Leviticus 6:19-23 · Bible study
Leviticus 6:19-23 Commentary: Priest's Perpetual Grain Offering
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why the high priest's grain offering was wholly burned, not eaten, and what this means for understanding Christ as our perfect High Priest.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The high priest was to offer a daily grain offering of fine flour, half in the morning and half in the evening, which was to be wholly burned and not eaten, signifying the insufficiency of the Levitical priesthood.
- Key words: 'Wholly burned' (literally 'ascend in fire'), 'not be eaten' contrasts with the people's offerings that priests consumed.
- Main debate: Whether this offering was limited to the high priest at his consecration or continued as a daily requirement throughout his tenure, and whether ordinary priests also offered it.
- Theological theme: The imperfection of the Old Testament priesthood and the need for a sinless High Priest who offers himself once for all.
- Best use: Teaching on the uniqueness of Christ's priesthood (Hebrews 7-10), the nature of complete sacrifice, and the humility required of those who lead worship.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
19Then 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.
21It 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.
22The 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.
23Every grain offering for a priest shall be burned completely; it is not to be eaten.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
19Yahweh 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.
21It 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.
22The 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.
23Every meal offering of a priest shall be wholly burned. It shall not be eaten.”
KJV King James Version 1769
19And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
20This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto the Lord in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at night.
21In a pan it shall be made with oil; and when it is baken, thou shalt bring it in: and the baken pieces of the meat offering shalt thou offer for a sweet savour unto the Lord.
22And the priest of his sons that is anointed in his stead shall offer it: it is a statute for ever unto the Lord; it shall be wholly burnt.
23For every meat offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
19And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying,
20This is the oblation of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto Jehovah in the day when he is anointed: the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meal-offering perpetually, half of it in the morning, and half thereof in the evening.
21On a baking-pan it shall be made with oil; when it is soaked, thou shalt bring it in: in baken pieces shalt thou offer the meal-offering for a sweet savor unto Jehovah.
22And the anointed priest that shall be in his stead from among his sons shall offer it: by a statute for ever it shall be wholly burnt unto Jehovah.
23And every meal-offering of the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
19And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
20`This is an offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they bring near to Jehovah in the day of his being anointed; a tenth of the ephah of flour for a continual present, half of it in the morning, and half of it in the evening;
21on a girdel with oil it is made--fried thou dost bring it in; baked pieces of the present thou dost bring near, a sweet fragrance to Jehovah.
22`And the priest who is anointed in his stead, from among his sons, doth make it, --a statute age-during of Jehovah: it is completely perfumed;
23and every present of a priest is a whole burnt-offering; it is not eaten.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
19And Jehovah spoke to Moses, saying,
20This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall present to Jehovah on the day when he is anointed: the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour as a continual oblation, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at night.
21It shall be prepared in the pan with oil: saturated with oil shalt thou bring it: baken pieces of the oblation shalt thou present [for] a sweet odour to Jehovah.
22And the priest who is anointed of his sons in his stead shall prepare it: [it is] an everlasting statute; it shall be wholly burned to Jehovah.
23And every oblation of the priest shall be wholly burned; it shall not be eaten.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
19And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
20This is the oblation of Aaron, and of his sons, which they must offer to the Lord, in the day of their anointing. They shall offer the tenth part of an ephi of flour for a perpetual sacrifice, half of it in the morning, and half of it in the evening.
21It shall be tempered with oil, and shall be fried in a fryingpan.
22And the priest that rightfully succeedeth his father, shall offer it hot, for a most sweet odour to the Lord: and it shall he wholly burnt on the altar.
23For every sacrifice of the priest shall be consumed with fire: neither shall any man eat thereof.
Verse in Context
Scholars' Consensus
The formula 'Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying' signals that this instruction is distinct from the surrounding laws addressed to Aaron and his sons. Moses himself receives the command, apparently because this offering belongs to the period when he was still acting as priest during the seven-day consecration (Cambridge Bible). Commentators agree that this passage mandates a daily grain offering (minchah) for the high priest, beginning on the day of his anointing and continuing perpetually throughout his tenure. The offering consists of one tenth of an ephah of fine flour, about two quarts, prepared with oil on a griddle and broken into pieces. Half is offered in the morning, half in the evening, alongside the daily burnt offerings (Exodus 29:38-42).
What sets this offering apart from every other grain offering is its complete consumption. A handful of the people's grain offering was burned as a memorial, and the rest was eaten by the priests (Leviticus 2:2-3, 16). But the high priest's offering was wholly burned; none could be eaten by any priest. Gill and Matthew Henry connect this to the priest's inability to atone for his own sin. Ainsworth, cited by Clarke, puts it plainly: because no priest, being a sinner, could make atonement for himself, his offering must be wholly consumed, teaching the priest to expect salvation, not by his legal service, but by Christ.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Perpetual daily offering: The terms 'perpetual' and 'statute forever,' plus Jewish practice from the Second Temple period.
