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Leviticus 9-15
New American Standard Bible

Aaron Offers Sacrifices

9 Now it came about (A)on the eighth day that Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel; 2 and he said to Aaron, “(B)Take for yourself a calf, a bull, as a sin offering and a ram as a burnt offering, both without defect, and offer them before the Lord. 3 Then you shall speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘Take a male goat as a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both one year old, without defect, as a burnt offering, 4 and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the Lord, and a grain offering mixed with oil; for today (C)the Lord will appear to you.’” 5 So they took what Moses had commanded to the front of the tent of meeting, and the whole congregation came near and stood before the Lord. 6 And Moses said, “This is the thing which the Lord has commanded you to do, so that (D)the glory of the Lord may appear to you.” 7 Moses then said to Aaron, “Come near to the altar and [a](E)offer your sin offering and your burnt offering, so that you may make atonement for yourself and for the people; then make the offering [b]for the people, so that you may make atonement for them, just as the Lord has commanded.”

8 (F)So Aaron came near to the altar and slaughtered the calf of the sin offering which was for himself. 9 (G)Aaron’s sons then presented the blood to him; and he dipped his finger in the blood and (H)put some on the horns of the altar, and poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. 10 The fat and the kidneys and the [c]lobe of the liver of the sin offering he then offered up in smoke on the altar, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 11 (I)The flesh and the hide, however, he burned with fire outside the camp.

12 Then he slaughtered the burnt offering; and Aaron’s sons brought the blood to him, and he sprinkled it around on the altar. 13 They brought the burnt offering to him in [d]pieces, with the head, and he offered them up in smoke on the altar. 14 He also washed the entrails and the legs, and offered them up in smoke with the burnt offering on the altar.

15 Then he presented the people’s offering, and took the (J)goat of the sin offering which was for the people, and slaughtered it and offered it for sin, like the first. 16 He also presented the burnt offering, and [e]offered it according to (K)the ordinance. 17 Next he presented (L)the grain offering, and filled his [f]hand with some of it and offered it up in smoke on the altar, (M)besides the burnt offering of the morning.

18 Then (N)he slaughtered the ox and the ram, the sacrifice of peace offerings which was for the people; and Aaron’s sons brought the blood to him, and he sprinkled it around on the altar. 19 As for the portions of fat from the ox and from the ram, the fat tail, the fat (O)covering, the kidneys, and the [g]lobe of the liver, 20 they now placed the portions of fat on the breasts; and he offered [h]them up in smoke on the altar. 21 But (P)the breasts and the right thigh Aaron [i]presented as a wave offering before the Lord, just as Moses had commanded.

22 Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and (Q)blessed them, and he stepped down after making the sin offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings. 23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting. When they came out and blessed the people, (R)the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. 24 (S)Then fire went out from the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell [j]face downward.

The Sin of Nadab and Abihu

10 Now (T)Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective (U)firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on [k]the fire and offered [l]strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. 2 (V)And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, “It is what the Lord spoke, saying,

‘By those who (W)come near Me I [m](X)will be treated as holy,
And before all the people I will (Y)be honored.’”

So Aaron, therefore, kept silent.

4 Moses called also to (Z)Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel, and said to them, “Come forward, carry your relatives away from the front of the sanctuary to an area outside of the camp.” 5 So they came forward and carried them, still in their (AA)tunics, to an area outside the camp, just as Moses had said. 6 Then Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “(AB)Do not [n]uncover your heads nor tear your clothes, so that you do not die and He does not (AC)become wrathful against all the congregation. But your [o]kinsmen, the entire house of Israel, shall weep for the burning which the Lord has [p]brought about. 7 You shall not even go out from the doorway of the tent of meeting, or you will die; for (AD)the Lord’s anointing oil is upon you.” So they did according to the word of Moses.

8 The Lord then spoke to Aaron, saying, 9 “(AE)Do not drink wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons with you, when you come into the tent of meeting, so that you do not die—it is a permanent statute throughout your generations— 10 and (AF)to make a distinction between the holy and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean, 11 and (AG)so as to teach the sons of Israel all the statutes which the Lord has spoken to them through Moses.”

12 Then Moses spoke to Aaron, and to his surviving sons, (AH)Eleazar and Ithamar, “(AI)Take the grain offering that is left over from the Lord’s offerings by fire and eat it as unleavened bread beside the altar, for it is most holy. 13 You shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your allotted portion and your sons’ allotted portion from the Lord’s offerings by fire; for so I have been commanded. 14 (AJ)The breast of the wave offering, however, and the thigh of the offering you may eat in a clean place, you and your sons and your daughters with you; for they have been given as your allotted portion and your sons’ allotted portion from the sacrifices of the peace offerings of the sons of Israel. 15 They shall bring (AK)the thigh offered by lifting up and the breast offered by waving, along with the offerings by fire of the portions of fat, to present as a wave offering before the Lord; so it shall be a thing perpetually due you and your sons with you, just as the Lord has commanded.”

16 But Moses searched carefully for the (AL)goat of the sin offering, and behold, it had been burned! So he was angry with Aaron’s surviving sons Eleazar and Ithamar, saying, 17 “Why (AM)did you not eat the sin offering at the [q]holy place? For it is most holy, and [r]He gave it to you to take away (AN)the guilt of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the Lord. 18 Behold, (AO)since its blood had not been brought inside, into the sanctuary, you certainly should have (AP)eaten it in the sanctuary, just as I commanded!” 19 But Aaron said to Moses, “Behold, this very day they (AQ)presented their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord. When things like these happened to me, if I had eaten a sin offering today, would it have been good in the sight of the Lord?” 20 When Moses heard that, it was good in his sight.

Laws about Animals for Food

11 The Lord spoke again to Moses and to Aaron, saying to them, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘(AR)These are the creatures which you may eat from all the animals that are on the earth. 3 Whatever has a divided hoof, showing split hoofs, and chews the cud, among the animals, that you may eat. 4 Nevertheless, (AS)you are not to eat of these, among those which chew the cud, or among those which have a divided hoof: the camel, for though it chews cud, it does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean to you. 5 Likewise, the rock hyrax, for though it chews cud, it does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean to you. 6 The [s]rabbit also, for though it chews cud, it does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean to you. 7 And the pig, for though it has a divided hoof, and so it shows a split hoof, it does not chew cud; it is unclean to you. 8 You shall not eat any of their flesh nor touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you.

9 ‘(AT)These you may eat, of whatever is in the water: everything that has fins and scales, in the water, in the seas, or in the rivers, you may eat. 10 (AU)But whatever is in the seas and in the rivers that does not have fins and scales among all the teeming life of the water, and among all the living creatures that are in the water, they are detestable things to you, 11 and they shall be detestable to you; you may not eat any of their flesh, and you shall detest their carcasses. 12 Whatever in the water does not have fins and scales is detestable to you.

