Leviticus 22:23

THE MESSAGE

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Either a bull or a lamb that has any deformity or lacking in his parts, that may you offer for a freewill-offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

King James Version
Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

Lexham English Bible
As for an ox or sheep that is deformed or that is stunted, you may present it as a freewill offering, but for a vow it will not be accepted.

New Century Version
"‘If an ox or lamb is smaller than normal or is not perfectly formed, you may give it as a special gift to the Lord ; it will be accepted. But it will not be accepted as payment for a special promise you have made.

New English Translation
As for an ox or a sheep with a limb too long or stunted, you may present it as a freewill offering, but it will not be acceptable for a votive offering.

Amplified Bible
'For a freewill offering you may offer either a bull or a lamb which has an overgrown or stunted member (deformity), but for [the payment of] a vow it will not be accepted.

New American Standard Bible
'Now as for an ox or a lamb which has an overgrown or stunted member, you may present it as a voluntary offering, but for a vow it will not be accepted.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Yet a bullocke, or a sheepe that hath any member superfluous, or lacking, such mayest thou present for a free offring, but for a vowe it shall not be accepted.

Legacy Standard Bible
Now in respect to an ox or a lamb which has an overgrown or stunted member, you may offer it for a freewill offering, but for a votive offering it will not be accepted.

Contemporary English Version
If one of your cattle or lambs has a leg that is longer or shorter than the others, you may offer it voluntarily, but not as part of a promise.

Complete Jewish Bible
If a bull or lamb has a limb which is too long or short, you may offer it as a voluntary offering; but for a vow it will not be accepted.

Darby Translation
A bullock and a sheep that hath a member too long or too short, that mayest thou offer as a voluntary offering; but as a vow it shall not be accepted.

Easy-to-Read Version
"Sometimes a bull or lamb will have a leg that is too long, or a foot that did not grow right. If you want to give that animal as a special gift to the Lord, it will be accepted. But it will not be accepted as payment for a special promise that you made.

English Standard Version
You may present a bull or a lamb that has a part too long or too short for a freewill offering, but for a vow offering it cannot be accepted.

George Lamsa Translation
A bullock or a lamb which has the ear or the tail cut off you may offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

Good News Translation
As a freewill offering you may offer an animal that is stunted or not perfectly formed, but it is not acceptable in fulfillment of a vow.

Christian Standard Bible®
You may sacrifice as a freewill offering any animal from the herd or flock that has an elongated or stunted limb, but it is not acceptable as a vow offering.

Literal Translation
As to an ox or a sheep deformed, or dwarfed, you shall make it a freewill offering; but it is not acceptable for a vow.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
An oxe or shepe yt hath myßshappe membres, or no rompe, mayest thou offre of a fre wyll: but to a vowe it maye not be accepted.

American Standard Version
Either a bullock or a lamb that hath anything superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill-offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

Bible in Basic English
An ox or a lamb which has more or less than its natural parts, may be given as a free offering; but it will not be taken in payment of an oath.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
A bullocke or a sheepe that hath any member superfluous or lackyng, mayest thou offer for a freewyll offering: but for a vowe it shall not be accepted.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing too long or too short, that mayest thou offer for a freewill-offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

King James Version (1611)
Either a bullocke, or a lambe that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a free will offring: but for a vow it shal not be accepted.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And a calf or a sheep with the ears cut off, or that has lost its tail, thou shalt slay them for thyself; but they shall not be accepted for thy vow.

English Revised Version
Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

Berean Standard Bible
You may present as a freewill offering an ox or sheep that has a deformed or stunted limb, but it is not acceptable to fulfill a vow.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A man may offre wilfuli an oxe and scheep, whanne the eere and tail ben kit of; but avow may not be paied of these beestis.

Young's Literal Translation
`As to an ox or a sheep enlarged or dwarfed -- a willing-offering ye do make it, but for a vow it is not pleasing.

Update Bible Version
Either a bull or a lamb that has anything superfluous or lacking in his parts, that you may offer for a freewill-offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

Webster's Bible Translation
Either a bullock, or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer [for] a free-will-offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

World English Bible
Either a bull or a lamb that has any deformity or lacking in his parts, that may you offer for a freewill-offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

New King James Version
Either a bull or a lamb that has any limb too long or too short you may offer as a freewill offering, but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

New Living Translation
If a bull or lamb has a leg that is too long or too short, it may be offered as a voluntary offering, but it may not be offered to fulfill a vow.

New Life Bible
You may give for a free-will gift a bull or lamb which has some part too long or too short. But it will not be received if it is to pay a promise.

New Revised Standard
An ox or a lamb that has a limb too long or too short you may present for a freewill offering; but it will not be accepted for a vow.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Whether an ox or a lamb long or short limb, as a free-will offering, thou mayest offer it, but, for a vow, it shall not he accepted.

Douay-Rheims Bible
An ox or a sheep, that hath the ear and the tail cut off, thou mayst offer voluntarily: but a vow may not be paid with them.

