The Lord Accepts Aaron's Offering

(A)On the eighth day Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel, and he said to Aaron, (B)“Take for yourself a bull calf for a sin offering and (C)a ram for a burnt offering, both without blemish, and offer them before the Lord. And say to the people of Israel, (D)‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both a year old without blemish, for a burnt offering, and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the Lord, and (E)a grain offering mixed with oil, for (F)today the Lord will appear to you.’” And they brought what Moses commanded in front of the tent of meeting, and all the congregation drew near and stood before the Lord. And Moses said, “This is the thing that the Lord commanded you to do, that the glory of the Lord may appear to you.” Then Moses said to Aaron, “Draw near to the altar and (G)offer your sin offering and your burnt offering and (H)make atonement for yourself and for the people, and bring the offering of the people and make atonement for them, as the Lord has commanded.”

So Aaron drew near to the altar and killed the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself. (I)And the sons of Aaron presented the blood to him, and he dipped his finger in the blood and (J)put it on the horns of the altar and poured out the blood at the base of the altar. 10 (K)But the fat and the kidneys and the long lobe of the liver from the sin offering he burned on the altar, (L)as the Lord commanded Moses. 11 (M)The flesh and the skin he burned up with fire outside the camp.

12 Then he killed the burnt offering, and Aaron's sons handed him the blood, and he (N)threw it against the sides of the altar. 13 (O)And they handed the burnt offering to him, piece by piece, and the head, and he burned them on the altar. 14 (P)And he washed the entrails and the legs and burned them with the burnt offering on the altar.

15 (Q)Then he presented the people's offering and took the goat of the sin offering that was for the people and killed it and (R)offered it as a sin offering, (S)like the first one. 16 And he presented the burnt offering and offered it (T)according to the (U)rule. 17 And he presented the (V)grain offering, took a handful of it, and burned it on the altar, (W)besides the burnt offering of the morning.

18 Then he killed the ox and the ram, (X)the sacrifice of peace offerings for the people. And Aaron's sons handed him the blood, and he threw it against the sides of the altar. 19 But the fat pieces of the ox and of the ram, the fat tail and that which covers (Y)the entrails and the kidneys and the long lobe of the liver— 20 they put the fat pieces on the breasts, (Z)and he burned the fat pieces on the altar, 21 but the breasts and the right thigh Aaron waved (AA)for a wave offering before the Lord, as Moses commanded.

22 Then Aaron (AB)lifted up his hands toward the people and (AC)blessed them, and he came down from offering the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings. 23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they came out they blessed the people, and (AD)the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. 24 And (AE)fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, (AF)they shouted and (AG)fell on their faces.

The Death of Nadab and Abihu

10 Now (AH)Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, (AI)each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered (AJ)unauthorized[a] fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. And fire (AK)came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Among (AL)those who are near me (AM)I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’” (AN)And Aaron held his peace.

And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of (AO)Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, “Come near; carry your brothers away from the front of the sanctuary and out of the camp.” So they came near and carried them in their coats out of the camp, as Moses had said. And Moses said to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar his sons, (AP)“Do not let the hair of your heads hang loose, and do not tear your clothes, lest you die, and (AQ)wrath come upon all the congregation; but let your brothers, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning that the Lord has kindled. (AR)And do not go outside the entrance of the tent of meeting, lest you die, (AS)for the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you.” And they did according to the word of Moses.

And the Lord spoke to Aaron, saying, (AT)“Drink no wine or strong drink, you or your sons with you, when you go into the tent of meeting, lest you die. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. 10 You are to (AU)distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean, 11 and (AV)you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the Lord has spoken to them by Moses.”

12 Moses spoke to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar, his surviving sons: “Take the (AW)grain offering that is left of the Lord's food offerings, and eat it unleavened beside the altar, for (AX)it is most holy. 13 You shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your due and your sons' due, from the Lord's food offerings, for (AY)so I am commanded. 14 But the (AZ)breast that is waved and the thigh that is contributed you shall eat in a clean place, you and your sons and your daughters with you, for they are given as your due and your sons' due from the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the people of Israel. 15 (BA)The thigh that is contributed and the breast that is waved they shall bring with the food offerings of the fat pieces to wave for a wave offering before the Lord, and it shall be yours and your sons' with you as a due forever, as the Lord has commanded.”

