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Leviticus 3

17 verses

TL;DR

Leviticus 3 outlines the procedure for peace offerings, describing the slaughter, blood sprinkling, and burning of specific animal parts, and concludes with a perpetual statute forbidding the consumption of fat and blood.

Summary

The chapter begins with instructions for a peace offering from an animal of the herd, specifying that it must be without blemish and that the priest will lay hands on the animal, slaughter it, sprinkle its blood, and burn certain fats and organs as a burnt offering. The same procedure is repeated for animals from the flock, such as lambs, with detailed directions for the removal of fats, kidneys, and the caul above the liver. For goats, the rites are identical, culminating in a statement that these laws are a perpetual statute, forbidding the consumption of fat and blood for all generations in all dwellings.

Outline
  1. Peace offering of the herd: slaughter, blood sprinkling, and burning of specified parts.
  2. Peace offering of the flock: identical rites with detailed organ removal.
  3. Peace offering of the goat and the mandate to never consume fat or blood.
Themes
Sacrificial obedience and ritual puritySeparation of offerings from consumptionPerpetual law and covenant fidelity
Keywords
peace offeringburnt offeringfatbloodtabernaclealtarsacrificialpriestperpetual statutecovenant
People
Aaron's sonspriest
Places
tabernacle of the congregationaltar
Things
peace offeringburnt offeringfatbloodkidneyscaulsweet savorperpetual statute
Key Verses
  • Leviticus 3:1: Introduces the peace offering and its basic requirements.
  • Leviticus 3:11: Shows the priest's act of burning the fat, highlighting the ceremonial completion.
  • Leviticus 3:17: Concludes the chapter with a lasting covenantal law against eating fat and blood.
Questions
  • Why does Leviticus require that peace offerings be without blemish?
  • What is the symbolic significance of sprinkling blood around the altar?
  • How does the prohibition against consuming fat and blood reflect the holiness code?
  • In what ways does the ritual of the peace offering connect to themes of fellowship and reconciliation?
  • How might the laws in this chapter inform modern discussions about dietary restrictions?
Sentiment

neutral
The passage is procedural and instructive, conveying religious law without explicit emotional tone.