Beginning
The Burnt Offering
1 The Lord ·called to [summoned] Moses and spoke to him from the Meeting Tent, saying, 2 “Tell the ·people [L sons; children] of Israel: ‘When you bring an offering [L of livestock] to the Lord, bring as your offering an animal from the herd or flock.
3 “‘If the offering is a whole burnt offering from the herd, it must be a male ·that has nothing wrong with it [without blemish/defect]. The person must take the animal to the entrance of the Meeting Tent so that the Lord will accept the offering. 4 He must ·put [lay] his hand on the animal’s head [C to identify with the animal that served as a substitute], and ·the Lord will accept it to remove the person’s sin so he will belong to God [L it will be acceptable as atonement/expiation for him]. 5 He must ·kill [slaughter] the young bull before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons, the priests, must bring its blood and ·sprinkle [dash] it on all sides of the altar at the entrance to the Meeting Tent. 6 After that he will skin the ·animal [L whole burnt offering] and cut it into pieces. 7 The [L sons of Aaron, the] priests, when they have ·put [arranged] wood and fire on the altar, 8 [L the sons of Aaron, the priests,] are to ·lay [arrange] the head, the ·fat [suet], and other pieces on the wood that is on the fire of the altar. 9 The animal’s inner organs and legs must be washed with water. Then the priest must ·burn all the animal’s parts [L turn it into smoke] on the altar. It is a whole burnt offering, an offering made by fire, and its smell is pleasing to the Lord.
10 “‘If the ·burnt offering [L offering; gift] is a sheep or a goat from the flock [C acceptable if the worshiper could not afford a bull], it must be a male ·that has nothing wrong with it [without blemish/defect]. 11 The person must ·kill [slaughter] the animal on the north side of the altar before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons, the priests, must ·sprinkle [dash] its blood on all sides of the altar. 12 The person must cut the animal into pieces, and the priest must ·lay [arrange] them, with the head and ·fat [suet], on the wood that is on the fire of the altar. 13 The person must wash the animal’s inner organs and legs with water, and then the priest must ·burn all its parts [L turn it into smoke] on the altar. It is a whole burnt offering, an offering made by fire, and its smell is pleasing to the Lord.
14 “‘If the ·whole burnt offering [offering; gift] for the Lord is a bird [C presumably because the worshiper could not afford an animal from the herd or flock], it must be a dove or a young pigeon. 15 The priest will bring it to the altar and ·pull [wring] off its head, which he will ·burn [L turn into smoke] on the altar; its blood must be drained out on the side of the altar. 16 The priest must remove the bird’s crop [C a part of its digestive system] and its contents and throw them on the east side of the altar, where the ashes are. 17 Then he must tear the bird open by its wings without dividing it into two parts. The priest must ·burn the bird [L turn it into smoke] on the altar, on the wood which is on the fire. It is a whole burnt offering, an offering made by fire, and its smell is pleasing to the Lord.
The Grain Offering
2 “‘When anyone offers a ·grain [L gift; tribute; C this offering of grain, called a gift offering, was not considered an atonement for sin] offering to the Lord, that ·offering [gift] must be made from ·fine [choice] flour. The person must pour oil on it, put ·incense [frankincense] on it, 2 and then take it to Aaron’s sons, the priests. The priest must take a handful of the ·fine [choice] flour and oil and all the incense, and ·burn it [L turn it into smoke] on the altar as a memorial portion. It is an offering made by fire, and its smell is pleasing to the Lord. 3 The rest of the ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering will belong to Aaron and the priests; it is a most ·holy [sacred] part of the offerings made by fire to the Lord.
4 “‘If you bring a ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering that was baked in the oven, it must be made from ·fine [choice] flour. It may be ·loaves made without yeast [unleavened cakes] and mixed with oil, or it may be ·wafers made without yeast [unleavened wafers] that have oil ·poured [spread] over them. 5 If your grain offering is cooked on a griddle, it must be made, ·without yeast [unleavened], of ·fine [choice] flour mixed with oil. 6 ·Crumble it [Break it in pieces] and pour oil over it; it is a ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering. 7 If your ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering is cooked in a pan, it must be made from ·fine [choice] flour and oil. 8 Bring the ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering made ·of these things [or in any of these ways] to the Lord. Give it to the priest, and he will take it to the altar. 9 He will take out the memorial portion [2:2] from the ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering and ·burn it [L turn it into smoke] on the altar, as an offering made by fire. Its smell is pleasing to the Lord. 10 The rest of the ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering belongs to Aaron and the priests. It is a most ·holy [sacred] part of the offerings made to the Lord by fire.
11 “‘Every ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering you bring to the Lord must be made without ·yeast [L leaven], because you must not ·burn [L turn into smoke] any ·yeast [leaven] or honey [C both of them ferment in fire, a form of decay] in an offering made by fire to the Lord. 12 You may bring yeast and honey to the Lord as ·an offering [gift] from the first harvest, but they must not be ·burned [L raised up] on the altar as a pleasing smell. 13 You must also put salt on all your ·grain [L gift; tribute] offerings. Salt stands for your ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with God that will last forever; do not leave salt out of your ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering. You must add salt to all your offerings [C salt would endure the fire, thereby representing the eternal covenant].
