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Sacrifices Burned Whole

The Lord called to Moses from the Tent of the Lord's presence and gave him the following rules for the Israelites to observe when they offer their sacrifices.

When you offer an animal sacrifice, it may be one of your cattle or one of your sheep or goats. If you are offering one of your cattle as a burnt offering, you must bring a bull without any defects. You must present it at the entrance of the Tent of the Lord's presence so that the Lord will accept you. You shall put your hand on its head, and it will be accepted as a sacrifice to take away your sins. You shall kill the bull there, and the Aaronite priests shall present the blood to the Lord and then throw it against all four sides of the altar located at the entrance of the Tent. Then you shall skin the animal and cut it up, and the priests shall arrange firewood on the altar and light it. They shall put on the fire the pieces of the animal, including the head and the fat. You must wash the internal organs and the hind legs, and the officiating priest will burn the whole sacrifice on the altar. The odor of this food offering is pleasing to the Lord.

10 If you are offering one of your sheep or goats, it must be a male without any defects. 11 You shall kill it on the north side of the altar, and the priests shall throw its blood on all four sides of the altar. 12 After you cut it up, the officiating priest shall put on the fire all the parts, including the head and the fat. 13 You must wash the internal organs and the hind legs, and the priest will present the sacrifice to the Lord and burn all of it on the altar. The odor of this food offering is pleasing to the Lord.

14 If you are offering a bird as a burnt offering, it must be a dove or a pigeon. 15 The priest shall present it at the altar, wring its neck, and burn its head on the altar. Its blood shall be drained out against the side of the altar. 16 He shall remove the crop and its contents and throw them away on the east side of the altar where the ashes are put. 17 He shall take hold of its wings and tear its body open, without tearing the wings off, and then burn it whole on the altar. The odor of this food offering is pleasing to the Lord.

The Burnt Offering

Now the Lord (A)called to Moses, and spoke to him (B)from the tabernacle of meeting, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: (C)‘When any one of you brings an offering to the Lord, you shall bring your offering of the livestock—of the herd and of the flock.

‘If his offering is a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male (D)without blemish; he shall offer it of his own free will at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the Lord. (E)Then he shall put his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be (F)accepted on his behalf (G)to make atonement for him. He shall kill the (H)bull before the Lord; (I)and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall bring the blood (J)and sprinkle the blood all around on the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of meeting. And he shall (K)skin the burnt offering and cut it into its pieces. The sons of Aaron the priest shall put (L)fire on the altar, and (M)lay the wood in order on the fire. Then the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat in order on the wood that is on the fire upon the altar; but he shall wash its entrails and its legs with water. And the priest shall burn all on the altar as a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a (N)sweet[a] aroma to the Lord.

10 ‘If his offering is of the flocks—of the sheep or of the goats—as a burnt sacrifice, he shall bring a male (O)without blemish. 11 (P)He shall kill it on the north side of the altar before the Lord; and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall sprinkle its blood all around on the altar. 12 And he shall cut it into its pieces, with its head and its fat; and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire upon the altar; 13 but he shall wash the entrails and the legs with water. Then the priest shall bring it all and burn it on the altar; it is a burnt sacrifice, an (Q)offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the Lord.

14 ‘And if the burnt sacrifice of his offering to the Lord is of birds, then he shall bring his offering of (R)turtledoves or young pigeons. 15 The priest shall bring it to the altar, [b]wring off its head, and burn it on the altar; its blood shall be drained out at the side of the altar. 16 And he shall remove its crop with its feathers and cast it (S)beside the altar on the east side, into the place for ashes. 17 Then he shall split it at its wings, but (T)shall not divide it completely; and the priest shall burn it on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire. (U)It is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a [c]sweet aroma to the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 1:9 soothing or pleasing aroma
  2. Leviticus 1:15 Lit. nip or chop off
  3. Leviticus 1:17 soothing or pleasing aroma