Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats.

LEVITICUS 22:19KJV
Know the Bible

Leviticus 22:19 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 22:19 mean?

Leviticus 22:19 gives a rule for an animal brought as an offering to God. In the KJV wording, the person offers it willingly, and the animal must be a male without a physical defect. The choice is limited to cattle, sheep, or goats.

God gives this instruction through Moses to Aaron and his sons, the priests, and to the people of Israel. Following the mention of offerings brought to fulfill a promise or given freely in verse 18, verse 19 identifies the kind of animal to bring.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 22:19

  • “will” — רָצוֹן (ratson): This word can mean willingness, favor, or acceptance. The KJV reads the phrase as “at your own will”; the Hebrew wording can also point to the offering being accepted.
  • “without blemish” — תָּמִים (tamim): This word often means whole or sound. Here it describes an animal free from a disqualifying physical defect.

Why Leviticus 22:19 matters

  • The rule concerns the animal’s condition as well as the giver’s choice. Verse 20 adds that an animal with a defect is not to be offered.
  • “Beeves” means cattle. The three groups named in verse 19 give the person bringing the offering a choice among familiar herd and flock animals.
  • The surrounding passage gives concrete examples of defects. Verse 22 mentions blindness, injury, and sores, making clear what kind of condition the instruction addresses.

Where else these words appear

“sheep” Hebrew H3775 · used in 13 verses

  • Genesis 30:32 I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.
  • Leviticus 1:10 And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish.
  • Leviticus 17:3 What man soever there be of the house of Israel, that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp,

“will” Hebrew H7522 · used in 56 verses

  • Genesis 49:6 O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.
  • Psalms 30:5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
  • Proverbs 14:9 Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.

“goats” Hebrew H5795 · used in 74 verses

  • Genesis 15:9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
  • Leviticus 9:3 And unto the children of Israel thou shalt speak, saying, Take ye a kid of the goats for a sin offering; and a calf and a lamb, both of the first year, without blemish, for a burnt offering;
  • Numbers 29:5 And one kid of the goats for a sin offering, to make an atonement for you:

“male” Hebrew H2145 · used in 80 verses

  • Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
  • Leviticus 12:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.
  • Deuteronomy 4:16 Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,