January 27, 2025
What are the different types of sacrifices or offerings in the Bible?
Leviticus 1-5
Alli Clements
Big Book Idea
The way to a holy God and the way to walk with a holy God.
Key Verse | Leviticus 1:1-2
The LORD called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, "Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When any one of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of livestock from the herd or from the flock."
Leviticus 1-5
Laws for Burnt Offerings
1 The LORD called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When any one of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of livestock from the herd or from the flock.
3 If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish. He shall bring it to the entrance 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 Then he shall kill the bull before the LORD, and Aaron's sons the priests shall bring the blood and throw the blood against the sides of the altar that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 6 Then he shall flay the burnt offering and cut it into pieces, 7 and the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. 8 And Aaron's sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, the head, and the fat, on the wood that is on the fire on the altar; 9 but its entrails and its legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall burn all of it on the altar, as a burnt offering, a food offering 1 1:9 Or an offering by fire; so throughout Leviticus with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
10 If his gift for a burnt offering is from the flock, from the sheep or goats, he shall bring a male without blemish, 11 and he shall kill it on the north side of the altar before the LORD, and Aaron's sons the priests shall throw its blood against the sides of the altar. 12 And he shall cut it into pieces, with its head and its fat, and the priest shall arrange them on the wood that is on the fire on the altar, 13 but the entrails and the legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall offer all of it and burn it on the altar; it is a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
14 If his offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves or pigeons. 15 And the priest shall bring it to the altar and wring off its head and burn it on the altar. Its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar. 16 He shall remove its crop with its contents 2 1:16 Or feathers and cast it beside the altar on the east side, in the place for ashes. 17 He shall tear it open by its wings, but shall not sever it completely. And the priest shall burn it on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire. It is a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
Laws for Grain Offerings
1 When anyone brings a grain offering as an offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour. He shall pour oil on it and put frankincense on it 2 and bring it to Aaron's sons the priests. And he shall take from it a handful of the fine flour and oil, with all of its frankincense, and the priest shall burn this as its memorial portion on the altar, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD. 3 But the rest of the grain offering shall be for Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the LORD's food offerings.
4 When you bring a grain offering baked in the oven as an offering, it shall be unleavened loaves of fine flour mixed with oil or unleavened wafers smeared with oil. 5 And if your offering is a grain offering baked on a griddle, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mixed with oil. 6 You shall break it in pieces and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. 7 And if your offering is a grain offering cooked in a pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil. 8 And you shall bring the grain offering that is made of these things to the LORD, and when it is presented to the priest, he shall bring it to the altar. 9 And the priest shall take from the grain offering its memorial portion and burn this on the altar, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD. 10 But the rest of the grain offering shall be for Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the LORD's food offerings.
11 No grain offering that you bring to the LORD shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey as a food offering to the LORD. 12 As an offering of firstfruits you may bring them to the LORD, but they shall not be offered on the altar for a pleasing aroma. 13 You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt.
14 If you offer a grain offering of firstfruits to the LORD, you shall offer for the grain offering of your firstfruits fresh ears, roasted with fire, crushed new grain. 15 And you shall put oil on it and lay frankincense on it; it is a grain offering. 16 And the priest shall burn as its memorial portion some of the crushed grain and some of the oil with all of its frankincense; it is a food offering to the LORD.
Laws for Peace Offerings
1 If his offering is a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offers an animal from the herd, male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD. 2 And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and kill it at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and Aaron's sons the priests shall throw the blood against the sides of the altar. 3 And from the sacrifice of the peace offering, as a food offering to the LORD, he shall offer the fat covering the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, 4 and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the long lobe of the liver that he shall remove with the kidneys. 5 Then Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offering, which is on the wood on the fire; it is a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
6 If his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering to the LORD is an animal from the flock, male or female, he shall offer it without blemish. 7 If he offers a lamb for his offering, then he shall offer it before the LORD, 8 lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it in front of the tent of meeting; and Aaron's sons shall throw its blood against the sides of the altar. 9 Then from the sacrifice of the peace offering he shall offer as a food offering to the LORD its fat; he shall remove the whole fat tail, cut off close to the backbone, and the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails 10 and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins and the long lobe of the liver that he shall remove with the kidneys. 11 And the priest shall burn it on the altar as a food offering to the LORD.
