Leviticus 3

Laws for Fellowship Offerings

1 " 'Now if his offering [is] a sacrifice of fellowship offering, if he brings it from the cattle, whether male or female, he must bring it without defect before Yahweh.

2 He must lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance of the tent of assembly, and Aaron's sons shall sprinkle the blood on the altar all around.

3 He shall present from the sacrifice of the fellowship offering an offering made by fire for Yahweh [consisting of] the fat covering the inner parts and all the fat that [is] on the inner parts,

4 the two kidneys, and the fat that [is] on them, which [is] on the loins, and he must remove the lobe on the liver in addition to the kidneys.

5 Aaron's sons shall turn it to smoke on the altar in addition to the burnt offering that [is] on the wood, which [is] on the fire; it [is] an offering made by fire [as] an appeasing fragrance for Yahweh.

6 " 'But if his offering for a sacrifice of fellowship offering for Yahweh [is] from the flock, he must bring a male or a female without defect.

7 If he brings a sheep [as] his offering, then he shall present it before Yahweh,

8 and he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and he shall slaughter it before the tent of assembly, and Aaron's sons shall sprinkle its blood on the altar all around.

9 He shall present from the sacrifice of the fellowship offering an offering made by fire for Yahweh: he must remove its fat, the entire fat tail near the tailbone, and the fat covering the inner parts and all the fat that [is] on the inner parts,

10 the two kidneys, and the fat that [is] on them, which [is] on the loins, and he must remove the lobe on the liver in addition to the kidneys.

11 The priest shall turn it into smoke on the altar [as] a food offering made by fire for Yahweh.

12 " 'And if his offering is a goat, then he shall bring it before Yahweh,

13 and he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and he shall slaughter it before the tent of assembly, and Aaron's sons shall sprinkle its blood on the altar all around.

14 He shall present his offering from it [as] an offering made by fire for Yahweh: the fat covering the inner parts and all the fat that [is] on the inner parts,

15 the two kidneys, and the fat that [is] on them, which [is] on the loins, and he must remove the lobe on the liver in addition to the kidneys.

16 The priest shall turn them into smoke on the altar [as] a food [offering]; all the fat [is] an offering made by fire [as] an appeasing fragrance for Yahweh.

17 [This is] a lasting statute for your generations in all your dwellings: you must not eat any fat or any blood.'"

Leviticus 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

The peace-offering of the herd. (1-5) The peace-offering of the flock. (6-17)

Verses 1-5 The peace-offerings had regard to God as the giver of all good things. These were divided between the altar, the priest, and the owner. They were called peace-offering, because in them God and his people did, as it were, feast together, in token of friendship. The peace-offerings were offered by way of supplication. If a man were in pursuit of any mercy, he would add a peace-offering to his prayer for it. Christ is our Peace, our Peace-offering; for through him alone it is that we can obtain an answer of peace to our prayers. Or, the peace-offering was offered by way of thanksgiving for some mercy received. We must offer to God the sacrifice of praise continually, by Christ our Peace; and then this shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock.

Verses 6-17 Here is a law that they should eat neither fat nor blood. As for the fat, it means the fat of the inwards, the suet. The blood was forbidden for the same reason; because it was God's part of every sacrifice. God would not permit the blood that made atonement to be used as a common thing, ( Hebrews 10:29 ) ; nor will he allow us, though we have the comfort of the atonement made, to claim for ourselves any share in the honour of making it. This taught the Jews to observe distinction between common and sacred things; it kept them separate from idolaters. It would impress them more deeply with the belief of some important mystery in the shedding of the blood and the burning the fat of their solemn sacrifices. Christ, as the Prince of peace, "made peace with the blood of his cross." Through him the believer is reconciled to God; and having the peace of God in his heart, he is disposed to follow peace with all men. May the Lord multiply grace, mercy, and peace, to all who desire to bear the Christian character.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "And if"
• [b]. Or "the herd"
• [c]. Or "And he"
• [d]. Or "And he shall present"
• [e]. The Hebrew accusative implies this transition
• [f]. Or "entrails"
• [g]. Or "entrails"
• [h]. Or "and the two kidneys"
• [i]. The Hebrew term refers collectively to both sheep and goats (small livestock animals)
• [j]. Or "and"
• [k]. Or "And he shall present"
• [l]. Or "entrails"
• [m]. Or "entrails"
• [n]. Or "and the two kidneys"
• [o]. Or "And the priest"
• [p]. Or "But"
• [q]. Or "and"
• [r]. Or "And he shall present"
• [s]. Or "entrails"
• [t]. Or "entrails"
• [u]. Or "and the two kidneys"
• [v]. Or "And the priest"
• [w]. Compare v. 11
• [x]. Understood by context

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 3

This chapter contains the law of the peace offerings, and gives an account what they consisted of, and of the various rites and ceremonies used at them, as of the bullock and the rites appertaining to that, Le 3:1-5 and of the lamb, and of the rites peculiar to it, Le 3:6-11 and of the goat, and of the rites belonging to it, Le 3:12-16 and the chapter is concluded with a law forbidding the eating of fat and blood throughout their dwellings for ever, Le 3:17.