Leviticus 3:16

16 And the priest shall burn them upon the altar, for the food of the fire, and of a most sweet savour. All the fat shall be the Lord’s.

Leviticus 3:16 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 3:16

And the priest shall burn them upon the altar
Which shows that not the fat only, but the inwards and the kidneys, were burnt also; so Maimonides says F12, that the priest salted the parts, and burned them upon the altar; and the priests might not have the breast and shoulder (which were what belonged to them) until the parts were burnt:

[it is] the food of the offering made by fire;
which the Lord ate of, or accepted of:

for a sweet savour;
as a type of the sweet smelling sacrifice of Christ, with which he is well pleased;

all the fat is the Lord's;
that is, all that was upon the parts mentioned in the several sacrifices of peace offerings, which was to be taken off and burnt: though the Jewish writers understand it of all fat in general, and so interpret the law that follows.


FOOTNOTES:

F12 Ut supra, (Maaseh Hakorbanot) c. 9. sect. 11.

Leviticus 3:16 In-Context

14 And they shall take of it for the food of the Lord’s fire, the fat that covereth the belly, and that covereth all the vital parts:
15 The two little kidneys with the caul that is upon them which is by the flanks, and the fat of the liver with the little kidneys.
16 And the priest shall burn them upon the altar, for the food of the fire, and of a most sweet savour. All the fat shall be the Lord’s.
17 By a perpetual law for your generations, and in all your habitations: neither blood nor fat shall you eat at all.
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