Leviticus 2

CHAPTER 2

The Grain Offering (2:1–16)

1–10 The grain offering was the only major offering that did not involve a blood sacrifice. However, it usually accompanied the other blood sacrifices; it was most likely an expression of thanksgiving and devotion to God, who provides mankind’s daily bread. The grain (flour) could be offered cooked or uncooked, and it was to contain no yeast (see Exodus 12:14–20 and comment). Olive oil was added to the flour (verse 1), and incense was burned along with the offering (Exodus 30:34–38).

A portion (a handful) of the offering was burned on the altar as a memorial portion (verse 2), a reminder of the COVENANT God made with Israel, in which God promised to bless the Israelites and the Israelites promised to obey God’s laws (Exodus 19:5–6,8). The rest of the offering was given to the priests as a most holy part (verses 3,10)—that is, the portion the priests could eat as a holy meal within the Holy Place of the tabernacle.⁶ Recall that the priests were to be given no land of their own, and thus their livelihood depended on the people’s faithfulness in bringing these various offerings to the altar. Only the burnt offering was totally consumed by fire; from all the other offerings a portion was left over for the priests or the people to eat.

11–13 The reason why yeast and honey were not to be burned on the altar is not known. Yeast and honey were not unclean or evil in themselves, because they could be offered as firstfruits⁷ (verse 12); but they could not be burned on the altar. Also, all grain offerings had to be seasoned with salt, presumably because salt was essential for life. Here it is called the salt of the covenant (verse 13); because salt is a purifying agent, it also symbolizes the purity required of all God’s covenant people and of the offerings they present to Him.

14–16 The grain offering had to be ground to fine flour. However, if grain was offered as a firstfruits offering (see Exodus 23:16,19; Leviticus 23:9–11), it would be new grain and thus not easily ground; therefore the crushed heads could be offered instead.

Christians today don’t offer grain offerings on an actual altar, such as the altar of burnt offering. But we do offer “grain offerings” to God every time we give a loaf of bread to a hungry person, every time we give clothes to the naked and lodging to the homeless. Every donation to the church or to a missionary is like a “grain offering” to the Lord (Philippians 4:18; Hebrews 13:16). All of these expressions of love for God’s servants and for the needy are true and pleasing offerings to God. Jesus said: “. . . whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).

Further information concerning the grain offering is given in Leviticus 6:14–23.