Focused Passage

Leviticus 22:17-25

Holy Food, Acceptable Offerings, and Reverence for the LORD's Holy Name

The LORD commands Aaron and his sons to treat Israel's holy offerings with reverence. Priests who are unclean must not eat sacred food until cleansed. The chapter defines which members of priestly households may eat holy food and requires restitution when holy food is eaten wrongly. It then addresses Israel's offerings: animals presented for burnt offerings, vows, freewill offerings, and fellowship offerings must be without defect, properly aged, and handled according to the LORD's commands. The chapter concludes with a call not to profane the LORD's holy name, because He brought Israel out of Egypt to be their God.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

17 Then the LORD said to Moses,

18 “Speak to Aaron and his sons and all the Israelites and tell them, ‘Any man of the house of Israel or any foreign resident who presents a gift for a burnt offering to the LORD, whether to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering,

19 must offer an unblemished male from the cattle, sheep, or goats in order for it to be accepted on your behalf.

20 You must not present anything with a defect, because it will not be accepted on your behalf.

21 When a man presents a peace offering to the LORD from the herd or flock to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering, it must be without blemish or defect to be acceptable.

22 You are not to present to the LORD any animal that is blind, injured, or maimed, or anything with a running sore, a festering rash, or a scab; you must not put any of these on the altar as a food offering to the LORD.

23 You may present as a freewill offering an ox or sheep that has a deformed or stunted limb, but it is not acceptable in fulfillment of a vow.

24 You are not to present to the LORD an animal whose testicles are bruised, crushed, torn, or cut; you are not to sacrifice them in your land.

25 Neither you nor a foreigner shall present food to your God from any such animal. They will not be accepted on your behalf, because they are deformed and flawed.’”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 17

Original words

Then the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר H1696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Moses מֹשֶׁ֥ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . לֵּאמֹֽר׃ H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Verse 18

Original words

Speak דַּבֵּ֨ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular to אֶֽל־ H413 Preposition Aaron אַהֲרֹ֜ן H175 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . וְאֶל־ H413 Conjunctive waw | Preposition and his sons בָּנָ֗יו H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular . . . וְאֶל֙ H413 Conjunctive waw | Preposition and all כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct the Israelites בְּנֵ֣י H1121 Noun - masculine plural construct . . . יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular and tell וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular them אֲלֵהֶ֑ם H413 Preposition | third person masculine plural Any man אִ֣ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular . . . אִישׁ֩ H376 Noun - masculine singular of וּמִן־ H4480 Conjunctive waw | Preposition the house מִבֵּ֨ית H1004 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular or any foreign resident הַגֵּ֣ר H1616 Article | Noun - masculine singular - בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל H3478 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular who אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative presents יַקְרִ֤יב H7126 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular a gift קָרְבָּנוֹ֙ H7133 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular . . . לְכָל־ H3605 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative יַקְרִ֥יבוּ יַקְרִ֥יבוּ H7126 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural for a burnt offering לְעֹלָֽה׃ H5930 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular to the LORD לַיהוָ֖ה H3068 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular whether to fulfill a vow נִדְרֵיהֶם֙ H5088 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine plural or as a וּלְכָל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct freewill offering נִדְבוֹתָ֔ם H5071 Noun - feminine plural construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 19

Original words

must offer an unblemished תָּמִ֣ים H8549 Adjective - masculine singular male זָכָ֔ר H2145 Noun - masculine singular from the cattle בַּבָּקָ֕ר H1241 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular sheep בַּכְּשָׂבִ֖ים H3775 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural or goats וּבָֽעִזִּֽים׃ H5795 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural in order for it to be accepted on your behalf לִֽרְצֹנְכֶ֑ם H7522 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural
Verse 20

Original words

You must not לֹ֣א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle present תַקְרִ֑יבוּ H7126 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural anything כֹּ֛ל H3605 Noun - masculine singular with אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative a defect מ֖וּם H3971 Noun - masculine singular because כִּי־ H3588 Conjunction it will not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle be יִהְיֶ֥ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular accepted לְרָצ֖וֹן H7522 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular on your behalf לָכֶֽם׃ Preposition | second person masculine plural
Verse 21

