LEVITICUS CHAPTER 1 ~ 9

LEVITICUS

TWO themes began to emerge in the last half of the Book of Exodus, and in the Book of Leviticus they become dominant. Nearly every passage in Leviticus deals with one or both of the themes of purity and sacrifice. Doubtless there were variations in the details of the purity code and the types of sacrifices that were needed or considered appropriate at different times in Bible history. The variations in detail suggest that, and in fact the sacrificial system and purity code of the Book of Ezekiel, for example, is in some areas quite different from that of the Books of Moses. The Book of Psalms questions the whole configuration. But the Book of Leviticus is a firm testimony to the importance given to these issues throughout the whole history of Biblical faith. Purity and sacrifice have been reduced to a minimum in Christianity, and with the loss of the temple they have been somewhat atrophied in Rabbinical Judaism. Samaritanism and Islam are in some sense more directly the heirs of the Book of Leviticus, even if there are some differences between the details of their practice and that of the Bible.
This is not to say that other issues are not dealt with in Leviticus. But all of these issues, including purification and sacrifice, are couched within the context of prophetic authority. Specifically Moses is portrayed as the human figure through whom God reveals the details of legislation appropriate to the specific audience under the Levitical priesthood. This focus on prophetic authority broadens the horizons of the book considerably, making it a foundational text. The Decalogue itself does not mention prophetic authority, or any other authority beyond that of parent, employer, owner, and God Himself. The Book of Leviticus, in introducing an additional level of authority is pivotal in the whole concept of canonical literature and its validity. This infuses the sometimes dry legislation with a greater urgency and a greater attraction. Although stories are few, the legislation itself opens windows not only on a particular faith society, but on the fascinating world of human nature. In that sense it is more human and intimate than the preceding books.
The very first verse opens with this most intimate relationship between God and a human being. God called to Moses. The divine Word comes with the verb qara', the same from which the word Qur'an comes, and the same that refers to the practice of cantillating Scripture. Quite literally, we are faced with divine songs addressed to a human being.

LEVITICUS upholds the simple fact
That without guidance few know how to act,
But must be told in words by prophets who
Receive that blessèd guidance straight from You.
The Decalogue is clear about the needed,
But does not give details that should be heeded
By those who are not sure about the clean
And the unclean. First one must learn to make
The right distinctions and for the right's sake
Before one can in true awareness know
The unity of all things in the show.
Things visible there are and things unseen.
The prophet sets the seen and done out straight
And gives his glimpses of the inner gate.

WEEK 24 LEVITICUS 1

1 Now YHWH called to Moses, and spoke
To him from the tent of meeting,
Saying 2 "Now speak to Israel's folk,
And say to them, 'When any bring
An offering to YHWH, you'll bring
Your offering of the livestock,
And of the herd and of the flock.

First Genesis revealed that You are One,
And Exodus that You’d have justice done.
Now You call Moses for that which You have
No need at all in therapy or salve.
You ask, Beloved, that folk give gifts to You
Out of their need, of something it is true
You cannot use, who eat no flesh nor smell
The smoke of blood and incense at the bell.
You ask, Beloved, that people give Your own,
But that of Yours the people can alone
Enjoy in feast: when it's put to Your taste,
It only ends in burning up the waste.
You ask, Beloved, I hasten now to give,
My gift to You alone makes me to live.

3 'And if his offering is a burnt
Sacrifice of the herd as learnt,
Let him offer a male without
Blemish, he shall offer no doubt
Of his own free will at the door
Of the tent of meeting before
YHWH. 4 'Then he shall put his hand on
The head of the burnt offering gone,
And it will be accepted on
His own behalf and for to make
An atonement and for his sake.
5 'He shall kill the bull before YHWH,
And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall do
To bring the blood and sprinkle all
The blood around on altar's wall
That's by the tent of meeting door.
6 'He'll skin the burnt offering what's more,
And cut it in its pieces there.
7 'The sons of Aaron the priest shall
Put fire on the altar for mall,
And lay the wood in order on
The fire. 8 'The priests, sons' of Aaron,
Shall lay the parts, the head, the fat
In order on where the wood's at
That's on the fire upon the altar,
9 'But he shall wash it and not falter
Its entrails and its legs with water.
And the priest shall burn all the slaughter
Upon the altar as a burnt
Sacrifice, an offering as learnt
Made by fire, a sweet aroma
To YHWH in His basilica.

I lay me on the altar at Your door,
Well-skinned and cut in husky pieces for
The burning of the holocaust to You.
I wait to rise a burning spark on cue.
Upon the wood I'm laid out like the best
In parts and head and fat, what bit they wrest
From the dry flesh and tough with age and time.
I'm laid out on the altar worth a dime.
Washed for the sacrifice, I come clean-fleshed,
Washed entrails and washed legs and all refreshed.
Let my living and dying be to You,
Beloved, a good aroma sweet and true
Laid out in sacrifice upon the floor
Of this world's faint and folly at the door.

10 'If his offering is of the flocks
Of the sheep or of the goats' locks
As a burnt sacrifice, he shall
Bring a spotless male animal.
11 'He shall kill it on the north side
Of the altar before YHWH's guide,
And the priests, Aaron's sons, its blood
Shall sprinkle round the altar's flood.
12 'And he shall cut it into pieces,
With its head and its fat increases,
And the priest shall lay them in pyre
On the wood that is on the fire
Upon the altar, 13 'but he shall
Wash the entrails and the legs sal
With water. Then the priest shall bring
It all and burn it on the altar,
It's burnt sacrifice, not to falter,
An offering made by fire, a sweet
Aroma to YHWH for a treat.
14 'And if the burnt sacrifice of
His offering to YHWH is made of
Birds, then he shall bring his offering
Of turtledoves, young pigeon thing.
15 'The priest shall bring it to the place
Of slaughter, wring its head, and burn
It on the altar, its blood shall
Be drained out and in the canal
At the side of the altar stern.
16 'And he shall remove its crop with
Its feathers and cast it forthwith
Beside the altar on the east,
Into the place for ashes ceased.
17 'Then he shall split it at its wings,
But not fully divide the things,
And the priest shall burn it upon
The altar, on the wood that's on
The fire. It is a sacrifice,
Burnt, made by fire and to suffice,
To YHWH a sweet aroma nice.

While humming allouette so the priest
Casts out beside the altar on the east,
Into the place for ashes of deceased.
Still I have wings to take flight and increased
Desire to find a haven from the fire.
I whirl and turn to and fro in desire.
The fire upon the altar of my breast
Is not to be quenched turning east or west,
But only as I find my true refuge
Within the divine heart, for it is huge.
Beloved, I soar above the humming priest,
I tender my singed wings to glowering beast,
And fall back to the earth, the earthen gate,
And find at last the inner heart and late.

