Antiquities Book 3, Chapter 9
The Manner Of Our Offering Sacrifices.
1. I Will now, however, make mention of a few of our laws which belong
to purifications, and the like sacred offices, since I am accidentally
come to this matter of sacrifices. These sacrifices were of two sorts;
of those sorts one was offered for private persons, and the other for
the people in general; and they are done in two different ways. In the
one case, what is slain is burnt, as a whole burnt-offering, whence that
name is given to it; but the other is a thank-offering, and is designed
for feasting those that sacrifice. I will speak of the former. Suppose a
private man offer a burnt-offering, he must slay either a bull, a lamb,
or a kid of the goats, and the two latter of the first year, though of
bulls he is permitted to sacrifice those of a greater age; but all
burnt-offerings are to be of males. When they are slain, the priests
sprinkle the blood round about the altar; they then cleanse the bodies,
and divide them into parts, and salt them with salt, and lay them upon
the altar, while the pieces of wood are piled one upon another, and the
fire is burning; they next cleanse the feet of the sacrifices, and the
inwards, in an accurate manner and so lay them to the rest to be purged
by the fire, while the priests receive the hides. This is the way of
offering a burnt-offering.
2. But those that offer thank-offerings do indeed sacrifice the same
creatures, but such as are unblemished, and above a year old; however,
they may take either males or females. They also sprinkle the altar with
their blood; but they lay upon the altar the kidneys and the caul, and
all the fat, and the lobe of the liver, together with the rump of the
lamb; then, giving the breast and the right shoulder to the priests, the
offerers feast upon the remainder of the flesh for two days; and what
remains they burn.
3. The sacrifices for sins are offered in the same manner as is the
thank-offering. But those who are unable to purchase complete
sacrifices, offer two pigeons, or turtle doves; the one of which is made
a burnt-offering to God, the other they give as food to the priests. But
we shall treat more accurately about the oblation of these creatures in
our discourse concerning sacrifices. But if a person fall into sin by
ignorance, he offers an ewe lamb, or a female kid of the goats, of the
same age; and the priests sprinkle the blood at the altar, not after the
former manner, but at the corners of it. They also bring the kidneys and
the rest of the fat, together with the lobe of the liver, to the altar,
while the priests bear away the hides and the flesh, and spend it in the
holy place, on the same day; 23 for the law does not permit them to
leave of it until the morning. But if any one sin, and is conscious of
it himself, but hath nobody that can prove it upon him, he offers a ram,
the law enjoining him so to do; the flesh of which the priests eat, as
before, in the holy place, on the same day. And if the rulers offer
sacrifices for their sins, they bring the same oblations that private
men do; only they so far differ, that they are to bring for sacrifices a
bull or a kid of the goats, both males.
4. Now the law requires, both in private and public sacrifices, that the
finest flour be also brought; for a lamb the measure of one tenth
deal,—for a ram two,—and for a bull three. This they consecrate upon the
altar, when it is mingled with oil; for oil is also brought by those
that sacrifice; for a bull the half of an hin, and for a ram the third
part of the same measure, and one quarter of it for a lamb. This hin is
an ancient Hebrew measure, and is equivalent to two Athenian choas [or
congiuses]. They bring the same quantity of oil which they do of wine,
and they pour the wine about the altar; but if any one does not offer a
complete sacrifice of animals, but brings fine flour only for a vow, he
throws a handful upon the altar as its first-fruits, while the priests
take the rest for their food, either boiled or mingled with oil, but
made into cakes of bread. But whatsoever it be that a priest himself
offers, it must of necessity be all burnt. Now the law forbids us to
sacrifice any animal at the same time with its dam; and, in other cases,
not till the eighth day after its birth. Other sacrifices there are also
appointed for escaping distempers, or for other occasions, in which
meat-offerings are consumed, together with the animals that are
sacrificed; of which it is not lawful to leave any part till the next
day, only the priests are to take their own share.
to purifications, and the like sacred offices, since I am accidentally
come to this matter of sacrifices. These sacrifices were of two sorts;
of those sorts one was offered for private persons, and the other for
the people in general; and they are done in two different ways. In the
one case, what is slain is burnt, as a whole burnt-offering, whence that
name is given to it; but the other is a thank-offering, and is designed
for feasting those that sacrifice. I will speak of the former. Suppose a
private man offer a burnt-offering, he must slay either a bull, a lamb,
or a kid of the goats, and the two latter of the first year, though of
bulls he is permitted to sacrifice those of a greater age; but all
burnt-offerings are to be of males. When they are slain, the priests
sprinkle the blood round about the altar; they then cleanse the bodies,
and divide them into parts, and salt them with salt, and lay them upon
the altar, while the pieces of wood are piled one upon another, and the
fire is burning; they next cleanse the feet of the sacrifices, and the
inwards, in an accurate manner and so lay them to the rest to be purged
by the fire, while the priests receive the hides. This is the way of
offering a burnt-offering.
2. But those that offer thank-offerings do indeed sacrifice the same
creatures, but such as are unblemished, and above a year old; however,
they may take either males or females. They also sprinkle the altar with
their blood; but they lay upon the altar the kidneys and the caul, and
all the fat, and the lobe of the liver, together with the rump of the
lamb; then, giving the breast and the right shoulder to the priests, the
offerers feast upon the remainder of the flesh for two days; and what
remains they burn.
3. The sacrifices for sins are offered in the same manner as is the
thank-offering. But those who are unable to purchase complete
sacrifices, offer two pigeons, or turtle doves; the one of which is made
a burnt-offering to God, the other they give as food to the priests. But
we shall treat more accurately about the oblation of these creatures in
our discourse concerning sacrifices. But if a person fall into sin by
ignorance, he offers an ewe lamb, or a female kid of the goats, of the
same age; and the priests sprinkle the blood at the altar, not after the
former manner, but at the corners of it. They also bring the kidneys and
the rest of the fat, together with the lobe of the liver, to the altar,
while the priests bear away the hides and the flesh, and spend it in the
holy place, on the same day; 23 for the law does not permit them to
leave of it until the morning. But if any one sin, and is conscious of
it himself, but hath nobody that can prove it upon him, he offers a ram,
the law enjoining him so to do; the flesh of which the priests eat, as
before, in the holy place, on the same day. And if the rulers offer
sacrifices for their sins, they bring the same oblations that private
men do; only they so far differ, that they are to bring for sacrifices a
bull or a kid of the goats, both males.
4. Now the law requires, both in private and public sacrifices, that the
finest flour be also brought; for a lamb the measure of one tenth
deal,—for a ram two,—and for a bull three. This they consecrate upon the
altar, when it is mingled with oil; for oil is also brought by those
that sacrifice; for a bull the half of an hin, and for a ram the third
part of the same measure, and one quarter of it for a lamb. This hin is
an ancient Hebrew measure, and is equivalent to two Athenian choas [or
congiuses]. They bring the same quantity of oil which they do of wine,
and they pour the wine about the altar; but if any one does not offer a
complete sacrifice of animals, but brings fine flour only for a vow, he
throws a handful upon the altar as its first-fruits, while the priests
take the rest for their food, either boiled or mingled with oil, but
made into cakes of bread. But whatsoever it be that a priest himself
offers, it must of necessity be all burnt. Now the law forbids us to
sacrifice any animal at the same time with its dam; and, in other cases,
not till the eighth day after its birth. Other sacrifices there are also
appointed for escaping distempers, or for other occasions, in which
meat-offerings are consumed, together with the animals that are
sacrificed; of which it is not lawful to leave any part till the next
day, only the priests are to take their own share.