Las ofrendas del Señor
1El Señor le ordenó a Moisés 2que les dijera a Aarón y a sus hijos: «Tratad con mucho respeto las ofrendas sagradas que me consagran los israelitas, para no profanar mi santo nombre. Yo soy el Señor».
3También le ordenó decirles: «Si alguno de los descendientes de Aarón está ritualmente impuro y se acerca a las ofrendas que los israelitas consagran al Señor, será eliminado de mi presencia. Yo soy el Señor.
4»Si un descendiente de Aarón padece de alguna enfermedad infecciosa en la piel,22:4 alguna enfermedad infecciosa en la piel. Tradicionalmente lepra. o de derrame seminal, deberá abstenerse de comer de las ofrendas sagradas, hasta que se purifique. Cualquiera que toque un objeto contaminado por el contacto con un cadáver, o que tenga derrame de semen, 5o que toque algún animal u hombre impuros, cualquiera que sea la impureza, 6quedará impuro hasta el anochecer. Por tanto, se abstendrá de comer de las ofrendas sagradas. Lavará su cuerpo con agua, 7y al ponerse el sol quedará puro. Después de esto podrá comer de las ofrendas sagradas, porque son su alimento. 8No deberá comer nada que sea hallado muerto o despedazado por las fieras, pues de lo contrario quedará impuro. Yo soy el Señor.
9»Los sacerdotes cumplirán con mis instrucciones, y así no pecarán ni sufrirán la muerte por haber profanado las ofrendas. Yo soy el Señor, que santifico a los sacerdotes.
10»Nadie ajeno a la familia sacerdotal comerá de las ofrendas sagradas, ni tampoco comerá de ellas ningún huésped del sacerdote, ni su jornalero. 11Pero sí podrá comer de ellas el esclavo comprado por un sacerdote, y el esclavo nacido en casa del mismo. 12Si la hija de un sacerdote se casa con alguien que no sea sacerdote, no podrá comer de las ofrendas recibidas como contribución. 13Pero, si queda viuda o divorciada y, sin haber tenido hijos, regresa a la casa de su padre como cuando era soltera, entonces sí podrá comer del alimento de su padre. Pero nadie ajeno a la familia sacerdotal está autorizado para comerlo.
14»Si inadvertidamente alguien come de una ofrenda sagrada, deberá restituir la ofrenda al sacerdote y añadirle una quinta parte de su valor.
15»No deberán los sacerdotes profanar las ofrendas sagradas que los israelitas presentan al Señor, 16porque al permitir que las coman harán recaer sobre sí mismos un pecado que requiere un sacrificio por la culpa. Yo soy el Señor, que los santifico».
Sacrificios inaceptables
17El Señor le ordenó a Moisés 18que les dijera a Aarón y a sus hijos, y a todos los israelitas: «Si alguno de vosotros, sea israelita o extranjero residente en Israel, presenta un holocausto al Señor para cumplir un voto, o como ofrenda voluntaria, 19para que le sea aceptado deberá presentar un macho sin defecto de entre el ganado vacuno, ovino o cabrío. 20No presentéis ningún animal que tenga algún defecto, porque no se os aceptará.
21»Si alguien, para cumplir un voto especial o como ofrenda voluntaria, le presenta al Señor ganado vacuno u ovino como sacrificio de comunión, para que el animal le sea aceptado no deberá tener ningún defecto. 22No deberéis presentarle al Señor, como ofrenda por fuego, animales ciegos, cojos, mutilados, llagados, sarnosos ni tiñosos. No ofreceréis en el altar ningún animal así. 23Podréis presentar como ofrenda voluntaria una res o una oveja deforme o enana, pero tal ofrenda no será aceptada en cumplimiento de un voto.
24»No ofreceréis al Señor ningún animal con los testículos lastimados, magullados, cortados o arrancados. No haréis esto en vuestra tierra. 25No recibiréis de manos de un extranjero animales así para ofrecerlos como alimento de vuestro Dios. No se os aceptarán porque son deformes y tienen defectos».
26El Señor le dijo a Moisés: 27«Cuando nazca un ternero, un cordero o un cabrito, se quedará con su madre durante siete días. Del octavo día en adelante será aceptable al Señor como ofrenda por fuego.
28»No degollaréis el mismo día una vaca o una oveja con su cría.
29»Cuando sacrifiquéis una ofrenda de acción de gracias al Señor, hacedlo de tal modo que os sea aceptada. 30Deberá comerse ese mismo día, sin dejar nada para el siguiente. Yo soy el Señor.
31»Obedeced mis mandamientos y ponedlos por obra. Yo soy el Señor.
