Leviticus — Chapter 6

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1And the LORD said to Moses,

2“If someone sins and acts unfaithfully against the LORD by deceiving his neighbor in regard to a deposit or security entrusted to him or stolen, or if he extorts his neighbor

3or finds lost property and lies about it and swears falsely, or if he commits any such sin that a man might commit—

4once he has sinned and becomes guilty, he must return what he has stolen or taken by extortion, or the deposit entrusted to him, or the lost property he found,

5or anything else about which he has sworn falsely. He must make restitution in full, add a fifth of the value, and pay it to the owner on the day he acknowledges his guilt.

6Then he must bring to the priest his guilt offering to the LORD: an unblemished ram of proper value from the flock.

7In this way the priest will make atonement for him before the LORD, and he will be forgiven for anything he may have done to incur guilt.”

8Then the LORD said to Moses,

9“Command Aaron and his sons that this is the law of the burnt offering: The burnt offering is to remain on the hearth of the altar all night, until morning, and the fire must be kept burning on the altar.

10And the priest shall put on his linen robe and linen undergarments, and he shall remove from the altar the ashes of the burnt offering that the fire has consumed and place them beside it.

11Then he must take off his garments, put on other clothes, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a ceremonially clean place.

12The fire on the altar shall be kept burning; it must not be extinguished. Every morning the priest is to add wood to the fire, arrange the burnt offering on it, and burn the fat portions of the peace offerings on it.

13The fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it must not be extinguished.

14Now this is the law of the grain offering: Aaron’s sons shall present it before the LORD in front of the altar.

15The priest is to remove a handful of fine flour and olive oil, together with all the frankincense from the grain offering, and burn the memorial portion on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

16Aaron and his sons are to eat the remainder. It must be eaten without leaven in a holy place; they are to eat it in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.

17It must not be baked with leaven; I have assigned it as their portion of My food offerings. It is most holy, like the sin offering and the guilt offering.

18Any male among the sons of Aaron may eat it. This is a permanent portion from the food offerings to the LORD for the generations to come. Anything that touches them will become holy.”

19Then the LORD said to Moses,

20“This is the offering that Aaron and his sons must present to the LORD on the day he is anointed: a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a regular grain offering, half of it in the morning and half in the evening.

21It shall be prepared with oil on a griddle; you are to bring it well-kneaded and present it as a grain offering broken in pieces, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

22The priest, who is one of Aaron’s sons and will be anointed to take his place, is to prepare it. As a permanent portion for the LORD, it must be burned completely.

23Every grain offering for a priest shall be burned completely; it is not to be eaten.”

24And the LORD said to Moses,

25“Tell Aaron and his sons that this is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered, the sin offering shall be slaughtered before the LORD; it is most holy.

26The priest who offers it shall eat it; it must be eaten in a holy place, in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.

27Anything that touches its flesh will become holy, and if any of the blood is spattered on a garment, you must wash it in a holy place.

28The clay pot in which the sin offering is boiled must be broken; if it is boiled in a bronze pot, the pot must be scoured and rinsed with water.

29Any male among the priests may eat it; it is most holy.

30But no sin offering may be eaten if its blood has been brought into the Tent of Meeting to make atonement in the Holy Place; it must be burned.

1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour;

3Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein:

4Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found,

5Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto,

6And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD, a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest:

7And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein.

8And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

9Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This

10And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with 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 burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.

13The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.

14And this

15And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the meat offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which

16And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it.

17It shall not be baken with leaven. I have given it

18All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it.

19And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

20This

21In a pan it shall be made with oil;

22And the priest of his sons that is anointed in his stead shall offer it:

23For every meat offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.

24And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

25Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, This

26The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in the holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation.

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 the holy place.

28But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden shall be broken: and if it be sodden in a brasen pot, it shall be both scoured, and rinsed in water.

29All the males among the priests shall eat thereof: it

30And no sin offering, whereof

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.

1(5:20) Then the Lord spoke to Moses:

2“When a person sins and commits a trespass against the Lord by deceiving his fellow citizen in regard to something held in trust, or a pledge, or something stolen, or by extorting something from his fellow citizen,

3or has found something lost and denies it and swears falsely concerning any one of the things that someone might do to sin—

4when it happens that he sins and he is found guilty, then he must return whatever he had stolen, or whatever he had extorted, or the thing that he had held in trust, or the lost thing that he had found,

5or anything about which he swears falsely. He must restore it in full and add one-fifth to it; he must give it to its owner when he is found guilty.

6Then he must bring his guilt offering to the Lord, a flawless ram from the flock, convertible into silver shekels, for a guilt offering to the priest.

7So the priest will make atonement on his behalf before the Lord and he will be forgiven for whatever he has done to become guilty.”

