Leviticus 22:23

23 A man may offer willfully a sheep and an ox (that hath anything) superfluous and diminished, that is, having a member superfluous, either failing a member; but a vow may not be paid of these beasts. (Someone may make a freewill offering of a sheep or of an ox that hath something superfluous, or something missing, that is, that hath an extra member, or is missing a member; but a vow cannot be satisfied with these beasts.)

Leviticus 22:23 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 22:23

Either a bullock, or a lamb that hath anything superfluous,
or lacking in its parts
That has either more members than it should have, as five feet, or two gristles in an ear, as Gersom says, or has fewer than it should have; or, as Jarchi, that has one member longer or shorter than another, as the leg or thigh; according to the Targum of Jonathan, that is redundant in its testicles, or deficient therein; the Septuagint version is, that hath its ear or its tail cut; and so the Vulgate Latin version: that mayest thou offer [for] a freewill offering:
for the repair of the sanctuary or temple, as Jarchi and Gersom; money, or the value of the sacrifices, might be given to the priests for that use, but according to them might not be offered upon the altar: but it rather seems to be an exception to the above law, and allows of the sacrifice of them for freewill offering, though not for a vow, as it follows but for a vow it shall not be accepted;
because the other was according to a man's will and pleasure, and he might bring what he would on that account; but when he made a vow that he would offer such a sacrifice, it must be of creatures that were perfect, and without blemish.

Leviticus 22:23 In-Context

21 A man that offereth a sacrifice of peaceable things to the Lord, and either payeth avows, either offereth by free will, as well of oxen as of sheep, he shall offer a beast without wem, that it be acceptable; no wem shall be therein. (A man who offereth a peace offering to the Lord, whether he payeth a vow, or offereth by free will, whether of oxen or of sheep, he shall offer a beast without blemish, so that it be acceptable; yea, no blemish shall be upon it.)
22 If it is blind, if it is broken, if it hath a wound or a scar, if it hath whelks, either (a) scab, either (a) dry scab, ye shall not offer those beasts to the Lord, neither ye shall burn (any) of those beasts upon the altar of the Lord.
23 A man may offer willfully a sheep and an ox (that hath anything) superfluous and diminished, that is, having a member superfluous, either failing a member; but a vow may not be paid of these beasts. (Someone may make a freewill offering of a sheep or of an ox that hath something superfluous, or something missing, that is, that hath an extra member, or is missing a member; but a vow cannot be satisfied with these beasts.)
24 Ye shall not offer to the Lord any beast, whose privy members be broken, either bruised, either cut, and taken away, and utterly ye shall not do these things in your land (yea, ye shall never offer such a beast in your land).
25 Of the hand of an alien ye shall not offer loaves to your God, and whatever other thing he will give, for all (their) things be corrupt and defouled; ye shall not receive those. (Ye shall not offer loaves to your God from the hand of a foreigner, or of a stranger, or any other thing that he shall give you, for all their things be corrupted and defiled; ye shall not take them.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.