The Completion of the Work (EXO 39:32-43)

[39:32] All the work on the Tent of the Lord's presence was finally completed. The Israelites made everything just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

[39:33] They brought to Moses the Tent and all its equipment, its hooks, its frames, its crossbars, its posts, and its bases;

[39:34] the covering of rams' skin dyed red; the covering of fine leather; the curtain;

[39:35] the Covenant Box containing the stone tablets, its poles, and its lid;

[39:36] the table and all its equipment, and the bread offered to God;

[39:37] the lampstand of pure gold, its lamps, all its equipment, and the oil for the lamps;

[39:38] the gold altar; the anointing oil; the sweet-smelling incense; the curtain for the entrance of the Tent;

[39:39] the bronze altar with its bronze grating, its poles, and all its equipment; the washbasin and its base;

[39:40] the curtains for the enclosure and its posts and bases; the curtain for the entrance of the enclosure and its ropes; the Tent pegs; all the equipment to be used in the Tent;

[39:41] and the magnificent garments the priests were to wear in the Holy Place—the sacred clothes for Aaron the priest and for his sons.

[39:42] The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

[39:43] Moses examined everything and saw that they had made it all just as the Lord had commanded. So Moses blessed them.

Setting Up and Dedicating the Tent of the Lord's Presence (EXO 40:1-33)

[40:1] The Lord said to Moses,

[40:2] “On the first day of the first month set up the Tent of the Lord's presence.

[40:3] Place in it the Covenant Box containing the Ten Commandments and put the curtain in front of it.

[40:4] Bring in the table and place the equipment on it. Also bring in the lampstand and set up the lamps on it.

[40:5] Put the gold altar for burning incense in front of the Covenant Box and hang the curtain at the entrance of the Tent.

[40:6] Put in front of the Tent the altar for burning offerings.

[40:7] Put the washbasin between the Tent and the altar and fill it with water.

[40:8] Put up the surrounding enclosure and hang the curtain at its entrance.

[40:9] “Then dedicate the Tent and all its equipment by anointing it with the sacred oil, and it will be holy.

[40:10] Next, dedicate the altar and all its equipment by anointing it, and it will be completely holy.

[40:11] Also dedicate the washbasin and its base in the same way.

[40:12] “Bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the Tent, and have them take a ritual bath.

[40:13] Dress Aaron in the priestly garments, anoint him, and in this way consecrate him, so that he can serve me as priest.

[40:14] Bring his sons and put the shirts on them.

[40:15] Then anoint them, just as you anointed their father, so that they can serve me as priests. This anointing will make them priests for all time to come.”

[40:16] Moses did everything just as the Lord had commanded.

[40:17] So on the first day of the first month of the second year after they left Egypt, the Tent of the Lord's presence was set up.

[40:18] Moses put down its bases, set up its frames, attached its crossbars, and put up its posts.

[40:19] He spread out the covering over the Tent and put the outer covering over it, just as the Lord had commanded.

[40:20] Then he took the two stone tablets and put them in the Covenant Box. He put the poles in the rings of the Box and put the lid on it.

[40:21] Then he put the Box in the Tent and hung up the curtain. In this way he screened off the Covenant Box, just as the Lord had commanded.

[40:22] He put the table in the Tent, on the north side outside the curtain,

[40:23] and placed on it the bread offered to the Lord, just as the Lord had commanded.

[40:24] He put the lampstand in the Tent, on the south side, opposite the table,

[40:25] and there in the Lord's presence he lit the lamps, just as the Lord had commanded.

[40:26] He put the gold altar in the Tent, in front of the curtain,

[40:27] and burned the sweet-smelling incense, just as the Lord had commanded.

[40:28] He hung the curtain at the entrance of the Tent,

[40:29] and there in front of the curtain he placed the altar for burning offerings. On it he sacrificed the burnt offering and the grain offering, just as the Lord had commanded.

[40:30] He put the washbasin between the Tent and the altar and filled it with water.

[40:31] Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and their feet there

[40:32] whenever they went into the Tent or to the altar, just as the Lord had commanded.

[40:33] Moses set up the enclosure around the Tent and the altar and hung the curtain at the entrance of the enclosure. So he finished all the work.

The Cloud over the Tent of the Lord's Presence (EXO 40:34-38)

[40:34] Then the cloud covered the Tent and the dazzling light of the Lord's presence filled it.

[40:35] Because of this, Moses could not go into the Tent.

[40:36] The Israelites moved their camp to another place only when the cloud lifted from the Tent.

[40:37] As long as the cloud stayed there, they did not move their camp.

[40:38] During all their wanderings they could see the cloud of the Lord's presence over the Tent during the day and a fire burning above it during the night.

Sacrifices Burned Whole (LEV 1:1-17)

[1:1] The Lord called to Moses from the Tent of the Lord's presence and gave him the following rules

[1:2] for the Israelites to observe when they offer their sacrifices. When you offer an animal sacrifice, it may be one of your cattle or one of your sheep or goats.

[1:3] If you are offering one of your cattle as a burnt offering, you must bring a bull without any defects. You must present it at the entrance of the Tent of the Lord's presence so that the Lord will accept you.

[1:4] You shall put your hand on its head, and it will be accepted as a sacrifice to take away your sins.

[1:5] You shall kill the bull there, and the Aaronite priests shall present the blood to the Lord and then throw it against all four sides of the altar located at the entrance of the Tent.

[1:6] Then you shall skin the animal and cut it up,

[1:7] and the priests shall arrange firewood on the altar and light it.

[1:8] They shall put on the fire the pieces of the animal, including the head and the fat.

[1:9] You must wash the internal organs and the hind legs, and the officiating priest will burn the whole sacrifice on the altar. The odor of this food offering is pleasing to the Lord.

[1:10] If you are offering one of your sheep or goats, it must be a male without any defects.

[1:11] You shall kill it on the north side of the altar, and the priests shall throw its blood on all four sides of the altar.

[1:12] After you cut it up, the officiating priest shall put on the fire all the parts, including the head and the fat.

[1:13] You must wash the internal organs and the hind legs, and the priest will present the sacrifice to the Lord and burn all of it on the altar. The odor of this food offering is pleasing to the Lord.

[1:14] If you are offering a bird as a burnt offering, it must be a dove or a pigeon.

[1:15] The priest shall present it at the altar, wring its neck, and burn its head on the altar. Its blood shall be drained out against the side of the altar.

[1:16] He shall remove the crop and its contents and throw them away on the east side of the altar where the ashes are put.

[1:17] He shall take hold of its wings and tear its body open, without tearing the wings off, and then burn it whole on the altar. The odor of this food offering is pleasing to the Lord.

Grain Offerings (LEV 2:1-16)

[2:1] When any of you present an offering of grain to the Lord, you must first grind it into flour. You must put olive oil and incense on it

[2:2] and bring it to the Aaronite priests. The officiating priest shall take a handful of the flour and oil and all of the incense and burn it on the altar as a token that it has all been offered to the Lord. The odor of this food offering is pleasing to the Lord.

[2:3] The rest of the grain offering belongs to the priests; it is very holy, since it is taken from the food offered to the Lord.

[2:4] If the offering is bread baked in an oven, it must be made without yeast. It may be thick loaves made of flour mixed with olive oil or thin cakes brushed with olive oil.

[2:5] If the offering is bread cooked on a griddle, it is to be made of flour mixed with olive oil but without yeast.

[2:6] Crumble it up and pour the oil on it when you present it as an offering.

[2:7] If the offering is bread cooked in a pan, it is to be made of flour and olive oil.

[2:8] Bring it as an offering to the Lord and present it to the priest, who will take it to the altar.

[2:9] The priest will take part of it as a token that it has all been offered to the Lord, and he will burn it on the altar. The odor of this food offering is pleasing to the Lord.

[2:10] The rest of the offering belongs to the priests; it is very holy, since it is taken from the food offered to the Lord.

[2:11] None of the grain offerings which you present to the Lord may be made with yeast; you must never use yeast or honey in food offered to the Lord.

[2:12] An offering of the first grain that you harvest each year shall be brought to the Lord, but it is not to be burned on the altar.

[2:13] Put salt on every grain offering, because salt represents the covenant between you and God. (You must put salt on all your offerings.)

[2:14] When you bring to the Lord an offering of the first grain harvested, offer roasted grain or ground meal.

[2:15] Add olive oil and put incense on it.

[2:16] The priest will burn that part of the meal and oil that is to serve as a token, and also all the incense, as a food offering to the Lord.

Fellowship Offerings (LEV 3:1-17)

[3:1] When any of you offer one of your cattle as a fellowship offering, it is to be a bull or a cow without any defects.

[3:2] You shall put your hand on the head of the animal and kill it at the entrance of the Tent of the Lord's presence. The Aaronite priests shall throw the blood against all four sides of the altar

[3:3] and present the following parts of the animal as a food offering to the Lord: all the fat on the internal organs,

[3:4] the kidneys and the fat on them, and the best part of the liver.

[3:5] The priests shall burn all this on the altar along with the burnt offerings. The odor of this food offering is pleasing to the Lord.

[3:6] If a sheep or goat is used as a fellowship offering, it may be male or female, but it must be without any defects.

