Leviticus 3:7-11 · Bible study
Leviticus 3:7-11 Commentary: Peace Offering Lamb
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine the age and gender requirements of the keseb (sheep/lamb) in the peace offering, and what its best fat symbolized for Israel.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Instructions for a peace offering from the flock, focusing on the handling of fat and blood.
- Key words: keseb (sheep/lamb, age debated), shelamim (peace offerings), alyah (fat tail), lechem (food/bread).
- Main debate: Whether keseb means a young lamb of the first year or a full-grown sheep in its prime.
- Theological theme: God as host and recipient of the choicest portions, the peace offering as shared fellowship.
- Best use: Illustrating God's desire for relationship and our call to give Him our best.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
7If he is presenting a lamb for his offering, he must present it before the LORD.
8He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood on all sides of the altar.
9And from the peace offering he shall bring an offering made by fire to the LORD consisting of its fat: the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on them,
10both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys.
11Then the priest is to burn them on the altar as food, an offering made by fire to the LORD.
WEB World English Bible 2000
7If he offers a lamb for his offering, then he shall offer it before Yahweh;
8and he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it before the Tent of Meeting. Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar.
9He shall offer from the sacrifice of peace offerings an offering made by fire to Yahweh; its fat, the entire tail fat, he shall take away close to the backbone; and the fat that covers the entrails, and all the fat that is on the entrails,
10and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away.
11The priest shall burn it on the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire to Yahweh.
KJV King James Version 1769
7If he offer a lamb for his offering, then shall he offer it before the Lord.
8And 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.
9And 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,
10And 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.
11And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto the Lord.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
7If he offer a lamb for his oblation, then shall he offer it before Jehovah;
8and he shall lay his hand upon the head of his oblation, and kill it before the tent of meeting: and Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about.
9And he shall offer of the sacrifice of peace-offerings an offering made by fire unto Jehovah; the fat thereof, the fat tail entire, he shall take away hard by the backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
10and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the loins, and the caul upon the liver, with the kidneys, shall he take away.
11And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto Jehovah.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
7if a sheep he is bringing near for his offering, then he hath brought it near before Jehovah,
8and hath laid his hand on the head of his offering, and hath slaughtered it before the tent of meeting, and sons of Aaron have sprinkled its blood on the altar round about.
9`And he hath brought near from the sacrifice of the peace-offerings a fire-offering to Jehovah, its fat, the whole fat tail (over-against the bone he doth turn it aside), and the fat which is covering the inwards, and all the fat which is on the inwards,
10and the two kidneys, and the fat which is on them, which is on the flanks, and the redundance above the liver, (beside the kidneys he doth turn it aside),
11and the priest hath made it a perfume on the altar--bread of a fire-offering to Jehovah.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
7If he present a sheep for his offering, then shall he present it before Jehovah,
8and shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and slaughter it before the tent of meeting; and Aaron's sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about.
9And he shall present of the sacrifice of peace-offering an offering by fire to Jehovah; the fat thereof, the whole fat tail, which he shall take off close by the backbone, and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is on the inwards,
10and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the net above the liver which he shall take away as far as the kidneys;
11and the priest shall burn it on the altar: [it is] the food of the offering by fire to Jehovah.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
7If he offer a lamb before the Lord:
8He shall put his hand upon the head of the victim. And it shall be slain in the entry of the tabernacle of the testimony: and the sons of Aaron shall pour the blood thereof round about upon the altar.
9And they shall offer of the victim of peace offerings, a sacrifice to the Lord: the fat and the whole rump,
10With the kidneys, and the fat that covereth the belly and all the vitals and both the little kidneys, with the fat that is about the flanks, and the caul of the liver with the little kidneys.
11And the priest shall burn them upon the altar, for the food of the fire, and of the oblation of the Lord.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Leviticus 3:7
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that the peace offering (Hebrew: shelamim) was unique among Israel's sacrifices in that both male and female animals were permitted (Leviticus 3:1; 3:6). The lamb or sheep specified in 3:7 is the Hebrew keseb (כֶּשֶׂב), a term whose exact age range is debated. Barnes describes it as “a full-grown sheep, in its prime,” while Lange notes an intermediate age “between the lamb and the ram of three years old.” Gill appeals to Maimonides for the common rabbinic view that keseb always means a first-year animal. The animal was to be “without defect” (3:6), the offerer laid a hand on its head (3:8), and the priests sprinkled the blood. The fat, especially the large fat tail of eastern sheep, which could weigh 15, 50 pounds (Clarke, Barnes), was burned on the altar as “food” for Yahweh (3:11). All agree that the fat belonged exclusively to God (3:16).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Young lamb (first year): Gill, citing Maimonides, states that wherever keseb appears in the law it means a first-year animal. This view is supported by other rabbinic sources.
