Leviticus 1:17

He shall tear it open by its wings, without dividing the bird completely. And the priest is to burn it on the altar atop the burning wood. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God instructs Moses and Aaron on the ritual procedure for the burnt offering, designating the priest to execute the physical preparation and combustion of the bird.

The words — שִסַּע (shi.sa') = he will tear apart, and יַבְדִּיל (ya.vad.dil) = he will separate. The text commands the priest to tear the bird open by its wings without fully dividing it.

The thread — The preparation sequence recurs in Leviticus 1:9 and 1:13 for larger livestock, while Genesis 15:10 describes Abram splitting birds alongside cattle for a covenant ritual.

Why it lands — The passage requires exact adherence to prescribed physical actions, establishing that worship follows defined boundaries rather than personal preference.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

King James Version

And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.

Cross-references

Genesis 15:10 So Abram brought all these to Him, split each of them down the middle, and laid the halves opposite each other. The birds, however, he did not cut in half.
Leviticus 1:9 The entrails and legs must be washed with water, and the priest shall burn all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
Leviticus 1:13 The entrails and legs must be washed with water, and the priest shall present all of it and burn it on the altar; it is a burnt offering, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
Leviticus 5:8 He is to bring them to the priest, who shall first present the one for the sin offering. He is to twist its head at the front of its neck without severing it;
Psalms 16:10 For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.
Matthew 27:50 When Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He yielded up His spirit.
John 19:30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit.
Romans 4:25 He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification.
Hebrews 10:6 In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight.
Hebrews 13:15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.