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Leviticus 1

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The Lord Calls Moses 1–2

1
And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, ​
2
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock. ​

Burnt Offering from the Herd 3–9

3
If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD. ​
4
And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. ​
5
And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. ​
6
And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces.
7
And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire:
8
And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:
9
But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD. ​

Burnt Offering from the Flock 10–13

10
And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish. ​
11
And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar.
12
And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:
13
But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

Burnt Offering of Fowls 14–17

14
And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons. ​
15
And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar: ​
16
And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes:
17
And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Leviticus 1

Verse 1

called unto Moses — Qara, to call out to by name; the Hebrew title of the book is its opening word. The LORD speaks from the tabernacle just after 'the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle' and 'Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation' (Ex 40:34–35). Mo'ed, 'congregation', is an appointed meeting.

Verse 2

your offering — Qorban comes from qarab, to come near, the verb translated 'bring' twice in this verse: an offering is what is brought near to the LORD. The animal is to be 'of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock' (birds are added in v.14); Lev 22:19 names the same animals.

Verse 3

without blemish — Tamim, whole, complete. The burnt sacrifice (olah, an ascending offering) was a male, as the Passover lamb was (Ex 12:5). Christ 'offered himself without spot to God' (Heb 9:14) and is 'a lamb without blemish and without spot' (1 Pet 1:19). 'Voluntary will' is ratson, acceptance or favour.

Verse 4

put his hand upon the head — Samak, to lean upon, so the offerer presses his weight on the animal. The same act is required of the peace offering (Lev 3:8). Through it the animal stands in his place, 'accepted for him'; 'atonement' is kaphar, to cover or cancel.

Verse 5

sprinkle the blood — Zaraq, to throw or sprinkle. The offerer kills the animal, but only 'the priests, Aaron's sons' bring and sprinkle the blood on the altar. The New Testament speaks of 'the blood of sprinkling' (Heb 12:24) and 'sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ' (1 Pet 1:2).

Verse 9

a sweet savour — Literally a savour of rest (reach nichoach), from the root for rest; the phrase first appears when 'the LORD smelled a sweet savour' after Noah's offering (Gen 8:21). Paul applies it to Christ, who 'hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour' (Eph 5:2).

Verse 10

of the sheep, or of the goats — Keseb is a young sheep, ez a goat. The standard is unchanged from the herd: 'a male without blemish' (v.3). Isaiah pictures the Servant as 'a lamb to the slaughter' (Isa 53:7), and John the Baptist says, 'Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world' (John 1:29).

Verse 14

turtledoves, or of young pigeons — Tor and yonah, the birds allowed when the worshipper could not bring a herd or flock animal; the same concession appears in Lev 5:7 and 12:8. Mary offered 'A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons' (Luke 2:24). God accepts 'according to that a man hath' (2 Cor 8:12).

Verse 15

wring off his head — Malaq, to nip or wring off the head of a bird. Here the priest does what the offerer did with the bullock (v.5). The blood is 'wrung out' (matsah, drained) at the altar's side. The sin offering of birds is likewise 'wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide it asunder' (Lev 5:8).