Leviticus 3

1 When any of you offer one of your cattle as a fellowship offering, it is to be a bull or a cow without any defects.

2 You shall put your hand on the head of the animal and kill it at the entrance of the Tent of the Lord's presence. The Aaronite priests shall throw the blood against all four sides of the altar

3 and present the following parts of the animal as a food offering to the Lord: all the fat on the internal organs,

4 the kidneys and the fat on them, and the best part of the liver.

5 The priests shall burn all this on the altar along with the burnt offerings. The odor of this food offering is pleasing to the Lord.

6 If a sheep or goat is used as a fellowship offering, it may be male or female, but it must be without any defects.

7 If you offer a sheep,

8 you shall put your hand on its head and kill it in front of the Tent. The priests shall throw its blood against all four sides of the altar

9 and present the following parts of the animal as a food offering to the Lord: the fat, the entire fat tail cut off near the backbone, all the fat covering the internal organs,

10 the kidneys and the fat on them, and the best part of the liver.

11 The officiating priest shall burn all this on the altar as a food offering to the Lord.

12 If you offer a goat,

13 you shall put your hand on its head and kill it in front of the Tent. The priests shall throw its blood against all four sides of the altar

14 and present the following parts as a food offering to the Lord: all the fat on the internal organs,

15 the kidneys and the fat on them, and the best part of the liver.

16 The priest shall burn all this on the altar as a food offering pleasing to the Lord. All the fat belongs to the Lord.

17 No Israelite may eat any fat or any blood; this is a rule to be kept forever by all Israelites wherever they live.

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.

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.