Leviticus 1:6
Then he shall flay the burnt offering and cut it into pieces,
English Standard Version (ESV)
All verses
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Leviticus 1:6
Then he shall flay the burnt offering and cut it into pieces,
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The text specifies "his pieces," drawing attention to how the animal was meticulously divided into its natural parts. This wasn't about random butchery, but a careful preparation, hinting that every aspect of this offering, much like Christ's perfect obedience, was ordered and complete before God.
After the animal's blood has been sprinkled on the altar, the next step in preparing the burnt offering is to skin and butcher it. This meticulous process, involving cutting the animal into specific pieces, ensures that the entire sacrifice can be consumed by fire, signifying its complete dedication to God.
You might picture priests doing all the sacrificial work. But who actually flayed and cut up the animal? The answer might surprise you.
The text says, 'Then he shall flay the burnt offering and cut it into pieces.' This 'he' is a bit debated, but many scholars believe it refers to the person who brought the sacrifice, not necessarily a priest.
The Sacrificer's Role
While priests certainly had roles, especially in sprinkling the blood and burning the sacrifice, the initial preparation often fell to the offerer. This personal touch emphasized that the sacrifice was theirs, offered willingly to God.
Flaying and cutting? It sounds brutal. But these actions carried profound meaning for ancient Israelites, pointing to deeper truths about God and ourselves.
The careful flaying and cutting of the burnt offering weren't just procedural; they were symbolic:
Unveiling the Offering
Typology of Christ
Understand the original words
arah · Hebrew Verb
The act of removing the skin from an animal, often associated with preparation for sacrifice, symbolizing the total exposure and submission of the offering before God.
olah · Hebrew Noun
A voluntary or prescribed sacrifice, often consumed entirely by fire, symbolizing complete dedication, surrender, and atonement for the worshipper before God.
This passage describes Jesus' tunic being seamless, which stands in contrast to the need to flay and cut the animal sacrifice into pieces, highlighting the unique, unblemished nature of Christ.
Hebrews 10:5This verse speaks of Christ's body being prepared, echoing the preparation of the burnt offering through flaying and cutting, pointing to Christ's willing submission to God's will and His ultimate sacrifice.
1 Peter 1:19Peter speaks of believers being redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, 'as of a lamb without blemish and without spot,' underscoring the purity required for the sacrifice, even as the burnt offering had to be without blemish.
Romans 12:1Paul urges believers to present their bodies as 'living sacrifices, holy, acceptable to God,' which is a spiritual parallel to the physical preparation and offering of the burnt offering as a whole offering to the Lord.
gillLeviticus 1:6: "And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces."
And he shall flay the burnt offering,.... Take off its skin; this was the only part of it that was not burnt, and was the property of the priest, Leviticus 7:8 but who this was done by is not so manifest, since it is in the singular number "he", and seems to be the bringer of the offering; for Aaron's sons, the priests that sprinkled the blood, are spoken of plurally; and agreeably, Gersom observes, that the flay…
clarkeLeviticus 1:6: "And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces."
He shall flay - Probably meaning the person who brought the sacrifice, who, according to some of the rabbins, killed, flayed, cut up, and washed the sacrifice, and then presented the parts and the blood to the priest, that he might burn the one, and sprinkle the other upon the altar. But it is certain that the priests also, and the Levites, flayed the victims, and the priest had the skin to himself; see Leviticus…
The text specifies "his pieces," drawing attention to how the animal was meticulously divided into its natural parts. This wasn't about random butchery, but a careful preparation, hinting that every aspect of this offering, much like Christ's perfect obedience, was ordered and complete before God.
After the animal's blood has been sprinkled on the altar, the next step in preparing the burnt offering is to skin and butcher it. This meticulous process, involving cutting the animal into specific pieces, ensures that the entire sacrifice can be consumed by fire, signifying its complete dedication to God.
After the animal's blood has been sprinkled on the altar, the next step in preparing the burnt offering is to skin and butcher it. This meticulous process, involving cutting the animal into specific pieces, ensures that the entire sacrifice can be consumed by fire, signifying its complete dedication to God.
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Ask a follow-up
Ask Sola things like:
Live chat about Leviticus 1:6 is available in the Sola app.
Many see these actions as pointing forward to Jesus:
Every burnt offering was to be 'an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.' What made it so pleasing to God?
The phrase 'sweet savour' (or 'pleasing aroma') is used repeatedly in relation to burnt offerings. It signifies more than just a pleasant smell; it points to divine acceptance.
What Pleased God?
This wasn't about the animal itself being inherently pleasing, but about what it represented: a heart devoted to God and a perfect substitute who would one day fully satisfy divine justice and holiness.
"Then he shall flay the burnt offering and cut it into pieces," — The text specifies "his pieces," drawing attention to how the animal was meticulously divided into its natural parts. This wasn't about random butchery, but a careful preparation, hinting that ever…