Leviticus 22:21-23

22:21 If a man presents a peace offering sacrifice to the Lord for a special votive offering ¹  or for a freewill offering from the herd or the flock, it must be flawless to be acceptable; ²  it must have no flaw. ³ 

22:22 “‘You must not present to the Lord something blind, or with a broken bone, or mutilated, or with a running sore, ⁴  or with a festering eruption, or with a feverish rash. ⁵  You must not give any of these as a gift ⁶  on the altar to the Lord. 22:23 As for an ox ⁷  or a sheep with a limb too long or stunted, ⁸  you may present it as a freewill offering, but it will not be acceptable for a votive offering. ⁹ 

[22:21]  ¹ tn The meaning of the expression לְפַלֵּא־נֶדֶר (lÿfalle’-neder) rendered here “for a special votive offering” is much debated. Some take it as an expression for fulfilling a vow, “to fulfill a vow” (e.g., HALOT 927-28 s.v. פלא piel and NASB; cf. NAB, NRSV “in fulfillment of a vow”) or, alternatively, “to make a vow” or “for making a vow” (HALOT 928 s.v. פלא piel [II פלא]). Perhaps it refers to the making a special vow, from the verb פָלַא (pala’, “to be wonderful, to be remarkable”); cf. J. Milgrom, Numbers (JPSTC), 44. B. A. Levine, Leviticus (JPSTC), 151 and 193, suggests that this is a special term for “setting aside a votive offering” (related to פָלָה [palah, “to set aside”]). In general, the point of the expression seems to be that this sacrifice arises as a special gift to God out of special circumstances in the life of the worshiper.

[22:21]  ² tn Heb “for acceptance”; NAB “if it is to find acceptance.”

[22:21]  ³ tn Heb “all/any flaw shall not be in it.”

[22:22]  ⁴ tn Or perhaps “a wart” (cf. NIV; HALOT 383 s.v. יַבֶּלֶת, but see the remarks in J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 358).

[22:22]  ⁵ sn See the note on Lev 21:20 above.

[22:22]  ⁶ sn This term for offering “gift” is explained in the note on Lev 1:9.

[22:23]  ⁷ tn Heb “And an ox.”

[22:23]  ⁸ tn Heb “and stunted” (see HALOT 1102 s.v. I קלט).

[22:23]  ⁹ sn The freewill offering was voluntary, so the regulations regarding it were more relaxed. Once a vow was made, the paying of it was not voluntary (see B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 151-52, for very helpful remarks on this verse).