These are the offerings that the Israelites made:

Burnt offerings

Burnt offerings were male animals. They could be cattle, goats, lambs, doves, or pigeons.  People with more money must offer animals. Poor people could offer birds. The animals had to be perfect. They could not bring old or sick animals for offerings. 

For burnt offerings, the Israelites brought the animals to the tabernacle. They put their hands on the animals' heads. That showed that the animal was taking that person's place. Then they killed the animals. The priest sprinkled blood on the side of the big altar at the tabernacle. Then the priest burned the animals on the altar. The priest burned all parts of the animals except for the skin. 

People made burnt offerings for different reasons. One reason was for sin. It was not an offering for a specific sin, like some of the other offerings.  But it was to ask forgiveness for all of a person's sins.  The other reason was to show God that they belonged to Him.    

Grain offerings

Grain offerings were also called meat offerings.  Grain offerings were burned on the altar, too. But only part of each offering was burned on the altar. The priests could eat the rest of the grain offering. 

There were 3 different kinds of grain offerings  

    1. Uncooked flour--mixed with oil

    2. Baked flour-must be flat with no yeast in it to make it rise. Also they could not mix it with honey.

    3. Roasted firstfruit grain at harvest time--this was part of the grain that they picked first each year. 


They should put salt and frankincense on their grain offerings. Salt was a symbol of the covenant promise between God and the Israelites. Frankincense was a spice that smelled very good. 

Grain offerings were symbols of their work. They had to work to plant the grain and make it grow.  They gave their grain offerings to God as gifts.

Peace offerings

Peace offerings were also called fellowship offerings. 

Peace offerings were similar to burnt offerings.  Both offerings used perfect animals--cows, bulls, lambs, or goats. In burnt offerings, the whole animals were burned. In peace offerings, only a few parts of the animals were burned. The priest kept the animal's breast and right thigh. The person who was making the offering kept the rest of the meat. Then  he had a special meal or dinner. 

The person making the offering also brought bread.  The priest kept the bread. 

People made peace offerings for fellowship--to spend time with God.  People also made peace offerings when they were thankful to God for His blessings. 

Sin offerings
 and 
Trespass offerings

Sin offerings and trespass offerings were very similar (close to the same). Bible teachers have different ways to explain how these two offerings were different. 

One explanation is this:  
Sin offerings were made when a person sinned accidentally. He did not sin on purpose. He did not know he was doing something wrong.
Trespass offerings were made for sins that were committed on purpose. The person knew he was doing something wrong.   

Another explanation is this: 
Sin offerings were made because everyone has an "evil nature". This means that no one is perfect. Every human has sin in his heart. Everyone feels bad things like jealousy, greed, and anger. 
Trespass offerings were for sins that were actions.  A person did something that was bad. 


Sin offerings could be bulls, lambs, or goats. The priest burned parts of the animals on the altar. In a peace offering, the person making the offering could eat the rest of the meat. But in a sin offering, the person did not take the rest of the meat. In most sin offerings, the priest was allowed to eat the rest of the meat. But in some sin offerings, the rest of the meat was burned outside the camp.

Trespass offerings were also called guilt offerings. Trespass offerings were rams (male sheep). When a person made a trespass offering, he also had to pay extra. The extra was called "restitution".  For example, a man stole something from another man. The stolen thing was worth 10 dollars. The thief had to pay back 10 dollars plus 1/5 more (1/5 of 10 dollars = 2 dollars).  The total restitution would be 12 dollars. 

Drink offerings

Drink offerings were wine that was poured around the altar. The wine was measured by a "hin".  A hin = 5 liters or 1 1/3 gallons.  

Drink offerings were made with meat offerings. If a person was sacrificing a lamb, he should also sacrifice 1/4 of a hin of wine.  If he was sacrificing a ram, he should also sacrifice 1/3 of a hin of wine. If he was sacrificing a bull, he should sacrifice 1/2 of a hin of wine. 

Heave offerings
and 
Wave offerings

These were 2 ways of making some of the other offerings. Sometimes, the person making an offering lifted the offering up and down. This showed that the offering was for God.  "Heave" means "to lift". Lifting the offering up and down was making a heave offering. 

Sometimes the person making the offering held it up in the air and moved it from side to side. This showed that the offering was for God.  "Wave" means "to move from side to side".  Moving the offering from side to side in the air was making a wave offering.


These are the times when the Israelites made offerings:

Daily offerings--the Israelites made an offering every morning and an offering every evening.

Sabbath (last day of the week)--on the Sabbath, they made the normal daily offering plus a special Sabbath offering.

Monthly--at the beginning of each month, they made the normal daily offering plus a special monthly offering.

Special feast days--they made the normal daily offering, plus the special offerings.
    The Passover
    The Feast of Unleavened Bread
    The Feast of Firstfruits
    The Feast of Pentecost
    The Feast of Trumpets
    The Day of Atonement
    The Feast of Tabernacles

To read more about the special feast days, please click here.