Leviticus 16 25

Leviticus 16:25 kjv

And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar.

Leviticus 16:25 nkjv

The fat of the sin offering he shall burn on the altar.

Leviticus 16:25 niv

He shall also burn the fat of the sin offering on the altar.

Leviticus 16:25 esv

And the fat of the sin offering he shall burn on the altar.

Leviticus 16:25 nlt

He must then burn all the fat of the sin offering on the altar.

Leviticus 16 verses

Leviticus 16 25 Meaning

This verse details a specific ritual act on the Day of Atonement, the burning of the fat from the sin offering on the bronze altar. This act signified the dedication of the choicest and holiest part of the sacrifice entirely to God, contributing to a pleasing aroma rising to Him and symbolizing divine acceptance as part of the complete atonement rite.

Leviticus 16 25 Context

Leviticus 16 comprehensively outlines the ritual for the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the most significant day in the Israelite calendar. This annual event was divinely instituted to purify the tabernacle, the priesthood, and the entire community from all their accumulated sins. The High Priest, Aaron, performs a sequence of rites involving a bull for his own sin offering and two goats for the people. Verse 25 occurs after the sin offerings' blood has been ritually applied in the Most Holy Place and the Holy Place (v. 15-19), specifying the final disposal of a crucial part of the sacrifice. This intricate historical ritual underscored God's absolute holiness, the gravity of sin, and His unique provision for expiation and sanctification, distinctly contrasting with general ancient Near Eastern pagan sacrificial practices which lacked true atoning power and often involved self-mutilation or unethical offerings.

Leviticus 16 25 Word analysis

• And (וְ - ve): This conjunctive word links the burning of the fat to the preceding ceremonial acts of the Day of Atonement, indicating that this specific action is a continuous, integrated step within the comprehensive atonement ritual.
• the fat (חֵלֶב - chelev): Refers specifically to the rich, choice, and vital internal layers of fat surrounding the entrails (kidneys, liver, intestines) and the broad tail of certain sacrificial sheep, not common meat fat. In ancient thought, fat symbolized the best, most substantial, and most vigorous part of an animal. It was holy to the Lord (Lev 3:16) and forbidden for human consumption (Lev 3:17, 7:23), emphasizing God's unique claim over the finest and purest essence of the offering. This exclusivity underscored God's sovereignty and His demand for absolute excellence in worship.
• of the sin offering (הַחַטָּאת - hachaṭt́ât): Derived from chatta't, literally meaning "to miss the mark" or "sin." This particular offering was central to the Day of Atonement for covering inadvertent sins that defiled the sanctuary and required purification. On Yom Kippur, it was specifically offered for the High Priest's household (a bull) and the collective unintentional sins of the Israelite community (one goat). Its purpose was expiation and cleansing from the pollution of sin.
• shall he burn (יַקְטִיר - yaqṭîr): From qatar, meaning "to cause to smoke," particularly referring to the rising smoke of an offering (like incense) from an altar, as opposed to mere destruction by fire (saraph). This term conveys the idea of something being presented to God as a pleasing aroma, signifying divine acceptance, ascent to the heavens, and the transformation of the physical offering into a spiritual act of worship acceptable to the Almighty.
• upon the altar (עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ - ‘al-hammizbêach): Refers to the bronze altar of burnt offering, located in the courtyard of the tabernacle. This altar was the focal point for sacrificial atonement, where the life of the animal was yielded, and its consumed parts ascended to God. The act of burning the fat here confirms its status as an acceptable offering directly to God, contrasted with the body of the sin offering, which was typically taken outside the camp (Lev 16:27, 4:11-12).

Words-group analysis

• "And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar": This complete phrase highlights the crucial and unique disposition of the most sacred part of the Yom Kippur sin offering. While the blood was brought into the Holy Place to make atonement, and the body was taken outside the camp to be consumed, the fat – the inner, best part – was reserved for burning on the altar. This dual treatment emphasizes both the gravity of sin (leading to defilement of the body) and the divine acceptance of the devoted, intrinsic element of the sacrifice. The action itself serves as an act of devotion, appeasing the divine holiness, and completing the symbolic process of purification and acceptance.
• "the fat...upon the altar": This juxtaposition signifies God's direct claim on the choicest parts of the sacrifice. Burning the fat on the altar symbolized the worshiper giving the absolute best of themselves, through the representative animal, to God, and receiving divine acceptance in return. It also indicates that even though the sin offering had aspects related to severe impurity (flesh outside camp), its choicest part was still transformed into an offering of "pleasing aroma" for God.

Leviticus 16 25 Bonus section

The distinct handling of various parts of the sin offering on Yom Kippur — blood sprinkled in the sanctuary, fat burned on the altar, and the remainder (flesh, skin, entrails) taken outside the camp to be burned (Lev 16:27) — reveals the multi-layered theological framework of atonement. The fat rising from the altar as a qatar (smoke offering) signifies not only the acceptance by God but also the "fragrance" of a wholehearted gift from the worshiper. The meticulous adherence to these instructions underscored God's sovereign right to define the terms of worship and purification. This specific instruction regarding the fat, despite the rest of the sin offering being highly defiled, ensured that a positive, dedicatory aspect was still incorporated, highlighting that God finds satisfaction in His provision for sin, rather than merely punishing it.

Leviticus 16 25 Commentary

Leviticus 16:25 embodies a profound theological truth regarding God's holiness and the provision for human sin. By burning the chelev, the choicest fat, on the altar, Israel presented the very best part of the sacrifice directly to God. This specific ritual action demonstrated complete surrender and honored God's claim on the absolute finest from creation. Unlike the flesh of these major sin offerings, which was considered so heavily laden with sin's impurity that it had to be removed from the camp entirely, the fat ascended to God as a "pleasing aroma" (Lev 3:16). This highlighted both the destructive power of sin and God's gracious acceptance of the substituted life offered. The burning transformed the material substance into a sacred offering, symbolizing that though sin leads to destruction, God provides a way for His people to find cleansing and renewed fellowship through the sacrifice. This act pointed forward to Christ, who, as the ultimate Sin Offering, perfectly gave His complete self – His very best and being – as a wholly acceptable, fragrant sacrifice to God, eternally reconciling humanity and providing perfect cleansing.