Avoid the Unclean

13 ‘Moreover, these (AV)you shall detest among the birds; they are detestable, not to be eaten: the [t]eagle, the vulture, and the [u]buzzard, 14 the red kite, the falcon in its kind, 15 every raven in its kind, 16 the ostrich, the owl, the seagull, and the hawk in its kind, 17 the little owl, the cormorant, and the [v]great owl, 18 the white owl, the [w]pelican, and the carrion vulture, 19 the stork, the heron in its kinds, the hoopoe, and the bat.

20 ‘All the [x]winged insects that walk on all fours are detestable to you. 21 Yet these you may eat among all the [y]winged insects that walk on all fours: those which have jointed legs above their feet with which to jump on the earth. 22 These of them you may eat: the locust in its kinds, the devastating locust in its kinds, the cricket in its kinds, and the grasshopper in its kinds. 23 But all other [z]winged insects which are four-footed are detestable to you.

24 ‘By these, moreover, you will be made unclean; whoever touches their carcasses becomes unclean until evening, 25 and (AW)whoever picks up any of their carcasses shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening. 26 As for all the animals which have a divided hoof but do not show a split hoof, or do not chew the cud, they are unclean to you; whoever touches them becomes unclean. 27 Also whatever walks on its paws, among all the creatures that walk on all fours, are unclean to you; whoever touches their carcasses becomes unclean until evening, 28 and the one who picks up their carcasses shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening; they are unclean to you.

29 ‘Now these are to you the unclean among the swarming things which swarm on the earth: the mole, the mouse, and the [aa]great lizard in its kinds, 30 the gecko, the [ab]crocodile, the lizard, the [ac]sand reptile, and the chameleon. 31 These are to you the unclean among all the swarming things; whoever touches them when they are dead becomes unclean until evening. 32 Also anything on which one of them may fall when they are dead becomes unclean, including any wooden article, or clothing, or a hide, or a sack—any article [ad]of which use is made—(AX)it shall be put in the water and be unclean until evening, then it becomes clean. 33 As for any (AY)earthenware vessel into which one of them may fall, whatever is in it becomes unclean and you shall break [ae]the vessel. 34 Any of the [af]food which may be eaten, on which water comes, shall become unclean, and any [ag]liquid which may be drunk in every vessel shall become unclean. 35 Moreover, everything on which part of their carcass may fall becomes unclean; an oven or a [ah]stove shall be smashed; they are unclean and shall continue as unclean to you. 36 Nevertheless, a spring or a cistern [ai]collecting water shall be clean, though the one who touches their carcass shall be unclean. 37 Now if a part of their carcass falls on any seed for sowing which is to be sown, it is clean. 38 But if water is put on the seed and a part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean to you.

39 ‘Also if one of the animals dies which you have for food, the one who touches its carcass becomes unclean until evening. 40 (AZ)He, too, who eats some of its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening, and the one who picks up its carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening.

41 ‘(BA)Now every swarming thing that swarms on the earth is detestable, not to be eaten. 42 Whatever crawls on its belly, and whatever walks on all fours, whatever has many feet, in regard to every swarming thing that swarms on the earth, you shall not eat them, because they are detestable. 43 (BB)Do not make [aj]yourselves detestable through any of the swarming things that swarm; and you shall not make yourselves unclean with them so that you become unclean. 44 For (BC)I am the Lord your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and (BD)be holy, because I am holy. And you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth. 45 (BE)For I am the Lord who brought you up from the land of Egypt, to be your God; so (BF)you shall be holy, because I am holy.’”

46 This is the law regarding the animal and the bird, and every living thing that moves in the waters and everything that swarms on the earth, 47 (BG)to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the edible creature and the creature which is not to be eaten.

Laws of Motherhood

12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying:

‘When a woman gives birth and delivers a male child, then she shall be unclean for seven days; (BH)as she is in the days of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. 3 Then on (BI)the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. 4 And she shall stay at home in her condition of [ak]blood purification for thirty-three days; she shall not touch any consecrated thing, nor enter the sanctuary until the days of her purification are completed. 5 But if she gives birth to a female child, then she shall be unclean for two weeks, as in her menstruation; and she shall stay at home in her condition of [al]blood purification for sixty-six days.

6 ‘(BJ)When the days of her purification are completed, for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the doorway of the tent of meeting a one-year-old lamb as a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove (BK)as a [am]sin offering. 7 Then he shall offer it before the Lord and make atonement for her, and she shall be cleansed from the [an]flow of her blood. This is the law for her who gives birth to a child, whether a male or a female. 8 But if [ao]she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take (BL)two turtledoves or two young doves, (BM)the one as a burnt offering and the other as a [ap]sin offering; and the (BN)priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”

The Test for Leprosy

13 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2 “When someone has on the skin of his [aq]body a swelling, or a scab, or a bright spot, and it becomes an infection of [ar]leprosy on the skin of his [as]body, (BO)then he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests. 3 The priest shall look at the infected area on the skin of the [at]body, and if the hair in the infection has turned white and the infection appears to be deeper than the skin of his [au]body, it is an infection of leprosy; when the priest has looked at him, he shall pronounce him unclean. 4 But if the bright spot is white on the skin of his [av]body, and [aw]it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and the hair on it has not turned white, then the priest shall [ax]isolate the person who has the infection for seven days. 5 Then the priest shall look at him on the seventh day, and if in his eyes the infection has [ay]not changed and the infection has not spread on the skin, then the priest shall [az]isolate him for seven more days. 6 The priest shall then look at him again on the seventh day, and if the infected area has faded and the infection has not spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is only a rash. And he shall (BP)wash his clothes and be clean.

7 “But if the rash spreads farther on the skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall appear again to the priest. 8 And the priest shall look, and if the rash has spread on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is leprosy.

9 “When the infection of leprosy is on someone, then he shall be brought to the priest. 10 The priest shall then look, and if there is a (BQ)white swelling on the skin, and it has turned the hair white, and there is new raw flesh in the swelling, 11 it is [ba]a chronic leprosy on the skin of his [bb]body, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean; he shall not [bc]isolate him, for he is unclean. 12 If the leprosy breaks out farther on the skin, and the leprosy covers all the skin of the person who has the infection from his head even to his feet, [bd]as far as the priest can see, 13 then the priest shall look, and behold, if the leprosy has covered his entire [be]body, he shall pronounce the one who has the infection clean; it has all turned white and he is clean. 14 But whenever raw flesh appears on him, he shall be unclean. 15 The priest shall look at the raw flesh, and he shall pronounce him unclean; the raw flesh is unclean, it is leprosy. 16 Or if the raw flesh turns back and is changed to white, then he shall (BR)come to the priest, 17 and the priest shall look at him, and behold, if the infected area has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce the one who has the infection clean; he is clean.

