Occasions and features of guilt offerings include:

I. A witness to a matter who failed to testify or report after hearing public adjuration; one who had unwittingly become unclean by reason of a dead body or another unclean person; one who rashly or thoughtlessly made an oath to do or not to do something. (Lev. 5:1-4): First, he had to make confession as to the way in which he had sinned. (Lev. 5:5) The guilt offerings varied according to financial circumstances (Lev. 5:6-10); if it was a grain offering, no oil or frankincense was included, because it was a sin offering and was a required grain offering, not a voluntary one, which was a joyful offering of one in good standing with God. (Lev. 5:11-13)

II. One who sinned unintentionally against holy things of Jehovah (for example, one who unwittingly appropriated grain set aside as tithe to the sanctuary, and used it for himself or his household [for a common use, profaning the sanctified thing]) (Lev. 5:15a; compare Leviticus 22:14-16): Compensation plus one-fifth was to be given to the sanctuary. (Lev. 5:16) A ram was presented as a guilt offering. (Lev. 5:15)

III. A person who unwittingly did something (probably through negligence) that Jehovah commanded not to be done: A ram “according to the estimated value” was to be offered. (Lev. 5:15-17)

IV. A person who deceived his associate by taking valuables committed to his care, robbery, defrauding, keeping something found and lying, or swearing falsely (Lev. 6:2, 3; compare Exodus 22:7-13, and note that this does not include testifying falsely against one’s fellowman, as at Deuteronomy 5:20): First, confession of the wrong was to be made. Then he must make full compensation plus one-fifth, to the injured person. (Lev. 6:4, 5; Num. 5:6, 7) If the wronged person had died, the nearest male relative got the compensation; if there was no near relative, the priest received it. (Num. 5:8) Then he was to offer a ram for his guilt offering.

Grain offerings

Grain offerings were made along with communion offerings, burnt offerings, sin offerings, and as first-fruits; at other times, independently. (Ex. 29:40-42; Lev. 23:10-13, 15-18; Num. 15:8, 9, 22-24; 28:9, 10, 20, 26-28; chap. 29) These were in recognition of God’s bounty in supplying blessings and prosperity. They were often accompanied with oil and incense. Grain offerings could be in the form of fine flour or ring-shaped cakes or wafers baked, griddle-cooked or from the deep-fat kettle, or roasted grain. Some of it was put on the altar of burnt offering, some was eaten by the priests, and in communion offerings the worshiper partook. (Lev. 6:19-23; 7:11-13; Num. 18:8-11) None of the grain offerings presented on the altar could contain leaven or “honey” (apparently referring to the syrup of figs or juice of fruits) that might ferment.—Lev. 2:1-16.

Drink offerings

Drink offerings were presented along with most of the other offerings, especially after the Israelites had settled in the Promised Land. (Num. 15:2, 5, 8-10) This consisted of wine, “intoxicating liquor,” and was poured out on the altar. (Num. 28:7, 14; compare Exodus 30:9; Numbers 15:10.) The apostle Paul wrote to the Christians at Philippi: “If I am being poured out like a drink offering upon the sacrifice and public service to which faith has led you, I am glad.” Here he used the figure of a drink offering, expressing his willingness to expend himself in behalf of fellow Christians. (Phil. 2:17) Shortly before his death he wrote to Timothy: “I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the due time for my releasing is imminent.”—2 Tim. 4:6.

Wave offerings

In the wave offerings the priest evidently put his hands under the hands of the worshiper, who was holding the sacrifice to be presented, and waved them to and fro; or the thing offered was waved by the priest himself. (Lev. 23:11a) Moses, as mediator of the Law covenant, also seemingly did this for Aaron and his sons when consecrating them to the priesthood. (Lev. 8:28, 29) This action represented a presenting of the sacrificial things to Jehovah. Certain wave offerings went to the priests as their portion.—Ex. 29:27.

The presentation of a sheaf (or omer measure) of the firstfruits of the barley harvest on Nisan 16 was a wave offering carried out by the high priest. It was on this date in the year 33 C.E. that Jesus Christ was resurrected, “the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep in death.” (1 Cor. 15:20; Lev. 23:11b; John 20:1) On the day of Pentecost two leavened loaves of the firstfruits of wheat were waved. (Lev. 23:15-17) This is the day that Jesus, as High Priest in the heavens, was able to present to Jehovah the first of his spiritual brothers of the Christian congregation, taken from among sinful mankind and anointed by the pouring out of the holy spirit.—Acts 2:1-4, 32, 33; compare James 1:18.

