Leviticus 2

The Grain Offering: Consecrated Tribute Before the LORD

The LORD instructs Israel to bring grain offerings prepared with flour, oil, and incense, excluding yeast and honey, including salt, and offering a memorial portion by fire while the remainder supports the priests.

World English Bible, Public Domain

Fine flour, oil, and incense are brought to the priests, with a memorial portion burned to the LORD and the remainder given to the priesthood.

Leviticus 2:1-3

The worshiper presents the fruit of his labor to the LORD in a consecrated offering, acknowledging God's provision and sustaining the ministry of His sanctuary.

1 “ ‘When anyone offers an offering of a meal offering to Yahweh, his offering shall be of fine flour. He shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it.

2 He shall bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests. He shall take his handful of its fine flour, and of its oil, with all its frankincense, and the priest shall burn its memorial on the altar, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.

3 That which is left of the meal offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. It is a most holy part of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire.

Baked, griddled, and pan-cooked offerings show that ordinary prepared food can be brought into ordered covenant worship when presented according to God's command.

Leviticus 2:4-10

God receives offerings prepared from the fruit of daily labor when they are brought according to His appointed pattern and devoted to Him.

4 “ ‘When you offer an offering of a meal offering baked in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.

5 If your offering is a meal offering made on a griddle, it shall be of unleavened fine flour, mixed with oil.

6 You shall cut it in pieces, and pour oil on it. It is a meal offering.

7 If your offering is a meal offering of the pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.

8 You shall bring the meal offering that is made of these things to Yahweh. It shall be presented to the priest, and he shall bring it to the altar.

9 The priest shall take from the meal offering its memorial, and shall burn it on the altar, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.

10 That which is left of the meal offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. It is a most holy part of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire.

Yeast and honey are forbidden from altar burning, while salt is required, emphasizing covenant permanence, purity, and ordered holiness.

Leviticus 2:11-13

The LORD governs not only the act of offering but also the character of what is offered, preserving purity and covenant faithfulness in Israel's worship.

11 “ ‘No meal offering which you shall offer to Yahweh shall be made with yeast; for you shall burn no yeast, nor any honey, as an offering made by fire to Yahweh.

12 As an offering of first fruits you shall offer them to Yahweh, but they shall not rise up as a pleasant aroma on the altar.

13 Every offering of your meal offering you shall season with salt. You shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your meal offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.

The earliest produce may be presented as a consecrated firstfruits offering, acknowledging the LORD as giver of the harvest.

Leviticus 2:14-16

The first produce of the land belongs to the LORD and must be consecrated to Him before it is enjoyed by His people.

14 “ ‘If you offer a meal offering of first fruits to Yahweh, you shall offer for the meal offering of your first fruits fresh heads of grain parched with fire and crushed.

15 You shall put oil on it and lay frankincense on it. It is a meal offering.

16 The priest shall burn as its memorial part of its crushed grain and part of its oil, along with all its frankincense. It is an offering made by fire to Yahweh.

Key Terms

נֶפֶשׁ nephesh H5315
קָרַב qarab H7126
קָרְבָּן qorban H7133
מִנְחָה minchah H4503
סֹלֶת solet H5560
שֶׁמֶן shemen H8081
לְבֹנָה levonah H3828
מְלֹא melo H4393
קָטַר qatar H6999
אִשֶּׁה ishsheh H801
רֵיחַ reach H7381

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