Leviticus 22: The holy food and offerings without defect
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
Yahweh tells Moses that a priest who is unclean must not eat the holy food until he is clean, and that no one outside a priest's household may eat it. Then he says that animals offered to him must have no defect, and he gives rules about the age of an animal and about thanksgiving sacrifices. The chapter ends with a call to keep his commandments and not make his holy name unholy.
Who is speaking?
Yahweh speaks to Moses, and his words are in 30 of the 33 verses. Verses 1, 17 and 26 open his three speeches. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
In plain English: Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
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2“Tell Aaron and his sons to separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, which they make holy to me, and that they not profane my holy name. I am Yahweh.God speaks
In plain English: "Tell Aaron and his sons to keep themselves apart from (or: to treat with care) the holy things that the Israelites set apart for me, so that they do not make my holy name unholy. I am Yahweh.
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3“Tell them, ‘If anyone of all your offspring throughout your generations approaches the holy things which the children of Israel make holy to Yahweh, having his uncleanness on him, that soul shall be cut off from before me. I am Yahweh.God speaks
In plain English: "Tell them, 'If any of your descendants, in any generation, comes near the holy things that the Israelites set apart for Yahweh while he is unclean, that person is to be cut off from my presence. I am Yahweh.
The Hebrew word: "Cut off" is karath. The dictionary gives it as "to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume".
How it is translated: In Leviticus this Bible says "cut" in 19 of the 20 verses that use the word.
Good to know: The text does not say how a person is cut off. Readers take it in different ways: put to death, sent out of the community, or cut off by God himself. In God says, "I will destroy that person."
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4“‘Whoever of the offspring of Aaron is a leper or has a discharge shall not eat of the holy things until he is clean. Whoever touches anything that is unclean by the dead, or a man who has a seminal emission,God speaks
In plain English: "'No descendant of Aaron who has a skin disease (older Bibles: leprosy) or a discharge may eat the holy things until he is clean. The same goes for anyone who touches something made unclean by a dead body, or a man who has an emission of semen,
The Hebrew word: "A leper" is a word from the same root as tsara'at, the skin disease of . Older Bibles say "leprosy". It is not certain that it is the disease called leprosy today.
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5or whoever touches any creeping thing by which he may be made unclean, or a man from whom he may become unclean, whatever uncleanness he has—God speaks
In plain English: or anyone who touches a creeping thing that makes him unclean, or a person who makes him unclean, whatever that uncleanness is.
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6the person that touches any such shall be unclean until the evening, and shall not eat of the holy things unless he bathes his body in water.God speaks
In plain English: The person who touches any of these is unclean until evening, and he must not eat the holy things unless he has washed his body in water.
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7When the sun is down, he shall be clean; and afterward he shall eat of the holy things, because it is his bread.God speaks
In plain English: When the sun has set he is clean, and after that he may eat the holy things, because they are his food (literally: his bread).
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8He shall not eat that which dies of itself or is torn by animals, defiling himself by it. I am Yahweh.God speaks
In plain English: He must not eat an animal that died by itself or was torn by wild animals, and so make himself unclean by it. I am Yahweh.
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9“‘They shall therefore follow my commandment, lest they bear sin for it and die in it, if they profane it. I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.God speaks
In plain English: "'So they are to keep my charge (or: my duty), so that they do not bear sin for it and die for it by making it unholy. I am Yahweh who makes them holy.
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10“‘No stranger shall eat of the holy thing: a foreigner living with the priests, or a hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.God speaks
In plain English: "'No outsider (literally: stranger) may eat the holy food. A foreigner staying with a priest, or a hired worker, must not eat it.
The Hebrew word: "Stranger" is zar. The dictionary gives it as "to turn aside... hence to be a foreigner, strange". Here it means anyone who is not part of a priest's household, even an Israelite.
Good to know: In Leviticus the word is in 4 verses: ("strange fire") and verses 10, 12 and 13 of this chapter.
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11But if a priest buys a slave, purchased by his money, he shall eat of it; and those who are born in his house shall eat of his bread.God speaks
In plain English: But if a priest buys a slave (literally: a person) with his money, that slave may eat it, and those born in his household may eat his food.
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12If a priest’s daughter is married to an outsider, she shall not eat of the heave offering of the holy things.God speaks
In plain English: If a priest's daughter marries an outsider, she must not eat from the heave offering (or: the contribution) of the holy things.
The Hebrew word: "Heave offering" is terumah. The dictionary gives it as "a present (as offered up), especially in sacrifice". It is related to rum, the verb "to lift up", which is the word for "offer" in .
How it is translated: In Leviticus this Bible says "heave" in 3 of the 6 verses that use the word. Other Bibles say "contribution" or "gift".
What changes: Read as "contribution", it is a share lifted off and set aside for the priests, not an offering that is heaved or waved in the air.
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13But if a priest’s daughter is a widow, or divorced, and has no child, and has returned to her father’s house as in her youth, she may eat of her father’s bread; but no stranger shall eat any of it.God speaks
In plain English: But if a priest's daughter is widowed or divorced, has no children, and comes back to her father's house as when she was young, she may eat her father's food. No outsider may eat any of it.
