Leviticus 1:3
in Leviticus 1If one’s offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to present an unblemished male. He must bring it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting for its acceptance before the LORD.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
If his oblation be a burnt-offering of the herd, he shall offer it a male without blemish: he shall offer it at the door of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before Jehovah.
KJV
If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord.
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This verse in Leviticus 1
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
burnt - literally, that (offering) which ascends (as a flame). A male without blemish - Males were required in most offerings, since the stronger sex which takes precedence of the other. But females were allowed in peace-offerings Lev 3:1, Lev 3:6, and were expressly prescribed in the sin-offerings of the common people Lev 4:28, Lev 4:32; Lev 5:
This site's exposition
of his own voluntary will
on Leviticus 1:3-4
No sin has been named and no occasion is given, so the first sacrifice in the book is one a man brings because he wants to. Verse 4 then lays his hand on the head of the animal and says it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him, which is substitution stated at the start of Leviticus in one sentence. Adam Clarke reads the laid hand as the offerer owning the victim as his own and asking that its life be taken in the place of his. The two verses stand together, a gift given freely and a death counted for the giver.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
As the best and most profitable creatures, with which it is fit God should be served, and which we should be ready to part with, when God requires us to do so.
If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
It was designed to propitiate the anger of God incurred by original sin, or by particular transgressions; and its entire combustion indicated the self-dedication of the offerer--his whole nature--his body and soul--as necessary to form a sacrifice acceptable to God (Ro 12:1;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Burnt-sacrifice - The most important of all the sacrifices offered to God; called by the Septuagint ὁλοκαυτωμα, because it was wholly consumed, which was not the case in any other offering. See on Leviticus 7 (note). His own voluntary will - לרצנו lirtsono, to gain himself acceptance before the Lord: in this way all the versions appear to have understood the original words, and the connection in which they stand obviously requires this meaning.
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אִם־ | ʾim- | if | H518 → | 1069 times |
| עֹלָ֤ה | ʾolah | [is] a burnt offering | H5930 → | 287 times |
| קָרְבָּנוֹ֙ | karebano | present his | H7133 → | 82 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַבָּקָ֔ר | habakar | the herd | H1241 → | 183 times |
| זָכָ֥ר | zakhar | a male | H2145 → | 82 times |
| תָּמִ֖ים | tamim | unblemished | H8549 → | 91 times |
| יַקְרִיבֶ֑נּוּ | yakrivenu | he will present it | H7126 → | 280 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| פֶּ֝תַח | petach | [the] entrance of | H6607 → | 164 times |
| אֹ֤הֶל | ʾohel | [the] tent of | H168 → | 345 times |
| מוֹעֵד֙ | moed | meeting | H4150 → | 223 times |
| יַקְרִ֣יב | yakriv | he will present | H7126 → | 280 times |
| אֹת֔וֹ | ʾoto | <obj.> it | H853 → | 10935 times |
| לִרְצֹנ֖וֹ | lirtzono | for acceptance its | H7522 → | 56 times |
| לִפְנֵ֥י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
אִם־if
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
עֹלָ֤ה[is] a burnt offering
ʾolahH5930 →287 times
קָרְבָּנוֹ֙present his
karebanoH7133 →82 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַבָּקָ֔רthe herd
habakarH1241 →183 times
זָכָ֥רa male
zakharH2145 →82 times
תָּמִ֖יםunblemished
tamimH8549 →91 times
יַקְרִיבֶ֑נּוּhe will present it
yakrivenuH7126 →280 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
פֶּ֝תַח[the] entrance of
petachH6607 →164 times
אֹ֤הֶל[the] tent of
ʾohelH168 →345 times
מוֹעֵד֙meeting
moedH4150 →223 times
יַקְרִ֣יבhe will present
yakrivH7126 →280 times
אֹת֔וֹ<obj.> it
ʾotoH853 →10935 times
לִרְצֹנ֖וֹfor acceptance its
lirtzonoH7522 →56 times
לִפְנֵ֥י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
יְהוָֽה׃Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 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
Hebrews 9:14how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!
it leads to
- 1 Peter 1:19
but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 10:22
let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
- 1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
- Hebrews 9:12
He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption.
- 1 Peter 2:24
He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”
- 1 Peter 1:19
Through
Ephesians 5:27and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.
it leads to
- Colossians 1:22
But now He has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy, unblemished, and blameless in His presence—
- Hebrews 9:14
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!
- 2 Corinthians 11:2
I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. For I promised you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.
- Colossians 1:22
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
About Leviticus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Andrew Bonar, A Commentary on Leviticus; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament.