“But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin offering.”
If, however, they cannot afford two doves or two young pigeons, they are to bring as an offering for their sin a tenth of an ephah of the finest flour for a sin offering. They must not put olive oil or incense on it, because it is a sin offering. The furthest extension of the graduated sin offering: for those who cannot afford even two birds, a tenth of an ephah of finest flour — approximately two liters of high-quality grain. The sin offering grain offering is explicitly distinguished from the standard grain offering by the absence of oil and incense: this is not a fragrant gift of devotion but an atonement offering. The absence of oil and incense communicates the gravity of the sin offering context: this is not celebratory but contrite.
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