18 “Now when the [bf]body has a boil on its skin and it is healed, 19 and in the place of the boil there is a white swelling or a reddish-white, bright spot, then it shall be shown to the priest; 20 and the priest shall look, and behold, if [bg]it appears to be deeper than the skin, and the hair on it has turned white, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is the infection of leprosy, it has broken out in the boil. 21 But if the priest looks at it, and behold, there are no white hairs in it and it is not deeper than the skin and is faded, then the priest shall [bh]isolate him for seven days; 22 and if it spreads farther on the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is an infection. 23 But if the bright spot remains in its place and does not spread, it is only the scar of the boil; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

24 “Or if the [bi]body sustains in its skin a burn by fire, and the raw flesh of the burn becomes a bright spot, reddish-white, or white, 25 then the priest shall look at it. And if the hair in the bright spot has (BS)turned white and it appears to be deeper than the skin, it is leprosy; it has broken out in the burn. Therefore, the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is an infection of leprosy. 26 But if the priest looks at it, and indeed, there is no white hair in the bright spot and it is no deeper than the skin, but is dim, then the priest shall [bj]isolate him for seven days; 27 and the priest shall look at him on the seventh day. If it spreads farther in the skin, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is an infection of leprosy. 28 But if the bright spot remains in its place and has not spread in the skin, but is dim, it is the swelling from the burn; and the priest shall pronounce him clean, for it is only the scar of the burn.

29 “Now if a man or woman has an infection on the head or on the beard, 30 then the priest shall look at the infection, and if it appears to be deeper than the skin and there is thin yellowish hair in it, then the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a scale, it is leprosy of the head or of the beard. 31 But if the priest looks at the infection of the scale, and indeed, it appears to be no deeper than the skin and there is no black hair in it, then the priest shall [bk]isolate the person with the scaly infection for seven days. 32 And on the seventh day the priest shall look at the infection, and if the scale has not spread and no yellowish hair has [bl]grown in it, and the appearance of the scale is no deeper than the skin, 33 then he shall shave himself, but he shall not shave the scale; and the priest shall [bm]isolate the person with the scale for seven more days. 34 Then on the seventh day the priest shall look at the scale, and if the scale has not spread in the skin and it appears to be no deeper than the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean; and he shall wash his clothes and be clean. 35 But if the scale spreads farther in the skin after his cleansing, 36 then the priest shall look at him, and if the scale has spread on the skin, the priest need not look for the yellowish hair; he is unclean. 37 If in his sight the scale has remained, however, and black hair has grown in it, the scale has healed, and he is clean; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

38 “When a man or a woman has bright spots on the skin of the [bn]body, white bright spots, 39 then the priest shall look, and if the bright spots on the skin of their [bo]bodies are a faint white, it is [bp]eczema that has broken out on the skin; he is clean.

40 “Now if a man [bq]loses the hair of his head, he is only (BT)bald; he is clean. 41 And if his head becomes bald at the [br]front and sides, he is bald on the forehead; he is clean. 42 But if on the bald head or the bald forehead there occurs a reddish-white infection, it is leprosy breaking out on his bald head or on his bald forehead. 43 Then (BU)the priest shall look at him; and if the swelling of the infection is reddish-white on his bald head or on his bald forehead, like the appearance of leprosy in the skin of the [bs]body, 44 he is a leprous man, he is unclean. The priest must pronounce him unclean; his infection is on his head.

45 “As for the person who has the leprous infection, his clothes shall be torn and (BV)the hair of his head shall be [bt]uncovered, and he shall (BW)cover his [bu]mustache and call out, ‘(BX)Unclean! Unclean!’ 46 He shall remain unclean all the days during which he has the infection; he is unclean. He shall live alone; he shall live (BY)outside the camp.

47 “When a garment has [bv]a mark of leprosy in it, whether it is a wool garment or a linen garment, 48 whether in [bw]warp or [bx]woof, of linen or of wool, whether in leather or in any article made of leather, 49 if the [by]mark is greenish or reddish in the garment or in the leather, whether in the [bz]warp or in the woof, or in any article of leather, it is a leprous [ca]mark and it shall be shown to the priest. 50 Then (BZ)the priest shall look at the mark and shall [cb]quarantine the article with the mark for seven days. 51 He shall then look at the mark on the seventh day; if the mark has spread in the garment, whether in the [cc]warp or in the woof, or in the leather, whatever the purpose for which the leather is used, the mark is a [cd]leprous malignancy, it is unclean. 52 So he shall burn the garment, whether it is the [ce]warp or the woof, in wool or in linen, or any article of leather, in which the mark occurs; for it is a [cf]leprous malignancy. It shall be burned in the fire.

53 “But if the priest looks, and indeed the mark has not spread in the garment, either in the [cg]warp or in the woof, or in any article of leather, 54 then the priest shall order them to wash the thing in which the mark occurs, and he shall [ch]quarantine it for seven more days. 55 After the article with the mark has been washed, the priest shall again look, and if the mark has not changed its appearance, even if the mark has not spread, it is unclean; you shall burn it in the fire, whether an eating away has produced bareness on the back or on the front of it.

56 “But if the priest looks, and indeed the mark has faded after it has been washed, then he shall tear it out of the garment or out of the leather, whether from the [ci]warp or from the woof; 57 yet if it appears again in the garment, whether in the warp or in the woof, or in any article of leather, it is an outbreak; the article with the mark shall be burned in the fire. 58 But the garment, whether the warp or the woof, or any article of leather from which the mark has disappeared when you washed it, shall then be washed a second time and will be clean.”

59 This is the law for the mark of leprosy in a garment of wool or linen, whether in the warp or in the woof, or in any article of leather, for pronouncing it clean or unclean.

Law of Cleansing a Person with Leprosy

14 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “This shall be the law of the person with leprosy on the day of his cleansing. (CA)Now he shall be brought to the priest; 3 and the priest shall go (CB)out to a place outside of the camp. Then the priest shall look, and if the [cj]leprous infection has been healed in the person with leprosy, 4 then the priest shall give orders to take two live clean birds, (CC)cedar wood, a [ck]scarlet string, and hyssop for the one who is to be cleansed. 5 The priest shall also give orders to slaughter the one bird in an earthenware vessel over [cl]running water. 6 As for the live bird, he shall take it together with (CD)the cedar wood, the [cm]scarlet string, and the (CE)hyssop, and shall dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was slaughtered over the [cn]running water. 7 (CF)He shall then sprinkle seven times the one who is to be cleansed from the leprosy and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the live bird go free over the open field. 8 (CG)The one to be cleansed shall then wash his clothes and shave off all his hair, and bathe in water and (CH)be clean. And afterward he may enter the camp, but he (CI)shall stay outside his tent for seven days. 9 Then it shall be on the seventh day that he shall shave off all his hair: he shall shave his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair. He shall then wash his clothes and bathe his [co]body in water and (CJ)be clean.

