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Leviticus 1-7
New American Bible (Revised Edition)

I. Ritual of Sacrifices

A. Instructions for the Israelites

Chapter 1

Burnt Offerings. 1 The Lord called Moses, and spoke to him from the tent of meeting:(A) 2 Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When any one of you[a] brings an offering of livestock to the Lord, you shall bring your offering from the herd or from the flock.(B)

3 [b](C)If a person’s offering is a burnt offering[c] from the herd, the offering must be a male without blemish.(D) The individual shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting to find favor with the Lord, 4 and shall lay a hand[d] on the head(E) of the burnt offering, so that it may be acceptable(F) to make atonement(G) for the one who offers it. 5 The bull shall then be slaughtered[e] before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall offer its blood by splashing it on all the sides of the altar which is at the entrance of the tent of meeting.(H) 6 Then the burnt offering shall be flayed and cut into pieces. 7 After Aaron’s sons, the priests, have put burning embers on the altar and laid wood on them, 8 they shall lay the pieces of meat, together with the head and the suet, on top of the wood and the embers on the altar; 9 but the inner organs and the shanks shall be washed with water. The priest shall then burn all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, a sweet-smelling oblation to the Lord.(I)

10 If a person’s burnt offering is from the flock, that is, a sheep or a goat, the offering must be a male without blemish. 11 It shall be slaughtered on the north side of the altar before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall splash its blood on all the sides of the altar. 12 When it has been cut into pieces, the priest shall lay these, together with the head and suet, on top of the wood and the embers on the altar; 13 but the inner organs and the shanks shall be washed with water. The priest shall then offer all of it, burning it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a sweet-smelling oblation to the Lord.

14 If a person offers a bird as a burnt offering to the Lord, the offering brought must be a turtledove or a pigeon.(J) 15 Having brought it to the altar, the priest shall wring its head off and burn it on the altar. The blood shall be drained out against the side of the altar.(K) 16 He shall remove its crissum[f] by means of its feathers and throw it on the ash heap at the east side of the altar. 17 Then, having torn the bird open by its wings without separating the halves, the priest shall burn it on the altar, on the wood and the embers. It is a burnt offering, a sweet-smelling oblation to the Lord.

Chapter 2

Grain Offerings. 1 [g](L)When anyone brings a grain offering to the Lord, the offering must consist of bran flour. The offerer shall pour oil on it and put frankincense(M) over it, 2 and bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests. A priest shall take a handful of the bran flour and oil, together with all the frankincense, and shall burn it on the altar as a token of the offering,[h] a sweet-smelling oblation to the Lord.(N) 3 The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons,(O) a most holy(P) portion from the oblations to the Lord.

4 When you offer a grain offering baked in an oven, it must be in the form of unleavened cakes made of bran flour mixed with oil, or of unleavened wafers spread with oil.(Q) 5 If your offering is a grain offering that is fried on a griddle,(R) it must be of bran flour mixed with oil and unleavened. 6 Break it into pieces, and pour oil over it. It is a grain offering. 7 If your offering is a grain offering that is prepared in a pan, it must be made of bran flour, fried in oil. 8 A grain offering that is made in any of these ways you shall bring to the Lord. It shall be presented to the priest, who shall take it to the altar. 9 The priest shall then remove from the grain offering a token and burn it on the altar as a sweet-smelling oblation to the Lord. 10 The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons, a most holy portion from the oblations to the Lord.

11 [i]Every grain offering that you present to the Lord shall be unleavened, for you shall not burn any leaven or honey as an oblation to the Lord.(S) 12 Such you may present to the Lord in the offering of the first produce that is processed,(T) but they are not to be placed on the altar for a pleasing odor. 13 You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. Do not let the salt of the covenant with your God[j] be lacking from your grain offering. On every offering you shall offer salt.(U)

14 If you offer a grain offering of first ripe fruits to the Lord, you shall offer it in the form of fresh early grain, roasted by fire and crushed as a grain offering of your first ripe fruits. 15 You shall put oil on it and set frankincense on it. It is a grain offering. 16 The priest shall then burn some of the groats and oil, together with all the frankincense, as a token of the offering, an oblation to the Lord.

Chapter 3

Communion Sacrifices. 1 [k](V)If a person’s offering is a communion sacrifice, if it is brought from the herd, be it a male or a female animal, it must be presented without blemish(W) before the Lord. 2 The one offering it shall lay a hand on the head(X) of the offering. It shall then be slaughtered at the entrance of the tent of meeting. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall splash its blood on all the sides of the altar. 3 (Y)From the communion sacrifice the individual shall offer as an oblation to the Lord the fat[l] that covers the inner organs, and all the fat that adheres to them, 4 as well as the two kidneys, with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which is removed with the kidneys. 5 Aaron’s sons shall burn this on the altar with the burnt offering that is on the wood and the embers, as a sweet-smelling oblation to the Lord.(Z)

6 If the communion sacrifice one offers to the Lord is from the flock, be it a male or a female animal, it must be presented without blemish. 7 If one presents a lamb as an offering, that person shall bring it before the Lord, 8 and after laying a hand on the head of the offering, it shall then be slaughtered before the tent of meeting. Aaron’s sons shall splash its blood on all the sides of the altar. 9 From the communion sacrifice the individual shall present as an oblation to the Lord its fat: the whole fatty tail, which is removed close to the spine, the fat that covers the inner organs, and all the fat that adheres to them, 10 as well as the two kidneys, with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which is removed with the kidneys. 11 The priest shall burn this on the altar as food,(AA) an oblation to the Lord.

12 If a person’s offering is a goat, the individual shall bring it before the Lord, 13 and after laying a hand on its head, it shall then be slaughtered before the tent of meeting. Aaron’s sons shall splash its blood on all the sides of the altar. 14 From this the one sacrificing shall present an offering as an oblation to the Lord: the fat that covers the inner organs, and all the fat that adheres to them, 15 as well as the two kidneys, with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which is removed with the kidneys. 16 The priest shall burn these on the altar as food, a sweet-smelling oblation.

All the fat belongs to the Lord. 17 This shall be a perpetual ordinance for your descendants wherever they may dwell. You shall not eat any fat or any blood.[m](AB)

Chapter 4

Purification Offerings. 1 The Lord said to Moses: 2 (AC)Tell the Israelites: When a person inadvertently[n] does wrong by violating any one of the Lord’s prohibitions—

For the Anointed Priest. 3 If it is the anointed priest[o] who thus does wrong and thereby makes the people guilty, he shall offer to the Lord an unblemished bull of the herd as a purification offering for the wrong he committed. 4 Bringing the bull to the entrance of the tent of meeting, before the Lord, he shall lay his hand on its head(AD) and slaughter it before the Lord. 5 [p]The anointed priest shall then take some of the bull’s blood and bring it into the tent of meeting, 6 where, dipping his finger in the blood, he shall sprinkle some of it seven times before the Lord, toward the veil of the sanctuary.(AE) 7 The priest shall also put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense which stands before the Lord in the tent of meeting. The rest of the bull’s blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar for burnt offerings which is at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 8 He shall remove all the fat of the bull of the purification offering: the fat that covers the inner organs, and all the fat that adheres to them, 9 as well as the two kidneys, with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which is removed with the kidneys, 10 just as the fat pieces are removed from the ox of the communion sacrifice.(AF) The priest shall burn these on the altar for burnt offerings. 11 [q]But the hide of the bull and its meat, with its head, shanks, inner organs and dung, 12 that is, the whole bull, shall be brought outside the camp to a clean place[r] where the ashes are deposited and there be burned in a wood fire. At the place of the ash heap, there it must be burned.(AG)

For the Community. 13 If the whole community of Israel errs[s] inadvertently and without even being aware of it violates any of the Lord’s prohibitions, and thus are guilty, 14 when the wrong that was committed becomes known, the community shall offer a bull of the herd as a purification offering. They shall bring it before the tent of meeting. 15 The elders of the community shall lay their hands on the bull’s head before the Lord. When the bull has been slaughtered before the Lord, 16 the anointed priest shall bring some of its blood into the tent of meeting, 17 and dipping his finger in the blood, he shall sprinkle it seven times before the Lord, toward the veil. 18 He shall also put some of the blood on the horns of the altar which is before the Lord in the tent of meeting. The rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar for burnt offerings which is at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 19 He shall remove all of its fat and burn it on the altar, 20 doing with this bull just as he did with the other bull of the purification offering; he will do the same thing. Thus the priest shall make atonement(AH) on their behalf, that they may be forgiven. 21 This bull shall also be brought outside the camp and burned,(AI) just as the first bull. It is a purification offering for the assembly.

For the Tribal Leader. 22 Should a tribal leader(AJ) do wrong inadvertently by violating any one of the prohibitions of the Lord his God, and thus be guilty, 23 when he learns of the wrong he committed, he shall bring as his offering an unblemished male goat. 24 He shall lay his hand on its head and it shall be slaughtered in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered, before the Lord. It is a purification offering. 25 The priest shall then take some of the blood of the purification offering on his finger and put it on the horns(AK) of the altar for burnt offerings. The rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar. 26 All of its fat he shall burn on the altar like the fat of the communion sacrifice. Thus the priest shall make atonement on the tribal leader’s behalf for his wrong, that he may be forgiven.

For the General Populace. 27 If anyone of the general populace does wrong inadvertently by violating one of the Lord’s prohibitions, and thus is guilty, 28 upon learning of the wrong committed, that person shall bring an unblemished she-goat as the offering for the wrong committed. 29 The wrongdoer shall lay a hand on the head of the purification offering, and the purification offering shall be slaughtered at the place of the burnt offerings. 30 The priest shall then take some of its blood on his finger and put it on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings. The rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar. 31 He shall remove all the fat, just as the fat is removed from the communion sacrifice. The priest shall burn it on the altar for a sweet odor to the Lord. Thus the priest shall make atonement, so that the individual may be forgiven.

32 If, however, a person brings a lamb as a purification offering, that person shall bring an unblemished female, and 33 lay a hand on its head. It shall be slaughtered as a purification offering in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered. 34 The priest shall then take some of the blood of the purification offering on his finger and put it on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings. The rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar. 35 He shall remove all its fat just as the fat is removed from the lamb of the communion sacrifice. The priest shall burn these on the altar with the other oblations for the Lord. Thus the priest shall make atonement on the person’s behalf for the wrong committed, that the individual may be forgiven.

Chapter 5

Special Cases for Purification Offerings.[t] 1 If a person, either having seen or come to know something, does wrong by refusing as a witness under oath to give information,(AL) that individual shall bear the penalty; 2 or if someone, without being aware of it, touches any unclean thing, such as the carcass of an unclean wild animal, or an unclean domestic animal, or an unclean swarming creature,[u] and thus is unclean and guilty;(AM) 3 or if someone, without being aware of it, touches some human uncleanness,(AN) whatever kind of uncleanness this may be, and then subsequently becomes aware of guilt; 4 or if someone, without being aware of it, rashly utters an oath with bad or good intent,(AO) whatever kind of oath this may be, and then subsequently becomes aware of guilt in regard to any of these matters— 5 when someone is guilty in regard to any of these matters, that person shall confess the wrong committed, 6 and make reparation to the Lord for the wrong committed: a female animal from the flock, a ewe lamb or a she-goat, as a purification offering. Thus the priest shall make atonement on the individual’s behalf for the wrong.

7 If, however, the person cannot afford an animal of the flock,(AP) that person shall bring to the Lord as reparation for the wrong committed two turtledoves or two pigeons, one for a purification offering and the other for a burnt offering. 8 The guilty party shall bring them to the priest, who shall offer the one for the purification offering first.(AQ) Wringing its head at the neck, yet without breaking it off, 9 he shall sprinkle some of the blood of the purification offering against the side of the altar. The rest of the blood shall be drained out against the base of the altar. It is a purification offering. 10 The other bird he shall offer as a burnt offering according to procedure. Thus the priest shall make atonement on the person’s behalf for the wrong committed, so that the individual may be forgiven.

11 If the person is unable to afford even two turtledoves or two pigeons, that person shall bring as an offering for the wrong committed one tenth of an ephah[v] of bran flour for a purification offering. The guilty party shall not put oil or place frankincense on it, because it is a purification offering.(AR) 12 The individual shall bring it to the priest, who shall take a handful as a token of the offering and burn it on the altar with the other oblations for the Lord. It is a purification offering. 13 Thus the priest shall make atonement on the person’s behalf for the wrong committed in any of the above cases, so that the individual may be forgiven. The rest of the offering, like the grain offering, shall belong to the priest.

Reparation Offerings.[w] 14 The Lord said to Moses: 15 (AS)When a person commits sacrilege by inadvertently misusing any of the Lord’s sacred objects,(AT) the wrongdoer shall bring to the Lord as reparation an unblemished ram from the flock, at the established value[x] in silver shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, as a reparation offering. 16 The wrongdoer shall also restore what has been misused of the sacred objects, adding a fifth of its value,(AU) and give this to the priest. Thus the priest shall make atonement for the person with the ram of the reparation offering, so that the individual may be forgiven.

17 If someone does wrong and violates one of the Lord’s prohibitions without realizing it, that person is guilty(AV) and shall bear the penalty. 18 The individual shall bring to the priest an unblemished ram of the flock, at the established value, for a reparation offering. The priest shall then make atonement on the offerer’s behalf for the error inadvertently and unknowingly committed so that the individual may be forgiven. 19 It is a reparation offering. The individual must make reparation to the Lord.

20 The Lord said to Moses: 21 When someone does wrong and commits sacrilege against the Lord by deceiving(AW) a neighbor about a deposit or a pledge or a stolen article, or by otherwise retaining a neighbor’s goods unjustly;(AX) 22 or if, having found a lost article, the person lies about it, swearing falsely about any of the things that a person may do wrong— 23 when someone has thus done wrong and is guilty, that person shall restore the thing that was stolen, the item unjustly retained, the item left as deposit, or the lost article that was found 24 or whatever else the individual swore falsely about. That person shall make full restitution of the thing itself, and add one fifth of its value to it, giving it to its owner at the time of reparation. 25 Then that person shall bring to the priest as reparation to the Lord an unblemished ram of the flock, at the established value, as a reparation offering. 26 The priest shall make atonement on the person’s behalf before the Lord, so that the individual may be forgiven for whatever was done to incur guilt.

B. Instructions for the Priests

Chapter 6

The Daily Burnt Offering. 1 The Lord said to Moses: 2 [y](AY)Give Aaron and his sons the following command: This is the ritual[z] for the burnt offering—the burnt offering that is to remain on the hearth of the altar all night until the next morning, while the fire is kept burning on the altar. 3 The priest, clothed in his linen robe and wearing linen pants underneath, shall take away the ashes to which the fire has reduced the burnt offering on the altar, and lay them at the side of the altar. 4 Then, having taken off these garments and put on other garments, he shall carry the ashes to a clean place outside the camp. 5 The fire on the altar is to be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest shall put firewood on it. On this he shall lay out the burnt offering(AZ) and burn the fat of the communion offering. 6 The fire is to be kept burning continuously on the altar; it must not go out.

The Grain Offering.[aa] 7 This is the ritual of the grain offering. Aaron’s sons shall offer it before the Lord, in front of the altar. 8 A priest shall then take from the grain offering a handful of bran flour and oil, together with all the frankincense that is on it,(BA) and this he shall burn on the altar as a token of the offering, a sweet aroma to the Lord. 9 The rest of it Aaron and his sons may eat; but it must be eaten unleavened in a sacred place:(BB) in the court of the tent of meeting they shall eat it. 10 It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it to them as their portion from the oblations for the Lord; it is most holy,(BC) like the purification offering and the reparation offering. 11 Every male of Aaron’s descendants may eat of it perpetually throughout your generations as their rightful due from the oblations for the Lord. Whatever touches the oblations becomes holy.

High Priest’s Daily Grain Offering.[ab] 12 The Lord said to Moses: 13 This is the offering that Aaron and his sons shall present to the Lord on the day he is anointed: one tenth of an ephah of bran flour for the regular grain offering, half of it in the morning and half of it in the evening. 14 You shall bring it well kneaded and fried in oil on a griddle.(BD) Having broken the offering into pieces, you shall present it as a sweet aroma to the Lord. 15 The anointed priest descended from Aaron who succeeds him shall do likewise. This is the Lord’s due forever. The offering shall be wholly burned.(BE) 16 Every grain offering of a priest shall be a whole offering; it may not be eaten.

Purification Offerings.[ac] 17 The Lord said to Moses: 18 (BF)Tell Aaron and his sons: This is the ritual for the purification offering. At the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered, there also, before the Lord, shall the purification offering be slaughtered. It is most holy.(BG) 19 The priest who offers the purification offering shall eat of it; it shall be eaten in a sacred place,(BH) in the court of the tent of meeting. 20 Whatever touches its flesh becomes holy. If any of its blood spatters on a garment, the stained part must be washed in a sacred place. 21 A clay vessel in which it has been boiled shall be broken; if it is boiled in a copper vessel, this shall be scoured afterward and rinsed with water.(BI) 22 Every male of the priestly line may eat it. It is most holy. 23 But no purification offering of which some blood has been brought into the tent of meeting(BJ) to make atonement in the sanctuary shall be eaten; it must be burned with fire.(BK)

Chapter 7

Reparation Offerings. 1 [ad](BL)This is the ritual for the reparation offering. It is most holy. 2 At the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered, the reparation offering shall also be slaughtered.(BM) Its blood shall be splashed on all the sides of the altar. 3 (BN)All of its fat shall be offered: the fatty tail, the fat that covers the inner organs, and all the fat that adheres to them, 4 as well as the two kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which is removed with the kidneys. 5 The priest shall burn these on the altar as an oblation to the Lord. It is a reparation offering. 6 Every male of the priestly line may eat of it; but it must be eaten in a sacred place.(BO) It is most holy.(BP)

7 Because the purification offering and the reparation offering are alike, both have the same ritual. The reparation offering belongs to the priest who makes atonement with it. 8 As for the priest who offers someone’s burnt offering, to him belongs the hide of the burnt offering that is offered. 9 [ae](BQ)Also, every grain offering that is baked in an oven or made in a pan or on a griddle shall belong to the priest who offers it, 10 whereas all grain offerings(BR) that are mixed with oil or are dry shall belong to all of Aaron’s sons without distinction.

Communion Sacrifices.[af] 11 (BS)This is the ritual for the communion sacrifice that is offered to the Lord. 12 [ag]If someone offers it for thanksgiving, that person shall offer it with unleavened cakes mixed with oil, unleavened wafers spread with oil, and cakes made of bran flour mixed with oil and well kneaded. 13 One shall present this offering together with loaves of leavened bread along with the thanksgiving communion sacrifice. 14 From this the individual shall offer one bread of each type of offering as a contribution[ah] to the Lord; this shall belong to the priest who splashes the blood of the communion offering.

15 [ai](BT)The meat of the thanksgiving communion sacrifice shall be eaten on the day it is offered; none of it may be kept till the next morning.(BU) 16 However, if the sacrifice offered is a votive or a voluntary offering,[aj] it shall be eaten on the day the sacrifice is offered, and on the next day what is left over may be eaten.(BV) 17 But what is left over of the meat of the sacrifice on the third day must be burned in the fire. 18 If indeed any of the flesh of the communion sacrifice is eaten on the third day, it shall not be accepted; it will not be reckoned to the credit of the one offering it. Rather it becomes a desecrated meat. Anyone who eats of it shall bear the penalty.[ak]

19 [al]Should the meat touch anything unclean, it may not be eaten, but shall be burned in the fire.(BW) As for other meat, all who are clean may eat of it. 20 If, however, someone in a state of uncleanness eats the meat of a communion sacrifice belonging to the Lord, that person shall be cut off[am](BX) from the people. 21 Likewise, if someone touches anything unclean, whether it be human uncleanness or an unclean animal or an unclean loathsome creature, and then eats the meat of the communion sacrifice belonging to the Lord, that person, too, shall be cut off from the people.

Prohibition Against Blood and Fat. 22 The Lord said to Moses: 23 Tell the Israelites: You shall not eat the fat of any ox or sheep or goat.(BY) 24 Although the fat of an animal that has died a natural death or has been killed by wild beasts may be put to any other use, you may not eat it.(BZ) 25 If anyone eats the fat of an animal from which an oblation is made to the Lord, that person shall be cut off from the people. 26 (CA)Wherever you dwell, you shall not eat any blood, whether of bird or of animal. 27 Every person who eats any blood shall be cut off from the people.