16 Now Moses diligently inquired about (BB)the goat of the sin offering, and behold, it was burned up! And he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, the surviving sons of Aaron, saying, 17 (BC)“Why have you not eaten the sin offering in the place of the sanctuary, since (BD)it is a thing most holy and has been given to you that you may bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the Lord? 18 Behold, (BE)its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary. You certainly ought to have eaten it in the sanctuary, (BF)as I commanded.” 19 And Aaron said to Moses, “Behold, (BG)today they have offered their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord, and yet such things as these have happened to me! If I had eaten the sin offering today, (BH)would the Lord have approved?” 20 And when Moses heard that, he approved.

Clean and Unclean Animals

11 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, (BI)These are the living things that you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth. Whatever parts the hoof and is cloven-footed and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat. Nevertheless, among those that chew the cud or part the hoof, you shall not eat these: The camel, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you. And the (BJ)rock badger, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you. And the hare, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you. And the pig, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, (BK)is unclean to you. You shall not eat any of their flesh, and you shall not touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you.

“These you may eat, of all that are in the waters. Everything in the waters that has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers, you may eat. 10 But anything in the seas or the rivers that does not have fins and scales, of the swarming creatures in the waters and of the living creatures that are in the waters, is (BL)detestable to you. 11 You shall regard them as detestable; you shall not eat any of their flesh, and you shall detest their carcasses. 12 Everything in the waters that does not have fins and scales is detestable to you.

13 “And these you shall detest among the birds;[b] they shall not be eaten; they are (BM)detestable: (BN)the eagle,[c] the bearded vulture, the black vulture, 14 the kite, (BO)the falcon of any kind, 15 every raven of any kind, 16 the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the (BP)hawk of any kind, 17 the (BQ)little owl, the cormorant, the (BR)short-eared owl, 18 the barn owl, the (BS)tawny owl, the carrion vulture, 19 the stork, the heron of any kind, the hoopoe, and (BT)the bat.

20 “All winged insects that go on all fours are detestable to you. 21 Yet among the winged insects that go on all fours you may eat those that have jointed legs above their feet, with which to hop on the ground. 22 Of them you may eat: (BU)the locust of any kind, the bald locust of any kind, the cricket of any kind, and the grasshopper of any kind. 23 But all other winged insects that have four feet are detestable to you.

24 “And by these you shall become unclean. Whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening, 25 and whoever carries any part of their carcass (BV)shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening. 26 Every animal that parts the hoof but is not cloven-footed or does not chew the cud is unclean to you. Everyone who touches them shall be unclean. 27 And all that walk on their paws, among the animals that go on all fours, are unclean to you. Whoever touches their carcass shall be unclean until the evening, 28 and he who carries their carcass (BW)shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening; they are unclean to you.

29 “And these are unclean to you among the swarming things that swarm on the ground: the mole rat, (BX)the mouse, the great lizard of any kind, 30 the gecko, the monitor lizard, the lizard, the sand lizard, and the chameleon. 31 These are unclean to you among all that swarm. Whoever touches them when they are dead shall be unclean until the evening. 32 And anything on which any of them falls when they are dead shall be unclean, whether it is an article of wood or a garment or a skin or a sack, any article that is used for any purpose. (BY)It must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the evening; then it shall be clean. 33 And if any of them falls into any earthenware vessel, all that is in it shall be unclean, and you (BZ)shall break it. 34 Any food in it that could be eaten, on which water comes, shall be unclean. And all drink that could be drunk from every such vessel shall be unclean. 35 And everything on which any part of their carcass falls shall be unclean. Whether oven or stove, it shall be broken in pieces. They are unclean and shall remain unclean for you. 36 Nevertheless, a spring or a cistern holding water shall be clean, but whoever touches a carcass in them shall be unclean. 37 And if any part of their carcass falls upon any seed grain that is to be sown, it is clean, 38 but if water is put on the seed and any part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.

39 “And if any animal which you may eat dies, whoever touches its carcass shall be unclean until the evening, 40 and (CA)whoever eats of its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening. And whoever carries the carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening.

