Leviticus 3

1 And if his offering is a sacrifice of peace, if he offers it of the bovine cattle, whether it is male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD.

2 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the testimony, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

3 Then he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace for an offering on fire unto the LORD: the fat that covers the intestines and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

4 and the two kidneys and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks and with the kidneys; he shall take away the caul above the liver.

5 And Aaron’s sons shall incense it on the altar with the burnt sacrifice, which shall be upon the wood that is on the fire; and this shall be an offering on fire, of a very acceptable aroma unto the LORD.

6 And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace unto the LORD is of the sheep, male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.

7 If he offers a lamb for his offering, he shall offer it before the LORD;

8 and he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering and then kill it before the tabernacle of the testimony; and Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood round about upon the altar.

9 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace an offering on fire unto the LORD: its fat and the whole tail, which he shall take off from the backbone and the fat that covers the intestines and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

10 likewise the two kidneys and the fat that is upon them and that which is upon the flanks and with the kidneys he shall take away the caul above the liver.

11 And the priest shall incense it upon the altar, and this shall be the food of the offering on fire unto the LORD.

12 And if his offering is a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD;

13 and he shall lay his hand upon the head of it and kill it before the tabernacle of the testimony; and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle its blood upon the altar round about.

14 Then he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering on fire unto the LORD: the fat that covers the intestines and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

15 and the two kidneys and the fat that is upon them and that which is upon the flanks and with the kidneys he shall take away the caul above the liver.

16 And the priest shall incense them upon the altar; and this shall be the food of the offering on fire of a very acceptable aroma unto the LORD; all the fat is the LORD’s.

17 It shall be a perpetual statute for your ages; throughout all your dwellings that ye shall eat no fat and no blood.

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.