Leviticus 1: The burnt offering

In plain English: Yahweh called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying,

Good to know: The Hebrew name of this book is its first word, vayyiqra, "and he called". The name Leviticus comes from the old Greek and Latin Bibles, and points to the priests of the tribe of Levi.

Good to know: Exodus ends with the cloud on the Tent of Meeting and Moses not able to go in (Exodus 40:35). Leviticus begins with Yahweh calling to Moses from that tent.

In plain English: "Speak to the Israelites and tell them, 'When any of you brings an offering to Yahweh, you are to bring your offering from the livestock: from the herd (cattle) or from the flock (sheep and goats).

The Hebrew word: "Offering" is qorban, which the dictionary gives as "something brought near the altar". "Offers" is qarab, to come near or bring near. The verse says literally "when anyone brings near a thing brought near".

How it is translated: This Bible says "offering" in all 36 verses of Leviticus that use qorban. Mark 7:11 keeps the word as "Corban" and explains it as "given to God".

In plain English: If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to offer a male with no defect. He is to bring it to the door of the Tent of Meeting, so that he (or: it) may be accepted before Yahweh.

The Hebrew word: "Burnt offering" is olah, from a word that means to go up. The dictionary gives it as an offering "going up in smoke".

How it is translated: This Bible says "burnt" in all 58 verses of Leviticus that use olah, and in 257 of its 262 verses in the whole Bible.

What changes: Read as "the offering that goes up", the name speaks of the smoke rising to Yahweh, not only of the burning. In this offering the whole animal goes up in smoke on the altar (verse 9).

In plain English: He is to lay (or: press) his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted for him, to make atonement for him.

The Hebrew words: "Lay his hand" is samak, which the dictionary gives as "to prop" or "to lean upon": the hand presses on the animal's head. "Make atonement" is kaphar, which the dictionary gives as "to cover", and also "to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel".

How it is translated: In Leviticus this Bible says "atonement" in 43 of the 44 verses that use kaphar, and in the whole Bible in 75 of its 94. In Genesis 6:14 the same word is used when Noah seals the ship with pitch.

What changes: Read as "cover", the priest covers over the person's wrong. Read as "wipe clean" or "cancel", the wrong is taken away. The text says what is done and that the person is forgiven (4:20), but it does not explain how atonement works.

Church tradition: Many churches read these offerings as pointing ahead to the death of Jesus, as Hebrews 10:10 does. In Jewish practice, since the temple was destroyed, prayer has taken the place of the offerings. Leviticus 1 only describes the offering.

In plain English: He is to kill the bull before Yahweh. Aaron's sons, the priests, are to bring the blood and sprinkle it all around on the altar at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

In plain English: He is to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces.

In plain English: The sons of Aaron the priest are to put fire on the altar and lay wood in order on the fire.

In plain English: Aaron's sons, the priests, are to lay the pieces, the head, and the fat in order on the wood that is on the fire on the altar.

In plain English: But he is to wash its insides and its legs with water. The priest is to burn all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasant aroma (or: a soothing smell) to Yahweh.

The Hebrew words: "A pleasant aroma" is reach nichoach. Reach is a smell, and the dictionary gives nichoach as "properly, restful, i.e. pleasant".

How it is translated: This Bible says "pleasant" in 41 of the 43 verses that use nichoach, and "sweet" in 2. Older Bibles like the King James say "a sweet savour". The words are first used of Noah's offering in Genesis 8:21.

What changes: Read as "a soothing aroma" (or: a restful smell), the words say the offering settles or calms, not only that it smells good.

In plain English: If his offering for a burnt offering is from the flock, from the sheep or the goats, he is to offer a male with no defect.

In plain English: He is to kill it on the north side of the altar before Yahweh. Aaron's sons, the priests, are to sprinkle its blood all around on the altar.

In plain English: He is to cut it into pieces, with its head and its fat. The priest is to lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire on the altar.

In plain English: But he is to wash the insides and the legs with water. The priest is to offer all of it and burn it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.

In plain English: If his offering to Yahweh is a burnt offering of birds, he is to bring turtledoves or young pigeons.

In plain English: The priest is to bring it to the altar, wring off its head, and burn it on the altar. Its blood is to be drained out on the side of the altar.

In plain English: He is to take away its crop (the pouch in its throat) with its feathers, and throw it beside the altar on the east side, in the place for the ashes.

In plain English: He is to tear it open by its wings, but not split it in two. The priest is to burn it on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.