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Journey Through the Bible

Leviticus 22:2-33

2 “Tell Aaron and his sons to treat with respect the sacred offerings the Israelites consecrate to me, so they will not profane my holy name. I am the Lord.

3 “Say to them: ‘For the generations to come, if any of your descendants is ceremonially unclean and yet comes near the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the Lord, that person must be cut off from my presence. I am the Lord.

4 “‘If a descendant of Aaron has an infectious skin disease or a bodily discharge, he may not eat the sacred offerings until he is cleansed. He will also be unclean if he touches something defiled by a corpse or by anyone who has an emission of semen,

5 or if he touches any crawling thing that makes him unclean, or any person who makes him unclean, whatever the uncleanness may be.

6 The one who touches any such thing will be unclean till evening. He must not eat any of the sacred offerings unless he has bathed himself with water.

7 When the sun goes down, he will be clean, and after that he may eat the sacred offerings, for they are his food.

8 He must not eat anything found dead or torn by wild animals, and so become unclean through it. I am the Lord.

9 “‘The priests are to keep my requirements so that they do not become guilty and die for treating them with contempt. I am the Lord, who makes them holy.

10 “‘No one outside a priest’s family may eat the sacred offering, nor may the guest of a priest or his hired worker eat it.

11 But if a priest buys a slave with money, or if a slave is born in his household, that slave may eat his food.

12 If a priest’s daughter marries anyone other than a priest, she may not eat any of the sacred contributions.

13 But if a priest’s daughter becomes a widow or is divorced, yet has no children, and she returns to live in her father’s house as in her youth, she may eat of her father’s food. No unauthorized person, however, may eat any of it.

14 “‘If anyone eats a sacred offering by mistake, he must make restitution to the priest for the offering and add a fifth of the value to it.

15 The priests must not desecrate the sacred offerings the Israelites present to the Lord

16 by allowing them to eat the sacred offerings and so bring upon them guilt requiring payment. I am the Lord, who makes them holy.’”

17 Unacceptable Sacrifices
The Lord said to Moses,

18 “Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to them: ‘If any of you—either an Israelite or an alien living in Israel—presents a gift for a burnt offering to the Lord, either to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering,

19 you must present a male without defect from the cattle, sheep or goats in order that it may be accepted on your behalf.

20 Do not bring anything with a defect, because it will not be accepted on your behalf.

21 When anyone brings from the herd or flock a fellowship offering to the Lord to fulfill a special vow or as a freewill offering, it must be without defect or blemish to be acceptable.

22 Do not offer to the Lord the blind, the injured or the maimed, or anything with warts or festering or running sores. Do not place any of these on the altar as an offering made to the Lord by fire.

23 You may, however, present as a freewill offering an ox or a sheep that is deformed or stunted, but it will not be accepted in fulfillment of a vow.

24 You must not offer to the Lord an animal whose testicles are bruised, crushed, torn or cut. You must not do this in your own land,

25 and you must not accept such animals from the hand of a foreigner and offer them as the food of your God. They will not be accepted on your behalf, because they are deformed and have defects.’”

26 The Lord said to Moses,

27 “When a calf, a lamb or a goat is born, it is to remain with its mother for seven days. From the eighth day on, it will be acceptable as an offering made to the Lord by fire.

28 Do not slaughter a cow or a sheep and its young on the same day.

29 “When you sacrifice a thank offering to the Lord, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf.

30 It must be eaten that same day; leave none of it till morning. I am the Lord.

31 “Keep my commands and follow them. I am the Lord.

32 Do not profane my holy name. I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I am the Lord, who makes you holy

33 and who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord.”

Cross References for Leviticus 22:2-33

Exodus 13:12 - you are to give over to the Lord the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn males of ... Click to read the verse Exodus 13:12 Click to read the verse Exodus 13:12

Leviticus 19:12 - “‘Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord. Click to read the verse Leviticus 19:12 Click to read the verse Leviticus 19:12

Deuteronomy 15:19 - The Firstborn Animals Set apart for the Lord your God every firstborn male of your herds and fl... Click to read the verse Deuteronomy 15:19 Click to read the verse Deuteronomy 15:19

Exodus 28:38 - It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and he will bear the guilt involved in the sacred gifts the Isr... Click to read the verse Exodus 28:38 Click to read the verse Exodus 28:38

Leviticus 21:6 - They must be holy to their God and must not profane the name of their God. Because they present... Click to read the verse Leviticus 21:6 Click to read the verse Leviticus 21:6

Leviticus 15:31 - “‘You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean, so they will not di... Click to read the verse Leviticus 15:31 Click to read the verse Leviticus 15:31

Leviticus 20:3 - I will set my face against that man and I will cut him off from his people; for by giving his c... Click to read the verse Leviticus 20:3 Click to read the verse Leviticus 20:3

Leviticus 18:21 - “‘Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molech, for you must not profane the nam... Click to read the verse Leviticus 18:21 Click to read the verse Leviticus 18:21

Leviticus 22:32 - Do not profane my holy name. I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I am the Lord, w... Click to read the verse Leviticus 22:32 Click to read the verse Leviticus 22:32

Leviticus 22:3-6 - “Say to them: ‘For the generations to come, if any of your descendants is ceremonially unclean ... Click to read the verse Leviticus 22:3-6 Click to read the verse Leviticus 22:3-6

Numbers 6:3-8 - he must abstain from wine and other fermented drink and must not drink vinegar made from wine o... Click to read the verse Numbers 6:3-8 Click to read the verse Numbers 6:3-8

Numbers 18:32 - By presenting the best part of it you will not be guilty in this matter; then you will not defi... Click to read the verse Numbers 18:32 Click to read the verse Numbers 18:32