Leviticus 7

1 "'These are the teachings about the penalty offering, which is most holy:

2 The penalty offering must be killed where the whole burnt offering is killed. Then the priest must sprinkle its blood on all sides of the altar.

3 He must offer all the fat from the penalty offering -- the fat tail, the fat that covers the inner organs,

4 both kidneys with the fat that is on them near the lower back muscle, and the best part of the liver, which is to be removed with the kidneys.

5 The priest must burn all these things on the altar as an offering made by fire to the Lord. It is a penalty offering.

6 Any male in a priest's family may eat it. It is most holy, so it must be eaten in a holy place.

7 "'The penalty offering is like the sin offering in that the teachings are the same for both. The priest who offers the sacrifice to remove sins will get the meat for food.

8 The priest who offers the burnt offering may also have the skin from it.

9 Every grain offering that is baked in an oven, cooked on a griddle, or baked in a dish belongs to the priest who offers it.

10 Every grain offering, either dry or mixed with oil, belongs to the priests, and all priests will share alike.

11 "'These are the teachings about the fellowship offering a person may offer to the Lord:

12 If he brings the fellowship offering to show his thanks, he should also bring loaves of bread made without yeast that are mixed with oil, wafers made without yeast that have oil poured over them, and loaves of fine flour that are mixed with oil.

13 He must also offer loaves of bread made with yeast along with his fellowship offering, which he gives to show thanks.

14 One of each kind of offering will be for the Lord; it will be given to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the fellowship offering.

15 When the fellowship offering is given to thank the Lord, the meat from it must be eaten the same day it is offered; none of it must be left until morning.

16 "'If a person brings a fellowship offering just to give a gift to God or because of a special promise to him, the sacrifice should be eaten the same day he offers it. If there is any left, it may be eaten the next day.

17 If any meat from this sacrifice is left on the third day, it must be burned up.

18 Any meat of the fellowship offering eaten on the third day will not be accepted, nor will the sacrifice count for the person who offered it. It will become unclean, and anyone who eats the meat will be guilty of sin.

19 "'People must not eat meat that touches anything unclean; they must burn this meat with fire. Anyone who is clean may eat other meat.

20 But if anyone is unclean and eats the meat from the fellowship offering that belongs to the Lord, he must be cut off from his people.

21 "'If anyone touches something unclean -- uncleanness that comes from people, from an animal, or from some hated thing -- touching it will make him unclean. If he then eats meat from the fellowship offering that belongs to the Lord, he must be cut off from his people.'"

22 The Lord said to Moses,

23 "Tell the people of Israel: 'You must not eat any of the fat from cattle, sheep, or goats.

24 If an animal is found dead or torn by wild animals, you may use its fat for other things, but you must not eat it.

25 If someone eats fat from an animal offering made by fire to the Lord, he must be cut off from his people.

26 No matter where you live, you must not eat blood from any bird or animal.

27 Anyone who eats blood must be cut off from his people.'"

28 The Lord said to Moses,

29 "Tell the people of Israel: 'If someone brings a fellowship offering to the Lord, he must give part of it as his sacrifice to the Lord.

30 He must carry that part of the gift in his own hands as an offering made by fire to the Lord. He must bring the fat and the breast of the animal to the priest, to be presented to the Lord as the priests' share.

31 Then the priest must burn the fat on the altar, but the breast of the animal will belong to Aaron and the priests.

32 You must also give the right thigh from the fellowship offering to the priest as a gift;

33 it will belong to the priest who offers the blood and fat of the fellowship offering.

34 I have taken the breast and the thigh from the fellowship offerings of the Israelites, and I have given these parts to Aaron and the priests as their share for all time from the Israelites.'"

35 This is the portion that belongs to Aaron and his sons from the offerings made by fire to the Lord. They were given this share on the day they were presented to the Lord as priests.

36 On the day the Lord appointed the priests, he commanded Israel to give this share to them, and it is to be given to the priests as their share from now on.

37 These are the teachings about the whole burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the penalty offering, the offering for the appointment of priests, and the fellowship offering.

38 The Lord gave these teachings to Moses on Mount Sinai on the day he commanded the Israelites to bring their offerings to the Lord in the Sinai Desert.

Leviticus 7 Commentary

Chapter 7

Concerning the trespass-offering. (1-10) Concerning the peace-offering. (11-27) The wave and heave offerings. (28-34) The conclusion of these institutions. (35-38)

Verses 1-10 In the sin-offering and the trespass-offering, the sacrifice was divided between the altar and the priest; the offerer had no share, as he had in the peace-offerings. The former expressed repentance and sorrow for sin, therefore it was more proper to fast than feast; the peace-offerings denoted communion with a reconciled God in Christ, the joy and gratitude of a pardoned sinner, and the privileges of a true believer.

Verses 11-27 As to the peace-offerings, in the expression of their sense of mercy, God left them more at liberty, than in the expression of their sense of sin; that their sacrifices, being free-will offerings, might be the more acceptable, while, by obliging them to bring the sacrifices of atonement, God shows the necessity of the great Propitiation. The main reason why blood was forbidden of old, was because the Lord had appointed blood for an atonement. This use, being figurative, had its end in Christ, who by his death and blood-shedding caused the sacrifices to cease. Therefore this law is not now in force on believers.

Verses 28-34 The priest who offered, was to have the breast and the right shoulder. When the sacrifice was killed, the offerer himself must present God's part of it; that he might signify his cheerfully giving it up to God. He was with his own hands to lift it up, in token of his regard to God as the God of heaven; and then to wave it to and fro, in token of his regard to God as the Lord of the whole earth. Be persuaded and encouraged to feed and feast upon Christ, our Peace-offering. This blessed Peace-offering is not for the priests only, for saints of the highest rank and greatest eminence, but for the common people also. Take heed of delay. Many think to repent and return to God when they are dying and dropping into hell; but they should eat the peace-offering, and eat it now. Stay not till the day of the Lord's patience be run out, for eating the third day will not be accepted, nor will catching at Christ when thou art gone to hell!

Verses 35-38 Solemn acts of religious worship are not things which we may do or not do at our pleasure; it is at our peril if we omit them. An observance of the laws of Christ cannot be less necessary than of the laws of Moses.

Chapter Summary

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.