TRV
Translation
King James Version
Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering: It is the burnt offering, because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it.
KJV (with Strong's)
Complete Jewish Bible
"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.
Berean Standard Bible
“Command Aaron and his sons that this is the law of the burnt offering: The burnt offering is to remain on the hearth of the altar all night, until morning, and the fire must be kept burning on the altar.
American Standard Version
Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt-offering: the burnt-offering shall be on the hearth upon the altar all night unto the morning; and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning thereon.
World English Bible Messianic
“Command Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of the burnt offering: the burnt offering shall be on the hearth on the altar all night until the morning; and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Commaund Aaron and his sonnes, saying, This is the lawe of the burnt offring, (it is the burnt offring because it burneth vpon the altar al the night vnto the morning, and the fire burneth on the altar)
Young's Literal Translation
`Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is a law of the burnt-offering (it is the burnt-offering, because of the burning on the altar all the night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar is burning on it,)
In the KJVVerse 2,859 of 31,102
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Commentary on Leviticus 6 verses 8–13
8 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
9 Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering: It is the burnt offering, because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it.
10 And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.
11 And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place.
12 And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.
13 The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.
Hitherto we have had the instructions which Moses was directed to give to the people concerning the sacrifices; but here begin the instructions he was to give to the priests; he must command Aaron and his sons, Lev 6:9. The priests were rulers in the house of God, but these rulers must be ruled; and those that had the command of others must themselves be commanded. Let ministers remember that not only commissions, but commands, were given to Aaron and his sons, who must be in subjection to them.
In these verses we have the law of the burnt-offering, as far as it was the peculiar care of the priests. The daily sacrifice of a lamb, which was offered morning and evening for the whole congregation, is here chiefly referred to.
I. The priest must take care of the ashes of the burnt-offering, that they be decently disposed of, Lev 6:10, Lev 6:11. He must clear the altar of them every morning, and put them on the east side of the altar, which was furthest from the sanctuary; this he must do in his linen garment, which he always wore when he did any service at the altar; and then he must shift himself, and put on other garments, either such as were his common wear, or (as some think) other priestly garments less honourable, and must carry the ashes into a clean place without the camp. Now, 1. God would have this done, for the honour of his altar and the sacrifices that were burnt upon it. Even the ashes of the sacrifices must be preserved, to testify the regard God had to it; by the burnt-offering he was honoured, and therefore thus it was honoured, and therefore thus it was honoured. And some think that this care which was taken of the ashes of the sacrifice typified the burial of our Saviour; his dead body (the ashes of his sacrifice) was carefully laid up in a garden, in a new sepulchre, which was a clean place. It was also requisite that the altar should be kept as clean as might be; the fire upon it would burn the better, and it is decent in a house to have a clean fire-side. 2. God would have the priests themselves to keep it so, to teach them and us to stoop to the meanest services for the honour of God and of his altar. The priest himself must not only kindle the fire, but clean the hearth, and carry out the ashes. God's servants must think nothing below them but sin.
II. The priest must take care of the fire upon the altar, that it be kept always burning. This is much insisted on here (Lev 6:9, Lev 6:12), and this express law is given: The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar, it shall never go out, Lev 6:13. We may suppose that no day passed without some extraordinary sacrifices, which were always offered between the morning and evening lamb; so that from morning to night the fire on the altar was kept up of course. But to preserve it all night unto the morning (Lev 6:9) required some care. Those that keep good houses never let their kitchen fire go out; therefore God would thus give an instance of his good house-keeping. The first fire upon the altar came from heaven (Lev 9:24), so that by keeping that up continually with a constant supply of fuel all their sacrifices throughout all their generations might be said to be consumed with that fire from heaven, in token of God's acceptance. If, through carelessness, they should ever let it go out, they could not expect to have it so kindled again. Accordingly the Jews tell us that the fire never did go out upon the altar, till the captivity in Babylon. This is referred to Isa 31:9, where God is said to have his fire in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem. By this law we are taught to keep up in our minds a constant disposition to all acts of piety and devotion, an habitual affection to divine things, so as to be always ready to every good word and work. We must not only not quench the Spirit, but we must stir up the gift that is in us. Though we be not always sacrificing, yet we must keep the fire of holy love always burning; and thus we must pray always.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 8–13. Public domain.
