Exodus 29:14 kjv

But the flesh of the bullock, and his skin, and his dung, shalt thou burn with fire without the camp: it is a sin offering.

Exodus 29:14 nkjv

But the flesh of the bull, with its skin and its offal, you shall burn with fire outside the camp. It is a sin offering.

Exodus 29:14 niv

But burn the bull's flesh and its hide and its intestines outside the camp. It is a sin offering.

Exodus 29:14 esv

But the flesh of the bull and its skin and its dung you shall burn with fire outside the camp; it is a sin offering.

Exodus 29:14 nlt

Then take the rest of the bull, including its hide, meat, and dung, and burn it outside the camp as a sin offering.

Exodus 29 verses

Exodus 29 14 Meaning

Exodus 29:14 describes a specific ritual for the bull offered as a sin offering during the ordination of Aaron and his sons. The parts of the bull not brought to the altar – its flesh, skin, and dung – were to be completely burned with fire outside the sacred camp. This act symbolized the utter rejection and judgment of sin, which cannot dwell in the presence of a holy God, and emphasized the need for total purification.

Exodus 29 14 Context

Exodus chapter 29 outlines the detailed ritual for the consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priesthood and the dedication of the tabernacle, which establishes their holiness and right to minister before the Lord. This particular verse concerns the initial purification offering—a bull designated as a sin offering (חַטָּאת, ḥaṭṭāt). It precedes other sacrifices for atonement and consecration, highlighting that priestly ministry can only begin after sin has been dealt with comprehensively. The directive to burn parts of the sacrifice outside the camp is crucial within the structured Israelite camp, which physically reflected the spiritual reality of God's holy presence dwelling among them. Anything defiling or symbolizing God's judgment on sin had to be removed from this consecrated space to maintain its purity.

Exodus 29 14 Word analysis

• But the flesh (וְאֶת־בְּשַׂר֙ - v'et-bāśār): Refers to the physical tissue of the animal. In contrast to parts eaten by priests or consumed on the altar, these specific parts are deemed unsuitable for inclusion within the holy space, symbolizing the parts of sin that are completely removed.

• of the bull (הַפָּר֙ - ha-pâr): Refers to a male bovine, specifically a young bull. Bulls were significant, valuable animals used for major sin offerings, particularly for priests or the entire congregation, underscoring the gravity of the occasion and the offering's purpose.

• and its skin (וְאֶת־עֹר֜וֹ - v'et-ʿôrô): The hide of the animal. While the skin of certain offerings was given to the officiating priest (Lev 7:8), for major sin offerings burned outside the camp, the entire animal was consecrated to the expulsion of sin's defilement, including its most external part.

• and its dung (וְאֶת־פִּרְשׁ֖וֹ - v'et-pirshô): This refers to the stomach contents and offal, which are intrinsically repulsive and highly impure. Their inclusion emphasizes the complete disposal of anything defiled and repugnant associated with sin. It vividly portrays the loathsome nature of sin in God's eyes.

• you shall burn (תִּשְׂרֹ֣ף - tiśrōp̄): A command indicating complete incineration by fire. In the Bible, fire frequently symbolizes divine judgment, consuming wrath, or purifying destruction. Here, it denotes utter destruction and removal, preventing any trace of defilement from remaining.

• with fire (בָּאֵ֔שׁ - bā'ēš): Specifies the method of disposal, underlining the severity of the act and God's absolute decree regarding impurity.

• outside the camp (מִח֣וּץ לַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה - miḥūṣ la-maḥăneh): This phrase is exceptionally significant. The Israelite camp was considered holy, the dwelling place of Yahweh. Anything that carried the burden of sin's impurity or judgment was expelled from this consecrated area to preserve its purity. It represents separation from God's presence due to sin, yet also the performance of necessary judgment at a distance. It's the place of rejection and impurity, but also where judgment is executed to maintain the camp's holiness.

• It is a sin offering. (חַטָּֽאת֙ הִֽוא - ḥaṭṭāt hîw): Directly identifies the purpose of this bull. A ḥaṭṭāt was primarily for purifying defilement or atoning for unintentional sins. The entire ritual emphasized purification from any uncleanness that might profane God's holy dwelling.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "But the flesh… and its skin, and its dung": This tripartite specification highlights the totality of the animal's physical parts being subjected to this unique treatment. It underscores that every aspect associated with the burden of sin, from its outer appearance (skin) to its most vile inner contents (dung), must be utterly expelled and destroyed, leaving nothing to corrupt the holy space.
  • "burn with fire outside the camp": This powerful command signifies an act of definitive, public, and divinely mandated judgment and purification. Burning with fire denotes destruction by God's judgment, while being "outside the camp" symbolizes utter removal and exclusion from His holy presence and community, due to the intolerable nature of sin.

Exodus 29 14 Bonus section

• This particular method of disposal for the sin offering of an anointed priest or the entire congregation stands in contrast to other types of sin offerings (e.g., for an individual, Lev 4:27ff) where parts could be eaten by the priests. This distinction underscores the magnified level of sin and defilement when it involved those who stood closest to God or the whole community, necessitating a more extreme act of purification.
• The ritual ensured no remnant of the offering associated with serious defilement could inadvertently defile the sacred space or those ministering within it. It reinforced the strict boundary between holiness and impurity that defined God's tabernacle and its services.
• The repetitive nature of such instructions across Exodus and Leviticus (e.g., Lev 4:11-12, 6:30, 8:17, 9:11, 16:27) indicates the profound theological importance of this ritual practice in understanding sin, atonement, and God's holiness in the Old Covenant, directly foreshadowing Christ's ultimate work.

Exodus 29 14 Commentary

Exodus 29:14 illustrates a foundational principle of biblical holiness and the consequences of sin. For the high priest's consecration, the sin offering had to be completely consumed by fire outside the camp. This powerful symbolic act conveyed that sin is abhorrent to God (represented by the dung), it requires full removal from His holy presence (burning outside the camp), and it incurs His fiery judgment. Unlike other sacrifices where portions were eaten or wholly consumed on the altar, the burning of the sin offering outside the camp vividly prefigured the ultimate "outside the gate" sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Heb 13:11-13). Jesus, though innocent, became "sin for us" (2 Cor 5:21) and suffered outside Jerusalem, bearing God's complete wrath for humanity's sins, thereby making perfect atonement and purifying His people from their defilement, once for all.