Portions from the Communion Sacrifice for Priests. 28 The Lord said to Moses: 29 Tell the Israelites: The person who offers a communion sacrifice to the Lord shall be the one to bring from it the offering to the Lord. 30 The offerer’s own hands shall carry the oblations for the Lord: the person shall bring the fat together with the brisket, which is to be raised as an elevated(CB) offering[an] before the Lord. 31 The priest shall burn the fat on the altar,(CC) but the brisket belongs to Aaron and his sons. 32 Moreover, from your communion sacrifices you shall give to the priest the right leg as a contribution. 33 The one among Aaron’s sons who offers the blood and the fat of the communion offering shall have the right leg as his portion, 34 for from the communion sacrifices of the Israelites I have taken the brisket that is elevated and the leg that is a contribution, and I have given them to Aaron, the priest, and to his sons as their due from the Israelites forever.(CD)

35 This is the priestly share from the oblations for the Lord, allotted to Aaron and his sons on the day they were brought forth to be the priests of the Lord, 36 which the Lord ordered to be given them from the Israelites on the day they were anointed, as their due throughout their generations forever.

Summary. 37 This is the ritual for the burnt offering, the grain offering, the purification offering, the reparation offering, the ordination offering,(CE) and the communion sacrifice, 38 which the Lord enjoined on Moses at Mount Sinai at the time when he commanded the Israelites in the wilderness of Sinai to bring their offerings to the Lord.(CF)

Footnotes

  1. 1:2 Any one of you: women as well as men bring sacrifices (see 12:6–8; 15:28–30) and are explicitly obligated in other ritual matters (e.g., 13:29, 38; Nm 5:6; 6:2; Lk 2:24). Thus, though the Hebrew formulates sacrificial and other law with male reference, the translation reflects the inclusion of women in ritual requirements. From the herd or from the flock: the only animals which could be used as sacrificial victims were domestic animals either of the bovine class (bulls, cows and calves) or the ovine class (sheep and lambs, goats and kids). Excluded, therefore, were not only all wild animals, but also such “unclean” domestic animals as the camel and the donkey (cf. 11:1–47; 27:26–27).
  2. 1:3–5 Entrance of the tent of meeting…before the Lord: probably the forecourt from the entrance of the court to the entrance of the tent (cf. Ex 27). Thus the altar in front of the tent was entirely accessible to the laity.
  3. 1:3 The burnt offering is used for regular daily (6:1–6) offerings, public festivals (Nm 28–29), purification rituals (Lv 12:6–8; 14:19–20; 15:15, 30), and individuals’ vows and voluntary offerings (22:18–20).
  4. 1:4 Lay a hand: the imposition of a single hand for the sacrifices in chaps. 1–5 may be a means of designating the animal as belonging to the offerer. See note on 16:21. Atonement: see note on 16:6.
  5. 1:5 Shall then be slaughtered: lit., “he shall slaughter the bull.” Slaughtering is not something the offerer must do (as opposed to, for example, hand placement [v. 4] or the presentation of sacrificial portions as an elevated offering [7:29–34]). Thus the verb is construed impersonally here.
  6. 1:16 Crissum: the area around the anus of the bird, lying beneath the bird’s tail.
  7. 2:1 Grain offerings are used as independent offerings (those in this chapter and cf. 6:12–16; 8:26–27; 23:10–11), as substitutes for other offerings in a case of poverty (5:11–13), and as accompaniments to animal offerings (cf. Nm 15:1–12; 28:1–29:39; Lv 14:20; 23:12, 18, 37). Chapter 2 describes two basic types of grain offering: uncooked (vv. 1–3) and cooked (vv. 4–10). The flour (sōlet) used was made of wheat (Ex 29:2) and Jewish tradition and Semitic cognates indicate that it is a coarse rather than a fine flour.
  8. 2:2 Token of the offering: lit., “reminder.” Instead of burning the whole grain offering, only this part is burned on the altar.
  9. 2:11–12 No grain offering that is leavened can be offered on the altar. Those in 7:13 and 23:17 are leavened but not offered on the altar. The Hebrew word for “honey” may refer to fruit syrup as well as to bee honey.
  10. 2:13 The salt of the covenant with your God: partaking of salt in common was an ancient symbol of friendship and alliance. Cf. Mark 9:49–50 and Col 4:6.
  11. 3:1 The exact meaning of Hebrew shelamim, “communion sacrifice,” is not clear. It has also been rendered “gift,” “(re)payment,” “peace,” “well-being,” or “covenant” offering. This offering may be brought for a vow or voluntary offering (cf. 22:21). A distinct version of the communion sacrifice is the thanksgiving offering (7:11–15 vis-à-vis vv. 16–18).
  12. 3:3–5 Fat: only part of the offering is devoted to God, as opposed to the burnt offering (chap. 1), which is wholly burnt (except for the skin). The meat is distributed among the offerer (and the offerer’s party) and the priests (cf. 7:11–36).
  13. 3:17 Any fat or any blood: this prohibition is mentioned here because portions of this offering could be eaten by lay Israelites, who may not be entirely familiar with the prohibition (cf. 7:22–27; 19:26). The fat prohibited is only the visceral fat mentioned in 3:9–10, 14–15, not muscular fat.
  14. 4:2 Inadvertently: the concern in this chapter, and much of chap. 5, is wrongs done unintentionally. Intentional (“high-handed”) sins are punished with being “cut off” from the people (Nm 15:30–31). See note on Lv 7:20. Lord’s prohibitions: not included in the faults figured here is failure to perform positive commandments. Failing to perform positive commands, however, still renders the individual liable to other punishment (e.g., failing to observe the Passover, Nm 9:13). Cf. Nm 15:22–31.
  15. 4:3 The anointed priest: the chapter presents four cases of inadvertent wrong, arranged in descending order according to the status of the wrongdoer: high priest (vv. 3–12), entire community (vv. 13–21), tribal leader (vv. 22–26), and general populace (vv. 27–35). The higher one’s position, the more deeply the sin affects the sanctuary (vv. 5–7, 17–18 versus vv. 25, 29, 34). See note on 16:6. Purification offering: the Hebrew verb ḥiṭṭē’ means “remove sin, purify” (Lv 8:15; Ez 43:20–23; 45:18–19; cf. Ex 29:36). The offering cleansed the various places to which the blood was applied or the rooms in which it was sprinkled.
  16. 4:5–7 On the structure of the sanctuary, see Ex 26–27.
  17. 4:11–12 See note on 6:17–23.
  18. 4:12 Clean place: i.e., ritually “clean” or pure. It has nothing to do with the presence of dirt or waste. See 6:4.
  19. 4:13 Whole community…errs: this case probably complements that of vv. 3–12. There the high priest sins so that the people become guilty. Those verses deal with his requirements for atonement; vv. 13–21 deal with the people’s requirements.
  20. 5:1–13 This differs from the prescriptions for purification offerings in chap. 4 by listing four specific wrongs for which a purification offering is brought and allowing the substitution of birds and grain offerings in the case of poverty.
  21. 5:2 Swarming creature: a rather imprecise categorization that includes various small creatures in the seas, such as fish that go about in large groups or swarms (Gn 1:20; Lv 11:10); or, similarly, various winged insects that mass in the skies (Lv 11:20; Dt 14:19); and, finally, various small creatures that move in swarms on land, whether crawlers, quadrupeds, or of the multilegged variety (Lv 11:41–42). According to 11:29–30, even various rodents and lizards can be included in this category.
  22. 5:11 Ephah: see note on Is 5:10.
  23. 5:14–26 This last half of the chapter deals with a distinct sacrifice, the reparation offering (Heb. ’asham). The Hebrew root for this term has a basic meaning of “be guilty.” The noun can have a consequential sense of “that which is due from guilt,” i.e., “compensation, indemnification, reparation”; hence the translation “reparation offering,” rather than the alternatives “guilt offering” or “trespass offering.” This offering is brought most often in cases of sacrilege.
  24. 5:15 At the established value: the Hebrew term ‘erkĕkā, which in context means “(established) value,” may indicate that a person could bring the monetary equivalent of a ram instead of an actual animal. See vv. 18, 25.
  25. 6:2–6 This passage may have reference to the burnt offering that is offered in the morning and late afternoon each day (cf. Ex 29:38–42; Nm 28:3–8).
  26. 6:2 Ritual: Hebrew torah, which also has the broader meaning of “instruction.” The treatment of sacrifices in chaps. 6–7 recapitulates the offerings treated in 1–5 but now with more emphasis on priestly duties and prerogatives.
  27. 6:7–11 The passage is apparently concerned with the raw grain offering of 2:1–3.
  28. 6:12–16 This seems to refer to a grain offering offered twice daily by the high priest, perhaps identical to the regular grain offering in Nm 4:16 (cf. Neh 10:34). This offering is distinct from the grain offering that accompanies the daily burnt offering.
  29. 6:17–23 There are two types of purification offering: one whose blood is used inside the tent sanctuary (4:1–12, 13–21) and another whose blood was only used at the outer sacrificial altar (4:22–26, 27–31, 32–35). The carcasses of the former, as well as of purification offerings brought by the priests themselves (cf. 8:14–17; 9:8–11), are not eaten by priests but disposed of at the ash heap outside the camp, which itself is set up around the sanctuary (Ex 29:14; Lv 4:11–12, 21; 6:23; 8:17; 9:11; 16:27). The Letter to the Hebrews compares Jesus’ suffering “outside the gate” to the disposal of purification offering carcasses outside the camp (Hb 13:11–13).
  30. 7:1–6 These prescriptions may appear here rather than in 5:14–26 where this offering is first treated because the monetary equivalent of the offering might have been brought instead of an actual animal. See note on 5:15.
  31. 7:9–10 For the distinction between uncooked and cooked grain offerings, see 2:1–10 and note on 2:1. The contradiction between v. 9 and 2:10 may reflect a development in custom, with the distribution in v. 9 coming from earlier times, when sanctuary personnel was more limited.
  32. 7:11–36 This section discusses three types of communion sacrifice: the thanksgiving offering (vv. 12–15), a votive offering, and a voluntary offering (vv. 16–18). The latter two are similar and are thus mentioned together. Verses 19–36 apply to all types of communion sacrifice.
  33. 7:12–13 Four types of breads accompany the thanksgiving offering. Three types are cooked grain offerings comparable to those in 2:4–10. Also required are loaves of leavened bread (see 2:11).
  34. 7:14 Contribution: Hebrew terumah. This does not indicate a particular ritual action. The word simply means “gift, something set apart.”
  35. 7:15–18 Sacrifices must be properly consumed for them to be effective (cf. also 19:5–8; 22:30). Similar rules obtain for the Passover offering (Ex 12:10; Nm 9:12; cf. Ex 23:18; 34:25; Dt 16:4) and the ordination offering (Ex 29:34; Lv 8:32).
  36. 7:16 Votive or a voluntary offering: these are not specific types of offerings but rather motivations for bringing the communion sacrifice (cf. 22:18). A votive offering is brought as the consequence of a promise (vow) made to God. A voluntary offering is a spontaneous gift to God independent of a prior promise. See note on 27:2–13.
  37. 7:18 Bear the penalty: this refers in many cases to punishment by God (cf. 17:16; 19:8; 20:17, 19; Nm 18:1, 23; 30:16).
  38. 7:19–21 For ritual impurity, see note on 11:1–15:33.
  39. 7:20 Cut off: a common term in the Priestly source that cannot always be reduced to a simple English equivalent, since its usage appears to involve a number of associated punishments, some or all of which may come into play in any one instance (see Ex 12:15 and note). All the same, as a punishment from God, to be “cut off” (from one’s people) frequently appears to refer to termination of the offender’s family line (and perhaps in some cases an early death); see Lv 20:2–3, 20–21; Ru 4:10; Ps 109:13; Mal 2:12.
  40. 7:30 Raised as an elevated offering: these portions of the sacrifices were specially dedicated by lifting them in presentation before God’s abode. The sanctifying effect of this action is clearly seen in 23:17–20; Nm 6:19–20.
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Leviticus 1-7
New International Version

