Leviticus 7:16

16 "If your sacrificial offering is something you vowed or a freewill offering, it must be eaten the day you offer it or the next day.

Leviticus 7:16 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 7:16

But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow
Be on account of a vow made, as, that if he was favoured with such and such benefits, or delivered out of such and such troubles and distresses, then he would offer such a sacrifice:

or a voluntary offering;
without any condition or obligation; what from the mere motion of his mind he freely offered, not being directed to it by any command of God, or under any necessity from a vow of his own, and without any view to; any future good to be enjoyed: Aben Ezra describes both the one and the other thus; a "vow" which he uttered with his lips in his distresses, a "voluntary offering", which his spirit made him willing to bring, a sacrifice to God neither for a vow nor for thanksgiving:

it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his sacrifice;
that is, it shall be begun to be eaten then, and if all is eaten up it is very well, but they were not obliged in either of these cases, as in the preceding, to eat up all, and leave none to the morning, for it follows:

and on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten;
some of it, if thought fit, and could not be conveniently eaten, might be kept till the day after the sacrifice, but no longer.

Leviticus 7:16 In-Context

14 From every offering you must bring one loaf to the LORD as a [special] contribution. It will belong to the priest who throws the blood of the fellowship offering.

15 "The meat from your fellowship offering of thanksgiving must be eaten on the day it is offered. Never leave any of it until morning.

16 "If your sacrificial offering is something you vowed or a freewill offering, it must be eaten the day you offer it or the next day.

17 However, on the third day any meat left over from the sacrifice must be burned.

18 You will not be accepted if any meat from the fellowship offering is eaten on the third day. You will not receive credit for it. It is repulsive to God. The person who eats any of it must be punished.