Leviticus 1:9
in Leviticus 1The entrails and legs must be washed with water, and the priest shall burn all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
but its inwards and its legs shall he wash with water. And the priest shall burn the whole on the altar, for a burnt-offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah.
KJV
But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.
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This verse in Leviticus 1
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The parts which were washed were the stomach, and bowels, and feet, divided from the carcass at the knee-joint. The priest shall burn - The verb here translated burn, is applied exclusively to the burning of the incense, to the lights of the tabernacle, and to the offerings on the altar. The primary meaning of its root seems to be to exhale odor. (See the margin of Lev 24:2; Exo 30:8).
This site's exposition
shall put a fire on the altar
on Leviticus 1:7-9
From verse 7 the priests handle every piece, and all of it is burned. That sets the burnt offering apart from the other offerings of chapters 1 to 7, where a priest or the offerer eats a portion.
This site's exposition
the priest shall burn all of it on the altar
Albert Barnes notes that this verb for burn is used only of the incense, the lamps of the tabernacle and the offerings on the altar. He takes its root to mean giving off an odor, which suits the pleasing aroma that closes the verse.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
But the inwards shall he wash - To signify the universal and perfect purity both of the inwards, or the heart, and of the legs, or ways or actions, which was in Christ, and which should be in all Christians.
But the inwards and his legs shall he wash in water,....
He rested, and was refreshed with these institutions of his grace, as, at first, with his works of creation ( Exod. xxxi. 17 ), rejoicing therein, Ps. civ. Christ's offering of himself to God is said to be of a sweet-smelling savour ( Eph. v. 2 ), and the spiritual sacrifices of Christians are said to be acceptable to God, through Christ, 1 Pet. ii.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
but his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water, &c.--This part of the ceremony was symbolical of the inward purity, and the holy walk, that became acceptable worshippers. a sweet savour unto the Lord--is an expression of the offerer's piety, but especially as a sacrificial type of Christ.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
An offering - of a sweet savor - אשה ריח ניחוח ishsheh reiach nichoach, a fire-offering, an odour of rest, or, as the Septuagint express it, θυσια οσμη ευωδιας, “a sacrifice for a sweet-smelling savor;” which place St. Paul had evidently in view when he wrote Eph 5:2: “Christ hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering, και θυσιαν - εις οσμην ευωδιας, and a sacrifice, for a sweet-smelling savor,” where he uses the same terms as the Septuagint. Hence we find that the holocaust, or burnt-offering, typified the sacrifice and death of Christ for the sins of the world.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
This section deals with the burnt-offering of the flock, and the law thereof is in every detail like that of the burnt-offering of the herd.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
If his offering is from flocks of sheep—of lambs or of goats—for a burnt-offering, he shall bring an unblemished male.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְקִרְבּ֥וֹ | vekirbo | and entrails its | H7130 → | 227 times |
| וּכְרָעָ֖יו | ukheraav | and legs its | H3767 → | 9 times |
| יִרְחַ֣ץ | yirchatz | he will wash | H7364 → | 72 times |
| בַּמָּ֑יִם | bamayim | with <the> water | H4325 → | 581 times |
| וְהִקְטִ֨יר | vehiktir | and he will make smoke | H6999 → | 116 times |
| הַכֹּהֵ֤ן | hakohen | the priest | H3548 → | 750 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַכֹּל֙ | hakol | <the> everything | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חָה | hamizbechah | the altar towards | H4196 → | 401 times |
| עֹלָ֛ה | ʾolah | a burnt offering | H5930 → | 287 times |
| אִשֵּׁ֥ה | ʾisheh | a fire offering of | H801 → | 65 times |
| רֵֽיחַ־ | reiach- | an odor of | H7381 → | 58 times |
| נִיח֖וֹחַ | nichoach | soothing | H5207 → | 43 times |
| לַֽיהוָֽה׃ ס | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
וְקִרְבּ֥וֹand entrails its
vekirboH7130 →227 times
וּכְרָעָ֖יוand legs its
ukheraavH3767 →9 times
יִרְחַ֣ץhe will wash
yirchatzH7364 →72 times
בַּמָּ֑יִםwith <the> water
bamayimH4325 →581 times
וְהִקְטִ֨ירand he will make smoke
vehiktirH6999 →116 times
הַכֹּהֵ֤ןthe priest
hakohenH3548 →750 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַכֹּל֙<the> everything
hakolH3605 →5413 times
הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חָהthe altar towards
hamizbechahH4196 →401 times
עֹלָ֛הa burnt offering
ʾolahH5930 →287 times
אִשֵּׁ֥הa fire offering of
ʾishehH801 →65 times
רֵֽיחַ־an odor of
reiach-H7381 →58 times
נִיח֖וֹחַsoothing
nichoachH5207 →43 times
לַֽיהוָֽה׃ סto Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →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
Ephesians 5:2and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 2:15
For we are to God the sweet aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- John 13:34
A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another.
- Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved…
- Colossians 3:14
And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.
- 1 Corinthians 16:14
Do everything in love.
- 2 Corinthians 2:15
Through
Genesis 8:21When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, He said in His heart, “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from his youth.…
it leads to
- Ephesians 5:2
and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.
- Genesis 6:5
Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time.
- Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
- Ephesians 5:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
On this verse
On this chapter
About Leviticus
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; 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); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.