Bible Strands

Leviticus 22:24

You are not to present to the LORD an animal whose testicles are bruised, crushed, torn, or cut; you are not to sacrifice them in your land.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God addresses Moses and the priestly leadership, establishing regulations for acceptable sacrificial animals during the wilderness period.

The words — וּ/מָע֤וּךְ (ma.'Ukh) translates to "squashed" and וְ/כָתוּת֙ (kha.Tut) to "crushed," specifying the exact physical damage that disqualifies an animal from presentation.

The thread — The prohibition against defective offerings recurs in Leviticus 22:20, while the same physical damage bars individuals from the assembly in Deuteronomy 23:1. Leviticus 21:20 similarly lists crushed testicles among the disqualifying defects for priests, not for animal sacrifices.

Why it lands — The text commands worshippers to examine their offerings for physical integrity before bringing them to the altar. It requires concrete obedience to a standard of wholeness in ritual practice.

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

וּמָע֤וּךְu./ma.'Ukhand/ [one which] is squashedוְכָתוּת֙ve./kha.Tutand/ [one which] is crushedוְנָת֣וּקve./na.Tukand/ [one which] is tornוְכָר֔וּתve./kha.Rutand/ [one which] is cutלֹ֥אlo'notתַקְרִ֖יבוּtak.Ri.vuyou will presentלַֽיהוָ֑הla./Yah.wehto/ Yahwehוּֽבְאַרְצְכֶ֖םu./ve./'ar.tze./Khemand/ in/ land/ yourלֹ֥אlo'notתַעֲשֽׂוּ׃ta.'a.Suyou will do [it]

King James Version

Ye shall not offer unto the Lord that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof in your land.

Cross-references