Leviticus Chapter 3

At a Glance

  • Leviticus 3 details the offering of the peace offering (also called the fellowship offering) from the herd or flock.
  • The chapter highlights that sacrifice can bring people together, fostering a shared sense of community and gratitude.
  • Historical & Literary Context.
  • Leviticus 3 sits within the Yahwistic sacrificial code, continuing the priestly instruction on various offerings.
  • - Communion and fellowship: The peace offering centers on sharing food in the presence of the LORD, illustrating restored relationship with God and neighbor.

Chapter Overview

Leviticus 3 details the offering of the peace offering (also called the fellowship offering) from the herd or flock. The process mirrors the other sacrifices with the laying on of hands, slaughter at the tabernacle, and the priest’s role in handling blood and portions. The key feature of the peace offering is its communal and celebratory character: portions are allocated for the altar, for the priest, and for the offerer, with an emphasis on eating and sharing in the presence of the LORD. The ritual specifies which parts are offered on the altar (the fat, kidneys, and certain other portions), while the remainder becomes a food offering with a festive dimension. If the offering is from the flock (sheep or goats), the same pattern follows, emphasizing the harmony between worship and communal fellowship. The peace offering thus embodies reconciliation and blessing—God’s presence is enjoyed in the context of shared meals and mutual joy.

The chapter highlights that sacrifice can bring people together, fostering a shared sense of community and gratitude. It also underscores the inclusivity of God’s invitation to worship: both the individual and the community partake in the feast, reflecting the restored relationship between God and people. The emphasis on the absence of blemish aligns with the broader holiness ethic: offering from the best of what one has remains a consistent requirement. In summary, Leviticus 3 presents the peace offering as a tangible expression of fellowship with God and with one another, where worship becomes a feast, binding the worshiper to God through shared sustenance.

Historical & Literary Context

Leviticus 3 sits within the Yahwistic sacrificial code, continuing the priestly instruction on various offerings. The peace offering’s social and liturgical function distinguishes it from the sin and burnt offerings by foregrounding communal meals and celebration in the presence of God. The genre remains covenant law with priestly interpretation, illustrating how ritual acts shape social cohesion and spiritual renewal. The text reinforces the idea that worship is not only about atonement but about blessing, reconciliation, and adjacency to God’s presence. The literary structure reinforces the “table and altar” motif, where food and sacrifice intertwine, forming a holistic picture of worship as both sacrifice and feast.

Key Themes

- Communion and fellowship: The peace offering centers on sharing food in the presence of the LORD, illustrating restored relationship with God and neighbor.

- Holiness and excellence: The requirement of offerings from the herd or flock and the removal of fat emphasize the best given to God.

- Mediation and participation: The priest’s role in handling blood and portions remains essential, while the offerer participates directly in the meal.

- God’s blessing and acceptance: The offering is made with confidence that it is “an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.”

Modern Application

Leviticus 3 invites believers to view worship as a communal celebration of grace. The peace offering model suggests that worship should include hospitality, shared meals, and genuine fellowship within the church and family. It challenges modern readers to consider how communities can “feast” together in ways that honor God—sharing resources, time, and care for one another as expressions of divine blessing. The emphasis on giving the best of what one has remains a timeless standard for generosity and devotion. The chapter also invites a meditative practice: recognizing the divine presence in ordinary meals, and using such moments to bless others, cultivate gratitude, and strengthen communal bonds. In Christ’s framework, this can translate into acts of hospitality, communal worship, and celebrations that honor God while inviting others into his grace.

Cross-References: Leviticus 1–2 (offerings and memorial), Leviticus 7 (laws of the peace offering), Exodus 12 (bread and fellowship motifs), Luke 15 (fellowship and welcome)

Recommended Personas: Jesus (the fulfillment of peace with God and neighbor), Paul (gospel-shaped community and feast), Moses (covenant context), David (psalms of thanksgiving for fellowship)

Chapter Text

1

And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the herd; whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD.

2

And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron’s sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

3

And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

4

And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.

5

And Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

6

And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering unto the LORD be of the flock; male or female, he shall offer it without blemish.

7

If he offer a lamb for his offering, then shall he offer it before the LORD.

8

And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof round about upon the altar.

9

And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat thereof, and the whole rump, it shall he take off hard by the backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

10

And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.

11

And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto the LORD.

12

And if his offering be a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD.

13

And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about.

14

And he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

15

And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.

16

And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour: all the fat is the LORD’s.

17

It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.

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