Leviticus — Chapter 1

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1And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,

2Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle,

3If his offering

4And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

5And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that

6And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces.

7And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire:

8And the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that

9But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar,

10And if his offering

11And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar.

12And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that

13But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring

14And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD

15And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn

16And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes:

17And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof,

1And Jehovah called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tent of meeting, saying,

2Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man of you offereth an oblation unto Jehovah, ye shall offer your oblation of the cattle, [even] of the herd and of the flock.

3If his oblation be a burnt-offering of the herd, he shall offer it a male without blemish: he shall offer it at the door of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before Jehovah.

4And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

5And he shall kill the bullock before Jehovah: and Aaron`s sons, the priests, shall present the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is at the door of the tent of meeting.

6And he shall flay the burnt-offering, and cut it into its pieces.

7And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay wood in order upon the fire;

8and Aaron`s sons, the priests, shall lay the pieces, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:

9but its inwards and its legs shall he wash with water: and the priest shall burn the whole on the altar, for a burnt-offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah.

10And if his oblation be of the flock, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt-offering; he shall offer it a male without blemish.

11And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before Jehovah: and Aaron`s sons, the priests, shall sprinkle its blood upon the altar round about.

12And he shall cut it into its pieces, with its head and its fat; and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:

13but the inwards and the legs shall he wash with water; and the priest shall offer the whole, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt-offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah.

14And if his oblation to Jehovah be a burnt-offering of birds, then he shall offer his oblation of turtle-doves, or of young pigeons.

15And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off its head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be drained out on the side of the altar;

16and he shall take away its crop with the filth thereof, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, in the place of the ashes:

17and he shall rend it by the wings thereof, [but] shall not divide it asunder; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt-offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah.

1Then the Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the Meeting Tent:

2“Speak to the Israelites and tell them, ‘When someone among you presents an offering to the Lord, you must present your offering from the domesticated animals, either from the herd or from the flock.

3“‘If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he must present it as a flawless male; he must present it at the entrance of the Meeting Tent for its acceptance before the Lord.

4He must lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf.

5Then the one presenting the offering must slaughter the bull before the Lord, and the sons of Aaron, the priests, must present the blood and splash the blood against the sides of the altar, which is at the entrance of the Meeting Tent.

6Next, the one presenting the offering must skin the burnt offering and cut it into parts,

7and the sons of Aaron, the priests, must put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire.

8Then the sons of Aaron, the priests, must arrange the parts with the head and the suet on the wood that is in the fire on the altar.

9Finally, the one presenting the offering must wash its entrails and its legs in water, and the priest must offer all of it up in smoke on the altar—it is a burnt offering, a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord.

10“‘If his offering is from the flock for a burnt offering—from the sheep or the goats—he must present a flawless male,

11and must slaughter it on the north side of the altar before the Lord, and the sons of Aaron, the priests, will splash its blood against the altar’s sides.

12Next, the one presenting the offering must cut it into parts, with its head and its suet, and the priest must arrange them on the wood that is in the fire on the altar.

13Then the one presenting the offering must wash the entrails and the legs in water, and the priest must present all of it and offer it up in smoke on the altar—it is a burnt offering, a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord.

14“‘If his offering to the Lord is a burnt offering of birds, he must present his offering from the turtledoves or from the young pigeons.

15The priest must present it at the altar, pinch off its head and offer the head up in smoke on the altar, and its blood must be drained out against the side of the altar.

16Then the priest must remove its entrails by cutting off its tail feathers, and throw them to the east side of the altar into the place of fatty ashes,

17and tear it open by its wings without dividing it into two parts. Finally, the priest must offer it up in smoke on the altar on the wood which is in the fire—it is a burnt offering, a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord.

1Yahweh called to Moses, and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying,

2“Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When anyone of you offers an offering to Yahweh, you shall offer your offering of the livestock, from the herd and from the flock.

3“‘If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without defect. He shall offer it at the door of the Tent of Meeting, that he may be accepted before Yahweh.

4He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

5He shall kill the bull before Yahweh. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall present the blood and sprinkle the blood around on the altar that is at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

6He shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into pieces.

7The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar, and lay wood in order on the fire;

8and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall lay the pieces, the head, and the fat in order on the wood that is on the fire which is on the altar;

9but its innards and its legs he shall wash with water. The priest shall burn all of it on the altar, for a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.

