Leviticus, Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Verses 1-17: The Fellowship Offering

1. “If his offering is a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offers an animal from the herd, male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD.
2. And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and kill it at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall throw the blood against the sides of the altar.
3. And from the sacrifice of the peace offering, as a food offering to the LORD, he shall offer the fat covering the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails,
4. and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the long lobe of the liver that he shall remove with the kidneys.
5. Then Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar on top of the burnt offering, which is on the wood on the fire; it is a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
6. “If his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering to the LORD is an animal from the flock, male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.
7. If he offers a lamb for his offering, then he shall offer it before the LORD,
8. lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it in front of the tent of meeting; and Aaron’s sons shall throw its blood against the sides of the altar.
9. And from the sacrifice of the peace offering, as a food offering to the LORD, he shall offer its fat, the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails,
10. and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the long lobe of the liver that he shall remove with the kidneys.
11. And the priest shall burn it on the altar as a food offering to the LORD.
12. “If his offering is a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD,
13. lay his hand on its head and kill it in front of the tent of meeting, and the sons of Aaron shall throw its blood against the sides of the altar.
14. Then he shall offer from it, as his offering for a food offering to the LORD, the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails,
15. and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the long lobe of the liver that he shall remove with the kidneys.
16. And the priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering with a pleasing aroma. All fat is the LORD’s.
17. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, in all your dwelling places, that you eat neither fat nor blood.”

Interpretation: Chapter 3 of Leviticus details the peace or fellowship offering, highlighting its role in worship as an expression of gratitude and fellowship with God. This offering, which could be from the herd or flock, emphasizes the community’s shared meal with God, where the fat and blood are devoted exclusively to Him as a symbol of honor and respect. The laying on of hands and the sprinkling of blood signify the offeror’s identification with the sacrifice, and the burning of the fat on the altar symbolizes the offering’s transformation into a pleasing aroma for the LORD. This chapter reinforces the sacredness of blood and fat, reserving them for God alone in the sacrificial system, and establishes a perpetual ordinance for the Israelites, underscoring themes of communion, sanctity, and the covenant relationship between God and His people.