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The Lord now spoke to Moses from the Tabernacle, 2-3 and commanded him to give the following instructions to the people of Israel: “When you sacrifice to the Lord, use animals from your herds and flocks.

“If your sacrifice is to be an ox given as a burnt offering, use only a bull with no physical defects. Bring the animal to the entrance of the Tabernacle where the priests will accept your gift for the Lord. The person bringing it is to lay his hand upon its head, and it then becomes his substitute: the death of the animal will be accepted by God instead of the death of the man who brings it, as the penalty for his sins.[a] The man shall then kill the animal there before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons, the priests, will present the blood before the Lord, sprinkling it upon all sides of the altar at the entrance of the Tabernacle. 6-7 Then the priests will skin[b] the animal and quarter it, and build a wood fire upon the altar, and put the sections of the animal and its head and fat upon the wood. The internal organs and the legs are to be washed, then the priests will burn them upon the altar, and they will be an acceptable burnt offering with which the Lord is pleased.[c]

10 “If the animal used as a burnt offering is a sheep or a goat, it too must be a male, and without any blemishes. 11 The man who brings it will kill it before the Lord on the north side of the altar, and Aaron’s sons, the priests, will sprinkle its blood back and forth upon the altar. 12 Then the man will quarter it, and the priests will lay the pieces, with the head and the fat, on top of the wood on the altar. 13 But the internal organs and the legs shall first be washed with water. Then the priests shall burn it all upon the altar as an offering to the Lord; for burnt offerings give much pleasure to the Lord.

14 “If anyone wishes to use a bird as his burnt offering, he may choose either turtledoves or young pigeons. 15-17 A priest will take the bird to the altar and wring off its head, and the blood shall be drained out at the side of the altar. Then the priest will remove the crop and the feathers and throw them on the east side of the altar with the ashes. Then, grasping it by the wings, he shall tear it apart, but not completely. And the priest shall burn it upon the altar, and the Lord will have pleasure in this sacrifice.[d]

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 1:4 as the penalty for his sins, literally, “to make atonement for him.”
  2. Leviticus 1:6 the priests will skin, literally, “he shall skin.”
  3. Leviticus 1:9 they will be an acceptable burnt offering with which the Lord is pleased, literally, “it will be a sweet savor unto the Lord.”
  4. Leviticus 1:15 the Lord will have pleasure in this sacrifice, literally, “it will be a sweet savor unto the Lord.”

The Burnt Offering

The Lord called to Moses(A) and spoke to him from the tent of meeting.(B) He said, “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)

“‘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. 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. 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. You are to skin(R) the burnt offering and cut it into pieces.(S) The sons of Aaron the priest are to put fire on the altar and arrange wood(T) on the fire. 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. 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.

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 1:16 Or crop with its contents; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.