Leviticus 3

1 And if his gift to the Lord be a peace-offering, if he should bring it of the oxen, whether it be male or whether it be female, he shall bring it unblemished before the Lord.

2 And he shall lay his hands on the head of the gift, and shall slay it before the Lord, by the doors of the tabernacle of witness. And the priests the sons of Aaron shall pour the blood on the altar of burnt-offerings round about.

3 And they shall bring of the peace-offering a burnt-sacrifice to the Lord, the fat covering the belly, and all the fat on the belly.

4 And the two kidneys and the fat that is upon them; he shall take away that which is on the thighs, and the caul above the liver together with the kidneys.

5 And the priests the sons of Aaron shall offer them on the altar on the burnt-offering, on the wood which is on the fire upon the altar: a burnt-offering, a smell of sweet savour to the Lord.

6 And if his gift be of the sheep, a peace-offering to the Lord, male or female, he shall bring it unblemished.

7 If he bring a lamb for his gift, he shall bring it before the Lord.

8 And he shall lay his hands on the head of his offering, and shall slay it by the doors of the tabernacle of witness; and the priests the sons of Aaron shall pour out the blood on the altar round about.

9 And he shall bring of the peace-offering a burnt-sacrifice to the Lord: the fat and the hinder part unblemished he shall take away with the loins, and having taken away all the fat that covers the belly, and all the fat that is on the belly,

10 and both the kidneys and the fat that is upon them, that which is on the thighs, and the caul which is on the liver with the kidneys,

11 the priest shall offer these on the altar: a sacrifice of sweet savour, a burnt-offering to the Lord.

12 And if his offering be of the goats, then shall he bring it before the Lord.

13 And he shall lay his hands on its head; and they shall slay it before the Lord by the doors of the tabernacle of witness; and the priests the sons of Aaron shall pour out the blood on the altar round about.

14 And he shall offer of it a burnt-offering to the Lord, the fat that covers the belly, and all the fat that is on the belly.

15 And both the kidneys, and all the fat that is upon them, that which is upon the thighs, and the caul of the liver with the kidneys, shall he take away.

16 And the priest shall offer it upon the altar: a burnt-offering, a smell of sweet savour to the Lord. All the fat to the Lord.

17 a perpetual statute throughout your generations, in all your habitations; 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.