Leviticus 14:22 - and two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to afford; and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering.

Generated Verse: Leviticus 14:22

What does "Leviticus 14:22" mean?


Leviticus 14:22 is part of the instructions for the purification ritual for someone who has been healed from a skin disease, likely leprosy (though the term in Leviticus covered a range of skin conditions). The verse outlines the offering a poor person could make after their purification:

"and two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, such as he is able to afford": This means that if the person was poor and couldn't afford the usual lamb sacrifice (mentioned earlier in the chapter), they could offer two turtledoves or two young pigeons instead. This demonstrates God's consideration for the poor, allowing them to participate in the ritual even if they lacked financial resources. The offering was adjusted to their ability.

"and the one shall be a sin offering, and the other a burnt offering": This specifies the purpose of each bird.

Sin Offering (Chatat): This offering was meant to atone for unintentional sins or ritual impurities that might have contributed to the person's condition or occurred during the time of isolation. It wasn't necessarily an admission of moral wrongdoing, but rather an acknowledgement of the need for purification and reconciliation with God and the community. The blood of the sin offering was applied to the altar in a specific way to purify it.
Burnt Offering (Olah): This offering was a whole offering, where the entire animal (except for the skin) was burned on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. It symbolized complete devotion, dedication, and consecration to God. It expressed thanksgiving for the healing and a renewed commitment to obedience.

In summary, Leviticus 14:22 provides an alternative, more affordable sacrifice for the poor who had been healed from skin diseases. This offering consisted of two birds, one to atone for unintentional sins and ritual impurities (sin offering), and the other to express thanksgiving and complete devotion to God (burnt offering).

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