New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Leviticus 1
2
"Speak to the people of Israel. Tell them, 'Suppose any one of you brings an offering to the Lord. You must bring an animal from your herd or flock.
Reference
Parallel theme
Romans 12:6
3
" 'If a man brings a burnt offering from the herd, he must offer a male animal. It must not have any flaws. He must bring it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Then the Lord will accept it.
Reference
Parallel theme
Hebrews 9:14
Exodus 12:5
Ephesians 5:27
Hebrews 7:26
Ephesians 2:18
John 1:36
2 Corinthians 9:7
Sacrifice
Deuteronomy 15:21
Deuteronomy 17:1
Genesis 22:8
4
" 'The man must place his hand on the head of the burnt offering. Then the Lord will accept it in place of him. It will pay for his sin.
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 29:15
Exodus 29:10
1 John 2:2
Exodus 29:19
Sacrifice
Leviticus 4:20
Leviticus 4:26
Leviticus 3:2
Leviticus 3:8
Romans 12:1
Leviticus 4:31
5
The young bull must be killed there in the sight of the Lord. " 'Then the priests who are in Aaron's family line must bring its blood to the altar. They must sprinkle it against every side of the altar. The altar stands at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.
Reference
6
" 'The skin must be removed from the animal that is brought for the burnt offering. Then the animal must be cut into pieces.
Reference
Sacrifice
Leviticus 7:8
7
" 'The priests who are in Aaron's family line must build a fire on the altar. They must place wood on the fire.
Reference
Sacrifice
Genesis 22:9
8
Then they must place the pieces of the animal on the burning wood on the altar. The pieces include the head and the fat.
9
" 'The inside parts of the animal must be washed with water. The legs must also be washed. The priest must burn all of it on the altar. " 'It is a burnt offering. It is an offering that is made with fire. It gives a smell that is pleasant to the Lord.
Reference
Creation
Leviticus 1:13
Exodus 29:18
Leviticus 3:11
Parallel theme
2 Corinthians 2:15
Ezekiel 20:41
References Lord
Genesis 8:21
Sacrifice
Ephesians 5:2
10
" 'If the offering is a burnt offering from the flock, it must be a male animal. It can be a sheep or a goat. It must not have any flaws.
11
" 'It must be killed at the north side of the altar in the sight of the Lord. The priests who are in Aaron's family line must sprinkle its blood against every side of the altar.
Reference
Blood
Leviticus 1:5
12
" 'The animal must be cut into pieces. The priest must place them on the burning wood on the altar. The pieces include the head and the fat.
13
" 'The inside parts must be washed with water. The legs must also be washed. The priest must bring all of it to the altar. He must burn it there. " 'It is a burnt offering. It is an offering that is made with fire. It gives a smell that is pleasant to the Lord.
14
" 'If the offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, it must be a dove or a young pigeon.
Reference
15
" 'The priest must bring it to the altar. He must twist its head off. Then he must burn the rest of the bird on the altar. Its blood must be emptied out on the side of the altar.
16
" 'The priest must remove the small bag inside the bird's throat. He must also remove what is in the bag. Then he must throw all of it to the east side of the altar. That is where the ashes are.
17
He must take hold of the wings of the bird and tear it open. But he must not tear it in two. Then the priest will burn it on the wood that is on the fire on the altar. " 'It is a burnt offering. It is an offering that is made with fire. It gives a smell that is pleasant to the Lord.
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 15:10
Summary of Leviticus 1
Leviticus chapter 1 begins with the Lord calling Moses and speaking to him out of the tabernacle. The Israelites had constructed the tabernacle according to the Lord's instructions, and now they needed to come to know how to worship there. The subject of God's instruction in chapter 1 is the burnt offering, which is an animal sacrifice that could be brought by a person to the Lord. The instructions in chapter 1 are concerned with the animal, the person, the priests, the blood, the altar, and the way of burning.
