Leviticus 1 · Verse 3

Leviticus 1:3

If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord.

Leviticus 1:3, King James Version

Leviticus 1:3 in other translations

BSB	If one’s offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to present an unblemished male. He must bring it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting for its acceptance before the LORD.
WEB	“‘If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer a male without defect. He shall offer it at the door of the Tent of Meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD.
ASV	If his oblation be a burnt-offering of the herd, he shall offer it a male without blemish: he shall offer it at the door of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before Jehovah.
YLT	‘If his offering is a burnt-offering out of the herd--a male, a perfect one, he doth bring near, unto the opening of the tent of meeting he doth bring it near, at his pleasure, before Jehovah;
DARBY	If his offering be a burnt-offering of the herd, he shall present it a male without blemish: at the entrance of the tent of meeting shall he present it, for his acceptance before Jehovah.
BBE	If the offering is a burned offering of the herd, let him give a male without a mark: he is to give it at the door of the Tent of meeting so that he may be pleasing to the Lord.
Webster	If his offering shall be a burnt-sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.

What does Leviticus 1:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

3. a burnt sacrifice--so called from its being wholly consumed on the altar; no part of it was eaten either by the priests or the offerer. It was designed to propitiate the anger of God incurred by original sin, or by particular transgressions; and its entire combustion indicated the self-dedication of the offerer--his whole nature--his body and soul--as necessary to form a sacrifice acceptable to God (Ro 12:1; Php 1:20). This was the most ancient as well as the most conspicuous mode of sacrifice. a male without blemish--No animal was allowed to be offered that had any deformity or defect. Among the Egyptians, a minute inspection was made by the priest; and the bullock having been declared perfect, a certificate to that effect being fastened to its horns with wax, was sealed with his ring, and no other might be substituted. A similar process of examining the condition of the beasts brought as offerings, seems to have been adopted by the priests in Israel (Joh 6:27). at the door of the tabernacle--where stood the altar of burnt offering (Ex 40:6). Every other place was forbidden, under the highest penalty (Le 17:4).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 3 Burnt-sacrifice - The most important of all the sacrifices offered to God; called by the Septuagint ὁλοκαυτωμα, because it was wholly consumed, which was not the case in any other offering. See on Leviticus 7 (note). His own voluntary will - לרצנו lirtsono, to gain himself acceptance before the Lord: in this way all the versions appear to have understood the original words, and the connection in which they stand obviously requires this meaning.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Leviticus 1:3-9

In the due performance of the Levitical ordinances, the mysteries of the spiritual world are represented by corresponding natural objects; and future events are exhibited in these rites. Without this, the whole will seem unmeaning ceremonies. There is in these things a type of the sufferings of the Son of God, who was to be a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world? The burning body of an animal was but a faint representation of that everlasting misery, which we all have deserved; and which our blessed Lord bore in his body and in his soul, when he died under the load of our iniquities. Observe, 1. The beast to be offered must be without blemish. This signified the strength and purity that were in Christ, and the holy life that should be in his people. 2. The owner must offer it of his own free will. What is done in religion, so as to please God, must be done by love. Christ willingly offered himself for us. 3. It must be offered at the door of the tabernacle, where the brazen altar of burnt-offerings stood, which sanctified the gift: he must offer it at the door, as one unworthy to enter, and acknowledging that a sinner can have no communion with God, but by sacrifice. 4. The offerer must put his hand upon the head of his offering, signifying thereby, his desire and hope that it might be accepted from him, to make atonement for him. 5. The sacrifice was to be killed before the Lord, in an orderly manner, and to honour God. It signified also, that in Christians the flesh must be crucified with its corrupt affections and lust. 6. The priests were to sprinkle the blood upon the altar; for the blood being the life, that was it which made atonement. This signified the pacifying and purifying of our consciences, by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ upon them by faith. 7. The beast was to be divided into several pieces, and then to be burned upon the altar. The burning of the sacrifice signified the sharp sufferings of Christ, and the devout affections with which, as a holy fire, Christians must offer up themselves, their whole spirit, soul, and body, unto God. 8. This is said to be an offering of a sweet savour. As an act of obedience to a Divine command, and a type of Christ, this was well-pleasing to God; and the spiritual sacrifices of Christians are acceptable to God, through Christ, 1Pe 2:5.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Leviticus 1:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אִם\־'im-ifH518

