Burnt Offering: Hebrew olah; i.e., "ascending," the whole being consumed by fire,
and regarded as ascending to God while being consumed. Part of every
offering was burnt in the sacred fire, but this was wholly burnt, a
"whole burnt offering." It was the most frequent form of sacrifice, and
apparently the only one mentioned in the book of Genesis. Such were the
sacrifices offered by Abel
(Genesis 4:3,4) here called minhah; i.e., "a
gift"), Noah
(Genesis 8:20) Abraham
(Genesis 22:2,7,8,13) and by the Hebrews
in Egypt
(Exodus 10:25) The law of Moses afterwards prescribed the
occasions and the manner in which burnt sacrifices were to be offered.
There were "the continual burnt offering"
(Exodus 29:38-42; Leviticus 6:9-13) "the
burnt offering of every sabbath," which was double the daily one
(Numbers 28:9,10) "the burnt offering of every month"
(Numbers 28:11-15)
the offerings at the Passover
(Numbers 28:19-23) at Pentecost
(Leviticus 23:16)
the feast of Trumpets
(Leviticus 23:23-25) and on the day of Atonement
(Leviticus 16:1)ff On other occasions special sacrifices were offered, as
at the consecration of Aaron
(Exodus 29:1)ff and the dedication of the
temple
(1 Kings 8:5,62-64) Free-will burnt offerings were also permitted
(Leviticus 1:13) and were offered at the accession of Solomon to the throne
(1 Chronicles 29:21) and at the reformation brought about by Hezekiah
(2 Chronicles 29:31-35) These offerings signified the complete dedication of
the offerers unto God. This is referred to in
(Romans 12:1)
