Leviticus 6

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

“If anyone sins, and commits a trespass against the LORD, and deals falsely with his neighbor in a matter of deposit, or of bargain, or of robbery, or has oppressed his neighbor,

or has found that which was lost, and lied about it, and swearing to a lie—in any of these things that a man sins in his actions—

then it shall be, if he has sinned, and is guilty, he shall restore that which he took by robbery, or the thing which he has gotten by oppression, or the deposit which was committed to him, or the lost thing which he found,

or any thing about which he has sworn falsely: he shall restore it in full, and shall add a fifth part more to it. He shall return it to him to whom it belongs in the day of his being found guilty.

He shall bring his trespass offering to the LORD: a ram without defect from the flock, according to your estimation, for a trespass offering, to the priest.

The priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD, and he will be forgiven concerning whatever he does to become guilty.”

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

“Command Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of the burnt offering: the burnt offering shall be on the hearth on the altar all night until the morning; and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it.

The priest shall put on his linen garment, and he shall put on his linen trousers upon his body; and he shall remove the ashes from where the fire has consumed the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar.

He shall take off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a clean place.

The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it, it shall not go out; and the priest shall burn wood on it every morning. He shall lay the burnt offering in order upon it, and shall burn on it the fat of the peace offerings.

Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.

“‘This is the law of the meal offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD, before the altar.

He shall take from there his handful of the fine flour of the meal offering, and of its oil, and all the frankincense which is on the meal offering, and shall burn it on the altar for a pleasant aroma, as its memorial portion, to the LORD.

That which is left of it Aaron and his sons shall eat. It shall be eaten without yeast in a holy place. They shall eat it in the court of the Tent of Meeting.

It shall not be baked with yeast. I have given it as their portion of my offerings made by fire. It is most holy, as are the sin offering and the trespass offering.

Every male among the children of Aaron shall eat of it, as their portion forever throughout your generations, from the offerings of the LORD made by fire. Whoever touches them shall be holy.’”

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

“This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer to the LORD in the day when he is anointed: one tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering perpetually, half of it in the morning, and half of it in the evening.

It shall be made with oil in a griddle. When it is soaked, you shall bring it in. You shall offer the meal offering in baked pieces for a pleasant aroma to the LORD.

The anointed priest that will be in his place from among his sons shall offer it. By a statute forever, it shall be wholly burned to the LORD.

Every meal offering of a priest shall be wholly burned. It shall not be eaten.”

The LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of the sin offering: in the place where the burnt offering is killed, the sin offering shall be killed before the LORD. It is most holy.

The priest who offers it for sin shall eat it. It shall be eaten in a holy place, in the court of the Tent of Meeting.

Whatever shall touch its flesh shall be holy. When there is any of its blood sprinkled on a garment, you shall wash that on which it was sprinkled in a holy place.

But the earthen vessel in which it is boiled shall be broken; and if it is boiled in a bronze vessel, it shall be scoured, and rinsed in water.

Every male among the priests shall eat of it. It is most holy.

No sin offering, of which any of the blood is brought into the Tent of Meeting to make atonement in the Holy Place, shall be eaten. It shall be burned with fire.

Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview. This chapter continues the section on sacrifices introduced in Leviticus 1–5, specifying the laws concerning restitution for trespasses against both neighbor and holy things, and detailing the procedures and rights associated with the burnt, meal, and sin offerings, emphasizing the holiness of the altar, the priesthood, and the continual presence of fire before the LORD.

Flow.

It opens with civil and spiritual restitution for sins involving deception or theft, requiring full repayment plus a fifth part and a trespass offering (vv. 1–7).
Then it transitions to the duties of the priests regarding the burnt offering: the fire on the altar must remain burning continually, and the ashes must be handled with reverence (vv. 8–13).
Next, it outlines the meal offering, including its memorial portion burned on the altar and the priestly portions, with strict rules about holiness and consumption (vv. 14–18).
It closes with specific laws about the sin offering, including where it is slaughtered, who may eat it, and the handling of vessels and garments touched by its blood (vv. 24–30).

Connections. Following chapter 5, which concluded with additional cases of trespass and guilt, this chapter expands on the consequences of such sins by mandating both material restitution and sacrificial atonement, grounding ethical conduct in worship. It also begins a sustained focus on priestly duties and the mechanics of the offerings, which chapter 7 continues by detailing the laws for the trespass and peace offerings and further defining the sanctity of sacrificial rituals.

What it teaches. Sin against a neighbor is also a trespass against the LORD, requiring not only reconciliation and full restitution with interest (WCF 7.3) but also a sacrifice to recover fellowship through atonement (HC LD 43). The perpetual fire on the altar (Lev. 6:12–13) symbolizes the unbroken necessity of worship and divine presence, reflecting the seriousness with which God treats both moral and ceremonial holiness (WCF 21.1). The restrictions on the meal and sin offerings—such as their consumption only by priests, their location of eating, and the treatment of sacred vessels—underscore that these gifts belong to the LORD and convey a contagious holiness (WCF 5.8), which only the consecrated may handle (CD, Head I, Art. 22).

Apply. Reparation for wrongs includes both the tangible return of what was taken and the God-appointed means of restored access to His presence.

AI-generated. Not a substitute for Scripture, your pastor, or the confessions.