[3:7] If you offer a sheep,

[3:8] you shall put your hand on its head and kill it in front of the Tent. The priests shall throw its blood against all four sides of the altar

[3:9] and present the following parts of the animal as a food offering to the Lord: the fat, the entire fat tail cut off near the backbone, all the fat covering the internal organs,

[3:10] the kidneys and the fat on them, and the best part of the liver.

[3:11] The officiating priest shall burn all this on the altar as a food offering to the Lord.

[3:12] If you offer a goat,

[3:13] you shall put your hand on its head and kill it in front of the Tent. The priests shall throw its blood against all four sides of the altar

[3:14] and present the following parts as a food offering to the Lord: all the fat on the internal organs,

[3:15] the kidneys and the fat on them, and the best part of the liver.

[3:16] The priest shall burn all this on the altar as a food offering pleasing to the Lord. All the fat belongs to the Lord.

[3:17] No Israelite may eat any fat or any blood; this is a rule to be kept forever by all Israelites wherever they live.

Offerings for Unintentional Sins (LEV 4:1-35)

[4:1] The Lord commanded Moses

[4:2] to tell the people of Israel that anyone who sinned and broke any of the Lord's commands without intending to, would have to observe the following rules.

[4:3] If it is the High Priest who sins and so brings guilt on the people, he shall present a young bull without any defects and sacrifice it to the Lord for his sin.

[4:4] He shall bring the bull to the entrance of the Tent, put his hand on its head, and kill it there in the Lord's presence.

[4:5] Then the High Priest shall take some of the bull's blood and carry it into the Tent.

[4:6] He shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it in front of the sacred curtain seven times.

[4:7] Then he shall put some of the blood on the projections at the corners of the incense altar in the Tent. He shall pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar used for burning sacrifices, which is at the entrance of the Tent.

[4:8] From this bull he shall take all the fat, the fat on the internal organs,

[4:9] the kidneys and the fat on them, and the best part of the liver.

[4:10] The priest shall take this fat and burn it on the altar used for the burnt offerings, just as he does with the fat from the animal killed for the fellowship offering.

[4:11] But he shall take its skin, all its flesh, its head, its legs, and its internal organs, including the intestines,

[4:12] carry it all outside the camp to the ritually clean place where the ashes are poured out, and there he shall burn it on a wood fire.

[4:13] If it is the whole community of Israel that sins and becomes guilty of breaking one of the Lord's commands without intending to,

[4:14] then as soon as the sin becomes known, the community shall bring a young bull as a sin offering. They shall bring it to the Tent of the Lord's presence;

[4:15] the leaders of the community shall put their hands on its head, and it shall be killed there.

[4:16] The High Priest shall take some of the bull's blood into the Tent,

[4:17] dip his finger in it, and sprinkle it in front of the curtain seven times.

[4:18] He shall put some of the blood on the projections at the corners of the incense altar inside the Tent and pour out the rest of it at the base of the altar used for burning sacrifices, which is at the entrance of the Tent.

[4:19] Then he shall take all its fat and burn it on the altar.

[4:20] He shall do the same thing with this bull as he does with the bull for the sin offering, and in this way he shall make the sacrifice for the people's sin, and they will be forgiven.

[4:21] Then he shall take the bull outside the camp and burn it, just as he burns the bull offered for his own sin. This is an offering to take away the sin of the community.

[4:22] If it is a ruler who sins and becomes guilty of breaking one of the Lord's commands without intending to,

[4:23] then as soon as the sin is called to his attention, he shall bring as his offering a male goat without any defects.

[4:24] He shall put his hand on its head and kill it on the north side of the altar, where the animals for the burnt offerings are killed. This is an offering to take away sin.

[4:25] The priest shall dip his finger in the blood of the animal, put it on the projections at the corners of the altar, and pour out the rest of it at the base of the altar.

[4:26] Then he shall burn all of its fat on the altar, just as he burns the fat of the animals killed for the fellowship offerings. In this way the priest shall offer the sacrifice for the sin of the ruler, and he will be forgiven.

[4:27] If any of you people sin and become guilty of breaking one of the Lord's commands without intending to,

[4:28] then as soon as the sin is called to your attention, you shall bring as your offering a female goat without any defects.

[4:29] You shall put your hand on its head and kill it on the north side of the altar, where the animals for the burnt offerings are killed.

[4:30] The priest shall dip his finger in the blood of the animal, put it on the projections at the corners of the altar, and pour out the rest of it at the base of the altar.

[4:31] Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat is removed from the animals killed for the fellowship offerings, and he shall burn it on the altar as an odor pleasing to the Lord. In this way the priest shall offer the sacrifice for the man's sin, and he will be forgiven.