Original words

When כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction a man וְאִ֗ישׁ H376 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular presents יַקְרִ֤יב H7126 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular vvv זֶֽבַח־ H2077 Noun - masculine singular construct a peace offering שְׁלָמִים֙ H8002 Noun - masculine plural to the LORD לַיהוָ֔ה H3068 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular from the herd בַּבָּקָ֖ר H1241 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular or א֣וֹ H176 Conjunction flock בַצֹּ֑אן H6629 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular to fulfill לְפַלֵּא־ H6381 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct a vow נֶ֙דֶר֙ H5088 Noun - masculine singular or א֣וֹ H176 Conjunction as a freewill offering לִנְדָבָ֔ה H5071 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular it must be יִֽהְיֶה֙ H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular without blemish תָּמִ֤ים H8549 Adjective - masculine singular - כָּל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct - לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle [or] defect מ֖וּם H3971 Noun - masculine singular to be acceptable לְרָצ֔וֹן H7522 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular יִהְיֶה־ יִהְיֶה־ H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 22

Original words

You are not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle to present תַקְרִ֥יבוּ H7126 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural to the LORD לַיהוָ֑ה H3068 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular [any animal] אֵ֖לֶּה H428 Pronoun - common plural that is blind עַוֶּרֶת֩ H5788 Noun - feminine singular injured שָׁב֜וּר H7667 Noun - masculine singular or אוֹ־ H176 Conjunction maimed חָר֣וּץ H2742 Noun - masculine singular . . . אֽוֹ־ H176 Conjunction or א֨וֹ H176 Conjunction anything with a running sore יַבֶּ֗לֶת H2990 Noun - feminine singular . . . א֤וֹ H176 Conjunction a festering rash גָרָב֙ H1618 Noun - masculine singular . . . א֣וֹ H176 Conjunction or a scab יַלֶּ֔פֶת H3217 Noun - feminine singular you must not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle put תִתְּנ֥וּ H5414 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural any of these מֵהֶ֛ם Preposition-m | Pronoun - third person masculine plural on עַל־ H5921 Preposition the altar הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ H4196 Article | Noun - masculine singular as a food offering וְאִשֶּׁ֗ה H801 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular to the LORD לַיהוָֽה׃ H3068 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 23

Original words

You may present תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular - אֹת֔וֹ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular as a freewill offering נְדָבָה֙ H5071 Noun - feminine singular an ox וְשׁ֥וֹר H7794 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular or sheep וָשֶׂ֖ה H7716 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular that has a deformed שָׂר֣וּעַ H8311 Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular or stunted limb וְקָל֑וּט H7038 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular but it is not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle acceptable יֵרָצֶֽה׃ H7521 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular in fulfillment of a vow וּלְנֵ֖דֶר H5088 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Or a bull or a cow
Verse 24

Original words

You are not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle to present תַקְרִ֖יבוּ H7126 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural to the LORD לַֽיהוָ֑ה H3068 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular [an animal whose testicles are] bruised וּמָע֤וּךְ H4600 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular crushed וְכָתוּת֙ H3807 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular torn וְנָת֣וּק H5423 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular or cut וְכָר֔וּת H3772 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular you are not to לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle sacrifice them תַעֲשֽׂוּ׃ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural in your land וּֽבְאַרְצְכֶ֖ם H776 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine plural
Verse 25

Original words

- וּמִיַּ֣ד H3027 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct Neither you nor לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle a foreigner בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . נֵכָ֗ר H5236 Noun - masculine singular shall present תַקְרִ֛יבוּ H7126 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker food לֶ֥חֶם H3899 Noun - masculine singular construct to your God אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֖ם H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural from any מִכָּל־ H3605 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct such [animal] אֵ֑לֶּה H428 Pronoun - common plural They will not לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle be accepted יֵרָצ֖וּ H7521 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural on your behalf לָכֶֽם׃פ Preposition | second person masculine plural because כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction they are deformed מָשְׁחָתָ֤ם H4893 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural and flawed מ֣וּם H3971 Noun - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.