Leviticus 3

Leviticus 3 details the regulations for the peace offering (zĕbaḥ, H2007/H8002), a voluntary sacrifice centered on fellowship and thanksgiving between the worshiper and Yahweh. Unlike the burnt offering, this sacrifice implies a shared meal where the fat and select internal organs are reserved for the Lord, while the remaining flesh was typically consumed by the priests and the offerer.

• The text provides the ritual procedure for the herd (vv. 1–5), which includes bringing a male or female blemish-free animal.
• It details the ritual for the flock, distinguishing between a lamb (vv. 6–11) and a goat (vv. 12–16).
• The section concludes with a perpetual statute prohibiting the consumption of fat and blood (v. 17).

• The offering must be tāmîm (H8549, without blemish).
• The worshiper lays their hand upon the head of the offering (סָמַךְ, H5564).
• The fat (ḥēleb, H2459) of the inwards, kidneys, and liver lobe are explicitly reserved for burning on the altar.
• The blood (dām, H1818) is sprinkled around the altar.
• The prohibition against eating fat and blood is presented as a perpetual statute (v. 17).

This passage establishes the peace offering as a mechanism for communion, foreshadowing the peace between God and man established through Christ (Col 1:20). It maintains strict boundaries by reserving the 'best' parts (the fat) and the life-force (the blood) for the Creator.

The peace offering acknowledges that all good things come from God, and the worshiper responds by offering the richest parts of their substance back to Him in an act of fellowship.

The chapter is highly structured, following a tripartite pattern based on the type of animal offered (herd, lamb, goat). Each section moves through an identical sequence of actions: selection, laying on of hands, slaughter, blood manipulation, and the burning of the fat.

• Lay hand upon the head of the offering (vv. 2, 8, 13)
• Kill the offering at the door of the tabernacle (vv. 2, 8, 13)
• Sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about (vv. 2, 8, 13)
• Burn the fat on the altar (vv. 5, 11, 16)

• Eat neither fat nor blood (v. 17)

• The tabernacle (ʾōhel môʿēd, H168/H4150) was the 'tent of meeting' where God dwelt among Israel, requiring strict ritual protocols for proximity to His holiness.
• The offering of animals from the herd (bāqār, H1241) or flock (tso'n, H6629) reflects an agricultural society where livestock was the primary source of wealth and subsistence.

• In the ancient Near East, shared meals were the primary social mechanism for establishing and maintaining peace and covenantal friendship. The zĕbaḥ sanctified this cultural norm by involving God as the primary guest.
• Matthew Henry observes that the peace offering was used by way of supplication or thanksgiving, noting that Christ is our ultimate 'Peace' through whom believers obtain access to God.

• This chapter follows the Burnt Offering (ch. 1) and Grain Offering (ch. 2). Together, they form the 'sweet savour' offerings.
• The narrative structure is interrupted by the specific internal anatomical requirements (liver, kidneys, fat), which distinguishes this sacrifice from others.

• The prohibition of blood is grounded in the earlier foundational command in Genesis 9:4. It is expanded upon in Leviticus 7:11-34 regarding the consumption of the peace offering meat.
• Matthew Henry notes the tension in the historical debate over the extent of the atonement, cautioning against viewing the peace offering as a human merit; rather, Christ alone makes the true peace.

• Hebrews 10:29: The New Testament warns against treating the 'blood of the covenant' as a common thing, echoing the Levitical laws regarding the restricted use of sacrificial blood.

• qorbān (H7133): Properly 'something brought near' (altar/tabernacle).
• zĕbaḥ (H2077/H8002): 'Sacrifice/Peace offering.' The noun H8002 is related to shalom (peace/completeness).
• tāmîm (H8549): 'Without blemish,' denoting integrity/totality.
• ḥēleb (H2459): 'Fat,' specifically the suet or richest part, distinct from the intramuscular fat consumed as meat.
• qāṭar (H6999): 'Burn' (turn into fragrance via fire).

• The peace offering is unique because the worshiper received back part of the animal to eat; the ritual was not entirely consumed by fire, unlike the burnt offering (ch. 1).
• The inclusion of both 'male or female' for the herd is a distinction from the burnt offering which often required males.

• The exact nature of the 'peace' in the peace offering is debated: is it peace *with* God, peace *from* God, or communal peace? The Hebrew term shalom suggests wholeness or completeness in the relationship.
• Historical disagreements exist among commentators regarding whether the peace offering is exclusively a thanksgiving sacrifice or can serve as a vow-offering; the text leaves the specific motivation of the offerer open.