12 If his offering is a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD 13 and lay his hand on its head and kill it in front of the tent of meeting, and the sons of Aaron shall throw its blood against the sides of the altar. 14 Then he shall offer from it, as his offering for a food offering to the LORD, the fat covering the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails 15 and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins and the long lobe of the liver that he shall remove with the kidneys. 16 And the priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering with a pleasing aroma. All fat is the LORD's. 17 It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, in all your dwelling places, that you eat neither fat nor blood.”
Laws for Sin Offerings
1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If anyone sins unintentionally 3 4:2 Or by mistake; so throughout Leviticus in any of the LORD's commandments about things not to be done, and does any one of them, 3 if it is the anointed priest who sins, thus bringing guilt on the people, then he shall offer for the sin that he has committed a bull from the herd without blemish to the LORD for a sin offering. 4 He shall bring the bull to the entrance of the tent of meeting before the LORD and lay his hand on the head of the bull and kill the bull before the LORD. 5 And the anointed priest shall take some of the blood of the bull and bring it into the tent of meeting, 6 and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle part of the blood seven times before the LORD in front of the veil of the sanctuary. 7 And the priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense before the LORD that is in the tent of meeting, and all the rest of the blood of the bull he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 8 And all the fat of the bull of the sin offering he shall remove from it, the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails 9 and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins and the long lobe of the liver that he shall remove with the kidneys 10 (just as these are taken from the ox of the sacrifice of the peace offerings); and the priest shall burn them on the altar of burnt offering. 11 But the skin of the bull and all its flesh, with its head, its legs, its entrails, and its dung— 12 all the rest of the bull—he shall carry outside the camp to a clean place, to the ash heap, and shall burn it up on a fire of wood. On the ash heap it shall be burned up.
13 If the whole congregation of Israel sins unintentionally 4 4:13 Or makes a mistake and the thing is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and they do any one of the things that by the LORD's commandments ought not to be done, and they realize their guilt, 5 4:13 Or suffer for their guilt, or are guilty; also verses 22, 27, and chapter 5 14 when the sin which they have committed becomes known, the assembly shall offer a bull from the herd for a sin offering and bring it in front of the tent of meeting. 15 And the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the LORD, and the bull shall be killed before the LORD. 16 Then the anointed priest shall bring some of the blood of the bull into the tent of meeting, 17 and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD in front of the veil. 18 And he shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar that is in the tent of meeting before the LORD, and the rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt offering that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 19 And all its fat he shall take from it and burn on the altar. 20 Thus shall he do with the bull. As he did with the bull of the sin offering, so shall he do with this. And the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven. 21 And he shall carry the bull outside the camp and burn it up as he burned the first bull; it is the sin offering for the assembly.
22 When a leader sins, doing unintentionally any one of all the things that by the commandments of the LORD his God ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt, 23 or the sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring as his offering a goat, a male without blemish, 24 and shall lay his hand on the head of the goat and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt offering before the LORD; it is a sin offering. 25 Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering. 26 And all its fat he shall burn on the altar, like the fat of the sacrifice of peace offerings. So the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin, and he shall be forgiven.
27 If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally in doing any one of the things that by the LORD's commandments ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt, 28 or the sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed. 29 And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and kill the sin offering in the place of burnt offering. 30 And the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out all the rest of its blood at the base of the altar. 31 And all its fat he shall remove, as the fat is removed from the peace offerings, and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a pleasing aroma to the LORD. And the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.