[4:32] If you bring a sheep as a sin offering, it must be a female without any defects.

[4:33] You shall put your hand on its head and kill it on the north side of the altar, where the animals for the burnt offerings are killed.

[4:34] The priest shall dip his finger in the blood of the animal, put it on the projections at the corners of the altar, and pour out the rest of it at the base of the altar.

[4:35] Then he shall remove all its fat, just as the fat is removed from the sheep killed for the fellowship offerings, and he shall burn it on the altar along with the food offerings given to the Lord. In this way the priest shall offer the sacrifice for your sin, and you will be forgiven.

Cases Requiring Sin Offerings (LEV 5:1-13)

[5:1] Sin offerings are required in the following cases. If you are officially summoned to give evidence in court and do not give information about something you have seen or heard, you must suffer the consequences.

[5:2] If you unintentionally touch anything ritually unclean, such as a dead animal, you are unclean and guilty as soon as you realize what you have done.

[5:3] If you unintentionally touch anything of human origin that is unclean, whatever it may be, you are guilty as soon as you realize what you have done.

[5:4] If you make a careless vow, no matter what it is about, you are guilty as soon as you realize what you have done.

[5:5] When you are guilty, you must confess the sin,

[5:6] and as the penalty for your sin you must bring to the Lord a female sheep or goat as an offering. The priest shall offer the sacrifice for your sin.

[5:7] If you cannot afford a sheep or a goat, you shall bring to the Lord as the payment for your sin two doves or two pigeons, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.

[5:8] You shall bring them to the priest, who will first offer the bird for the sin offering. He will break its neck without pulling off its head

[5:9] and sprinkle some of its blood against the side of the altar. The rest of the blood will be drained out at the base of the altar. This is an offering to take away sin.

[5:10] Then he shall offer the second bird as a burnt offering, according to the regulations. In this way the priest shall offer the sacrifice for your sin, and you will be forgiven.

[5:11] If you cannot afford two doves or two pigeons, you shall bring two pounds of flour as a sin offering. You shall not put any olive oil or any incense on it, because it is a sin offering, not a grain offering.

[5:12] You shall bring it to the priest, who will take a handful of it as a token that it has all been offered to the Lord, and he will burn it on the altar as a food offering. It is an offering to take away sin.

[5:13] In this way the priest shall offer the sacrifice for your sin, and you will be forgiven. The rest of the flour belongs to the priest, just as in the case of a grain offering.

Repayment Offerings (LEV 5:14-6:7)

[5:14] The Lord gave the following regulations to Moses.

[5:15] If any of you sin unintentionally by failing to hand over the payments that are sacred to the Lord, you shall bring as your repayment offering to the Lord a male sheep or goat without any defects. Its value is to be determined according to the official standard.

[5:16] You must make the payments you have failed to hand over and must pay an additional 20 percent. You shall give it to the priest, and the priest shall offer the animal as a sacrifice for your sin, and you will be forgiven.

[5:17] If any of you sin unintentionally by breaking any of the Lord's commands, you are guilty and must pay the penalty.

[5:18] You must bring to the priest as a repayment offering a male sheep or goat without any defects. Its value is to be determined according to the official standard. The priest shall offer the sacrifice for the sin which you committed unintentionally, and you will be forgiven.

[5:19] It is a repayment offering for the sin you committed against the Lord.

[6:1] The Lord gave the following regulations to Moses.

[6:2] An offering is to be made if any of you sin against the Lord by refusing to return what another Israelite has left as a deposit or by stealing something from him or by cheating him

[6:3] or by lying about something that has been lost and swearing that you did not find it.

[6:6] You shall bring to the priest as your repayment offering to the Lord a male sheep or goat without any defects. Its value is to be determined according to the official standard.

[6:7] The priest shall offer the sacrifice for your sin, and you will be forgiven.

Sacrifices Burned Whole (LEV 6:8-13)

[6:8] The Lord commanded Moses

[6:9] to give Aaron and his sons the following regulations for burnt offerings. A burnt offering is to be left on the altar all night long, and the fire is to be kept burning.

[6:10] Then the priest, wearing his linen robe and linen shorts, shall remove the greasy ashes left on the altar and put them at the side of the altar.

[6:11] Then he shall change his clothes and take the ashes outside the camp to a ritually clean place.

[6:12] The fire on the altar must be kept burning and never allowed to go out. Every morning the priest shall put firewood on it, arrange the burnt offering on it, and burn the fat of the fellowship offering.

[6:13] The fire must always be kept burning on the altar and never allowed to go out.