14 “‘If you bring a ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering from the first harvest to the Lord, bring crushed heads of new grain ·roasted [parched] in the fire. 15 Put oil and ·incense [frankincense] on it; it is a ·grain [L gift; tribute] offering. 16 The priest will ·burn [L turn into smoke] the memorial portion of the crushed grain and oil, with the ·incense [frankincense] on it. It is an offering by fire to the Lord.
The Fellowship Offering
3 “‘If a person’s ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offering [C demonstrated fellowship because the meat was to be eaten by the worshipers] to the Lord is from the herd, it may be a male or female, but it must ·have nothing wrong with it [be unblemished]. 2 The person must ·put [lay] his hand on the animal’s head [1:4] and ·kill [slaughter] it at the entrance to the Meeting Tent. Then Aaron’s sons, the priests, must ·sprinkle [dash] the blood on all sides of the altar. 3 From the ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offering he must make a sacrifice by fire to the Lord. He must offer the fat of the animal’s inner organs (both the fat that is in them and that covers them), 4 both kidneys with the fat that is on them near the ·lower back muscle [loins], and the ·best part [appendage] of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys. 5 Then the priests will ·burn these parts [L turn these into smoke] on the altar, on the whole burnt offering that is on the wood of the fire. It is an offering made by fire, and its smell is pleasing to the Lord.
6 “‘If a person’s ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offering to the Lord is ·a lamb or a goat [L from the flock], it may be a male or female, but it must ·have nothing wrong with it [be unblemished]. 7 If he offers a lamb, he must bring it before the Lord 8 and ·put [lay] his hand on its head [1:4]. Then he must ·kill [slaughter] the animal in front of the Meeting Tent, and the ·priests [L sons of Aaron] must ·sprinkle [dash] its blood on all sides of the altar. 9 From the ·fellowship [or peace; well-being] offering the person must make a sacrifice by fire to the Lord. He must bring the fat, the whole fat tail cut off close to the backbone, the fat of the inner organs (both the fat that is in them and that covers them), 10 both kidneys with the fat that is on them, near the ·lower back muscle [loins], and the ·best part [appendage] of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys. 11 Then the priest will ·burn these parts [L turn them into smoke] on the altar as food; it will be an offering made by fire to the Lord.
12 “‘If a person’s ·offering [gift] is a goat, he must offer it before the Lord 13 and ·put [lay] his hand on its head [1:4]. Then he must ·kill [slaughter] it in front of the Meeting Tent, and the priests must ·sprinkle [dash] its blood on all sides of the altar. 14 From this ·offering [gift] the person must make a sacrifice by fire to the Lord. He must offer all the fat of the goat’s inner organs (both the fat that is in them and that covers them), 15 both kidneys with the fat that is on them near the ·lower back muscle [loins], and the ·best part [appendage] of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys. 16 The priest will ·burn these parts [L turn them into smoke] on the altar as food. It is an offering made by fire, and its smell is pleasing to the Lord. All the fat belongs to the Lord [see v. 17].
17 “‘This ·law [statute; ordinance; requirement] will continue for people ·from now on [forever], ·wherever you live [L in all your habitations/settlements]: You must not eat any fat [C perhaps considered the location of an animal’s strength; 7:22–25] or ·blood [C the source of life; 7:26–27; 17:10; 19:26; Gen. 9:4; Deut. 12:16, 23; 15:23].’”
The Sin Offering
4 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Tell the ·people [L sons; children] of Israel this: ‘When a person sins ·by accident [unintentionally; inadvertently; C in contrast to a deliberate sin; Num. 15:22–31] ·and does some things the Lord has commanded not to be done [L in any of the Lord’s commandments/regulations], ·that person must do these things [L and does any one of them]:
3 “‘If the ·appointed [L anointed] priest sins so that he brings guilt on the people, then he must offer a young bull to the Lord, ·one that has nothing wrong with it [unblemished], as a ·sin [or purification; C the offering would purify the offerer of the effects of sin] offering for the sin he has done. 4 He will bring the bull to the entrance of the Meeting Tent in front of the Lord, ·put [lay] his hand on its head [1:4], and ·kill [slaughter] it before the Lord. 5 Then the ·appointed [L anointed] priest must bring some of the bull’s blood into the Meeting Tent. 6 The priest is to dip his finger into the blood and ·sprinkle [dash] it seven times before the Lord in front of the curtain of the ·Most Holy Place [sanctuary]. 7 The priest must also put some of the blood on the ·corners [L horns; Ex. 27:2] of the altar of incense that stands before the Lord in the Meeting Tent. The rest of the blood he must pour out at the ·bottom [base; foundation] of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the entrance of the Meeting Tent. 8 He must remove all the fat from the bull of the ·sin [or purification; 4:3] offering—the fat on and around the inner organs, 9 both kidneys with the fat that is on them near the ·lower back muscle [loins], and the ·best part [appendage] of the liver which he will remove with the kidneys. 10 (He must do this in the same way the fat is removed from the bull of the ·fellowship [peace; well-being] offering [3:3–4].) Then the priest must ·burn [L turn into smoke] the animal parts on the altar of burnt offering. 11 But the priest must carry off the skin of the bull and all its meat, along with the rest of the bull—its head, legs, intestines, and other inner organs. 12 He must take it outside the camp to the special clean [C in a ritual sense] place where the ashes are poured out. He must burn it on a wood fire on the pile of ashes.