LEVITICUS 2

1 'When anyone offers a grain
Offering to YHWH, not to be vain
His offering shall be of fine flour.
And he shall pour oil on the dower,
And put frankincense in its power.

You never did require the blood of lamb,
The life of pigeon nor the flesh of ram.
Your word "when any will" give of Your own
Tempers each offering brought before Your throne.
The gift is precious only for the choice,
The human will and heart as well as voice.
I have no blood nor lamb nor gift of mine,
I've no fine flour nor finely scented wine,
I have no oil nor fruit but from Your hand:
The offering of myself alone I stand.
Yet I am not my own to give or lend,
The only thing that I can do's intend.
Thanks be to You, Beloved, I do belong
To Whom I would give all my self and song.

2 'He shall bring it to Aaron 's sons,
The priests, one of whom in homespuns
Shall take from it his handful of
Fine flour and oil as well as glove
Of frankincense. The priest shall burn
Memorial on altar stern,
An offering made by fire, a sweet
Aroma to YHWH for a treat.
3 'The rest of the grain offering shall
Be Aaron's and his sons' for sal.
It's most holy of offerings to
YHWH made by fire and on their cue.
4 'And if you bring as an offering
A grain offering baked in the wing
Of oven, it shall be without
Yeast cakes of fine flour mixed about
With oil, or unleavened wafers
Anointed with oil for the fers.
5 'But if your offering is a grain
Offering baked in a pan, not slain,
It shall be fine flour, not to spoil,
Unleavened too, and mixed with oil.
6 'You shall break it in pieces and
Pour oil on the grain offering's stand.
7 'And if your offering is a grain
Offering baked in a covered pan,
It shall be made fine flour and sane
With oil. 8 'You shall bring to a man
The grain offering that is made of
These things to YHWH, mentioned above.
And when it is presented to
The priest, then he shall bring it to
The altar. 9 'Then the priest shall take
From the grain offering which shall make
Memorial portion, and then burn
It on the altar. It's a stern
Offering made by fire, and a sweet
Aroma to YHWH. 10 'And the treat
That is left of the grain offering
Shall be Aaron's and his sons' thing.
It is most holy of gifts to
YHWH made by fire, as offerings do.

A handful of fine flour, a dap of oil,
And frankincense poured on me, wrapped in foil,
And I become a lawful piece of flesh,
Worthy as gift to You, caught in the mesh
Of wispy veils about the universe,
Illusions of the power to bless and curse.
And so my piecrust and its sweetness burn
And burning cast a flame to light and learn.
Yet wheaten and the sweeten and the oil
Are only momentary spots of toil.
Empty as worlds the offerings turn to smoke,
And silence reigns where all the heavens spoke.
Nor word nor flesh can penetrate the veils,
But there's a dragon, phoenix that chews nails.

11 'No grain offering which you bring to
YHWH shall be made with yeast, for you
Shall burn no leaven, no, nor honey
In any offering for YHWH's money
And made by fire. 12 'As for the offering
Of the firstfruits, you shall be proffering
Them to YHWH, but they shall not be
Burned on the altar for a fee
In sweet aroma. 13 'Every one
Of your grain offerings you'll have done
Seasoned with salt, you'll not allow
The salt of your God's pact somehow
To be lacking from your grain offering.
You'll offer salt with every offering.
14 'If you offer a grain offering
Of your firstfruits to YHWH, the thing
You'll offer for the grain offering
Of your firstfruits the green grain ears
Roasted on fire, grain threshed arrears
From the full ears. 15 'And you shall place
Oil on it, and lay on a trace
Of frankincense, it's grain offering.
16 'The priest shall burn part of the thing
Memorial, of its threshed out grain,
And of its oil, and frankincense,
As an offering made to ordain
By fire to YHWH in deference.

Add salt to oil and frankincense, Beloved,
Leave off the yeast and honey, my well-gloved,
But pour instead in my fresh wounds Your salt,
Instead of healing them with honey malt.
Roast my heart in its salty breaths and tears
And burn me far beyond my failing fears.
Let burning in my heart not fail though I
May find a narrow bed in which to die.
Let neither life nor death quench scorching flame
That burns for Your sweet presence and Your name.
Beloved, I beg to be threshed out and set
With oil and frankincense as soon as met,
And bound with salt instead of yeast and honey,
And flocked with poverty instead of money.

LEVITICUS 3

1 'When his offering's a sacrifice
Of a peace offering for device,
If he offers it of the herd,
Whether male or female concurred,
He shall offer it without spot
Or blemish before YHWH as taught.
2 'And he'll lay his hand on the head
Of his offering, kill it instead
At the door of the meeting tent,
And Aaron's sons, the priests, consent
To sprinkle the blood all around
On the altar where it is found.
3 'Then he'll offer from sacrifice
Of the peace offering something nice
Made by fire to YHWH, and the fat
That covers the entrails, all that
Which is on the entrails, 4 'the two
Kidneys and the fat that will do
On them by the flanks, and the lobe
Of fat upon the liver globe
Above the kidneys, he'll remove,
5 'And Aaron's sons burn it to prove
On the altar upon the burnt
Sacrifice, which is on the earnt
Wood that is on the fire, an offering
Made by the fire, and a sweet proffering
Aroma to YHWH as behoove.

O my Beloved, lay Your hand on my head!
I'm just as worthy, no, as quadruped!
Look not on any blemish in the brow,
I'm not a yearling for the altar now,
Though I am briefly aged and toughened by
The salt and wind I've drunk from earth and sky.
Let kidney fat be burnt as well as cross
On liver and my fatal skin's emboss.
O my Beloved, lay Your hand on my head!
I seek that warm hand as I'm tied and led
By halter on the dergah floor's bedstead.
It is no game of peach pit and of toss.
There is a soul of sorts, eternal loss,
Returning on the wheel to eat shewbread.

6 'If his offering as sacrifice
Of peace offering to YHWH suffice,
Is of the flock, male or female,
He'll offer without spot or scale.
7 'If he offers a lamb as his
Offering, then he shall bring as is
Before YHWH. 8 'And he shall lay his
Hand on the head of his offering,
And kill it before the tent wing
Of meeting, and Aaron's sons shall
Sprinkle its blood peripheral
To all the altar. 9 'Then he shall
Offer from the sacrifice of
The peace offering, described above,
As offering made by fire to YHWH,
Its fat and the whole fat tail too
Which he'll remove near the backbone.
And the fat that covers alone
The entrails and all the fat that
Is on the entrails, 10 'and the fat
Of the two kidneys and the fat
That is on them by the flanks, and
The fatty lobe attached in band
To the liver above the reins,
He shall remove, 11 'the priest shall burn
Them on the altar food to earn,
An offering made by fire to YHWH.
12 'And if his offering is a goat,
He shall offer it before YHWH.
13 'He shall lay his hand to devote
Upon its head, kill it before
The tabernacle meeting door,
And the sons of Aaron shall take
And sprinkle its blood for its sake
All around on the altar stake.
14 'Then he shall offer from it his
Offering, as an offering which is
Made by fire to YHWH and the fat
That covers entrails, all fat that
Is on the entrails, 15 'and the two
Kidneys and the fat on them too,
By the flanks, and the fatty lobe
On liver above reins, he'll probe
Removing it, 16 'and the priest shall
Burn them on the altar with sal
As food, an offering made by fire
For a sweet aroma's desire,
And all the fat is YHWH's. 17 'This shall
Be everlasting statute through
Your generations and where you
May live, you shall eat neither fat
Nor blood, nor any such as that.'"