Revised Standard Version
A bull or a lamb which has a part too long or too short you may present for a freewill offering; but for a votive offering it cannot be accepted.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
'In respect to an ox or a lamb which has an overgrown or stunted member, you may present it for a freewill offering, but for a vow it will not be accepted.

Contextual Overview

¹⁷ God spoke to Moses: "Tell Aaron and his sons and all the People of Israel, Each and every one of you, whether native born or foreigner, who presents a Whole-Burnt-Offering to God to fulfill a vow or as a Freewill-Offering, must make sure that it is a male without defect from cattle, sheep, or goats for it to be acceptable. Don't try slipping in some creature that has a defect—it won't be accepted. Whenever anyone brings an offering from cattle or sheep as a Peace-Offering to God to fulfill a vow or as a Freewill-Offering, it has to be perfect, without defect, to be acceptable. Don't try giving God an animal that is blind, crippled, mutilated, an animal with running sores, a rash, or mange. Don't place any of these on the Altar as a gift to God . You may, though, offer an ox or sheep that is deformed or stunted as a Freewill-Offering, but it is not acceptable in fulfilling a vow. Don't offer to God an animal with bruised, crushed, torn, or cut-off testicles. Don't do this in your own land but don't accept them from foreigners and present them as food for your God either. Because of deformities and defects they will not be acceptable." ²⁶ God spoke to Moses: "When a calf or lamb or goat is born, it is to stay with its mother for seven days. After the eighth day, it is acceptable as an offering, a gift to God . Don't slaughter both a cow or ewe and its young on the same day. When you sacrifice a Thanksgiving-Offering to God , do it right so it will be acceptable. Eat it on the same day; don't leave any leftovers until morning. I am God . ³¹ "Do what I tell you; live what I tell you. I am God . ³²"Don't desecrate my holy name. I insist on being treated with holy reverence among the People of Israel. I am God who makes you holy and brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am God ."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

lamb: or, kid

superfluous: Leviticus 21:18

Reciprocal: Leviticus 7:16 - a voluntary Leviticus 7:18 - it shall Leviticus 19:5 - ye shall Leviticus 19:7 - it shall Numbers 15:3 - or in a freewill Luke 11:2 - Hallowed

Cross-References

Genesis 24:15
It so happened that the words were barely out of his mouth when Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel whose mother was Milcah the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with a water jug on her shoulder. The girl was stunningly beautiful, a pure virgin. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came back up. The servant ran to meet her and said, "Please, can I have a sip of water from your jug?"

Genesis 24:24
She said, "I'm the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah and Nahor. And there's plenty of room in our house for you to stay—and lots of straw and feed besides."

Genesis 28:5
So Isaac sent Jacob off. He went to Paddan Aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah who was the mother of Jacob and Esau.

Romans 9:10
And that's not the only time. To Rebecca, also, a promise was made that took priority over genetics. When she became pregnant by our one-of-a-kind ancestor, Isaac, and her babies were still innocent in the womb—incapable of good or bad—she received a special assurance from God. What God did in this case made it perfectly plain that his purpose is not a hit-or-miss thing dependent on what we do or don't do, but a sure thing determined by his decision, flowing steadily from his initiative. God told Rebecca, "The firstborn of your twins will take second place." Later that was turned into a stark epigram: "I loved Jacob; I hated Esau."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Either a bullock, or a lamb that hath anything superfluous,

or lacking in its parts,.... That has either more members than it should have, as five feet, or two gristles in an ear, as Gersom says, or has fewer than it should have; or, as Jarchi, that has one member longer or shorter than another, as the leg or thigh; according to the Targum of Jonathan, that is redundant in its testicles, or deficient therein; the Septuagint version is, that hath its ear or its tail cut; and so the Vulgate Latin version:

that mayest thou offer [for] a freewill offering: for the repair of the sanctuary or temple, as Jarchi and Gersom; money, or the value of the sacrifices, might be given to the priests for that use, but according to them might not be offered upon the altar: but it rather seems to be an exception to the above law, and allows of the sacrifice of them for freewill offering, though not for a vow, as it follows

but for a vow it shall not be accepted; because the other was according to a man's will and pleasure, and he might bring what he would on that account; but when he made a vow that he would offer such a sacrifice, it must be of creatures that were perfect, and without blemish.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Compare Leviticus 21:19; Deuteronomy 15:21.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Leviticus 22:23. That hath anything superfluous or lacking — The term שרוע sarua signifies any thing extended beyond the usual size, and the term קלוט kalut signifies any thing unusually contracted; and both mean any monstrosity, whether in redundance or defect. Such things, it seems, might be offered for a freewill-offering, because that was not prescribed by the law; God left it to a man's piety and gratitude to offer such additional gifts as he could: what the law required was indispensably necessary, because it pointed out the Gospel economy; but he that made a vow to offer such a sacrifice as the law had not required, could of course bring an imperfect offering. Some contend that the last clause of this verse should be thus read: If thou offer it either for a freewill-offering, or for a vow, it shall not be accepted. It was the opinion of the Jews, and it appears to be correct, that none of these imperfect animals were ever offered on the altar; but the person who made the freewill-offering of such things as he had, sold the animal, and gave its price for the support of the sanctuary.