God instructed Moses to tell the children of Israel what he should do when he wanted to bring an offering to Him. The person could bring an animal from the herd or from the flock. If the offering was from the herd, it was to be a male without blemish, which means that the animal had to be healthy and whole. The person was to bring the animal to the door of the tabernacle and present it voluntarily before the Lord. The offering was not something that had to be coerced from the person; he was to bring it from his own desires to give something to the Lord.
The person had an important role in the sacrifice, which was to put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering. According to Leviticus 1:4, this offering would be accepted for him and it would atone for him. By putting his hand upon the head of the animal, the person was declaring that it would die in his place and its blood would be used in accordance with the Lord's instructions.
The person was to kill the animal before the Lord, and the sons of Aaron, the priests, took its blood and sprinkled it around the altar at the entrance of the tabernacle. Blood has an important place in the laws of Leviticus concerning sacrifices, since the animal was killed, and the priests had a duty in relation to the blood. They did their part in sprinkling blood around the altar to perform their functions in the sacrifice.
The person was to prepare the animal for the sacrifice. He was to remove its skin and cut it into pieces. The priests were to prepare the altar by laying fire upon it and placing wood upon the fire. The pieces of the animal, along with its head and fat, were to be placed upon the wood. The instructions were specific since this sacrifice belonged to the Lord, and he had to follow His commands.
The chapter says that the inward parts and the legs of the animal were to be washed with water, and then placed upon the altar. All the animal was to be burned there and nothing was to be left for the person who brought the offering. Leviticus describes the smell of the burning sacrifice as a sweet savour unto the Lord. This phrase occurs several times in the Old Testament when sacrifices are referred to, and it does not mean that the Lord simply enjoyed the smell of burning meat. It refers to His acceptance of the offering when it was brought before Him.
The instructions were not limited to people who had cattle. God also had instructions for a person who brought a sheep or a goat from the flock as an offering. The animal had to be a male without blemish and the person had to kill it on the side of the altar towards the north before the Lord. The priests took the blood of the animal and sprinkled it around the altar.
The animal was cut into pieces, and the head and fat were placed upon the wood. The inward parts and legs of the animal were to be washed with water before they were laid upon the altar. The whole animal was to be burned, just as the bull from the herd had been burned. The person brought the animal and killed it before the Lord. The priest took its blood and sprinkled it around the altar. The animal was cut into pieces and placed upon the altar, which was burning. The person's offering belonged to the Lord, who accepted it.
Leviticus also describes how God provided for a person who did not have cattle, and even a larger animal from the flock. He could bring a turtledove or a young pigeon. This part of the chapter illustrates that the worship described in Leviticus was not a privilege of the more prosperous citizens of ancient Israel. A man could bring an offering to the Lord that reflected his ability to pay. He could bring a bird, and the priest brought the bird to the altar and removed its head. Its blood was drained beside the altar. The crop and the feathers of the bird were removed and placed on the east side of the altar, where the ashes were kept. The bird was then divided without being completely cut apart, and the priest burned it upon the altar. The sacrifice was completely offered to the Lord.
Leviticus chapter 1 therefore describes the rules for three types of burnt offerings; an animal from the herd, an animal from the flock, or a bird. The value of the animal could be different; the main point is that the person brought an offering to the Lord. The animal was accepted for him and its blood was taken care of by the priests, and the whole sacrifice was burned upon the altar.
Leviticus chapter 1 provides us with a picture of worship in ancient Israel. The person did not approach the Lord casually. There was a place for the sacrifice, a particular animal to bring, priests to serve at the altar, and specific instructions for every part of the ceremony. The offering belonged to God.
For the Israelites, the burnt offering was closely connected with atonement and acceptance before the Lord. It entailed giving something valuable to the Lord, and placing that offering entirely in His hands. Leviticus chapter 1 provides the basis for the instructions that follow in the rest of the book. It states that when the people came to worship the Lord, they were to come according to His instructions and give their offering willingly and completely.