If all the fat belongs, Beloved, to You,
Thank God I have no mission work to do!
All who are fat upon the earth, it's true,
Bow down and worship for their food and You.
So all the fat is Yours, what wealth to know
That fat is not just shameful things to show,
But something that You love and covet so
You ask us to burn fat and fat to go.
All the fat is for You, then let it burn
In smokeless fire in all the hearts that yearn
For You, for Your words I have yet to learn.
All the fat is for You, that's most of us,
Though some are slender, still there is the fuss
Of fat around the liver on the bus.

LEVITICUS 4

1 Now YHWH spoke to Moses, and said
2 "Speak to Israel's folk whom you've led,
Saying 'If a person does wrong
Without intention all along
Against any command of YHWH
In something he ought not to do,
And does any of them, 3 'or if
The anointed priest sins at skiff,
Bringing guilt on the people, then
Let him offer to YHWH for when
His sin is done which he has sinned,
A young bull without blemish skinned
As a sin offering. 4 'He shall bring
The bull to the meeting tent wing
Door before YHWH, and lay his hand
On the bull's head faithfully, and
Kill the bull before YHWH. 5 'Then the
Anointed priest shall take in fee
Some of the bull's blood and bring it
To the tent of meeting and fit.
6 'The priest shall dip his finger in
The blood and sprinkle some for sin
Of the blood seven times before YHWH,
Before the sanctuary veil.
7 'The priest shall put some of it too,
Blood on altar horns to avail
Of the sweet incense before YHWH,
Which is in meeting tent, and he
Shall pour the rest of bull's blood free
At the base of the altar of
The burnt offering, described above,
Which is at the meeting tent door.
8 'He shall take from it all the fat
Of the bull as sin offering, fat
That covers the entrails and all
The fat which is on entrails call,
9 'The two kidneys and the fat that
Is on them by the flanks, and still
The fatty lobe attached for ill
To the liver above the reins,
He shall remove, 10 'and as its stains
Were taken from the bull that met
Sacrifice of peace offering set,
And the priest shall burn them upon
The altar of burnt offering gone.
11 'But the bull's hide and all its flesh,
With its head and legs, and its mesh
Of entrails and offal, 12 'the whole
Bull he shall carry out the camp
To a clean place, not dank and damp,
Where the ashes are poured out, and
Burn it on wood with fire in hand,
Where the ashes are poured out it
Shall be burned, as is taught and fit.

The sin of priest requires a bull, I say,
It's cheaper not to be a priest for pay.
That's one bad thing about the state we're in
Not having to kill livestock for our sin.
The priesthood is a tempting for the sums
That easily accrue for lack of tums.
The salary for telling folk You don't
Mean what You say is slick and great, and won't
Stop when the price of steel goes down the drain.
And yet being a rabbi's a job vain
For any Jewish boy. Let me sit still
In my poor slaughtered Christian's stock and swill.
Beloved, I take You for my priest and herd,
I have neither lamb nor bull, neither bird.

13 'Now if the whole congregation
Of Israel sins, no intention,
And the thing is hidden from eyes
Of the assembly, despite tries,
And they've done according to YHWH's
Commandments what they should not choose,
And are guilty, 14 'when the sin which
They have done comes out of the ditch,
Then the assembly shall offer
A young bull for the sin, confer
It before the tent of meeting.
15 'And the elders of the whole thing
Shall lay their hands on the bull's head
Before YHWH, the bull's blood be shed
Before YHWH. 16 'The anointed priest
Shall bring bull's blood, or some at least
To the tent of meeting. 17 'The priest
Shall dip his finger in the blood
And sprinkle it seven times in flood
Before YHWH, in front of the veil.
18 'And he shall put for some avail
Some of the blood on the horns to
The altar which is before YHWH,
Which is in the meeting tent, and
He'll pour rest of blood at the stand
Of the altar of burnt offering,
Which is at the meeting tent wing
Beside the door. 19 'And he shall take
All the fat from it, burn the stake
On the altar. 20 'And he shall do
With the bull just as he did too
With the bull as a sin offering,
Thus he shall do with everything.
So the priest shall make atonement
For them, it shall be a present,
And a forgiveness for their sin.
21 'He'll carry the bull to the bin
Outside the camp, and burn it like
He burned the first bull in first strike.
And it shall be a sin offering
For the assembly as they sing.

The weight of sin done by the priest is such
It is more weighty, or at least as much
As a sin done by all the folk at large,
Six hundred thousand count was the last charge.
I can believe that such a thing is true,
When I look round to see what clergy do,
It may be just about six hundred mils
And more than what a common drunkard spills.
I haven't found a priest or rabbi yet
But what agrees with mullah in his bet
That You care naught if sundry and the sane
Ignore Your ten commandments in the rain.
Beloved, I am the bull spread out and skinned
And cast outside the camp by those who sinned.

22 'When a ruler has sinned, and done
Without intention on the run
By any of commandments spoken
By YHWH his Ælohim in token
Which should not be done, and is guilty,
23 'Or if his sin though still not wilty
Which he has done once comes to light,
He shall bring as his offering's right
A kid of goats, male without spot.
24 'And he shall lay his hand once caught
On the head of the goat, and kill
It at the very place they kill
The burnt offering before YHWH still.
It is a sin offering. 25 'The priest
Shall take some of the blood at least
Of sin offering with finger put
On horns of burnt offerings' altar,
And pour its blood out at the foot
Of the same burnt offerings' altar.
26 'And he shall burn all its fat on
The altar, like the fat upon
The sacrifice of the peace offering.
So the priest shall make and be proffering
Atonement for him for his sin,
And it shall be forgiven him.

It takes a bull to make a priest's sin right.
A president can do with a good sight
Less with his little goat. That presupposes
The president admits it's not been roses
He brought to scent the air but sinful poses.
I've yet to see the president go free
Saying he'd made mistakes in drunken spree.
Oh yes, a few are deposed when they fail
To line the greater lobby's gunny wale,
And for that their mistakes are trumpeted
In justification for what they did.
Hide Your face, my Beloved. I see You hid
It long ago, and so it seems for good.
In view of things, I really think You should.

27 'If any of the common folk
Sins without meaning to go broke,
By any of YHWH's commandments
Which ought not to be done for sense,
And is guilty, 28 'or if his sin
Which he's committed comes out in
The wash, then he shall bring his offering
A kid of the goats, female proffering
Without a blemish, for his sin
Which he has committed within.
29 'And he shall lay his hand upon
The head of the sin offering spawn,
And kill the sin offering just where
The burnt offering's also laid bare.
30 'Then the priest shall take some of its
Blood with his finger, where it sits
On the horns of the altar of
Burnt offering, and pour all the rest
Of the blood that was marked above
At the base of the altar best.
31 'Then he shall remove all its fat,
As the fat is removed from that
Sacrifice of the peace offering,
And the priest shall then burn the thing
Upon the altar for a sweet
Aroma to YHWH as is meet.
So the priest shall make atonement
For him, for a forgiveness sent.
32 'If he will bring a lamb as his
Sin offering, he shall bring as is
A female without blemish too.
33 'Then he shall lay his hand to do
On the head of the sin offering,
And kill it as a sin offering
At the place where they kill the burnt
Offering. 34 'The priest shall take as learnt
Some of blood of the sin offering
With his finger, put on the horns
Of the burnt offering's altar bourns,
And pour all the remaining blood,
Poured out and running like a flood,
At the base of the altar. 35 'He
Shall remove all the fat that be,
As the fat of the lamb's removed
From the peace offering's sacrifice.
Then the priest shall burn it as nice
On the altar, according to
The offerings made by fire and true
To YHWH. And the priest shall so make
Atonement for all his sin's sake
That he has committed, and it
Shall be forgiven him to acquit.

A ruler's sins are sanctified by goat,
But with a male, whereas the common rote
Is satisfied with female. I don't know
What distinctions those matters show.
I'd think a female goat of greater worth
Because she gives milk and cheese in the dearth,
Which means as I have oft suspected true
The common man is higher than the few
Who hold the power. Like priest his sin demands
An offering of more value than the brands
Allotted to the ruler. Lesser state
Of sacrifice, though small, means that the mate
Is thus forgiven cheaper because You
Note that the rulers don't know what they do.

LEVITICUS 5

1 'If a person sins in hearing
The speaking of an oath to bring,
And is a witness, whether he
Has seen or known the facts to be,
If he does not tell, he bears guilt.
2 'Or if a person touches silt
Of any unclean thing, whether
The carcass of an unclean cur,
Or carcass of unclean livestock,
Or carcass of the unclean flock
Of creeping things, and he is not
Aware of it, he shall be wrought
Also unclean and guilty. 3 'Or
If he touches the unclean spoor
Of human, whatever unclean
With which a man may have chagrin,
And he is unaware of it,
When he finds out, he is unfit.
4 'Or if a person swears, speaking
Thoughtlessly with his lips to sing
Or do evil or to do good,
Whatever that man may or should
Pronounce by oath, and he is not
Aware of it, when he's been taught,
Then he'll be guilty in these things.
5 'And it shall be, when in these things
He is guilty, that he'll confess
That he has sinned such wickedness,
6 'And he shall bring for his trespass
An offering to YHWH for morass
Of his sin which he has committed,
A female from the flock and fitted,
A lamb or a kid of the goats
As a sin offering antidotes.
So the priest shall make atonement
For him concerning his sin's bent.

I hereby bear witness, that I might not
Be guilty of the thing that I've not sought.
I tell all, make a sure confession of
The tale of woe, also the tale of love.
I bear witness to the red-handed dawn
That stole from night its flock of pearls on fawn.
I give my testimony that the sun
Rose on a new day before half begun.
I bear witness that shimmering ice came out
To dress the leafless trees in bride's redoubt.
I testify that You, Beloved, looked past
The crystal air and caught up my heart fast
Before my sleepy eyes could make the break
Between the day and night for white thread's sake.

7 'If he is not able to bring
A lamb, then he instead shall bring
To YHWH, for his trespass which he
Has transgressed, two turtledoves free
Or two young pigeons: one as sin
Offering and the other as in
A burnt offering. 8 'And he shall bring
Them to the priest, who sin offering
Shall offer first, and he shall wring
Off its head from its neck, but shall
Not divide it symmetrical.
9 'Then he shall sprinkle of the blood
Of the sin offering in a flood
On the side of the altar, and
The rest of the blood shall not stand
But be drained out beside the base
Of the altar, sin offering's place.
10 'He shall offer the second bird
As a burnt offering by God's word.
So the priest shall make atonement
On his behalf for trespassment
Which he has committed, and it
Shall be forgiven him to wit.
11 'But if he is not able to
Bring two turtledoves, even two
Young pigeons, then he who sinned shall
Bring for his offering prodigal
One-tenth of an ephah of flour,
Fine flour as a sin offering's power.
He shall put no oil on it, nor
Shall he put frankincense what's more,
For it is a sin offering's store.
12 'Then he shall bring it to the priest,
And the priest shall take the increased,
A handful of it as a portion,
Memorial and not an extortion,
To burn it on the altar as
Offerings made by the fire as has
Been specified for YHWH. It is
A sin offering and so is His.
13 'The priest shall make atonement for
Him, for his sin before his door
That he's committed in any
Of these matters, and it shall be
Forgiven him. The rest shall be
The priest's as a grain offering's fee.'"

Who claims that only blood can cleanse from sin
Has not read all the words that's written in.
Blood cleanses only sins committed by
The wealthy in their turn to leap and fly.
The most of us in poverty need none,
A little flour alone fulfils the sun.
But I admit a poverty beyond
Even the sprig of wheat and golden wand.
What does the empty-handed bring to You
But Your own in his emptiness and due?
I plead my guilt but bring nor blood nor grape
To ratify forgiveness before ape.
Beloved, if Your grace is not equal to
My sin, then I still have my faith in You.

14 Then YHWH spoke to Moses, and said
15 "If a person commits instead
A trespass, without intent sins
In regard to the holy bins
Of YHWH, then he shall bring to YHWH
As his trespass offering in rue
A ram without spot from the flocks,
Along the rank and river docks,
With your evaluation in
Shekels of silver by the gin
According to the shekel of
The sanctuary, as above
A trespass offering. 16 "And he shall
Make restitution capital
For the harm that he has done in
Regard to the holy thing's spin,
And shall add one-fifth to it and
Give it to the priest out of hand.
So the priest shall make atonement
For him with the ram that is bent
To the trespass offering, and it
Shall be forgiven him as fit.
17 "If a person sin, and commit
Any of these forbidden things
To be done by the commandings
Of YHWH, though he does not know it,
Yet he is guilty and shall bear
His iniquity as is fair.
18 "And he shall bring the priest a ram
Without blemish from the flock's lamb,
With your evaluation, as
A trespass offering as he has.
So the priest shall make atonement
For him for he was ignorant
In what he erred and did not know,
And it shall be forgiven him so.
19 "It is a trespass offering, who
Has surely trespassed against YHWH."

