Leviticus 3

The Fellowship Offering

1 "If his offering is a fellowship sacrifice,^[a] and he is presenting [an animal] from the herd, whether male or female, he must present one without blemish before the Lord.

2 He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering^[b] and slaughter it at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Then Aaron's sons the priests will sprinkle the blood on all sides of the altar.

3 He will present part of the fellowship sacrifice as a fire offering to the Lord: the fat surrounding the entrails, all the fat that is on the entrails,

4 and the two kidneys with the fat on them at the loins; he will also remove the fatty lobe of the liver with the kidneys.

5 Aaron's sons will burn it on the altar along with the burnt offering that is on the burning wood, a fire offering of a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

6 "If his offering as a fellowship sacrifice to the Lord is from the flock, he must present a male or female without blemish.

7 If he is presenting a lamb for his offering, he is to present it before the Lord.

8 He must lay his hand on the head of his offering, then slaughter it before the tent of meeting. Aaron's sons will sprinkle its blood on all sides of the altar.

9 He will then present part of the fellowship sacrifice as a fire offering to the Lord [consisting of] its fat and the entire fat tail,^[c] which he is to remove close to the backbone. He will also remove the fat surrounding the entrails, all the fat on the entrails,

10 the two kidneys with the fat on them at the loins, and the fatty lobe of the liver above the kidneys.

11 Then the priest will burn it on the altar as food,^[d] a fire offering to the Lord.

12 "If his offering is a goat, he is to present it before the Lord.

13 He must lay his hand on its head and slaughter it before the tent of meeting. Aaron's sons will sprinkle^[e] its blood on all sides of the altar.

14 He will present part of his offering as a fire offering to the Lord: the fat surrounding the entrails, all the fat that is on the entrails,

15 and the two kidneys with the fat on them at the loins; he will also remove the fatty lobe of the liver with the kidneys.

16 Then the priest will burn them on the altar as food, a fire offering for a pleasing aroma.^[f] "All fat belongs to the Lord.^[g]

17 This is a permanent statute throughout your generations, wherever you live: you must not eat any fat or any blood."^[h]

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]. Lv 7:11-21; Ex 20:24; Nm 10:10; Am 5:22
• [b]. Lv 4:4; 16:21; Ex 29:10
• [c]. Lv 7:3; 8:25; 9:19; Ex 29:22
• [d]. Lv 3:16; 21:6,8,21; Nm 28:2,24
• [e]. Or dash
• [f]. Sam, LXX add to the Lord
• [g]. Lv 4:31,35; 17:6; Gn 4:4; Isa 1:11
• [h]. Lv 17:10-12; Gn 9:3-4; Ezk 44:15

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.