Sacred portions (heave offerings)

The Hebrew word t^eru·mahʹ is sometimes translated “sacred portion” when referring to the part of the sacrifice that was lifted up or heaved off the sacrifice as the portion belonging to the priests. (Ex. 29:27, 28; Lev. 7:14, 32; 10:14, 15) The word is also frequently rendered “contribution,” when referring to the things given to the sanctuary, which, with the exception of that which was sacrificed on the altar, also went to the priests for their sustenance.—Num. 18:8-13, 19, 24, 26-29; 31:29; Deut. 12:6, 11.

OFFICIAL GARMENT

The Hebrew word ʼad·deʹreth (from a root meaning wide, great, noble) describes that which is “majestic” (Ezek. 17:8; Zech. 11:3) and, in its references to a garment, evidently refers to a wide cloak or robe, perhaps worn over the shoulders and made of skins, or of cloth woven from hair or wool.

Evidence that the term describes a hairy garment is seen in the description of Isaac’s firstborn Esau. At birth, he “came out red all over like an official garment of hair; so they called his name Esau.” (Gen. 25:25) His resemblance to an official garment was likely not his reddish color but his hairiness.

The Septuagint uses the Greek word me·lo·teʹ (meaning sheepskin or any rough woolly skin) when translating ʼad·deʹreth, for the official garment used by Elijah and Elisha. (1 Ki. 19:13) This suggests that the garment was made of skins with the hair left on, similar to the garb worn by certain bedouins. Paul’s description of persecuted servants of God who “went about in sheepskins, in goatskins,” may refer to the dress of such prophets of Jehovah. (Heb. 11:37) John the Baptist wore clothing of camel’s hair, though it is not stated that this was his official garment as a prophet.—Mark 1:6.

However designed, these official garments of hair appear to have been an identifying mark of certain prophets. When King Ahaziah heard the description of “a man possessing a hair garment, with a leather belt girded about his loins,” he immediately recognized that it was the prophet Elijah. (2 Ki. 1:8) This official garment served as the anointing instrument that was thrown upon Elisha when he was ‘called’ to leave the plow and follow Elijah. (1 Ki. 19:19-21) Later, at the time Elijah went up in the windstorm, this garment was left for his successor, who soon used it in dividing the Jordan River, just as his master had done. (2 Ki. 2:3, 8, 13, 14) False prophets, it appears, sometimes wore similar garments of hair to deceive the people into accepting them as reputable prophets of Jehovah, thus making their messages seem more credible.—Zech. 13:4.

The term ʼad·deʹreth was also used in reference to costly and royal garments, like the one stolen by Achan, “an official garment from Shinar, a good-looking one.” (Josh. 7:21, 24) Ancient Babylon or Shinar was noted for its beautiful robes. The king of Nineveh “put off his official garment,” undoubtedly a splendid robe, and clothed himself with sackcloth to show his repentance.—Jonah 3:6.

OG

The powerful Amorite king of Bashan (1 Ki. 4:19) whom the Israelites defeated before crossing into the Promised Land. Og was one of the giant Rephaim. In fact, his immense iron bier (perhaps a sarcophagus, or possibly a bed frame) measured some 13 feet by 6 feet (3.9 by 1.8 meters). He and Sihon ruled the Amorites E of the Jordan. (Deut. 3:11, 13; 4:46, 47) The domain of Og extended from Mount Hermon to the Jabbok River, territory E of the Jordan that included sixty fortified cities and numerous rural towns. (Deut. 3:3-5, 8-10; Josh. 12:4, 5; compare Numbers 21:23, 24.) His two principal cities were Edrei and Ashtaroth.—Deut. 1:4; Josh. 13:12.

The defeat of Og at the hands of Israel came toward the end of Israel’s forty-year wandering, just before they encamped on the plains of Moab. After defeating Sihon, Israel clashed with Og’s forces at Edrei and, in an overwhelming God-given victory, killed off Og and all his army and took possession of his cities and towns. (Num. 21:33–22:1; Deut. 3:1-13) Og’s territory became part of Manasseh’s inheritance. (Num. 32:33; Deut. 3:13; Josh. 13:29-31) The victory brought fright to the inhabitants of Canaan and was a contributing factor prompting Rahab and the Gibeonites to seek peace with Israel so that they too were not exterminated. (Josh. 2:10, 11; 9:9, 10) The victory was a great encouragement to Israel and was remembered even many centuries later.—Deut. 31:4; Neh. 9:22; Ps. 135:10-12; 136:17-22.

OHAD

(Oʹhad).

The third-listed son of Simeon. (Gen. 46:10; Ex. 6:15) His name does not appear as founder of a family in the later registration list.—Num. 26:12-14.

OHEL

(Oʹhel) [tent].

A son of Governor Zerubbabel and descendant of David.—1 Chron. 3:19, 20.

OHOLAH

(O·hoʹlah) [her (own) tent].

