Bible in 90 Days

Burnt Offerings

1 The Lord told Moses from the middle of the Tent of Meeting, ² “Speak to the Israelis and tell them that when any person^[a] brings an offering to the Lord from among you, whether he brings on offering of animals from either cattle or flock, ³ if his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to bring a male without any defect. He is to present it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. At the appointed time, it is to be presented in the presence of the Lord so that he may be accepted. ⁴ He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted for him as an atonement on his behalf. ⁵ Then he is to slaughter the young bull^[b] in the Lord’s presence.”

General Instructions

“Aaron’s sons, the priests, are to bring the blood and sprinkle it^[c] around the altar that stands at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. ⁶ He is to skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces. ⁷ Aaron’s sons, the priests, are to build a fire on the altar and arrange the wood over the fire. ⁸ They^[d] are to arrange the pieces of meat—including the head and the fat—on the wood over the fire that burns on the altar. ⁹ Then he is to wash its entrails and legs with water. After this, the priest is to offer all of it on the altar—a burnt offering by fire, an aroma that will be pleasing to the Lord.”

Burnt Offerings of Livestock

¹⁰ “If his offering is a burnt offering from the flock, whether lamb or goat, he is to bring a male without any defect ¹¹ and slaughter it at the north side of the altar in the Lord’s presence. Then Aaron’s sons, the priests, are to sprinkle its blood around the altar. ¹² He is to cut up its head and fat into separate pieces arrange them in rows on the wood over the fire that burns on the altar, ¹³ wash its entrails and legs with water, and then offer all of it on the altar—a burnt offering by fire, an aroma that will be pleasing to the Lord.”

Burnt Offerings of Birds

¹⁴ “If his offering is a burnt offering of birds to the Lord, he is to bring turtledoves or young doves. ¹⁵ The priest is to bring it to the altar to offer it up in smoke. He is to decapitate it and drain its blood on the side^[e] of the altar, ¹⁶ and then he is to eviscerate it and throw the viscera and the feathers to the east side of the altar, where the fatty ashes are located. ¹⁷ He is then to tear it open by its wings, but not divide it completely into two parts. The priest is then to offer all of it on the wood over the fire as a burnt offering by fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.”

Grain Offerings

2 “When a person brings an offering—that is, a grain offering—to the Lord, his offering is to consist of fine flour. He is to pour olive oil mixed with frankincense over it. ² Then he is to bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests. He is to take a handful of fine flour, the olive oil, and all of the frankincense. Then the priest is to offer a memorial offering by fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord. ³ The remnants from the grain offering is for Aaron and his sons—the holiest^[f] of the offerings made by fire to the Lord.”

Burnt Offerings of Grain

⁴ “When you bring an offering—that is, a grain offering baked in an oven—it is to consist of fine flour baked into unleavened bread mixed with olive oil or of wafers made of unleavened bread and smeared with olive oil.

⁵ “If your grain offering has been prepared on^[g] a griddle, then it is to consist of fine flour mixed with olive oil. ⁶ Crumble it into morsels of bread and then pour olive oil on it. It’s a grain offering.

⁷ “When your grain offering has been prepared in^[h] a stew pan, it is to consist of fine flour mixed with olive oil. ⁸ Bring the grain offering that you prepared from these ingredients to the Lord. Present it to the priest, who will bring it to the altar. ⁹ Then the priest will dedicate^[i] some of the grain offering as a memorial offering and offer it in smoke on the altar, an offering by fire that will be a pleasing aroma to the Lord. ¹⁰ The remainder from the memorial offering is for Aaron and his sons—the holiest^[j] of the offerings made by fire to the Lord.”

Prohibitions Regarding Yeast

¹¹ “Any grain offering that you bring to the Lord is not to be prepared with yeast, because anything with leaven and honey may not be offered in smoke as an offering by fire to the Lord. ¹² You may bring them to the Lord as an offering of first fruits, but they are not to be offered on the altar for a pleasing aroma.”

Requirements for Salt

¹³ “Also, be sure to rub every offering from your grain offering with salt. You are not ever to remove the salt of the covenant of your God from your grain offering. Present all your offerings with salt.”

First Fruit Offerings

¹⁴ “Whenever you bring a grain offering of first fruits to the Lord, bring fresh^[k] barley roasted^[l] in fire, young kernels crushed into bits. Bring the grain offering with your first fruits ¹⁵ and then pour olive oil and frankincense over it as a grain offering. ¹⁶ The priest is to offer the memorial offering in smoke—its crushed bits, olive oil, and frankincense—as an offering by fire to the Lord.”

Peace Offerings

3 “If someone’s^[m] offering is a peace offering^[n] from the cattle, the presenter^[o] is to offer it without defect, whether the animal^[p] is male or female. They are to be brought to the Lord. ² Then the presenter is to lay his hand on the head of the offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. After this, Aaron’s sons, the priests, are to sprinkle the blood on and around the altar.

³ “The presenter is then to bring a gift from the peace offering, an offering made by fire to the Lord. He is to remove the fat that covers the internal organs,^[q] all of the fat that is inside the internal organs, ⁴ the two kidneys with the fat on them by the loins, and the fatty mass^[r] that surrounds the liver and kidneys. ⁵ Then Aaron’s sons are to burn them on the altar, over the burnt offering that has been placed on the wood over the fire, as an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the Lord.

⁶ “If his offering to the Lord is a peace offering from the flock, whether male or female, he is to bring it without defect. ⁷ If the offering that he is bringing is a lamb, then he is to bring it to the Lord. ⁸ He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons are to sprinkle the blood on and around the altar.

⁹ “The presenter is then to bring a gift from the peace offering as an offering made by fire to the Lord. He is to remove the fat—the entire fat tail near the spine, the fat that covers the internal organs, all of the fat that is inside the internal organs, ¹⁰ the two kidneys with the fat on them by the loins, and the fatty mass^[s] that surrounds the liver and kidneys. ¹¹ Then the priest is to burn them on the altar as a food offering made by fire to the Lord.

¹² “If his offering is a goat, then he is to bring it to the Lord, ¹³ lay his hand over its head, then slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. After this, Aaron’s sons are to sprinkle the blood on and around the altar.

¹⁴ “The presenter is then to present the gift as an offering made by fire to the Lord, that is, the fat that covers the internal organs, all the fat that is inside the internal organs, ¹⁵ the two kidneys with the fat on them by the loins, and the fatty mass^[t] that surrounds the liver and kidneys. ¹⁶ The priest is to burn it on the altar, a food offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma. All the fat belongs to the Lord.

¹⁷ “This is to be a lasting statute for all your generations, wherever you live. You are not to eat any fat or blood.”