8(6:1) Then the Lord spoke to Moses:

9“Command Aaron and his sons, ‘This is the law of the burnt offering. The burnt offering is to remain on the hearth on the altar all night until morning, and the fire of the altar must be kept burning on it.

10Then the priest must put on his linen robe and must put linen leggings over his bare flesh, and he must take up the fatty ashes of the burnt offering that the fire consumed on the altar, and he must place them beside the altar.

11Then he must take off his clothes and put on other clothes, and he must bring the fatty ashes outside the camp to a ceremonially clean place,

12but the fire which is on the altar must be kept burning on it. It must not be extinguished. So the priest must kindle wood on it morning by morning, and he must arrange the burnt offering on it and offer the fat of the peace offering up in smoke on it.

13A continual fire must be kept burning on the altar. It must not be extinguished.

14“‘This is the law of the grain offering. The sons of Aaron are to present it before the Lord in front of the altar,

15and the priest must take up with his hand some of the choice wheat flour of the grain offering and some of its olive oil, and all of the frankincense that is on the grain offering, and he must offer its memorial portion up in smoke on the altar as a soothing aroma to the Lord.

16Aaron and his sons are to eat what is left over from it. It must be eaten unleavened in a holy place; they are to eat it in the courtyard of the Meeting Tent.

17It must not be baked with yeast. I have given it as their portion from my gifts. It is most holy, like the sin offering and the guilt offering.

18Every male among the sons of Aaron may eat it. It is a perpetual allotted portion throughout your generations from the gifts of the Lord. Anyone who touches these gifts must be holy.’”

19Then the Lord spoke to Moses:

20“This is the offering of Aaron and his sons which they must present to the Lord on the day when he is anointed: a tenth of an ephah of choice wheat flour as a continual grain offering, half of it in the morning and half of it in the evening.

21It must be made with olive oil on a griddle, and you must bring it well soaked, so you must present a grain offering of broken pieces as a soothing aroma to the Lord.

22The high priest who succeeds him from among his sons must do it. It is a perpetual statute; it must be offered up in smoke as a whole offering to the Lord.

23Every grain offering of a priest must be a whole offering; it must not be eaten.”

24Then the Lord spoke to Moses:

25“Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is the law of the sin offering. In the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered the sin offering must be slaughtered before the Lord. It is most holy.

26The priest who offers it for sin is to eat it. It must be eaten in a holy place, in the courtyard of the Meeting Tent.

27Anyone who touches its meat must be holy, and whoever spatters some of its blood on a garment must wash whatever he spatters it on in a holy place.

28Any clay vessel it is boiled in must be broken, and if it was boiled in a bronze vessel, then that vessel must be rubbed out and rinsed in water.

29Any male among the priests may eat it. It is most holy.

30But any sin offering from which some of its blood is brought into the Meeting Tent to make atonement in the sanctuary must not be eaten. It must be burned up in the fire.

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 dealt falsely therein, and swearing to a lie; in any of these things that a man does, sinning therein;

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 even 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 breeches 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: and 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, 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 the sin offering, and as 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.

Summary
Authorship & Background
Commentary
Videos
Articles
Reflection

Summary

The LORD gives laws for restitution when someone sins against a neighbor through fraud, robbery, extortion, or a false oath over a lost item: the offender must repay the full amount plus a fifth and bring a ram as a guilt offering, and the priest will make atonement (vv. 1-7). Aaron and his sons are then instructed on the burnt offering: the fire on the altar must burn continually, day and night, and the priest must remove the ashes each morning in special garments before carrying them outside the camp (vv. 8-13). The law of the grain offering follows — the priests eat what remains as a most holy portion, prepared without yeast in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting (vv. 14-18). A separate grain offering is prescribed for Aaron's own ordination day, to be wholly burned rather than eaten (vv. 19-23). Finally, the law of the sin offering specifies that it must be slaughtered where the burnt offering is killed, eaten by the priests in a holy place, and any garment splashed with its blood washed there, while offerings whose blood is brought into the sanctuary must be burned rather than eaten (vv. 24-30).