Ezekiel chapter 23 depicts Samaria (representing the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel) as the prostitute Oholah, the older sister of Oholibah, representing Jerusalem (the kingdom of Judah). The fact that the ten-tribe kingdom established its own centers of worship may be alluded to by the name Oholah, “her own tent.” Her prostitution began in Egypt and continued in the Promised Land. In later times it involved her currying the favor of the Assyrians and engaging in degrading idolatrous practices, including child sacrifice. For her unfaithfulness to him, Jehovah delivered Oholah (the northern kingdom) into the hands of the Assyrians, her lovers.

OHOLIAB

(O·hoʹli·ab) [father’s tent].

Chief assistant of Bezalel in constructing the tabernacle; of the tribe of Dan, son of Ahisamach. Oholiab was “a craftsman and embroiderer and weaver in the blue thread and the wool dyed reddish purple and coccus scarlet material and fine linen.”—Ex. 31:6; 35:34; 36:1, 2; 38:23.

OHOLIBAH

(O·holʹi·bah) [my tent is in her].

In Ezekiel chapter 23, Jerusalem’s unfaithfulness to Jehovah is portrayed under the allegory of the prostitute Oholibah. The meaning of the name Oholibah seems to allude to the fact that Jehovah’s tent or sanctuary was in her territory. (Compare OHOLAH.) However, instead of appreciating this and taking to heart the punishment that came upon her sister Oholah (Samaria) for unfaithfulness, Oholibah not only continued the record of infidelity begun in Egypt, but conducted herself even worse than her sister. She practiced idolatry on a large scale and became politically involved with the Assyrians and the Babylonians. Consequently her former lovers, the Babylonians, were foretold to come against her and make her a “frightful object.”

OHOLIBAMAH

(O·hol·i·baʹmah) [tent of the high place].

1. A Canaanite wife of Esau. She bore him three sons, Jeush, Jalam and Korah, all of whom became sheiks of Edom. Oholibamah was a daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Hivite Zibeon.—Gen. 36:2, 5-8, 14, 18, 25.

2. The designation for an Edomite sheik; some scholars would apply these listed names to places, believing they should read “the sheik of Oholibamah,” etc.—Gen. 36:40, 41; 1 Chron. 1:51, 52.

OIL

The fatty liquid most familiar to the Hebrews was that obtained from olives. Fully ripened black olives gave the most oil, but those yet green, though beginning to change in color, produced the oil of finest quality. After the fruit was carefully removed from the trees, and the twigs and leaves were cleaned from the olives, they were carried to the oil press.

The pulp of the ripe olive berry is about half oil, which varies in grade according to the method of processing the pulp. The very best, called “pure, beaten olive oil,” was produced by a simple process before the olives were put into the press. (Lev. 24:2) First, the olives were placed in a mortar and beaten until they were well bruised, or they were sometimes trodden by foot. (Mic. 6:15) Next, the bruised fruit was transferred to strainer baskets wherein it “bled” oil until the “virgin” or “first expressed” oil was released. The pure, beaten oil was stored in earthenware jars and the pulp was moved to the olive press.

A common grade of oil was prepared by thoroughly crushing the olives in a mortar or hand mill. After the oil ran off from the pulp, it was allowed to clarify in clay jars or vats.

The lowest grade of oil was that pressed from the pulp refuse in an olive or wine press after the crushing process. The pulverized mass of pulp was packed into baskets and stacked between the two vertical pillars of the olive press. A weighted lever was applied to the stack of baskets to press out the oil, which was then channeled into large reservoirs for clearing. There, the oil would rise to the surface, separating from the bits of pulp and the water below before it was drawn off into large earthenware jars or special cisterns for storage.—Compare 2 Chronicles 32:27, 28; see PRESS.

A SYMBOL OF PROSPERITY

Great prosperity was signified when reference was made to the ‘press vats overflowing with oil.’ (Joel 2:24) Suffering Job longed for his previous days of plenty when “the rock kept pouring out streams of oil” for him. (Job 29:1, 2, 6) Jehovah caused “Jacob,” or the Israelites, figuratively to suck “oil out of a flinty rock,” apparently from olive trees growing in rocky terrain. (Deut. 32:9, 13) Moses declared that Asher would become “one dipping his foot in oil,” indicating that this tribe would enjoy material blessings.—Deut. 33:24.

AN IMPORTANT TRADE AND FOOD COMMODITY

Olive oil became an important trade commodity in Palestine because of its abundance there. Yearly, Solomon gave King Hiram of Tyre “twenty cor measures [1,162 gallons; 4,400 liters] of beaten-out oil” as part of a payment for temple construction materials. (1 Ki. 5:10, 11) Judah and Israel were once