^{6:1 (5:20)}¹ Then the Lord spoke to Moses:²^6:2“When a person sins and commits a trespass³ against the Lord by deceiving his fellow citizen⁴ in regard to something held in trust, or a pledge, or something stolen, or by extorting something from his fellow citizen,⁵^6:3or has found something lost and denies it and swears falsely⁶ concerning any one of the things that someone might do to sin⁷—^6:4when it happens that he sins and he is found guilty,⁸ then he must return whatever he had stolen, or whatever he had extorted, or the thing that he had held in trust,⁹ or the lost thing that he had found, ^6:5or anything about which he swears falsely.¹⁰ He must restore it in full¹¹ and add one fifth to it; he must give it to its owner when he is found guilty.¹²^6:6Then he must bring his guilt offering to the Lord, a flawless ram from the flock, convertible into silver shekels,¹³ for a guilt offering to the priest. ^6:7So the priest will make atonement¹⁴ on his behalf before the Lord and he will be forgiven¹⁵ for whatever he has done to become guilty.”¹⁶

Sacrificial Instructions for the Priests: The Burnt Offering

^{6:8 (6:1)}¹⁷ Then the Lord spoke to Moses:¹⁸^6:9“Command Aaron and his sons, ‘This is the law of the burnt offering. The burnt offering is to remain on the hearth¹⁹ on the altar all night until morning, and the fire of the altar must be kept burning on it.²⁰^6:10Then the priest must put on his linen robe and must put linen leggings²¹ over his bare flesh, and he must take up the fatty ashes of the burnt offering that the fire consumed on the altar,²² and he must place them²³ beside the altar. ^6:11Then he must take off his clothes and put on other clothes, and he must bring the fatty ashes outside the camp to a ceremonially²⁴ clean place, ^6:12but the fire which is on the altar must be kept burning on it.²⁵ 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. ^6:13A continual fire must be kept burning on the altar. It must not be extinguished.

The Grain Offering of the Common Person

^6:14“ ‘This is the law of the grain offering. The sons of Aaron are to present it²⁶ before the Lord in front of the altar, ^6:15and the priest²⁷ must take up with his hand some of the choice wheat flour of the grain offering²⁸ and some of its olive oil, and all of the frankincense that is on the grain offering, and he must offer its memorial portion²⁹ up in smoke on the altar³⁰ as a soothing aroma to the Lord.³¹^6:16Aaron 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. ^6:17It must not be baked with yeast.³² I have given it as their portion from my gifts. It is most holy,³³ like the sin offering and the guilt offering. ^6:18Every male among the sons of Aaron may eat it. It is a perpetual allotted portion³⁴ throughout your generations³⁵ from the gifts of the Lord. Anyone who touches these gifts³⁶ must be holy.’ ”³⁷

The Grain Offering of the Priests

^6:19Then the Lord spoke to Moses:³⁸^6:20“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 ephah³⁹ of choice wheat flour⁴⁰ as a continual grain offering, half of it in the morning and half of it in the evening. ^6:21It must be made with olive oil on a griddle and you must bring it well soaked,⁴¹ so you must present a grain offering of broken pieces⁴² as a soothing aroma to the Lord. ^6:22The high priest who succeeds him⁴³ 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. ^6:23Every grain offering of a priest must be a whole offering; it must not be eaten.”

The Sin Offering

^6:24Then the Lord spoke to Moses:⁴⁴^6:25“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.⁴⁵^6:26The priest who offers it for sin is to eat it. It must be eaten in a holy place, in the court of the Meeting Tent. ^6:27Anyone who touches its meat must be holy, and whoever spatters some of its blood on a garment,⁴⁶ you must wash⁴⁷ whatever he spatters it on in a holy place. ^6:28Any clay vessel it is boiled in must be broken, and if it was boiled in a bronze vessel, then that vessel⁴⁸ must be rubbed out and rinsed in water. ^6:29Any male among the priests may eat it. It is most holy.⁴⁹^6:30But 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.⁵⁰

The Guilt Offering

^7:1“ ‘This is the law of the guilt offering. It is most holy. ^7:2In the place where they slaughter the burnt offering they must slaughter the guilt offering, and the officiating priest¹ must splash² the blood against the altar’s sides. ^7:3Then the one making the offering³ must present all its fat: the fatty tail, the fat covering the entrails, ^7:4the two kidneys and the fat on their sinews, and the protruding lobe on the liver (which he must remove along with the kidneys).⁴^7:5Then the priest must offer them up in smoke on the altar⁵ as a gift to the Lord. It is a guilt offering. ^7:6Any male among the priests may eat it. It must be eaten in a holy place. It is most holy.⁶^7:7The law is the same for the sin offering and the guilt offering;⁷ it belongs to the priest who makes atonement with it.