God instructed Moses to tell the children of Israel what he should do when he wanted to bring an offering to Him. The person could bring an animal from the herd or from the flock. If the offering was from the herd, it was to be a male without blemish, which means that the animal had to be healthy and whole. The person was to bring the animal to the door of the tabernacle and present it voluntarily before the Lord. The offering was not something that had to be coerced from the person; he was to bring it from his own desires to give something to the Lord.
The person had an important role in the sacrifice, which was to put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering. According to Leviticus 1:4, this offering would be accepted for him and it would atone for him. By putting his hand upon the head of the animal, the person was declaring that it would die in his place and its blood would be used in accordance with the Lord's instructions.
The person was to kill the animal before the Lord, and the sons of Aaron, the priests, took its blood and sprinkled it around the altar at the entrance of the tabernacle. Blood has an important place in the laws of Leviticus concerning sacrifices, since the animal was killed, and the priests had a duty in relation to the blood. They did their part in sprinkling blood around the altar to perform their functions in the sacrifice.
The person was to prepare the animal for the sacrifice. He was to remove its skin and cut it into pieces. The priests were to prepare the altar by laying fire upon it and placing wood upon the fire. The pieces of the animal, along with its head and fat, were to be placed upon the wood. The instructions were specific since this sacrifice belonged to the Lord, and he had to follow His commands.
The chapter says that the inward parts and the legs of the animal were to be washed with water, and then placed upon the altar. All the animal was to be burned there and nothing was to be left for the person who brought the offering. Leviticus describes the smell of the burning sacrifice as a sweet savour unto the Lord. This phrase occurs several times in the Old Testament when sacrifices are referred to, and it does not mean that the Lord simply enjoyed the smell of burning meat. It refers to His acceptance of the offering when it was brought before Him.
The instructions were not limited to people who had cattle. God also had instructions for a person who brought a sheep or a goat from the flock as an offering. The animal had to be a male without blemish and the person had to kill it on the side of the altar towards the north before the Lord. The priests took the blood of the animal and sprinkled it around the altar.
The animal was cut into pieces, and the head and fat were placed upon the wood. The inward parts and legs of the animal were to be washed with water before they were laid upon the altar. The whole animal was to be burned, just as the bull from the herd had been burned. The person brought the animal and killed it before the Lord. The priest took its blood and sprinkled it around the altar. The animal was cut into pieces and placed upon the altar, which was burning. The person's offering belonged to the Lord, who accepted it.
Leviticus also describes how God provided for a person who did not have cattle, and even a larger animal from the flock. He could bring a turtledove or a young pigeon. This part of the chapter illustrates that the worship described in Leviticus was not a privilege of the more prosperous citizens of ancient Israel. A man could bring an offering to the Lord that reflected his ability to pay. He could bring a bird, and the priest brought the bird to the altar and removed its head. Its blood was drained beside the altar. The crop and the feathers of the bird were removed and placed on the east side of the altar, where the ashes were kept. The bird was then divided without being completely cut apart, and the priest burned it upon the altar. The sacrifice was completely offered to the Lord.
Leviticus chapter 1 therefore describes the rules for three types of burnt offerings; an animal from the herd, an animal from the flock, or a bird. The value of the animal could be different; the main point is that the person brought an offering to the Lord. The animal was accepted for him and its blood was taken care of by the priests, and the whole sacrifice was burned upon the altar.
Leviticus chapter 1 provides us with a picture of worship in ancient Israel. The person did not approach the Lord casually. There was a place for the sacrifice, a particular animal to bring, priests to serve at the altar, and specific instructions for every part of the ceremony. The offering belonged to God.
For the Israelites, the burnt offering was closely connected with atonement and acceptance before the Lord. It entailed giving something valuable to the Lord, and placing that offering entirely in His hands. Leviticus chapter 1 provides the basis for the instructions that follow in the rest of the book. It states that when the people came to worship the Lord, they were to come according to His instructions and give their offering willingly and completely.