Leviticus 19:6-8 · Bible study
Leviticus 19:6-8 Commentary: Holy Time
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Analysis of Leviticus 19:6-8 on the third-day prohibition for peace offerings, the meaning of pigul (abomination), and the penalty of being cut off.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Peace offering meat must be eaten within two days; third-day consumption makes it an abomination and brings the penalty of being cut off.
- Key words: pigul (H6292), unclean sacrificial flesh; karat (H3772), to be cut off; qodesh (H6944), holy thing.
- Main debate: Whether “cut off” refers to excommunication or divine death, and whether the third-day rule is purely practical or deeply symbolic.
- Theological theme: God’s holiness sets boundaries for worship; what is offered to him must be handled with reverence, not treated as common.
- Best use: Teaching on the nature of holy worship, the seriousness of covenant fellowship, and the distinction between grateful use and careless disregard of God’s gifts.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
6It shall be eaten on the day you sacrifice it, or on the next day; but what remains on the third day must be burned up.
7If any of it is eaten on the third day, it is tainted and will not be accepted.
8Whoever eats it will bear his iniquity, for he has profaned what is holy to the LORD. That person must be cut off from his people.
WEB World English Bible 2000
6It shall be eaten the same day you offer it, and on the next day. If anything remains until the third day, it shall be burned with fire.
7If it is eaten at all on the third day, it is an abomination. It will not be accepted;
8but everyone who eats it shall bear his iniquity, because he has profaned the holy thing of Yahweh, and that soul shall be cut off from his people.
KJV King James Version 1769
6It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it, and on the morrow: and if ought remain until the third day, it shall be burnt in the fire.
7And if it be eaten at all on the third day, it is abominable; it shall not be accepted.
8Therefore every one that eateth it shall bear his iniquity, because he hath profaned the hallowed thing of the Lord: and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
6It shall be eaten the same day ye offer it, and on the morrow: and if aught remain until the third day, it shall be burnt with fire.
7And if it be eaten at all on the third day, it is an abomination; it shall not be accepted:
8but every one that eateth it shall bear his iniquity, because he hath profaned the holy thing of Jehovah: and that soul shall be cut off from his people.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
6in the day of your sacrificing it is eaten, and on the morrow, and that which is left unto the third day with fire is burnt,
7and if it be really eaten on the third day, it is an abomination, it is not pleasing,
8and he who is eating it his iniquity doth bear, for the holy thing of Jehovah he hath polluted, and that person hath been cut off from his people.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
6On the day when ye sacrifice it shall it be eaten, and on the morrow; and that which remaineth until the third day shall be burned with fire.
7And if it be eaten at all on the third day, it is an unclean thing: it shall not be accepted.
8And he that eateth it shall bear his iniquity; for he hath profaned the hallowed thing of Jehovah; and that soul shall be cut off from among his peoples.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
6You shall eat it on the same day it was offered, and the next day. And whatsoever shall be left until the third day, you shall burn with fire.
7If after two days any man eat thereof, he shall be profane and guilty of impiety:
8And shall bear his iniquity, because he hath defiled the holy thing of the Lord. And that soul shall perish from among his people.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Leviticus 19:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Leviticus 19:6-8 repeats and reinforces the earlier law in Leviticus 7:15-18. The key point is that the flesh of a peace offering must be eaten within two days. Any meat remaining on the third day is called pigul, a Hebrew word meaning “foul thing” or “abominable meat” (Gill notes it is treated “as if it was corrupt and putrefied flesh”). The law requires that leftovers be burned with fire, not consumed. Eating on the third day makes the sacrifice “not accepted”; the offerer bears his iniquity and is “cut off from his people.” The consensus view is that this regulation protects the holiness of the sacrificial meal. The peace offering was a communal act shared with God, the priest, and the worshiper. To extend the eating beyond the allowed time treated God’s holy provision as common, even profane. Keil and Delitzsch connect this to the overarching call in Leviticus 19:2: “You shall be holy, for I, Yahweh your God, am holy.” The time limit guarded against decay and disrespect, keeping the offering pure and the worshiper in right relationship with God.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Practical-spoilage view: Gill and others note the meat would spoil in two days; the rule prevents rotten food being eaten, treating it as corrupt.
- Symbolic-holiness view: Keil and Delitzsch stress that the third day profanes the holy thing, making it an abomination before God regardless of physical state.
- Covenant-boundary view: The penalty of being cut off shows the rule is about maintaining covenant community purity, not just hygiene.
