Leviticus
Summary
Leviticus Chapter 1 introduces the laws concerning burnt offerings, which were to be entirely consumed by fire as a sweet-smelling gift to God. It outlines the specific types of animals that were acceptable: cattle, sheep, goats, or birds: and the meticulous process for their sacrifice. The offerer was to lay his hand on the head of the animal to make atonement, and the priest was to sprinkle the blood against the altar. This voluntary act of devotion and purification symbolized the total dedication of the worshipper to the LORD.
The LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying,
"Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When any of you brings an offering [1] to the LORD, you shall bring your offering from the cattle, the herd, or the flock.'
If his offering is a burnt sacrifice from the herd, he must offer a male without any defect. He is to bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting so that he may be accepted before the LORD.
He must lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him.
He shall then slaughter the young bull before the LORD. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall bring the blood and splash it against all sides of the altar at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.
He is to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces.
The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and arrange the wood on the fire.
Then the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall arrange the parts, the head and the fat, on the wood that is on the altar fire.
He must wash the internal organs and the legs with water; then the priest shall burn all of it on the altar. It is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet savour to the LORD.
If his offering is from the flock, from either the sheep or the goats, to be a burnt sacrifice, he must offer a male without any defect.
He shall slaughter it on the north side of the altar before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall splash its blood against all sides of the altar.
He is to cut it into pieces, including the head and the fat; the priest shall arrange them on the wood that is on the altar fire.
He shall wash the internal organs and the legs with water. Then the priest shall bring all of it and burn it on the altar. It is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet savour to the LORD.
If the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD is from the birds, he shall bring his offering of either turtledoves or young pigeons.
The priest shall bring it to the altar, wring off its head, and burn it on the altar; its blood shall be drained out against the side of the altar.
He shall remove the crop with its contents and throw it to the east side of the altar, where the ashes are kept.
He shall tear it open by the wings but without completely dividing it. Then the priest shall burn it on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire. It is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, a sweet savour to the LORD.