God’s Justice and Holiness in Offerings

What You'll Learn

• The necessity of restitution in sin and trespass
• The role of the trespass offering in atonement
• The perpetual fire on the altar symbolizing God’s continual presence
• The specific duties and garments of the priests
• The holiness required in handling offerings
• The distinctions between different types of offerings

God’s holiness demands justice through restitution and continual atonement, upheld by the dedicated service of the priests.

Bible Translation Note Scripture Verse-by-Verse Study Chapter Synopsis Prayer Personal Application Weekly Actions Chapter Summary

Bible Translation Note: All Scripture on this page is quoted from the King James Version (KJV) and presented in full without alteration.

Leviticus 6:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Leviticus 6:2 If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour;

Leviticus 6:3 Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein:

Leviticus 6:4 Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found,

Leviticus 6:5 Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering.

Leviticus 6:6 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD, a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest:

Leviticus 6:7 And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein.

Leviticus 6:8 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Leviticus 6:9 Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering: It is the burnt offering, because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it.

Leviticus 6:10 And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.

Leviticus 6:11 And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place.

Leviticus 6:12 And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.

Leviticus 6:13 The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.

Leviticus 6:14 And this is the law of the meat offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD, before the altar.

Leviticus 6:15 And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the meat offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is upon the meat offering, and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour, even the memorial of it, unto the LORD.

Leviticus 6:16 And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it.

Leviticus 6:17 It shall not be baken with leaven. I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as is the sin offering, and as the trespass offering.

Leviticus 6:18 All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations concerning the offerings of the LORD made by fire: every one that toucheth them shall be holy.

Leviticus 6:19 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Leviticus 6:20 This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto the LORD in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at night.

Leviticus 6:21 In a pan it shall be made with oil; and when it is baken, thou shalt bring it in: and the baken pieces of the meat offering shalt thou offer for a sweet savour unto the LORD.

Leviticus 6:22 And the priest of his sons that is anointed in his stead shall offer it: it is a statute for ever unto the LORD, it shall be wholly burnt.

Leviticus 6:23 For every meat offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.

Leviticus 6:24 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Leviticus 6:25 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the LORD: it is most holy.

Leviticus 6:26 The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in the holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Leviticus 6:27 Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy: and when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment, thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled in the holy place.

Leviticus 6:28 But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden shall be broken: and if it be sodden in a brasen pot, it shall be both scoured, and rinsed in water.

Leviticus 6:29 All the males among the priests shall eat thereof: it is most holy.

Leviticus 6:30 And no sin offering, whereof any of the blood is brought into the tabernacle of the congregation to reconcile withal in the holy place, shall be eaten: it shall be burnt in the fire.

Leviticus 6:1

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Study: God’s communication to Moses underscores the divine origin and authority of the instructions that follow, reminding us that these laws are not human ideas but come directly from the LORD.

Leviticus 6:2

If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the LORD, and lie unto his neighbour in that which was delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbour;

Study: This verse identifies specific sins involving deceit and betrayal of trust, highlighting that sin against a neighbor is also sin against God. It shows God’s concern for justice in relationships and honesty in stewardship.

Leviticus 6:3

Or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man doeth, sinning therein:

Study: False swearing and lying about found property are included as serious sins, emphasizing the importance of truthfulness and integrity in all dealings, which reflect one’s reverence for God.

Leviticus 6:4

Then it shall be, because he hath sinned, and is guilty, that he shall restore that which he took violently away, or the thing which he hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him to keep, or the lost thing which he found,

Study: Restitution is required for sins involving property or trust, showing that forgiveness is linked to making right what was wrongfully taken or kept. This principle protects the vulnerable and upholds community justice.

Leviticus 6:5

Or all that about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, in the day of his trespass offering.

Study: Adding a fifth part more to the restitution demonstrates God’s demand for full accountability and a measure of penalty, teaching that sin has consequences and requires sincere repentance and compensation.

Leviticus 6:6

And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the LORD, a ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a trespass offering, unto the priest:

Study: The trespass offering must be a ram without blemish, symbolizing the need for a pure and acceptable sacrifice to atone for sin, pointing forward to the perfect sacrifice required to restore fellowship with God.

Leviticus 6:7

And the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD: and it shall be forgiven him for any thing of all that he hath done in trespassing therein.

Study: The priest’s role in making atonement before the LORD highlights the mediatorial function of the priesthood, showing that forgiveness is granted through a divinely appointed representative.

Leviticus 6:8

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Study: God’s repeated communication to Moses stresses the importance and seriousness of the instructions about offerings, ensuring they are faithfully conveyed and observed.

Leviticus 6:9

Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering: It is the burnt offering, because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it.

Study: The burnt offering is described as burning all night, symbolizing continual dedication and the ongoing nature of worship and sacrifice required to maintain fellowship with God.

Leviticus 6:10

And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.

Study: The priest’s linen garments signify purity and separation from sin while performing sacred duties, and the careful handling of ashes shows respect for what remains after God’s consuming fire.

Leviticus 6:11

And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place.

Study: Changing garments before removing ashes and carrying them outside the camp illustrates the separation between the holy service and the removal of impurity, teaching reverence and order in worship.

Leviticus 6:12

And the fire upon the altar shall be burning in it; it shall not be put out: and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning, and lay the burnt offering in order upon it; and he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace offerings.

Study: The command to keep the altar fire burning perpetually symbolizes God’s eternal presence and the continual need for worship and sacrifice in the life of Israel.

Leviticus 6:13

The fire shall ever be burning upon the altar; it shall never go out.

Study: The fire that never goes out on the altar represents God’s unending holiness and the perpetual nature of atonement, reminding the people that their relationship with God requires constant devotion.

