Leviticus 1:1-8:36 Summary

The Lord spoke to Moses from the Tabernacle and gave him instructions for a burnt offering. An individual could bring a male sheep, male goat, pigeon, or dove to the priests who would help present the animal as a gift to the Lord. The Lord promised to accept this offering as an act of atonement (1). For a grain offering, one could bring flour without yeast to the priests. A portion would be burned as an offering to the Lord, and the remainder would be given to the priests as food. The Lord promised to accept this offering as a holy gift (2). For a peace offering, one could bring a sheep or goat to the priests. A portion would be burned as an offering to the Lord. Fat and blood of any animal were never to be eaten. The Lord promised to accept this as a food offering (3). For a sin offering for unintentional sins, the high priest could deal with his own sins by bringing a young bull to the Lord. If the community sinned the elders would provide the bull; if one of Israel’s leaders sinned he would provide a young male goat; and if one of the common people sinned he would bring a young female goat or sheep. Through this process the people could be forgiven (4). A sin offering had to be accompanied by confession. Those who could not afford a goat or sheep could instead bring two pigeons or doves, and those who could not afford the birds could instead bring flour. If a sacred object were to be defiled, a special guilt offering would be made, a ram from one’s own flock. In addition to the ram, the person who defiled the sacred object must pay for the loss plus twenty percent. Through this process the people could be forgiven (5). A guilt offering would also be required for theft or false oaths, but the financial penalty would be paid to the person who had been wronged. The priests would be responsible for keeping the fire for the burnt offering burning at all times and for handling the ashes. They also had to eat their share of the grain offering in the Tabernacle.

The Lord then told Moses that in order to ordain Aaron and his sons, a special grain offering was to be made, but it was to be entirely burned up with nothing eaten. The priests also had to eat their share of the sin offering in the Tabernacle (6). Similar rules applied for priests eating the guilt offering. Peace offerings could be made to express thanksgiving or to fulfill a vow. The fat and the blood of any animal were never to be eaten. The breast and right thigh of the peace offering was to be the priests’ portion (7).

Moses then called all the people together and ordained Aaron and his sons as priests. As part of this ritual Moses slaughtered the animals for the sin offering, burnt offering, and ordination offering. Aaron and his sons stayed at the entrance to the Tabernacle for seven days and nights after the ceremony was complete (8).