10 “Now on the eighth day he is to take two male lambs without defect, and a yearling ewe lamb without defect, and three-tenths of an [cp]ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, and one [cq](CK)log of oil; 11 and the priest who is going to pronounce him clean shall present the person to be cleansed and [cr]the offerings before the Lord at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 12 Then the priest shall take the one male lamb and bring it as a (CL)guilt offering, with the [cs](CM)log of oil, and present them as a (CN)wave offering before the Lord. 13 Next he shall slaughter the male lamb in (CO)the place where they slaughter the [ct]sin offering and the burnt offering, at the place of the sanctuary—for the guilt offering, (CP)like the [cu]sin offering, belongs to the priest; it is most holy. 14 The priest shall then take some of the blood of the (CQ)guilt offering, and the priest shall put it on (CR)the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 15 The priest shall also take some of the [cv](CS)log of oil, and pour it into his left palm; 16 the priest shall then dip his right-hand finger into the oil that is in his left palm, and with his finger sprinkle some of the oil seven times before the Lord. 17 Of the remaining oil which is in his palm, the priest shall (CT)put some on the right ear lobe of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the blood of the guilt offering; 18 as for the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s palm, he shall put it on the head of the one to be cleansed. So the priest shall make (CU)atonement on his behalf before the Lord. 19 The priest shall next offer the [cw](CV)sin offering and make atonement for the one to be cleansed from his uncleanness. Then afterward, he shall slaughter the burnt offering. 20 The priest shall offer up the burnt offering and the grain offering on the altar. So the priest shall make atonement for him, and (CW)he will be clean.

21 “(CX)But if he is poor and his [cx]means are insufficient, then he is to take one male lamb for a (CY)guilt offering as a wave offering to make atonement for him, and a tenth of an [cy]ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering, and a [cz](CZ)log of oil, 22 and two turtledoves or two young doves, which [da]are within his means. (DA)The one shall be a [db](DB)sin offering, and the other a burnt offering. 23 (DC)Then on the eighth day he shall bring them for his cleansing to the priest, at the doorway of the tent of meeting, before the Lord. 24 The priest shall take the lamb of the guilt offering and (DD)the [dc]log of oil, and the priest shall offer them as a wave offering before the Lord. 25 Next he shall slaughter the lamb of the guilt offering; and the priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on (DE)the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot. 26 The priest shall also pour some of the oil into his left palm; 27 and with his right-hand finger the priest shall sprinkle some of the oil that is in his left palm seven times before the Lord. 28 The priest shall then put some of the oil that is in his palm on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of his right hand, and on the big toe of his right foot, on the place of the blood of the guilt offering. 29 Moreover, the rest of the oil that is in the priest’s palm, he shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed, to make atonement on his behalf before the Lord. 30 He shall then offer one of the turtledoves or young doves, [dd]which are within his means. 31 He shall offer what [de]he can afford, (DF)the one as a [df]sin offering and the other as a burnt offering, together with the grain offering. So the priest shall make atonement before the Lord on behalf of the one to be cleansed. 32 This is the law for him in whom there is an infection of leprosy, whose [dg]means are limited for his cleansing.”

Cleansing a Leprous House

33 The Lord further spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying:

34 “(DG)When you enter the land of Canaan, which I am giving you as a possession, and I put a spot of leprosy on a house in the land of your possession, 35 then the one who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, ‘Something like (DH)a spot of leprosy has become visible to me in the house.’ 36 The priest shall then command that they empty the house before the priest goes in to look at the spot, so that everything in the house need not become unclean; and afterward the priest shall go in to look at the house. 37 So he shall look at the spot, and if the spot on the walls of the house has greenish or reddish depressions and appears deeper than the [dh]surface, 38 the priest shall come out of the house, to the [di]doorway, and [dj]quarantine the house for seven days. 39 Then the priest shall return on the seventh day and [dk]make an inspection. If the spot has indeed spread on the walls of the house, 40 the priest shall order them to pull out the stones with the spot on them and throw them away [dl]at an unclean place outside the city. 41 And he shall have the house scraped all around [dm]inside, and they shall dump the plaster that they scrape off at an unclean place outside the city. 42 Then they shall take other stones and replace the discarded stones, and he shall take other plaster and replaster the house.

43 “If, however, the spot breaks out again in the house after he has pulled out the stones and scraped the house, and after it has been replastered, 44 then the priest shall come in and [dn]make an inspection. If he sees that the spot has indeed spread in the house, it is (DI)a malignant spot in the house; it is unclean. 45 The owner shall therefore tear down the house, its stones, its timbers, and all the plaster of the house, and he shall take them outside the city to an (DJ)unclean place. 46 Moreover, whoever goes into the house during the time that he has [do]quarantined it, becomes (DK)unclean until evening. 47 Likewise, whoever lies down in the house shall wash his clothes, and whoever eats in the house shall wash his clothes.

48 “If, on the other hand, the priest comes in and [dp]makes an inspection and the spot has not indeed spread in the house after the house has been replastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean because the spot has [dq]not reappeared. 49 To cleanse the house then, he shall take (DL)two birds, cedar wood, a [dr]scarlet string, and hyssop, 50 and he shall slaughter the one bird in an earthenware vessel over [ds]running water. 51 Then he shall take the cedar wood, the (DM)hyssop, and the [dt]scarlet string, with the live bird, and dip them in the blood of the slaughtered bird as well as in the [du]running water, and sprinkle the house seven times. 52 So he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird and with the [dv]running water, along with the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop, and the [dw]scarlet string. 53 However, he shall let the live bird go free outside the city into the open field. So he shall make atonement for the house, and it will be clean.”

54 This is the law for any spot of leprosy—even for a (DN)scale, 55 and for the (DO)leprous garment or house, 56 and (DP)for a swelling, for a scab, and for a bright spot— 57 to teach [dx]when they are unclean and [dy]when they are clean. This is the law of leprosy.

Cleansing Unhealthiness

15 The Lord also spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, and say to them, ‘(DQ)When any man has a discharge from his [dz]body, [ea]his discharge is unclean. 3 This, moreover, shall be his uncleanness in his discharge: it is his uncleanness whether his body allows its discharge to flow or whether his body obstructs its discharge. 4 Every bed on which the man with the discharge lies becomes unclean, and everything on which he sits becomes unclean. 5 Anyone, moreover, who touches his bed shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening; 6 and whoever sits on the thing on which the man with the discharge has been sitting, shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. 7 Also whoever touches the [eb]man with the discharge shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. 8 Or if the man with the discharge spits on one who is clean, he too shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. 9 Every saddle on which the man with the discharge rides becomes unclean. 10 Whoever then touches any of the things which were under him shall be unclean until evening, and the one who carries them shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. 11 Likewise, whomever the man with the discharge touches without having rinsed his hands in water shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. 12 However, an (DR)earthenware vessel which the man with the discharge touches shall be broken, and every wooden vessel shall be rinsed in water.