What is clear: All traditions agree that eating the peace offering on the third day was a serious violation that profaned God’s holy provision and carried the penalty of being cut off from God’s people.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The meaning of 'cut off' (karat) | Christians agree the phrase indicates a severe penalty, both social and spiritual, for profaning what is holy. | Some traditions (e.g., Reformed) interpret it as excommunication and removal from the covenant community; others (e.g., older Jewish and some evangelical views) see it as premature death by divine judgment. The text itself does not specify the mechanism. |
| The reason for the third-day prohibition | All commentators note that the rule protects the holiness of the sacrificial flesh and prevents it from being treated as ordinary food. | Some emphasize the practical concern of spoilage in the climate (Gill calls it 'liable to corruption'), while others stress the symbolic violation of God’s appointed time, arguing that the third day represents a breach of sacred order. |
| Application to Christian worship | Christians across traditions see the passage as teaching the importance of reverence toward God and his gifts. | Some apply the principle directly to the Lord’s Supper, urging that the elements be treated with holy care and not consumed casually. Others see only a general lesson about honoring God’s instructions, without direct eucharistic connection. |
Historical & Cultural Context
These verses belong to a section of Leviticus known as the Holiness Code (chapters 17-26). Chapter 19 opens with God commanding Moses to tell the whole congregation: “You shall be holy; for I, Yahweh your God, am holy” (v. 2). The rules that follow, including the peace offering regulation in verses 5-8, apply to every Israelite, not just priests. The peace offering (Hebrew zebach shelamim) was a voluntary sacrifice expressing thanksgiving, a vow, or a freewill gift. Unlike burnt offerings, which were wholly consumed, the peace offering was meant to be eaten in a sacred meal. The offerer, his family, the priests, and invited guests shared the meat before God as an act of fellowship.
In the ancient Near Eastern climate, fresh meat spoiled quickly. A two-day window for eating was practical, but the law goes beyond hygiene. The third day carried symbolic weight: it turned the holy into the common. Gill observes that eating on the third day made the sacrifice as if it were “any common thing, yea, as if it was corrupt.” The command to burn the remainder with fire (v. 6) removed any possibility of private use. The penalty for violating this, “cut off from among his people”, was severe. The Hebrew verb karat (to cut) could mean excommunication from the community or death by divine judgment. The seriousness shows that God’s holiness does not bend to convenience. Matthew Henry notes that the repetition of these laws was “requisite, that they might be remembered.” The rule about the peace offering meal taught Israel that worship has boundaries; even gratitude must follow God’s appointed forms.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Leviticus 19:6-8. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the major translations (WEB, KJV, BSB, etc.) agree closely in wording. The only minor variation is in verse 6, where some translations render “burned with fire” (WEB, ASV) while others have “burnt in the fire” (KJV), a stylistic difference without textual significance.
Reception History
In Jewish tradition, these verses are part of the Holiness Code and the broader laws of sacrifices (korbanot). The penalty karet (being cut off) became a major category in rabbinic thought, applied to various grave sins. The third-day prohibition was understood literally, and the burning of remaining flesh was practiced as a safeguard against misuse. In the Christian tradition, the passage was often read as a type of the perfect sacrifice of Christ. The two-day window was seen by some early interpreters as pointing to the time between Christ’s death and resurrection, the offering was accepted on the third day, not rejected. Later commentators, such as Matthew Henry, emphasized the moral lesson of not allowing holy things to become stale. The rule also influenced Christian practice regarding the disposal of consecrated elements in some liturgical traditions.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God sets a timeframe for his gifts. The peace offering was a gift from God, but the worshiper could not use it on his own schedule. Two days were given; the third day brought judgment. Time itself belongs to God, and holy things must be treated with urgency, not left to spoil.
- Holiness cannot be stretched. Eating on the third day “profaned the holy thing of Yahweh” (v. 8). The word pigul (abomination) signals that what was once acceptable became repulsive. God’s holiness is not relative; when his commands are ignored, the very act of worship becomes offensive.
- Disobedience carries real consequences. The penalty, bearing iniquity and being cut off, shows that casual handling of God’s instructions is not a minor slip. The peace offering was a picture of fellowship; to break fellowship with God by treating his provision carelessly was to break fellowship with the community as well.
Five-point outline
- The peace offering as a shared meal with God (vv. 5-6).
- The two-day grace period for consumption (v. 6).
- The third day: from accepted to abomination (v. 7).
- The penalty: bearing iniquity and being cut off (v. 8).
- The underlying principle: “I am Yahweh your God”, his holiness defines the terms of worship.
Illustration hooks
- A potluck dinner where someone brings leftover casserole from last week. The host has to decide whether to serve it or throw it out. The rule about freshness mirrors the spiritual principle: what was once a generous gift becomes unacceptable when treated carelessly.