Personal Sin Offerings

4 The Lord told Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelis and tell them that if a person inadvertently sins with respect to any of the Lord’s commands that should not be violated, but nevertheless he disobeys one of them, ³ or if the anointed priest sins, thereby bringing guilt on the people, let him bring a young bull^[u] without defect as a sin offering to the Lord for his sin that he had committed.

⁴ “He is to bring the bull to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, into the Lord’s presence, where he is to lay his hand on the head of the bull and slaughter it in the Lord’s presence. ⁵ The anointed priest is to take^[v] blood from the bull to the Tent of Meeting. ⁶ The priest is to dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of the blood seven times in the Lord’s presence in front of the curtain of the sanctuary.

⁷ “The priest is then to put some blood on the horn of the altar that is near the Tent of Meeting as an incense of pleasing aroma in the Lord’s presence. He is to pour the rest of the bull’s blood^[w] for a burnt offering at the base of the altar that is at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. ⁸ Then he is to remove all the fat from the bull for a sin offering—that is, the fat that covers the internal organs,^[x] all of the fat that is inside the internal organs, ⁹ the two kidneys with the fat on them by the loins, and the fatty mass^[y] surrounding the liver and kidneys— ¹⁰ just as it is taken from the bull for a peace offering. Then the priest is to burn it on the altar for burnt offerings.

¹¹ “Now as for the bull’s hide, its flesh, its head, its legs, its internal organs, and its dung, ¹² along with the rest of the bull, he is to bring it outside the camp to a clean place, where fat ashes are to be poured over it and then it is to be thoroughly burned over wood with fire. It is to be burned where the fat ashes are poured out.”

National Sin Offerings

¹³ “If the whole congregation of Israel goes astray, and if the sin is hidden from the eyes of the assembly, and if they go astray from one of the Lord’s commands that should not be violated, then they will stand guilty. ¹⁴ When the sin that they have committed becomes known, the entire congregation is to bring a young bull as a sin offering to the Tent of Meeting, ¹⁵ where the elders of the community are to lay their hands on the head of the bull in the Lord’s presence and slaughter it.^{[z] 16} The anointed priest is to take blood from the bull and bring it to the Tent of Meeting. ¹⁷ Then the priest is to dip his finger in the blood, sprinkle some of the blood seven times in front of the curtain in the Lord’s presence, ¹⁸ then put blood on the horn of the altar near the Tent of Meeting in the Lord’s presence. He is to pour the rest of the blood as a burnt offering at the base of the altar that is at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. ¹⁹ Then he is to remove all the fat from the bull for a sin offering and burn it on the altar. ²⁰ He is to do to this bull what he did to the bull for the sin offering. He is to do it this way so that the priest will make atonement for them and they will be forgiven. ²¹ Then he is to bring the rest of the bull outside the camp and burn it just as he had burned the first bull. This is the sin offering for the congregation.”

Sin Offerings for Rulers

²² “When a ruler inadvertently sins, disobeying any one of the commands of the Lord his God that should not be violated, he will be guilty. ²³ When the sin that he had committed is disclosed to him, he is to bring his offering: a male goat without defect. ²⁴ He is then to lay his hand on the head of the goat and slaughter it at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered—in the Lord’s presence—as a sin offering. ²⁵ Then the priest is to take blood from the sin offering with his finger, put it on the horn of the altar that is used for burnt offerings, and then pour the rest of the blood at the base of the altar that is used for burnt offerings. ²⁶ He is to burn all the fat on the altar as is done for the fat for the sacrifice of a peace offering. This is how the priest will make atonement for him concerning his sin. It will be forgiven him.”

Sin Offerings for the People

²⁷ “If any^[aa] of the common people of the land inadvertently sins by disobeying one of the Lord’s commands that should not be violated, he will be guilty. ²⁸ When the sin that he committed is disclosed to him, he is to bring his offering for his sin that he had committed: a female goat without defect. ²⁹ He is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it^[ab] at the place for burnt offering. ³⁰ Then the priest is to take blood with his finger, put it on the horn of the altar that is used for burnt offerings, and then pour the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. ³¹ He is to remove all the fat, just as the fat was removed from the sacrifice for the peace offering. Then the priest is to burn it on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. This is how the priest will make atonement for him. It will be forgiven him.

³² “If he brings a lamb for his offering, he is to bring a female without defect. ³³ He is to lay his hand on the head of the offering and slaughter it for a sin offering at the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered. ³⁴ Then the priest is to take blood with his finger and put it on the horn of the altar for burnt offering. Then he is to pour the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. ³⁵ Then the presenter is to remove all its fat, just as the fat was removed from the sacrifice of the peace offering. The priest is to burn it on the altar over the offerings made by fire to the Lord. This is how the priest will make atonement for him concerning the sin that he had committed. It will be forgiven him.”

Laws of Public Testimony

5 “If someone sins because he has failed to testify after receiving notice^[ac] to testify as a witness regarding what he has observed or learned, he is to be held responsible.”^[ad]

Offerings for Uncleanness

² “When a person has touched a ceremonially unclean thing inadvertently,^[ae] such as the carcass of an unclean animal, or some unclean creeping thing, he will be unclean and guilty nevertheless. ³ When he inadvertently touches the uncleanness of a human being, whatever his uncleanness that made him unclean may be, when he himself comes to know about it, he will be guilty. ⁴ When a person has sworn inadvertently by what he has said, whether for evil or good, whatever it was that the person spoke, when he comes to understand what he said, he will incur guilt by one of these things. ⁵ When a person is guilty of one of these things, then he is to confess^[af] whatever sin it was ⁶ and bring compensation to the Lord for the guilt that he committed: a female from the flock—whether a lamb or goat—for a sin offering. Then the priest is to make atonement for him.”

Inexpensive Offering Alternatives

⁷ “If he can’t afford a goat, then he is to bring to the Lord for his sin offering two turtledoves or two young doves:^[ag] one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering. ⁸ He is to bring them to the priest, who will offer a sin offering first. He is to wring off its head without separating it. ⁹ Then he is to sprinkle some of the blood from the sin offering on the sidewall of the altar. Now as to the remainder of the blood, he is to pour it out at the base of the altar for a sin offering. ¹⁰ With respect to the second offering, he is to prepare it as a burnt offering, according to the approved procedure.^[ah] The priest is to make atonement for him on account of his sin that he had committed. Then it will be forgiven him.

¹¹ “If he can’t afford^[ai] two turtledoves or two young doves, then he is to bring as his offering a tenth of an ephah^[aj] of fine flour as a sin offering for what he has committed. He is to put no olive oil or frankincense on it, since it’s a sin offering. ¹² He is to bring it to the priest. The priest is to take a handful as a memorial and burn it on the altar as an offering made by fire to the Lord. It’s a sin offering. ¹³ The priest will make atonement for him, on account of the sin that he had committed in any of these things and it will be forgiven him. As far as the priest is concerned, it will be a meal offering.”

Offerings for Inadvertent Sins

¹⁴ The Lord told Moses, ¹⁵ “When a person commits a truly treacherous act and sins inadvertently concerning the sacred things of the Lord, then he is to bring a trespass offering to the Lord from the flock as compensation for his guilt. It is to be a ram without defect, estimated as to its value in silver shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel. ¹⁶ He is to compensate for whatever sin he had committed concerning the sacred things of the Lord, add a fifth part to it, and give it to the priest. The priest is to make atonement for him with the ram as a sin offering and he’ll be forgiven.

¹⁷ “If a person sins and does what the Lord commanded is not to be done, and if he didn’t know that he had sinned, then he will be guilty nevertheless.^{[ak] 18} He is to bring from the flock to the priest a ram without defect, estimated as to its value in silver shekels, as a guilt offering. Then the priest is to make atonement for him concerning his inadvertent act that he committed through ignorance, and it will be forgiven him. ¹⁹ It’s a sin offering for his guilt in the Lord’s presence.”

Restitution Offerings

6 ^[al]The Lord told Moses, ² “A person sins against the Lord by acting treacherously toward his neighbor regarding something entrusted to his care, regarding security for a loan, robbery, if he has oppressed his neighbor, ³ if he has found something that had been lost and then lied about it, or if he makes a false oath about any of these things, thus committing a sin with respect to these things. ⁴ If that person has sinned and has been found guilty, then he is to return the stolen thing that he took or obtained by oppression, or the security that had been entrusted to him, or the lost thing that he had found, ⁵ or the thing about which he had given a false oath. He is to restore it in full, add a fifth to it, then give it to whom it belongs the very day he’s found guilty. ⁶ Now as to his guilt offering, he is to bring to the Lord a ram without defect from the flock, estimated as to its value, to the priest. ⁷ Then the priest is to make atonement for him in the Lord’s presence, and it will be forgiven him regarding whatever he did.”

^8 [am]The Lord told Moses, ⁹ “Deliver these orders to Aaron and his sons concerning the regulations for burnt offerings: The burnt offering is to remain on the hearth of the altar throughout the entire night until morning, and the fire on the altar is to be kept burning along with it. ¹⁰ The priest is to clothe himself with a linen robe and undergarments.^[an] Then he is to take the ashes of the burnt offering on the altar that had been consumed by the fire and set them beside the altar. ¹¹ Then he is to change his clothes, dressing himself with a different set of clothes, and take the ashes to a clean place outside the camp. ¹² The fire on the altar is to be kept burning continuously without being extinguished. The priest is to burn wood on it every morning, arrange burnt offerings over it, and then burn the fat contained in the peace offerings over it. ¹³ The fire is to continue to burn on the altar and is never to be extinguished.”

Grain Offerings

¹⁴ “This is the law concerning grain offerings: Aaron’s sons are to offer them in the Lord’s presence, in front of the altar. ¹⁵ He is to take a handful of fine flour for a grain offering, some olive oil, and all of the frankincense for the grain offering, and make a sacrifice of smoke on the altar as a memorial portion, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. ¹⁶ Aaron and his sons are to eat what remains of the unleavened offering at this sacred place—the court of the Tent of Meeting. ¹⁷ It is not to be baked with leaven. I’ve given it as their portion out of my offerings made by fire. It’s a most holy thing, like the sin and guilt offerings. ¹⁸ Every male of Aaron’s sons is to eat it as a portion continually allotted for your generations from the offerings made by fire to the Lord. Anyone who touches them is to be holy.”

Offerings by the Priests

¹⁹ Then the Lord told Moses, ²⁰ “This is the offering that Aaron and his sons are to offer to the Lord the day he is anointed: a tenth of an ephah^[ao] of flour is to be offered throughout the day, half in the morning and half in the evening. ²¹ It is to be prepared with olive oil on a griddle. Once it has been mixed thoroughly, bake it, bring it in pieces, and offer it like a grain offering of broken pieces, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. ²² The anointed priest who succeeds him from among his sons is to offer^[ap] it. As a permanent statute, it is to be offered whole and made to smoke in the Lord’s presence. ²³ Every grain offering from a priest is to be burned^[aq] whole. It is not to be eaten.”

Sin Offerings

²⁴ Then the Lord told Moses, ²⁵ “Tell Aaron and his sons that this is the regulation concerning sin offerings: Slaughter the sin offering in the same place where the whole burnt offering is slaughtered—in the Lord’s presence. It’s a most holy thing. ²⁶ The priest who offers it as a sin offering is to eat it at a sacred place in the court of the Tent of Meeting. ²⁷ Whoever touches its meat will be holy. If some of its blood sprinkles on a garment, wash where it was sprinkled in a sacred place. ²⁸ The earthen vessel in which it was boiled is to be broken, unless it was boiled in a bronze vessel, in which case it is to be polished very well and rinsed in water. ²⁹ Every male among the priests is to eat it. It’s a most sacred thing. ³⁰ Any sin offering from which its blood was brought to the Tent of Meeting to make atonement in the sacred place is not to be eaten. Instead, it is to be incinerated.”

Guilt Offerings

7 “This is the regulation concerning guilt offerings. They are most holy. ² The guilt offering is to be offered in the same place where the burnt offering is slaughtered. The priest^[ar] is to sprinkle some of its blood on the altar and around it. ³ As to all its fat—that is, the fat on the tail and the fat covering the internal organs—the one presenting the sacrifice^[as] is to offer it. ⁴ But the two kidneys, the fat over them by the loins, and the appendage on the liver are to be taken away, along with the kidneys. ⁵ Then the priest is to offer them on the altar, incinerating them with fire as a guilt offering to the Lord. ⁶ Any male among the priests may eat it, provided that it is eaten at a sacred place as a most holy thing. ⁷ The law for the sin offering is the same as the guilt offering. It belongs to the priest who made atonement with it. ⁸ The hide from the burnt offering brought by the offeror^[at] is to belong to the priest. ⁹ Every grain offering that’s baked in the oven and everything that’s prepared^[au] in a stew pan or in the frying pan belongs to the priest who offered it. ¹⁰ Furthermore, every grain offering that’s mixed with olive oil or that’s dry will be for Aaron’s sons, each one like the other.”^[av]

Peace Offerings

¹¹ “This is the law concerning the sacrifice for peace offerings that are to be brought to the Lord: ¹² If someone^[aw] brings it to demonstrate thanksgiving, then he is to present along with the thanksgiving offering unleavened cakes mixed with olive oil, unleavened wafers spread^[ax] with olive oil, and cakes of mixed fine flour with olive oil. ¹³ Along with the cakes of unleavened bread, he is to bring his thanksgiving offering with his peace offerings. ¹⁴ He is to present one from each grain offering,^[ay] a separate offering to the Lord. It will belong to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the peace offering. ¹⁵ As to the meat^[az] contained in his peace offerings, it is to be eaten on the day it is offered.^[ba] Nothing of it is to remain until morning.”