13 “‘If the whole ·nation [congregation; assembly] of Israel sins ·accidentally [inadvertently; unintentionally; 4:2] ·without knowing it [L and the matter is hidden from the eyes of the assembly/crowd] and does something the Lord has commanded not to be done, they are guilty. 14 When they learn about the sin they have done, they must offer a young bull as a ·sin [or purification] offering [4:3] and bring it before the Meeting Tent. 15 The elders of the ·group of people [congregation; assembly] must ·put [lay; 1:4] their hands on the bull’s head before the Lord, and it must be ·killed [slaughtered] before the Lord. 16 Then the ·appointed [L anointed] priest must bring some of the bull’s blood into the Meeting Tent. 17 Dipping his finger in the blood, he must ·sprinkle [dash] it seven times before the Lord in front of the curtain. 18 Then he must put some of the blood on the ·corners [horns; Ex. 27:2] of the altar that is before the Lord in the Meeting Tent. The priest must pour out the rest of the blood at the ·bottom [base; foundation] of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the entrance to the Meeting Tent. 19 He must remove all the fat from the animal and ·burn it [L turn it into smoke] on the altar; 20 he will do the same thing with this bull that he did with the first bull of the ·sin [or purification] offering [4:3]. In this way the priest ·removes the sins of the people so they will belong to the Lord and [L atones for them and they will] be forgiven. 21 Then the priest must carry the bull outside the camp and burn it, just as he did with the first bull. This is the ·sin [or purification] offering [4:3] for the whole ·community [assembly; crowd].
22 “‘If a ·ruler [leader; prince] sins ·by accident [inadvertently; unintentionally; 4:2] and does something the Lord his God has commanded must not be done, he is guilty. 23 When he learns about his sin, he must bring a male goat that ·has nothing wrong [is unblemished] with it as his ·offering [gift]. 24 The ·ruler [leader; prince] must ·put [lay; 1:4] his hand on the goat’s head and ·kill [slaughter] it in the place where they ·kill [slaughter] the whole burnt offering before the Lord; it is a ·sin [purification] offering [4:3]. 25 The priest must take some of the blood of the ·sin [purification] offering [4:3] on his finger and put it on the ·corners [horns; Ex. 27:2] of the altar of burnt offering. He must pour out the rest of the blood at the ·bottom [base; foundation] of the altar of burnt offering. 26 He must ·burn [L turn into smoke] all the goat’s fat on the altar in the same way he ·burns [L turns into smoke] the fat of the ·fellowship [peace; well-being] offerings [3:3–4]. In this way the priest ·removes the ruler’s sin so he belongs to the Lord, and the Lord will forgive him [L makes atonement for him and he is forgiven].
27 “‘If any ·person in the community [ordinary/private/lay person; L of the people of the land] sins ·by accident [inadvertently; unintentionally; 4:2] and does something which the Lord has commanded must not be done, he is guilty. 28 When the person learns about his sin, he must bring a female goat ·that has nothing wrong with it [unblemished] as an ·offering [gift] for his sin. 29 He must ·put [lay] his hand on the animal’s head [1:4] and ·kill [slaughter] it at the place of the whole burnt offering. 30 Then the priest must take some of the goat’s blood on his finger and put it on the ·corners [horns; Ex. 27:2] of the altar of burnt offering. He must pour out the rest of the goat’s blood at the ·bottom [base; foundation] of the altar. 31 Then the priest must remove all the goat’s fat in the same way the fat is removed from the ·fellowship [peace; well-being] offerings [3:3–4]. He must ·burn it [L turn it into smoke] on the altar as a smell pleasing to the Lord. In this way the priest ·will remove that person’s sin so he will belong to the Lord, and the Lord will forgive him [L makes atonement for him and he is forgiven].
32 “‘If this person brings a lamb as his ·offering [gift] for sin, he must bring a female ·that has nothing wrong with it [unblemished]. 33 He must ·put [lay] his hand on the animal’s head [1:4] and ·kill [slaughter] it as a ·sin [or purification] offering [4:3] in the place where the whole burnt offering is ·killed [slaughtered]. 34 The priest must take some of the blood from the sin offering on his finger and put it on the ·corners [horns; Ex. 27:2] of the altar of burnt offering. He must pour out the rest of the lamb’s blood at the ·bottom [base; foundation] of the altar. 35 Then the priest must remove all the lamb’s fat in the same way that the lamb’s fat is removed from the ·fellowship [peace; well-being] offerings [3:3–4]. He must ·burn the pieces on the altar [L turn them into smoke] on top of the offerings made by fire for the Lord. In this way the priest ·will remove that person’s sins so he will belong to the Lord, and the Lord will forgive him [L makes atonement for him and he is forgiven].
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