Leviticus Chapter 3 — The Peace Offering
Leviticus 3 provides instructions for the peace offering, which could be an animal from the herd or flock. It concludes with a law forbidding the consumption of fat and blood.
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Notable Verses
Leviticus 3:1
“‘If his offering is a sacrifice of peace offerings, if he offers it from the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without defect before the LORD.”
This verse introduces the peace offering and notes that animals of either gender could be used, provided they were healthy.
Leviticus 3:16
“The priest shall burn them on the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma; all the fat is the LORD’s.”
This highlights the sacredness of the fat as a portion reserved exclusively for God.
Leviticus 3:17
“It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that you shall eat neither fat nor blood.”
This verse establishes a long-standing dietary restriction for the people of Israel.
Chapter Summary
Leviticus 3 outlines the regulations for the peace offering, or fellowship offering, which serves as a voluntary sacrifice. These offerings could consist of cattle, sheep, or goats, and unlike burnt offerings, they could be either male or female, provided they were without defect. The ritual involved the worshiper laying their hand on the animal's head before it was killed at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. The priests then sprinkled the blood against the altar. Specific portions of the animal, primarily the internal fat, the kidneys, and the lobe of the liver, were removed and burned on the altar as a pleasant aroma to the Lord. The chapter emphasizes that the fat is reserved specifically for God. It concludes with a perpetual statute for the Israelites: they were strictly forbidden from eating any fat or any blood in all their dwellings, marking these portions as belonging to the Lord.
Frequently Asked Questions
A peace offering, also known as a fellowship offering, was a voluntary sacrifice that symbolized communal peace and gratitude between the worshiper and God. It differed from other offerings because parts of the animal were burned for God, while other parts could be shared and eaten.
In the sacrificial system, the fat was considered the best and richest part of the animal. By burning it, the worshiper was giving the choicest portion to God as a 'pleasant aroma,' signifying total devotion.
Yes, unlike the burnt offering in chapter 1 which required a male, the peace offering allowed for either a male or female animal from the herd or flock, as long as it was without defect.
Leviticus 3 concludes with a perpetual statute that the Israelites must not eat any fat or any blood. The fat belonged to the Lord as the best portion, and the blood was treated as sacred because it was used for atonement on the altar.
Study Note
The Hebrew term for peace offering is 'shelamim,' which is related to 'shalom' (peace) and implies a state of wholeness or restoration of a relationship.
Related Chapters
Leviticus 7
Chapter 7 provides further details on how the priests and worshipers shared the meat of the peace offering.
Leviticus 17
This chapter expands on the prohibition of eating blood and explains its significance in the sacrificial system.
Exodus 29
Describes the implementation of peace offerings during the consecration of the priests at the Tabernacle.
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