Leviticus 6:8-13

Sacrificial Instructions for the Priests: The Burnt Offering

6:8 (6:1) ¹  Then the Lord spoke to Moses: ²  6:9 “Command Aaron and his sons, ‘This is the law of the burnt offering. The burnt offering is to remain on the hearth ³  on the altar all night until morning, and the fire of the altar must be kept burning on it. ⁴  6:10 Then the priest must put on his linen robe and must put linen leggings ⁵  over his bare flesh, and he must take up the fatty ashes of the burnt offering that the fire consumed on the altar, ⁶  and he must place them ⁷  beside the altar. 6:11 Then he must take off his clothes and put on other clothes, and he must bring the fatty ashes outside the camp to a ceremonially ⁸  clean place, 6:12 but the fire which is on the altar must be kept burning on it. ⁹  It must not be extinguished. So the priest must kindle wood on it morning by morning, and he must arrange the burnt offering on it and offer the fat of the peace offering up in smoke on it. 6:13 A continual fire must be kept burning on the altar. It must not be extinguished.

[6:8]  ¹ sn Lev 6:8 in the English Bible = 6:1 in the Hebrew text. See also the note on 6:1.

[6:8]  ² sn The following paragraphs are Lev 6:8-30 in the English Bible but 6:1-23 in the Hebrew text. This initial verse makes the special priestly regulations for the people’s burnt and grain offerings into a single unit (i.e., Lev 6:8-18 [6:1-11 HT]; cf. Lev 1-2 above). Note also the separate introductions for various priestly regulations in Lev 6:19 [12 HT], 24 [17 HT], and for the common people in Lev 7:22, 28 below.

[6:9]  ³ tn Heb “It is the burnt offering on the hearth.”

[6:9]  ⁴ tn Heb “in it.” In this context “in it” apparently refers to the “hearth” which was on top of the altar.

[6:10]  ⁵ tn The exact nature of this article of the priest’s clothing is difficult to determine. Cf. KJV, ASV “breeches”; NAB “drawers”; NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT “undergarments”; NCV “underclothes”; CEV “underwear”; TEV “shorts.”

[6:10]  ⁶ tn Heb “he shall lift up the fatty ashes which the fire shall consume the burnt offering on the altar.”

[6:10]  ⁷ tn Heb “it,” referring the “fatty ashes” as a single unit.

[6:11]  ⁸ tn The word “ceremonially” has been supplied in the translation to clarify that the uncleanness of the place involved is ritual or ceremonial in nature.

[6:12]  ⁹ tn Heb “in it,” apparently referring to the “hearth” which was on top of the altar (cf. the note on v. 9).