The Burnt Offering

1 The Lord called to Moses(A) and spoke to him from the tent of meeting.(B) He said, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When anyone among you brings an offering to the Lord,(C) bring as your offering an animal from either the herd or the flock.(D)

3 “‘If the offering is a burnt offering(E) from the herd,(F) you are to offer a male without defect.(G) You must present it at the entrance to the tent(H) of meeting so that it will be acceptable(I) to the Lord. 4 You are to lay your hand on the head(J) of the burnt offering,(K) and it will be accepted(L) on your behalf to make atonement(M) for you. 5 You are to slaughter(N) the young bull(O) before the Lord, and then Aaron’s sons(P) the priests shall bring the blood and splash it against the sides of the altar(Q) at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 6 You are to skin(R) the burnt offering and cut it into pieces.(S) 7 The sons of Aaron the priest are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood(T) on the fire. 8 Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat,(U) on the wood(V) that is burning on the altar. 9 You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water,(W) and the priest is to burn all of it(X) on the altar.(Y) It is a burnt offering,(Z) a food offering,(AA) an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(AB)

10 “‘If the offering is a burnt offering from the flock, from either the sheep(AC) or the goats,(AD) you are to offer a male without defect. 11 You are to slaughter it at the north side of the altar(AE) before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar.(AF) 12 You are to cut it into pieces, and the priest shall arrange them, including the head and the fat,(AG) on the wood that is burning on the altar. 13 You are to wash the internal organs and the legs with water,(AH) and the priest is to bring all of them and burn them(AI) on the altar.(AJ) It is a burnt offering,(AK) a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

14 “‘If the offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, you are to offer a dove or a young pigeon.(AL) 15 The priest shall bring it to the altar, wring off the head(AM) and burn it on the altar; its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar.(AN) 16 He is to remove the crop and the feathers[a] and throw them down east of the altar where the ashes(AO) are. 17 He shall tear it open by the wings, not dividing it completely,(AP) and then the priest shall burn it on the wood(AQ) that is burning on the altar. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

The Grain Offering

2 “‘When anyone brings a grain offering(AR) to the Lord, their offering is to be of the finest flour.(AS) They are to pour olive oil(AT) on it,(AU) put incense on it(AV) 2 and take it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the flour(AW) and oil, together with all the incense,(AX) and burn this as a memorial[b] portion(AY) on the altar, a food offering,(AZ) an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(BA) 3 The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons;(BB) it is a most holy(BC) part of the food offerings presented to the Lord.