41 (CB)“Every swarming thing that swarms on the ground is detestable; it shall not be eaten. 42 Whatever goes on its belly, and whatever goes on all fours, or whatever has many feet, any swarming thing that swarms on the ground, you shall not eat, for they are detestable. 43 (CC)You shall not make yourselves detestable with any swarming thing that swarms, and you shall not defile yourselves with them, and become unclean through them. 44 For I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and (CD)be holy, for I am holy. (CE)You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground. 45 (CF)For I am the Lord who brought you up out of the land of Egypt to be your God. (CG)You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”

46 This is the law about beast and bird and every living creature that moves through the waters and every creature that swarms on the ground, 47 (CH)to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean and between the living creature that may be eaten and the living creature that may not be eaten.

Purification After Childbirth

12 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If a woman conceives and bears a male child, then (CI)she shall be unclean seven days. (CJ)As at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. And on the (CK)eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Then she shall continue for thirty-three days in the blood of her purifying. She shall not touch anything holy, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed. But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation. And she shall continue in the blood of her purifying for sixty-six days.

(CL)“And when the days of her purifying are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb a year old for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering, and he shall offer it before the Lord and make atonement for her. Then she shall be clean from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, either male or female. And if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take (CM)two turtledoves or two pigeons,[d] (CN)one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. (CO)And the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.”

Laws About Leprosy

13 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, “When a person has on the skin of his body a (CP)swelling or an eruption or a spot, and it turns into a case of leprous[e] disease on the skin of his body, (CQ)then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests, and the priest shall examine the diseased area on the skin of his body. And if the hair in the diseased area has turned white and the disease appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a case of leprous disease. When the priest has examined him, he shall pronounce him unclean. But if the spot is white in the skin of his body and appears no deeper than the skin, and the hair in it has not turned white, (CR)the priest shall shut up the diseased person for seven days. And the priest shall examine him on the seventh day, and if in his eyes the disease is checked and the disease has not spread in the skin, then the (CS)priest shall shut him up for another seven days. And the priest shall examine him again on the seventh day, and if the diseased area has faded and the disease has not spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is only an eruption. And (CT)he shall wash his clothes and be clean. But if the eruption spreads in the skin, after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall appear again before the priest. And the priest shall look, and if the eruption has spread in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a leprous disease.

“When a man is afflicted with a leprous disease, he shall be brought to the priest, 10 and the priest shall look. And if there is a (CU)white swelling in the skin that has turned the hair white, and there is raw flesh in the swelling, 11 it is a chronic leprous disease in the skin of his body, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean. (CV)He shall not shut him up, for he is unclean. 12 And if the leprous disease breaks out in the skin, so that the leprous disease covers all the skin of the diseased person from head to foot, so far as the priest can see, 13 then the priest shall look, and if the leprous disease has covered all his body, he shall pronounce him clean of the disease; it has all turned white, and he is clean. 14 But when raw flesh appears on him, he shall be unclean. 15 And the priest shall examine the raw flesh and pronounce him unclean. Raw flesh is unclean, for it is a leprous disease. 16 But if the raw flesh recovers and turns white again, then he shall come to the priest, 17 and the priest shall examine him, and if the disease has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce the diseased person clean; he is clean.

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 10:1 Or strange
  2. Leviticus 11:13 Or things that fly; compare Genesis 1:20
  3. Leviticus 11:13 The identity of many of these birds is uncertain
  4. Leviticus 12:8 Septuagint two young pigeons
  5. Leviticus 13:2 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases

The Priests Begin Their Ministry

On the eighth day(A) Moses summoned Aaron and his sons and the elders(B) of Israel. He said to Aaron, “Take a bull calf for your sin offering[a] and a ram for your burnt offering, both without defect, and present them before the Lord. Then say to the Israelites: ‘Take a male goat(C) for a sin offering,(D) a calf(E) and a lamb(F)—both a year old and without defect—for a burnt offering, and an ox[b](G) and a ram for a fellowship offering(H) to sacrifice before the Lord, together with a grain offering mixed with olive oil. For today the Lord will appear to you.(I)’”

They took the things Moses commanded to the front of the tent of meeting, and the entire assembly came near and stood before the Lord. Then Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded you to do, so that the glory of the Lord(J) may appear to you.”

