The Classification of Levitical Sacrifices

With respect to their origin, sacrifices may be classified thus:

TRADITIONAL.
Burnt offerings.
Meat offerings.
Peace offerings.

LAW-CREATED.
Sin offerings.
Trespass offerings.

With respect to the material of the offerings, they are thus classified:

ANIMAL.
Burnt offerings.
Peace offerings.
Sin offerings.
Trespass offerings.

VEGETABLE.
Meat or Food offerings for the altar
Incense and Meat or Food offerings in the holy place
Wine of the drink offering.

As expressing the feelings of the offerer, the sacrifices fall into the following classes:­

FOR THE RELIEF OF THE CONSCIENCE FROM A SENSE OF GUILT:
Sin offering.
Trespass offering.
Burnt offering. [Post-Mosaic and probably ante-Mosaic.]

SELF-CONSECRATION
Burnt offering.
Meat offering

THANKSGIVING AND COMMUNION.
Meat offering
Peace offering.

INTERCESSION
Incense.

In addition to these general sacrifices, others of a personal and special character were required in peculiar circumstances, such as for vows fulfilled, for purification from ceremonial uncleanness, for consecration to the priesthood, and for the healed leper. These, being too divergent in their nature to be grouped together and described in general terms, will be treated of in the commentary. The heave, wave, thank, and free-will offerings are subordinate to the principal sacrifices.

An inspection of the first three chapters will convince the reader that the altar sacrifices therein described are spoken of as already well known to the Hebrews. The three which we have called traditional were all probably known to the patriarchs. We find no record of offerings made by the Israelites in Egypt. The request of Moses to Pharaoh for permission to go out of the land to offer sacrifice without giving offence to the religious scruples of the Egyptians (Exodus 8:26) seems to imply, that, except in a furtive way, animal sacrifices had not been offered by Israel in Egypt. But the recollection of them had been cherished. Hence we call these "traditional" in distinction from the two "law-created" sacrifices — the sin and trespass offerings.