firstlings of the flock, first-fruits, tithes, incense, the shewbread, the wood for burning in the Temple (Neh. X, 34). The objects offered were salt, meal, baked and roasted grain, olive-oil, clean animals, such as oxen, goats, doves, but not fish. The animals were required to be spotless (Lev. xxii, 20; Mai. i, 8), and, with the exception of the doves, not under eight days old (Lev. xxii, 27), younger animals being tasteless and innutri- tions. The smaller beasts, such as sheep, goats, and calves, were commonly one year old (Exod. xxix, 38 ; Lev. ix, 3 ; xii, 6 ; xiv, 10 ; Numb, xv, 27 ; xxviii, 9 sq.). Oxen were offered at three years of age; in Judges (vi, 25) one is offered which is seven years old. As to sex, an option was sometimes left to the offerer, especially in peace and sin offerings (Lev. iii, 1, 0; xii, 5, 6) ; at other times males were required, as in burnt sacrifices, for, contrary to classical usage, the male was considered the more perfect. In burnt-offerings and in thank- offerings the kind of animal was left to the choice of the worshipper (Lev. i, 3), but in trespass and sin offer- ings it was regulated b}- law (Lev. iv, 5). If the desire of the worshipper was to express his gratitude, he offer- ed a peace or thank offering; if to obtain forgiveness, he offered a trespass or sin offering. Burnt-offerings were of a general kind (Numb, xv, 3 ; Dent, xii, 6 ; Jer. xvii, 26). Hecatombs or large numbers of cattle Avere sacrificed on special occasions. In 1 Kings viii, 5, 63, Solomon is said to have "sacrificed sheep and oxen that could not be told or numbered for multitude," " two and twenty thousand oxen, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep" (see also 2 Chron. xxix, 32 sq. ; xxx, 24; XXXV, 7 sq.; comp. Herod, vii, 43 ; Xeno\)\\. Ilelkn. vi, 4; Sueton. Culig. 14). Offerings were also either public or private, prescribed or free-will. Sometimes they were presented by an individual, sometimes by a family; once, or at regular and periodic intervals (1 Sam. i, 24 ; Job i, 5 : 2 iVIacc. iii, 32). Foreigners were permitted to make offerings on the national altar (Numb. XV, 14; 2 Mace, iii, 35; xiii, 23; Philo, Legut. p. 1014; Joseph. Apion, ii, 5). Offerings were made by Jews for heathen princes (1 Mace, vii, 33 ; Joseph. ^)i/. xii, 2, 5). In the case of bloody-offerings, the possessor, after he had sanctified himself (1 Sam. xvi, 5), brought the vic- tim, in case of thaidv-offerings, with its horns gilded and with garlands, etc. (.Joseph. Ant. xiii, 8, 2), to the altar (Lev. iii, 1 ; xii, 4; xiv, 17), where, laying his hand on the head of the animal (Lev. i, 4; iii, 2; iv, 4), he thus, in a clear and pointed way, devoted it to God. Having so done, he proceeded to slay the victim him- self (Lev. iii, 2 ; iv, 4) ; which act might be, and in later times was, done by the priests (2 Chron. xxix, 24), and probably by the Levitcs (Hottinger, Be Fuiictionibus Sacerdot. circa victimam, iMarb. 1706). Tlie blood was taken, and, according to the kind of offering, sprinkled upon the altar, or brought into the Temple and there shed upon the ark of the covenant and smeared upon the horns of the altar of incense, and then the remain- der poured forth at the foot of the altar of burnt-offer- ings. Having slain the animal, the offerer struck off its head (Lev. i, 6), which, when not burned (Lev. iv, 11), belonged either to the priest (Lev. vii, 8) or to the offerer (comp. Mishna, Zebach, xii, 2). The victim was then cut into pieces (Lev. i, 6; viii, 20), which were either all, or only the best and most tasty, set on fire on the altar by the priests or the offerer, or must be burned without the precincts of the holy city. The treatment of doves may be seen in Lev. i, 14 sq. ; v, 8 (see Hottinger, De SacrifU'iis Ari'.nn, Marb. 1706). In some sacrifices heaving (iTCl"ir) and waving (HZl^r) were usual either before or after tlie slaying.
The annual expense of offerings, including those made by individuals as well as the nation, must have been considerable. It may, however, be said tliat the country produced on all sides in great abundance most of the required objects, and that there were numerous forests whence wood for use in sacrifice was procured.
OFFERING
313
OFFERTORY
At later periods of the nation foreign princes, desirous of conciliating the good-will of the Jews, made large contributions both of natural objects and of money to- wards the support of the ceremonial of public worship (Ezra vi, 9; 1 Mace, x, 39; 2 Mace, iii, 3; ix, 16; Joseph. A nt. xii, 3, 3). The place where offerings were exclusively to be presented was the outer court of the national sanctuary, at first the Tabernacle, afterwards the Temple. Every offering made elsewhere was for- bidden under penalty of death (Lev. xvii, 4 aq.; Dent, xii, 5 sq. ; conip. 1 Kings xii, 27). The precise spot is laid down in Lev. i, 3 ; iii, 2, " At the door of the taber- nacle of the congregation before the Lord." According to the Mishna (Zebacli, eh. v), offerings were to be slain partly on the north side of the altar, and, if they were inconsiderable, at any part of the outer court. The ob- ject of these regulations was to prevent any secret idol- atrous rites from taking place under the mask of the national litual; and a common place of worship must have tended considerably to preserve the unity of the people, v.'hose constant disagreements required precau- tions of a special kind (1 Kings xii, 27). The oneness, however, of the place of sacrifice was not strictly pre- served in the troubled period of the Judges, nor indeed till the time of David (1 Kings iii, 2, 3). Offerings were made in other places besides the door of the Tabernacle (1 Sam. vii, 17; Judg. ii, 5). High places, which had long been used by the Canaanites, retained a certain sanctity, and were honored with offerings (Judg. vi, 26; xiii, 19). Even the loyal Samuel fol- lowed this practice (1 Sam.), and David tolerated it (I Kiugs iii, 2). After Solomon these offerijigs on high places still continued. In the kingdom of Israel, cut off as its subjects were from the holy city, the national temple was neglected.