13 ‘Now when the man with the discharge becomes cleansed from his discharge, then he (DS)shall count off for himself seven days for his cleansing; he shall then wash his clothes and bathe his body in [ec]running water and will become clean. 14 Then on the eighth day he shall take for himself (DT)two turtledoves or two young doves, and come before the Lord to the doorway of the tent of meeting and give them to the priest; 15 and the priest shall offer them, (DU)one as a [ed]sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. So (DV)the priest shall make atonement on his behalf before the Lord because of his discharge.

16 ‘(DW)Now if a [ee]man has a seminal emission, he shall bathe all his body in water and be unclean until evening. 17 As for any garment or any leather on which there is a seminal emission, it shall be washed with water and be unclean until evening. 18 If a man sleeps with a woman so that there is a seminal emission, they shall both bathe in water and be (DX)unclean until evening.

19 ‘(DY)When a woman has a discharge, if her discharge in her body is blood, she shall continue in her menstrual impurity for seven days; and whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening. 20 Everything also on which she lies during her menstrual impurity shall be unclean, and everything on which she sits shall be unclean. 21 Anyone who touches her bed shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. 22 Whoever touches any object on which she sits shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. 23 Whether it be on the bed or on the thing on which she is sitting, when he touches it, he shall be unclean until evening. 24 (DZ)If a man actually sleeps with her so that her menstrual impurity is on him, he shall be unclean seven days, and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean.

25 ‘(EA)Now if a woman has a discharge of her blood for many days, not at the period of her menstrual impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond [ef]that period, for all the days of her impure discharge she shall continue as though [eg]in her menstrual impurity; she is unclean. 26 Any bed on which she lies all the days of her discharge shall be to her like [eh]her bed at menstruation; and every object on which she sits shall be unclean, like [ei]her uncleanness at that time. 27 Likewise, whoever touches them shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening. 28 When she becomes clean from her discharge, she shall count off for herself seven days; and afterward she will be clean. 29 Then on the eighth day she shall take for herself two turtledoves or two young doves, and bring them to the priest, to the doorway of the tent of meeting. 30 And the priest shall offer the (EB)one as a [ej]sin offering, and the other as a burnt offering. So the priest shall make atonement on her behalf before the Lord because of her impure discharge.’

31 “And so you shall keep the sons of Israel separated from their uncleanness, so that they will not die in their uncleanness by their (EC)defiling My [ek]tabernacle that is among them.” 32 This is the law for the one with a discharge, and for the man [el]who has a seminal emission so that he is unclean by it, 33 and for the woman who is ill because of menstrual impurity, and for the one who has a discharge, whether a male or a female, or a man who sleeps with an unclean woman.

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 9:7 Lit make
  2. Leviticus 9:7 Lit of
  3. Leviticus 9:10 Or appendage on
  4. Leviticus 9:13 Lit its pieces
  5. Leviticus 9:16 Lit made
  6. Leviticus 9:17 Lit palm
  7. Leviticus 9:19 Or appendage on
  8. Leviticus 9:20 Lit the portions of fat
  9. Leviticus 9:21 Lit waved
  10. Leviticus 9:24 Lit on their faces
  11. Leviticus 10:1 Lit it
  12. Leviticus 10:1 I.e., unauthorized
  13. Leviticus 10:3 Or will show Myself holy
  14. Leviticus 10:6 Lit unbind
  15. Leviticus 10:6 Lit brothers
  16. Leviticus 10:6 Lit burned
  17. Leviticus 10:17 I.e., the courtyard of the tabernacle, not the sanctuary
  18. Leviticus 10:17 Or was given
  19. Leviticus 11:6 Or hare
  20. Leviticus 11:13 Or vulture
  21. Leviticus 11:13 Or black vulture
  22. Leviticus 11:17 Specifically, great horned owl
  23. Leviticus 11:18 Or owl; or jackdaw
  24. Leviticus 11:20 Lit swarming things with wings
  25. Leviticus 11:21 See note v 20
  26. Leviticus 11:23 See note v 20
  27. Leviticus 11:29 Or thorn-tailed lizard
  28. Leviticus 11:30 Or lizard
  29. Leviticus 11:30 Species as yet undefined
  30. Leviticus 11:32 Lit with which work is done
  31. Leviticus 11:33 Lit it
  32. Leviticus 11:34 I.e., if touched by a carcass; cf. vv 29-32
  33. Leviticus 11:34 I.e., if touched by a carcass; cf. vv 29-32
  34. Leviticus 11:35 Lit hearth for supporting (two) pots
  35. Leviticus 11:36 Lit a collecting place of
  36. Leviticus 11:43 Lit your souls
  37. Leviticus 12:4 Lit blood of purifying; i.e., ritually clean blood from childbirth
  38. Leviticus 12:5 See note v 4
  39. Leviticus 12:6 Or purification offering
  40. Leviticus 12:7 Lit fountain
  41. Leviticus 12:8 Lit her hand does not find enough for
  42. Leviticus 12:8 Or purification offering
  43. Leviticus 13:2 Lit flesh
  44. Leviticus 13:2 I.e., or a serious, unspecified disease, and so throughout the ch
  45. Leviticus 13:2 Lit flesh
  46. Leviticus 13:3 Lit flesh
  47. Leviticus 13:3 Lit flesh
  48. Leviticus 13:4 Lit flesh
  49. Leviticus 13:4 Lit the appearance of it is not deeper
  50. Leviticus 13:4 Lit separate
  51. Leviticus 13:5 Lit stood
  52. Leviticus 13:5 Lit separate
  53. Leviticus 13:11 Lit aging
  54. Leviticus 13:11 Lit flesh
  55. Leviticus 13:11 Lit separate
  56. Leviticus 13:12 Lit to the entire sight of the priest’s eyes
  57. Leviticus 13:13 Lit flesh
  58. Leviticus 13:18 Lit flesh
  59. Leviticus 13:20 Lit the appearance of it is deeper
  60. Leviticus 13:21 Lit separate
  61. Leviticus 13:24 Lit flesh
  62. Leviticus 13:26 Lit separate
  63. Leviticus 13:31 Lit separate
  64. Leviticus 13:32 Lit been
  65. Leviticus 13:33 Lit separate
  66. Leviticus 13:38 Lit flesh
  67. Leviticus 13:39 Lit flesh
  68. Leviticus 13:39 Lit vitiligo
  69. Leviticus 13:40 Lit becomes bald on his head
  70. Leviticus 13:41 Lit border of his face
  71. Leviticus 13:43 Lit flesh
  72. Leviticus 13:45 Or disheveled
  73. Leviticus 13:45 I.e., mouth
  74. Leviticus 13:47 Lit an infection, and so throughout the ch
  75. Leviticus 13:48 I.e., lengthwise material in weaving
  76. Leviticus 13:48 I.e., material woven crosswise
  77. Leviticus 13:49 Lit infestation; possibly material already contaminated prior to weaving
  78. Leviticus 13:49 See notes v 48
  79. Leviticus 13:49 Lit infestation; possibly material already contaminated prior to weaving
  80. Leviticus 13:50 Lit separate
  81. Leviticus 13:51 See notes v 48
  82. Leviticus 13:51 Lit malignant leprosy
  83. Leviticus 13:52 See notes v 48
  84. Leviticus 13:52 Lit malignant leprosy
  85. Leviticus 13:53 See notes v 48
  86. Leviticus 13:54 Lit separate
  87. Leviticus 13:56 See notes v 48
  88. Leviticus 14:3 I.e., or a serious, unspecified disease, and so throughout the ch
  89. Leviticus 14:4 Lit scarlet color and
  90. Leviticus 14:5 Lit living
  91. Leviticus 14:6 Lit scarlet color and
  92. Leviticus 14:6 Lit living
  93. Leviticus 14:9 Lit flesh
  94. Leviticus 14:10 About 1 cubic foot or 0.03 cubic meters
  95. Leviticus 14:10 About 0.6 pt. or 0.3 liter
  96. Leviticus 14:11 Lit them
  97. Leviticus 14:12 About 0.6 pt. or 0.3 liter
  98. Leviticus 14:13 Or purification offering
  99. Leviticus 14:13 Or purification offering
  100. Leviticus 14:15 About 0.6 pt. or 0.3 liter
  101. Leviticus 14:19 Or purification offering
  102. Leviticus 14:21 Lit hand is not reaching
  103. Leviticus 14:21 About 1 cubic foot or 0.03 cubic meters
  104. Leviticus 14:21 About 0.6 pt. or 0.3 liter
  105. Leviticus 14:22 Lit his hand reaches
  106. Leviticus 14:22 Or purification offering
  107. Leviticus 14:24 About 0.6 pt. or 0.3 liter
  108. Leviticus 14:30 Lit from which his hand reaches
  109. Leviticus 14:31 Lit his hand reaches
  110. Leviticus 14:31 Or purification offering
  111. Leviticus 14:32 Lit hand does not reach
  112. Leviticus 14:37 Lit wall
  113. Leviticus 14:38 Lit doorway of the house
  114. Leviticus 14:38 Lit separate
  115. Leviticus 14:39 Lit look
  116. Leviticus 14:40 Lit to
  117. Leviticus 14:41 Lit from the house
  118. Leviticus 14:44 Lit look
  119. Leviticus 14:46 Lit separated
  120. Leviticus 14:48 Lit looks
  121. Leviticus 14:48 Lit healed
  122. Leviticus 14:49 Lit scarlet color
  123. Leviticus 14:50 Lit living
  124. Leviticus 14:51 Lit scarlet color
  125. Leviticus 14:51 Lit living
  126. Leviticus 14:52 Lit living
  127. Leviticus 14:52 Lit scarlet color
  128. Leviticus 14:57 Lit on the day of uncleanness
  129. Leviticus 14:57 Lit on the day of cleanness
  130. Leviticus 15:2 Lit flesh, and so throughout the ch
  131. Leviticus 15:2 Or by his discharge, he is unclean
  132. Leviticus 15:7 Lit flesh
  133. Leviticus 15:13 Lit living
  134. Leviticus 15:15 Or purification offering
  135. Leviticus 15:16 Lit man’s...goes out from him
  136. Leviticus 15:25 Lit her menstrual impurity
  137. Leviticus 15:25 Lit in the days of
  138. Leviticus 15:26 Lit the bed of her menstrual impurity
  139. Leviticus 15:26 Lit the uncleanness of her menstrual impurity
  140. Leviticus 15:30 Or purification offering
  141. Leviticus 15:31 Or dwelling place
  142. Leviticus 15:32 Lit whose seminal emission goes out from him
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Leviticus 9-15
New International Version