Priestly Portions of Burnt and Grain Offerings

^7:8“ ‘As for the priest who presents someone’s burnt offering, the hide of that burnt offering which he presented belongs to him. ^7:9Every grain offering which is baked in the oven or⁸ made in the pan⁹ or on the griddle belongs to the priest who presented it. ^7:10Every grain offering, whether mixed with olive oil or dry, belongs to all the sons of Aaron, each one alike.¹⁰

The Peace Offering

^7:11“ ‘This is the law of the peace offering sacrifice which he¹¹ is to present to the Lord. ^7:12If he presents it on account of thanksgiving,¹² along with the thank offering sacrifice he must present unleavened loaves mixed with olive oil, unleavened wafers smeared with olive oil,¹³ and well soaked¹⁴ ring-shaped loaves made of choice wheat flour¹⁵ mixed with olive oil. ^7:13He must present this grain offering¹⁶ in addition to ring-shaped loaves of leavened bread which regularly accompany¹⁷ the sacrifice of his thanksgiving peace offering. ^7:14He must present one of each kind of grain offering¹⁸ as a contribution offering¹⁹ to the Lord; it belongs to the priest who splashes the blood of the peace offering. ^7:15The meat of his²⁰ thanksgiving peace offering must be eaten on the day of his offering; he must not set any of it aside until morning.

^7:16“ ‘If his offering is a votive or freewill sacrifice,²¹ it may be eaten on the day he presents his sacrifice, and also the leftovers from it may be eaten on the next day,²²^7:17but the leftovers from the meat of the sacrifice must be burned up in the fire²³ on the third day. ^7:18If some of the meat of his peace offering sacrifice is ever eaten on the third day it will not be accepted; it will not be accounted to the one who presented it, since it is spoiled,²⁴ and the person who eats from it will bear his punishment for iniquity.²⁵^7:19The meat which touches anything ceremonially²⁶ unclean must not be eaten; it must be burned up in the fire. As for ceremonially clean meat,²⁷ everyone who is ceremonially clean may eat the meat. ^7:20The person who eats meat from the peace offering sacrifice which belongs to the Lord while his uncleanness persists²⁸ will be cut off from his people.²⁹^7:21When a person touches anything unclean (whether human uncleanness, or an unclean animal, or an unclean detestable creature)³⁰ and eats some of the meat of the peace offering sacrifice which belongs to the Lord, that person will be cut off from his people.’ ”³¹

Sacrificial Instructions for the Common People: Fat and Blood

^7:22Then the Lord spoke to Moses:³²^7:23“Tell the Israelites, ‘You must not eat any fat of an ox, sheep, or goat. ^7:24Moreover, the fat of an animal that has died of natural causes³³ and the fat of an animal torn by beasts may be used for any other purpose,³⁴ but you must certainly never eat it. ^7:25If anyone eats fat from the animal from which he presents a gift to the Lord, that person will be cut off from his people.³⁵^7:26And you must not eat any blood of the birds or the domesticated land animals in any of the places where you live.³⁶^7:27Any person who eats any blood—that person will be cut off from his people.’ ”³⁷

Priestly Portions of Peace Offerings

^7:28Then the Lord spoke to Moses:³⁸^7:29“Tell the Israelites, ‘The one who presents his peace offering sacrifice to the Lord must bring his offering to the Lord from his peace offering sacrifice. ^7:30With his own hands he must bring the Lord’s gifts. He must bring the fat with the breast³⁹ to wave the breast as a wave offering before the Lord,⁴⁰^7:31and the priest must offer the fat up in smoke on the altar, but the breast will belong to Aaron and his sons. ^7:32The right thigh you must give as a contribution offering⁴¹ to the priest from your peace offering sacrifices. ^7:33The one from Aaron’s sons who presents the blood of the peace offering and fat will have the right thigh as his share, ^7:34for the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the contribution offering I have taken from the Israelites out of their peace offering sacrifices and have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons from the people of Israel as a perpetual allotted portion.’ ”⁴²

^7:35This is the allotment of Aaron and the allotment of his sons from the Lord’s gifts on the day Moses⁴³ presented them to serve as priests⁴⁴ to the Lord. ^7:36This is what the Lord commanded to give to them from…

