Leviticus 3 -- Old Testament -- Gospel Daily

Leviticus

Chapter 3

Laws of the Peace Offering

Leviticus 3 sets out the detailed regulations governing the peace offering (shelamim), covering three categories of acceptable animals: cattle from the herd, lamb from the flock, and goat. In each case, the worshipper presents an unblemished animal before the LORD, lays a hand upon its head, and slaughters it at the door of the tabernacle, after which Aaron's sons sprinkle the blood upon the altar. The designated fatty portions — including the fat covering the inwards, the two kidneys, and the caul above the liver — are burned on the altar as a fire offering of sweet savour to the LORD. The chapter closes with a perpetual statute binding on all generations: the people of Israel are forbidden to eat either fat or blood.

Peace offeringUnblemished sacrificePriestly ritualFat and blood prohibitionSweet savour to God

¹ And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD.

² And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

³ And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

⁴ And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.

⁵ And Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

⁶ And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering unto the LORD be of the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.

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

⁸ And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof round about upon the altar.

⁹ And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat thereof, and the whole rump, it shall he take off hard by the backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

¹⁰ And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.

¹¹ And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto the LORD.

¹² And if his offering be a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD.

¹³ And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about.

¹⁴ And he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

¹⁵ And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.

¹⁶ And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour: all the fat is the LORD's.

¹⁷ It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.