The Priests Begin Their Ministry

9 On the eighth day(A) Moses summoned Aaron and his sons and the elders(B) of Israel. 2 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. 3 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, 4 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)’”

5 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. 6 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.”

7 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)”

8 So Aaron came to the altar and slaughtered the calf as a sin offering(M) for himself. 9 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) 2 So fire came out(AL) from the presence of the Lord and consumed them,(AM) and they died before the Lord.(AN) 3 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.

4 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)” 5 So they came and carried them, still in their tunics,(AV) outside the camp, as Moses ordered.

6 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. 7 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.

8 Then the Lord said to Aaron, 9 “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, 2 “Say to the Israelites: ‘Of all the animals that live on land, these are the ones you may eat:(BY) 3 You may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and that chews the cud.

4 “‘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. 5 The hyrax, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you. 6 The rabbit, though it chews the cud, does not have a divided hoof; it is unclean for you. 7 And the pig,(CA) though it has a divided hoof, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. 8 You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.(CB)

9 “‘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, 2 “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) 3 On the eighth day(DL) the boy is to be circumcised.(DM) 4 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. 5 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.

6 “‘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) 7 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. 8 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, 2 “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. 3 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) 4 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) 5 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. 6 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) 7 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) 8 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.

9 “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.

18 “When someone has a boil(EJ) on their skin and it heals, 19 and in the place where the boil was, a white swelling or reddish-white(EK) spot(EL) appears, they must present themselves to the priest. 20 The priest is to examine it, and if it appears to be more than skin deep and the hair in it has turned white, the priest shall pronounce that person unclean. It is a defiling skin disease(EM) that has broken out where the boil was. 21 But if, when the priest examines it, there is no white hair in it and it is not more than skin deep and has faded, then the priest is to isolate them for seven days. 22 If it is spreading in the skin, the priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling disease. 23 But if the spot is unchanged and has not spread, it is only a scar from the boil, and the priest shall pronounce them clean.(EN)

24 “When someone has a burn on their skin and a reddish-white or white spot appears in the raw flesh of the burn, 25 the priest is to examine the spot, and if the hair in it has turned white, and it appears to be more than skin deep, it is a defiling disease that has broken out in the burn. The priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease.(EO) 26 But if the priest examines it and there is no white hair in the spot and if it is not more than skin deep and has faded, then the priest is to isolate them for seven days.(EP) 27 On the seventh day the priest is to examine that person,(EQ) and if it is spreading in the skin, the priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease. 28 If, however, the spot is unchanged and has not spread in the skin but has faded, it is a swelling from the burn, and the priest shall pronounce them clean; it is only a scar from the burn.(ER)

29 “If a man or woman has a sore on their head(ES) or chin, 30 the priest is to examine the sore, and if it appears to be more than skin deep and the hair in it is yellow and thin, the priest shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease on the head or chin. 31 But if, when the priest examines the sore, it does not seem to be more than skin deep and there is no black hair in it, then the priest is to isolate the affected person for seven days.(ET) 32 On the seventh day the priest is to examine the sore,(EU) and if it has not spread and there is no yellow hair in it and it does not appear to be more than skin deep, 33 then the man or woman must shave themselves, except for the affected area, and the priest is to keep them isolated another seven days. 34 On the seventh day the priest is to examine the sore,(EV) and if it has not spread in the skin and appears to be no more than skin deep, the priest shall pronounce them clean. They must wash their clothes, and they will be clean.(EW) 35 But if the sore does spread in the skin after they are pronounced clean, 36 the priest is to examine them, and if he finds that the sore has spread in the skin, he does not need to look for yellow hair; they are unclean.(EX) 37 If, however, the sore is unchanged so far as the priest can see, and if black hair has grown in it, the affected person is healed. They are clean, and the priest shall pronounce them clean.

