Leviticus6
American Standard Version · Public Domain
1And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
2If any one sin, and commit a trespass against Jehovah, and deal falsely with his neighbor in a matter of deposit, or of bargain, or of robbery, or have oppressed his neighbor,
3or have found that which was lost, and deal falsely therein, and swear to a lie; in any of all these things that a man doeth, sinning therein;
4then it shall be, if he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took by robbery, or the thing which he hath gotten by oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found,
5or any thing about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in full, and shall add the fifth part more thereto: unto him to whom it appertaineth shall he give it, in the day of his being found guilty.
6And he shall bring his trespass-offering unto Jehovah, a ram without blemish out of the flock, according to thy estimation, for a trespass-offering, unto the priest:
7and the priest shall make atonement for him before Jehovah; and he shall be forgiven concerning whatsoever he doeth so as to be guilty thereby.
8And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
9Command 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.
10And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh; and he shall take up the ashes whereto the fire hath consumed the burnt-offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.
11And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place.
12And the fire upon the altar shall be kept burning thereon, it shall not go out; and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning: and he shall lay the burnt-offering in order upon it, and shall burn thereon the fat of the peace-offerings.
13Fire shall be kept burning upon the altar continually; it shall not go out.
14And this is the law of the meal-offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before Jehovah, before the altar.
15And he shall take up therefrom his handful, of the fine flour of the meal-offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is upon the meal-offering, and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savor, as the memorial thereof, unto Jehovah.
16And that which is left thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: it shall be eaten without leaven in a holy place; in the court of the tent of meeting they shall eat it.
17It shall not be baken with leaven. I have given it as their portion of my offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as the sin-offering, and as the trespass-offering.
18Every male among the children of Aaron shall eat of it, as his portion for ever throughout your generations, from the offerings of Jehovah made by fire: whosoever toucheth them shall be holy.
19And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
20This is the oblation of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto Jehovah in the day when he is anointed: the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meal-offering perpetually, half of it in the morning, and half thereof in the evening.
21On a baking-pan it shall be made with oil; when it is soaked, thou shalt bring it in: in baken pieces shalt thou offer the meal-offering for a sweet savor unto Jehovah.
22And the anointed priest that shall be in his stead from among his sons shall offer it: by a statute for ever it shall be wholly burnt unto Jehovah.
23And every meal-offering of the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.
24And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
25Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin-offering: in the place where the burnt-offering is killed shall the sin-offering be killed before Jehovah: it is most holy.
26The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in a holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tent of meeting.
27Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy; and when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment, thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled in a holy place.
28But the earthen vessel wherein it is boiled shall be broken; and if it be boiled in a brazen vessel, it shall be scoured, and rinsed in water.
29Every male among the priests shall eat thereof: it is most holy.
30And no sin-offering, whereof any of the blood is brought into the tent of meeting to make atonement in the holy place, shall be eaten: it shall be burnt with fire.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Leviticus 6.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Concerning trespasses against our neighbour. (1–7). Concerning the burnt-offering. (8–13). Concerning the meat-offering. (14–23). Concerning the sin-offering. (24–30).
vv1-7
Though all the instances relate to our neighbour, yet it is called a trespass against the Lord. Though the person injured be mean, and even despicable, yet the injury reflects upon that God who has made the command of loving our neighbour next to that of loving himself. Human laws make a difference as to punishments; but all methods of doing wrong to others, are alike violations of the Divine law, even keeping what is found, when the owner can be discovered. Frauds are generally accompanied with lies, often with false oaths. If the offender would escape the vengeance of God, he must make ample restitution, according to his power, and seek forgiveness by faith in that one Offering which taketh away the sin of the world. The trespasses here mentioned, still are trespasses against the law of Christ, which insists as much upon justice and truth, as the law of nature, or the law of Moses.
vv8-13
The daily sacrifice of a lamb is chiefly referred to. The priest must take care of the fire upon the altar. The first fire upon the altar came from heaven, ch. 9:24; by keeping that up continually, all their sacrifices might be said to be consumed with the fire from heaven, in token of God's acceptance. Thus should the fire of our holy affections, the exercise of our faith and love, of prayer and praise, be without ceasing.
vv14-23
The law of the burnt-offerings put upon the priests a great deal of care and work; the flesh was wholly burnt, and the priests had nothing but the skin. But most of the meat-offering was their own. It is God's will that his ministers should be provided with what is needful.
Key Words
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
כִּי: (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
חָטָא: properly, to miss; hence (figuratively and generally) to sin; by inference, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, (causatively) lead astray, condemn
מָעַל: properly, to cover up; used only figuratively, to act covertly, i.e. treacherously
מַעַל: treachery, i.e. sin
כָּחַשׁ: to be untrue, in word (to lie, feign, disown) or deed (to disappoint, fail, cringe)
עָמִית: companionship; hence (concretely) a comrade or kindred man
פִּקָּדוֹן: a deposit
גָּזֵל: robbery, or (concretely) plunder
אוֹ: desire (and so probably in Proverbs 31:4); hence (by way of alternative) or, also if
Cross References
Leviticus 6Direct parallel linking trespasses against a neighbor with trespasses committed against the Lord.
Supported by Matthew Poole
New Testament fulfillment of the law that sin offerings whose blood entered the sanctuary must be burned outside.
Reconciliation and restitution to man must accompany and precede worship/offerings to God.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The original fire from heaven that must be kept burning perpetually on the altar.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Explains why the priests were commanded to eat the sin offering to bear the iniquity of the congregation.
Confirms the principle of contagious holiness where whatever touches the altar or offering becomes holy.
The explicit law requiring the great Day of Atonement sin offerings to be burned outside the camp.
Lying to men in secret matters is lying directly to the Lord.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The foundational law of the daily morning and evening continual burnt offering.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The prescription for the continual daily burnt offering of two lambs.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The specification for the linen garments and breeches to cover the priest's flesh.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Carrying ashes/sacrifices outside the camp prefigures Christ suffering outside the gate.
Confirms that the sin and trespass offerings are reserved for the priests as most holy.
Specifies the north side of the altar as the place where the sacrifice is killed before Yahweh.
Parallel rule requiring earthen vessels containing unclean things to be broken, highlighting purification standards.
Reiterates that every male among the priests may eat the most holy things within the court.
Links trespasses (ma'al) against the Lord in holy things to trespasses in social dealings.
The civic law requiring the restoration of lost property to one's neighbor.
The legal procedure and oath of the Lord regarding lost or disputed property.
Details the priests' portion of the most holy grain and sin offerings.
Establishes that whatever touches the altar or most holy things shall be holy.
Identifies the pan-baked grain offering, explaining its preparation and oil mixture details.
Establishes that the sin offering is slain in the place of the burnt offering.
Specifies that the most holy gifts must be eaten only by males in a holy place.
Haggai's theological query about whether holy flesh on a garment transmits holiness to other foods.
Parallels the breaking of earthen vessels and rinsing of wooden vessels for purifications.
Zacchaeus's voluntary fourfold restitution demonstrates genuine repentance in action.
Ezekiel's temple vision confirms that priests shall eat the meat, sin, and trespass offerings.
Connects these washings and vessel purifications to the temporary 'carnal ordinances' imposed until reformation.