Leviticus 6:14

And this is the law of the meat offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD, before the altar.

Study: The law of the meat offering establishes the priests’ responsibility to present offerings before the LORD, emphasizing their role as mediators and caretakers of sacred worship.

Leviticus 6:15

And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the meat offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is upon the meat offering, and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour, even the memorial of it, unto the LORD.

Study: Burning a portion of the meat offering with frankincense for a sweet savor signifies that worship pleases God when it is offered with the right heart and reverence.

Leviticus 6:16

And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it.

Study: The priests eating the remainder of the meat offering in the holy place shows that their sustenance is connected to their service, symbolizing the intimate relationship between God’s provision and priestly duty.

Leviticus 6:17

It shall not be baken with leaven. I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as is the sin offering, and as the trespass offering.

Study: Prohibiting leaven in the meat offering stresses the need for purity and separation from corruption in worship, reflecting God’s holiness and the sacredness of the offerings.

Leviticus 6:18

All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations concerning the offerings of the LORD made by fire: every one that toucheth them shall be holy.

Study: The statute that all males among Aaron’s sons eat the offering reinforces the communal and hereditary nature of the priesthood, and the command that those who touch the offerings must be holy underscores the sanctity of the worship service.

Leviticus 6:19

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Study: God’s continued instructions to Moses highlight the importance of precise observance of offerings, ensuring the people understand the seriousness of worship and the priestly responsibilities.

Leviticus 6:20

This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto the LORD in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at night.

Study: The perpetual meat offering for the priests, divided between morning and evening, teaches the discipline of regular worship and the continual dependence on God’s provision.

Leviticus 6:21

In a pan it shall be made with oil; and when it is baken, thou shalt bring it in: and the baken pieces of the meat offering shalt thou offer for a sweet savour unto the LORD.

Study: The preparation of the meat offering with oil and baking it in a pan shows the care and reverence required in worship, and offering it as a sweet savor signifies acceptance by God.

Leviticus 6:22

And the priest of his sons that is anointed in his stead shall offer it: it is a statute for ever unto the LORD, it shall be wholly burnt.

Study: The anointed priest’s responsibility to offer the meat offering perpetually underscores the continuity of priestly service and the unchanging nature of God’s covenant.

Leviticus 6:23

For every meat offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.

Study: The command that every meat offering for the priest be wholly burnt and not eaten teaches that some offerings are solely for God’s pleasure and must be completely dedicated to Him.

Leviticus 6:24

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Study: God’s instructions to Moses continue to emphasize the holiness and order required in the sin offering, reinforcing the need for proper handling of sacrifices to maintain God’s presence among His people.

Leviticus 6:25

Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, saying, This is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is killed shall the sin offering be killed before the LORD: it is most holy.

Study: The sin offering must be killed where the burnt offering is killed, showing the unity and centrality of the altar as the place of atonement and God’s acceptance of sacrifice.

Leviticus 6:26

The priest that offereth it for sin shall eat it: in the holy place shall it be eaten, in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Study: The priest eating the sin offering in the holy place indicates that the priest shares in the atonement process and that the offering sustains those who serve God in holiness.

Leviticus 6:27

Whatsoever shall touch the flesh thereof shall be holy: and when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment, thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled in the holy place.

Study: Anything that touches the sin offering becomes holy, teaching the sanctifying power of God’s sacrifices and the need for careful handling of sacred things, including washing garments where blood was sprinkled.

Leviticus 6:28

But the earthen vessel wherein it is sodden shall be broken: and if it be sodden in a brasen pot, it shall be both scoured, and rinsed in water.

Study: Breaking earthen vessels and cleansing brass pots used in cooking the sin offering reflects the seriousness of purity and the removal of anything that might defile the holy service.

Leviticus 6:29

All the males among the priests shall eat thereof: it is most holy.

Study: All male priests eating the sin offering reinforces the communal aspect of priestly service and the shared responsibility in maintaining holiness before the LORD.

Leviticus 6:30

And no sin offering, whereof any of the blood is brought into the tabernacle of the congregation to reconcile withal in the holy place, shall be eaten: it shall be burnt in the fire.

Study: Sin offerings whose blood is brought into the tabernacle for atonement must be burned and not eaten, highlighting the sacredness of the blood’s role in reconciliation and the complete dedication of the offering to God.

Leviticus 6 details God’s laws concerning sin and trespass offerings, emphasizing the necessity of restitution and the role of the priesthood in making atonement. The chapter also outlines the perpetual fire on the altar and the specific procedures for burnt, meat, and sin offerings, underscoring God’s holiness, justice, and the continual need for worship and sacrifice.

Lord, help us to understand the seriousness of sin and the importance of making things right with others and with You. Teach us to approach You with reverence and purity, trusting in the atonement You provide. May we honor Your holiness in our lives and faithfully serve You as Your priests in the world. Amen.

• Pray daily for God’s help to live with integrity and honesty in all relationships.
• Read Leviticus 6 aloud, meditating on the significance of each offering and its application to your life.
• Journal about any areas where you need to seek forgiveness or make restitution to others.
• Attend a worship service with a renewed heart to offer God your best and reflect on His holiness.
• Discuss with your family or small group the role of priests and mediators in the Bible and how we can be peacemakers today.
• Memorize Leviticus 6:13 to remind yourself of God’s continual presence and holiness.
• Repent of any casual attitudes toward sin and commit to honoring God’s commands more fully.

Leviticus 6 teaches that sin requires both restitution and atonement, revealing God’s justice and mercy. The detailed instructions for offerings and priestly duties emphasize the holiness required in worship and the ongoing need for God’s presence among His people. This chapter calls believers to live with integrity, honor God’s holiness, and appreciate the mediating role of the priesthood.

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