A fifth is what repentant ones bring to
The restitution of the thing that's due.
I know that most think that a fifth is what
A whiskey bottle holds in mournful squat,
But that is not the intent of man's life
Unfortunately spent in worthless strife.
I lay the ready wares of group and store
Aside, aside and even out the door.
Let me not deprive any of his load
Since I lack even fifths to greet the goad.
An honest measure let me always seek
As I come from my days to end of week.
Beloved, that measure, being of Your own,
Let me share with those who are poor, alone.

WEEK 25 LEVITICUS 6

1 And YHWH spoke to Moses, and said
2 "If a person sins and is led
To commit trespass against YHWH
By lying to his neighbour due
About what was delivered him
For safekeeping, or of a dim
Pledge, or about a robbery,
Or if he has extortingly
Dealt with his neighbour, 3 "or if he
Has found what was lost and still lies
About it, and swears in false guise,
In any one of these things that
A man may do in which sin sat,
4 "Then it shall be, because he has
Sinned and is guilty, then whereas
He shall restore what he has stolen,
Or the thing which he has made swollen
With his extortion, or what was
Delivered to him as he does
For safekeeping, or the lost thing
Which he found lying under wing,
5 "Or all that about which he has
Sworn falsely. He shall restore as
To its full value, add fifth part
More to it, and give it for start
To whomsoever it belongs,
On the day of his offering songs
For his trespass. 6 "And he shall bring
His trespass offering to YHWH's wing,
A ram without a blemish from
The flock, with your valuing sum,
As a trespass offering, to priest.
7 "So the priest shall make an increased
Atonement for him before YHWH,
And he shall be forgiven for few
Or many of these things that he
May have done and trespassingly."

Extortion is the favourite, I say,
Of many sellers on the market day.
If Torah had been written in this time
I'll bet it could have mentioned some such crime
As advertisement makes on pension plan
And on the young and on the elder man.
To lie, swear falsely, extort the last cent
Is what in prohibition here is meant.
Make me, Belovèd, satisfied to eat
The lentil and the bread without the meat,
Until all faces are turned to the sweet
And only face, the divine face of YHWH,
And humankind is one, not great and few,
And You alone rule all hearts on the street.

8 Then YHWH spoke to Moses, waylaying,
9 "Command Aaron and his sons, saying
'This is the law of burnt offering:
The burnt offering shall be a thing
On the hearth on altar all night
Until morning, the fire bright
Of the altar shall be kept burning
Upon it. 10 'And the priest, not spurning,
Shall put on his linen garment,
And linen trousers without rent
He shall put on his body, and
Take up the ashes in command
Of the burnt offering which the fire
Has consumed on the altar wire,
And he shall put them there beside
The altar where they shall abide.
11 'Then he shall take off his garments,
Put other garments without rents,
And carry the ashes outside
The camp to a clean place and wide.
12 'And the fire on the altar shall
Be kept burning and eternal,
It shall not be put out. The priest
Shall burn wood on it as the east
Brings dawn, and lay the burnt offering
In order upon everything,
And he shall burn on it the fat
Of the peace offerings and all that.
13 'A fire shall always be burning
On altar, not extinguishing.

I sleep more than the half of every night,
Ignoring the pure call to fire a light
And recite the Qur'an by mercy seat.
I do sleep more, Beloved, than may be meet.
Yet on the altar of my heart there burns
An offering to Your faith that ever learns
To seek with burning breath Your face and name
Beyond all other seekings and their shame.
The entrails and the fat that court my bed,
The wood and ordered fire about my head,
All raise a Psalm of praise and plaint and dread
Confession of repentant heart instead
Of any grand petitions to Your room.
Let my fat burn for You until my doom.

14 'This is the law of grain offering:
The sons of Aaron surely bring
It on the altar before YHWH.
15 'He'll take from it his handful due
Of the fine flour of offered grain,
With its oil, and all the germane
Frankincense which is on the grain
Offering, and shall burn it on
The altar a sweet scent upon,
As a memorial to YHWH.
16 'And the remainder of it due
Aaron and his sons shall eat too,
With unleavened bread it shall be
Eaten in a holy place free,
In the court of the tent of meeting
They shall eat it at their own seating.
17 'It shall not be baked with its yeast.
I have given it as at least
Their portion of My offerings made
By fire, it is most holy aid,
Like the sin offering and trespass
Offering. 18 'All the males who raise kvass
Among the children of Aaron
May eat it so long as the sun
Rises on your generation,
Concerning offerings made by fire
To YHWH. Everyone with desire
To touch them must be holy sire.'"
19 And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying
20 "This Aaron and his sons' offering
They shall offer to YHWH, the day
When he's anointed: one-tenth of
An ephah of fine flour for love
As daily grain offering, half of
It in the morning and half of
It at night. 21 "It shall be made in
A pan with oil. When mixed in bin,
You shall bring it in. The baked pieces
Of the grain offering it releases
You shall offer for a sweet scent
To YHWH. 22 "The priest among his sons,
Who is anointed when he went,
In his place, shall its benisons
Offer, a statute everlasting
To YHWH, completely burned forecasting.
23 "Every grain offering for the priest
Shall be completely burned till ceased.
It shall not be eaten for fasting."

For this too, My Beloved, I shall dispense
With the priesthood, because of the expense
And waste of burning flour that could be used
By starving populace by priests abused.
How times have changed! The distribution of
Food seems to be no longer thing of love,
If ever it were such a case. No doubt
It always was for duty in the bout.
And now it is for profit and for gain,
And politics and machinations' reign.
The mystic's answer is disarming though,
That bread and sacrifice in spirit show
And not in tangibles. Beloved, I come
With heartfelt hunger as well as the crumb.

24 And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying
25 "Tell Aaron and his sons, saying
'This is the law of sin offering:
In the place where the burnt offering
Is killed, the sin offering shall be
Killed before YHWH. It's most holy.
26 'The priest who offers it for sin
Shall eat it. In a holy bin
Place it shall be eaten, and in
The courtyard of the meeting tent.
27 'Everyone who touches its spent
Flesh must be holy. And when its
Blood is sprinkled on garment knits,
You shall wash that on which it's been
Sprinkled, in a holy place seen.
28 'But the earthen vessel in which
It's boiled shall be broken to ditch.
And if it is boiled in bronze pot,
It shall be both scoured and then got
And rinsed in water. 29 'All the males
Among the priests may eat its tales.
It is most holy. 30 'But no sin
Offering from which any within
Of the blood is brought to the tent
Of meeting, to make atonement
In the holy place, shall be eaten.
It shall be burned in fire to sweeten.

