If, however, one’s offering is a burnt offering from the flock—from the sheep or goats—he is to present an unblemished male.
Parallel translations
- WEB “‘If his offering is from the flock, from the sheep, or from the goats, for a burnt offering, he shall offer a male without defect.
- KJV And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish.
- NKJV ‘If his offering is of the flocks—of the sheep or of the goats—as a burnt sacrifice, he shall bring a male without blemish.
- NASB ‘But if his offering is from the flock, either from the sheep or from the goats, as a burnt offering, he shall offer a male without defect.
- NLT “If the animal you present as a burnt offering is from the flock, it may be either a sheep or a goat, but it must be a male with no defects.
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
Those with smaller means may bring a flawless male from the flock. God graciously accommodates worshipers of differing wealth.
Overview
The law provides for offerings from sheep or goats, not only cattle, so that worship is accessible to those who could not afford a bull. The same requirement of an unblemished male holds, preserving the offering's integrity. This gracious provision shows God's concern that all His people, rich or poor, have access to atonement, fully opened to all in Christ (Galatians 3:28).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Lev 1:2–3“Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When any of you brings an offering to the LORD, you may bring as your offering an animal from the herd or the flock.
- Mal 1:14“But cursed is the deceiver who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord. For I am a great King,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and My name is to be feared among the nations.
- Lev 22:19must offer an unblemished male from the cattle, sheep, or goats in order for it to be accepted on your behalf.
- Gen 8:20Then Noah built an altar to the LORD. And taking from every kind of clean animal and clean bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar.
- Exod 12:5Your lamb must be an unblemished year-old male, and you may take it from the sheep or the goats.
- John 1:29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
- Isa 53:6–7We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.
- Lev 4:23When he becomes aware of the sin he has committed, he must bring an unblemished male goat as his offering.
- Gen 4:4while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock. And the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Every sacrifice, every priest, and every day of atonement points beyond itself to the one perfect offering and the great High Priest who, by his own blood, makes the unclean holy once for all.
How Leviticus 1:10 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.