32 If he brings a lamb as his offering for a sin offering, he shall bring a female without blemish 33 and lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and kill it for a sin offering in the place where they kill the burnt offering. 34 Then the priest shall take some of the blood of the sin offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out all the rest of its blood at the base of the altar. 35 And all its fat he shall remove as the fat of the lamb is removed from the sacrifice of peace offerings, and the priest shall burn it on the altar, on top of the LORD's food offerings. And the priest shall make atonement for him for the sin which he has committed, and he shall be forgiven.
1 If anyone sins in that he hears a public adjuration to testify, and though he is a witness, whether he has seen or come to know the matter, yet does not speak, he shall bear his iniquity; 2 or if anyone touches an unclean thing, whether a carcass of an unclean wild animal or a carcass of unclean livestock or a carcass of unclean swarming things, and it is hidden from him and he has become unclean, and he realizes his guilt; 3 or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort the uncleanness may be with which one becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and realizes his guilt; 4 or if anyone utters with his lips a rash oath to do evil or to do good, any sort of rash oath that people swear, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and he realizes his guilt in any of these; 5 when he realizes his guilt in any of these and confesses the sin he has committed, 6 he shall bring to the LORD as his compensation 6 5:6 Hebrew his guilt penalty; so throughout Leviticus for the sin that he has committed, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering. And the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin.
7 But if he cannot afford a lamb, then he shall bring to the LORD as his compensation for the sin that he has committed two turtledoves or two pigeons, 7 5:7 Septuagint two young pigeons; also verse 11 one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. 8 He shall bring them to the priest, who shall offer first the one for the sin offering. He shall wring its head from its neck but shall not sever it completely, 9 and he shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar; it is a sin offering. 10 Then he shall offer the second for a burnt offering according to the rule. And the priest shall make atonement for him for the sin that he has committed, and he shall be forgiven.
11 But if he cannot afford two turtledoves or two pigeons, then he shall bring as his offering for the sin that he has committed a tenth of an ephah 8 5:11 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters of fine flour for a sin offering. He shall put no oil on it and shall put no frankincense on it, for it is a sin offering. 12 And he shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take a handful of it as its memorial portion and burn this on the altar, on the LORD's food offerings; it is a sin offering. 13 Thus the priest shall make atonement for him for the sin which he has committed in any one of these things, and he shall be forgiven. And the remainder 9 5:13 Septuagint; Hebrew it shall be for the priest, as in the grain offering.”
Laws for Guilt Offerings
14 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 15 “If anyone commits a breach of faith and sins unintentionally in any of the holy things of the LORD, he shall bring to the LORD as his compensation, a ram without blemish out of the flock, valued 10 5:15 Or flock, or its equivalent in silver shekels, 11 5:15 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams according to the shekel of the sanctuary, for a guilt offering. 16 He shall also make restitution for what he has done amiss in the holy thing and shall add a fifth to it and give it to the priest. And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the guilt offering, and he shall be forgiven.
17 If anyone sins, doing any of the things that by the LORD's commandments ought not to be done, though he did not know it, then realizes his guilt, he shall bear his iniquity. 18 He shall bring to the priest a ram without blemish out of the flock, or its equivalent, for a guilt offering, and the priest shall make atonement for him for the mistake that he made unintentionally, and he shall be forgiven. 19 It is a guilt offering; he has indeed incurred guilt before 12 5:19 Or he has paid full compensation to the LORD.”
Footnotes
[1] 1:9 Or an offering by fire; so throughout Leviticus[2] 1:16 Or feathers
[3] 4:2 Or by mistake; so throughout Leviticus
[4] 4:13 Or makes a mistake
[5] 4:13 Or suffer for their guilt, or are guilty; also verses 22, 27, and chapter 5
[6] 5:6 Hebrew his guilt penalty; so throughout Leviticus
[7] 5:7 Septuagint two young pigeons; also verse 11
[8] 5:11 An ephah was about 3/5 bushel or 22 liters
[9] 5:13 Septuagint; Hebrew it
[10] 5:15 Or flock, or its equivalent
[11] 5:15 A shekel was about 2/5 ounce or 11 grams
[12] 5:19 Or he has paid full compensation to
Table of Contents
Introduction to Leviticus
Timeline
Author
As with the other books of the Pentateuch, it is best to see Moses as the source and primary author of Leviticus. In Leviticus, Moses continues the story of Exodus.
