Leviticus 1

1 The LORD called to Moses, and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying,

While Moses/I was [standing near the entrance] to the Sacred Tent, Yahweh called to him/me from inside the tent. He said to Moses/me,

2 “Speak to the children of Israel, and tell them, ‘When anyone of you offers an offering to the LORD, you shall offer your offering of the livestock, from the herd and from the flock.

“Tell this to the Israeli people: ‘When any of you brings an offering to Yahweh, bring one of your sheep or goats or cattle.

3 “‘If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without defect. He shall offer it at the door of the Tent of Meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD.

‘If what you are offering is a bull that will be completely burned [on the altar], it must not have any defects. You must take it to the entrance to the Sacred Tent, in order that it will be acceptable to Yahweh.

4 He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

You must lay your hands on the head of the bull. When you do that, Yahweh will accept [its death in your place] to forgive/pardon you for the sins that you have committed.

5 He shall kill the bull before the LORD. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall present the blood and sprinkle the blood around on the altar that is at the door of the Tent of Meeting.

You must slaughter the bull in front of Yahweh. Then Aaron’s sons, who are priests, will bring the blood and sprinkle it against all sides of the altar near the entrance to the Sacred Tent.

6 He shall skin the burnt offering and cut it into pieces.

You must remove the skin of the animal and cut the animal into pieces. You must wash the inner parts and the legs of the bull.

7 The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar, and lay wood in order on the fire;

Then Aaron’s sons will put wood on the altar and light a fire.

8 and Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall lay the pieces, the head, and the fat in order on the wood that is on the fire which is on the altar;

Then they will arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat, on the burning wood.

9 but he shall wash its innards and its legs with water. The priest shall burn all of it on the altar, for a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to the LORD.

Then one of the priests will completely burn all of it on the altar. And the aroma will be pleasing to Yahweh.

10 “‘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.

‘If you are offering a sheep or a goat, it must be a male without any defect.

11 He shall kill it on the north side of the altar before the LORD. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar.

You must slaughter it in front of Yahweh, on the north side of the altar, [and drain all the blood into a bowl]. Then Aaron’s sons will sprinkle the blood against all sides of the altar.

12 He shall cut it into its pieces, with its head and its fat. The priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is on the altar,

You must cut the animal into pieces. You must wash the inner parts and the legs of the animal. Then the priests will arrange the pieces, including the head and the fat, on the burning wood.

13 but the innards and the legs he shall wash with water. The priest shall offer the whole, and burn it on the altar. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to the LORD.

Then one of the priests will take all of it and completely burn all of it on the altar. And the aroma as it burns will be pleasing to Yahweh.

14 “‘If his offering to the LORD is a burnt offering of birds, then he shall offer his offering from turtledoves or of young pigeons.

‘If what you are offering to Yahweh is a bird, you must offer a dove or a young pigeon.

15 The priest shall bring it to the altar, and wring off its head, and burn it on the altar; and its blood shall be drained out on the side of the altar;

The priest will take it to the altar and wring/twist off its head. Then he will burn the head on the altar. He will drain out the bird’s blood onto the side of the altar.

16 and he shall take away its crop and its feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, in the place of the ashes.

Then he will remove the bird’s (craw/food-grinding pouch) and what is inside it, and throw it on the east side of the altar, where the ashes are thrown.

17 He shall tear it by its wings, but shall not divide it apart. The priest shall burn it on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire. It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to the LORD.

Then he will grasp the bird’s wings and partially tear the bird open. Then he will burn it completely in the fire on the altar. And the aroma will be pleasing to Yahweh.’