The Meaning of Exodus 29:12 Explained

Exodus 29:12

KJV: And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger, and pour all the blood beside the bottom of the altar.

YLT: and hast taken of the blood of the bullock, and hast put it on the horns of the altar with thy finger, and all the blood thou dost pour out at the foundation of the altar;

Darby: and thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it on the horns of the altar with thy finger, and shalt pour all the blood at the bottom of the altar.

ASV: And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, and put it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger; and thou shalt pour out all the blood at the base of the altar.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And thou shalt take  of the blood  of the bullock,  and put  [it] upon the horns  of the altar  with thy finger,  and pour  all the blood  beside  the bottom  of the altar. 

What does Exodus 29:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 29:1-18 - The Priests Prepared For Consecration
The consecration of the priests was an elaborate and impressive ceremony. Notice how Aaron and his sons are classed together, as though to remind us that Jesus and we stand together forever-more. He is the faithful High Priest, but we also have been made priests unto God. First came the washing with water, intimating the necessity for personal purity. See Hebrews 10:22. Then the donning of official robes; for God's priests must be arrayed in the beauty of holiness. See Psalms 110:3.
The anointing oil is the emblem of the Holy Spirit. See Psalms 132:1-18 and 1 John 2:27. It is not enough to have the Holy Spirit in us for character; His anointing must be on us for service. The slain bullock, as sin offering, reminds us of the contrast between our Lord and us. He knew no sin; we require the propitiation for sin. The burned-offering reminds us of Romans 12:1-2. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 29

1  The sacrifice and ceremonies of consecrating the priests and the altar
38  The continual burnt offerings
45  God's promise to dwell among the children of Israel

What do the individual words in Exodus 29:12 mean?

And You shall take [some] of the blood of the bull and put [it] on the horns of the altar with your finger and all the blood pour beside the base of the altar
וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֙ מִדַּ֣ם הַפָּ֔ר וְנָתַתָּ֛ה עַל־ קַרְנֹ֥ת הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ בְּאֶצְבָּעֶ֑ךָ וְאֶת־ כָּל־ הַדָּ֣ם תִּשְׁפֹּ֔ךְ אֶל־ יְס֖וֹד הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ

וְלָֽקַחְתָּ֙  And  You  shall  take  [some] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
מִדַּ֣ם  of  the  blood 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
הַפָּ֔ר  of  the  bull 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּר  
Sense: .
וְנָתַתָּ֛ה  and  put  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
קַרְנֹ֥ת  the  horns 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: קֶרֶן 
Sense: horn.
הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ  of  the  altar 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
בְּאֶצְבָּעֶ֑ךָ  with  your  finger 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶצְבַּע  
Sense: finger, toe.
הַדָּ֣ם  the  blood 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
תִּשְׁפֹּ֔ךְ  pour 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שֶׂפֶק 
Sense: to pour, pour out, spill.
אֶל־  beside 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
יְס֖וֹד  the  base 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יְסׄוד  
Sense: foundation, base.
הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ  of  the  altar 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.