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14“‘If a man eats something holy unwittingly, then he shall add the fifth part of its value to it, and shall give the holy thing to the priest.God speaks
In plain English: "'If someone eats holy food by mistake, he is to pay it back to the priest with a fifth of its value added.
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15The priests shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer to Yahweh,God speaks
In plain English: The priests must not make unholy the holy things that the Israelites offer (literally: lift up) to Yahweh,
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16and so cause them to bear the iniquity that brings guilt when they eat their holy things; for I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.’”God speaks
In plain English: and so make them bear the wrongdoing that brings guilt when they eat their holy things, for I am Yahweh who makes them holy.'"
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17Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
In plain English: Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
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18“Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘Whoever is of the house of Israel, or of the foreigners in Israel, who offers his offering, whether it is any of their vows or any of their free will offerings, which they offer to Yahweh for a burnt offering:God speaks
In plain English: "Speak to Aaron, his sons, and all the Israelites, and tell them, 'Any person of the house of Israel, or any foreigner living in Israel, who brings an offering to Yahweh as a burnt offering, whether for a vow or as a freewill offering,
The Hebrew word: "Burnt offering" is olah, which means "what goes up". The dictionary gives it as "a step... usually a holocaust (as going up in smoke)".
How it is translated: This Bible says "burnt" in 257 of the 262 verses that use the word. gives the rules for it.
What changes: Read as "what goes up", the name tells that the offering goes up to God in smoke, not only that it is burned.
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19that you may be accepted, you shall offer a male without defect, of the bulls, of the sheep, or of the goats.God speaks
In plain English: must offer a male without defect, from the cattle, the sheep, or the goats, so that you are accepted.
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20But you shall not offer whatever has a defect, for it shall not be acceptable for you.God speaks
In plain English: You must not offer anything that has a defect, because it will not be accepted for you.
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21Whoever offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh to accomplish a vow, or for a free will offering of the herd or of the flock, it shall be perfect to be accepted. It shall have no defect.God speaks
In plain English: When someone offers Yahweh a sacrifice of peace offerings (or: fellowship offerings) to fulfill a vow, or as a freewill offering from the herd or the flock, it must be perfect (or: whole) to be accepted. It must have no defect.
The Hebrew word: "Peace offerings" is shelamim. The dictionary gives it as "a (voluntary) sacrifice in thanks".
How it is translated: This Bible says "peace" in all 84 verses that use the word. Other Bibles say "fellowship offering" or "sacrifice of well-being".
What changes: Read as "fellowship offering", the name points to the meal eaten from it (), rather than to peace. gives the rules for it.
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22You shall not offer what is blind, is injured, is maimed, has a wart, is festering, or has a running sore to Yahweh, nor make an offering by fire of them on the altar to Yahweh.God speaks
In plain English: You must not offer to Yahweh an animal that is blind, injured (literally: broken), maimed, or has a wart, an itching sore, or scabs. You must not put any of them on the altar as an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
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23Either a bull or a lamb that has any deformity or lacking in his parts, that you may offer for a free will offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.God speaks
In plain English: You may offer a bull or a lamb that has a limb too long or too short as a freewill offering, but it will not be accepted for a vow.
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24You must not offer to Yahweh that which has its testicles bruised, crushed, broken, or cut. You must not do this in your land.God speaks
In plain English: You must not offer to Yahweh an animal whose testicles are bruised, crushed, torn, or cut. You must not do this in your land.
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25You must not offer any of these as the bread of your God from the hand of a foreigner, because their corruption is in them. There is a defect in them. They shall not be accepted for you.’”God speaks
In plain English: You must not accept any of these from a foreigner and offer them as the bread of your God, because they are damaged and have a defect. They will not be accepted for you.'"
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26Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
In plain English: Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
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27“When a bull, a sheep, or a goat is born, it shall remain seven days with its mother. From the eighth day on it shall be accepted for the offering of an offering made by fire to Yahweh.God speaks
In plain English: "When a calf, a lamb, or a young goat is born, it is to stay with its mother for seven days. From the eighth day on it will be accepted as an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
Good to know: gives a similar rule for the firstborn of the cattle and sheep: it stays with its mother seven days, and on the eighth day it is given to Yahweh.
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28Whether it is a cow or ewe, you shall not kill it and its young both in one day.God speaks
In plain English: Whether it is a cow or a ewe, you must not kill it and its young on the same day.
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29“When you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to Yahweh, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted.God speaks
In plain English: "When you offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to Yahweh, offer it so that you are accepted.
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30It shall be eaten on the same day; you shall leave none of it until the morning. I am Yahweh.God speaks
In plain English: It must be eaten on the same day. Leave none of it until morning. I am Yahweh.
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31“Therefore you shall keep my commandments, and do them. I am Yahweh.God speaks
In plain English: "So keep my commandments and do them. I am Yahweh.
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32You shall not profane my holy name, but I will be made holy among the children of Israel. I am Yahweh who makes you holy,God speaks
In plain English: Do not make my holy name unholy. I will be treated as holy among the Israelites. I am Yahweh who makes you holy,
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33who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God. I am Yahweh.”God speaks
In plain English: who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God. I am Yahweh."
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