Leviticus 1 12

Leviticus 1:12 kjv

And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:

Leviticus 1:12 nkjv

And he shall cut it into its pieces, with its head and its fat; and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire upon the altar;

Leviticus 1:12 niv

You are to cut it into pieces, and the priest shall arrange them, including the head and the fat, on the wood that is burning on the altar.

Leviticus 1:12 esv

And he shall cut it into pieces, with its head and its fat, and the priest shall arrange them on the wood that is on the fire on the altar,

Leviticus 1:12 nlt

Then cut the animal in pieces, and the priests will arrange the pieces of the offering, including the head and fat, on the wood burning on the altar.

Leviticus 1 verses

Leviticus 1 12 Meaning

This verse details a precise step in the ritual of the burnt offering (olah), specifically concerning a bird. After the bird has been killed, the offerer or priest is instructed to carefully cut it into distinct pieces, ensuring the head and the fat are included. Subsequently, the priest is to meticulously arrange these separated parts onto the wood already burning on the altar, so that the entire offering may be consumed by fire as a fragrant aroma to the Lord. This signifies complete dedication and atonement, where no part is withheld from God.

Leviticus 1 12 Context

Leviticus chapter 1 provides the initial and foundational instructions for the burnt offering (olah), emphasizing complete devotion and atonement. Beginning with God speaking to Moses from the Tent of Meeting, these laws reveal the divine will for approaching a holy God. This specific verse (Lev 1:12) outlines the detailed preparation for the bird offering, often brought by those of lesser means (Lev 1:14), ensuring that the accessibility of atonement was universal. The instructions progress from the initial steps of the offerer (presenting the animal, laying hands, killing, skinning, cutting up larger animals) to the priestly role in preparing the parts and placing them on the altar for complete consumption. This precise procedure highlights God's demand for order, purity, and exact obedience in sacred worship, demonstrating the full dedication of the sacrifice to Him as a "pleasing aroma." Historically, these meticulous commands set Israelite worship apart from surrounding pagan practices, which often lacked such purity, structure, and singular dedication to one God.

Leviticus 1 12 Word analysis

• And he shall cut it: (וְנִתַּח - və·nit·tah) The verb nittah means to dismember or piece. For the bird offering, it implies a careful, systematic separation into distinct parts, suitable for burning, though it's typically understood to be a priestly action here after the bird's head is wrung off. It signifies thorough preparation for sacred consumption by fire.
• into its pieces: (לִנְתָחֶיהָ - lin·tā·ḥey·hā) Netaḥ refers to these separated, cut portions. This emphasizes that the sacrifice is to be dismembered for proper and complete combustion, ensuring nothing is left intact to suggest an incomplete offering.
• with its head: (בְּרֹאשׁוֹ - bə·rō·šōw) The rosh (head) is explicitly included. This detail stresses the comprehensive nature of the offering, encompassing all parts of the animal, symbolizing that no part of the life is withheld from God. It highlights the completeness required for the burnt offering.
• and its fat: (וְאֶת־פִּדְרוֹ - və·’eṯ-piḏ·rōw) The pider refers to the fatty parts. Fat was considered the best and richest part of the animal, its very essence. Its inclusion in the burnt offering signifies giving the absolute choicest portion, symbolizing total dedication of one's best to God. This contrasts with other offerings where fat was consumed by the priests.
• and the priest shall arrange them: (וְהִקְטִיר הַכֹּהֵן אֹתָם - və·hiḳ·ṭîr hak·kō·hên 'ō·tām) The Hiphil form hiqṭîr means "to cause to go up in smoke," indicating the act of burning on the altar so that the smoke rises. The role of the kohen (priest) is paramount; only he is authorized to perform this sacred act of placing and burning the prepared parts on the altar, emphasizing the necessity of an ordained mediator. The word here also implies careful placement, an arrangement, for optimal burning.
• on the wood: (עַל־הָעֵצִים - ʿal-hā·'ê·ṣîm) 'Etz signifies the wooden fuel for the altar fire. This detail reinforces the specific means through which the offering ascends to God.
• that is on the fire: (אֲשֶׁר עַל־הָאֵשׁ - ʾă·šer ʿal-hā·’êš) 'Esh refers to the perpetually burning, consecrated fire on the altar, which was divinely lit and maintained by the priests, signifying the divine presence and acceptance.
• upon the altar: (עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ - ʿal-ham·miz·bê·aḥ) The mizbeaḥ (altar) is the designated, sanctified place of sacrifice. All sacrificial acts culminate here, making it the central point of encounter between God and His people in worship.

• And he shall cut it into its pieces, with its head and its fat: This phrase emphasizes the holistic and uncompromising nature of the burnt offering. Every part of the animal, from its foundational components to its choicest parts, is dedicated without reservation, symbolizing complete and unreserved surrender to God.
• and the priest shall arrange them on the wood that is on the fire upon the altar: This sequence highlights the ordered, priestly-mediated, and divinely sanctioned nature of worship. It underscores that sacred acts must be performed according to God's precise instructions, in the designated holy place, and by the appointed individuals, reflecting God's demand for reverence and purity in His presence.

Leviticus 1 12 Bonus section

The "burnt offering" (Olah), particularly as depicted in Leviticus 1:12, stands in stark contrast to pagan sacrifices common in the ancient Near East. While pagans might consume parts of their sacrifices or perform chaotic rituals, the Olah was entirely consumed by fire and explicitly designated for Yahweh alone, ensuring purity of worship and precluding any sharing with other deities. This underscores the exclusivity and uniqueness of Israel's God. The instruction to include the "head" emphasizes giving the "foremost" or the "chief part" to God, beyond just the physical head. It conveys a spiritual truth about consecrating one's intellect and direction to the Lord. The practicality of a bird offering, being accessible to all economic classes, highlighted God's mercy and desire for all to have access to atonement and worship, irrespective of their means. This detailed legislation, given by divine revelation, served as a preparatory covenant that meticulously outlined the process of approaching a holy God, thus revealing a fundamental theological truth that the path to God must be according to His divine will and provision.

Leviticus 1 12 Commentary

Leviticus 1:12 provides a vivid snapshot of the meticulousness required for Israel's worship, specifically for the bird burnt offering. The cutting of the animal into "its pieces," including the head and fat, symbolized an entire, unreserved dedication to the Lord. No part was withheld, reflecting the ultimate submission and totality of the offerer's commitment to God. The fat, considered the richest and best part, being exclusively for God, underscored the principle of offering one's choicest to the Divine. The priest's careful role in "arranging them on the wood... upon the altar" further emphasized that worship was not a haphazard act but a sacred ritual requiring order, purity, and the proper mediation. This act, consumed by the consecrated fire, ascended as a "pleasing aroma" to God, signifying acceptance and atonement. The meticulous details foreshadow the perfect, comprehensive, and complete sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who perfectly offered His whole self to God as the ultimate atoning sacrifice (Heb 9:14, Eph 5:2), leaving nothing withheld. As believers, this prompts us to offer ourselves as "living sacrifices," complete and unreserved, to the Lord (Rom 12:1).