The Law of Burnt Offerings

Now (A)the Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When anyone of you brings an (B)offering to the Lord, you shall bring your offering of livestock from (C)the herd or the flock. If his offering is a (D)burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male (E)without defect; he shall offer it (F)at the doorway of the tent of meeting, so that he may be accepted before the Lord. And (G)he shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, so that it may be accepted for him to make (H)atonement on his behalf. Then (I)he shall [a]slaughter the [b]bull before the Lord; and Aaron’s sons the priests shall offer up (J)the blood and (K)sprinkle the blood around on the altar that is at the doorway of the tent of meeting. (L)He shall then skin the burnt offering and cut it into its pieces. And (M)the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, with the head and the (N)suet, on the wood which is on the fire that is on the altar. Its (O)entrails, however, and its legs he shall wash with water. And (P)the priest shall offer all of it up in smoke on the altar as a burnt offering, an offering by fire as (Q)a soothing aroma to the Lord.

10 ‘But if his offering is from the flock, either from the sheep or from the goats, as a burnt offering, he shall offer a (R)male without defect. 11 And (S)he shall slaughter it on the side of the altar northward before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. 12 He shall then cut it into its pieces with its head and its (T)suet, and the priest shall arrange them on the wood which is on the fire that is on the altar. 13 The entrails, however, and the legs he shall wash with water. And (U)the priest shall offer all of it, and offer it up in smoke on the altar; it is a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord.

14 ‘But if his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring his offering from the (V)turtledoves or from young doves. 15 The priest shall bring it to the altar, and pinch off its head, and offer it up in smoke on the altar; and its blood is to be drained out (W)on the side of the altar. 16 He shall also remove its craw with its feathers and throw it beside the altar eastward, to the place of the (X)fatty ashes. 17 Then he shall tear it by its wings, but (Y)shall not sever it. And the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar, on the wood which is on the fire; (Z)it is a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 1:5 I.e., following a prescribed ritual, and so through ch 22
  2. Leviticus 1:5 Lit son of the herd

Burnt Offerings

The Lord told Moses from the middle of the Tent of Meeting, “Speak to the Israelis and tell them that when any person[a] brings an offering to the Lord from among you, whether he brings on offering of animals from either cattle or flock, if his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to bring a male without any defect. He is to present it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. At the appointed time, it is to be presented in the presence of the Lord so that he may be accepted. He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted for him as an atonement on his behalf. Then he is to slaughter the young bull[b] in the Lord’s presence.”

General Instructions

“Aaron’s sons, the priests, are to bring the blood and sprinkle it[c] around the altar that stands at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. He is to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces. Aaron’s sons, the priests, are to build a fire on the altar and arrange the wood over the fire. They[d] are to arrange the pieces of meat—including the head and the fat—on the wood over the fire that burns on the altar. Then he is to wash its entrails and legs with water. After this, the priest is to offer all of it on the altar—a burnt offering by fire, an aroma that will be pleasing to the Lord.”

Burnt Offerings of Livestock

10 “If his offering is a burnt offering from the flock, whether lamb or goat, he is to bring a male without any defect 11 and slaughter it at the north side of the altar in the Lord’s presence. Then Aaron’s sons, the priests, are to sprinkle its blood around the altar. 12 He is to cut up its head and fat into separate pieces arrange them in rows on the wood over the fire that burns on the altar, 13 wash its entrails and legs with water, and then offer all of it on the altar—a burnt offering by fire, an aroma that will be pleasing to the Lord.”

Burnt Offerings of Birds

14 “If his offering is a burnt offering of birds to the Lord, he is to bring turtledoves or young doves. 15 The priest is to bring it to the altar to offer it up in smoke. He is to decapitate it and drain its blood on the side[e] of the altar, 16 and then he is to eviscerate it and throw the viscera and the feathers to the east side of the altar, where the fatty ashes are located. 17 He is then to tear it open by its wings, but not divide it completely into two parts. The priest is then to offer all of it on the wood over the fire as a burnt offering by fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.”

Footnotes

  1. Leviticus 1:2 Lit. man
  2. Leviticus 1:5 Or calf
  3. Leviticus 1:5 Lit. the blood
  4. Leviticus 1:8 Lit. Then Aaron’s sons, the priests,
  5. Leviticus 1:15 Lit. wall