He shall remove its crop with its contents and cast it beside the altar on the east side, in the place for ashes.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Leviticus 1:16
What does Leviticus 1:16 mean?
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Leviticus 1:16
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This seemingly mundane instruction to remove the bird's crop, along with its feathers, highlights a crucial detail: even parts of the offering that might seem insignificant or even "unclean" were to be handled with care and disposed of properly, signifying the complete consecration of the sacrifice. This careful removal and placement beside the altar, near the ashes, points to a sacred disposal that mirrors how even the remnants of purification were treated with reverence.
He shall remove its crop with its contents and cast it beside the altar on the east side, in the place for ashes.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The preceding verses describe the meticulous preparation and offering of various animals as a burnt sacrifice. For birds, this includes removing the crop and feathers, which are then set aside with the ashes. The bird itself is then cleaved but not fully separated before being completely burned on the altar.
Every sacrifice involved removal of certain parts. Where did these remnants go, and why was their location significant?
The text in Leviticus 1:16 specifies that the crop and its contents, along with feathers, were removed from the bird sacrifice and cast "beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes."
Beyond the main parts of the sacrifice, some components were deemed unfit for the altar. What does this removal tell us about the nature of sacrifice?
Leviticus 1:16 details the removal of the bird's "crop with its contents" and feathers. This act mirrors the preparation of larger animal sacrifices.
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Understand the original words
mur'ah · Hebrew Noun
The digestive pouch in birds where food is stored; in the sacrificial system, its removal symbolizes the purging of that which was consumed in an unclean or earthly manner, preparing the bird for holiness before God.
mizbeach · Hebrew Noun
The central place of sacrifice and meeting with God; it symbolizes the intersection of the divine and the human, where atonement is made through the shedding of blood and the burning of sacrifices.
deshen · Hebrew Noun
The remains of a fire, used here as a designated, holy location outside the main sacrifice area for the disposal of sacrificial remnants, indicating that even the refuse of holy things is treated with care.
This passage describes a similar preparation for sacrifice where Abram cuts animals in half, but notably, it doesn't mention the specific removal of the crop and feathers from birds, highlighting a difference in preparation for different types of offerings.
Exodus 27:3This verse describes the utensils for the altar of burnt offering, including shovels and basins for removing ashes, which directly relates to the 'place of the ashes' mentioned for disposing of the bird's crop and feathers.
Leviticus 6:10-11These verses explain the ongoing duty of the priest to remove ashes from the altar and carry them to a clean place outside the camp, providing the context for where the discarded crop and feathers would be taken.
Matthew 23:37Jesus laments over Jerusalem, likening Himself to a hen gathering her chicks, which indirectly references birds as a sacrificial element and brings a poignant, New Testament perspective to the handling of these creatures.
Philippians 3:8Paul speaks of 'counting all things loss' for Christ, which echoes the sacrificial principle of setting aside even the unusable parts of an offering, signifying a complete dedication that mirrors the totality of Christ's sacrifice.
clarkeLeviticus 1:16: "And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes:"
Pluck away his crop with his feathers - In this sacrifice of fowls the head was violently wrung off, then the blood was poured out, then the feathers were plucked off, the breast was cut open, and the crop, stomach, and intestines taken out, and then the body was burnt. Though the bird was split up, yet it was not divided asunder. This circumstance is p…
calvinLeviticus 1:1-17: "And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,"
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.
Si holocaustum oblatio ejus fuerit ex bobus, masculum immaculatum offeret: ad ostium tabernaculi conventionis offeret eum pro animi proposito in conspectu Jehovae.
And…
This seemingly mundane instruction to remove the bird's crop, along with its feathers, highlights a crucial detail: even parts of the offering that might seem insignificant or even "unclean" were to be handled with care and disposed of properly, signifying the complete consecration of the sacrifice. This careful removal and placement beside the altar, near the ashes, points to a sacred disposal that mirrors how even the remnants of purification were treated with reverence.
The preceding verses describe the meticulous preparation and offering of various animals as a burnt sacrifice. For birds, this includes removing the crop and feathers, which are then set aside with the ashes. The bird itself is then cleaved but not fully separated before being completely burned on the altar.
The preceding verses describe the meticulous preparation and offering of various animals as a burnt sacrifice. For birds, this includes removing the crop and feathers, which are then set aside with the ashes. The bird itself is then cleaved but not fully separated before being completely burned on the altar.
"He shall remove its crop with its contents and cast it beside the altar on the east side, in the place for ashes." — This seemingly mundane instruction to remove the bird's crop, along with its feathers, highlights a crucial detail: even parts of the offering that might seem insignificant or even "unclean" were to…
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Last reviewed October 2026