Another reason I reject the priest
Is that his statutes everlasting ceased
Not to make the distinction between male
And female when it comes to eating hale.
The priest and sons eat in the holy place
While wife and daughter, to save priestly face,
Eat where they can or will as long as race
For holiness is left to manly grace.
The male tool is clearly needed for
Both propagation and for urine's store.
It neither aids nor hinders faith's domain,
So segregation of the two's not sane.
Beloved, the heavenly bread of spirit comes
To every mouth that knows to do its sums.

LEVITICUS 7

1 'So is the trespass offering's law,
It is most holy, filled with awe,
2 'Where they slay the burnt offering they
Shall trespass offering also slay.
And he shall sprinkle all around
Upon the altar its blood found.
3 'And he shall offer from it all
Its fat, the fat tail and the caul
Of fat that covers the entrails,
4 'The two kidneys, it never fails,
And the fat on them by the flanks,
And the fat on the liver's ranks
Above the kidneys, he'll remove,
5 'And the priest shall burn them to prove
An offering on the altar made
By fire to YHWH, and not delayed.
It is a trespass offering slayed.
6 'Every male among the priests may
Eat it, and eat it when they stay
In holy place. It is most holy.
7 'The trespass offering and not lowly
Is like the sin offering, there's one
Law for them both how they are done:
The priest who makes with it atonement
Shall have it and without postponement.
8 'The priest who offers anyone's
Burnt offering, that priest's horizons
Shall include for himself the skin
Of the burnt offering without sin
Which he has offered. 9 'Also all
Grain offerings baked beyond recall
In the oven and all prepared
In covered pan, or in one spared
A cover, shall be the priest's who
Offers it, for it is his due.
10 'Every grain offering, whether mixed
With oil, or dry, however fixed,
Shall belong to all Aaron's sons,
To one as much as other ones.

With all the trespassing that goes on now,
I'd hate to be a priest and kill the cow.
Imagine all the skins I'd have in tow,
And what a pile to sit and watch it grow.
What's to be done with all the skins, I say,
That are the priestly portion every day?
A man can only wear so many skins
Without them weighing down his once bare shins.
Lay off for skins! We do not need more veils
To hide us from Your glance before which pales
The face and hand caught in the cookie jar.
Unveil us, my Beloved, here where we are,
And I'll retrieve the grain and give the toll
If that is what shall keep the slumbered soul.

11 'This is the peace offerings' law of
The sacrifice which he in love
Shall offer to YHWH. 12 'And if he
Offers it for thanksgiving spree,
Then he shall offer sacrifice
Of thanksgiving other things nice:
Unleavened cakes and mixed with oil,
Unleavened wafers soaked in oil,
Or cakes of blended flour with oil.
13 'Besides the cakes, as his offering
He shall offer leavened bread's ring
With sacrifice of thanksgiving
Of his peace offering. 14 'And from it
He shall offer one cake, as fit,
From each offering as a heave offering
To YHWH. It shall belong for proffering
To the priest who sprinkles the blood
Of the peace offering out in flood.
15 'The flesh of the sacrifice of
His peace offering for thanks and love
Shall be eaten the same day it
Is offered. He shall not see fit
To leave till morn any of it.
16 'But if the sacrifice of his
Offering is a vow or then is
A voluntary offering, it
Shall be eaten the same day writ
That he offers his sacrifice,
But on the next day what suffice
Of the remainder of it too
May be eaten by all the crew,
17 'The remainder of the flesh of
The sacrifice on third day shove
To be all burned up in the fire.
18 'And if any of the flesh of
The sacrifice of peace and love
Offering that's left is eaten on
The third day, even though at dawn,
It shall not be accepted, nor
Shall it be imputed before
To his account, but it shall be
Abomination for his fee
Who offers it, and the one who
Eats of it shall be guilty too.
19 'The flesh that touches unclean thing
Shall not be eaten offering.
It shall be burned with fire. And as
For the clean flesh, then each who has
Been clean may eat of it. 20 'But one
Who eats the flesh of offering done
For the peace offering that belongs
To YHWH, while he is unclean, that
Shall be cut off where his folk's at.
21 'Moreover the person to touch
Any unclean thing, human such,
An unclean animal, or any
Abominable unclean penny,
And then who eats the sacrifice,
Flesh of the peace offering precise,
That belongs to YHWH, that one shall
Be cut off from his arsenal.'"
22 And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying
23 "Speak to Israel's children, saying
'You shall not eat of any fat,
Of ox or sheep or goat or that.
24 'And the fat of an animal
That dies a death that's natural,
And the fat of what is torn by
Wild beasts, may be used on the sly
In any other way, but you
Shall by no means eat of its rue.
25 'For whosoever eats the fat
Of animal of which men give
In offering made by fire to YHWH,
The person who eats it shall live
No longer with his folk and crew.
26 'Moreover you shall not eat blood
In any of your dwellings, blood
Of bird or beast. 27 'Whoever eats
Any blood, then that person meets
Being cut off from his folk's treats.'"
28 Then YHWH spoke to Moses, saying
29 "Speak to Israel's children, saying
'He who offers the sacrifice
Of his peace offering to YHWH nice
Shall bring his offering to YHWH from
The sacrifices that have come
From his peace offering. 30 'His own hands
Shall bring the offerings by commands
Made by fire to YHWH, and the fat
With the breast he shall bring, and that
The breast may be waved as a wave
Offering before YHWH. 31 'And the brave
Priest shall burn the fat on the place
Of the altar, but the breast ace
Shall be Aaron's and his sons' own.
32 'Also the right thigh you'll dispone
For the priest as a heave offering
From the sacrifices you bring
Of your peace offerings. 33 'He among
The sons of Aaron , who has strung
The blood of the peace offering and
The fat, shall have the right thigh for
His part. 34 'For the breast as before
Of the wave offering and the thigh
Of the heave offering have I
Taken from Israel's folk, and from
The sacrifices of their peace
Offerings, and I have given increase
Of them to Aaron the priest and
To his sons and to have in hand
From the children of Israel by
A statute forever and aye.'"

Let me, Beloved, not eat the sodden flesh
Of sacrifices made a day ago,
Belovèd, let my thanksgiving be fresh.
I take my peace for this one day, and so
I depend on Your grace from day to day
As I seek to follow in the right way.
Let me, Beloved, not save the sacrifice,
But eat my fill, and eating it, eat twice,
Rather than put away the sweetness of
This day to eat tomorrow this day's love.
Let my praise of the day contain my all
And let me having slept hear one more call
To come with empty hand of yesterday
Bearing new sacrifices of peace' sway.

