Leviticus 7:11-21

The Fellowship Sacrifice

11 "Now this is the law of the fellowship sacrifice[a] that someone may present to the Lord:
12 If he presents it for thanksgiving, in addition to the thanksgiving sacrifice,[b] [c] he is to present unleavened cakes mixed with olive oil, unleavened wafers coated with oil, and well-kneaded cakes of fine flour mixed with oil.
13 He is to present as his offering cakes of leavened bread,[d] with his thanksgiving sacrifice of fellowship.
14 From the cakes he must present one [portion] of each offering as a contribution to the Lord. It will belong to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the fellowship offering; it is his.
15 The meat of his thanksgiving sacrifice of fellowship must be eaten on the day he offers it; he may not leave any of it until morning.[e]
16 "If the sacrifice he offers is a vow[f] or a freewill offering,[g] [h] it is to be eaten on the day he presents his sacrifice, and what is left over may be eaten on the next day.
17 But what remains of the sacrificial meat by the third day must be burned up.
18 If any of the meat of his fellowship sacrifice is eaten on the third day, it will not be accepted. It will not be credited to the one who presents it; it is repulsive. The person who eats any of it will be guilty.[i] [j]
19 "Meat that touches anything unclean must not be eaten; it is to be burned up. Everyone who is clean may eat any [other] meat.
20 But the one who eats meat from the Lord's fellowship sacrifice while he is unclean,[k] that person must be cut off from his people.
21 If someone touches anything unclean,[l] whether human uncleanness, an unclean animal, or any unclean, detestable[m] creature, and eats meat from the Lord's fellowship sacrifice, that person must be cut off from his people."

Leviticus 7:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 7

The several things contained in this chapter are the law of the trespass offering, Le 7:1-7 the portion the priests had in the burnt offerings and meat offerings, Le 7:8-10 the law of the peace offerings, whether by way of thanksgiving, or a vow, or voluntary oblation, Le 7:11-21 the prohibition of fat and blood, Le 7:22-27 the parts the priests should have in the peace offerings, the breast and right shoulder, Le 7:28-36 and the chapter is concluded with a recapitulation of the various things contained in this and the preceding chapters, Le 7:37,38.

Footnotes 13

  • [a]. Lv 3:1-17
  • [b]. The thanksgiving sacrifice is the first of three kinds of fellowship sacrifices. It was given to express gratitude to God (Jr 33:11) in circumstances such as answered prayer (Ps 50:14-15) or safe travel (Ps 107:22-25).
  • [c]. Lv 22:29; 2 Ch 29:31; 33:16; Jr 33:11
  • [d]. Although yeast was prohibited from being burned on the altar (Lv 2:11), leavened bread could still be an offering (Lv 23:17-20) to be eaten by the priests and their families.
  • [e]. Lv 19:5-8; Ex 34:25; Dt 16:4
  • [f]. The vow offering, the second category of fellowship sacrifice, was brought as an expression of gratitude to fulfill a vow; Gn 28:20; 2 Sm 15:7-8; Pr 7:14.
  • [g]. The freewill offering, the third category of fellowship sacrifice, was a voluntary expression of gratitude toward God for any reason; Dt 16:10; Ps 54:6.
  • [h]. Nm 15:3,8; Dt 12:6,17; Ezk 46:12
  • [i]. Or will bear his guilt
  • [j]. Lv 5:17; 19:8; 22:16
  • [k]. Lit while his uncleanness is upon him
  • [l]. Lv 5:2-3
  • [m]. Some Hb mss, Sam, Syr, Tg read swarming
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