Leviticus 1:15
in Leviticus 1Then the priest shall bring it to the altar, twist off its head, and burn it on the altar; its blood should be drained out on the side of the altar.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off its head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be drained out on the side of the altar;
KJV
And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar:
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This verse in Leviticus 1
Commentary
4 notes on this verseHis head - From the rest of the body; as sufficiently appears, because this was to be burnt by itself, and the body afterwards, ver. 17. And whereas it is said chap. v, 8. He shall - wring his head from his neck, but shall not divide it asunder, that is spoken not of the burnt-offering as here, but of the sin-offering.
This site's exposition
be of fowls, then he shall bring
on Leviticus 1:14-15
A bird is what a man brings when he has nothing else, and Leviticus 5:7 and 12:8 name it as the provision for one who cannot reach a lamb. Luke 2:24 has Mary and Joseph bringing a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons at the temple, which is that provision in use. Here the priest does the killing rather than the offerer, wringing off the head at the altar with his hands, so the poorest offering is the one its owner is not asked to butcher.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And the priest shall bring it unto the altar,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
if the burnt sacrifice . . . be of fowls--The gentle nature and cleanly habits of the dove led to its selection, while all other fowls were rejected, either for the fierceness of their disposition or the grossness of their taste; and in this case, there being from the smallness of the animal no blood for waste, the priest was directed to prepare it at the altar and sprinkle the blood.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
This “bringing” means bringing it up onto the altar, signifying that the priest is to bring up the bird onto the altar and nip off its head there, as the nipping off may only be done on top of the altar. 172 Zebachim 65a.
2 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Scripture chose these two species [of birds] because they are accessible and can be more easily caught than other [birds], just as our Rabbis have mentioned. Vayikra Rabbah:6. with reference to any of the sheep, and any of the goats, 166 Deuteronomy:4.
AND HE SHALL REMOVE ‘ETH MURATHO B’NOTZATHAH.’ “ Muratho refers to the place of the digested food, namely ‘its crop.’ B’notzathah means ‘together with its entrails.’ The word notzah is a term for anything which is loathsome.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהִקְרִיב֤וֹ | vehikrivo | and he will present it | H7126 → | 280 times |
| הַכֹּהֵן֙ | hakohen | the priest | H3548 → | 750 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ | hamizbeach | the altar | H4196 → | 401 times |
| וּמָלַק֙ | umalak | and he will nip off | H4454 → | |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| רֹאשׁ֔וֹ | rosho | head its | H7218 → | 599 times |
| וְהִקְטִ֖יר | vehiktir | and he will make [it] smoke | H6999 → | 116 times |
| הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חָה | hamizbechah | the altar towards | H4196 → | 401 times |
| וְנִמְצָ֣ה | venimtzah | and it will be drained out | H4680 → | |
| דָמ֔וֹ | damo | blood its | H1818 → | 360 times |
| עַ֖ל | ʾal | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| קִ֥יר | kir | [the] side of | H7023 → | 75 times |
| הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ | hamizbeach | the altar | H4196 → | 401 times |
וְהִקְרִיב֤וֹand he will present it
vehikrivoH7126 →280 times
הַכֹּהֵן֙the priest
hakohenH3548 →750 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַthe altar
hamizbeachH4196 →401 times
וּמָלַק֙and he will nip off
umalakH4454 →
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
רֹאשׁ֔וֹhead its
roshoH7218 →599 times
וְהִקְטִ֖ירand he will make [it] smoke
vehiktirH6999 →116 times
הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חָהthe altar towards
hamizbechahH4196 →401 times
וְנִמְצָ֣הand it will be drained out
venimtzahH4680 →
דָמ֔וֹblood its
damoH1818 →360 times
עַ֖לon
ʾalH5921 →5755 times
קִ֥יר[the] side of
kirH7023 →75 times
הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃the altar
hamizbeachH4196 →401 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 22:1My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, so far from my words of groaning?
it leads to
- Mark 15:34
At the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
- Matthew 27:46
About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
- Hebrews 5:7
During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His…
- Psalms 22:16
For dogs surround me; a band of evil men encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet.
- Mark 15:34
Through
Isaiah 53:10Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days,…
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 5:21
God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
- Romans 8:32
He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?
- Galatians 3:13
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
- Zechariah 13:7
Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, against the man who is My Companion, declares the LORD of Hosts. Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn My hand against…
- 2 Corinthians 5:21
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
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About Leviticus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.