“Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water;” i.e., directed them to wash themselves, no doubt all over, and not merely their hands and feet. This cleansing from bodily uncleanness was a symbol of the putting away of the filth of sin; the washing of the body, therefore, was a symbol of spiritual cleansing, without which no one could draw near to God, and least of all those who were to perform the duties of reconciliation.
verses 7-9
Then followed the clothing of Aaron. Moses put upon him the body-coat (Exo 28:39) and girdle (Exo 28:39 and Exo 39:22), then clothes him with the meïl (Exo 28:31-35) and ephod (Exo 28:6-14), and the choshen with the Urim and Thummim (Ex 28:15-30), and put the cap (Exo 28:39) upon his head, with the golden diadem over his forehead (Exo 28:36-38). This investiture, regarded as the putting on of an important official dress, was a symbol of his endowment with the character required for the discharge of the duties of his office, the official costume being the outward sign of installation in the office which he was to fill.
verses 10-13
According to the directions in Exo 30:26-30 (cf. Lev Exo 40:9-11), the anointing was performed first of all upon “the tabernacle and everything in it,” i.e., the ark of the covenant, the altar of incense, the candlestick, and table of shew-bread, and their furniture; and then upon the altar of burnt-offering and its furniture, and upon the laver and its pedestal; and after this, upon Aaron himself, by the pouring of the holy oil upon his head. This was followed by the robing and anointing of Aaron's sons, the former only of which is recorded in Lev 8:13 (according to Exo 28:40), the anointing not being expressly mentioned, although it had not only been commanded, in Exo 28:41 and Exo 40:15, but the performance of it is taken for granted in Lev 7:36; Lev 10:7, and Num 3:3. According to the Jewish tradition, the anointing of Aaron (the high priest) was different from that of the sons of Aaron (the ordinary priests), the oil being poured upon the head of the former, whilst it was merely smeared with the finger upon the forehead in the case of the latter (cf. Relandi Antiqq. ss. ii. 1, 5, and 7, and Selden, de succ. in pontif. ii. 2). There appears to be some foundation for this, as a distinction is assumed between the anointing of the high priest and that of the ordinary priests, not only in the expression, “he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron's head” (Lev 8:12, cf. Exo 29:7; Psa 133:2),
