translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: LEV

label: NET study note

text: The second clause of v. 1 , “and the Lord spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying,” introduces the following discourse. This is a standard introductory formula (see, e.g., Exod 20:1; 25:1; 31:1 ; etc.). The combination of the first and second clauses is, therefore, “bulky” because of the way they happen to be juxtaposed in this transitional verse (J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 8). The first clause of v. 1 connects the book back to the end of the Book of Exodus while the second looks forward the ritual legislation that follows in Lev 1:2 ff. There are two “Tents of Meeting”: the one that stood outside the camp (see, e.g., Exod 33:7 ) and the one that stood in the midst of the camp ( Exod 40:2 ; Num 2:2 ff) and served as the Lord ’s residence until the construction of the temple in the days of Solomon ( Exod 27:21; 29:4 ; 1 Kgs 8:4 ; 2 Chr 5:5 , etc.; cf. 2 Sam 7:6 ). Exod 40:35 uses both “tabernacle” and “tent of meeting” to refer to the same tent: “Moses could not enter the tent of meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” It is clear that “tent of meeting” in Lev 1:1 refers to the “tabernacle.” The latter term refers to the tent as a “residence,” while the former refers to it as a divinely appointed place of “meeting” between God and man (see R. E. Averbeck, NIDOTTE 2:873-77 and 2:1130-34). This corresponds to the change in terms in Exod 40:35 , where “tent of meeting” is used when referring to Moses’ inability to enter the tent, but “tabernacle” when referring to the Lord taking up residence there in the form of the glory cloud. The quotation introduced here extends from Lev 1:2 through 3:17 , and encompasses the burnt, grain, and peace offering regulations. Compare the notes on Lev 4:1; 5:14; and 6:1 [5:20 HT] below.


text: The burnt offering ( עֹלָה , ’ olah ) was basically a “a gift of a soothing aroma to the Lord ” (vv. 9, 13, 17 ). It could serve as a votive or freewill offering (e.g., Lev 22:18-20 ), an accompaniment of prayer and supplication (e.g., 1 Sam 7:9-10 ), part of the regular daily, weekly, monthly, and festival cultic pattern (e.g., Num 28-29 ), or to make atonement either alone (e.g., Lev 1:4; 16:24 ) or in combination with the grain offering (e.g., Lev 14:20 ) or sin offering (e.g., Lev 5:7; 9:7 ). See R. E. Averbeck, NIDOTTE 4:996-1022.


text: The standard English translation of “gift” ( אִשֶּׁה , ’ isheh ) is “an offering [made] by fire” (cf. KJV, ASV). It is based on a supposed etymological relationship to the Hebrew word for “fire” ( אֵשׁ , ’ esh ) and is still maintained in many versions (e.g., NIV, RSV, NRSV, NLT; B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 7-8). For various reasons, including the fact that some offerings referred to by this term are not burned on the altar (see, e.g., Lev 24:9 ), it is probably better to understand the term to mean “gift” (J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC], 22) or “food gift” (“food offering” in NEB and TEV; J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:161-62). See R. E. Averbeck, NIDOTTE 1:540-49 for a complete discussion.