- Full-grown sheep in prime: Barnes describes keseb as 'a full-grown sheep, in its prime,' based on context and comparison with other uses.
- Intermediate age between lamb and ram: Lange, following Bochart, argues that keseb is a sheep of intermediate age, between a lamb (taleh) and a three-year-old ram (ayil).
What is clear: All traditions agree the animal was a sheep from the flock, offered without defect, male or female, and that its fat and blood were handled strictly according to the prescribed ritual.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Interpretation of Hebrew keseb (כֶּשֶׂב) | The word refers to a sheep from the flock, without defect, and can be male or female. | Some scholars (e.g., Gill following Maimonides) hold it means a first-year lamb; Barnes argues for a full-grown sheep in its prime; Lange suggests an intermediate age between lamb and ram. The supplied commentaries do not resolve the disagreement. |
| Purpose of laying on the hand | The offerer placed a hand on the animal's head before slaughter, indicating identification with the offering. | Was this a confession of sin (as for the burnt offering) or an act of thanksgiving and praise? Ellicott notes that for peace offerings, the laying on of hands likely accompanied words of praise rather than confession. |
| Gender of the animal | The passage does not specify gender, so both male and female are permitted (cf. Leviticus 3:1, 3:6). | No debate; this is consistent across all supplied sources. |
| Meaning of 'food' for God | The burnt fat is called 'food' (lechem) in a metaphorical sense, God does not eat literally, but accepts the offering as pleasing. | Early interpreters like Clarke connect this to the concept of God feasting with His people; Wesley calls it 'the fuel of the fire' and a symbol of God's acceptance. No substantive disagreement. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Leviticus 3:7-11 describes the peace offering from the flock, an occasion of joy and fellowship. The setting is the Tabernacle (Tent of Meeting) and its courtyard, near the bronze altar. The offerer personally brought the animal “before Yahweh,” laid a hand on its head (a gesture of identification, not necessarily confession as with the sin offering), and slaughtered it. The priests caught the blood and tossed it against the altar’s sides.
The fat tail (Hebrew: alyah) attracted special attention. Sheep bred in the Middle East have broad, fatty tails used as energy stores; Dr. Russel described Aleppo sheep with tails weighing 15 pounds, and fattened specimens reaching 50 pounds (Clarke). This fat was a delicacy. The instruction to remove the tail “close to the backbone” ensured the entire fatty lobe was consecrated. Along with the fat covering the innards, the kidneys, and the lobe of the liver, it was burned on the altar as an offering “made by fire.” This smoke was a “pleasant aroma” to the Lord (3:5).
The peace offering was a meal: some parts went to God (the fat), some to the priests (the breast and right thigh, Leviticus 7:31-34), and most to the offerer and his household. The phrase “food of the offering” (3:11) uses the Hebrew lechem, normally “bread.” God did not eat in a human sense, but the offering sustained the covenant relationship. This context of shared fellowship sets the peace offering apart from the wholly consumed burnt offering.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants that affect the meaning of this passage. Lange’s commentary mentions that the Samaritan Pentateuch and Septuagint occasionally add “the priests” in the sprinkling formulas (vv. 8, 13), but this does not alter the procedure. The Masoretic Text is stable across all witnesses for this unit.
Reception History
Jewish tradition (Mishnah, Talmud) developed detailed rules for the peace offering, including the precise cutting of the fat tail and the lobe of the liver, and emphasized that the offerer must personally bring the animal. Christian interpreters from the Reformation onward saw the peace offering as a type of Christ’s reconciling work. Matthew Henry wrote that the peace offering “typified Christ, who is our peace.” The phrase “food of the offering” was understood as a figure for God’s delight in His people’s worship rather than any literal nourishment. Across traditions, the passage has been used to teach the principle of giving God the first and best portion of one’s life and resources.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God desires fellowship, not just atonement. The peace offering (shelamim) expresses gratitude and communion. It comes after reconciliation and celebrates relationship.
- God requires our best, the fat. The choicest parts, especially the prized fat tail, were burned for God. He is not satisfied with leftovers; He claims the “food” of the offering.
- Christ is our peace offering. Eph 5:2 describes Christ's self-giving as “a sweet-smelling fragrance.” Hebrews 9:14 presents Him as the spotless offering who cleanses our consciences.
Five-point outline
- The offerer participates actively, bringing, laying on hands, slaughtering. Worship is not passive.