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Footnotes

1 Beginning with 6:1, the verse numbers through 6:30 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Hebrew text (), with 6:1 = 5:20 , 6:2 = 5:21 , 6:8 = 6:1 , etc., through 6:30 = 6:23 . Beginning with 7:1 the verse numbers in the English text and Hebrew text are again the same.
2 This paragraph is Lev 6:1–7 in the English Bible but Lev 5:20–26 in the Hebrew text. The quotation introduced by v. 1 extends from Lev 6:2 (5:21 ) through 6:7 (5:26 ), encompassing the third main section of guilt offering regulations. Compare the notes on ; ; and above.
3 Heb “trespasses a trespass” (verb and direct object from the same Hebrew root מַעַל, ma’al). See the note on .
4 Or “neighbor” (, , , , ); “companion”; “a fellow-Israelite.”
5 Heb “has extorted his neighbor”; “oppressed”; “defrauded.”
6 Heb “and swears on falsehood”; cf. “deny something while under oath.”
7 Heb “on one from all which the man shall do to sin in them.”
8 Heb “and it shall happen, when he sins and becomes guilty,” which is both resumptive of the previous (vv. 2–3) and the conclusion to the protasis (cf. “then” introducing the next clause as the apodosis). In this case, “becomes guilty” (cf. , ) probably refers to his legal status as one who has been convicted of a crime in court; thus the translation “he is found guilty.” See R. E. Averbeck, 1:.
9 Heb “that had been held in trust with him.”
10 Heb “or from all which he swears on it to falsehood.”
11 Heb “in its head.” This refers “the full amount” in terms of the “principal,” the original item or amount obtained illegally (J. Milgrom, Leviticus [], 1:; J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [], ).
12 Heb “to whom it is to him he shall give it in the day of his being guilty.” The present translation is based on the view that he has been found guilty through the legal process (see the note on v. above; cf., e.g., and B. A. Levine, Leviticus [], ). Others translate the latter part as “in the day he offers his guilt [reparation] offering” (e.g., and J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [], , ), or “in the day he realizes his guilt” (e.g., and J. Milgrom, Leviticus [], 1:, ).
13 The words “into silver shekels” are supplied here. See the full expression in Lev 5:15, and compare 5:18. Cf. “or its equivalent”; “or the animal’s equivalent value in silver.”
14 Regarding “make atonement” see the note on .
15 Heb “there shall be forgiveness to him” or “it shall be forgiven to him” ( similar).
16 Heb “on one from all which he does to become guilty in it”; “whatever guilt he may have incurred.”
17 Lev 6:8 in the English Bible = 6:1 in the Hebrew text. See also the note on .
18 The following paragraphs are Lev 6:8–30 in the English Bible but 6:1–23 in the Hebrew text. This initial verse makes the special priestly regulations for the people’s burnt and grain offerings into a single unit (i.e., Lev 6:8–18 [6:1–11 ]; cf. Lev 1–2 above). Note also the separate introductions for various priestly regulations in Lev 6:19 [12 ], 24 [17 ], and for the common people in Lev 7:22, 28 below.
19 Heb “It is the burnt offering on the hearth.”
20 Heb “in it.” In this context “in it” apparently refers to the “hearth” which was on top of the altar.
21 The exact nature of this article of the priest’s clothing is difficult to determine. Cf. , “breeches”; “drawers”; , , , “undergarments”; “underclothes”; “underwear”; “shorts.”
22 Heb “he shall lift up the fatty ashes which the fire shall consume the burnt offering on the altar.”
23 Heb “it,” referring the “fatty ashes” as a single unit.
24 The word “ceremonially” has been supplied in the translation to clarify that the uncleanness of the place involved is ritual or ceremonial in nature.
25 Heb “in it,” apparently referring to the “hearth” which was on top of the altar (cf. the note on v. ).
26 Heb “offering it, the sons of Aaron.” The verb is a Hiphil infinitive absolute, which is used here in place of the finite verb as either a jussive ( §113.cc, “let the sons of Aaron offer”) or more likely an injunctive in light of the verbs that follow ( 2: §123.v, “the sons of Aaron shall/must offer”).
27 Heb “and he”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity. The “he” refers to the officiating priest. A similar shift between singular and plural occurs in Lev 1:7–9, but see the note on and J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [], for the possibility of textual corruption.
28 Heb “shall take up from it with his hand some of the choice wheat flour of the grain offering.”
29 See the note on .
