Leviticus 22:21

Verse

When a man presents a peace offering to the LORD from the herd or flock to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering, it must be without blemish or defect to be acceptable.

American Standard Version (1901)

And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto Jehovah to accomplish a vow, or for a freewill-offering, of the herd or of the flock, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.

Bible in Basic English

And whoever makes a peace-offering to the Lord, in payment of an oath or as a free offering, from the herd or the flock, if it is to be pleasing to the Lord, let it be free from any mark or damage.

Douay-Rheims 1899

The man that offereth a victim of peace offerings to the Lord, either paying his vows, or offering of his own accord, whether of beeves or of sheep, shall offer it without blemish, that it may be acceptable: there shall be no blemish in it.

Free Bible Version

If you want to present a peace offering to the Lord from the herd or flock to fulfill a promise or as a freewill offering, in order to be acceptable the animal must be perfect, completely without defects.

Geneva Bible 1599

And whosoeuer bringeth a peace offring vnto ye Lord to accomplish his vowe, or for a free offring, of the beeues, or of the sheepe, his free offring shall bee perfect, no blemish shalbe in it.

King James (Authorized) Version

And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.

One Unity Resource Bible

Whoever offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to Adonai to accomplish a vow, or for a free will offering, of the herd or of the flock, it shall be perfect to be accepted. It shall have no defect.

Translation for Translators

Similarly, when someone brings from his cattle or sheep or goats an offering to maintain fellowship with me, either to fulfill a promise that he made to me or to be a voluntary offering, in order that I will accept it, it must have no defects [DOU] or blemishes.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Whoever offers a sacrifice of fellowship offerings from the herd or the flock to Yahweh to fulfill a vow, or as a freewill offering, it must be unblemished to be accepted. There must be no defect in the animal.

Noah Webster Bible

And whoever offereth a sacrifice of peace-offerings to the LORD to accomplish his vow, or a free-will-offering in beeves, or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted: there shall be in it no blemish.

World English Bible

Whoever offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh to accomplish a vow, or for a free will offering of the herd or of the flock, it shall be perfect to be accepted. It shall have no defect.

Young's Literal Translation

'And when a man bringeth near a sacrifice of peace-offerings to Jehovah, to complete a vow, or for a willing-offering, of the herd or of the flock, it is perfect for a pleasing thing: no blemish is in it;

Context

Worthy Offerings

²⁰You must not present anything with a defect, because it will not be accepted on your behalf.²¹When a man presents a peace offering to the LORD from the herd or flock to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering, it must be without blemish or defect to be acceptable.²²You are not to present to the LORD any animal that is blind, injured, or maimed, or anything with a running sore, a festering rash, or a scab; you must not put any of these on the altar as an offering made by fire to the LORD.

Summary

In Leviticus 22:21, God instructs the Israelites to offer animals for sacrifice without blemish, emphasizing the importance of presenting their best to the Lord. This requirement reflects the principle of giving God our firstfruits and the finest of what we have, symbolizing reverence and honor for Him. The verse underscores the idea of offering sacrifices with a pure heart and sincere devotion, highlighting the significance of worshiping God with excellence and integrity. By demanding unblemished sacrifices, God teaches His people the value of wholehearted dedication and the need for genuine worship in their relationship with Him.

Commentary

Keil-Delitzsch
John Gill
Tyndale

Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

Every peace-offering was also to be faultless, whether brought "to fulfil a special (important) vow" (cf. Num 15:3, Num 15:8 : פּלּא, from פּלא to be great, distinguished, wonderful), or as a freewill gift; that is to say, it was to be free from such faults as blindness, or a broken limb (from lameness therefore: Deu 15:21), or cutting (i.e., mutilation, answering to חרוּם Lev 21:18), or an abscess (יבּלת, from יבל to flow, probably a flowing suppurating abscess).

John Gill Bible Commentary

Blind, or broken, or maimed,.... Which is "blind" of one eye, or both: and so the Egyptians, as they would not sacrifice any of their oxen that had any blemishes on them, and were of a different colour, or changed in their form, so likewise such that were deprived of either of their eyes (x). Some, as Aben Ezra observes, restrain that which is "broken" to its being broken in the head; but others interpret it of any fracture of the foot, as well as the head, and even of the tail, side, or rib; though others think, that such fractures as were not open and visible are excepted, as that of the rib; so Gersom; and with the Heathens, as Pliny (y) would have remarked, as they were not used to sacrifice calves, brought on men's shoulders, so neither anything that halted: that which is maimed some understand of that whose foot is broken, as Aben Ezra also remarks; but the word is by the Septuagint rendered, "cut in the tongue"; and the Targum of Jonathan, "whose eyebrows are smitten"; and Jarchi seems to take in both, interpreting it the eyebrow which is cut or broken, and so the lip, which is cut or broken: but it is rather to be understood more generally of its being maimed or mutilated in any part of it; so with the Heathens, as Porphyry (z) affirms, beasts that were mutilated were not to be sacrificed; and in the Comedian (a), a sacrifice is objected to, because it had no tail; upon which the Scholiast observes, that whatever was mutilated was not offered in sacred services, nor was any thing imperfect or unsound sacrificed to the gods; and particularly Servius (b) remarks, if their tongues were cut or slit; which illustrates the Septuagint version, which is observed by Grotius: or having a wen: or full of warts, as others; the Targum of Jonathan is, whose eyes are smitten with a mixture of white and black; and so Gersom interprets it of a like defect in the eye, in the white of the eye; for he says, if it was in the black or pupil of the eye, the eye would be blind: or scurvy or scabbed: the same of those in men; See Gill on Lev 21:20, ye shall not offer these unto the Lord; any creatures defective in any of these instances; three times this is said, as Jarchi observes, to make them careful concerning the sanctification of them, and concerning the slaying of them, and concerning the sprinkling of their blood: nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the Lord; a burnt offering on the altar of burnt offering, or burn the fat of them upon it. (x) Chaeremon. apud Porphyr. de Abstinentia, l. 4. sect. 7. (y) Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 45. (z) De Abstinentia, l. 2. sect. 23. (a) Aristoph. Acharnens. ver. 784. (b) In Virgil. Aeneid. l. 6.

Leviticus 22:21

Worthy Offerings

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

When a man presents a peace offering to the LORD from the herd or flock to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering, it must be without blemish or defect to be acceptable.

American Standard Version (1901)

Bible in Basic English

And whoever makes a peace-offering to the Lord, in payment of an oath or as a free offering, from the herd or the flock, if it is to be pleasing to the Lord, let it be free from any mark or damage.

Douay-Rheims 1899

Free Bible Version

Geneva Bible 1599

And whosoeuer bringeth a peace offring vnto ye Lord to accomplish his vowe, or for a free offring, of the beeues, or of the sheepe, his free offring shall bee perfect, no blemish shalbe in it.

King James (Authorized) Version

One Unity Resource Bible

Whoever offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to Adonai to accomplish a vow, or for a free will offering, of the herd or of the flock, it shall be perfect to be accepted. It shall have no defect.

Translation for Translators

Unlocked Literal Bible

Noah Webster Bible

World English Bible

Whoever offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh to accomplish a vow, or for a free will offering of the herd or of the flock, it shall be perfect to be accepted. It shall have no defect.

Young's Literal Translation

Keil-Delitzsch
John Gill
Tyndale

Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Leviticus 22:21

Verse

Context

Worthy Offerings

Summary

Commentary

Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Leviticus 22:21

Worthy Offerings

Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Tyndale Open Study Notes