Voluntary Offerings

¹⁶ “If his sacrifice accompanies a fulfilled vow or is a voluntary offering, it is to be eaten on the day the offeror^[bb] brings the sacrifice. Anything left over is to be eaten the next day,^{[bc] 17} but whatever remains uneaten from the meat of the sacrifice by the third day is to be incinerated. ¹⁸ If any of the meat of his sacrifice of peace offerings is eaten on the third day, it won’t be accepted for the one who brought it. It is to be considered as refuse, and whoever eats it will bear the punishment of his iniquity.”

Distinguishing the Clean and Unclean

¹⁹ “Meat that comes in contact with a ceremonially unclean thing is not to be eaten. Incinerate it instead. As for ceremonially clean^[bd] meat, anyone who is clean may eat it.^{[be] 20} But the person who eats meat from the sacrifice that belongs to the Lord, while still affected by his uncleanness, is to be eliminated from contact with^[bf] his people. ²¹ Any person who touches a ceremonially unclean thing—whether the uncleanness pertains to human beings, animals, or to creeping things—and then eats from the meat of peace offerings that belongs to the Lord is to be eliminated from contact with^[bg] his people.”

Prohibited Consumption

²² The Lord told Moses, ²³ “Tell the Israelis, ‘You are not to eat the fat of an ox, a lamb, or a goat. ²⁴ The carcass of an animal that died of its own and an animal torn by wild beast may be used for any purpose except for eating. ²⁵ Anyone who eats the fat of an animal that has been offered by fire to the Lord is to be eliminated from contact with^[bh] his people. ²⁶ You are not to eat any form of blood in any of your dwellings, whether it’s from birds or animals. ²⁷ Any person who eats any form of blood is to be eliminated from contact with^[bi] his people.’”

The Priests’ Portions

²⁸ The Lord told Moses, ²⁹ “Tell the Israelis that whoever brings a peace offering sacrifice to the Lord is to bring his offering to the Lord from the sacrifice of his peace offerings. ³⁰ He is to bring the offering made by fire with his own hands to the Lord. He is to bring the fat with the breast, since the breast is to be waved as a raised offering to the Lord. ³¹ The priest will burn the fat on the altar, but the breast belongs to Aaron and his sons. ³² From the sacrifices of your peace offerings give the right thigh to the priest as a raised offering to the Lord. ³³ The descendant of Aaron’s sons who brings the blood and the fat from the peace offering is to keep the right thigh for his own portion, ³⁴ since I’ve taken the breast and the thigh as raised offerings from the sacrifices of peace offerings of the Israelis and have given them to Aaron the priest and his sons as their perpetual portion from the Israelis.”

³⁵ This is the consecrated portion for Aaron and his descendants from the offerings made by fire to the Lord, the day they were presented to be priests to the Lord. ³⁶ This is what the Lord had commanded to give them the day he anointed them from among the Israelis—a perpetual portion for their generations.

Summary of Gifts

³⁷ This is the regulation concerning burnt, grain, sin, guilt, and installation offerings, along with the sacrifice for peace offerings. ³⁸ This is what the Lord had commanded Moses on Mount Sinai on the day he commanded the Israelis to bring their offerings to the Lord in the Sinai wilderness.

Ordination of the Priesthood^(A)

8 The Lord told Moses, ² “Take Aaron, his sons with him, the clothing, the anointing oil, the bull for sin offering, two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread ³ and then assemble the entire congregation at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.”

⁴ So Moses did just as the Lord had commanded him. He assembled the congregation at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. ⁵ Moses told the congregation, “This is what the Lord commanded to be done.”

⁶ Moses brought Aaron and his sons and washed them with water. ⁷ Then he clothed Aaron with the tunic, girded him with the band^[bj] for priests, clothed him with the robe, placed the ephod on him, girded him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and bound it on him. ⁸ He set the breastplate on him, placed the Urim and Thummim^[bk] on top of the breastplate, ⁹ then he set the turban on his head. On the turban at the front he set the golden plate, the sacred crown that the Lord had commanded. ¹⁰ After this, Moses took the anointing oil and anointed the tent, consecrating everything that was in it. ¹¹ He sprinkled some on the altar seven times, and then anointed the altar, all its vessels, the basin, and its base to consecrate them. ¹² After doing this, he poured the oil of anointing on Aaron’s head to anoint and consecrate him. ¹³ Then Moses brought Aaron’s sons, clothed them with the tunics, girded them with the bands, and bound turbans on them, just as the Lord had commanded him.^[bl]

Moses’ Sin and Whole Offerings

¹⁴ Next, he brought the bull for a sin offering. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the bull’s head for a sin offering. ¹⁵ So Moses slaughtered it, took the blood, and applied some of it at the horns of the altar and around it with his fingers, thus purifying the altar. Then he poured the blood at the base of the altar, thereby sanctifying it as a means to make atonement with it. ¹⁶ Moses burned on the altar all the fat on the internal organs, the appendage on the liver, the two kidneys, and the fat. ¹⁷ As to the bull and its fat, skin, and offal, he incinerated them outside the camp, just as the Lord had commanded him.^{[bm] 18} Next, he brought the ram for the whole burnt offering. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram, ¹⁹ and Moses slaughtered it and poured its blood over and around the altar. ²⁰ As to the ram, he cut it into parts at the joints, burned the head, the internal organs, and the fat, ²¹ washed the internal organs and the thigh with water, and then burned the entire ram on the altar as a whole burnt offering, a pleasing aroma of an offering made by fire to the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded him.^[bn]

Moses’ Consecration Offerings

²² Moses brought the ram—that is, the second of the rams—for consecration. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. ²³ Moses then slaughtered it, took some of its blood, and put it on Aaron’s right earlobe, right thumb, and right great toe. ²⁴ Then Moses brought Aaron’s sons, took some of the ram’s blood, put it on their right earlobes, on their right thumbs, and on their right great toes, and then poured the blood on the altar and all around it. ²⁵ Then he took the fat from the tail, all the fat on the internal organs, the appendage of the liver, the two kidneys with the fat, and the right thigh. ²⁶ From the basket of unleavened bread that is in the Lord’s presence he took one piece of unleavened bread, one cake spread with olive oil, and one wafer, which he placed over the fat and the right thigh. ²⁷ He put all of these things in the hands of Aaron and his sons, and they all waved them in a raised offering to the Lord. ²⁸ After this, Moses took those things from their hands and burned them on the altar over the whole burnt offering for consecration. They served as a pleasing aroma, an offering made by fire to the Lord. ²⁹ Moses took the breast and waved it as a raised offering in the Lord’s presence as the portion that belonged to Moses from the ram of consecration, just as the Lord had commanded him.^[bo]

