Bible Dictionaries
Burnt Offering

Easton's Bible Dictionary

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" (28:11-15), the offerings at the Passover (19-23), at Pentecost (Leviticus 23:16 ), the feast of Trumpets (23:23-25), and on the day of Atonement (Leviticus 16 ).

On other occasions special sacrifices were offered, as at the consecration of Aaron (Exodus 29 ) 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 :: 3135-35 ).

These offerings signified the complete dedication of the offerers unto God. This is referred to in Romans 12:1 . (See ALTAR, SACRIFICE .)