Leviticus6
World English Bible · Public Domain
1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2“If anyone sins, and commits a trespass against Yahweh, and deals falsely with his neighbor in a matter of deposit, or of bargain, or of robbery, or has oppressed his neighbor,
3or has found that which was lost, and lied about it, and swearing to a lie—in any of these things that a man sins in his actions—
4then it shall be, if he has sinned, and is guilty, he shall restore that which he took by robbery, or the thing which he has gotten by oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found,
5or any thing about which he has sworn falsely: he shall restore it in full, and shall add a fifth part more to it. He shall return it to him to whom it belongs in the day of his being found guilty.
6He shall bring his trespass offering to Yahweh: a ram without defect from the flock, according to your estimation, for a trespass offering, to the priest.
7The priest shall make atonement for him before Yahweh, and he will be forgiven concerning whatever he does to become guilty.”
8Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
9“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.
10The priest shall put on his linen garment, and he shall put on his linen trousers upon his body; and he shall remove the ashes from where the fire has consumed the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.
11He shall take off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place.
12The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it, it shall not go out; and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning. He shall lay the burnt offering in order upon it, and shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings.
13Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.
14“‘This is the law of the meal offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before Yahweh, before the altar.
15He shall take from there his handful of the fine flour of the meal offering, and of its oil, and all the frankincense which is on the meal offering, and shall burn it on the altar for a pleasant aroma, as its memorial portion, to Yahweh.
16That which is left of it Aaron and his sons shall eat. It shall be eaten without yeast in a holy place. They shall eat it in the court of the Tent of Meeting.
17It shall not be baked with yeast. I have given it as their portion of my offerings made by fire. It is most holy, as are the sin offering and the trespass offering.
18Every male among the children of Aaron shall eat of it, as their portion forever throughout your generations, from the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. Whoever touches them shall be holy.’”
19Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
20“This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer to Yahweh in the day when he is anointed: one tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering perpetually, half of it in the morning, and half of it in the evening.
21It shall be made with oil in a griddle. When it is soaked, you shall bring it in. You shall offer the meal offering in baked pieces for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
22The anointed priest that will be in his place from among his sons shall offer it. By a statute forever, it shall be wholly burned to Yahweh.
23Every meal offering of a priest shall be wholly burned. It shall not be eaten.”
24Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
25“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of the sin offering: in the place where the burnt offering is killed, the sin offering shall be killed before Yahweh. It is most holy.
26The priest who offers it for sin shall eat it. It shall be eaten in a holy place, in the court of the Tent of Meeting.
27Whatever shall touch its flesh shall be holy. When there is any of its blood sprinkled on a garment, you shall wash that on which it was sprinkled in a holy place.
28But the earthen vessel in which it is boiled shall be broken; and if it is boiled in a bronze vessel, it shall be scoured, and rinsed in water.
29Every male among the priests shall eat of it. It is most holy.
30No sin offering, of which any of the blood is brought into the Tent of Meeting to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be eaten. It shall be burned 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.