- A deadline for RSVPs to a wedding. The couple sets a date; late replies cause confusion. God’s appointed times for worship are not flexible suggestions. The peace offering had an expiration date, and missing it nullified the gift.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this Old Testament rule apply to Christians today? How do we honor God’s holiness in our worship without becoming legalistic?
- What does “cut off from his people” mean? Is it a physical death, excommunication, or something else?
- Why did God care so much about the timing of eating meat? Isn’t the attitude of the heart more important?
Leading a Discussion
This passage shows that God cares not only about what we offer him, but how and when we handle what he gives. The peace offering was a gift of fellowship, and the timeline for eating it mattered because it touched God’s holiness. As you discuss, think about areas where you might be treating God’s gifts as ordinary things.
Discussion questions
- Read Leviticus 19:1-2. How does the call to “be holy” frame the rules about the peace offering that follow?
- Look at the word pigul in verse 7. The Lexicon defines it as “foul thing” or “unclean sacrificial flesh.” Why would meat that was holy on day one become abominable on day three?
- Compare verse 6 (“it shall be eaten the same day…and on the next day”) with Leviticus 7:17-18. What does the repetition tell us about the importance of this rule?
- The penalty for eating on the third day is that the person “shall bear his iniquity” and “shall be cut off from his people” (v. 8). What do you think this meant for an Israelite? How does it illustrate the seriousness of profaning what is holy?
- In what ways might Christians today treat God’s holy gifts, like communion, worship, or spiritual blessings, with casual neglect? How does this passage challenge us?
- How does the command to burn the leftovers (v. 6) remove any private benefit from the sacrifice? What does that say about ownership and God’s rights over what we bring to him?
- This passage is about a specific Old Testament ritual. What principles about worship, time, and reverence can carry over to our relationship with God today?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Leviticus 7:11 | “‘This is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which one shall offer to Yahweh: |
| Leviticus 7:17 | but what remains of the meat of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burned with fire. |
| Leviticus 7:18 | If any of the meat of the sacrifice of his peace offerings is eaten on the third day, it will not be accepted, and it shall not be credited to him who offers it. It will be an abomination, and the soul who eats any of it will bear his iniquity. |
| Leviticus 7:21 | When anyone touches any unclean thing, the uncleanness of man, or an unclean animal, or any unclean abomination, and eats some of the meat of the sacrifice of peace offerings which belong to Yahweh, that soul shall be cut off from his people.’” |
| Leviticus 22:23 | Either a bull or a lamb that has any deformity or lacking in his parts, that you may offer for a free will offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted. |
| Leviticus 22:25 | You must not offer any of these as the bread of your God from the hand of a foreigner, because their corruption is in them. There is a defect in them. They shall not be accepted for you.’” |
| Isaiah 1:13 | Bring no more vain offerings. Incense is an abomination to me. New moons, Sabbaths, and convocations— I can’t stand evil assemblies. |
| Isaiah 65:4 | who sit among the graves, and spend nights in secret places; who eat pig’s meat, and broth of abominable things is in their vessels; |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke points readers to his earlier note on Leviticus 7:15 for the explanation behind the rule that the sacrifice must be eaten by the third day. He does not expand on the meaning here, simply directing to that discussion.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator links the phrase "it is an abomination" back to the laws in Leviticus about what is holy and acceptable. He then connects this with the duties toward neighbors, especially the poor and those needing protection, as laid out in later commands.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The note emphasizes that eating the sacrifice on the third day is not a minor offense but a defilement of what is holy to the Lord. The person bears his own guilt and is cut off from the people, showing that God's appointed times for consuming offerings are strictly enforced.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill stresses that leftover peace offering meat could be eaten the next day but never the third. Eating it on the third day made it abominable and unacceptable, profaning what was holy. The offender bore his own guilt and was cut off from Israel, either by civil or divine punishment.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch see the command to be holy as God is holy as the foundational principle behind every specific rule that follows. Reverence for parents and keeping the Sabbath are the two pillars that uphold both moral order and social well-being, while fidelity to God is tested especially in how sacrificial meals treat the holiness of the flesh.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that God commanded Moses to announce these laws publicly to every Israelite, not only to the priests. He argues that even under the old covenant, true religion did not hide in ignorance but required all people to hear and remember their duty.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley draws a distinction between peace offerings offered for obtaining mercy and those offered in gratitude. The latter must be eaten the same day, while the former could be eaten the next day. This timing difference reflects the specific purpose behind the offering.