Leviticus 8:11

Lev 8:11. He sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times — To signify the singular use and holiness of it, which it was not only to have in itself, but to communicate to all the sacrifices laid upon it. And thus does the blood of atonement give efficacy to all the services of believers, and render them acceptable to God.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(11) And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times.—That is, the altar of burnt offering. This rite of sprinkling the altar seven times is not mentioned in the directions given in Exo_30:28; Exo_40:10. For the import of the number seven, see Lev_4:6.

And anointed the altar and all his vessels.—That is, the same altar of burnt sacrifice. The altar, having thus been sanctified, was thenceforward considered as sanctifying the sacrifices and oblations offered upon it. Hence the remark of Christ, “Ye fools and blind, for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift ?” (Mat_23:19).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11. upon the altar seven times] The sprinkling seven times is not enjoined in Exodus 29, but in Lev_8:36 of that ch. the sanctification of the altar is appointed for seven days, on each of which the altar is to be anointed.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times,.... The altar of burnt offering; the order for anointing it is given in Exo 30:28 but in that no directions are given for the manner of doing it by sprinkling, nor the number of times it was to be sprinkled: hence Jarchi confesses his ignorance, and says,"I know not how it was ordered about these sprinklings;''but no doubt Moses was instructed of God in what manner to anoint it, and how often; and the number seven may denote the perfect unction of it, and made it a fitter type of Christ, who received the unction of the Spirit without measure:

and anointed the altar, and all its vessels; pans, shovels, basins, flesh hooks, and fire pans:

both the laver and his foot; which was for the priests to wash at; and very probably this was done before Moses brought Aaron and his sons thither and washed them, Lev 8:6 since it seems most proper that it should be consecrated before used, as it follows:

to sanctify them; set them apart for sacred use.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Sprinkled ... the altar seven times - The altar of burnt-offering was distinguished by this sevenfold sprinkling with the holy oil. The number of the covenant was thus brought into connection with those acts of sacrifice by which the covenant between Yahweh and the worshipper was formally renewed and confirmed.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Seven times, to signify the singular use and holiness of it, which it was not only to have in itself, but also to communicate to all the sacrifices laid upon it. The laver, where the priests washed themselves, and the sacrifices, and vessels or instruments of the holy ministration. See Lev 6:28.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

11. Seven times — This number indicates perfection. See Lev_4:6, note. The perfect consecration of Aaron is alluded to in Heb_7:28, in connection with our High Priest, “who is consecrated (τετελειωμενον, perfected) forever.” In the Seventy the term “consecration” is translated τελειωσις, making perfect. Lev_8:33. Hence Jesus is spoken of as fully prepared for his priestly office when he is said to have been made perfect through sufferings. Heb_2:10; Heb_5:8-9. In his personal relation to the moral law he was always perfect.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

ויז ממנו על המזבח AND HE SPRINKLED THEREOF UPON THE ALTAR — I do not know where he was given any command about these sprinklings (cf., however Nachmanides).

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.

AND HE SPRINKLED THEREOF [i.e., of the anointing oil] UPON THE ALTAR. Rashi commented: “I do not know where Moses was commanded about these sprinklings.” It is possible that that which He said of the altar, and thou shalt sanctify the altar, and the altar shall be most holy, Verse 10. means that he should add this sanctification to the altar through the sprinklings [of the anointing oil], and it could not be done merely by anointing the altar, for the expression and the altar shall be most holy, means that he should give it an additional sanctity above that of the other anointed things in the Tabernacle and all its vessels. Moses thus sanctified the altar in the same way that he was commanded to do to the ministering priests, concerning whom He said, and thou shalt sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, 29:21. since the altar, which is the vessel for the offerings, is not of a lesser degree of holiness than the garments of the ministering priests, and it is an inference from minor to major [that if the garments had to be sprinkled with the anointing oil, surely the altar, being more holy, had to be sprinkled]! And so also is it said with reference to the Day of Atonement, And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it [the altar] with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleannesses of the children of Israel. Thus [we see that] all sanctifications of the altar were done by sprinklings, and it follows all the more so that [when the altar was consecrated] at the very beginning that it had to be sanctified by sprinkling from uncleanness and “strangeness” [i.e., from that which is not holy].Scripture did not mention here [in Verse 13] the anointing of Aaron’s sons, for it is self-evident that Moses did to them as he did to their father, in accordance with that which he was commanded, And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, and He included it here in saying with reference to the sons that everything was done as the Eternal commanded Moses. It appears to me that the anointing of Aaron’s sons was not done by means of pouring the oil on their heads, for that is said only of Aaron, Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his [Aaron’s] head, and anoint him, but the anointing of the sons is not mentioned there at all, as it was not done by means of pouring the oil as in Aaron’s case. It is [also] possible that there was no anointing of the sons, except for the sprinklings which Moses sprinkled on Aaron’s sons and their garments from the oil of anointment. Thus you see in the section of And this is the thing that thou shalt do unto them to hallow them, Verse 1. that He commanded to anoint the father [i.e., Aaron], as it says, Then shalt thou take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, but did not command to anoint the sons at all, either by pouring of the oil, or by anointing. However, in the section of the erection of the Tabernacle He says, And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, because He did not mention the sprinklings there at all, [hence He mentioned “anointing,” whilst referring really to sprinkling]. Similarly, in the section of the oil of anointment [the verse mentions anointing of Aaron and his sons because it does not mention the sprinklings at all]. But both sprinkling and anointing are nowhere mentioned with reference to the sons of Aaron in one place. Therefore I say that he only did one of the two to them, namely, the sprinklings.

Ramban (Nachmanides) on the Tanakh — English translation: “Commentary on the Torah by Ramban (Nachmanides). Translated and annotated by Charles B. Chavel. New York, Shilo Pub. House, 1971-1976” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.