Theme and Purpose
The book of Leviticus goes into deeper detail about the divine-human relationship put in place on Mount Sinai (Exodus 19–40). Leviticus assumes that Israel is sinful and impure, and it describes how to deal with sin and impurity so that the holy Lord can dwell among his people.
Problems in Understanding Leviticus
Readers may find Leviticus difficult to understand because they lack firsthand experience of the practices it describes.
Ritual vs. ethical commands. Chapters 1–16 describe various “ritual” regulations, while chs. 17–27 focus on ethical commands. Because the rituals of chs. 1–16 are unfamiliar, they are often seen as being disconnected from the ethical emphasis of the later chapters. It is more accurate, however, to see the entire book as being concerned with Israel’s being holy to the Lord.
Unclean, clean, holy. Leviticus often uses these terms differently than today. Modern readers might think of “clean” vs. “unclean” as being the same as healthy vs. unhealthy. In Leviticus, however, these words do not refer to hygiene. Rather, they describe the types of actions a person may or may not engage in, or the places he may or may not go. For example, those who are unclean may not partake of a peace offering (7:20). A modern analogy might be registering to vote: a person who is “registered” may vote, whereas a person who is not registered may not vote. The ritually “clean” person is not necessarily more righteous than one who is ritually unclean, just as a person who is registered to vote is not necessarily more righteous than a person who is not.
Even though ritual states and moral states are different, however, the ritual states in Leviticus also seem to symbolize grades of moral purity. By constantly calling the Israelites to ritual purity, the Lord was reminding them of their need for also seeking moral purity (20:24–26).
NT relevance of commands in Leviticus. What does Leviticus have to do with the church today? The sacrificial system of Leviticus has ceased for the people of God; it has been fulfilled in the coming of Christ (see Heb. 9:1–14, 24–28; 10:1–14). However, studying these laws is important because the sacrifices point to different aspects of the meaning of Christ’s sacrifice of himself.
Second, the Holiness Code (chs. 17–27) deals with sanctification, that is, how one lives in the covenant community. The NT applies to Christians the same principle stated in Leviticus 11:44, “be holy, for I am holy” (see 1 Pet. 1:16). On the other hand, several details of the Holiness Code concern more symbolic aspects of holiness that are no longer followed in the Christian era (such as laws prohibiting garments with two kinds of cloth, Lev. 19:19, or prohibiting the shaving of the edges of a beard, 21:5). Further, the NT envisions a people of God transcending national boundaries. Therefore, current civil governments need not follow the OT civil laws (such as capital punishment for adultery; 20:10), although of course all governments must pursue justice, and Leviticus may certainly help in this regard.
Key Themes
- The holy Lord is present among his people (Ex. 40:34; Lev. 1:1). They must therefore admit their sin and impurity and strive for personal holiness.
- In order to approach God, worshipers must be wholehearted in their devotion (1:1–6:7; 22:17–30).
- Those called to be spiritual leaders, such as priests, bear a heavier responsibility than the laypeople (chs. 4; 21). In addition to the outward holiness that the priests receive when they are ordained, they must maintain inward holiness (chs. 8; 9; 10; 21).
- As is seen in the Day of Atonement ritual (ch. 16), the total cleansing of sins and uncleanness happens only when the innermost part of the tabernacle is purified. Humans, by themselves, can never achieve complete purification from sin.
- Atonement is a gracious act of the Lord (17:11).