38 “When a man or woman has white spots on the skin, 39 the priest is to examine them, and if the spots are dull white, it is a harmless rash that has broken out on the skin; they are clean.

40 “A man who has lost his hair and is bald(EY) is clean. 41 If he has lost his hair from the front of his scalp and has a bald forehead, he is clean. 42 But if he has a reddish-white sore on his bald head or forehead, it is a defiling disease breaking out on his head or forehead. 43 The priest is to examine him, and if the swollen sore on his head or forehead is reddish-white like a defiling skin disease, 44 the man is diseased and is unclean. The priest shall pronounce him unclean because of the sore on his head.

45 “Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes,(EZ) let their hair be unkempt,[i] cover the lower part of their face(FA) and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’(FB) 46 As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp.(FC)

Regulations About Defiling Molds

47 “As for any fabric that is spoiled with a defiling mold—any woolen or linen clothing, 48 any woven or knitted material of linen or wool, any leather or anything made of leather— 49 if the affected area in the fabric, the leather, the woven or knitted material, or any leather article, is greenish or reddish, it is a defiling mold and must be shown to the priest.(FD) 50 The priest is to examine the affected area(FE) and isolate the article for seven days. 51 On the seventh day he is to examine it,(FF) and if the mold has spread in the fabric, the woven or knitted material, or the leather, whatever its use, it is a persistent defiling mold; the article is unclean.(FG) 52 He must burn the fabric, the woven or knitted material of wool or linen, or any leather article that has been spoiled; because the defiling mold is persistent, the article must be burned.(FH)

53 “But if, when the priest examines it, the mold has not spread in the fabric, the woven or knitted material, or the leather article, 54 he shall order that the spoiled article be washed. Then he is to isolate it for another seven days. 55 After the article has been washed, the priest is to examine it again, and if the mold has not changed its appearance, even though it has not spread, it is unclean. Burn it, no matter which side of the fabric has been spoiled. 56 If, when the priest examines it, the mold has faded after the article has been washed, he is to tear the spoiled part out of the fabric, the leather, or the woven or knitted material. 57 But if it reappears in the fabric, in the woven or knitted material, or in the leather article, it is a spreading mold; whatever has the mold must be burned. 58 Any fabric, woven or knitted material, or any leather article that has been washed and is rid of the mold, must be washed again. Then it will be clean.”

59 These are the regulations concerning defiling molds in woolen or linen clothing, woven or knitted material, or any leather article, for pronouncing them clean or unclean.

Cleansing From Defiling Skin Diseases

14 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “These are the regulations for any diseased person at the time of their ceremonial cleansing, when they are brought to the priest:(FI) 3 The priest is to go outside the camp and examine them.(FJ) If they have been healed of their defiling skin disease,[j](FK) 4 the priest shall order that two live clean birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop(FL) be brought for the person to be cleansed.(FM) 5 Then the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over fresh water in a clay pot.(FN) 6 He is then to take the live bird and dip it, together with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, into the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water.(FO) 7 Seven times(FP) he shall sprinkle(FQ) the one to be cleansed of the defiling disease, and then pronounce them clean. After that, he is to release the live bird in the open fields.(FR)

8 “The person to be cleansed must wash their clothes,(FS) shave off all their hair and bathe with water;(FT) then they will be ceremonially clean.(FU) After this they may come into the camp,(FV) but they must stay outside their tent for seven days. 9 On the seventh day(FW) they must shave off all their hair;(FX) they must shave their head, their beard, their eyebrows and the rest of their hair. They must wash their clothes and bathe themselves with water, and they will be clean.(FY)

10 “On the eighth day(FZ) they must bring two male lambs and one ewe lamb(GA) a year old, each without defect, along with three-tenths of an ephah[k](GB) of the finest flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering,(GC) and one log[l] of oil.(GD) 11 The priest who pronounces them clean shall present(GE) both the one to be cleansed and their offerings before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting.(GF)

12 “Then the priest is to take one of the male lambs and offer it as a guilt offering,(GG) along with the log of oil; he shall wave them before the Lord as a wave offering.(GH) 13 He is to slaughter the lamb in the sanctuary area(GI) where the sin offering[m] and the burnt offering are slaughtered. Like the sin offering, the guilt offering belongs to the priest;(GJ) it is most holy. 14 The priest is to take some of the blood of the guilt offering and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot.(GK) 15 The priest shall then take some of the log of oil, pour it in the palm of his own left hand,(GL) 16 dip his right forefinger into the oil in his palm, and with his finger sprinkle some of it before the Lord seven times.(GM) 17 The priest is to put some of the oil remaining in his palm on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot, on top of the blood of the guilt offering.(GN) 18 The rest of the oil in his palm the priest shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed(GO) and make atonement for them before the Lord.

19 “Then the priest is to sacrifice the sin offering and make atonement for the one to be cleansed from their uncleanness.(GP) After that, the priest shall slaughter the burnt offering 20 and offer it on the altar, together with the grain offering, and make atonement for them,(GQ) and they will be clean.(GR)

21 “If, however, they are poor(GS) and cannot afford these,(GT) they must take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to make atonement for them, together with a tenth of an ephah[n] of the finest flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, a log of oil, 22 and two doves or two young pigeons,(GU) such as they can afford, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.(GV)

23 “On the eighth day they must bring them for their cleansing to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting,(GW) before the Lord.(GX) 24 The priest is to take the lamb for the guilt offering,(GY) together with the log of oil,(GZ) and wave them before the Lord as a wave offering.(HA) 25 He shall slaughter the lamb for the guilt offering and take some of its blood and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot.(HB) 26 The priest is to pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand,(HC) 27 and with his right forefinger sprinkle some of the oil from his palm seven times before the Lord. 28 Some of the oil in his palm he is to put on the same places he put the blood of the guilt offering—on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, on the thumb of their right hand and on the big toe of their right foot. 29 The rest of the oil in his palm the priest shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed, to make atonement for them before the Lord.(HD) 30 Then he shall sacrifice the doves or the young pigeons, such as the person can afford,(HE) 31 one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering,(HF) together with the grain offering. In this way the priest will make atonement before the Lord on behalf of the one to be cleansed.(HG)”

32 These are the regulations for anyone who has a defiling skin disease(HH) and who cannot afford the regular offerings(HI) for their cleansing.