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.
Historical Context: Chapter 6 transitions from the worshipper's perspective (chapters 1-5) to the priest's perspective — how the priests are to administer the offerings. The chapter opens with a final case of the guilt/ trespass offering (vv.1-7) involving sins against a neighbor that are also sins against God, then provides priestly regulations for the burnt offering (vv.8-13), grain offering (vv.14-23), and sin offering (vv.24-30). The central image of this chapter is the perpetual fire: "The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out" (v.13). This unquenchable flame represents God's unceasing readiness to receive worship, the continuous need for atonement, and the call to unbroken devotion. Note the Hebrew numbering differs — in Hebrew Bibles, 6:1-7 is actually 5:20-26, and 6:8-30 begins at 6:1.
Classification: Historical Narrative
Key Themes: a guilt offering for fraud that treats lying to a neighbor as a trespass against God, restitution required at a fifth above the value before the sacrifice is even offered, a fire on the altar commanded three times over never to go out, a priest's own daily grain offering being the one offering in the whole book he is forbidden to eat any of, and holiness described as something that spreads by contact rather than staying contained to the altar
The Guilt Offering for Fraud (vv.1-7): Sins against a neighbor are sins against God — "commit a trespass against the LORD" by lying to a neighbor (v.2). Restitution is required: full restoration plus one-fifth (20%) added (v.5). The sacrifice alone is insufficient without making things right with the wronged party. Both restitution and sacrifice are needed for forgiveness (vv.5-7). This principle reappears in Matthew 5:23-24.
The Law of the Burnt Offering for Priests (vv.8-13): The burnt offering burns all night until morning (v.9). The priest changes garments for ash removal — linen for sacred duty, other garments for carrying ashes out (vv.10-11). Ashes taken to a "clean place" outside the camp (v.11). The fire must NEVER go out (vv.12-13) — stated three times for emphasis. Wood added every morning (v.12). The perpetual fire: God is always ready to receive the worshipper.
The Law of the Grain Offering (vv.14-18): This is the law of the meat offering, and it is addressed to the priests rather than to the worshipper. A handful of the flour and the oil with all the frankincense is burnt as the memorial, and the remainder is eaten by Aaron and his sons, without leaven, in the court of the tabernacle. The portion is described as their food, and the reason it may not be taken home is stated plainly, it is most holy, as is the sin offering and as the trespass offering. The closing clause, whatsoever shall touch them shall be holy, treats holiness as something that spreads by contact.
The Anointed Priest's Daily Offering (vv.19-23): One offering in the chapter is made by the priest for himself rather than eaten by him, and it is the one that begins on the day he is anointed. A tenth part of an ephah of flour, half in the morning and half at night, baked on a griddle and brought in pieces. It shall be wholly burnt, it shall not be eaten. The man who lives on the offerings of others has one offering he may take nothing from, which is the chapter's way of saying the priesthood is not a livelihood.
The Law of the Sin Offering for Priests (vv.24-30): Killed in the same place as the burnt offering (v.25). The priest who offers it eats it in a holy place (v.26). Whatever touches the flesh becomes holy (v.27). Blood on garments must be washed in a holy place (v.27). Earthen vessels broken; bronze vessels scoured (v.28) — holiness is contagious and must be contained. If blood is brought into the Tabernacle for atonement, the offering is burned, not eaten (v.30).

Commentary

  • Enduring Word (David Guzik): enduringword.com Guzik emphasizes the perpetual fire as representing God's constant readiness to receive worship and the believer's call to unceasing devotion. He notes the restitution principle: sacrifice without making things right with your neighbor is insufficient.
  • Jamieson-Fausset-Brown (1871): blueletterbible.org A critical and explanatory commentary on the whole Bible, more concise than Matthew Henry and closer to the Hebrew and Greek, with attention to historical and geographical detail. Public domain.
  • Matthew Henry's Exposition (1710): blueletterbible.org A devotional verse-by-verse commentary in the Puritan tradition, still among the most widely read three centuries on. Public domain.

Videos

Leviticus 5:14-6:7 | The Guilt Offering | Bible Study
Spoken Gospel

Leviticus 6:8-7 | Fire and Food | Bible Study
Spoken Gospel

Instructions for the Priests – Leviticus Chapter 6
David Guzik

Articles

  • BibleProject: bibleproject.com On the whole book: a case for reading the book most reading plans stall in.
  • GotQuestions.org: gotquestions.org On the whole book: an overview of the book of Leviticus -- who wrote it, when, why, and how it fits the rest of Scripture.

Links open on the publisher's own site. Nothing here is reproduced on this page.

Reflection

  • Sin Against a Neighbor Is Sin Against God (v.2) — Defrauding or lying to another person is described here as committing a trespass against the Lord Himself. Is there someone you've wronged that you've been treating as a private matter, forgetting God is a party to it too?
  • Restitution Goes Beyond Even (v.5) — Making things right required returning what was taken plus an extra twenty percent, not just breaking even. When you've wronged someone, are you willing to make it right at a cost to yourself, not just settle the account?
  • A Fire That Must Never Go Out (v.13) — The altar fire had to be tended and fed continually so it never died down. Is the fire of your own devotion still being tended daily, or has it quietly gone cold from neglect?
  • Serving God Without Serving Yourself (v.23) — The priest's own grain offering had to be entirely burned — he wasn't permitted to eat any of it himself. Where might you be using ministry or service to God as a way to benefit yourself rather than simply giving?