Leviticus 1:3 kjv
If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.
Leviticus 1:3 nkjv
'If his offering is a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish; he shall offer it of his own free will at the door of the tabernacle of meeting before the LORD.
Leviticus 1:3 niv
"?'If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, you are to offer a male without defect. You must present it at the entrance to the tent of meeting so that it will be acceptable to the LORD.
Leviticus 1:3 esv
"If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish. He shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD.
Leviticus 1:3 nlt
"If the animal you present as a burnt offering is from the herd, it must be a male with no defects. Bring it to the entrance of the Tabernacle so you may be accepted by the LORD.
Leviticus 1 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 8:20 | Then Noah built an altar to the LORD... and offered burnt offerings... | Noah's post-flood burnt offering. |
| Ex 12:5 | Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old... | Passover lamb must be perfect male. |
| Ex 29:38 | "Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old daily, continually. One lamb..." | Daily burnt offerings required perfection. |
| Lev 22:19-25 | to be accepted you must offer a male without blemish from the cattle, sheep, or goats. | General requirement for blemish-free sacrifices. |
| Num 6:14 | and he shall offer his offering to the LORD, one male lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering... | Nazirite offering a blemish-free male lamb. |
| Num 28:3 | "And you shall say to them, 'This is the offering by fire... lambs a year old without blemish..." | Daily national burnt offerings must be perfect. |
| Deut 15:21 | But if it has any defect, if it is lame or blind, or has any serious blemish, you shall not sacrifice it... | Prohibits flawed sacrifices. |
| Deut 17:1 | "You shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep in which is a blemish, or any defect..." | Reiteration against blemished offerings. |
| 1 Sam 7:9 | And Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering... | Example of Samuel offering a burnt offering. |
| Ps 50:5 | "Gather to Me My godly ones, those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice." | Sacrifices as a covenant expression. |
| Ps 51:17 | The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart... | Internal transformation more than animal sacrifice. |
| Isa 53:7 | He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth... Like a lamb that is led to slaughter... | Christ as the unblemished sacrificial lamb. |
| Jer 7:22-23 | "For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out... concerning burnt offerings..." | God prioritizes obedience over mere sacrifice. |
| Mal 1:8, 14 | "When you offer the blind for sacrifice, is that not evil?...cursed be the swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it..." | Condemnation of bringing inferior offerings. |
| Zec 3:9 | "For behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; on one stone are seven eyes. Behold, I will engrave its inscription,' declares the LORD of hosts, 'and I will remove the iniquity of this land in one day." | Christ, the ultimate removal of sin. |
| Jn 1:29 | The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" | Jesus as the perfect, sin-atoning Lamb. |
| Rom 12:1 | I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice... | Believers offering themselves as living sacrifices. |
| Eph 5:2 | and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. | Christ's self-sacrifice as a perfect offering. |
| Phil 4:18 | But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied... a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice... | Paul views believers' gifts as acceptable sacrifices. |
| Heb 9:14 | how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God... | Christ offered Himself as a flawless sacrifice. |
| Heb 10:1-14 | For since the Law has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things... | Sacrifices as a shadow; Christ's one sacrifice suffices. |
| 1 Pet 1:18-19 | knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things... but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. | Redemption through Christ's unblemished blood. |
Leviticus 1 verses
Leviticus 1 3 Meaning
Leviticus 1:3 outlines the specific requirements for an individual's burnt offering when it comes from the herd. It specifies that if one chooses to bring a burnt offering, it must be a male animal from the cattle family, and it must be without any physical defects or blemishes. This sets the standard for the quality and suitability of the offering acceptable to God.
Leviticus 1 3 Context
Leviticus 1 opens the book of Leviticus by immediately delving into the detailed instructions for the first type of offering: the burnt offering, or 'olah in Hebrew. This chapter establishes the foundational principles of Israelite worship, highlighting the necessity of an atonement ritual to approach a holy God. The entire book of Leviticus follows the instructions given by God from the Tent of Meeting after the completion of the Tabernacle in Exodus. It serves as God's handbook for His newly consecrated people on how to maintain fellowship with Him. Historically, these rituals provided a tangible means for the Israelites, living in a portable sanctuary environment, to understand sin's gravity and God's holiness. It distinguished them from pagan cultures where sacrifices often involved coercion of deities or defiled animals; here, the offering is presented freely by the worshiper to draw near to God under specific divine requirements. This verse, therefore, sets a high bar for the quality and suitability of the sacrifice, symbolizing the unblemished nature required for reconciliation with a perfect God.