Moses’ Oil of Anointing

³⁰ Moses took some anointing oil and blood that was on the altar and sprinkled it on Aaron, on his clothes, on his sons, and on their clothes, consecrating Aaron, his clothes, his sons, and their clothes. ³¹ Then he told Aaron and his sons, “Boil the meat at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. You may eat it there, along with the bread that is in the basket for consecration, just as I’ve commanded when I told him, ‘Aaron and his sons may eat of it, ³² but the leftover meat and bread is to be incinerated.’ ³³ Furthermore, you are not to go out past the entrance to the Tent of Meeting until the days of your ordination have been completed, since it will take seven days to ordain you. ³⁴ What has been done today^[bp] has been commanded by the Lord to make atonement for you. ³⁵ Stay seven days and nights at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and attend to the service of the Lord, so that you won’t die, because this is what I’ve commanded.”

³⁶ So Aaron and his sons did everything that the Lord had commanded through^[bq] Moses.

Aaron’s Ministry Commences

9 Eight days later, Moses called Aaron, his sons, and the elders of Israel. ² He told Aaron, “Take a young calf for a sin offering and a ram without defect for a whole burnt offering and bring them into the Lord’s presence.”

³ He also told the Israelis, “Bring a male goat for a sin offering, a calf, a year old lamb without defect for a whole burnt offering, ⁴ an ox, a ram for a peace offering to sacrifice in the Lord’s presence, and a grain offering with olive oil, because on that day the Lord will appear to you.” ⁵ So they brought what Moses had commanded to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. The entire congregation drew near and stood in the Lord’s presence.

⁶ Then Moses said, “This is what the Lord commanded you to do so that the glory of the Lord may be revealed to you.”

⁷ Moses then told Aaron, “Approach the altar and bring your sin and whole burnt offerings. Make atonement for yourself and the people. Then bring the people’s offering and make atonement for them, as the Lord commanded.”

⁸ So Aaron drew near to the altar and slaughtered the calf for a sin offering on behalf of himself. ⁹ Next, Aaron’s sons brought the blood to him and he dipped his fingers in the blood and placed it on the horns of the altar. As to the rest of the^[br] blood, he poured it at the base of the altar. ¹⁰ He incinerated the fat, the kidneys, and the appendage from the liver of the sin offering, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ¹¹ He also incinerated the meat and skin outside the camp. ¹² And so the burnt offering was slaughtered, and Aaron’s sons secured for him the blood, which he poured on the altar and around it.

Aaron’s Burnt Offering

¹³ As for the burnt offering, they delivered it to Aaron^[bs] piece by piece, and he burned the head on the altar, ¹⁴ washed the internal organs and thighs, and incinerated them on the altar, along with the whole burnt offering. ¹⁵ He brought the people’s offering, presenting a goat for a sin offering on behalf of the people. He slaughtered it and offered it as the first sin offering. ¹⁶ Then he brought the whole burnt offering and offered it according to procedure.

¹⁷ Next, he brought the grain offering, filled his hand with it, and burned it on the altar next to the burnt offering for that morning. ¹⁸ He slaughtered the ox and ram for the peace offering sacrifice on behalf of the people. Aaron’s sons delivered the blood to him, which he poured on the altar and around it. ¹⁹ As to the fat from the ox and the ram—the tail, the fat covering the kidneys, and the appendage of the liver— ²⁰ they placed the fat on the breast and burned the fat on the altar. ²¹ Aaron waved the breast and the right thigh as a raised offering in the Lord’s presence, just as Moses had commanded. ²² Aaron raised his hand toward the people and blessed them. Then he came down from the altar after^[bt] offering the sin, whole burnt, and peace offerings.

²³ Moses and Aaron entered the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. ²⁴ A fire came down from the Lord’s presence and consumed the burnt offering on the altar as well as the fat. When the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

Nadab and Abihu^(B)

10 Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu each took his own censer, placed fire in it, covered it with incense, and brought it into the Lord’s presence as unauthorized fire that he had never prescribed for them. ² As a result, fire came out from the Lord’s presence and incinerated them. They died while in the Lord’s presence. ³ Moses spoke with Aaron about what the Lord had said: “Among those who are near me, I’ll show myself holy so that I’ll be glorified before all people.” So Aaron remained silent.

After the Deaths of Nadab and Abihu

⁴ Then Moses called on Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel, Aaron’s uncle, and said, “Come here and carry your brothers away from the sanctuary, outside the camp.” ⁵ So they approached to carry them in their tunics outside the camp, just as Moses had commanded.

⁶ Then Moses told Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “You are not to loosen the hair of your head and you are not to rend your clothes. That way, you won’t die and wrath won’t come on the entire congregation. Your brothers and the assembly^[bu] of Israel will mourn because of the fire that the Lord kindled. ⁷ Also, you are not to leave the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Otherwise, you’ll die, since the Lord’s anointing oil remains on you.” So they followed Moses’ instructions.

Prohibitions against Drinking Wine

⁸ Then the Lord told Aaron, ⁹ “You and your sons with you are not to drink wine—that is, any intoxicating drink—when you enter the Tent of Meeting. That way, you won’t die. This is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations. ¹⁰ You are to differentiate between what’s sacred and common and between what’s unclean and clean. ¹¹ You are to teach the Israelis all the statutes that the Lord commanded you by the authority of Moses.”

Additional Orders for Offerings

¹² Then Moses told Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, “Take the leftovers from the grain offering and the offerings made by fire and eat the unleavened bread beside the altar, because it is most holy to the Lord. ¹³ Eat at a sacred place, because it’s your and your sons’ prescribed portions. It’s from the offering made by fire to the Lord, since I’ve commanded it. ¹⁴ As to the breast and thigh raised offerings, you and your sons and daughters with you may eat them^[bv] at a clean place, because they belong to you and are your sons’ prescribed portions and were taken from the sacrifices of peace offering presented by the Israelis. ¹⁵ They are to bring the thigh offering, the breast raised offering, and the offerings made by fire from the fat to wave as a raised offering in the Lord’s presence. It will be a perpetual portion for you and your sons with you, just as the Lord commanded.”

