Leviticus3

New Living Translation

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¹“If you present an animal from the herd as a peace offering to the Lord, it may be a male or a female, but it must have no defects.

²Lay your hand on the animal’s head, and slaughter it at the entrance of the Tabernacle. Then Aaron’s sons, the priests, will splatter its blood against all sides of the altar.

³The priest must present part of this peace offering as a special gift to the Lord. This includes all the fat around the internal organs,

⁴the two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. These must be removed with the kidneys,

⁵and Aaron’s sons will burn them on top of the burnt offering on the wood burning on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the Lord.

⁶“If you present an animal from the flock as a peace offering to the Lord, it may be a male or a female, but it must have no defects.

⁷If you present a sheep as your offering, bring it to the Lord,

⁸lay your hand on its head, and slaughter it in front of the Tabernacle. Aaron’s sons will then splatter the sheep’s blood against all sides of the altar.

⁹The priest must present the fat of this peace offering as a special gift to the Lord. This includes the fat of the broad tail cut off near the backbone, all the fat around the internal organs,

¹⁰the two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. These must be removed with the kidneys,

¹¹and the priest will burn them on the altar. It is a special gift of food presented to the Lord.

¹²“If you present a goat as your offering, bring it to the Lord,

¹³lay your hand on its head, and slaughter it in front of the Tabernacle. Aaron’s sons will then splatter the goat’s blood against all sides of the altar.

¹⁴The priest must present part of this offering as a special gift to the Lord. This includes all the fat around the internal organs,

¹⁵the two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. These must be removed with the kidneys,

¹⁶and the priest will burn them on the altar. It is a special gift of food, a pleasing aroma to the Lord. All the fat belongs to the Lord.

¹⁷“You must never eat any fat or blood. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation, wherever you live.”

Study Guide

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Leviticus 3.

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Chapter Summary

In this chapter: The peace-offering of the herd. (1–5). The peace-offering of the flock. (6–17).

vv1-5

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.

vv6-17

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, Heb 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.

Key Words

offeringH7133Hebrew

קׇרְבָּן: something brought near the altar, i.e. a sacrificial present

sacrificeH2077Hebrew

זֶבַח: properly, a slaughter, i.e. the flesh of an animal; by implication, a sacrifice (the victim or the act)

peace offeringH8002Hebrew

שֶׁלֶם: properly, requital, i.e. a (voluntary) sacrifice in thanks

offersH7126Hebrew

קָרַב: to approach (causatively, bring near) for whatever purpose

herdH1241Hebrew

בָּקָר: beef cattle or an animal of the ox family of either gender (as used for plowing); collectively, a herd

maleH2145Hebrew

זָכָר: properly, remembered, i.e. a male (of man or animals, as being the most noteworthy sex)

femaleH5347Hebrew

נְקֵבָה: female (from the sexual form)

without blemishH8549Hebrew

תָּמִים: entire (literally, figuratively or morally); also (as noun) integrity, truth

beforeH6440Hebrew

פָּנִים: the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)

layH5564Hebrew

סָמַךְ: to prop (literally or figuratively); reflexively, to lean upon or take hold of (in a favorable or unfavorable sense)