4 “‘If you bring a grain offering baked in an oven,(BD) it is to consist of the finest flour: either thick loaves made without yeast and with olive oil mixed in or thin loaves(BE) made without yeast and brushed with olive oil.(BF) 5 If your grain offering is prepared on a griddle,(BG) it is to be made of the finest flour mixed with oil, and without yeast. 6 Crumble it and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. 7 If your grain offering is cooked in a pan,(BH) it is to be made of the finest flour and some olive oil. 8 Bring the grain offering made of these things to the Lord; present it to the priest, who shall take it to the altar. 9 He shall take out the memorial portion(BI) from the grain offering and burn it on the altar as a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(BJ) 10 The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons;(BK) it is a most holy part of the food offerings presented to the Lord.(BL)

11 “‘Every grain offering you bring to the Lord must be made without yeast,(BM) for you are not to burn any yeast or honey in a food offering presented to the Lord. 12 You may bring them to the Lord as an offering of the firstfruits,(BN) but they are not to be offered on the altar as a pleasing aroma. 13 Season all your grain offerings with salt.(BO) Do not leave the salt of the covenant(BP) of your God out of your grain offerings; add salt to all your offerings.

14 “‘If you bring a grain offering of firstfruits(BQ) to the Lord, offer crushed heads of new grain roasted in the fire. 15 Put oil and incense(BR) on it; it is a grain offering. 16 The priest shall burn the memorial portion(BS) of the crushed grain and the oil, together with all the incense,(BT) as a food offering presented to the Lord.(BU)

The Fellowship Offering

3 “‘If your offering is a fellowship offering,(BV) and you offer an animal from the herd, whether male or female, you are to present before the Lord an animal without defect.(BW) 2 You are to lay your hand on the head(BX) of your offering and slaughter it(BY) at the entrance to the tent of meeting.(BZ) Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall splash(CA) the blood against the sides(CB) of the altar.(CC) 3 From the fellowship offering you are to bring a food offering to the Lord: the internal organs(CD) and all the fat(CE) that is connected to them, 4 both kidneys(CF) with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. 5 Then Aaron’s sons(CG) are to burn it on the altar(CH) on top of the burnt offering(CI) that is lying on the burning wood;(CJ) it is a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(CK)

6 “‘If you offer an animal from the flock as a fellowship offering(CL) to the Lord, you are to offer a male or female without defect. 7 If you offer a lamb,(CM) you are to present it before the Lord,(CN) 8 lay your hand on its head and slaughter it(CO) in front of the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splash its blood against the sides of the altar. 9 From the fellowship offering you are to bring a food offering(CP) to the Lord: its fat, the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, 10 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys. 11 The priest shall burn them on the altar(CQ) as a food offering(CR) presented to the Lord.(CS)

12 “‘If your offering is a goat,(CT) you are to present it before the Lord, 13 lay your hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the tent of meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splash(CU) its blood against the sides of the altar.(CV) 14 From what you offer you are to present this food offering to the Lord: the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them, 15 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which you will remove with the kidneys.(CW) 16 The priest shall burn them on the altar(CX) as a food offering,(CY) a pleasing aroma.(CZ) All the fat(DA) is the Lord’s.(DB)

17 “‘This is a lasting ordinance(DC) for the generations to come,(DD) wherever you live:(DE) You must not eat any fat or any blood.(DF)’”

The Sin Offering

4 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Say to the Israelites: ‘When anyone sins unintentionally(DG) and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands(DH)—

3 “‘If the anointed priest(DI) sins,(DJ) bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the Lord a young bull(DK) without defect(DL) as a sin offering[c](DM) for the sin he has committed.(DN) 4 He is to present the bull at the entrance to the tent of meeting before the Lord.(DO) He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it there before the Lord. 5 Then the anointed priest shall take some of the bull’s blood(DP) and carry it into the tent of meeting. 6 He is to dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle(DQ) some of it seven times before the Lord,(DR) in front of the curtain of the sanctuary.(DS) 7 The priest shall then put some of the blood on the horns(DT) of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the Lord in the tent of meeting. The rest of the bull’s blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar(DU) of burnt offering(DV) at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 8 He shall remove all the fat(DW) from the bull of the sin offering—all the fat that is connected to the internal organs, 9 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys(DX)— 10 just as the fat is removed from the ox[d](DY) sacrificed as a fellowship offering.(DZ) Then the priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering.(EA) 11 But the hide of the bull and all its flesh, as well as the head and legs, the internal organs and the intestines(EB)— 12 that is, all the rest of the bull—he must take outside the camp(EC) to a place ceremonially clean,(ED) where the ashes(EE) are thrown, and burn it(EF) there in a wood fire on the ash heap.(EG)

13 “‘If the whole Israelite community sins unintentionally(EH) and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, even though the community is unaware of the matter, when they realize their guilt 14 and the sin they committed becomes known, the assembly must bring a young bull(EI) as a sin offering(EJ) and present it before the tent of meeting. 15 The elders(EK) of the community are to lay their hands(EL) on the bull’s head(EM) before the Lord, and the bull shall be slaughtered before the Lord.(EN) 16 Then the anointed priest is to take some of the bull’s blood(EO) into the tent of meeting. 17 He shall dip his finger into the blood and sprinkle(EP) it before the Lord(EQ) seven times in front of the curtain. 18 He is to put some of the blood(ER) on the horns of the altar that is before the Lord(ES) in the tent of meeting. The rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar(ET) of burnt offering at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 19 He shall remove all the fat(EU) from it and burn it on the altar,(EV) 20 and do with this bull just as he did with the bull for the sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement(EW) for the community, and they will be forgiven.(EX) 21 Then he shall take the bull outside the camp(EY) and burn it as he burned the first bull. This is the sin offering for the community.(EZ)

22 “‘When a leader(FA) sins unintentionally(FB) and does what is forbidden in any of the commands of the Lord his God, when he realizes his guilt 23 and the sin he has committed becomes known, he must bring as his offering a male goat(FC) without defect. 24 He is to lay his hand on the goat’s head and slaughter it at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered before the Lord.(FD) It is a sin offering.(FE) 25 Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar(FF) of burnt offering and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.(FG) 26 He shall burn all the fat on the altar as he burned the fat of the fellowship offering. In this way the priest will make atonement(FH) for the leader’s sin, and he will be forgiven.(FI)

27 “‘If any member of the community sins unintentionally(FJ) and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, when they realize their guilt 28 and the sin they have committed becomes known, they must bring as their offering(FK) for the sin they committed a female goat(FL) without defect. 29 They are to lay their hand on the head(FM) of the sin offering(FN) and slaughter it at the place of the burnt offering.(FO) 30 Then the priest is to take some of the blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering(FP) and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. 31 They shall remove all the fat, just as the fat is removed from the fellowship offering, and the priest shall burn it on the altar(FQ) as an aroma pleasing to the Lord.(FR) In this way the priest will make atonement(FS) for them, and they will be forgiven.(FT)

32 “‘If someone brings a lamb(FU) as their sin offering, they are to bring a female without defect.(FV) 33 They are to lay their hand on its head and slaughter it(FW) for a sin offering(FX) at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered.(FY) 34 Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.(FZ) 35 They shall remove all the fat, just as the fat is removed from the lamb of the fellowship offering, and the priest shall burn it on the altar(GA) on top of the food offerings presented to the Lord. In this way the priest will make atonement for them for the sin they have committed, and they will be forgiven.