עֹלָ֤ה'o.Lah[is] a burnt offeringH5930

קָרְבָּנוֹ֙ka.re.ba.Nopresent hisH7133

מִן\־min-fromH4480

הַבָּקָ֔רha.ba.Karthe herdH1241

זָכָ֥רza.Khara maleH2145

תָּמִ֖יםta.MimunblemishedH8549

יַקְרִיבֶ֑נּוּyak.ri.Ve.nuhe will present itH7126

אֶל\־'el-toH413

פֶּ֝תַחPe.tach[the] entrance ofH6607

אֹ֤הֶל'O.hel[the] tent ofH168

מוֹעֵד֙mo.'EdmeetingH4150

יַקְרִ֣יבyak.Rivhe will presentH7126

אֹת֔וֹ'o.To<obj.> itH853

לִרְצֹנ֖וֹlir.tzo.Nofor acceptance itsH7522

לִפְנֵ֥יlif.Nei<to> beforeH6440

יְהוָֽה\׃Yah.wehYahwehH3068

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Leviticus 1:3

Deuteronomy 15:21
And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the Lord thy God.
Hebrews 9:14
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Leviticus 22:19-24
Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats. But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you. And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein. Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the Lord, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the Lord. …
Exodus 12:5
Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
Ephesians 5:27
That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Hebrews 10:8-10
Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Deuteronomy 17:1
Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the Lord thy God.
Hebrews 7:26
For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
Ephesians 2:18
For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Genesis 22:8
And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
1 Peter 1:18-19
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
Deuteronomy 12:5-6
But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

a burnt.
6:9-13; 8:18,21; Ge 8:20; 22:2,8,13; Ex 24:5; 29:18,42; 32:6; 38:1
Nu 23:3,10,11,19,23,24,27,30; 29:8-11,13; Isa 1:11; Heb 10:8-10
a male.
3:1; 4:23; 22:19-24; Ex 12:5; De 15:21; Zec 13:7; Mal 1:14; Lu 1:35
Joh 1:36; Eph 5:27; Heb 7:26; 9:14; 1Pe 1:18,19
his own.
7:16; 22:19,21; Ex 35:5,21,29; 36:3; Ps 40:8; 110:3; 2Co 8:12; 9:7
at the.
16:7; 17:4; Ex 29:4; De 12:5,6,13,14,27; Eze 20:40; Joh 10:7,9
Eph 2:18

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Leviticus 1:2
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.
Leviticus 1:3
If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord.
Leviticus 1:4
And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

Read all of Leviticus 1

Leviticus 1:3 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Si su ofrenda fuere holocausto de vacas, macho sin tacha lo ofrecerá: de su voluntad lo ofrecerá á la puerta del tabernáculo del testimonio delante de Jehová.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Si son offrande est un holocauste de gros bétail, il la présentera, – un mâle sans défaut; il la présentera à l’entrée de la tente d’assignation, pour être agréé devant l’ Éternel.
German Elberfelder 1871	Wenn seine Opfergabe ein Brandopfer ist vom Rindvieh, so soll er sie darbringen, ein Männliches ohne Fehl; an dem Eingang des Zeltes der Zusammenkunft soll er sie darbringen, zum Wohlgefallen für ihn vor Jehova.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	si holocaustum fuerit ejus oblatio, ac de armento: masculum immaculatum offeret ad ostium tabernaculi testimonii, ad placandum sibi Dominum: