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Leviticus 1

 Leviticus 1

The Burnt Offering

This chapter describes the regulations for the burnt offering. Further supplemental details are given in Lev 6:8-13. 

Kidner (p. 5) describes the setting for Leviticus as “a characteristic OT blend of grace and judgement.” 


Verse 1

Then the LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying, 

At the end of Exodus, the tent of meeting was finally completed - the dwelling place of God on earth, where the Israelites could meet with God. Yet Moses was unable to enter the tent (Ex 40:35) because God’s holy presence was there and Moses was a sinful human being. 

At the beginning of Leviticus, God calls to Moses from the Tent of Meeting, reminding us that Moses could not enter the tent due to the problem of sin. The remainder of Leviticus shows us God’s plan to deal with sin and impurity so that his people can approach him. 

By way of contrast, see Num 1:1 where the Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting, after the instructions of Leviticus were given to allow the perfect God to dwell among an imperfect people. 


Verse 2

“Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When any of you brings an offering to the LORD, you may bring as your offering an animal from the herd or the flock. 

This opens the section on the five standard sacrifices (the burnt offering, the cereal offering, the peace offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering), which runs through to Lev 6:7. 


Verse 3

If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to present an unblemished male. He must bring it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting for its acceptance before the LORD. 

The word for burnt offering (עֹלָה) literally means “that which ascends”. The ritual similarly shows the Godward emphasis of this sacrifice. 

The burnt offering was the only offering of the five standard offerings which provided no food for either the priest or worshipper. The main concepts are the crown rights of God, and the joy of giving away (Kidner, p. 5). 

for its acceptance - Sacrifices not offered from a pure and willing heart were an affront to God (Ps 50:9-10, 51:16). 


Verse 4

He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, so it can be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him. 

Animal sacrifices were violent, harsh and bloody. By putting his hand on the head of his animal, the offerer displayed his personal responsibility in its death. The symbolism of his hand on its head was substitution (see Num 8:10-19). 

atonement - while the animal was the gift of the offerer, its atoning value was God’s gift. The offerer’s role was limited to “mere butchery” (to kill, flay and cut up) as described in vv. 5-6 (Kidner, p. 5). Even the OT recognised that animal sacrifices were inadequate (Ps 40:6-8), while the NT portrays Christ as the real priest and sacrifice (Heb 9:6-7, 11-12). We are sanctified by him (Heb 10:14). 


Verse 5

And he shall slaughter the young bull before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons the priests are to present the blood and splatter it on all sides of the altar at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 

In contrast to the dead animal sacrifices, Christians are called to become a “living sacrifice” (Rom 12:1), offering worship and praise (1 Pet 2:5, Heb 13:15-16). 


Verse 6

Next, he is to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces. 


Verse 7

The sons of Aaron the priest shall put a fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. 


Verse 8

Then Aaron’s sons the priests are to arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat, atop the burning wood on the altar. 

After the offerer killed and butchered the animal (vv. 5-6), the priests’ job was to give it the form of a sacrifice and bring it to God. The majority of the rest of this chapter gives the details of this role. 


Verse 9

The entrails and legs must be washed with water, and the priest shall burn all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. 

pleasing aroma - see Eph 5:2 where Christ is described as a “fragrant offering”. 


Verse 10

If, however, one’s offering is a burnt offering from the flock—from the sheep or goats—he is to present an unblemished male. 

A gradation of values is presented, beginning with a bull (vv. 3, 5), then a sheep or goat (v. 10), then a turtledove or pigeon (v. 14). This allowed everyone to bring a gift to God, regardless of their economic status. As Kidner notes (p. 5), each is described as an equally pleasing aroma to God (vv. 9, 13, 17) when offered from the heart (Ps 51:17, 19). 


Verse 11

He shall slaughter it on the north side of the altar before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons the priests are to splatter its blood against the altar on all sides. 


Verse 12

He is to cut the animal into pieces, and the priest shall arrange them, including the head and fat, atop the burning wood that is on the altar. 


Verse 13

The entrails and legs must be washed with water, and the priest shall present all of it and burn it on the altar; it is a burnt offering, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. 


Verse 14

If, instead, one’s offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, he is to present a turtledove or a young pigeon. 


Verse 15

Then the priest shall bring it to the altar, twist off its head, and burn it on the altar; its blood should be drained out on the side of the altar. 


Verse 16

And he is to remove the crop with its contents  and throw it to the east side of the altar, in the place for ashes. 

crop with its contents - or “the crop and feathers”


Verse 17

He shall tear it open by its wings, without dividing the bird completely. And the priest is to burn it on the altar atop the burning wood. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. 

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