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Rules for the people's gifts

The Lord spoke to Moses from the Tent of Meeting.[a] He told him the rules that Israel's people must obey. The Lord said, ‘Speak to Israel's people. Tell them this. When a person gives an animal to the Lord, it must be a cow or a sheep or a goat. A person may want to give a gift to the Lord. That gift must be a male animal from his group of animals. It must be perfect. He must burn the whole animal as a gift to the Lord. The person must bring it to the door of the Tent of Meeting. If he does, the Lord will accept his gift. The person must put his hand on the animal's head. Then he must kill it. The animal's death will pay for the person's sins. The person must kill the young bull in front of the Lord. The priests who are the sons of Aaron will take the blood. They will throw it onto the sides of the altar. That is the altar near to the door of the Tent of Meeting. The person must take the skin from the dead animal and then he must cut up the meat. The sons of Aaron the priest will light a fire on the altar. Then they will put wood on it. The priests will put the pieces of meat on the fire. They will put the head and the fat on the fire with the meat. The person must wash the legs and the inside parts with water. Then the priest will burn the whole animal on the altar. The smell of it while it is burning will give the Lord pleasure.[b]

10 A person may want to give a sheep or a goat as a gift to God. It must be a male animal. It must be perfect. 11 The person must kill it at the north side of the altar. The priests will throw the blood onto the sides of the altar in front of the Lord. 12 The person must cut the animal up. The priests will take the pieces of meat, the head and the fat. They will put them on the fire that is burning on the altar. 13 The person must wash the legs and the inside parts with water. The priest will burn the whole animal on the altar. It is a burnt offering. The smell of it while it is burning will give the Lord pleasure.

Moses tells Israel's people what to do with gifts that are birds

14 If a person wants to give a bird to the Lord, it must be a dove or a pigeon. 15 The priest will bring the bird to the altar. He will tear off the head and he will burn it on the altar. The priest will pour the blood onto the side of the altar. 16 Then the priest will remove the part of the bird where the food is stored. He will throw it on the east side of the altar, with the ashes. 17 He will hold the parts that the bird uses to fly. And then he will tear open the body. But he must not tear it completely. He will burn all of it on the fire that is on the altar. The smell of it while it is burning will give the Lord pleasure.

Footnotes

  1. 1:1 When we write Lord like this, it is a special name for God. Sometimes people write it as ‘Yahweh’, or as ‘Jehovah’. It is his own name that he told Moses. See Exodus 3:14. It means ‘I am who I am’. This shows that God has always been there and he always will be there.
  2. 1:9 The first three offerings in Leviticus are about burning things to give pleasure to God.

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.