30 reading, which includes the locative ה (hey, translated “on” the altar), is preferred here. This is the normal construction with the verb “offer up in smoke” in Lev 1–7 (see the note on ).
31 Heb “and he shall offer up in smoke [on] the altar a soothing aroma, its memorial portion, to the Lord.”
32 Heb “It must not be baked leavened” (cf. Lev 2:11). The noun “leaven” is traditional in English versions (cf. , , , ), but “yeast” is more commonly used today.
33 Heb “holiness of holinesses [or holy of holies] it is”; cf. “most sacred.”
34 Or “a perpetual regulation”; cf. “a permanent ordinance”; “as their perpetual due.”
35 Heb “for your generations”; cf. “for the generations to come.”
36 Heb “touches them”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity. In this context “them” must refer to the “gifts” of the Lord.
37 Or “anyone/anything that touches them shall become holy” (J. Milgrom, Leviticus [], 1:). The question is whether this refers to the contagious nature of holy objects (cf. , , , , ) or whether it simply sets forth a demand that anyone who touches the holy gifts of the Lord must be a holy person (cf. ). See R. E. Averbeck, 2:.
38 See the note on [6:1 ] above.
39 A tenth of an ephah is about 2.3 liters, one day’s ration for a single person (J. Milgrom, Leviticus [], 1:).
40 For the rendering “choice wheat flour” see the note on .
41 The term rendered here “well soaked” (see, e.g., ; the Hebrew term is מֻרְבֶּכֶת, murbbekhet) occurs only three times (here; 7:12, and 1 Chr 23:29), and is sometimes translated “well-mixed” (e.g., , , ; “well stirred”; “well kneaded”). The meaning is uncertain (J. Milgrom, Leviticus [], 1:), but in Lev 7:12 it stands parallel to already prepared grain offerings either “mixed” (the Hebrew term is בְּלוּלֹת (bélulot), not מֻרְבֶּכֶת as in Lev 6:21 [6:14 ]) or anointed with oil.
42 Heb “broken bits [?] of a grain offering of pieces,” but the meaning of the Hebrew term rendered here “broken bits” (תֻּפִינֵי, tufiney) is quite uncertain. Some take it from the Hebrew verb “to break up, to crumble” (פַּת [pat]; e.g., the , , , “broken” pieces) and others from “to bake” (אָפַה, ’afah; e.g., “baked pieces”). For a good summary of other proposed options, see J. E. Hartley, Leviticus (), . Compare Lev 2:5–6 for the general regulations regarding this manner of grain offering. Similar but less problematic terminology is used there.
43 Heb “And the anointed priest under him.”
44 See the note on [6:1 ].
45 Heb “holiness of holinesses [or holy of holies] it is.” Cf. “most sacred”; “very sacred”; “very holy.”
46 Heb “on the garment”; “on any clothes”; “on the clothes of the priest.”
47 The translation “you must wash” is based on the as it stands (cf. , ). , , , ., and the have a third person masculine singular passive form (Pual), “[the garment] must be washed” (cf. , , ). This could also be supported from the verbs in the following verse, and it requires only a repointing of the Hebrew text with no change in consonants. See the remarks in J. E. Hartley, Leviticus (), and J. Milgrom, Leviticus (), 1:.
48 Heb “it”; the words “that vessel” are supplied in the translation to clarify the referent.
49 Heb “holiness of holinesses [or holy of holies] it is” (also in 7:1).
50 Heb “burned with fire,” an expression which is sometimes redundant in English, but here means “burned up,” “burned up entirely.”
1 Heb “he”; the referent (the officiating priest) has been specified in the translation for clarity. This priest was responsible for any actions involving direct contact with the altar (e.g., the splashing of the blood).
2 See the note on .
3 Heb “then he.” This pronoun refers to the offerer, who was responsible for slaughtering the animal. Contrast v. 2 above and v. 5 below.
4 See the notes on .
5 See the note on above.
6 Heb “holiness of holinesses [or holy of holies] it is”; “most sacred”; “very holy.”
7 Heb “like the sin offering like the guilt offering, one law to them.”
8 Heb “and” rather than “or” (cf. also the next “or”).
9 Heb “and all made in the pan”; cf. “fryingpan”; “deep-fried in a pot.”
10 Heb “a man like his brother.”
11 This “he” pronoun refers to the offerer. and have plural “they.”
12 Or “for a thank offering.”
13 See the notes on .
14 See the note on [6:14 ].
15 Heb “choice wheat flour well soaked ring-shaped loaves.” See the note on .
16 The rendering “this [grain] offering” is more literally “his offering,” but it refers to the series of grain offerings listed just previously in v. 12.
17 The words “which regularly accompany” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for clarity. The translation “[which regularly accompany] …” is based on the practice of bringing bread (and wine) to eat with the portions of the peace offering meat eaten by the priests and worshipers (see v. 14 and Num 15:1–13). This was in addition to the memorial portion of the unleavened bread that was offered to the Lord on the altar (cf. Lev 2:2, 9, and the note on ).