Outline
- Five Major Offerings (1:1–6:7)
- Handling of the Offerings (6:8–7:38)
- The Establishment of the Priesthood (8:1–10:20)
- The Laws on Cleanness and Uncleanness (11:1–15:33)
- The Day of Atonement Ritual (16:1–34)
- The Handling and Meaning of Blood (17:1–16)
- The Call to Holiness (18:1–22:33)
- Holy Times (23:1–25:55)
- Blessings and Curses (26:1–46)
- Vows and Dedication (27:1–34)
The Setting of Leviticus
c. 1446 B.C.
The book of Exodus finishes with Moses and Israel having constructed and assembled the tabernacle at the base of Mount Sinai. The book of Leviticus primarily records the instructions the Lord gives to Moses from the tent of meeting, but also includes narratives of a few events related to the tabernacle. (Regarding the date of the exodus, see Introduction to Exodus, and note on 1 Kings 6:1.)
Fact: Burnt offerings
Burnt offerings were the most costly type of sacrifice. Unlike other offerings, none of the remains could be used for other purposes.
Fact: Grain offerings
Grain offerings. Grain was highly valued by nomads such as the Israelites, since it could not be grown in the desert. Grain offerings were thus an act of worship and thanksgiving.
Fact: Peace offerings
Peace offerings were also called fellowship offerings. They expressed peace and fellowship between the person making the offering and the Lord.
Fact: Sin offerings
Sin offerings atoned for unintentional sins (4:1–35) and for sins of omission (5:1–13). The sacrificial animal was burned “outside the camp” (4:12), rather than at the base of the altar. This foreshadowed the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, who was crucified “outside the camp” (Heb. 13:13).
The Setting of Leviticus
c. 1446 B.C.
The book of Exodus finishes with Moses and Israel having constructed and assembled the tabernacle at the base of Mount Sinai. The book of Leviticus primarily records the instructions the Lord gives to Moses from the tent of meeting, but also includes narratives of a few events related to the tabernacle. (Regarding the date of the exodus, see Introduction to Exodus, and note on 1 Kings 6:1.)
Holy Feasts
The Sabbath principle is seen in each of these feasts, which are intended to express the divine-human relationship. Each feast requires (1) cessation from ordinary work and (2) dedication to the Lord by means of offerings.
| Feast | Reference | General time of year | Specific time of year | Modern equivalent | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sabbath | 23:3 | Weekly | 7th day | Saturday | Creation |
| Passover* | 23:4–8 | Spring | 14th of first month (Abib) | March/April (Easter) | Salvation |
| Firstfruits | 23:9–14 | Spring | 16th of first month (Abib) | March/April (Easter) | Dedication |
| Weeks | 23:15–21 | Spring | 1st of third month (Sivan) | Pentecost | Dedication |
| Trumpets | 23:23–25 | Fall | 1st of seventh month (Tishri) | September | Solemn assembly; spiritual preparation |
| Day of Atonement | 23:26–32 | Fall | 10th of seventh month (Tishri) | September/October | Redemption |
| Booths | 23:33–36 | Fall | 15th–22nd of seventh month (Tishri) | September/October | Joyful remembrance of the Lord’s historic guidance |
*The Feast of Unleavened Bread directly follows Passover, 15th–21st days of the month.
Lev. 1:3–4 The bull offered in sacrifice must be without blemish. It should have no physical defects (22:22–24) that would lessen its value and make it unworthy for presenting to the Lord (compare Mal. 1:8). lay his hand. This action probably establishes some relationship between the offerers and animal so that the animal is accepted on their behalf. shall be accepted . . . to make atonement for him. “Make atonement” seems to involve both expiation (the removal of sin) and propitiation (the appeasement of wrath). The offerings that “make atonement” are the burnt offering, the sin offering (Lev. 4:26), and the guilt offering (5:16).
Lev. 1:5–9 Atonement is achieved through both the sacrifice and the priests who represent the Lord. Food offering is not a specific name of an offering but a more general term for what is “consumed” by the Lord in the fire. In other offerings, it is often coupled with a pleasing aroma (v. 9; compare Gen. 8:21), implying the Lord’s acceptance (Lev. 1:3–4).