- Blood is applied by the priest, a reminder that access to God comes through atoning blood.
- The fat belongs to God alone, this is a non-negotiable principle in Israel’s worship (3:16).
- The meal is shared, the offerer eats with his household, priests receive their portion, God receives the fat. Fellowship includes provision for ministers.
- No defect allowed, the animal must be whole. Giving God our best is an ancient principle.
Illustration hooks
- The fat tail of an eastern sheep, a single item that could weigh 50 pounds. A modern parallel: the portion of income or time we consider “non-negotiable” for ourselves.
- Family meals: the peace offering was a celebration meal. Think of the most festive dinner you’ve shared, the peace offering was a sacred version of that joy.
- “Food for God”: a farmer bringing the best of the harvest to the landowner as tribute; the lease on the land required the first and best share to go to the owner.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Why did God want the fat? Wasn't the rest enough?”
- “If I’m not under the Law, what does this passage teach me about worship today?”
- “How does the peace offering point to Jesus?”
Leading a Discussion
This passage details the procedure for a peace offering when the worshiper brought a sheep. The peace offering was a voluntary act of thanksgiving, vow, or freewill worship. It was the only sacrifice where the offerer shared a meal with God and the priests. As you study, notice how detailed the instructions are: God cares about every part of the offering. Discuss what that means for how we bring our worship to Him.
Discussion questions
- What does the offerer do in verses 8-11? List every action. Why does each action matter?
- The fat tail was a prized portion in the ancient Near East. Why do you think God commanded that the fat, specifically, be burned on the altar?
- Verse 11 calls the burnt fat “the food of the offering.” How does this language affect your understanding of God’s relationship with His people?
- Compare the peace offering to the burnt offering (Leviticus 1). How are they different? What does each say about God’s character?
- Ephesians 5:2 describes Christ as “an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance.” In what ways does Jesus fulfill the peace offering?
- The peace offering was shared food. How does this shape our understanding of the Lord’s Supper or our shared meals as a church?
- What does the requirement for a “without defect” animal teach about the quality of life we offer God? How can you apply that this week?
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 3:1 | “‘If his offering is a sacrifice of peace offerings, if he offers it from the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without defect before Yahweh. |
| Leviticus 17:8 | “You shall say to them, ‘Any man there is of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who live as foreigners among them, who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice, |
| Leviticus 17:9 | and doesn’t bring it to the door of the Tent of Meeting to sacrifice it to Yahweh, that man shall be cut off from his people. |
| I Kings 8:62 | The king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before Yahweh. |
| Ephesians 5:2 | Walk in love, even as Christ also loved us and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance. |
| Ephesians 5:12 | For it is a shame even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. |
| Hebrews 9:14 | how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without defect to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? |
| Leviticus 1:5 | He shall kill the bull before Yahweh. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall present the blood and sprinkle the blood around on the altar that is at the door of the Tent of Meeting. |
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 notes that the fat tail of Eastern sheep, weighing up to fifty pounds, explains the large portion specified for the offering. He then clarifies that calling the sacrifice "food of the offering" is figurative language, describing God's acceptance of the sacrifice as a fellowship meal.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes clarifies that the Hebrew word for lamb here actually refers to a full-grown sheep in its prime, not a young animal. He also notes that the tail of this eastern breed was enormous, sometimes weighing 50 pounds, and that the whole fat tail was to be burned as part of the offering.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The note underscores the precise ritual steps for a lamb peace offering: the worshiper brings the animal, lays a hand on its head, and kills it, then the priests sprinkle the blood and burn the fat, kidneys, and tail as a food offering to the Lord. Every detail matters for proper worship.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill draws attention to the unusual requirement that in a lamb peace offering the entire fat tail must be removed by the backbone and burned. He explains that Eastern sheep had very large, heavy tails weighing up to forty pounds, making this a substantial offering.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees the peace-offering as the expression of all prosperity, covering past thanks, present joy, and future hope through a vow. He notes the unique freedom of choice, allowing either male or female, because the offering responds to God's goodness rather than fixing sin.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry observes that the peace offering carries a lasting lesson for daily life: the fat and the blood belong entirely to God, not to the worshiper. This restriction is not a temporary ceremony but a perpetual statute for every generation and every home, teaching that the richest portion and life itself are reserved for the Lord alone.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that the rump of the sheep was especially fat and sweet, larger and better in that region than in England. He explains that the parts mentioned were burnt, while the rest went to the priest. Calling it food or bread signifies God's acceptance and delight in the offering, like a person enjoying a meal.