Leviticus Chapter 6 — Laws of Restitution and Offerings
Leviticus 6 details the requirements for restitution in cases of fraud or theft and provides technical instructions for priests regarding the altar fire and various offerings.
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Notable Verses
Leviticus 6:5
“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.”
This verse establishes the legal principle of adding a twenty-percent penalty when making restitution for defrauded property.
Leviticus 6:13
“Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.”
The command for a perpetual fire signifies the constant availability of the sacrificial system and the ongoing devotion of the priesthood.
Leviticus 6:26
“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.”
This verse specifies how the priests were supported through their service by participating in the holy offerings.
Chapter Summary
Leviticus 6 begins by addressing sins committed against others, such as lying about deposits, robbery, or keeping lost property. In these cases, the law requires the guilty party to restore the original value plus a twenty-percent penalty to the victim. Following this restitution, a trespass offering of a ram must be brought to the priest for atonement. The chapter then transitions to specific administrative instructions for Aaron and the priests. It emphasizes that the fire on the altar must never go out, requiring the priests to add wood every morning. Detailed procedures are outlined for the burnt offering, the meal (grain) offering, and the sin offering. Special attention is given to the 'anointing offering' of the High Priest, which is to be entirely burned and not eaten. The chapter concludes with rules for handling the sin offering, including the proper cleaning of vessels and the disposal of the sacrifice's remains.
Frequently Asked Questions
The law requires the offender to return the item or value in full and add an additional one-fifth (twenty percent) of the value as a penalty. This restitution must be paid to the owner on the day the individual is found guilty before the religious sacrifice is made.
Aaron and his sons, the priests, were commanded to keep the fire on the altar burning continually. They were responsible for putting wood on it every morning and properly managing the ashes to ensure it never went out.
If an offering was boiled in an earthen vessel, the vessel had to be broken because it was porous and could absorb the holy sacrifice. If it was boiled in a bronze vessel, it had to be scoured and thoroughly rinsed with water.
No, while priests could eat portions of the meal offerings brought by the people, any meal offering offered by a priest for himself—especially during his anointing—was to be entirely burned and not eaten.
Study Note
The command for the perpetual fire in verse 13 is unique to the burnt offering altar and represents the continuous bridge between the community and the divine through the priesthood.
Related Chapters
Leviticus 5
Leviticus 5 introduces the initial requirements for the guilt offering which chapter 6 expands upon.
Numbers 5
Numbers 5 contains parallel instructions regarding the restitution and the one-fifth penalty for wrongs committed.
Exodus 29
Exodus 29 details the original instructions for the consecration and anointing of the priests mentioned in this chapter.
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