Moses said to Aaron, “Come to the altar and sacrifice your sin offering and your burnt offering and make atonement for yourself and the people;(K) sacrifice the offering that is for the people and make atonement for them, as the Lord has commanded.(L)

So Aaron came to the altar and slaughtered the calf as a sin offering(M) for himself. His sons brought the blood to him,(N) and he dipped his finger into the blood and put it on the horns of the altar; the rest of the blood he poured out at the base of the altar.(O) 10 On the altar he burned the fat, the kidneys and the long lobe of the liver from the sin offering, as the Lord commanded Moses; 11 the flesh and the hide(P) he burned up outside the camp.(Q)

12 Then he slaughtered the burnt offering.(R) His sons handed him the blood,(S) and he splashed it against the sides of the altar. 13 They handed him the burnt offering piece by piece, including the head, and he burned them on the altar.(T) 14 He washed the internal organs and the legs and burned them on top of the burnt offering on the altar.(U)

15 Aaron then brought the offering that was for the people.(V) He took the goat for the people’s sin offering and slaughtered it and offered it for a sin offering as he did with the first one.

16 He brought the burnt offering and offered it in the prescribed way.(W) 17 He also brought the grain offering, took a handful of it and burned it on the altar in addition to the morning’s burnt offering.(X)

18 He slaughtered the ox and the ram as the fellowship offering for the people.(Y) His sons handed him the blood, and he splashed it against the sides of the altar. 19 But the fat portions of the ox and the ram—the fat tail, the layer of fat, the kidneys and the long lobe of the liver— 20 these they laid on the breasts, and then Aaron burned the fat on the altar. 21 Aaron waved the breasts and the right thigh before the Lord as a wave offering,(Z) as Moses commanded.

22 Then Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them.(AA) And having sacrificed the sin offering, the burnt offering and the fellowship offering, he stepped down.

23 Moses and Aaron then went into the tent of meeting.(AB) When they came out, they blessed the people; and the glory of the Lord(AC) appeared to all the people. 24 Fire(AD) came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.(AE)

The Death of Nadab and Abihu

10 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu(AF) took their censers,(AG) put fire in them(AH) and added incense;(AI) and they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord,(AJ) contrary to his command.(AK) So fire came out(AL) from the presence of the Lord and consumed them,(AM) and they died before the Lord.(AN) Moses then said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord spoke of when he said:

“‘Among those who approach me(AO)
    I will be proved holy;(AP)
in the sight of all the people
    I will be honored.(AQ)’”

Aaron remained silent.

Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan,(AR) sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel,(AS) and said to them, “Come here; carry your cousins outside the camp,(AT) away from the front of the sanctuary.(AU) So they came and carried them, still in their tunics,(AV) outside the camp, as Moses ordered.

Then Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar,(AW) “Do not let your hair become unkempt[c](AX) and do not tear your clothes,(AY) or you will die and the Lord will be angry with the whole community.(AZ) But your relatives, all the Israelites, may mourn(BA) for those the Lord has destroyed by fire. Do not leave the entrance to the tent of meeting(BB) or you will die, because the Lord’s anointing oil(BC) is on you.” So they did as Moses said.

Then the Lord said to Aaron, “You and your sons are not to drink wine(BD) or other fermented drink(BE) whenever you go into the tent of meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance(BF) for the generations to come, 10 so that you can distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean,(BG) 11 and so you can teach(BH) the Israelites all the decrees the Lord has given them through Moses.(BI)

12 Moses said to Aaron and his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take the grain offering(BJ) left over from the food offerings prepared without yeast and presented to the Lord and eat it beside the altar,(BK) for it is most holy. 13 Eat it in the sanctuary area,(BL) because it is your share and your sons’ share of the food offerings presented to the Lord; for so I have been commanded.(BM) 14 But you and your sons and your daughters may eat the breast(BN) that was waved and the thigh that was presented. Eat them in a ceremonially clean place;(BO) they have been given to you and your children as your share of the Israelites’ fellowship offerings. 15 The thigh(BP) that was presented and the breast that was waved must be brought with the fat portions of the food offerings, to be waved before the Lord as a wave offering.(BQ) This will be the perpetual share for you and your children, as the Lord has commanded.”

