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The Third Book of Moses: Leviticus

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- Chapter 1 -

(Leviticus 6:8–13)
1
Then the Lord called Moses and spoke to him from the tabernacle of the testimony, saying:
2
Speak to the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them: The man among you who will offer to the Lord a sacrifice from the cattle, that is, an offering of victims of oxen or sheep:
3
if his offering will be a holocaust, as well as from the herd, he shall offer an immaculate male at the door of the tabernacle of the testimony, to make himself pleasing to the Lord.(a)
4
And he shall place his hand on the head of the sacrifice, and so it shall be acceptable and effective, in its expiation.
5
And he shall immolate the calf in the sight of the Lord. And the priests, the sons of Aaron, shall offer its blood, pouring it all around the altar, which is before the door of the tabernacle.
6
And having pulled away the skin of the victim, they shall cut up the joints into pieces,
7
and they shall toss fire under the altar, having arranged beforehand a stack of wood.
8
And they shall lay the parts which are cut up in order upon it: namely, the head, and all the things that adjoin to the liver,
9
the intestines and feet having been washed with water. And the priest shall burn them on the altar as a holocaust and as a sweet odor to the Lord.
10
But if the offering is from the flocks, a holocaust either of sheep or goats, he shall offer a male without blemish.
11
And he shall immolate it at the side of the altar which looks out toward the north, in the sight of the Lord. Yet truly, the sons of Aaron shall pour its blood upon the altar all around.
12
And they shall divide the limbs, the head, and everything that adjoins to the liver. And they shall place them on the wood, under which the fire is to be thrown.
13
Yet truly, the intestines and the feet they shall wash with water. And the priest, having offered everything, shall burn it upon the altar as a holocaust and as a most sweet odor to the Lord.
14
But if the oblation of a holocaust to the Lord is of birds, either of turtledoves, or young pigeons,(b)
15
the priest shall offer it at the altar: and twisting back the neck with the head, and also rupturing the place of the wound, he shall make the blood run down over the edge of the altar.
16
Yet truly, the craw of the throat and the feathers he shall cast near the altar at the eastern section, in the place where the ashes are usually poured out.
17
And he shall break its wing joints, but he shall neither cut, nor divide it with metal, and he shall burn it upon the altar, placing fire under the wood. It is a holocaust and an oblation of a most sweet odor to the Lord.

Footnotes

(a)1:3 A holocaust:That is, a whole burnt offering (olokauston), so called, because the whole victim was consumed with fire; and given in such manner to God as wholly to evaporate, as it were, for his honour and glory; without having any part of it reserved for the use of man. The other sacrifices in the Old Testament were either offerings for sin, or peace offerings: and these latter again were either offered in thanksgiving for blessings received; or by way of prayer for new favours or graces. So that sacrifices were then offered to God for four different ends or intentions, answerable to the different obligations which man has to God: 1. By way of adoration, homage, praise, and glory due to his divine majesty. 2. By way of thanksgiving for all benefits received from him. 3. By way of confessing and craving pardon for sins. 4. By way of prayer and petition for grace and relief in all necessities. In the New Law we have but one sacrifice, viz., that of the body and blood of Christ: but this one sacrifice of the New Testament perfectly answers all these four ends; and both priest and people, as often as it is celebrated, ought to join in offering it up for these four ends.(Challoner)
(b)1:14 A dove is another name for a pigeon. Turtledoves are white pigeons. Young pigeons are generally white, no matter what color they will have as adults. So this verse calls for white birds, symbolizing purity.(Conte)
(Leviticus 6:8–13)
1
The LORD (a) 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 the LORD, 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 the LORD.
4
He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.
5
He shall kill the bull before the LORD. 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.
6
He shall skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces.
7
The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar, and lay wood in order on the fire;
8
and 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;
9
but he shall wash its innards and its legs 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 the LORD.
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.
11
He shall kill it on the north side of the altar before the LORD. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar.
12
He 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,
13
but 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 the LORD.
14
“‘If his offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall offer his offering from turtledoves or of young pigeons.
15
The 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;
16
and he shall take away its crop and its feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, in the place of the ashes.
17
He 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 the LORD.

Footnotes

(a)1:1 When rendered in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, “LORD” or “GOD” is the translation of God’s Proper Name.
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