Leviticus6

Leviticus chapter six details further laws concerning offerings and priestly duties. It begins by outlining the restitution and trespass offering required for sins committed against a neighbour, emphasizing restoration of what was taken plus an additional fifth part. The chapter then provides specific instructions for the priests regarding the burnt offering, including the maintenance of the perpetual altar fire. Finally, it details the laws for the meat offering and the sin offering, specifying how they are to be prepared, consumed by the priests, and handled due to their extreme holiness.

Restitution for Trespass Against a Neighbor

1
ADONAI said to Moshe,
2
"If someone sins and acts perversely against ADONAI by dealing falsely with his neighbor in regard to a deposit or security entrusted to him, by stealing from him, by extorting him, ​
3
or by dealing falsely in regard to a lost object he has found, or by swearing to a lie -if a person commits any of these sins,
4
then, if he sinned and is guilty, he is to restore whatever it was he stole or obtained by extortion, or whatever was deposited with him, or the lost object which he found,
5
or anything about which he has sworn falsely. He is to restore it in full plus an additional one-fifth; he must return it to the person who owns it, on the day when he presents his guilt offering. ​
6
He is to bring as his guilt offering to ADONAI a ram without defect from the flock, or its equivalent according to your appraisal, to the cohen; it is a guilt offering.
7
Thus the cohen will make atonement for him before ADONAI, and he will be forgiven in regard to whatever it was he did that made him guilty. ​

Laws for the Offerings: The Burnt Offering

8
ADONAI said to Moshe, ​
9
"Give this order to Aharon and his sons: 'This is the law for the burnt offering [Hebrew: 'olah]: it is what goes up [Hebrew: 'olah] on its firewood upon the altar all night long, until morning; in this way the fire of the altar will be kept burning. ​
10
When the fire has consumed the burnt offering on the altar, the cohen, having put on his linen garment and covered himself with his linen shorts, is to remove the ashes and put them beside the altar. ​
11
Then he is to remove those garments and put on others, before carrying the ashes outside the camp to a clean place.
12
In this way, the fire on the altar will be kept burning and not be allowed to go out. Each morning, the cohen is to kindle wood on it, arrange the burnt offering and make the fat of the peace offerings go up in smoke. ​
13
Fire is to be kept burning on the altar continually; it is not to go out. ​

Laws for the Offerings: The Grain Offering

14
"'This is the law for the grain offering: the sons of Aharon are to offer it before ADONAI in front of the altar.
15
He is to take from the grain offering a handful of its fine flour, some of its olive oil and all of the frankincense which is on the grain offering; and he is to make this reminder portion of it go up in smoke on the altar as a fragrant aroma for ADONAI.
16
The rest of it Aharon and his sons are to eat; it is to be eaten without leaven in a holy place -they are to eat it in the courtyard of the tent of meeting. ​
17
It is not to be baked with leaven. I have given it as their portion of my offerings made by fire; like the sin offering and the guilt offering, it is especially ​
18
Every male descendant of Aharon may eat from it; it is his share of the offerings for ADONAI made by fire forever through all your generations. Whatever touches those offerings will become holy.'"

The Offering of the Anointed Priest

19
ADONAI said to Moshe,
20
"This is the offering for ADONAI that Aharon and his sons are to offer on the day he is anointed: two quarts of fine flour, half of it in the morning and half in the evening, as a grain offering from then on. ​
21
It is to be well mixed with olive oil and fried on a griddle; then bring it in, break it in pieces and offer the grain offering as a fragrant aroma for ADONAI.
22
The anointed cohen who will take Aharon's place from among his descendants will offer it; it is a perpetual obligation. It must be entirely made to go up in smoke for ADONAI;
23
every grain offering of the cohen is to be entirely made to go up in smoke -it is not to be eaten." ​

Laws for the Offerings: The Sin Offering

24
ADONAI said to Moshe,
25
"Tell Aharon and his sons, 'This is the law for the sin offering: the sin offering is to be slaughtered before ADONAI in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered; it is especially holy. ​
26
The cohen who offers it for sin is to eat it -it is to be eaten in a holy place, in the courtyard of the tent of meeting.
27
Whatever touches its flesh will become holy; if any of its blood splashes on any item of clothing, you are to wash it in a holy place. ​
28
The clay pot in which it is cooked must be broken; if it is cooked in a bronze pot, it must be scoured and rinsed in water.
29
Any male from a family of cohanim may eat the sin offering; it is especially holy.
30
But no sin offering which has had any of its blood brought into the tent of meeting to make atonement in the Holy Place is to be eaten; it is to be burned up completely. ​

Study Notes for Leviticus 6

Verse 2

This section concludes the law of the trespass offering (Asham), specifically addressing sins of misappropriation, theft, or deceit where a neighbor is financially harmed. The focus is on violating trust.

Verse 5

Crucially, atonement requires not only the restoration of the principal amount stolen or withheld, but also a penalty of one-fifth (20%) added. This ensures justice is served before spiritual forgiveness is granted.

Verse 7

The priest makes atonement only after the required restitution (v. 5) and the offering (v. 6) are presented. This sequence demonstrates that true repentance involves righting the wrong done to one’s neighbor.

Verse 8

This marks the beginning of a new major section (Lev 6:8–7:38), known as the 'Torah of the Offerings,' which details the specific procedures and priestly prerogatives for handling the sacrifices.

Verse 9

The burnt offering (Olah) must burn throughout the night. This continuous burning symbolized the complete, uninterrupted dedication of the worshiper to the LORD.

Verse 10

The priest must wear specific sacred linen garments when handling the holy ashes, emphasizing the necessity of ritual purity even during the mundane task of cleaning the altar.

Verse 12

The fire on the altar was considered sacred, having been initially ignited by divine fire (Lev 9:24). The priests were commanded to continuously maintain this sacred fire, symbolizing God’s constant presence and acceptance.

Verse 13

The requirement that the fire 'shall ever be burning' (perpetual fire) highlights the continuous readiness required of the priests and the constant need for atonement and communion with God.

Verse 16

Unlike the burnt offering (which was wholly consumed), the priests received the remainder of the grain offering as their sustenance. It had to be eaten in the sacred precincts due to its holiness.

Verse 17

The Grain Offering is designated 'most holy' (qodesh qodeshim), placing it on the same level of sanctity as the sin and trespass offerings, requiring strict handling and consumption only by consecrated priests.

Verse 20

This describes a mandatory perpetual offering required of the High Priest, offered daily (half in the morning, half at night). It served as a personal dedication ritual upon his anointing.

Verse 23

The Grain Offering of the priest must be entirely burned and not eaten. Priests were forbidden from consuming offerings made for their own behalf or atonement, ensuring integrity in their service.

Verse 25

The Sin Offering (Hattat) is also designated 'most holy.' It was slaughtered in the same location as the burnt offering, emphasizing the seriousness and immediate necessity of dealing with sin.

Verse 27

This verse addresses the 'contagious' nature of holiness. Anything that touches the sacrificial flesh becomes holy, necessitating careful washing or destruction of vessels to manage the sacred substance.

Verse 30

This provides a critical exception: if the blood of the sin offering was taken into the Holy Place (the Tent of Meeting) for reconciliation (as on the Day of Atonement), the flesh could not be eaten by the priests but had to be burned outside the camp.

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