Chapter 22
Themes, discussion questions, Christ connections, and denomination lenses.
Just read this chapter →Scripture
KJV1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me: I am the LORD.
3Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD.
4What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hath a running issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he be clean. And whoso toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goeth from him;
5Or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness he hath;
6The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water.
7And when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things; because it is his food.
8That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I am the LORD.
9They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest they bear sin for it, and die therefore, if they profane it: I the LORD do sanctify them.
10There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.
11But if the priest buy any soul with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house: they shall eat of his meat.
12If the priest’s daughter also be married unto a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things.
13But if the priest’s daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto her father’s house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father’s meat: but there shall no stranger eat thereof.
14And if a man eat of the holy thing unwittingly, then he shall put the fifth part thereof unto it, and shall give it unto the priest with the holy thing.
15And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer unto the LORD;
16Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, when they eat their holy things: for I the LORD do sanctify them.
17And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
18Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt offering;
19Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats.
20But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you.
21And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.
22Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the LORD.
23Either 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.
24Ye 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.
25Neither from a stranger’s hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them: they shall not be accepted for you.
26And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
27When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
28And whether it be cow or ewe, ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day.
29And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will.
30On the same day it shall be eaten up; ye shall leave none of it until the morrow: I am the LORD.
31Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the LORD.
32Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the LORD which hallow you,
33That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD.
“Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the LORD which hallow you.”
Overview
God gives further instructions on priestly holiness, commanding that priests who are ceremonially unclean must not eat of the holy things until they are cleansed. Rules govern who in the priestly household may eat holy food and who may not. God also commands that all offerings brought by the people must be without blemish — no blind, broken, or diseased animal may be offered. What is offered to God must be perfect.
Key Themes
Guarding the Holiness of Sacred Things
The priests must not profane God's holy name by handling sacred offerings while unclean — familiarity with holy things does not excuse carelessness.
The Requirement of Unblemished Offerings
God will not accept blind, broken, or diseased animals as offerings — what is given to God must represent the best, not the leftovers.
Do Not Profane My Holy Name
The repeated command not to profane God's name reveals that the manner of worship directly affects God's reputation among the nations — careless worship dishonors God.
Study Questions
What does it mean to 'profane the holy things of the children of Israel' (v. 15), and how might this principle apply to how we handle sacred things today?
Why does God reject blemished offerings so strongly, and what does the prophet Malachi say about this issue in his generation (Malachi 1:6-8)?
How do the rules about who may and may not eat the holy food illustrate the principle that access to God's presence is not automatic but must be properly received?
What does the command 'neither shall ye profane my holy name' (v. 32) teach about the connection between obedience and God's honor before the world?
How does the requirement of perfect offerings prepare us to understand why only a sinless Savior could serve as our final sacrifice?
Connection to Christ
The unblemished offerings required in this chapter are shadows of Christ, the Lamb 'without blemish and without spot' (1 Peter 1:19). God would not accept a defective sacrifice, and He would not send a defective Savior — Christ alone meets God's perfect standard.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Leviticus 22. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?