And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar:

LEVITICUS 1:15KJV
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Leviticus 1:15 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 1:15 mean?

Leviticus 1:15 describes how a priest was to offer a bird as a burnt offering: the priest would bring the bird to the altar, remove its head, burn it on the altar, and drain its blood at the side of the altar. This verse gives specific instructions for handling bird offerings, showing the careful process required in Israel’s sacrificial system.

In context, God is giving Moses detailed laws for sacrifices, and this verse is part of the instructions for offering birds (like doves or pigeons) when someone could not afford larger animals. The priest (not the worshiper) performs the actions, highlighting the priest’s role as a mediator. The process is described step by step to ensure the offering is done properly and respectfully.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 1:15

  • כֹּהֵן (kohen, H3548): This means "priest." The priest is the one who performs the sacrifice, emphasizing that only someone set apart for this role could handle offerings.
  • מִזְבֵּחַ (mizbeach, H4196): This means "altar." The altar is the central place for sacrifices, and the repetition in the verse underlines its importance in the ritual.
  • מָלַק (malaq, H4454): This word means "wring off" or "pinch off," describing a specific method for removing the bird’s head. It is different from slaughtering larger animals and shows a unique procedure for small offerings.
  • דָּם (dam, H1818): This means "blood." The instruction to wring out the blood at the side of the altar shows the importance of treating the blood with respect, as blood was seen as representing life.

Why Leviticus 1:15 matters

  • Leviticus 1:15 clarifies that even those who could only afford birds could participate in worship, showing the sacrificial system’s accessibility.
  • The verse emphasizes the priest’s responsibility to carry out the ritual properly, highlighting the seriousness and orderliness of worship in ancient Israel.
  • Understanding these details helps make sense of the broader sacrificial laws in Leviticus, showing how every offering—large or small—was to be handled with care and respect.

Where else these words appear

“off” Hebrew H4454 · used in 2 verses

  • Leviticus 5:8 And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin offering first, and wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide it asunder:

“out” Hebrew H4680 · used in 7 verses

  • Leviticus 5:9 And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it is a sin offering.
  • Psalms 73:10 Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.
  • Isaiah 51:17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.

“side” Hebrew H7023 · used in 64 verses

  • Exodus 30:3 And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, the top thereof, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns thereof; and thou shalt make unto it a crown of gold round about.
  • 1 Kings 14:10 Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.
  • Ezekiel 8:10 So I went in and saw; and behold every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about.

“burn” Hebrew H6999 · used in 112 verses

  • Exodus 29:13 And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inwards, and the caul that is above the liver, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, and burn them upon the altar.
  • Leviticus 16:25 And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar.
  • 2 Chronicles 28:4 He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree.