A modern English translation drawn directly from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Translated word-for-word where possible, by a committee with scholarly oversight.
Uses the same source texts as the ESV, NASB, and most academic Bibles, including the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia and the Nestle-Aland critical edition.
Leviticus 1
Leviticus 1 is the opening chapter of the third book of the Bible. The 17-verse chapter contains the first set of instructions for sacrifice given at Mount Sinai, specifically for the burnt offering.
The chapter is structured as direct speech from God to Moses at the tabernacle. There is no narrative; the chapter is entirely instruction. God explains how a person who wishes to bring a burnt offering should proceed, with the procedure varying by the kind of animal offered.
Three options are described, in order of cost. If the offering is from the herd, it must be an unblemished male; the offerer lays a hand on its head, slaughters it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, and the priests handle the blood and the burning on the altar. If the offering is from the flock, sheep or goat, the procedure is similar. If the offering is a bird, a turtledove or a young pigeon, the priest performs the slaughter himself.
In every case, the entire animal is burned on the altar. The chapter describes the result with a repeated phrase: the offering is "a pleasing aroma to the LORD." The instructions continue in chapter 2.
Verse 1. Then the LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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