Burnt Offering

The burnt offering was the most common offering. The name “burnt offering” indicates that the entire animal was burnt and went up in smoke. It was a gift to God with a pleasing smell. The rules for this type of offering can be found in Leviticus 1.

When was this Type of Offering brought?

A burnt offering was a voluntary offering. It could be intended as atonement for sins, but burnt offerings were often brought without there being an obvious reason.
Initially, anyone could bring a burnt offering anywhere. But after the people of Israel had conquered Canaan, burnt offerings were restricted to the Tent of the LORD’s presence and later to the Temple.

What kind of Animals were Offered?

A burnt offering could be a bull, a sheep or a goat. It had to be a male animal, without any blemishes. A bird could also be brought as a burnt offering.
The person bringing the offering had to bring the animal to the sanctuary and slaughter it there. The priest had to dash the blood against the sides of the altar. Then the head of the animal, the meat and the fat from the kidneys were burnt. The priest would wash the legs and the entrails, which were burnt as well.