18 Here the Hebrew text reads “offering” (קָרְבָּן, qorbban), not “grain offering” (מִנְחָה, minkhah), but in this context the term refers once again to the list in 7:12.
19 The term rendered “contribution offering” is תְּרוּמָה (térumah), which generally refers to that which is set aside from the offerings to the Lord as prebends for the officiating priests (cf. esp. Lev 7:28–34 and R. E. Averbeck, 4:). Cf. “as a special contribution.”
20 In the verse “his” refers to the offerer.
21 For the distinction between votive and freewill offerings see the note on and the literature cited there.
22 Heb “and on the next day and the left over from it shall be eaten.”
23 Heb “burned with fire,” an expression which is sometimes redundant in English, but here means “burned up,” “burned up entirely” (likewise in v. 19).
24 Or “desecrated,” or “defiled,” or “forbidden.” For this difficult term see J. Milgrom, Leviticus (), 1:. Cf. “it is impure”; “it will become unclean”; “will be contaminated.”
25 Heb “his iniquity he shall bear” (cf. Lev 5:1); “will be held responsible”; “shall incur guilt”; “will suffer the consequences.”
26 The word “ceremonially” has been supplied in the translation both here and in the following sentence to clarify that the uncleanness involved is ritual or ceremonial in nature.
27 The Hebrew has simply “the flesh,” but this certainly refers to “clean” flesh in contrast to the unclean flesh in the first half of the verse.
28 Heb “and his unclean condition is on him.”
29 The exact meaning of this penalty clause is not certain. It could mean that he will be executed, whether by God or by man, he will be excommunicated from sanctuary worship and/or community benefits (cf. , ), or his line will be terminated by God (i.e., extirpation), etc. See J. E. Hartley, Leviticus (), ; J. Milgrom, Leviticus (), 1:; and B. A. Levine, Leviticus (), for further discussion.
30 For these categories of unclean animals see Lev 11.
31 For the interpretation of this last clause see the note on .
32 See the note on [6:1 ] above.
33 Heb “carcass,” referring to the carcass of an animal that has died on its own, not the carcass of an animal slaughtered for sacrifice or killed by wild beasts. This has been clarified in the translation by supplying the phrase “of natural causes”; cf. , “that has died a natural death.”
34 Heb “shall be used for any work”; cf. , “may be used for any other purpose.”
35 See the note on .
36 Heb “and any blood you must not eat in any of your dwelling places, to the bird and to the animal.”
37 See the note on .
38 See the note on [6:1 ].
39 Heb “on the breast.”
40 Many Hebrew and some versions (esp. the ) limit the offerings in the last part of this verse to the fat portions, specifically, the fat and the fat lobe of the liver (see the footnote). The verse is somewhat awkward in Hebrew but nevertheless correct. Heb “the breast to wave it, a wave offering before the Lord.” Other possible translations are “to elevate the breast [as] an elevation offering before the Lord” (cf. ) or “to present the breast [as] a presentation offering before the Lord.” See J. E. Hartley, Leviticus (), , J. Milgrom, Leviticus (), 1:, , and R. E. Averbeck, 3:.
41 Older English versions (e.g., , ) translate this Hebrew term (תְּרוּמָה, térumah) “heave offering,” derived from the idea of “to raise, to lift” found in the verbal root (cf. “a raised offering”). “Contribution offering” is a better English rendering because it refers to something “taken out from” (i.e., “lifted up from”; cf. the Hebrew term הֵרִים (herim) in, e.g., Lev 2:9; 4:8, etc.) the offering as a special contribution to the specific priest who presided over the offering procedures in any particular instance (see the next verse and R. E. Averbeck, 4:). Cf. “as a special contribution”; , “as a gift.”
42 Or “a perpetual regulation”; cf. “as their due forever”; “as a perpetual due”; “their regular share.”
43 Heb “the day he”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
44 Heb “in the day of he presented them to serve as priests to the Lord.” The grammar here is relatively unusual. First, the verb “presented” appears to be in the perfect rather than the infinitive (but see ), the latter being normal in such temporal expressions. Second, the active verb form appears to be used as a passive plural (“they were presented”). However, if it is translated active and singular then Moses would be the subject: “on the day he [Moses] offered them [Aaron and his sons].”