Leviticus 6:14-23
The grain offering expresses devotion to God while sustaining those who serve in His sanctuary.
14 “ ‘This is the law of the meal offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before Yahweh, before the altar.
15 He shall take from there his handful of the fine flour of the meal offering, and of its oil, and all the frankincense which is on the meal offering, and shall burn it on the altar for a pleasant aroma, as its memorial portion, to Yahweh.
16 That which is left of it Aaron and his sons shall eat. It shall be eaten without yeast in a holy place. They shall eat it in the court of the Tent of Meeting.
17 It shall not be baked with yeast. I have given it as their portion of my offerings made by fire. It is most holy, as are the sin offering and the trespass offering.
18 Every male among the children of Aaron shall eat of it, as their portion forever throughout your generations, from the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. Whoever touches them shall be holy.’ ”
19 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
20 “This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer to Yahweh in the day when he is anointed: one tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a meal offering perpetually, half of it in the morning, and half of it in the evening.
21 It shall be made with oil in a griddle. When it is soaked, you shall bring it in. You shall offer the meal offering in baked pieces for a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
22 The anointed priest that will be in his place from among his sons shall offer it. By a statute forever, it shall be wholly burned to Yahweh.
23 Every meal offering of a priest shall be wholly burned. It shall not be eaten.”
The grain offering expresses devotion to God while sustaining those who serve in His sanctuary.
This passage provides priestly instructions for handling the grain offering within the sanctuary. It clarifies how the offering is presented before the LORD, how the memorial portion is burned on the altar, and how the remaining portion becomes the priestly provision.
Leviticus 6:14-23 continues the priest-focused section that began in Leviticus 6:8. The previous unit regulated the burnt offering from the priestly side, especially the continual fire and ash removal. This unit now revisits the grain offering from the priestly side. It has two connected parts: the regular grain offering brought by Israelites, from which the priests receive a holy portion, and the special priestly grain offering presented by the anointed priest, which must be burned completely.
Leviticus 6:14-23 belongs to the priestly offering regulations in Israel's wilderness tabernacle worship. It explains how priests handle the grain offering and what is required of priests in their own regular grain offering. Israel is the redeemed covenant people of the LORD, and Aaron's priesthood serves in the sanctuary according to divine command. The grain offering expresses tribute and dedication to God and provides holy food for the priests. The grain offering is presented before the LORD in front of the altar. A memorial portion is burned on the altar, and the remaining portion is eaten by Aaron and his sons without yeast in the courtyard of the tent of meeting. The special grain offering for the anointed priest is prepared with oil on a griddle and burned completely. The instruction is given to Moses for Aaron and his sons, the priests who mediate offerings and receive the priestly share. Grain offerings involved fine flour, oil, and frankincense. A memorial handful was burned to the LORD, and the priestly portion became most holy food. Priestly offerings differed because what a priest brought for himself could not become his own food. The passage revisits the grain offering from Leviticus 2 but now from the priestly perspective. It is part of the priestly handling section that runs through Leviticus 6-7.
Restitution and Priestly Stewardship of the Offerings
The holy LORD requires His people to repair wrongs honestly and His priests to steward the altar and offerings faithfully.