Imamat 22:21

22:21 If a man presents a peace offering sacrifice to the Lord for a special votive offering ¹  or for a freewill offering from the herd or the flock, it must be flawless to be acceptable; ²  it must have no flaw. ³ 

Imamat 22:27

22:27 “When an ox, lamb, or goat is born, it must be under the care of ⁴  its mother seven days, but from the eighth day onward it will be acceptable as an offering gift ⁵  to the Lord.

[22:21]  ¹ tn The meaning of the expression לְפַלֵּא־נֶדֶר (lÿfalle’-neder) rendered here “for a special votive offering” is much debated. Some take it as an expression for fulfilling a vow, “to fulfill a vow” (e.g., HALOT 927-28 s.v. פלא piel and NASB; cf. NAB, NRSV “in fulfillment of a vow”) or, alternatively, “to make a vow” or “for making a vow” (HALOT 928 s.v. פלא piel [II פלא]). Perhaps it refers to the making a special vow, from the verb פָלַא (pala’, “to be wonderful, to be remarkable”); cf. J. Milgrom, Numbers (JPSTC), 44. B. A. Levine, Leviticus (JPSTC), 151 and 193, suggests that this is a special term for “setting aside a votive offering” (related to פָלָה [palah, “to set aside”]). In general, the point of the expression seems to be that this sacrifice arises as a special gift to God out of special circumstances in the life of the worshiper.

[22:21]  ² tn Heb “for acceptance”; NAB “if it is to find acceptance.”

[22:21]  ³ tn Heb “all/any flaw shall not be in it.”

[22:27]  ⁴ tn The words “the care of” are not in the Hebrew text, but are implied. Although many modern English versions render “with its mother” (e.g., NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, NLT), the literal phrase “under its mother” refers to the young animal nursing from its mother. Cf. KJV, ASV “it shall be seven days under the dam,” which would probably be misunderstood.

[22:27]  ⁵ tn Heb “for an offering of a gift.”