10“‘If his offering is from the flock, from the sheep, or from the goats, for a burnt offering, he shall offer a male without defect.

11He shall kill it on the north side of the altar before Yahweh. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar.

12He shall cut it into its pieces, with its head and its fat. The priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is on the altar,

13but the innards and the legs he shall wash with water. The priest shall offer the whole, and burn it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.

14“‘If his offering to Yahweh is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall offer his offering of turtledoves or of young pigeons.

15The priest shall bring it to the altar, and wring off its head, and burn it on the altar; and its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar;

16and he shall take away its crop with its filth, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, in the place of the ashes.

17He shall tear it by its wings, but shall not divide it apart. The priest shall burn it on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.

Summary
Authorship & Background
Map & Geography
Commentary
Videos
Reflection

Summary

God instructs Israel on burnt offerings — a voluntary act of worship where the entire animal is consumed on the altar, symbolizing complete dedication.

Authorship & Background

Author: Moses. Leviticus is the third book of the Pentateuch, written during the wilderness period (approximately 1445-1405 BC). Hebrew title: "Vayikra" — "And He called." God speaks from the newly completed Tabernacle, giving Israel instructions for worship, sacrifice, and holy living. Leviticus answers the question: How does a holy God dwell among a sinful people?
Historical Context: Chapter 1 opens with God calling to Moses from the Tabernacle — the first words spoken from God's new dwelling place among His people. The book begins with sacrifice because that is the foundation of relationship with a holy God. The burnt offering (Hebrew "olah" — "that which ascends") is the first offering described because it represents total consecration — the entire animal is consumed on the altar. Nothing is held back. Three economic levels are provided: cattle (wealthy), sheep/goats (middle), birds (poor) — ensuring every Israelite can approach God regardless of wealth. Every detail points to Christ's complete, voluntary, substitutionary sacrifice.
The Burnt Offering from the Herd (vv.1-9): A male without blemish (v.3). Offered voluntarily (v.3). The worshipper lays his hand on the animal's head — identification and transfer (v.4). "It shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him" (v.4). The worshipper kills it; priests handle the blood (v.5). The animal is cut in pieces, washed, and entirely burned (vv.6-9). "A sweet savour unto the LORD" (v.9).
The Burnt Offering from the Flock (vv.10-13): Same requirements: male, without blemish (v.10). Killed on the north side of the altar (v.11). Same procedure: blood sprinkled, pieces arranged, entirely burned (vv.11-13).
The Burnt Offering of Birds (vv.14-17): Turtledoves or young pigeons (v.14). The provision for the poor — no one is excluded from worship by poverty. The priest handles the entire process (vv.15-17). Same result: "a sweet savour unto the LORD" (v.17).

Map & Geography

  • No specific geographic locations are referenced in this chapter.

Commentary

  • Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik covers the burnt offering as total consecration, the laying on of hands as identification/substitution, and the three economic levels as God's accessibility to all.
  • Charles Spurgeon: Sermon: "The Burnt Offering" (MTP Vol. 12, No. 681) "He shall put his hand upon the HEAD of the burnt offering — here is the transfer. The worshipper's sin passes to the animal; the animal's acceptance passes to the worshipper. One hand, one head, one moment — and the exchange is made. This is the gospel: Christ took our sin; we receive His righteousness. Not by works, not by merit, but by identification. Put your hand on HIS head — trust Him, lean on Him, transfer your guilt to Him — and His acceptance becomes yours."

Reflection

  • 1. "He shall offer it of his own voluntary will" (v.3). True worship is voluntary — not compelled, not reluctant. Is your devotion to God willing? Or are you going through motions?
  • 2. "He shall put his hand upon the head" (v.4). Have you placed your hand on Christ's head — identifying with Him, transferring your sin to Him, receiving His acceptance? This is faith: leaning on the substitute.
  • 3. "The priest shall burn ALL on the altar" (v.9). The burnt offering holds nothing back. Is your consecration total? Or are you keeping parts of your life off the altar?
  • 4. Three levels of offering (bull, sheep, bird) — God meets you where you are economically. He doesn't demand what you don't have. But He does demand your BEST, whatever that is. Are you giving God your best?
  • 5. "A sweet savour unto the LORD" (v.9). Your worship — your sacrifice of time, talent, treasure, self — is pleasing to God. Not because you're perfect but because you come through the substitute. Does knowing this motivate your worship?