Leviticus1
New American Standard
1Now the Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying,
2“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When anyone of you brings an offering to the Lord, you shall bring your offering of livestock from the herd or the flock.
3If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without defect; he shall offer it at the doorway of the tent of meeting, so that he may be accepted before the Lord.
4And he shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, so that it may be accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf.
5Then he shall slaughter the bull before the Lord; and Aaron’s sons the priests shall offer up the blood and sprinkle the blood around on the altar that is at the doorway of the tent of meeting.
6He shall then skin the burnt offering and cut it into its pieces.
7And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire.
8Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, with the head and the suet, on the wood which is on the fire that is on the altar.
9Its entrails, however, and its legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall offer all of it up in smoke on the altar as a burnt offering, an offering by fire as a soothing aroma to the Lord.
10‘But if his offering is from the flock, either from the sheep or from the goats, as a burnt offering, he shall offer a male without defect.
11And he shall slaughter it on the side of the altar northward before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar.
12He shall then cut it into its pieces with its head and its suet, and the priest shall arrange them on the wood which is on the fire that is on the altar.
13The entrails, however, and the legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall offer all of it, and offer it up in smoke on the altar; it is a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord.
14‘But if his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring his offering from the turtledoves or from young doves.
15The priest shall bring it to the altar, and pinch off its head, and offer it up in smoke on the altar; and its blood is to be drained out on the side of the altar.
16He shall also remove its craw with its feathers and throw it beside the altar eastward, to the place of the fatty ashes.
17Then he shall tear it by its wings, but shall not sever it. And the priest shall offer it up in smoke on the altar, on the wood which is on the fire; it is a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the Lord.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Leviticus 1.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: The offerings. (1, 2). From the herds. (3–9). From the flocks, and of fowls. (10–17).
vv1-2
The offering of sacrifices was an ordinance of true religion, from the fall of man unto the coming of Christ. But till the Israelites were in the wilderness, no very particular regulations seem to have been appointed. The general design of these laws is plain. The sacrifices typified Christ; they also shadowed out the believer's duty, character, privilege, and communion with God. There is scarcely any thing spoken of the Lord Jesus in Scripture which has not also a reference to his people. This book begins with the laws concerning sacrifices; the most ancient were the burnt-offerings, about which God here gives Moses directions. It is taken for granted that the people would be willing to bring offerings to the Lord. The very light of nature directs man, some way or other, to do honour to his Maker, as his Lord. Immediately after the fall, sacrifices were ordained.
vv3-9
In the due performance of the Levitical ordinances, the mysteries of the spiritual world are represented by corresponding natural objects; and future events are exhibited in these rites. Without this, the whole will seem unmeaning ceremonies. There is in these things a type of the sufferings of the Son of God, who was to be a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world? The burning body of an animal was but a faint representation of that everlasting misery, which we all have deserved; and which our blessed Lord bore in his body and in his soul, when he died under the load of our iniquities. Observe, 1. The beast to be offered must be without blemish. This signified the strength and purity that were in Christ, and the holy life that should be in his people. 2. The owner must offer it of his own free will. What is done in religion, so as to please God, must be done by love. Christ willingly offered himself for us. 3. It must be offered at the door of the tabernacle, where the brazen altar of burnt-offerings stood, which sanctified the gift: he must offer it at the door, as one unworthy to enter, and acknowledging that a sinner can have no communion with God, but by sacrifice. 4. The offerer must put his hand upon the head of his offering, signifying thereby, his desire and hope that it might be accepted from him, to make atonement for him. 5. The sacrifice was to be killed before the Lord, in an orderly manner, and to honour God. It signified also, that in Christians the flesh must be crucified with its corrupt affections and lust. 6. The priests were to sprinkle the blood upon the altar; for the blood being the life, that was it which made atonement. This signified the pacifying and purifying of our consciences, by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ upon them by faith. 7. The beast was to be divided into several pieces, and then to be burned upon the altar. The burning of the sacrifice signified the sharp sufferings of Christ, and the devout affections with which, as a holy fire, Christians must offer up themselves, their whole spirit, soul, and body, unto God. 8. This is said to be an offering of a sweet savour. As an act of obedience to a Divine command, and a type of Christ, this was well-pleasing to God; and the spiritual sacrifices of Christians are acceptable to God, through Christ, 1Pe 2:5.
vv10-17
Those who could not offer a bullock, were to bring a sheep or a goat; and those who were not able to do that, were accepted of God, if they brought a turtle-dove, or a pigeon. Those creatures were chosen for sacrifice which were mild, and gentle, and harmless; to show the innocence and meekness that were in Christ, and that should be in Christians. The offering of the poor was as typical of Christ's atonement as the more costly sacrifices, and expressed as fully repentance, faith, and devotedness to God. We have no excuse, if we refuse the pleasant and reasonable service now required. But we can no more offer the sacrifice of a broken heart, or of praise and thanksgiving, than an Israelite could offer a bullock or a goat, except as God hath first given to us. The more we do in the Lord's service, the greater are our obligations to him, for the will, for the ability, and opportunity. In many things God leaves us to fix what shall be spent in his service, whether of our time or our substance; yet where God's providence has put much into a man's power, scanty offerings will not be accepted, for they are not proper expressions of a willing mind. Let us be devoted in body and soul to his service, whatever he may call us to give, venture, do, or suffer for his sake.
Key Words
קָרָא: to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)
מֹשֶׁה: Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
אֹהֶל: a tent (as clearly conspicuous from a distance)
מוֹעֵד: properly, an appointment, i.e. a fixed time or season; specifically, a festival; conventionally ayear; by implication, an assembly (as convened for a definite purpose); technically the congregation; by extension, the place of meeting; also a signal (as appointed beforehand)
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
יִשְׂרָאֵל: Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity
אָדָם: ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
קָרַב: to approach (causatively, bring near) for whatever purpose
Cross References
Leviticus 1Moses waited outside the Tabernacle because the glory filled it, preceding God's call in Leviticus 1:1.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Establishes the requirement of a male without blemish, typifying the spotless perfection of Christ.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB
Christ offered Himself without spot to God, fulfilling the 'without blemish' requirement of sacrifices.
Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin
Believers are to present their bodies as a living sacrifice, mirroring the entire devotion of the burnt offering.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Stresses offering the best (a male) rather than a blemished sacrifice to the Lord.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Christ is the door, fulfilling the entrance requirement at the door of the Tabernacle.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Illustrates laying hands upon the head of the offering to confess and transfer sins symbolically.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Christ loved us and gave Himself as a sacrificial offering of a sweet-smelling savor.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Christ's parents offered turtledoves or pigeons, demonstrating their poverty under this specific provision.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Confirms the sacrifice must be perfect and free of blemishes to be accepted by God.
Supported by John Calvin
Parallel instruction for putting hands on the head of the bullock to inaugurate atonement.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Relates the placement of the table of showbread and the northward killing of the flock.
Supported by JFB
Explains that the priest who offers the burnt offering shall have its skin.
Supported by Matthew Poole
The Lord smelled a soothing aroma from Noah's burnt offering, anchoring the concept of sweet savor.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Abraham divided the animals but did not split the birds, matching the avian offering instruction.
Supported by John Calvin