32»No profanéis mi santo nombre, sino reconocedme como santo en medio de los israelitas. Yo soy el Señor, que os santifica. 33Yo os saqué de Egipto para ser vuestro Dios. Yo soy el Señor».
1The Lord said to Moses, 2“Here is what I want you to tell Aaron and his sons. Tell them to treat the sacred offerings with respect. They are the offerings the Israelites set apart to honor me. So Aaron and his sons must never treat my name as if it were not holy. I am the Lord.
3“Say to them, ‘Suppose a man in your family line is “unclean.” And suppose he comes near the sacred offerings. They are the offerings the Israelites set apart to honor me. That man must not be allowed to serve me as a priest. That applies for all time to come. I am the Lord.
4“ ‘Suppose a man in Aaron’s family line has a skin disease. Or suppose liquid waste is flowing out of his body. Then he can’t eat the sacred offerings until he is made pure and clean. Suppose he touches something made “unclean” by coming near a dead body. Or suppose he touches someone who has semen flowing from his body. Then he will be “unclean.” 5Or suppose he touches any crawling thing that makes him “unclean.” Or suppose he touches any person who makes him “unclean.” It does not matter what “unclean” thing he touches. It will make him “unclean.” 6The one who touches anything of that kind will be “unclean” until evening. He must not eat any of the sacred offerings unless he has taken a bath. 7When the sun goes down, he will be “clean.” After that, he can eat the sacred offerings. They are his food. 8He must not eat anything found dead or torn apart by wild animals. If he does, it will make him “unclean.” I am the Lord.
9“ ‘The priests must do what I require. But suppose they make fun of what I require. Then they will become guilty and die. I am the Lord. I make them holy.
10“ ‘Only a member of a priest’s family can eat the sacred offering. The guest of a priest can’t eat it. A priest’s hired worker can’t eat it either. 11But suppose a priest buys a slave with money. Or suppose slaves are born in his house. Then they can eat the sacred food. 12Suppose a priest’s daughter marries someone who is not a priest. Then she can’t eat any of the food brought as a sacred gift. 13But suppose the priest’s daughter becomes a widow or is divorced. She does not have any children. And she returns to live in her father’s house, where she lived when she was young. Then she can eat her father’s food. But a person who does not belong to a priest’s family can’t eat any of it.
14“ ‘Suppose someone eats a sacred offering by mistake. Then they must pay back the priest for the offering. They must also add a fifth of its value to it. 15The priests must not allow the sacred offerings to become “unclean.” They are the offerings the Israelites bring to the Lord. 16The priests must not allow the offerings to become “unclean” by letting the people eat them. If they do, they will bring guilt on the people. They will have to pay for what they have done. I am the Lord. I make them holy.’ ”
Sacrifices the Lord Does Not Accept
17The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, 18“Speak to Aaron and his sons. Speak to all the Israelites. Tell them, ‘Suppose any of you brings a gift for a burnt offering to the Lord. It does not matter whether you are an Israelite or an outsider who lives in Israel. It does not matter whether you bring the offering to keep a promise or because you choose to give it. 19You must bring a male animal without any flaws if you want the Lord to accept it from you. It does not matter whether it is from your cattle, sheep or goats. 20Do not bring an animal that has any flaws. If you do, the Lord will not accept it from you. 21Suppose any of you brings an animal for a friendship offering to the Lord. Then it must not have any flaws at all. If it does, the Lord will not accept it. It does not matter whether the animal is from your herd or flock. It does not matter whether you bring it to keep a promise or because you choose to give it. 22Do not offer a blind animal to the Lord. Do not bring a hurt or wounded animal. And do not offer one that has warts or boils or running sores. Do not place any of them on the altar as a food offering presented to the Lord. 23But suppose you bring an offering you choose to give. Then you can bring an ox or a sheep whose body is twisted or too small. But the Lord will not accept it if you offer it to keep a promise. 24You must not offer the Lord a male animal whose sex glands have been hurt. The glands also must not be crushed, torn or cut. You must not offer that kind of animal in your own land. 25And you must not accept that kind of animal from someone who comes from another land. You must not offer it as food for your God. He will not accept it from you. Its body is twisted and has flaws.’ ”
26The Lord spoke to Moses. He said, 27“When a calf, lamb or goat is born, it must remain with its mother for seven days. From the eighth day on, I will accept it as a food offering presented to me. 28Do not kill a cow and its calf on the same day. Do not kill a female sheep and its lamb on the same day.
29“Sacrifice a thank offering to me in the right way. Then I will accept it from you. 30You must eat it that same day. Do not leave any of it until morning. I am the Lord.
31“Obey my commands. Follow them. I am the Lord. 32Do not treat my name as if it were not holy. The Israelites must recognize me as the holy God. I am the Lord. I made you holy. 33I brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord.”
