Leviticus 3

Laws for Peace Offerings

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.

²He shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall sprinkle the blood around on the altar.

³He shall offer of the sacrifice of peace offerings an offering made by fire to the LORD. The fat that covers the innards, and all the fat that is on the innards,

⁴and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away.

⁵Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar on the burnt offering, which is on the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to the LORD.

⁶“‘If his offering for a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD is from the flock, either male or female, he shall offer it without defect.

⁷If he offers a lamb for his offering, then he shall offer it before the LORD;

⁸and he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it before the Tent of Meeting. Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar.

⁹He shall offer from the sacrifice of peace offerings an offering made by fire to the LORD; its fat, the entire tail fat, he shall take away close to the backbone; and the fat that covers the entrails, and all the fat that is on the entrails,

¹⁰and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away.

¹¹The priest shall burn it on the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire to the LORD.

¹²“‘If his offering is a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD.

¹³He shall lay his hand on its head, and kill it before the Tent of Meeting; and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar.

¹⁴He shall offer from it as his offering, an offering made by fire to the LORD; the fat that covers the innards, and all the fat that is on the innards,

¹⁵and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away.

¹⁶The 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.

¹⁷“‘It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that you shall eat neither fat nor blood.’”

Previous Leviticus 2

Next Leviticus 4

Leviticus 3 establishes the regulations for peace offerings, a type of sacrifice that expresses gratitude, fulfills vows, or celebrates fellowship with God. The chapter provides detailed instructions for offering cattle, sheep, or goats, specifying that the animal must be without defect and that specific portions of fat and organs must be burned on the altar as 'food' for the LORD. The chapter concludes with a perpetual prohibition against consuming fat or blood, emphasizing that these belong exclusively to God.

Context

Following the burnt offering laws in chapters 1-2, this chapter continues the sacrificial system instructions that will be completed with sin and guilt offerings in chapters 4-5.

Key Themes

Outline

1-5
Peace Offerings from Cattle Instructions for offering bulls or cows, including the laying on of hands, slaughter, and burning of fat portions.
6-11
Peace Offerings from Sheep Similar procedures for lamb offerings, with special attention to the fat tail that must be completely removed.
12-16
Peace Offerings from Goats Regulations for goat sacrifices, emphasizing that the fat portions are 'food' offerings that create a pleasant aroma to the LORD.
17
Perpetual Prohibition A permanent statute forbidding the consumption of fat or blood by the Israelites in all their dwellings.

Laws for Peace Offerings

3:1–3:17

law instruction solemn

Laws for peace offerings from cattle, sheep, and goats, detailing the ritual procedures and fat portions to be burned. These offerings symbolize fellowship and communion between the worshiper and God.

person_contrast

Aaron's sons appear in this peace offering ritual despite Aaron himself being absent from the text, creating the only Levitical sacrifice where priestly succession operates without the high priest's direct presence.