“‘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.
Parallel translations
- 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.
- BSB If, however, one’s offering is a burnt offering from the flock—from the sheep or goats—he is to present an unblemished male.
- 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 children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When anyone of you offers an offering to Yahweh, you shall offer your offering of the livestock, from the herd and from the flock.
- Mal 1:14“But the deceiver is cursed, who has in his flock a male, and vows, and sacrifices to the Lord a defective thing; for I am a great King,” says Yahweh of Armies, “and my name is awesome among the nations.”
- Lev 22:19that you may be accepted, you shall offer a male without defect, of the bulls, of the sheep, or of the goats.
- Gen 8:20Noah built an altar to Yahweh, and took of every clean animal, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
- Exod 12:5Your lamb shall be without defect, a male a year old. You shall take it from the sheep, or from the goats:
- John 1:29The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
- Isa 53:6–7All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
- Lev 4:23if his sin, in which he has sinned, is made known to him, he shall bring as his offering a goat, a male without defect.
- Gen 4:4Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of its fat. Yahweh respected 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.