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Leviticus 1

The Lord instructs Moses to tell the Israelites that when offering a sacrifice from cattle, it must be an immaculate male, and the person must place their hand on the head of the sacrifice for it to be acceptable. The priests will then slaughter the animal, pour its blood around the altar, and burn its parts as a holocaust. Similar instructions are given for offerings from the flocks, such as sheep or goats, and for birds, such as turtledoves or young pigeons, with specific procedures for each type of offering.

1Then the Lord called Moses and spoke to him from the tabernacle of the testimony, saying2Speak to the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them: The man among you who will offer to the Lord a sacrifice from the cattle, that is, an offering of victims of oxen or sheep3if his offering will be a holocaust, as well as from the herd, he shall offer an immaculate male at the door of the tabernacle of the testimony, to make himself pleasing to the Lord4And he shall place his hand on the head of the sacrifice, and so it shall be acceptable and effective, in its expiation5And he shall immolate the calf in the sight of the Lord. And the priests, the sons of Aaron, shall offer its blood, pouring it all around the altar, which is before the door of the tabernacle6And having pulled away the skin of the victim, they shall cut up the joints into pieces7and they shall toss fire under the altar, having arranged beforehand a stack of wood8And they shall lay the parts which are cut up in order upon it: namely, the head, and all the things that adjoin to the liver9the intestines and feet having been washed with water. And the priest shall burn them on the altar as a holocaust and as a sweet odor to the Lord10But if the offering is from the flocks, a holocaust either of sheep or goats, he shall offer a male without blemish11And he shall immolate it at the side of the altar which looks out toward the north, in the sight of the Lord. Yet truly, the sons of Aaron shall pour its blood upon the altar all around12And they shall divide the limbs, the head, and everything that adjoins to the liver. And they shall place them on the wood, under which the fire is to be thrown13Yet truly, the intestines and the feet they shall wash with water. And the priest, having offered everything, shall burn it upon the altar as a holocaust and as a most sweet odor to the Lord14But if the oblation of a holocaust to the Lord is of birds, either of turtledoves, or young pigeons15the priest shall offer it at the altar: and twisting back the neck with the head, and also rupturing the place of the wound, he shall make the blood run down over the edge of the altar16Yet truly, the craw of the throat and the feathers he shall cast near the altar at the eastern section, in the place where the ashes are usually poured out17And he shall break its wing joints, but he shall neither cut, nor divide it with metal, and he shall burn it upon the altar, placing fire under the wood. It is a holocaust and an oblation of a most sweet odor to the Lord
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