Leviticus, Chapter 6

Leviticus Chapter 6

Verses 1-23: Duties of Guilt and Burnt Offerings

1. “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
2. ‘If a soul sins and commits a trespass against the Lord by lying to his neighbor about a deposit or a security, or through robbery, or if he has extorted from his neighbor,
3. or has found that which was lost and lies concerning it, and swears falsely—in any of all the things that a man may do and sin therein—
4. then it shall be, because he has sinned and is guilty, that he shall restore what he has stolen, or the thing which he has extorted, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found,
5. or all that about which he has sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertains, in the day of his trespass offering.
6. And he shall bring his trespass offering to the Lord, a ram without blemish out of the flock, with your estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest:
7. And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord: and it shall be forgiven him for anything of all that he has done in trespassing therein.’
8. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
9. ‘Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering: It is the burnt offering, because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it.
10. And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire has consumed with the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.
11. And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place.
12. And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.
13. The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.’
14. And this is the law of the meal offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the Lord, before the altar.
15. And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the meal offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is upon the meal offering, and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour, even the memorial of it, unto the Lord.
16. And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it.
17. It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as is the sin offering, and as the trespass offering.
18. All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations concerning the offerings of the Lord made by fire: every one that touches them shall be holy.’
19. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
20. ‘This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto the Lord in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at night.
21. In a pan it shall be made with oil; and when it is baken, thou shalt bring it in: and the baken pieces of the meal offering shalt thou offer for a sweet savour unto the Lord.
22. The priest of his sons that is anointed in his stead shall offer it: it is a statute for ever unto the Lord; it shall be wholly burnt.
23. For every meal offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.’

Interpretation: This segment provides detailed instructions for conducting guilt and burnt offerings, essential for atonement and maintaining sanctity in the relationship between the Israelites and God. These rituals underscore the importance of restitution, purity, and the continuous worship of God through offerings. The process involves not only the act of offering but also specific rituals around handling the offerings, emphasizing cleanliness, holiness, and the dedication of the priests. The laws around the meal offering highlight the communal aspect of worship, where parts of the offerings are consumed by the priests, symbolizing their role as intermediaries between the people and God. This passage reinforces the idea that adherence to these rituals is crucial for maintaining the holiness of the community and its covenant with God.