“You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God an ox or a sheep which has a blemish or any defect, for that is a detestable thing to the Lord your God.
Parallel translations
- WEB You shall not sacrifice to Yahweh your God an ox, or a sheep, in which is a defect, or anything evil; for that is an abomination to Yahweh your God.
- KJV Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the LORD thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the LORD thy God.
- BSB You shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep with any defect or serious flaw, for that is detestable to the LORD your God.
- NKJV “You shall not sacrifice to the Lord your God a bull or sheep which has any blemish or defect, for that is an abomination to the Lord your God.
- NLT “Never sacrifice sick or defective cattle, sheep, or goats to the Lord your God, for he detests such gifts.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Israel was not to sacrifice any defective or blemished animal, for it is an abomination to God. The Lord must be given what is whole and worthy.
Overview
Offering a flawed sacrifice treated God with contempt and is here called an abomination. He deserves the best, not the leftover or the damaged. This standard points unmistakably to Christ, the unblemished Lamb whose flawless self-offering alone is fully acceptable to God for our salvation.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 16
- Deut 15:21If it has any defect, is lame or blind, or has any defect whatever, you shall not sacrifice it to Yahweh your God.
- Mal 1:8When you offer the blind for sacrifice, isn’t that evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, isn’t that evil? Present it now to your governor! Will he be pleased with you? Or will he accept your person?” says Yahweh of Armies.
- Deut 23:18You shall not bring the hire of a prostitute, or the wages of a male prostitute, into the house of Yahweh your God for any vow; for both of these are an abomination to Yahweh your God.
- Lev 22:20–25But whatever has a defect, that you shall not offer; for it shall not be acceptable for you.
- Deut 24:4her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before Yahweh. You shall not cause the land to sin, which Yahweh your God gives you for an inheritance.
- Deut 25:16For all who do such things, all who do unrighteously, are an abomination to Yahweh your God.
- Gen 41:3–4Behold, seven other cattle came up after them out of the river, ugly and thin, and stood by the other cattle on the brink of the river.
- Prov 11:1A false balance is an abomination to Yahweh, but accurate weights are his delight.
- Mal 1:13–14You say also, ‘Behold, what a weariness it is!’ and you have sniffed at it”, says Yahweh of Armies; “and you have brought that which was taken by violence, the lame, and the sick; thus you bring the offering. Should I accept this at your hand?” says Yahweh.
- Prov 15:8The sacrifice made by the wicked is an abomination to Yahweh, but the prayer of the upright is his delight.
- Exod 12:5Your lamb shall be without defect, a male a year old. You shall take it from the sheep, or from the goats:
- Prov 6:16There are six things which Yahweh hates; yes, seven which are an abomination to him:
- Heb 9:14how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without defect to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
- Gen 41:19and behold, seven other cattle came up after them, poor and very ugly and thin, such as I never saw in all the land of Egypt for ugliness.
- 1 Pet 1:19but with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish or spot, the blood of Christ;
- Prov 20:10Differing weights and differing measures, both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 17:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.