Cleansing From Defiling Molds

33 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 34 “When you enter the land of Canaan,(HJ) which I am giving you as your possession,(HK) and I put a spreading mold in a house in that land, 35 the owner of the house must go and tell the priest, ‘I have seen something that looks like a defiling mold in my house.’ 36 The priest is to order the house to be emptied before he goes in to examine the mold, so that nothing in the house will be pronounced unclean. After this the priest is to go in and inspect the house. 37 He is to examine the mold on the walls, and if it has greenish or reddish(HL) depressions that appear to be deeper than the surface of the wall, 38 the priest shall go out the doorway of the house and close it up for seven days.(HM) 39 On the seventh day(HN) the priest shall return to inspect the house. If the mold has spread on the walls, 40 he is to order that the contaminated stones be torn out and thrown into an unclean place outside the town.(HO) 41 He must have all the inside walls of the house scraped and the material that is scraped off dumped into an unclean place outside the town. 42 Then they are to take other stones to replace these and take new clay and plaster the house.

43 “If the defiling mold reappears in the house after the stones have been torn out and the house scraped and plastered, 44 the priest is to go and examine it and, if the mold has spread in the house, it is a persistent defiling mold; the house is unclean.(HP) 45 It must be torn down—its stones, timbers and all the plaster—and taken out of the town to an unclean place.

46 “Anyone who goes into the house while it is closed up will be unclean till evening.(HQ) 47 Anyone who sleeps or eats in the house must wash their clothes.(HR)

48 “But if the priest comes to examine it and the mold has not spread after the house has been plastered, he shall pronounce the house clean,(HS) because the defiling mold is gone. 49 To purify the house he is to take two birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop.(HT) 50 He shall kill one of the birds over fresh water in a clay pot.(HU) 51 Then he is to take the cedar wood, the hyssop,(HV) the scarlet yarn and the live bird, dip them into the blood of the dead bird and the fresh water, and sprinkle the house seven times.(HW) 52 He shall purify the house with the bird’s blood, the fresh water, the live bird, the cedar wood, the hyssop and the scarlet yarn. 53 Then he is to release the live bird in the open fields(HX) outside the town. In this way he will make atonement for the house, and it will be clean.(HY)”

54 These are the regulations for any defiling skin disease,(HZ) for a sore, 55 for defiling molds(IA) in fabric or in a house, 56 and for a swelling, a rash or a shiny spot,(IB) 57 to determine when something is clean or unclean.

These are the regulations for defiling skin diseases and defiling molds.(IC)

Discharges Causing Uncleanness

15 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When any man has an unusual bodily discharge,(ID) such a discharge is unclean. 3 Whether it continues flowing from his body or is blocked, it will make him unclean. This is how his discharge will bring about uncleanness:

4 “‘Any bed the man with a discharge lies on will be unclean, and anything he sits on will be unclean. 5 Anyone who touches his bed must wash their clothes(IE) and bathe with water,(IF) and they will be unclean till evening.(IG) 6 Whoever sits on anything that the man with a discharge sat on must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

7 “‘Whoever touches the man(IH) who has a discharge(II) must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

8 “‘If the man with the discharge spits(IJ) on anyone who is clean, they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

9 “‘Everything the man sits on when riding will be unclean, 10 and whoever touches any of the things that were under him will be unclean till evening; whoever picks up those things(IK) must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

11 “‘Anyone the man with a discharge touches without rinsing his hands with water must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

12 “‘A clay pot(IL) that the man touches must be broken, and any wooden article(IM) is to be rinsed with water.

13 “‘When a man is cleansed from his discharge, he is to count off seven days(IN) for his ceremonial cleansing; he must wash his clothes and bathe himself with fresh water, and he will be clean.(IO) 14 On the eighth day he must take two doves or two young pigeons(IP) and come before the Lord to the entrance to the tent of meeting and give them to the priest. 15 The priest is to sacrifice them, the one for a sin offering[o](IQ) and the other for a burnt offering.(IR) In this way he will make atonement before the Lord for the man because of his discharge.(IS)

16 “‘When a man has an emission of semen,(IT) he must bathe his whole body with water, and he will be unclean till evening.(IU) 17 Any clothing or leather that has semen on it must be washed with water, and it will be unclean till evening. 18 When a man has sexual relations with a woman and there is an emission of semen,(IV) both of them must bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

19 “‘When a woman has her regular flow of blood, the impurity of her monthly period(IW) will last seven days, and anyone who touches her will be unclean till evening.

20 “‘Anything she lies on during her period will be unclean, and anything she sits on will be unclean. 21 Anyone who touches her bed will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.(IX) 22 Anyone who touches anything she sits on will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening. 23 Whether it is the bed or anything she was sitting on, when anyone touches it, they will be unclean till evening.

24 “‘If a man has sexual relations with her and her monthly flow(IY) touches him, he will be unclean for seven days; any bed he lies on will be unclean.

25 “‘When a woman has a discharge of blood for many days at a time other than her monthly period(IZ) or has a discharge that continues beyond her period, she will be unclean as long as she has the discharge, just as in the days of her period. 26 Any bed she lies on while her discharge continues will be unclean, as is her bed during her monthly period, and anything she sits on will be unclean, as during her period. 27 Anyone who touches them will be unclean; they must wash their clothes and bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening.

28 “‘When she is cleansed from her discharge, she must count off seven days, and after that she will be ceremonially clean. 29 On the eighth day she must take two doves or two young pigeons(JA) and bring them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 30 The priest is to sacrifice one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. In this way he will make atonement for her before the Lord for the uncleanness of her discharge.(JB)

31 “‘You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean, so they will not die in their uncleanness for defiling my dwelling place,[p](JC) which is among them.’”

32 These are the regulations for a man with a discharge, for anyone made unclean by an emission of semen,(JD) 33 for a woman in her monthly period, for a man or a woman with a discharge, and for a man who has sexual relations with a woman who is ceremonially unclean.(JE)

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
  9. Leviticus 13:45 Or clothes, uncover their head
  10. Leviticus 14:3 The Hebrew word for defiling skin disease, traditionally translated “leprosy,” was used for various diseases affecting the skin; also in verses 7, 32, 54 and 57.
  11. Leviticus 14:10 That is, probably about 11 pounds or about 5 kilograms
  12. Leviticus 14:10 That is, about 1/3 quart or about 0.3 liter; also in verses 12, 15, 21 and 24
  13. Leviticus 14:13 Or purification offering; also in verses 19, 22 and 31
  14. Leviticus 14:21 That is, probably about 3 1/2 pounds or about 1.6 kilograms
  15. Leviticus 15:15 Or purification offering; also in verse 30
  16. Leviticus 15:31 Or my tabernacle
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