Lev. 1:1–17 The burnt offering (see also 6:8–13) is the most costly offering, since it is completely burned up (except for the skin, which the priest kept). The motive for the burnt offering is not specified here, but other references to the sacrifices show that it is offered for thanksgiving, penitence, vows, and self-dedication.
Lev. 1:14–17 Despite its small size, the burnt offering of a bird is acceptable to God. He considers it a pleasing aroma.
Lev. 2:1–3 The priest was to burn a handful of the offering as a memorial portion to the Lord (v. 2). The Israelites were asking the Lord to “remember” them with favor as they made their request or offered their praise.
Lev. 2:11–13 The worshipers are prohibited from burning leaven or honey on the altar, though the text does not explain why. They could, however, season their offerings with salt, which is described as the salt of the covenant. As a preservative, salt would remind them of the permanence of their covenant relationship with the Lord (see Num. 18:19).
Lev. 2:1–16 The grain offering (see also 6:14–23) would ordinarily be offered with a burnt or peace offering. It probably served the same purpose as the offering it accompanied.
Holy Feasts
The Sabbath principle is seen in each of these feasts, which are intended to express the divine-human relationship. Each feast requires (1) cessation from ordinary work and (2) dedication to the Lord by means of offerings.
| Feast | Reference | General time of year | Specific time of year | Modern equivalent | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sabbath | 23:3 | Weekly | 7th day | Saturday | Creation |
| Passover* | 23:4–8 | Spring | 14th of first month (Abib) | March/April (Easter) | Salvation |
| Firstfruits | 23:9–14 | Spring | 16th of first month (Abib) | March/April (Easter) | Dedication |
| Weeks | 23:15–21 | Spring | 1st of third month (Sivan) | Pentecost | Dedication |
| Trumpets | 23:23–25 | Fall | 1st of seventh month (Tishri) | September | Solemn assembly; spiritual preparation |
| Day of Atonement | 23:26–32 | Fall | 10th of seventh month (Tishri) | September/October | Redemption |
| Booths | 23:33–36 | Fall | 15th–22nd of seventh month (Tishri) | September/October | Joyful remembrance of the Lord’s historic guidance |
*The Feast of Unleavened Bread directly follows Passover, 15th–21st days of the month.
Lev. 3:1–5 For the burnt offering, the entire animal was to be burned up; for the peace offering, only the fatty parts are to be burned. The fat in ancient Israel represented the very best part of the animal (compare the “fat of the wheat,” Num. 18:12).
Lev. 3:1–17 The peace offering (see also 7:11–36) expresses peace between an offerer and the Lord. As with the burnt offering, there are various motives for a peace offering, from petition to praise.
Lev. 3:6–17 Almost the same instructions are given here for the offering of a sheep or a goat.
Lev. 3:16–17 The fat, being the very best part of the animal, was to be given to the Lord. The blood was reserved for atoning for the life of the Israelites, therefore it too must not be consumed (see notes on 17:11; 17:12).
Fact: Peace offerings
Peace offerings were also called fellowship offerings. They expressed peace and fellowship between the person making the offering and the Lord.
Lev. 4:3 The anointed priest probably refers to the high priest.
Lev. 4:13 If the whole congregation . . . sins unintentionally. For a possible biblical example of unintentional sin, see Josh. 9:15, where Israel made a wrongful covenant with the Gibeonites, not realizing that they were being deceived. realize their guilt. See ESV footnote; compare Lev. 4:22, 27; 5:2, 3, 4, 5.
Lev. 4:1–21 These verses show how to deal with the sins of the priest and the whole congregation. Blood is sprinkled in front of the veil that separates the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, indicating that their sins have defiled the Most Holy Place. But since this is a regular occasion, and not the Day of Atonement (ch. 16), the blood cannot be brought into the Most Holy Place. The priest and congregation as a corporate entity bear heavier responsibility than an individual leader or layperson. Therefore, a more costly animal is required for the sacrifice.