5 “‘If anyone sins because they do not speak up when they hear a public charge to testify(GB) regarding something they have seen or learned about, they will be held responsible.(GC)

2 “‘If anyone becomes aware that they are guilty—if they unwittingly touch anything ceremonially unclean (whether the carcass of an unclean animal, wild or domestic, or of any unclean creature that moves along the ground)(GD) and they are unaware that they have become unclean,(GE) but then they come to realize their guilt; 3 or if they touch human uncleanness(GF) (anything that would make them unclean)(GG) even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realize their guilt; 4 or if anyone thoughtlessly takes an oath(GH) to do anything, whether good or evil(GI) (in any matter one might carelessly swear about) even though they are unaware of it, but then they learn of it and realize their guilt— 5 when anyone becomes aware that they are guilty in any of these matters, they must confess(GJ) in what way they have sinned. 6 As a penalty for the sin they have committed, they must bring to the Lord a female lamb or goat(GK) from the flock as a sin offering[e];(GL) and the priest shall make atonement(GM) for them for their sin.

7 “‘Anyone who cannot afford(GN) a lamb(GO) is to bring two doves or two young pigeons(GP) to the Lord as a penalty for their sin—one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. 8 They are to bring them to the priest, who shall first offer the one for the sin offering. He is to wring its head from its neck,(GQ) not dividing it completely,(GR) 9 and is to splash(GS) some of the blood of the sin offering against the side of the altar;(GT) the rest of the blood must be drained out at the base of the altar.(GU) It is a sin offering. 10 The priest shall then offer the other as a burnt offering in the prescribed way(GV) and make atonement(GW) for them for the sin they have committed, and they will be forgiven.(GX)

11 “‘If, however, they cannot afford(GY) two doves or two young pigeons,(GZ) they are to bring as an offering for their sin a tenth of an ephah[f](HA) of the finest flour(HB) for a sin offering. They must not put olive oil or incense on it, because it is a sin offering. 12 They are to bring it to the priest, who shall take a handful of it as a memorial[g] portion(HC) and burn it on the altar(HD) on top of the food offerings presented to the Lord. It is a sin offering. 13 In this way the priest will make atonement(HE) for them for any of these sins they have committed, and they will be forgiven. The rest of the offering will belong to the priest,(HF) as in the case of the grain offering.(HG)’”

The Guilt Offering

14 The Lord said to Moses: 15 “When anyone is unfaithful to the Lord by sinning unintentionally(HH) in regard to any of the Lord’s holy things, they are to bring to the Lord as a penalty(HI) a ram(HJ) from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value in silver, according to the sanctuary shekel.[h](HK) It is a guilt offering.(HL) 16 They must make restitution(HM) for what they have failed to do in regard to the holy things, pay an additional penalty of a fifth of its value(HN) and give it all to the priest. The priest will make atonement for them with the ram as a guilt offering, and they will be forgiven.

17 “If anyone sins and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord’s commands, even though they do not know it,(HO) they are guilty and will be held responsible.(HP) 18 They are to bring to the priest as a guilt offering(HQ) a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value. In this way the priest will make atonement for them for the wrong they have committed unintentionally, and they will be forgiven.(HR) 19 It is a guilt offering; they have been guilty of[i] wrongdoing against the Lord.”(HS)

6 [j]The Lord said to Moses: 2 “If anyone sins and is unfaithful to the Lord(HT) by deceiving a neighbor(HU) about something entrusted to them or left in their care(HV) or about something stolen, or if they cheat(HW) their neighbor, 3 or if they find lost property and lie about it,(HX) or if they swear falsely(HY) about any such sin that people may commit— 4 when they sin in any of these ways and realize their guilt, they must return(HZ) what they have stolen or taken by extortion, or what was entrusted to them, or the lost property they found, 5 or whatever it was they swore falsely about. They must make restitution(IA) in full, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the owner on the day they present their guilt offering.(IB) 6 And as a penalty they must bring to the priest, that is, to the Lord, their guilt offering,(IC) a ram from the flock, one without defect and of the proper value.(ID) 7 In this way the priest will make atonement(IE) for them before the Lord, and they will be forgiven for any of the things they did that made them guilty.”

The Burnt Offering

8 The Lord said to Moses: 9 “Give Aaron and his sons this command: ‘These are the regulations for the burnt offering(IF): The burnt offering is to remain on the altar hearth throughout the night, till morning, and the fire must be kept burning on the altar.(IG) 10 The priest shall then put on his linen clothes,(IH) with linen undergarments next to his body,(II) and shall remove the ashes(IJ) of the burnt offering that the fire has consumed on the altar and place them beside the altar. 11 Then he is to take off these clothes and put on others, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a place that is ceremonially clean.(IK) 12 The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood(IL) and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat(IM) of the fellowship offerings(IN) on it. 13 The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.

The Grain Offering

14 “‘These are the regulations for the grain offering:(IO) Aaron’s sons are to bring it before the Lord, in front of the altar. 15 The priest is to take a handful of the finest flour and some olive oil, together with all the incense(IP) on the grain offering,(IQ) and burn the memorial[k] portion(IR) on the altar as an aroma pleasing to the Lord. 16 Aaron and his sons(IS) shall eat the rest(IT) of it, but it is to be eaten without yeast(IU) in the sanctuary area;(IV) they are to eat it in the courtyard(IW) of the tent of meeting.(IX) 17 It must not be baked with yeast; I have given it as their share(IY) of the food offerings presented to me.(IZ) Like the sin offering[l] and the guilt offering, it is most holy.(JA) 18 Any male descendant of Aaron may eat it.(JB) For all generations to come(JC) it is his perpetual share(JD) of the food offerings presented to the Lord. Whatever touches them will become holy.[m](JE)’”

19 The Lord also said to Moses, 20 “This is the offering Aaron and his sons are to bring to the Lord on the day he[n] is anointed:(JF) a tenth of an ephah[o](JG) of the finest flour(JH) as a regular grain offering,(JI) half of it in the morning and half in the evening. 21 It must be prepared with oil on a griddle;(JJ) bring it well-mixed and present the grain offering broken[p] in pieces as an aroma pleasing to the Lord. 22 The son who is to succeed him as anointed priest(JK) shall prepare it. It is the Lord’s perpetual share and is to be burned completely.(JL) 23 Every grain offering of a priest shall be burned completely; it must not be eaten.”