- Initiation-only offering: The phrase 'in the day when he is anointed' could be read as the seven-day consecration, after which the offering ceased.
- High priest only: The text explicitly mentions 'the priest who is anointed' and his sons in succession, which many take as the high priest alone.
- Offering for all priests: Maimonides and others interpreted 'Aaron and his sons' to include every priest at his induction, though Keil & Delitzsch dispute this.
What is clear: The high priest was commanded to present a grain offering of fine flour on a griddle, half in the morning and half in the evening, and this offering was to be wholly burned and not eaten.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Scope of the offering: high priest only or all priests | The passage primarily addresses the high priest (Aaron and his successors). | Some Jewish commentators (Maimonides, Abarbanel) held that every ordinary priest offered this minchah at his initiation. Keil & Delitzsch argue this has 'no solid foundation in the law,' noting that only the high priest is described as 'anointed' in the text. |
| Frequency: perpetual daily offering or initiation offering only | The text says 'perpetual' and 'statute forever.' Most commentators agree it was a daily offering throughout the high priest's office. | The phrase 'in the day when he is anointed' could be read as a single event. Cambridge Bible notes the view that it was a seven-day consecration rite, but Jewish practice and most commentators favor a daily perpetual interpretation. |
| Meaning of 'wholly burned, not eaten' | This distinguishes the priest's offering from the people's offerings, which the priests ate. | Theodoret saw it marking the 'high perfection' of ministers. Ainsworth (cited by Clarke) argued it shows no priest can bear his own sin, so he must look to Christ. Gill and Matthew Henry emphasize it teaches contentment with God's honour alone, without personal benefit. |
| The formula 'Yahweh spoke to Moses' | This marks a new law directed specifically to the priests. | Cambridge Bible suggests it implies Moses was officiating as priest during the seven-day consecration. Others see it simply as a standard introductory formula. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The setting is the Sinai wilderness, probably during the eighth day of the consecration ceremony described in Exodus 29 and Leviticus 8. Aaron and his sons had been set apart for seven days; on the eighth day they entered their office. The phrase 'in the day when he is anointed' likely refers to this entire period of consecration, understood as a single 'day' (Keil & Delitzsch, citing Genesis 2:4). Jewish tradition, reflected in the Talmud (Menahoth 50b) and Josephus (Antiquities 3.10.7), held that the high priest offered this minchah daily from his consecration forward, at his own expense.
The 'griddle' (mahăbath) was a flat pan without a rim, used for baking stiff unleavened cakes. The flour was fine, the best, and mixed with olive oil. After being part-baked, the cakes were broken into pieces and presented as a 'pleasing aroma' to Yahweh. This offering belonged to the category of 'most holy' things, which could only be handled inside the Tent of Meeting. The temple later had a special chamber for preparing these cakes (Gill notes the 'Chamber of those who made the cakes' in the Mishnah).
The appearance of this law during the consecration period is significant. Moses, not yet replaced by the officiating priests, receives the command directly. The instruction assumes that the high priest will sin and need a continually renewed reminder that his own offerings cannot atone for him. It thus functions as a perpetual humbling ordinance within the very heart of the sacrificial system.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note that the Alexandrine manuscript of the Septuagint omits Leviticus 6:19-23. The Cambridge Bible considers this omission accidental, likely caused by the fact that this section and the following one (the sin offering law) begin with the same words, leading to a copyist's skip. No other significant textual variants are reported by the commentators consulted.
Reception History
Jewish tradition in the Second Temple period understood this passage as requiring the high priest to offer a daily grain offering at his own expense, a practice described by Josephus (Antiquities 3.10.7) and in the Mishnah (Menahoth). The offering was called 'minchath habittim' (the grain offering of baked pieces), and a special chamber in the temple was set aside for its preparation. The writer of Hebrews (7:27) contrasts the daily necessity of this offering for the high priest's own sins with the once-for-all self-offering of Christ. Early Christian commentators such as Theodoret read the wholly burned offering as a symbol of the perfect consecration required of ministers. In the Reformation traditions, theologians like Ainsworth and Gill used this passage to emphasize the insufficiency of human priesthood and the sole sufficiency of Christ.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The high priest's daily offering was personal and perpetual. Unlike the offerings brought by the people, this was the priest's own gift, offered every morning and evening for his entire tenure. It reminds us that even those who serve God's house need a constantly renewed dependence on grace.
