Leviticus 3. Laws for Peace Offerings

Laws for Peace Offerings

• Peace Offering (Fellowship Offering) : שֶׁלֶםזֶבַח שְׁלָמִים (zevach shelamim) means “sacrifice of peace”. Signifies fellowship and communion
  • Herd, Sheep, Goats: can be male or female without blemish
• I was a bit confused on burnt vs peace offerings. Seems that burnt offerings symbolize total surrender to God, while the peace offering was shared in a meal to celebrate fellowship or gratitude with God.
  • Leviticus 7 says that Peace Offerings can be given for thanksgiving, a vow, or as a freewill offering
• Differences from burnt offerings:
  • no birds are allowed
  • female animals are allowed
  • In Leviticus 7 we will also see that the giver may partake in portions of the meat with the priests.

“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.

• Herd Peace Offerings
  • Male or female without blemish
  • Lay hands on it and killed at tabernacle entrance
  • Throw/splash blood at altar
  • The portions burned to God are primarily the fat and internal organs (best part)
  • Remove kidneys and long lobe of liver
• Interesting: the peace offering is burned “on top of the burnt offering” already burning on the altar (v. 5).

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 Then from the sacrifice of the peace offering he shall offer as a food offering to the Lord its fat; he shall remove the whole fat tail, cut off close to the backbone, and 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.

• Sheep Peace Offerings
  • Same as Herd Peace Offerings
  • Sheep have an additional part offered: the fat tail, considered a delicacy and offered wholly to God.

¹² “If his offering is a goat, then he shall offer it before the Lord ¹³ and 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 covering 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.”

• Goat Peace Offerings
  • Same as above
• “It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, in all your dwelling places, that you eat neither fat nor blood” Israel was forbidden from eating the sacrificial fat or blood (also see Leviticus 17)
  • Fat: belongs to the LORD (3:16).
  • Blood: represents life and belongs to God.