35 This is the consecrated part
For Aaron and his sons to start,
From offerings made by fire to YHWH,
The day they were presented to
Minister to YHWH as priests. 36 YHWH
Commanded this be given them
From the children of Israel's hem,
On the day He anointed them,
A statute forever throughout
Their generations without doubt.
37 This is the law of burnt offering,
The grain offering, the sin offering,
The trespass offering, consecrations,
And sacrifice of peace offering,
38 Which YHWH commanded in their stations
To Moses on Mount Sinai, on
The day when He gave benison
Commanding then to Israel's folk
To offer their offerings as spoke
YHWH in the wilderness before
Mount Sinai on the desert floor.

I wait here at the mountain foot to hear
Your voice, Beloved, and hold Your message dear.
The sacrifices You demand but serve
To feed human body and soul, reserve
But blood and fat to burn, and so discern
What is not good for human tongue to touch.
You demand little, my Beloved, not much.
My sacrifice down to my very breath
Feeds life in me and keeps me from that death
That soon or late stalks every creature thing.
My sacrifice, if I but stand and sing,
Feeds me, not You, and yet I come to bring
To You my love and hope and sacrifice
And pray some share for You alone suffice.

LEVITICUS 8

1 YHWH spoke to Moses, and told him,
2 "Take Aaron and his sons with him,
And the garments, anointing oil,
A bull as the sin offering's spoil,
Two rams, and a basket of bread,
3 "Unleavened, and gather the said
Congregation all together
At meeting tent door to confer."
4 So Moses did as YHWH commanded
Him, congregation as demanded
Was gathered together at tent
Of meeting door. 5 And Moses went
And said to the congregation,
"This is what YHWH commands be done."
6 Then Moses brought Aaron and his
Sons, and washed them with water fizz.
7 And he put the tunic on him,
Girded him with the sash with vim,
And vigour clothed him with the robe,
Put ephod on him to englobe
Him with the finely woven band
Of the ephod, and with it spanned
The ephod on him. 8 Then he put
The breastplate on him, and he put
The Urim and the Thummim in
The breastplate showing thick and thin.

The High Priest has upon his burning breast
A load which cannot give his sorrow rest.
He carries gold and precious stones for fire,
Twelve names upon the tables of desire.
The Urim and the Thummim, fire and cloud,
Realities reveal and truths enshroud.
What natural law engraved on human heart,
What spark divine achieves its greater part!
Let lovely twelve enshrined before my face
Sip of the sacrifice of wine by grace.
Let fire and cloud on stone lead me on still
To precious fountains of Eloah's will.
You awful, universal One reveal
Reality upon my breast of steel.

9 And he put turban on his head.
Also on the turban, in front,
He put the golden plate, as wont,
The holy crown, as YHWH had said
To Moses. 10 Also Moses took
Anointing oil, and every nook
Of tent and all within it oiled
And consecrated them unspoiled.
11 He sprinkled some of it upon
The altar seven times begone,
Anointed the altar and all
Its utensils, laver and stall,
To consecrate them. 12 And he poured
Anointing oil out of a gourd
On Aaron's head anointing him,
To consecrate him. 13 Then to trim
Moses brought Aaron's sons and put
Tunics on them, from head to foot,
Girded them with sashes, and put
Hats on them, as YHWH had commanded
Moses to do and not left stranded.

Anoint my head with oil, Beloved, and I
Shall wear Your turban, and not be too shy.
Ed Elwall felt the turban light enough
To wear it in Wolverhampton, though tough.
I wonder if he so appeared in court
When taken for his blasphemy, in short
For interrupting sermon and the priest
And saying You are not three in the least,
But one and only one by high decree
Of the first of commandments for the free.
With turban I pronounce that You are one,
With sash I submit as Your servant won,
With oil I sacrifice myself to You,
Beloved, in everything I say and do.

14 And he brought the bull for the sin
Offering. Aaron and sons to win
Laid their hands on the head of bull
For the sin offering, 15 dutiful
Moses killed it. Then he took blood,
And put some on the horns in flood
Of the altar and all around
With his finger, and cleansed the ground
Of the altar. He poured the blood
At the base of the altar, and
Consecrated it to make stand
Atonement for it. 16 Then he took
All the fat on entrails, and shook
The fatty lobe on liver, and
The two kidneys with their fat band,
And Moses burned them on the altar.
17 But bull, skin, flesh, offal, no falter,
He burned with fire outside the camp,
As YHWH commanded Moses vamp.
18 Then he brought the ram as the burnt
Offering, and Aaron and sons learnt
To lay their hands on head of ram,
19 And Moses killed it with one slam.
Then he sprinkled the blood around
All on the altar, not the ground.
20 And he cut the ram into pieces,
And Moses burned the head, the pieces,
And fat. 21 Then he washed the entrails
And the legs in water, no fails.
And Moses burned the whole ram on
The altar, a burnt sacrifice
For a sweet aroma till dawn,
An offering made by fire and nice
To YHWH, as YHWH commanded Moses.
22 He brought the second ram that closes,
The ram of consecration. Then
Aaron and his sons laid like men
Their hands on the head of the ram,
23 And Moses killed it with one slam.
Also he took some of its blood
And put it on the tip or bud
Of Aaron's right ear, on the thumb
Of his right hand, and then to come
On the big toe of his right foot.
24 Then he brought Aaron's sons and put,
Did Moses, some of the blood on
The tips of their right ears, upon
The thumbs of their right hands, and on
The big toes of their right feet, and
Moses sprinkled the blood at hand
All around on the altar. 25 Then
He took the fat and the fat tail,
All the fat that was on entrail,
The fatty lobe attached like wen
To the liver, the two kidneys
And their fat, right thigh, if you please,
26 And from the basket of the bread
Unleavened that was before YHWH
He took one yeastless cake, the said
Cake of bread spread with oil as due,
And one wafer, and put them on
The fat and on the right thigh drawn,
27 And he put all in Aaron's hands
And also in Aaron's sons' hands,
And waved them as a wave offering
Before YHWH. 28 Moses took each thing
From their hands and burned on the altar,
On the burnt offering without falter.
They were consecration offerings
For the sweet aroma it brings.
That was an offering made by fire
To YHWH. 29 And Moses did acquire
Breast and waved it there as a wave
Offering before YHWH as His slave.
It was Moses' part of the ram
Of consecration oriflamme,
Just as YHWH had commanded Moses.
30 Then Moses took some, as discloses,
Of the anointing oil and some
Of the blood which was on the thumb
Of the altar, and sprinkled it
On Aaron , on his garments fit,
On his sons, on the garments of
His sons with him, as shown above,
And consecrated Aaron , and
His garments, his sons out of hand,
And garments of his sons to stand.

Put no blood on the tip of my right ear,
Beloved, nor on my thumb and toe for fear
That I shall follow after heathen gifts
Of sacrifice such as sweet Christian lifts.
The covenant is ratified with meal,
And all meals that taste sweet in desert seal
The promise with a sacrifice and slaughter.
That does not mean that Your son or your daughter
Like Canaanite must get the axe before
You lay grace and salvation at the door.
I understand the reason for the blood
On ear-tip, but I do not love the flood
Of Ashtoreth at mass and in the grail.
You are enough in grace to lift the veil.