Confusion Occurs, but is Resolved

¹⁶ Now Moses diligently sought for the goat that had been offered as a sin offering, but it had already been incinerated, so he was angry with Aaron’s sons who remained. He asked Eleazar and Ithamar, ¹⁷ “Why didn’t you eat the sin offering at the sacred place? It’s most holy and he has given it to you so that you may bear the punishment for the iniquity of the entire congregation and make atonement for them in the Lord’s presence. ¹⁸ Look! Its blood wasn’t brought inside the sanctuary. You were to have eaten it in the sanctuary, just as I commanded.”

¹⁹ But Aaron replied to Moses, “Today they’ve offered their sin and whole burnt offerings in the Lord’s presence. Yet things such as these have happened to me. Had I eaten the sin offering today, would that have pleased the Lord?”^[bw]

²⁰ When Moses heard that explanation, he was pleased.

Clean and Unclean Animals^(C)

11 The Lord told Moses and Aaron,^{[bx] 2} “Tell the Israelis that these are the living creatures that you may eat among the animals of the earth: ³ You may eat any animal that has divided hooves with cloven feet and that ruminates its cud, ⁴ except you are not to eat the following animals that have divided hooves or ruminate their cud: the camel (because it chews the cud but doesn’t have divided hooves, it is to be unclean for you), ⁵ the rock badger (because it chews its cud but its hooves aren’t divided, it is to be unclean for you), ⁶ the hare (because it chews its cud, but its hooves aren’t divided, it is to be unclean for you), ⁷ and the pig (because it has divided hooves and is therefore cloven-footed, but it doesn’t ruminate its cud, it is to be unclean for you). ⁸ You are not to eat their flesh or even touch their carcasses. They are to be unclean for you.”

Clean and Unclean Seafood

⁹ “You may eat anything that lives in the water—that is, you may eat anything that has fins and scales either from the seas or from the rivers. ¹⁰ But anything that doesn’t have fins or scales—whether from the seas or the rivers—any of the swarming creatures and living creatures in the waters are detestable for you. ¹¹ They are to remain detestable for you. You are not to eat of their meat and you are to detest their carcasses. ¹² Anything that doesn’t have fins or scales in the waters is a detestable thing for you.”

Clean and Unclean Winged Creatures

¹³ “These are detestable things for you among winged creatures that you are not to eat, because they are detestable for you: the eagle, vulture, osprey, ¹⁴ red kite, falcons of any kind, ¹⁵ every kind of raven, ¹⁶ ostrich, nighthawk, seagull, hawks of every kind, ¹⁷ owls, cormorants, the ibis, ¹⁸ water-hens, pelicans, carrion, ¹⁹ storks, herons of every kind, the hoopoe, bata, ²⁰ and any winged insect that crawls on four legs is detestable for you. ²¹ However, you may eat winged creatures that crawl on four legs that extend over its head and by which it hops on the ground. ²² These creatures that you may eat include the locust of any kind, the bald locust of any kind, the cricket of any kind, and the grasshopper of any kind. ²³ But any other winged insect that has four legs is detestable for you ²⁴ and is unclean. Anyone who touches their carcasses becomes unclean until evening. ²⁵ And anyone who carries their carcasses is to wash his clothes, since he will remain unclean until evening.”

Summary of Clean and Unclean

²⁶ “Any animal that has divided hooves and is cloven-footed but doesn’t chew the cud is unclean for you. Anyone who touches them is unclean. ²⁷ Among the animals, anything that walks on their paws and on four legs is unclean for you. Anyone who touches their carcasses becomes unclean until evening. ²⁸ Whoever carries their carcass is to wash their clothes, because they’ve become unclean until evening. They’re unclean for you.

²⁹ “These are unclean for you among the swarming creatures that crawl over the land: the rat,^[by] mouse, lizards of every kind, ³⁰ the gecko, crocodile, lizard, sand lizard, and chameleon. ³¹ These are unclean for you among the swarming creatures, so anyone who touches them when they’re dead becomes unclean until evening. ³² Furthermore, anything on which they fall when they’re dead becomes unclean, whether on an article of wood, clothing, skin, or a sack. And any vessel used for any work is to be washed in water, because it has become unclean until evening. ³³ Any earthen vessel into which any of these things fall becomes unclean, along with everything in it. You are to destroy it, along with all its contents.”

Clean and Unclean Vessels

³⁴ “Any food that may be eaten, but into which water has soaked, becomes unclean. Any drink that may be drunk in any of these vessels becomes unclean, ³⁵ and anything into which their carcass falls becomes unclean. An oven or stove is to be broken in pieces. They’re unclean and therefore unclean for you.

³⁶ “A spring or a cistern that holds water is clean, but whoever touches the carcass of an unclean animal will be unclean. ³⁷ If their carcass falls on a seed, which is for sowing, what is to be sown is clean. ³⁸ But if water is put on the seed and part of their carcass falls on it, then it has become unclean for you.

³⁹ “If any of the animals that you may eat dies, the one who touches its carcass becomes unclean until evening. ⁴⁰ The one who eats from its carcass is to wash his clothes, because he has become unclean until evening. Even the one who carries the carcass is to wash his clothes, because he has become unclean until evening.”

Unclean Swarming Animals

⁴¹ “Every swarming thing that swarms the land is detestable for you. It is not to be eaten. ⁴² You are not to eat anything that crawls on its belly, anything that walks on four legs, anything that has many legs, or any of the swarming creatures that swarm the land, because they’re detestable. ⁴³ You are not to make yourselves detestable on account of any swarming creature that swarms the land, and you are not to defile yourselves and become unclean due to them, ⁴⁴ because I, the Lord, am your God. Set yourselves apart and be holy, because I am holy. You are not to defile yourselves with any of the swarming creatures that swarm the earth. ⁴⁵ I am the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God. You are to be holy, because I am holy. ⁴⁶ This is the law concerning animals, every living creature that moves on the waters or swarms^[bz] on land. ⁴⁷ You are to differentiate between the clean and unclean, between the living creature that can be eaten and the living creature that is not to be eaten.”

Post-Natal Purification

12 The Lord told Moses, ² “Tell the Israelis that a woman who conceives and bears a son is unclean for seven days. Just like the days of her menstruation,^[ca] she is unclean. ³ On the eighth day, the flesh of the baby’s foreskin is to be circumcised. ⁴ For 33 days after this, she is to remain in purification due to her blood loss.^[cb] She is not to touch any sacred thing or enter the sanctuary until the days of her purification have been completed.

⁵ “If she gives birth to a female, then she is to remain unclean for two weeks, just like her menstruation. She is to remain in purification for 66 days due to her blood loss.^{[cc] 6} When the days of her purification have been completed, whether for her son or daughter, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a one year old lamb for a whole burnt offering or a young dove for a sin offering. ⁷ He is to offer it in the Lord’s presence and make atonement for her so that she becomes clean from her blood loss. This is the law concerning the bearing of a male or female child. ⁸ If she cannot afford a goat, then two turtledoves or two young doves—one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering—will serve for him to make atonement for her, so that she becomes clean.”

