The Bible — World English Bible
Leviticus 6
In brief
Leviticus 6 continues the instructions on sacrifices. It begins with the guilt offering: anyone who has cheated a neighbor must first give back what he took, adding a fifth, and then bring a ram to receive forgiveness. Next come the rules for the priests: the fire of the burnt offering must never go out, followed by the laws of the grain offering and of the sin offering. The chapter shows that making things right with others goes together with the forgiveness received from God.
The chapter in 4 parts
1Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
2“If anyone sins, and commits a trespass against Yahweh, and deals falsely with his neighbor in a matter of deposit, or of bargain, or of robbery, or has oppressed his neighbor,
3or has found that which was lost, and lied about it, and swearing to a lie—in any of these things that a man sins in his actions—
4then it shall be, if he has sinned, and is guilty, he shall restore that which he took by robbery, or the thing which he has gotten by oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found,
5or any thing about which he has sworn falsely: he shall restore it in full, and shall add a fifth part more to it. He shall return it to him to whom it belongs in the day of his being found guilty.
6He shall bring his trespass offering to Yahweh: a ram without defect from the flock, according to your estimation, for a trespass offering, to the priest.
7The priest shall make atonement for him before Yahweh, and he will be forgiven concerning whatever he does to become guilty.”
8Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
9“Command Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of the burnt offering: the burnt offering shall be on the hearth on the altar all night until the morning; and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it.
10The priest shall put on his linen garment, and he shall put on his linen trousers upon his body; and he shall remove the ashes from where the fire has consumed the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.
11He shall take off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place.
12The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it, it shall not go out; and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning. He shall lay the burnt offering in order upon it, and shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings.
13Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.
14“ ‘This is the law of the meal offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before Yahweh, before the altar.
15He shall take from there his handful of the fine flour of the meal offering, and of its oil, and all the frankincense which is on the meal offering, and shall burn it on the altar for a pleasant aroma, as its memorial portion, to Yahweh.
16That which is left of it Aaron and his sons shall eat. It shall be eaten without yeast in a holy place. They shall eat it in the court of the Tent of Meeting.
17It shall not be baked with yeast. I have given it as their portion of my offerings made by fire. It is most holy, as are the sin offering and the trespass offering.
18Every male among the children of Aaron shall eat of it, as their portion forever throughout your generations, from the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. Whoever touches them shall be holy.’ ”
19Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
20“This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer to Yahweh in the day when he is anointed: one tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering perpetually, half of it in the morning, and half of it in the evening.
21It shall be made with oil in a griddle. When it is soaked, you shall bring it in. You shall offer the meal offering in baked pieces for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
22The anointed priest that will be in his place from among his sons shall offer it. By a statute forever, it shall be wholly burned to Yahweh.
23Every meal offering of a priest shall be wholly burned. It shall not be eaten.”
24Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
25“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of the sin offering: in the place where the burnt offering is killed, the sin offering shall be killed before Yahweh. It is most holy.
26The priest who offers it for sin shall eat it. It shall be eaten in a holy place, in the court of the Tent of Meeting.
27Whatever shall touch its flesh shall be holy. When there is any of its blood sprinkled on a garment, you shall wash that on which it was sprinkled in a holy place.
28But the earthen vessel in which it is boiled shall be broken; and if it is boiled in a bronze vessel, it shall be scoured, and rinsed in water.
29Every male among the priests shall eat of it. It is most holy.
30No sin offering, of which any of the blood is brought into the Tent of Meeting to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be eaten. It shall be burned with fire.
Key verses
“If anyone sins, and commits a trespass against Yahweh, and deals falsely with his neighbor in a matter of deposit, or of bargain, or of robbery, or has oppressed his neighbor, or has found that which was lost, and lied about it, and swearing to a lie—in any of these things that a man sins in his actions— then it shall be, if he has sinned, and is guilty, he shall restore that which he took by robbery, or the thing which he has gotten by oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found, or any thing about which he has sworn falsely: he shall restore it in full, and shall add a fifth part more to it. He shall return it to him to whom it belongs in the day of his being found guilty.
The text lists wrongs that harm a neighbor: lying, fraud, theft, false oaths. The guilty person must return the full amount and add a fifth before bringing his sacrifice. Forgiveness also goes through making things right with the person who was wronged.
The priest shall make atonement for him before Yahweh, and he will be forgiven concerning whatever he does to become guilty.”
After the restitution and the sacrifice, the priest makes atonement and forgiveness is given, whatever the wrong the person was guilty of. The text links repair and the mercy of God.
The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it, it shall not go out; and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning. He shall lay the burnt offering in order upon it, and shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings. Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.
The fire on the altar must burn continually and never go out. Each morning the priest puts wood on it. A fire that has been lit needs tending: this passage is often used to speak of perseverance in prayer and in our relationship with God.
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What the sermons say
Frequently asked questions about Leviticus 6
What does Leviticus 6:5 mean?
The verse asks anyone who has stolen from or cheated a neighbor to give back in full what he took and to add a fifth. The repair is made on the very day he offers his guilt offering. The text thus joins our relationship with God to justice toward our neighbor.
Why was the fire never to go out according to Leviticus 6?
Verses 9 to 13 provide that the fire of the burnt offering burns all night and that the priest adds wood to it every morning. It symbolizes the continuity of the worship offered to God. Many preachers draw from it the image of a spiritual life to be tended every day.
What is the difference between the guilt offering and the sin offering?
In this chapter, the guilt offering answers wrongs that harm someone and call for restitution, such as theft or lying. The sin offering, whose law is found in verses 24 to 30, concerns sin in general. Both are described as most holy.
Articles quoting Leviticus 6
World English Bible translation — public domain.