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Pacian of BarcelonaAD 391
That fire is perpetual that is never extinguished on the altar. The altar of God is our heart. Fire must always burn in it, for the flame of charity must always burn on it for God. Day by day, the priest puts wood on the fire, lest it go out. Everyone who has faith in Christ has been made a member of the high priest. The apostle Peter says to all the faithful, “You are an elect people, a royal priesthood.” The apostle John says, “You have made us a kingdom and a priesthood for our God.” The priest who feeds the fire on the altar and puts wood on it each day is each one of the faithful. To keep the flame of charity from going out in himself, he does not cease to gather both the examples of the elders and the testimonies of Holy Scripture. To call to mind the examples of the fathers or the precepts of the Lord in the practice of charity is to put fuel on the fire. Since this inner newness of ours grows old in the daily living of life, wood must be used to feed that fire. While the fire grows dim as we age, it grows bright again through the testimonies and examples of the fathers. And the command is good, to gather wood each day in the morning. This cannot be done except when the night of darkness is banished. Since morning is the first part of the day and comes when we have put off thoughts of this present life, each of the faithful should think of this task first so that the practice of charity can inflame whatever is just about to die out in him, by the efforts he can make. For that fire on the altar of God— that is, in our hearts—is soon extinguished unless it is carefully maintained by the examples of the fathers and the testimonies of the Lord. Exposition of the Old and New Testament, Leviticus
PateriusAD 606
EXPOSITION OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT, LEVITICUS 5
That fire is perpetual that is never extinguished on the altar. The altar of God is our heart. Fire must always burn in it, for the flame of charity must always burn on it for God. Day by day, the priest puts wood on the fire, lest it go out. Everyone who has faith in Christ has been made a member of the high priest. The apostle Peter says to all the faithful, “You are an elect people, a royal priesthood.” The apostle John says, “You have made us a kingdom and a priesthood for our God.” The priest who feeds the fire on the altar and puts wood on it each day is each one of the faithful. To keep the flame of charity from going out in himself, he does not cease to gather both the examples of the elders and the testimonies of Holy Scripture. To call to mind the examples of the fathers or the precepts of the Lord in the practice of charity is to put fuel on the fire. Since this inner newness of ours grows old in the daily living of life, wood must be used to feed that fire. While the fire grows dim as we age, it grows bright again through the testimonies and examples of the fathers. And the command is good, to gather wood each day in the morning. This cannot be done except when the night of darkness is banished. Since morning is the first part of the day and comes when we have put off thoughts of this present life, each of the faithful should think of this task first so that the practice of charity can inflame whatever is just about to die out in him, by the efforts he can make. For that fire on the altar of God—that is, in our hearts—is soon extinguished unless it is carefully maintained by the examples of the fathers and the testimonies of the Lord.
BedeAD 735
On the Tabernacle 2.11
A holocaust is burned on the altar when a good work is performed with the burning fire of charity in the heart of any elect person who is devoted to God completely (that is, with both body and soul). This is done all night until the morning when one does not cease to persevere in good works throughout all the time of his life, until one is taken from the body and merits seeing the morning of the world to come. The fire will be on the same altar, because we ought to be burning with that charity alone which the Lord gives to his church through the Holy Spirit.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Leviticus 6:9 initiates a critical section of priestly regulations, specifically detailing the perpetual care required for the altar of burnt offering. This verse mandates that the burnt offering must remain on the altar throughout the entire night until morning, ensuring the sacred fire never extinguishes. It underscores the profound and continuous responsibility of Aaron and his sons, the priests, to maintain this divine flame, symbolizing an unbroken act of worship, God's enduring presence, and the constant availability of atonement for His people.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Leviticus 6:9 is rich in literary devices that amplify its theological significance. Repetition is prominently used, with "burnt offering" appearing twice and the concept of "burning" emphasized multiple times through various forms ("burning upon the altar," "fire...shall be burning"). This repetition serves to underscore the central subject and the continuous, essential nature of the required action. The phrase "all night unto the morning" employs Hyperbole or Emphasis to convey the absolute continuity of the burning, leaving no room for intermission. The entire instruction functions as a Prescription, laying down precise, non-negotiable rules for sacred duty, reflecting the meticulousness required in God's service. Most significantly, the continuous fire itself is a powerful Symbolism. It represents God's unceasing presence among His people, His unwavering acceptance of their worship, and the constant availability of atonement. The fire, initially divine in origin, symbolizes God's holy presence and consuming power, while the priests' role in maintaining it symbolizes humanity's active responsibility to participate in and preserve the covenant relationship.