31 And Moses said to Aaron and
His sons, "Boil the flesh at the hand
Of the door of the tent of meeting,
And eat it there with bread at seating,
That's in the basket consecrated
For offerings there, as I have stated,
Saying 'Aaron and his sons shall
Eat it and not be prodigal.'
32 "What remains of the flesh and of
The bread you shall burn as above
With fire. 33 "And you shall not go out
Of meeting tent door without doubt
For seven days, until the days
Of consecration and delays
Are ended. And for seven days
He shall consecrate you. 34 "As he
Has done this day, so YHWH will see
That it is done to make for you
Atonement. 35 "And so therefore you
Shall stay at the door of the tent
Of meeting day and night forespent
For seven days, and keep the charge
Of YHWH, so that you may at large
Not die, for so I've been commanded."
36 So Aaron and his sons remanded
Did all the things that YHWH had said
And by the hand of Moses led.

Ah, my Beloved, and seven days within
Your house alone and without any sin!
Let me to take the consecration now
And have the gold and turban on my brow!
I shall spend seven days within the shade
Of those white linen arms that finely made
A refuge from the sun and cloud and all
The burning desert sand that must appal.
A doorkeeper perhaps, but if not that
Let me at least wait and serve and get fat.
I frolic with the sons of Aaron still,
Who eat the scentless bread and take the pill.
Let me not die before I've been within
Your house alone and without any sin!

WEEK 26 LEVITICUS 9

1 It happened on the eighth day that
Moses called Aaron where he's at
And his sons and the elders of
Israel. 2 And he said to above
Aaron , "Take for yourself a young
Bull as a sin offering and sung,
And a ram as a burnt offering,
Without blemish, also to sing
And offer them before YHWH. 3 "And
To children of Israel's command
You shall speak, saying 'Take a kid
Of the goats as sin offering's bid,
And a calf and a lamb, both of
The first year, without blemish, love,
As a burnt offering, 4 'also bull
And a ram as peace offerings full,
To sacrifice before YHWH, and
A grain offering mixed with oil stand,
For today YHWH appears to you.'"
5 So they brought what Moses as due
Commanded before meeting tent.
And all the congregation drew
Near and stood before where YHWH went.
6 Then Moses said "This is the thing
Which YHWH commanded you to bring,
And the glory of YHWH appears
To you." 7 Moses said without tears
To Aaron , "Go to the altar,
Offer your sin offering, refer
Your burnt offering, make atonement
For yourself and the people sent.
Offer the offering of the folk,
Make their atonement as YHWH spoke."

With all the animals and bleating sheep
And goats and oxen neighing, I can't sleep.
What use is all this bringing to the tent
Such beasts to slay and bleed and be content?
I love not flesh nor steak to fill my broth,
Nor do I demand such when I am wroth.
The priesthood reeks, it seems, with flowing blood,
And this is holy atonement in cud.
Like You, Beloved, I'm weary of the tune
Of sacrifice to You, or sun or moon.
There's no good thing will come of this, I swear,
I feel it in my bones and in the air.
I step into the dergah, slip and fall
On all the blood splashed there upon the wall.

8 Aaron therefore went to the altar,
Killed the sin offering calf, no falter,
Which was for himself. 9 Then the sons
Of Aaron brought the blood that runs
To him, he dipped his finger in
The blood, and put it on the fin
Of the horns of the altar, and
Poured the blood at the altar's hand
At the base. 10 But as for the fat,
The kidneys, and the ridge of fat
From the liver of the sin offering
He burned on the altar, and proffering
As YHWH had commanded Moses.
11 But the flesh and the hide of this
He burned with fire outside the camp.
12 And he killed the burnt offering damp,
And Aaron's sons gave him the blood,
Which he sprinkled all in a flood
Round on the altar. 13 Then they gave
The burnt offering to him to save
With its pieces and head, and he
Burned them on the altar. 14 And he
Washed the entrails and the legs, and
Burned them with the burnt offering bland
On the altar. 15 Then he brought out
The people's offering, without doubt,
And took the goat, which was the sin
Offering for the people within,
And killed and offered it for sin,
Like the first one. 16 And then he brought
The burnt offering offered as taught.
17 Then he brought the grain offering, took
A handful of it, and then shook
And burned it on the altar, tossed
Beside the morning holocaust.
18 He also killed the bull and ram
As peace offerings in sacrifice,
Which were for the folk without sham.
And Aaron's sons gave him the blood,
Which he sprinkled all round in flood
On the altar, 19 and as for fat
From the bull and the ram and that
Fatty tail, what covers and yet
The kidneys, and the fats that get
On the liver, 20 they put the fat
On the breasts. Then he burned the fat
On the altar, 21 but the breasts and
The right thigh Aaron waved in hand
As a wave offering before YHWH,
As Moses commanded to do.
22 Then Aaron lifted up his hand
Toward the people, blessed them, and
Came down from offering the sin offering,
The burnt offering, and the peace offering.

Here's confirmation of the magic trick:
A blessing's done by raising, thin or thick,
A hand above the people. Bless me now,
Beloved, there is no priest nor slaughtered cow.
That's where, I guess, the gold-clad priests learned how.
They go beyond the text in making crosses,
When Aaron only raised a hand for losses.
Such priests come down also from the high altar
And making sacrifices without falter
For sin, for burnt offering, and last for peace.
They stove the meat and substituted fleece
Of human flesh in bread and wine's increase.
Let each bring his own sacrifice and meet
A hand raised up in blessing on the street.

23 And Moses and Aaron went in
The tent of meeting without sin,
And came out and blessed all the folk.
Then YHWH's glory before them broke
Out to all the people, 24 and fire
Came out from before YHWH's attire
And consumed the burnt offering and
The fat on the altar at hand.
When all the people saw, they shouted
And fell on their faces redoubted.

I thought the raised hand was a trick indeed,
But that was nothing to the show and creed
Of Your appearing in a fire and cloud
And breaking out consuming by the crowd.
The feat of meat that caught on fire was such
The people shouted in surprise, then touch
The earth with foreheads to escape the bright
And burning fire that showed them what was right.
What glory broke out from the pair of brothers
Upon the people, all the sons of mothers?
Who knows? But glory is a thing to covet,
And I seek glory before others shove it.
Beloved, set glory in my silent cell
Where I in contemplation of You dwell.


AUTHOR: THOMAS G. MCELWAIN

Copyright © 2007 Adams & McElwain Publishers and Thomas McElwain First Published in two volumes, The Beloved and I 2005, and Led of the Beloved, 2006. Second Edition, 2010 Third and revised edition, 2012 All rights reserved. No part of this verse commentary on the sacred Scriptures may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in a retrieval system, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from publisher.

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