Lev. 4:22–35 The priest atones for the sin of a leader or an individual by what he does with the blood at the altar of the burnt offering (v. 25) and by burning the fat on it (v. 26). The meat is not burned outside the camp, since it will be eaten by the priests (6:24–30).
Lev. 5:1–6 These verses describe four cases in which sinners either deliberately (v. 1) or unknowingly (vv. 2–4) fail to do something that is required. In any of these cases, once they realize their guilt, they are to confess their sin (v. 5) and bring a sin offering.
Lev. 4:1–5:13 The sin offering (see also 6:24–30) is for restoring one’s broken relationship with the Lord, whether that was caused by an unintentional sin (4:1–35) or by a sin of omission (5:1–13).
Lev. 5:7–13 Either a lamb, two turtledoves, or two pigeons could be offered for the sin offering, depending on the sinner’s economic situation. Thus all Israelites could present an acceptable sacrifice.
Fact: Sin offerings
Sin offerings atoned for unintentional sins (4:1–35) and for sins of omission (5:1–13). The sacrificial animal was burned “outside the camp” (4:12), rather than at the base of the altar. This foreshadowed the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, who was crucified “outside the camp” (Heb. 13:13).
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Listen NowDive Deeper | Leviticus 1-5
During college, I spent a summer in Nicaragua surrounded by vivid smells from street markets and outdoor grilling. The smells of the environment were inescapable, and I carried them with me when I returned to the States. Thirteen years later, similar fragrant smells still transport me back to Nicaragua. Our senses, particularly smell, anchor us to memories and narratives that we can contemplate and use to help shape ourselves. So when we read in Leviticus 1-5 that God, too, encountered pleasing aromas, we should consider the story beyond the fragrant smell.
If we're honest, Leviticus 1-5 seems barbaric and anything but pleasing to the modern eye. We read instruction after instruction about sacrifices that involve lots of blood, dead animals, and gruesome imagery. And yet all of it, when done correctly in obedience, becomes a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord. Why? The soothing aroma isn't from the smell itself but from the story it tells.
Moses provides instructions about the sacrifices the Israelites could offer to the Lord to commune with Him as His people. The sacrifices facilitated atonement—removing sin and leading to reconciliation with God. Grain offerings expressed gratitude for God's provision and offered worship. The peace offerings or fellowship offerings facilitated communion between God and His people. Finally, through the sin offerings, God again made a way for atonement and forgiveness of sin. While these detailed accounts of sacrifice and rituals may seem foreign to us, they tell the story of God creating intentional processes and spaces for His people to commune with Him.
Thankfully, we don't have to perform these repetitive rituals today because Jesus' work became the ultimate atoning "fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Ephesians 5:2). Scripture reminds us that God has always had His heart set on dwelling with us. We now live out this divine story as we ourselves spread "the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere" we go as the "the aroma of Christ to God" (2 Corinthians 2:14-15).
This month's memory verse
"The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, 'The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.'"
– Exodus 34:6
Discussion Questions
1. What does the gruesome imagery of sacrifices in Leviticus 1-5 say about the impact of sin on humanity? When was the last time we considered our sin to be this impactful?
2. Leviticus 1-5 takes place at the tent of meeting, and God intends to dwell with His people and forgive them for their sins, such as the worship of the golden calf in Exodus 32. Instead of reading Leviticus as a book of strange and outdated rules, how can we read it differently in light of how God moved toward His people through their offerings and sacrifices?
3. Hebrews 10:1-18 describes how Jesus atoned for sins once and for all through His sacrifice on the cross. Are there any sins we keep trying to atone for that we must relinquish to Jesus?
4. What does it look like for us to be a pleasing aroma to God today? See also Philippians 4:18; Romans 12:1-2; and Ephesians 5:2. As we look at our habits, conversations, concerns, and relationships, what story are we telling with the fragrance of our lives?