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Friday, July 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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New Century Version

Leviticus 22:23

"‘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.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Blemish;   Dedication;   Free-Will Offerings;   Lamb;   Offerings;   Vows;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Blemishes;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Clean, Unclean;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Blemish;   Free-Will Offering;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Sacrifice;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Blemish;   Bull;   Leviticus;   Pentateuch;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Canon of the Old Testament;   Congregation, Assembly;   Crimes and Punishments;   Deuteronomy;   Hexateuch;   Holiness;   Law;   Leviticus;   Priests and Levites;   Sacrifice and Offering;   Sanctification, Sanctify;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Eunuch ;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Blemish;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Worship, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Eunuch;   Leviticus;   Maimed;   Superfluous;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Blemish;   Peace-Offering;   Sacrifice;   Superstition;  

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 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 The Lord said to Moses, 18 "Tell Aaron and his sons and all the people of Israel: ‘A citizen of Israel or a foreigner living in Israel might want to bring a whole burnt offering, either for some special promise he has made or for a special gift he wants to give to the Lord . 19 If he does, he must bring a male animal that has nothing wrong with it—a bull, a sheep, or a goat—so it might be accepted for him. 20 He must not bring an animal that has something wrong with it, or it will not be accepted for him. 21 "‘If someone brings a fellowship offering to the Lord , either as payment for a special promise the person has made or as a special gift the person wants to give the Lord , it might be from the herd or from the flock. But it must be healthy, with nothing wrong with it, so that it will be accepted. 22 You must not offer to the Lord any animal that is blind, that has broken bones or is crippled, that has running sores or any sort of skin disease. You must not offer any animals like these on the altar as an offering by fire to the Lord . 23 "‘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. 24 "‘If an animal has bruised, crushed, torn, or cut sex glands, you must not offer it to the Lord . You must not do this in your own land, 25 and you must not take such animals from foreigners as sacrifices to the Lord . Because the animals have been hurt in some way and have something wrong with them, they will not be accepted for you.'" 26 The Lord said to Moses,

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
Before the servant had finished praying, Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel, came out of the city. (Bethuel was the son of Milcah and Nahor, Abraham's brother.) Rebekah was carrying her water jar on her shoulder.
Genesis 24:24
Rebekah answered, "My father is Bethuel, the son of Milcah and Nahor."
Genesis 24:47
When I asked her, ‘Who is your father?' she answered, ‘My father is Bethuel son of Milcah and Nahor.' Then I put the ring in her nose and the bracelets on her arms,
Genesis 24:51
Rebekah is yours. Take her and go. Let her marry your master's son as the Lord has commanded."
Genesis 24:60
They blessed Rebekah and said, "Our sister, may you be the mother of thousands of people, and may your descendants capture the cities of their enemies."
Genesis 24:67
Then Isaac brought Rebekah into the tent of Sarah, his mother, and she became his wife. Isaac loved her very much, and so he was comforted after his mother's death.
Genesis 25:20
When Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah, who came from Northwest Mesopotamia. She was Bethuel's daughter and the sister of Laban the Aramean.
Genesis 28:2
Go to the house of Bethuel, your mother's father, in Northwest Mesopotamia. Laban, your mother's brother, lives there. Marry one of his daughters.
Genesis 28:5
So Isaac sent Jacob to Northwest Mesopotamia, to Laban the brother of Rebekah. Bethuel the Aramean was the father of Laban and Rebekah, and Rebekah was the mother of Jacob and Esau.
Romans 9:10
And that is not all. Rebekah's sons had the same father, our father Isaac.

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.


 
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