Diagnosing Skin Diseases

13 The Lord said this to Moses and Aaron: ² “When a person^[cd] has a swelling or a scab in the skin on his body^[ce] that turns white in appearance and appears to be more extensive than skin deep, he is to be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons among the priests. ³ The priest is to examine the skin rash on the body. If the hair on the skin rash has turned white and its appearance is deeper than the skin of his body, it’s an infectious skin disease. When the priest has examined it, then he is to declare him unclean.

⁴ “If the light spot in the skin of his body is white but the appearance of the skin rash isn’t deeper than the skin of his body and its hair has not become white, then the priest is to isolate^[cf] the one who is infected for seven days. ⁵ On the seventh day, the priest is to examine him again. If, in his opinion, the skin rash remained the same and it^[cg] did not spread, then he is to isolate^[ch] him for another seven days.

⁶ “On the next^[ci] seventh day, the priest is to examine him again. If the skin rash didn’t become dull and it^[cj] didn’t spread in the skin, then the priest is to pronounce him clean: it’s a scab. He is to wash his clothes and be clean. ⁷ But if the scab did spread in the skin after he presented himself to the priest for cleansing, then he is to show himself a second time to the priest. ⁸ When the priest examines him and determines that the scab did, in fact, spread in his skin, then the priest is to pronounce him unclean, since it’s an infectious skin disease.”

Infectious Skin Diseases

⁹ “When a person has a skin rash that’s infectious, he is to be brought to the priest. ¹⁰ The priest is to examine it. If it is, indeed, a white swelling in the skin that has turned the hair white, and yet it sustains live flesh on the swelling, ¹¹ it’s a festering skin disease in his body. The priest is to declare him unclean. The man need not be confined, since he’s already unclean. ¹² If the infectious skin disease spreads in the skin so that it covers his entire body from head to foot (as the priest examines it), ¹³ when the priest’s examination reveals that the infectious skin disease has covered his entire body, then he is to declare him clean, even though he still has the skin infection. He has turned entirely white, so he’s clean. ¹⁴ But if, one day, infected flesh appears again in him, he is unclean. ¹⁵ The priest is to examine the infected flesh and declare him unclean. The raw flesh is unclean; it’s an infectious skin disease. ¹⁶ If the raw flesh recurs and turns white, then he is to go to the priest. ¹⁷ When the priest examines him and finds that the skin rash has indeed turned white, then the priest is to declare the one with the skin rash clean, and he will be clean.”

On Boils

¹⁸ “When someone is infected with a boil, but after it’s healed, ¹⁹ in place of the boil there remains a white swelling or a bright, white-reddish spot, he is to present himself to the priest. ²⁰ When the priest undertakes his examination and finds that it appears more extensive than skin deep and that its hair has turned white, then the priest is to declare him unclean, since an infectious skin disease has flourished in the boil. ²¹ If the priest undertakes an examination, but there’s no white hair in it and it’s not more extensive than skin deep, but it’s dull, then the priest is to isolate^[ck] him for seven days. ²² But if the infection has spread in the skin, then the priest is to declare him unclean. It’s a skin rash. ²³ If the scab remains in place and doesn’t spread, then it’s the scab from the boil. The priest is to declare him clean.”

Burn Scars

²⁴ “When a person has a burn scar in the skin that turns bright, white-reddish, or white, ²⁵ if the priest examines it and indeed the hair has turned white with a white spot appearing more extensive than skin deep, it’s an infectious skin disease with a burn scar that has spread. The priest is to declare him unclean. It’s an infectious skin disease. ²⁶ But if the priest examines it and discovers that there’s no bright area or white hair, or if he discovers that^[cl] it’s not more extensive than skin deep and it’s dull, then the priest is to isolate^[cm] him for seven days. ²⁷ When the priest examines it on the seventh day and finds that it has indeed spread on the skin, then the priest is to declare him unclean. It’s an infectious skin disease. ²⁸ But if the bright spot remains in place, doesn’t spread in the skin, and it’s dull, it’s the swelling of the burned area. The priest is to declare him clean, since it’s the scar from a burn.”

Rashes

²⁹ “Now when a man or a woman has a skin rash on the head or the man develops a skin rash under his beard,^{[cn] 30} if when the priest examines the skin rash and indeed it appears more extensive than skin deep, and it’s accompanied by fine, yellowish hair, then the priest is to declare him unclean. The scales on the head or the beard are an infectious skin disease. ³¹ But when the priest examines the scales of the skin rash and it doesn’t appear more extensive than skin deep and there’s no black hair in it, then the priest is to isolate^[co] him for seven days. ³² When the priest examines the skin rash on the seventh day and finds that indeed the scab did not spread, there’s no yellowish hair on it, and the scales don’t appear more extensive than skin deep, ³³ then he is to be shaven, but the scab is not to be shaved off. The priest is to isolate^[cp] him a second time for seven days. ³⁴ The priest is to examine the scab on the seventh day. If, indeed, the scab hasn’t spread on the skin and it doesn’t appear more extensive than skin deep, then the priest is to declare him clean. He is to wash his garments and be clean.

³⁵ “But if the scales spread on the skin after his cleansing, ³⁶ and the priest examines it and finds the scale to have spread on the skin, the priest need not look for yellowish hair, since he is clean. ³⁷ If, in his opinion, the scab remained the same and a black hair grew in it, then the scab has healed. He’s clean. The priest is to declare him clean. ³⁸ If a man or a woman has a light or whitish spot in the skin of their body, ³⁹ when the priest examines it and finds that there is a light or dull white patch of skin on the body, it’s a harmless skin eruption that has spread on the skin. The person is clean.”

Baldness vs. Head Rashes

⁴⁰ “When a man’s head becomes bare, he’s bald, but he’s clean. ⁴¹ When his head becomes bare on the side corner of his face, he has a bald forehead, but he’s clean. ⁴² But when in the baldness of his head or his forehead there develops a skin rash that’s white or reddish, it’s an infectious skin disease that has spread to his bald head or forehead. ⁴³ When the priest examines it and finds that the swelling of the skin rash is white or reddish on his bald head or forehead, similar in appearance to an infectious disease in the skin of the body, ⁴⁴ he’s a man with an infectious skin disease. He’s unclean. The priest is to declare him unclean on account of the skin rash in his head. ⁴⁵ The person with the infectious skin disease is to tear his garments and loosen his hair.^[cq] He is to cover his mustache and shout out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ ⁴⁶ The whole time that the skin rash infects him, he will be unclean. He is to live by himself in a home outside the encampment.”