16 When Moses inquired about the goat of the sin offering[d](BR) and found that it had been burned up, he was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons, and asked, 17 “Why didn’t you eat the sin offering(BS) in the sanctuary area? It is most holy; it was given to you to take away the guilt(BT) of the community by making atonement for them before the Lord. 18 Since its blood was not taken into the Holy Place,(BU) you should have eaten the goat in the sanctuary area, as I commanded.(BV)

19 Aaron replied to Moses, “Today they sacrificed their sin offering and their burnt offering(BW) before the Lord, but such things as this have happened to me. Would the Lord have been pleased if I had eaten the sin offering today?” 20 When Moses heard this, he was satisfied.

Clean and Unclean Food(BX)

11 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Say to the Israelites: ‘Of all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat:(BY) You may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and that chews the cud.

“‘There are some that only chew the cud or only have a divided hoof, but you must not eat them.(BZ) The camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is ceremonially unclean for you. The hyrax, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you. The rabbit, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you. And the pig,(CA) though it has a divided hoof, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.(CB)

“‘Of all the creatures living in the water of the seas and the streams you may eat any that have fins and scales. 10 But all creatures in the seas or streams that do not have fins and scales—whether among all the swarming things or among all the other living creatures in the water—you are to regard as unclean.(CC) 11 And since you are to regard them as unclean, you must not eat their meat; you must regard their carcasses as unclean.(CD) 12 Anything living in the water that does not have fins and scales is to be regarded as unclean by you.(CE)

13 “‘These are the birds you are to regard as unclean and not eat because they are unclean: the eagle,[e] the vulture, the black vulture, 14 the red kite, any kind(CF) of black kite, 15 any kind of raven,(CG) 16 the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, 17 the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, 18 the white owl,(CH) the desert owl, the osprey, 19 the stork,(CI) any kind(CJ) of heron, the hoopoe and the bat.(CK)

20 “‘All flying insects that walk on all fours are to be regarded as unclean by you.(CL) 21 There are, however, some flying insects that walk on all fours that you may eat: those that have jointed legs for hopping on the ground. 22 Of these you may eat any kind of locust,(CM) katydid, cricket or grasshopper. 23 But all other flying insects that have four legs you are to regard as unclean.

24 “‘You will make yourselves unclean by these;(CN) whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening.(CO) 25 Whoever picks up one of their carcasses must wash their clothes,(CP) and they will be unclean till evening.(CQ)

26 “‘Every animal that does not have a divided hoof or that does not chew the cud is unclean for you; whoever touches the carcass of any of them will be unclean. 27 Of all the animals that walk on all fours, those that walk on their paws are unclean for you; whoever touches their carcasses will be unclean till evening. 28 Anyone who picks up their carcasses must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.(CR) These animals are unclean for you.

29 “‘Of the animals that move along the ground, these are unclean for you:(CS) the weasel, the rat,(CT) any kind of great lizard, 30 the gecko, the monitor lizard, the wall lizard, the skink and the chameleon. 31 Of all those that move along the ground, these are unclean for you. Whoever touches them when they are dead will be unclean till evening. 32 When one of them dies and falls on something, that article, whatever its use, will be unclean, whether it is made of wood, cloth, hide or sackcloth.(CU) Put it in water; it will be unclean till evening, and then it will be clean. 33 If one of them falls into a clay pot, everything in it will be unclean, and you must break the pot.(CV) 34 Any food you are allowed to eat that has come into contact with water from any such pot is unclean, and any liquid that is drunk from such a pot is unclean. 35 Anything that one of their carcasses falls on becomes unclean; an oven or cooking pot must be broken up. They are unclean, and you are to regard them as unclean. 36 A spring, however, or a cistern for collecting water remains clean, but anyone who touches one of these carcasses is unclean. 37 If a carcass falls on any seeds that are to be planted, they remain clean. 38 But if water has been put on the seed and a carcass falls on it, it is unclean for you.

39 “‘If an animal that you are allowed to eat dies,(CW) anyone who touches its carcass(CX) will be unclean till evening. 40 Anyone who eats some of its carcass(CY) must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.(CZ) Anyone who picks up the carcass must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.