The Sin Offering

24 The Lord said to Moses, 25 “Say to Aaron and his sons: ‘These are the regulations for the sin offering:(JM) The sin offering is to be slaughtered before the Lord(JN) in the place(JO) the burnt offering is slaughtered; it is most holy. 26 The priest who offers it shall eat it; it is to be eaten in the sanctuary area,(JP) in the courtyard(JQ) of the tent of meeting.(JR) 27 Whatever touches any of the flesh will become holy,(JS) and if any of the blood is spattered on a garment, you must wash it in the sanctuary area. 28 The clay pot(JT) the meat is cooked in must be broken; but if it is cooked in a bronze pot, the pot is to be scoured and rinsed with water. 29 Any male in a priest’s family may eat it;(JU) it is most holy.(JV) 30 But any sin offering whose blood is brought into the tent of meeting to make atonement(JW) in the Holy Place(JX) must not be eaten; it must be burned up.(JY)

The Guilt Offering

7 “‘These are the regulations for the guilt offering,(JZ) which is most holy: 2 The guilt offering is to be slaughtered in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered, and its blood is to be splashed against the sides of the altar. 3 All its fat(KA) shall be offered: the fat tail and the fat that covers the internal organs, 4 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver, which is to be removed with the kidneys.(KB) 5 The priest shall burn them on the altar(KC) as a food offering presented to the Lord. It is a guilt offering. 6 Any male in a priest’s family may eat it,(KD) but it must be eaten in the sanctuary area; it is most holy.(KE)

7 “‘The same law applies to both the sin offering[q](KF) and the guilt offering:(KG) They belong to the priest(KH) who makes atonement with them.(KI) 8 The priest who offers a burnt offering for anyone may keep its hide(KJ) for himself. 9 Every grain offering baked in an oven(KK) or cooked in a pan(KL) or on a griddle(KM) belongs to the priest who offers it, 10 and every grain offering, whether mixed with olive oil or dry, belongs equally to all the sons of Aaron.

The Fellowship Offering

11 “‘These are the regulations for the fellowship offering anyone may present to the Lord:

12 “‘If they offer it as an expression of thankfulness, then along with this thank offering(KN) they are to offer thick loaves(KO) made without yeast(KP) and with olive oil mixed in, thin loaves(KQ) made without yeast and brushed with oil,(KR) and thick loaves of the finest flour well-kneaded and with oil mixed in. 13 Along with their fellowship offering of thanksgiving(KS) they are to present an offering with thick loaves of bread made with yeast.(KT) 14 They are to bring one of each kind as an offering, a contribution to the Lord; it belongs to the priest who splashes the blood of the fellowship offering against the altar. 15 The meat of their fellowship offering of thanksgiving must be eaten on the day it is offered; they must leave none of it till morning.(KU)

16 “‘If, however, their offering is the result of a vow(KV) or is a freewill offering,(KW) the sacrifice shall be eaten on the day they offer it, but anything left over may be eaten on the next day.(KX) 17 Any meat of the sacrifice left over till the third day must be burned up.(KY) 18 If any meat of the fellowship offering(KZ) is eaten on the third day, the one who offered it will not be accepted.(LA) It will not be reckoned(LB) to their credit, for it has become impure; the person who eats any of it will be held responsible.(LC)

19 “‘Meat that touches anything ceremonially unclean must not be eaten; it must be burned up. As for other meat, anyone ceremonially clean may eat it. 20 But if anyone who is unclean(LD) eats any meat of the fellowship offering belonging to the Lord, they must be cut off from their people.(LE) 21 Anyone who touches something unclean(LF)—whether human uncleanness or an unclean animal or any unclean creature that moves along the ground[r]—and then eats any of the meat of the fellowship offering belonging to the Lord must be cut off from their people.’”

Eating Fat and Blood Forbidden

22 The Lord said to Moses, 23 “Say to the Israelites: ‘Do not eat any of the fat of cattle, sheep or goats.(LG) 24 The fat of an animal found dead or torn by wild animals(LH) may be used for any other purpose, but you must not eat it. 25 Anyone who eats the fat of an animal from which a food offering may be[s] presented to the Lord must be cut off from their people. 26 And wherever you live, you must not eat the blood(LI) of any bird or animal. 27 Anyone who eats blood(LJ) must be cut off from their people.’”

The Priests’ Share

28 The Lord said to Moses, 29 “Say to the Israelites: ‘Anyone who brings a fellowship offering to the Lord is to bring part of it as their sacrifice to the Lord. 30 With their own hands they are to present the food offering to the Lord; they are to bring the fat, together with the breast, and wave the breast before the Lord as a wave offering.(LK) 31 The priest shall burn the fat on the altar,(LL) but the breast belongs to Aaron and his sons.(LM) 32 You are to give the right thigh of your fellowship offerings to the priest as a contribution.(LN) 33 The son of Aaron who offers the blood and the fat of the fellowship offering shall have the right thigh as his share. 34 From the fellowship offerings of the Israelites, I have taken the breast that is waved and the thigh(LO) that is presented and have given them to Aaron the priest and his sons(LP) as their perpetual share from the Israelites.’”

35 This is the portion of the food offerings presented to the Lord that were allotted to Aaron and his sons on the day they were presented to serve the Lord as priests. 36 On the day they were anointed,(LQ) the Lord commanded that the Israelites give this to them as their perpetual share for the generations to come.

37 These, then, are the regulations for the burnt offering,(LR) the grain offering,(LS) the sin offering, the guilt offering, the ordination offering(LT) and the fellowship offering, 38 which the Lord gave Moses(LU) at Mount Sinai(LV) in the Desert of Sinai on the day he commanded the Israelites to bring their offerings to the Lord.(LW)

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 1:16 Or crop with its contents; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  2. Leviticus 2:2 Or representative; also in verses 9 and 16
  3. Leviticus 4:3 Or purification offering; here and throughout this chapter
  4. Leviticus 4:10 The Hebrew word can refer to either male or female.
  5. Leviticus 5:6 Or purification offering; here and throughout this chapter
  6. Leviticus 5:11 That is, probably about 3 1/2 pounds or about 1.6 kilograms
  7. Leviticus 5:12 Or representative
  8. Leviticus 5:15 That is, about 2/5 ounce or about 12 grams
  9. Leviticus 5:19 Or offering; atonement has been made for their
  10. Leviticus 6:1 In Hebrew texts 6:1-7 is numbered 5:20-26, and 6:8-30 is numbered 6:1-23.
  11. Leviticus 6:15 Or representative
  12. Leviticus 6:17 Or purification offering; also in verses 25 and 30
  13. Leviticus 6:18 Or Whoever touches them must be holy; similarly in verse 27
  14. Leviticus 6:20 Or each
  15. Leviticus 6:20 That is, probably about 3 1/2 pounds or about 1.6 kilograms
  16. Leviticus 6:21 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  17. Leviticus 7:7 Or purification offering; also in verse 37
  18. Leviticus 7:21 A few Hebrew manuscripts, Samaritan Pentateuch, Syriac and Targum (see 5:2); most Hebrew manuscripts any unclean, detestable thing
  19. Leviticus 7:25 Or offering is
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