Single lesson
Aaron's First Offerings
Leviticus 9:1–24
In this lesson, children trace Leviticus 9:1–24 in order and notice how the passage connects Yahweh’s commands, Aaron’s actions, the blessing of the people, and the people’s response when Yahweh’s glory appears.
Before you teach
Leviticus 9:1–24 begins on the eighth day when Moses calls Aaron, his sons, and the elders of Israel. Moses tells Aaron and the people which offerings to bring before Yahweh. The passage then follows Aaron’s actions at the altar and ends with Yahweh’s visible response before all the people.
Students will be able to sequence the main parts of Leviticus 9:1–24 and explain that Aaron and the people did what Yahweh commanded, and Yahweh’s glory appeared before them.
Welcome: What happens in this passage?
4 minIntroduce the lesson by opening to Leviticus 9:1–24 and telling the children they will listen for the order of events. Begin with Moses calling Aaron, his sons, and the elders on the eighth day. Ask them to notice who gathers, what is commanded, what Aaron does, and how the people respond at the end.
Leviticus 9:1, Leviticus 9:2, Leviticus 9:6, Leviticus 9:24
Read and explain: Moses gives the commands and Aaron begins
8 minRead Leviticus 9:1–14 aloud. Explain that Moses tells Aaron and the children of Israel what offerings to bring before Yahweh. Point out simple terms from the passage: a sin offering is linked with atonement, a burnt offering is burned on the altar, and “without defect” means the animals were to be sound. Note that Aaron first offers for himself before offering for the people.
Leviticus 9:1, Leviticus 9:2, Leviticus 9:3, Leviticus 9:4, Leviticus 9:7, Leviticus 9:8, Leviticus 9:10, Leviticus 9:12
Discuss: Aaron offers for the people in order
6 minRead Leviticus 9:15–21. Help the class list the sequence named in the verses: the people’s sin offering, the burnt offering, the meal offering, and the peace offerings. Notice that the passage says Aaron offered the burnt offering according to the ordinance and that the wave offering was done as Moses commanded. Discuss how this chapter highlights careful obedience.
Leviticus 9:15, Leviticus 9:16, Leviticus 9:17, Leviticus 9:18, Leviticus 9:21
Make and respond: Sequence cards
8 minGive children small cards to draw or label key moments from the passage, such as Moses calling the leaders, the congregation standing before Yahweh, Aaron offering for himself, Aaron offering for the people, Moses and Aaron blessing the people, and the fire from before Yahweh. Children place the cards in order and retell the passage using the pictures and the Bible.
Leviticus 9:1, Leviticus 9:5, Leviticus 9:8, Leviticus 9:15, Leviticus 9:22, Leviticus 9:24
Closing: Blessing, glory, and the people’s response
4 minRead Leviticus 9:22–24 again. Explain that after the offerings, Aaron blesses the people, then Moses and Aaron bless them, and Yahweh’s glory appears to all the people. Fire consumes the burnt offering and the fat upon the altar. Finish by asking what this passage shows about Yahweh and how the people responded when they saw it.
Leviticus 9:22, Leviticus 9:23, Leviticus 9:24
Questions to explore
What did Moses tell Aaron and the people to bring before Yahweh at the beginning of the chapter?
Look back at the opening verses and list the offerings named for Aaron and the offerings named for the children of Israel.
Leviticus 9:2, Leviticus 9:3, Leviticus 9:4
What did Aaron do for himself before he offered for the people?
Read where Moses tells Aaron to make atonement for himself, then see which animal Aaron kills first at the altar.
Leviticus 9:7, Leviticus 9:8
How did the people respond when fire came out from before Yahweh?
The final verse gives two clear actions from all the people after they saw the burnt offering and fat consumed.
Leviticus 9:24
Make, think or respond
Leviticus 9 Sequence Cards
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or crayons
- scissors
- Bible
Try it together
- Read the passage in short parts and choose six key moments from the chapter.
- Children draw one moment on each card or write a short label if they prefer.
- Mix the cards up and work in pairs or small groups to place them in the correct order.
- Ask each group to retell the chapter from their ordered cards using the Bible for help.
This activity helps children follow the sequence of Leviticus 9:1–24 and notice how the passage moves from command, to offering, to blessing, to Yahweh’s visible response.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, prepare six simple picture prompts in advance and let them place the cards in order before retelling the passage with one short sentence per card.
- For older children, ask them to label each card with the type of offering named in the verse and explain which actions are done for Aaron and which are done for the people.
An optional closing prayer
You may pray: “Yahweh, thank you for showing your glory in this passage. Please help us listen carefully to your word and respond to you with honour.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Leviticus 9
1 On the eighth day, Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel;
2 and he said to Aaron, “Take a calf from the herd for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering, without defect, and offer them before Yahweh.
3 You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both a year old, without defect, for a burnt offering;
4 and a bull and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before Yahweh; and a meal offering mixed with oil: for today Yahweh appears to you.’ ”
5 They brought what Moses commanded before the Tent of Meeting. All the congregation came near and stood before Yahweh.
6 Moses said, “This is the thing which Yahweh commanded that you should do; and Yahweh’s glory shall appear to you.”
7 Moses said to Aaron, “Draw near to the altar, and offer your sin offering, and your burnt offering, and make atonement for yourself, and for the people; and offer the offering of the people, and make atonement for them, as Yahweh commanded.”
8 So Aaron came near to the altar, and killed the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself.
9 The sons of Aaron presented the blood to him; and he dipped his finger in the blood, and put it on the horns of the altar, and poured out the blood at the base of the altar;
10 but the fat, and the kidneys, and the cover from the liver of the sin offering, he burned upon the altar, as Yahweh commanded Moses.
11 The meat and the skin he burned with fire outside the camp.
12 He killed the burnt offering; and Aaron’s sons delivered the blood to him, and he sprinkled it around on the altar.
13 They delivered the burnt offering to him, piece by piece, and the head. He burned them upon the altar.
14 He washed the innards and the legs, and burned them on the burnt offering on the altar.
15 He presented the people’s offering, and took the goat of the sin offering which was for the people, and killed it, and offered it for sin, like the first.
16 He presented the burnt offering, and offered it according to the ordinance.
17 He 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.
18 He 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;
19 and 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;
20 and they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burned the fat on the altar.
21 Aaron waved the breasts and the right thigh for a wave offering before Yahweh, as Moses commanded.
22 Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people, and blessed them; and he came down from offering the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and the peace offerings.
23 Moses and Aaron went into the Tent of Meeting, and came out, and blessed the people; and Yahweh’s glory appeared to all the people.
24 Fire came out from before Yahweh, and consumed the burnt offering and the fat upon the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted, and fell on their faces.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.