41 “‘Every creature that moves along the ground is to be regarded as unclean; it is not to be eaten. 42 You are not to eat any creature that moves along the ground, whether it moves on its belly or walks on all fours or on many feet; it is unclean. 43 Do not defile yourselves by any of these creatures.(DA) Do not make yourselves unclean by means of them or be made unclean by them. 44 I am the Lord your God;(DB) consecrate yourselves(DC) and be holy,(DD) because I am holy.(DE) Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground.(DF) 45 I am the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt(DG) to be your God;(DH) therefore be holy, because I am holy.(DI)

46 “‘These are the regulations concerning animals, birds, every living thing that moves about in the water and every creature that moves along the ground. 47 You must distinguish between the unclean and the clean, between living creatures that may be eaten and those that may not be eaten.(DJ)’”

Purification After Childbirth

12 The Lord said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘A woman who becomes pregnant and gives birth to a son will be ceremonially unclean for seven days, just as she is unclean during her monthly period.(DK) On the eighth day(DL) the boy is to be circumcised.(DM) Then the woman must wait thirty-three days to be purified from her bleeding. She must not touch anything sacred or go to the sanctuary until the days of her purification are over. If she gives birth to a daughter, for two weeks the woman will be unclean, as during her period. Then she must wait sixty-six days to be purified from her bleeding.

“‘When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over,(DN) she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting a year-old lamb(DO) for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering.[f](DP) He shall offer them before the Lord to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood.

“‘These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. But if she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons,(DQ) one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering.(DR) In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.(DS)’”

Regulations About Defiling Skin Diseases

13 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “When anyone has a swelling(DT) or a rash or a shiny spot(DU) on their skin that may be a defiling skin disease,[g](DV) they must be brought to Aaron the priest(DW) or to one of his sons[h] who is a priest. The priest is to examine the sore on the skin, and if the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears to be more than skin deep, it is a defiling skin disease. When the priest examines that person, he shall pronounce them ceremonially unclean.(DX) If the shiny spot(DY) on the skin is white but does not appear to be more than skin deep and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest is to isolate the affected person for seven days.(DZ) On the seventh day(EA) the priest is to examine them,(EB) and if he sees that the sore is unchanged and has not spread in the skin, he is to isolate them for another seven days. On the seventh day the priest is to examine them again, and if the sore has faded and has not spread in the skin, the priest shall pronounce them clean;(EC) it is only a rash. They must wash their clothes,(ED) and they will be clean.(EE) But if the rash does spread in their skin after they have shown themselves to the priest to be pronounced clean, they must appear before the priest again.(EF) The priest is to examine that person, and if the rash has spread in the skin, he shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease.

“When anyone has a defiling skin disease, they must be brought to the priest. 10 The priest is to examine them, and if there is a white swelling in the skin that has turned the hair white and if there is raw flesh in the swelling, 11 it is a chronic skin disease(EG) and the priest shall pronounce them unclean. He is not to isolate them, because they are already unclean.

12 “If the disease breaks out all over their skin and, so far as the priest can see, it covers all the skin of the affected person from head to foot, 13 the priest is to examine them, and if the disease has covered their whole body, he shall pronounce them clean. Since it has all turned white, they are clean. 14 But whenever raw flesh appears on them, they will be unclean. 15 When the priest sees the raw flesh, he shall pronounce them unclean. The raw flesh is unclean; they have a defiling disease.(EH) 16 If the raw flesh changes and turns white, they must go to the priest. 17 The priest is to examine them, and if the sores have turned white, the priest shall pronounce the affected person clean;(EI) then they will be clean.

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 9:2 Or purification offering; here and throughout this chapter
  2. Leviticus 9:4 The Hebrew word can refer to either male or female; also in verses 18 and 19.
  3. Leviticus 10:6 Or Do not uncover your heads
  4. Leviticus 10:16 Or purification offering; also in verses 17 and 19
  5. Leviticus 11:13 The precise identification of some of the birds, insects and animals in this chapter is uncertain.
  6. Leviticus 12:6 Or purification offering; also in verse 8
  7. Leviticus 13:2 The Hebrew word for defiling skin disease, traditionally translated “leprosy,” was used for various diseases affecting the skin; here and throughout verses 3-46.
  8. Leviticus 13:2 Or descendants