Priestly Instructions for the Grain Offering
The grain offering expresses devotion to God while sustaining those who serve in His sanctuary.
Leviticus 6:14-23 (BSB)
14 Now this is the law of the grain offering: Aaron’s sons shall present it before the LORD in front of the altar.
15 The priest is to remove a handful of fine flour and olive oil, together with all the frankincense from the grain offering, and burn the memorial portion on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
16 Aaron and his sons are to eat the remainder. It must be eaten without leaven in a holy place; they are to eat it in the courtyard of the Tent of Meeting.
17 It must not be baked with leaven; I have assigned it as their portion of My food offerings. It is most holy, like the sin offering and the guilt offering.
18 Any male among the sons of Aaron may eat it. This is a permanent portion from the food offerings to the LORD for the generations to come. Anything that touches them will become holy.”
19 Then the LORD said to Moses,
20 “This is the offering that Aaron and his sons must present to the LORD on the day he is anointed: a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a regular grain offering, half of it in the morning and half in the evening.
21 It shall be prepared with oil on a griddle; you are to bring it well-kneaded and present it as a grain offering broken in pieces, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
22 The priest, who is one of Aaron’s sons and will be anointed to take his place, is to prepare it. As a permanent portion for the LORD, it must be burned completely.
23 Every grain offering for a priest shall be burned completely; it is not to be eaten.”
What is the big idea of Leviticus 6:14-23?
The grain offering expresses devotion to God while sustaining those who serve in His sanctuary.
How does Leviticus 6:14-23 point to Christ?
The grain offering shows that worship involves both honoring God and sustaining those who serve Him. The priestly provision built into the sacrificial system demonstrates that God cares for those who are devoted to the ministry of the sanctuary.
How does Leviticus 6:14-23 relate to the life and ministry of Jesus?
Leviticus 6:14-23 should first be read as priestly instruction for grain offerings. Within the whole canon, it prepares categories fulfilled in Christ: holy priesthood, offering to God, consecrated service, and the distinction between priestly provision and priestly self-dedication. Christ is the true priest who does not merely eat from holy provision but gives himself wholly to God for his people. His priestly service is not divided by sin, self-interest, or incomplete consecration. The complete burning of the priestly grain offering points by pattern, not simplistic one-to-one prediction, toward the truth that the mediator must be wholly devoted to the LORD.
Authorial Intent
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.
Questions for Reflection
- What does the grain offering teach about devotion and gratitude toward God?
- Why does God provide for the priests through the offerings brought by the people?
- How does the holiness of the offering shape the way it is handled?
- What does the priestly grain offering reveal about the dedication required for spiritual leadership?
Literary Context
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.
Historical Context
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.
Chapter: Leviticus 6
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.