Leviticus, Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Verses 1-16: The Grain Offering

1. “When anyone brings a grain offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour. He shall pour oil on it and put frankincense on it
2. and bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests. One of them shall take from it his handful of its fine flour and oil with all of its frankincense, and the priest shall burn this as its memorial portion on the altar, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
3. The rest of the grain offering shall be for Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the LORD’s food offerings.
4. “When you bring a grain offering baked in an oven, it shall be unleavened loaves of fine flour mixed with oil or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.
5. If your offering is a grain offering baked on a griddle, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mixed with oil.
6. You shall break it in pieces and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering.
7. If your offering is a grain offering cooked in a pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.
8. You shall bring the grain offering that is made of these things to the LORD; and when it is presented to the priest, he shall bring it to the altar.
9. The priest shall take from the grain offering its memorial portion and burn this on the altar, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
10. The rest of the grain offering shall be for Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the LORD’s food offerings.
11. “No grain offering that you bring to the LORD shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, as a food offering to the LORD.
12. As an offering of firstfruits you may bring them to the LORD, but they shall not be offered on the altar for a pleasing aroma.
13. You shall season all your grain offerings with salt. You shall not let the salt of the covenant with your God be missing from your grain offering; with all your offerings you shall offer salt.
14. If you offer a grain offering of your firstfruits to the LORD, you shall offer for the grain offering of your firstfruits fresh ears, roasted with fire, crushed new grain.
15. And you shall put oil on it and lay frankincense on it; it is a grain offering.
16. The priest shall burn as its memorial portion some of the crushed grain and some of the oil with all of its frankincense; it is a food offering to the LORD.

Interpretation: Leviticus 2 outlines the regulations for grain offerings, distinguishing them as a significant aspect of worship and devotion to God. These offerings, made from fine flour with oil and frankincense, symbolize thanksgiving and dedication to the LORD. The prohibition of leaven and honey, and the mandate to include salt, symbolize the offering’s purity and the perpetuity of the covenant between God and Israel. The grain offering, partly consumed on the altar and partly reserved for the priests, signifies the shared sustenance between God, the priests, and the offeror, underscoring themes of provision, consecration, and the sacred community. The detailed instructions reflect the importance of approaching God with offerings that are both respectful of divine holiness and reflective of the covenantal relationship.