careful obedience.
Key Words
The Hebrew word for ordinance here is mishpat. It means a judgment, a prescribed manner, a settled pattern. Aaron is not winging it. He follows a pattern God had already established, one that reflects God’s own character: order, holiness, and provision for broken people.
Another key term is peace offerings, from shelem, rooted in the word shalom. These offerings were not about guilt or dedication alone. They were about fellowship, about being whole with God. The worshiper could eat part of this offering, sharing a meal with God and with others. It is the final step in a sequence that begins with atonement and ends with communion.
Finally, the wave offering (tenuphah) involved lifting the breast and thigh before the Lord, then giving them to the priests. It was a gesture that said: what we have comes from You, and we give it back into Your service. Three words, one story: God sets the pattern; the people receive peace; they respond by offering back.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have often read this passage as a picture of the spiritual life. Protestant commentators like Matthew Henry saw the sequence as moving from sin to surrender to joy. The burnt offering shows total dedication; the peace offering shows the fellowship that follows. Catholic and Orthodox readers would note how the careful handling of blood and fat points to the sacredness of worship. The offerings must be done exactly as commanded, not because God is petty, but because He is holy. Across traditions, the repeated phrase “as Moses commanded” stands out: the pattern matters because it came from God. The wave offering, where parts are lifted before the Lord, reminds many Christians of giving back to God the first and best of what He gives us. No tradition disagrees: worship is not about what feels right to us, but about what honors Him.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers think the wave offering was simply a dramatic gesture for show. In fact, the wave offering was a real transfer: the priest moved the portion toward the altar and back, symbolizing that it belonged to God and then was given back to the priest as his provision. It was not empty ritual; it acknowledged that everything ultimately comes from God.
Living This Out
Maybe you have been trying to jump straight to peace with God without dealing with the other things first. Aaron started with a sin offering, then the burnt offering of full surrender, and only then the peace offering. The order matters. This week, consider where you are in that sequence. Have you let God’s forgiveness settle in? Have you offered Him everything, even the parts you want to keep? Only then does the deep fellowship of peace with God come. Let the pattern guide you, not rush you. God is not impatient with the process. He gave the pattern because He wants you to arrive at true peace, not a shortcut.
Main takeaway: True worship follows God’s pattern, moving from atonement to surrender to fellowship, carried out with exact care.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Aaron did exactly what God said to do with every part of the offering. God was happy because Aaron listened. You can listen to God too, and He will be happy with you.
For ages 9, 12
In this passage, Aaron follows God’s instructions step by step: first the offering for sin, then the one that says “I give everything to God,” and finally the one where the people share a meal with God. It’s like a recipe, if you skip a step, the whole thing doesn’t work. When we come to God, we don’t make up our own rules. We follow His way. That leads to real peace, not just a good feeling.
Questions People Ask
What does 'according to the ordinance' mean in Leviticus 9:16?
The phrase 'according to the ordinance' translates the Hebrew word mishpat, which means a prescribed manner or a settled judgment. It means Aaron did not invent his own procedure. He followed the exact rules God had given in Leviticus chapters 1, 7. This careful obedience showed that God’s instructions matter in worship.
What is the difference between a burnt offering and a peace offering?
A burnt offering was completely burned on the altar, symbolizing total dedication to God. The worshiper kept nothing. A peace offering, on the other hand, was shared: part burned, part given to the priest, and part eaten by the worshiper and their family. It was a meal of fellowship with God, celebrating the peace that comes after atonement.
Why were the breasts and right thigh waved before the Lord?
The wave offering was a physical gesture of giving something back to God. The priest would move the portion toward the altar (showing it belonged to God) and then back (showing God gave it to the priest for his provision). It reminded everyone that the best parts of the offering came from God and were returned to Him in gratitude.
Why was the fat always burned on the altar?
In the peace offering, the fat was considered the richest, best part of the animal. Burning it on the altar was a way of giving God the best. It is mentioned multiple times in Leviticus to show that God deserves the choicest portion, not leftovers.
Does this passage still apply to Christians today?
Christians differ on how directly these sacrificial laws apply today. Many see them as a shadow of Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice (as Hebrews 10 explains). Still, the pattern of coming to God through atonement, surrender, and fellowship remains a helpful picture of the Christian life. We approach God through Jesus, not through animal sacrifices, but the order of cleansing, dedication, and communion still matters.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study