The sacrifice of Xoah after the flood (Gen. viii, 20) is called burnt-offering (oldh). This sacrifice is express- ly connected with the institution of the covenant which follows in ix, 8-17. The same ratification of a cove- nant is seen in the burnt-offering of Abraham, especial- ly enjoined and defined by (iod in Gen. xv, 9; and is probably to be traced in the " building of altars" by Abraham on entering Canaan at Rethel ((Jen. xii, 7, 8) and Mamre (xiii, 18), by Isaac at Heersheba (xxvi, 25), and b_v Jacob at Shechem (xxxiii, 20), and in .Jacob's setting-up and anointing of the pillar at Bethel (xxviii, 18 ; XXXV, 14). The sacrifice (zebac/i) of .Jacob at Miz- pah also marks a covenant with Lahan, to which (Jod is called to be a witness and a party. In all these, therefore, the prominent idea seems to have been what is called the federative, the recognition of a bond be- tween the sacrificer and God, and the dedication of himself, as represented by the victim, to the service of the Lord. See Noah.
The sacrifice of Isaac (Gen. xxii, 1-13) stands by it- self as the sole instance in which the idea of human sacrifice was even for a moment, and as a trial, counte- nanced by God. Yet in its principle it appears to have been of the same nature as before : the voluntary sur- render of an only son on Abraham's part, and the will- ing dedication of himself on Isaac's, are in the fore- groinid ; the expiatory idea, if recognised at all, holds certainly a secondary position. See Isaac.
In the burnt-offerings of Job for his children (Job i, 5) and for his three friends (xlii, 8), we, for the first time, find the expression of the desire of expiation for sin accompanied b}' repentance and prayer, and brought prominently forward. The same is the case in the words of Moses to Pharaoh as to the necessity of sacri- fice in the wilderness (Exod. x, 25), where sacrifice {ze- bach} is distinguished from burnt-offering. Here the main idea is at least deprecatory ; the object is to ap- pease the wrath and avert the vengeance of God.
2. llie Sacrifices of the Mosaic Period. — These are in- augurated by the offering of the Passover and the sac- rifice of Exod. xxiv. The Passover, indeed, is unique in its character, and seems to embrace the peculiarities of all the various divisions of sacrifice soon to be estab- lished. Its ceremonial, however, most nearly resem- bles that of the sin-offering in the emphatic use of the blood, which (after the first celebration) was poured at the bottom of the altar (see Lev. iv, 7), and in the care taken that none of the flesh should remain till the morning (see Exod. xii, 10 ; xxxiv, 25). It was un- like it in that the flesh was to be eaten by all (not burnt, or eaten by the priests alone), in token of their entering into covenant with God, and eating "at his table," as in the case of a peace-offering. Its peculiar position as a historical memorial, and its special ref- erence to the future, naturally mark it out as incapa- ble of being referred to any formal class of sacrifice; but it is clear that the idea of salvation from death by means of sacrifice is brought out in it with a distinct- ness before unknown. See Passovek.
The sacrifice t)f Exod. xxiv, offered as a solemn in- auguration of the covenant of Sinai, has a similarly comprehensive character. It is called a '•burnt-offer- ing" and " peace-offering" in ver. 5 ; but the solemn use of the blood (comp. Heb. ix, 18-22) distinctly marks the idea that expiatory sacrifice was needed for enter- ing into covenant with God, the idea of which the sin and trespass offerings were afterwards the symbols.
The law of Leviticus now unfolds distinctly the va- rious forms of sacrifice :
(a.) Tlie hurnt-offmng. Self-dedicatory.
Tlie pewe-<qT<'ring (bloody). / •^ucii'insnc. (c.) Thesin-offerhig. i p^niitorv
The tre>ipaiis-offeri)ig.( J^xpiatoi y. (d.) The incense offered after saci'iflce in the Holy Place, and (on the Day of Atonement) in the Holy of Holies, tlie symbol of the intercession of the priest (as a type of the Great Hiarh-priest), accompanying aud mak- ing efficacious the prayer of the people.
In the consecration of Aaron and his sons (Lev. viii) we find these offered in what became ever afterwards the appointed order : first came the sin-offering, to prepare access to God ; next the burnt-offering, to mark their dedication to his service; and, thirdly, the meat-offer- ing of thanksgiving. The same sacrifices, in the same order, with the addition of a peace-offering (eaten, no doubt, by all the people), were offered a week after for all the congregation, and accepted visibly by the de- scent of fire upon the burnt-offering. Henceforth the sacrificial system was fixed in all its parts, until He should come whom it typified. It is to be noticed that the law of Leviticus takes the rite of sacrifice for granted (see Lev. i, 2 ; ii, 1, etc., " If a man bring an of- fering, ye shall," etc.), and is directed chiefly to guide and limit its exercise. In every case but that of the peace-offering the nature of the victim was carefully prescribed, so as to preserve the ideas symbolized, but so as to avoid the notion (so inherent in heathen sys-