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The Law of Burnt Offerings

The Lord [a]called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying, “Speak to the [b]children of Israel and say to them, ‘When any one of you brings an offering to the Lord, you shall bring your offering of [domestic] animals from the herd (cattle, oxen) or from the flock (sheep, goats). If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish; he shall offer it at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting so that he may be accepted before the Lord.(A) He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering [transferring symbolically his guilt to the sacrifice], that it may be [c]accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf.(B) He shall kill the young bull before the Lord; and Aaron’s sons the priests shall present the blood and sprinkle the blood around on the altar that is at the doorway of the Tent of Meeting. Then he shall skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces. The sons of Aaron the [high] priest shall put fire on the altar [of burnt offering] and arrange wood on the fire. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, the head and the fat, on the wood which is on the fire that is on the altar. But he shall wash its entrails and its legs with water. The priest shall offer all of it up in smoke on the altar as a burnt offering. It is an offering by fire, a sweet and soothing aroma to the Lord.(C)

10 ‘But if his offering is from the flock, of the sheep or of the goats, as a burnt offering, he shall offer a male without blemish. 11 He shall kill it on the north side of the altar before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. 12 He shall cut it into pieces, with its head and its fat, and the priest shall arrange them on the wood which is on the fire that is on the altar. 13 But he shall wash the entrails and legs with water. The priest shall offer all of it, and offer it up in smoke on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a sweet and soothing aroma to the Lord.

14 ‘But if his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring turtledoves or young pigeons as his offering. 15 The priest shall bring it to the altar, and wring off its head, and offer it up in smoke on the altar; and its blood is to be drained out on the side of the altar. 16 He shall remove its [d]crop with its feathers and throw it next to the east side of the altar, in the place for ashes. 17 Then he shall tear it open by its wings, but shall not sever it. And the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire. It is a burnt offering, an offering by fire, a sweet and soothing aroma to the Lord.

The Law of Grain Offerings

‘When [e]anyone presents a grain offering to the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour, and he shall pour [olive] oil over it and put frankincense on it. He shall bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests. Out of it he shall take a handful of the fine flour and oil, with all of its frankincense, and the priest shall offer this up in smoke on the altar [of burnt offering] as the memorial portion of it. It is an offering by fire, a sweet and soothing aroma to the Lord. What is left of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the offerings to the Lord by fire.

‘When you bring an offering of grain baked in the oven, it shall be [f]unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers spread with oil. If your offering is grain baked on a griddle, it shall be of fine unleavened flour, mixed with oil. You are to break it into pieces, and you shall pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. Now if your offering is grain cooked in a lidded pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil. When you bring the grain offering that is made of these things to the Lord, it shall be presented to the priest, and he shall bring it to the altar [of burnt offering]. The priest shall take from the grain offering its memorial portion and offer it up in smoke on the altar. It is an offering by fire, a sweet and soothing aroma to the Lord. 10 What is left of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the offerings to the Lord by fire.

11 ‘No grain offering that you bring to the Lord shall be made with leaven, for you shall not offer up in smoke any leaven [which symbolizes the spread of sin] or any honey [which, like leaven, is subject to fermentation] in any offering by fire to the Lord.(D) 12 As an offering of first fruits you may offer them [leaven and honey] to the Lord, but they shall not go up [in smoke] on the altar as a sweet and soothing aroma. 13 You shall season every grain offering with salt so that the salt (preservation) of the covenant of your God will not be missing from your grain offering. You shall offer salt with all your offerings.(E)

14 ‘If you bring a grain offering of early ripened things to the Lord, you shall bring fresh heads of grain roasted in the fire, crushed grain of new growth, for the grain offering of your early ripened things. 15 You shall put oil on it and lay incense on it; it is a grain offering. 16 The priest shall offer up in smoke its memorial portion, part of the crushed grain and part of its oil with all its incense; it is an offering by fire to the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 1:1 Before this God had spoken to Moses from the mountain, but now God dwelt among His people in fellowship with them and talked with His servant Moses “from the Tent of Meeting.” The people were entering into a new relationship with God.
  2. Leviticus 1:2 In general, sons (children) of Israel or Israel or Israelites refers to all the people (males and females) of the various tribes descended from the twelve sons (Gen 35:23-26) of Jacob (later renamed Israel by God). In verses concerning things such as warfare or circumcision sons of Israel or Israel or Israelites usually refers only to the males. Tribes of ancient people were identified by the name of their founding ancestor. Therefore, this same general rule applies when referring to individual tribal groups, e.g. sons of Reuben, Reuben, Reubenites and so throughout.
  3. Leviticus 1:4 By laying his hands on the head of the sacrifice the offerer identified himself with it and through its death it became an atonement or covering for his sin. Because the unblemished sacrifice “covered” his sin it placed the offerer in a right relationship with God, just as later under the new covenant the perfection and sacrifice of the Christ would cover the imperfection and sin of those who identified with Him and accepted Him as Savior.
  4. Leviticus 1:16 An enlargement of the gullet that serves as a receptacle for food.
  5. Leviticus 2:1 Lit a soul.
  6. Leviticus 2:4 Leaven (yeast) symbolized corruption and sin.

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.

The Grain Offering

“‘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) 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) 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.

“‘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) 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. Crumble it and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. If your grain offering is cooked in a pan,(BH) it is to be made of the finest flour and some olive oil. Bring the grain offering made of these things to the Lord; present it to the priest, who shall take it to the altar. 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)

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