Leviticus 1 3 Word analysis
- If his offering: This phrase, beginning with "if" (אִם - im), emphasizes the voluntary nature of the offering. It's not a mandatory daily sacrifice but one chosen by the worshiper. The possessive "his" (
qorbano) highlights the personal connection and responsibility of the individual presenting the sacrifice. An offering (qorban- קָרְבָּן) literally means "that which is brought near," signifying the worshiper's intent to draw near to God. - is a burnt offering: The term for "burnt offering" is
olah(עֹלָה), derived from the verbalah(עָלָה), meaning "to ascend" or "to go up." This name describes its most striking feature: the entire animal (excluding the skin, which went to the priest, Lev 7:8) was consumed by fire on the altar, its smoke ascending towards heaven, signifying complete dedication and devotion to God. It was understood as a comprehensive act of atonement for sin, making reconciliation possible. - from the herd:
min ha-baqar(מִן־הַבָּקָר) specifies the source as "cattle" (bovine animals), typically oxen or bulls. This was the most valuable category of animal for sacrifice due to its size, strength, and economic worth. Choosing from the herd implied a significant sacrifice from the worshiper's possessions, denoting commitment. - he shall offer: The Hebrew verb
yaqriv(יַקְרִיב) from the rootqrb(קָרַב) means "he shall bring near." This term indicates the worshiper's active role in presenting the offering to the Tabernacle's entrance. It denotes a proactive approach to seeking God's favor and communion. - a male: The Hebrew word
zakhar(זָכָר) specifies the sex of the animal. In the context of the burnt offering from the herd, a male animal was typically considered to be of superior strength, productivity, and hence, greater value compared to a female. This underscores the emphasis on offering the very best. For specific pagan contexts of the time, the offering of male animals could be linked to ideas of potency or the chief of a flock. For Israel, it was purely a matter of ritual standard and highest value. - without blemish:
tamim(תָּמִים) is a crucial term, meaning "whole," "complete," "perfect," or "sound." It implies that the animal must be physically flawless, free from disease, injury, or deformity. This requirement symbolizes the absolute purity and perfection demanded by God. It foreshadows the perfect, sinless sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who alone could truly satisfy God's holy standard and atone for the sins of humanity (Heb 9:14; 1 Pet 1:19). The requirement oftamimimplicitly sets the worshiper apart from idolatrous practices where sick or inferior animals might be offered to deities.
Leviticus 1 3 Bonus section
The choice of animals in the burnt offering (herd, flock, or birds) reflected socio-economic levels (Lev 1:3-17), ensuring that all people could participate in atonement, from the wealthiest to the poorest, demonstrating God's accessibility to all His people, provided they met the specific qualitative requirements of the offering. While the external ritual purity was central to the tamim requirement for the animal, it implicitly challenged the worshiper to consider their own inner disposition when approaching the holy God. Furthermore, the practice of completely burning the olah was unique amongst many contemporary Ancient Near Eastern cultures which often partook of most of the sacrifice themselves. In Israel, the 'olah' was wholly given to God, emphasizing His sole ownership and the worshiper's complete submission.
Leviticus 1 3 Commentary
Leviticus 1:3 lays the groundwork for understanding the essence of acceptable worship in ancient Israel, offering profound theological insights applicable even today. The emphasis on a "burnt offering" (olah), completely consumed, symbolizes total dedication to God and the comprehensive nature of atonement required for reconciliation. It highlights that true repentance and drawing near to God require the offering of something valuable, not merely in a material sense (a male from the herd), but also in a spiritual one: the complete surrender of one's will. The crucial specification "without blemish" (tamim) is a foundational standard of purity that underscores God's absolute holiness. An imperfect sacrifice would reflect either a casual attitude towards God or an insufficient payment for sin. This verse therefore subtly teaches that God requires our best, presented in holiness, as a demonstration of our earnest desire to worship Him and be reconciled to Him. Ultimately, this ancient sacrificial requirement finds its fulfillment and perfection in Jesus Christ, the spotless Lamb of God, whose perfect life and singular sacrifice rendered all previous types and shadows obsolete (Heb 10:1-14). This passage encourages us to offer ourselves, pure and dedicated, as "living sacrifices" in response to Christ's ultimate sacrifice.