Infected Clothing

⁴⁷ “When clothing becomes infected with a contagion—whether the clothing is wool or linen— ⁴⁸ in woven or knitted material, in leather, or with any article containing leather, ⁴⁹ if the contagion is greenish or reddish in the clothing, leather, woven material, knitted material, or with any article containing leather, it’s a fungal infection and is to be shown to the priest.

⁵⁰ “The priest is to examine the contagion and isolate^[cr] the clothing^[cs] for seven days. ⁵¹ The priest is to examine the contagion on the seventh day. If the infection has spread on the clothing, in the woven material, the knitted material, or in the leather, no matter the purpose for which the leather material had been manufactured, the contagion is a chronic fungal infection. It’s unclean.

⁵² “Incinerate the clothing, the woven material, the knitted material (whether wool or linen), or any of the leather articles on which the contagion is found, because it’s a chronic fungal infection. It is to be incinerated.

⁵³ “But if the priest examines it and the infection did not spread on the clothing, either in the woven or knitted material or on anything made of leather, ⁵⁴ then the priest is to command that they wash whatever has the contagion and then isolate^[ct] it for seven days a second time. ⁵⁵ Then the priest is to examine it after the contagion has been washed. If the contagion hasn’t changed in appearance,^[cu] even though the contagion hasn’t spread, it’s unclean. Incinerate it. It’s a fungal infection, especially if the infection is on its exposed side.

⁵⁶ “If the priest examines the item and determines that the contagion has become dull after it has been washed, tear it away from the garment, leather, woven material, or knitted material. ⁵⁷ But if it recurs on the clothing (whether woven or knitted material) or on any article made of leather, it’s a breakout, so incinerate it with fire wherever the contagion is found. ⁵⁸ Then the clothing (whether it is woven or knitted material) or any article made of leather that you’ve washed, if the contagion has been removed from it and it’s washed a second time, then it’s clean.

⁵⁹ “This is the law concerning fungal contagions on clothing of wool or linen (whether woven or knitted material) or in any of the articles made of leather, for determining whether it is clean or unclean.”

Purification Requirements

14 The Lord told Moses, ² “This is the law concerning those who have infectious skin diseases, after they have been cleansed: ³ The priest is to go outside the camp and examine the infectious skin disease to confirm that the person has been healed. ⁴ If he has been healed, then the priest is to command that two live and clean birds, some cedar^[cv] wood, some crimson thread, and hyssop be brought for the one cleansed. ⁵ Then the priest is to command that one bird be slaughtered on an earthen vessel over flowing water. ⁶ He is to take the live bird, the cedar wood, the crimson thread, and the hyssop, and dip them together in the blood of the bird that had been slaughtered over the flowing water. ⁷ He is to sprinkle the blood^[cw] seven times on the person with the infectious skin disease and then pronounce him clean. Then he is to release the live bird into the open fields. ⁸ The person who is clean is to wash his clothes, shave all his hair, and bathe in water, after which he is to be declared clean. Then he can be brought back to the camp, but he is to remain outside his tent for seven days. ⁹ On the seventh day, he is to shave the hair on his head, chin, back, and eyebrows. After he has shaved all his hair, washed his clothes, and bathed himself with water, then he will be clean.”

Reconsecration after Infections

¹⁰ “On the eighth day, he is to take two lambs without defect, a one year old ewe lamb without defect, one third of a measure of^[cx] fine flour mixed with olive oil for a meal offering, and one log^[cy] of oil. ¹¹ The priest who will pronounce him clean is to present the person to be cleansed and these offerings^[cz] in the Lord’s presence at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. ¹² The priest is to take one of the lambs and present it as a guilt offering, along with one log^[da] of olive oil, which he is to wave as a raised offering in the Lord’s presence. ¹³ Then he is to slaughter the lamb in the place where he slaughtered the sin and burnt offerings—that is, at a place in the sanctuary. Just as the sin offering is for the priest, so also is the guilt offering. It’s a most holy thing.

¹⁴ “Then the priest is to take some of the blood from the guilt offering and place it on the right earlobe of the person to be cleansed, on his right thumb, and on his right great toe. ¹⁵ Then the priest is to take some of the log^[db] of olive oil and pour it into his own left hand. ¹⁶ The priest is to dip his right finger in the olive oil that is in his left palm and sprinkle some of the olive oil with his finger seven times in the Lord’s presence.

¹⁷ “As to the remainder of the olive oil in his palm, he is to place some on the right earlobe of the person to be cleansed, on his right thumb, on his right great toe, and on the blood of the guilt offering. ¹⁸ Then he is to place the rest of the oil in his palm on the head of the person to be cleansed, thus making atonement for him in the Lord’s presence. ¹⁹ This is how^[dc] the priest is to present the sin offering to make atonement for the person being cleansed of his impurity. After this, he is to slaughter the whole burnt offering. ²⁰ The priest is to offer both the whole burnt and the grain offerings on the altar. After the priest makes atonement for him, he will be clean.”

Alternate Offerings

²¹ “If the offeror^[dd] is poor and cannot afford the regular offering,^[de] then he is to take one lamb for a guilt offering that will be presented in the form of a wave offering to atone for him, one tenth of a measure of^[df] fine flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, one log^[dg] of olive oil, ²² and two turtledoves or two young pigeons, whichever he can afford. One is for a sin offering and the other is for a whole burnt offering.

²³ “On the eighth day, he is to bring them for cleansing to the priest in the Lord’s presence at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. ²⁴ The priest is to take the lamb for a guilt offering and the olive oil and wave them as a raised offering in the Lord’s presence. ²⁵ Then he^[dh] is to take the lamb for the guilt offering and place some blood from the guilt offering on the right earlobe of the person to be cleansed, on his right thumb, and on his right great toe. ²⁶ Then the priest is to pour olive oil into his left palm ²⁷ and use his right finger to sprinkle oil from his left palm seven times in the Lord’s presence. ²⁸ The priest is to place oil from his palm on the right earlobe of the person being cleansed, on his right thumb, on his right great toe, and where the blood for the guilt offering is poured.

²⁹ “As to the remainder of the oil in his palm, the priest is to use it to anoint the head of the person to be cleansed, in order to make atonement for him in the Lord’s presence. ³⁰ Then he is to offer one of the turtledoves or the young pigeons, whichever he can afford. ³¹ Based on what he can afford, one is for a sin offering and the other is for a whole burnt offering. Along with the grain offering, the priest is to make atonement for the person to be cleansed in the Lord’s presence. ³² This is the regulation concerning one who has an infectious skin disease but who cannot afford his cleansing.”