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Leviticus 6:9 profoundly articulates the theological theme of unceasing devotion and the enduring presence of God. The command for the altar fire to burn continually underscores that worship is not an intermittent act but a perpetual state of being for the covenant community. It signifies God's constant readiness to receive His people and His unwavering faithfulness to His covenant promises. The priests' diligent maintenance of this fire also highlights the vital role of mediation and the human responsibility to preserve the sacred space and practices that facilitate communion with a holy God. This continuous burning symbolizes a constant spiritual readiness and availability before the Divine, reflecting a commitment that transcends specific times or occasions, pointing to a life lived in perpetual awareness of God's holiness and grace.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The ancient command to keep the altar fire burning offers a profound spiritual metaphor for believers today, even though the physical sacrifices have been fulfilled in Christ. While the literal fire is no longer tended, the principle of unceasing devotion remains paramount. Our lives are called to be a "living sacrifice" (Romans 12:1), continually offered to God, not merely in moments of formal worship but in every thought, word, and deed. This requires a diligent and intentional effort to nurture our spiritual lives, much like the priests meticulously tended the sacred flame. It means consistently engaging with God through prayer, immersing ourselves in His Word, and striving to live in obedience to His commands. The perpetual fire reminds us that God is always present, always faithful, and always ready to receive us. Our spiritual "fire"—our passion for Christ, our fervent love for God and neighbor, our unwavering commitment to holiness—should never be allowed to dwindle. We are called to cultivate an enduring, vibrant faith that burns brightly, reflecting His light and glory in a world desperately in need of His truth.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why was it so important for the fire on the altar to burn continuously?
Answer: The continuous burning of the fire on the altar was crucial for several profound reasons. Theologically, it symbolized God's unceasing presence among His people and His constant readiness to receive their offerings and provide atonement. It also represented the unbroken covenant relationship between God and Israel, signifying that communion with God was always available. Practically, it ensured that the altar was perpetually ready for sacrifices, signifying that worship and access to God were always possible. Furthermore, the fire was initially kindled by God Himself (Leviticus 9:24), making its perpetual maintenance a sacred trust and a constant reminder of its divine origin and the holiness of God.
What were the priests' specific duties related to this continuous fire?
Answer: The priests had several specific and meticulous duties related to maintaining the continuous fire. They were responsible for placing the burnt offering on the altar each night to ensure it burned until morning (as stated in Leviticus 6:9). They also had to remove the ashes from the altar daily, dressed in specific priestly garments (Leviticus 6:10-11), and ensure that fresh wood was added to keep the flame alive (Leviticus 6:12). This meticulous care highlighted their essential role as mediators and stewards of God's holy presence, ensuring the proper and continuous functioning of the sacrificial system.
Does this command have any relevance for Christians today?
Answer: While Christians no longer offer animal sacrifices, the spiritual principles embedded in the command of Leviticus 6:9 remain profoundly relevant. The continuous fire symbolizes unceasing devotion and worship. Believers are called to offer themselves as "living sacrifices" (Romans 12:1), implying a continuous, wholehearted commitment to God in every aspect of life. It also speaks to the need for spiritual diligence in maintaining our relationship with God through consistent prayer, diligent Bible study, and obedient living, ensuring that our "spiritual fire" of faith, passion for Christ, and love for others never goes out.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Leviticus 6:9, with its command for the perpetual burning of the altar fire, finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The continuous fire and the daily burnt offering in the Old Testament Tabernacle pointed forward to the once-for-all, perfect, and eternally effective sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Unlike the Old Testament sacrifices, which had to be offered repeatedly because they could not truly take away sins (Hebrews 10:1-4), Christ's single offering perfected for all time those who are being sanctified (Hebrews 10:10-14). He is not only the ultimate High Priest, who perfectly fulfilled the priestly duty of mediation and intercession (Hebrews 4:14-16), but also the perfect Lamb of God, whose sacrifice truly takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). The perpetual fire on the altar, symbolizing God's enduring presence and acceptance, is now fully realized in Christ, who is "God with us" (Matthew 1:23), and through whom we have constant, unhindered access to the Father (Ephesians 2:18). Our spiritual "fire" is now the indwelling Holy Spirit, empowering us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices, continually devoted to Him (Romans 12:1), a perpetual worship ignited and sustained by Christ's finished, eternal work.