- The offering was wholly burned, not eaten. The priests ate most of the people's offerings, but they could not eat their own. This distinction teaches that no priest can atone for his own sin by his service. The very means of feeding the priesthood points to their insufficiency.
- The offering points forward to Christ, the perfect High Priest. Jesus needed no daily offering for himself (Hebrews 7:27). He offered himself once for all. The wholly burned offering that could not be eaten foreshadows the complete, unrepeatable sacrifice of the Son of God.
Five-point outline
- The anointing context: this offering belongs to the day of consecration, the start of ministry.
- Daily regularity: half in the morning, half in the evening, a constant rhythm of devotion.
- Material: fine flour and oil, prepared on a griddle, ordinary ingredients, set apart completely.
- Exclusive consumption: wholly burned to Yahweh, none for the priest's table.
- Statute forever: binding until the coming of the Messiah, who would fulfill what the shadow could not.
Illustration hooks
- A pastor or church leader facing a personal moral failure. The system itself says: even the one who presents offerings has no offerings that can cover his own sin. He needs the same atonement as everyone else.
- A charity worker who gives tirelessly but struggles to receive help from others. The wholly consumed offering challenges the idea that giving can earn exemption from need.
- A couple who tithe but have slipped into thinking their giving makes them spiritually superior. This law reminds them that even the priest's own gift cost him everything, with nothing returned to him.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why can't a priest atone for his own sin, and what does that say about my pastor's humanity?
- What does 'wholly burned' mean practically about our commitment to God?
- How does this Old Testament law connect to Jesus, and why should I care about it today?
Leading a Discussion
This short passage might seem like a dry detail of ancient ritual. But at its heart lies a profound question: how does the very person who offers sacrifice on behalf of others deal with his own sin? The law gives an answer that humbles every priest and points to a better one. Read Leviticus 6:19-23 together, then work through the questions below.
Discussion questions
- What stands out to you about the instructions for this offering? What is familiar, and what seems strange?
- The text says this offering is 'perpetual' and offered 'in the day when he is anointed.' How do you reconcile a one-time consecration with a daily ritual? What might that say about ongoing need versus initial dedication?
- Compare this offering with the people's grain offering (Leviticus 2:1-3, 14-16). What is the key difference? Why do you think that difference exists?
- Gill and others argue that the priest cannot eat his own sacrifice because he cannot bear his own iniquity. How does that logic apply to Christian ministry today?
- Hebrews 7:27 says Jesus 'has no need to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins, and then for the people's, for this he did once for all, when he offered himself.' How does Leviticus 6:19-23 highlight the contrast between the Levitical high priest and Christ?
- The offering was wholly burned, 'ascend in fire as a whole burnt-offering' (Barnes). What does it mean to give something completely to God, with nothing held back? How does that challenge your own walk?
- How can this passage shape the way you pray for your church leaders? What does it teach about their dependence on grace?
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 16:36 | Now an omer is one tenth of an ephah. |
| Exodus 29:2 | unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil. You shall make them of fine wheat flour. |
| Exodus 29:35 | “You shall do so to Aaron and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. You shall consecrate them seven days. |
| Exodus 29:42 | It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the Tent of Meeting before Yahweh, where I will meet with you, to speak there to you. |
| Leviticus 2:1 | “‘When anyone offers an offering of a meal offering to Yahweh, his offering shall be of fine flour. He shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it. |
| Leviticus 2:16 | The priest shall burn as its memorial part of its crushed grain and part of its oil, along with all its frankincense. It is an offering made by fire to Yahweh. |
| Leviticus 5:1 | “‘If anyone sins, in that he hears a public adjuration to testify, he being a witness, whether he has seen or known, if he doesn’t report it, then he shall bear his iniquity. |
| Leviticus 5:11 | “‘But if he can’t afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, then he shall bring as his offering for that in which he has sinned, one tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering. He shall put no oil on it, and he shall not put any frankincense on it, for it is a sin offering. |
Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
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What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights a key distinction: priests could eat the people's offerings but not their own, because no priest, being a sinner, could atone for himself. Their own offering had to be wholly burnt, teaching them to expect salvation through Christ rather than through their own service or works.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes clarifies that "Aaron's sons" here refers to the successive high priests who follow him, not his literal sons. He notes this offering was perpetual, beginning with the high priest's consecration, and was to be entirely burned in fire, not eaten.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
This passage is unusual because it is spoken directly to Moses, not through him to the priests, implying Moses himself served as priest during the seven-day consecration. The text likely refers to two offerings: one Moses brought during Aaron’s ordination and a perpetual daily meal-offering every high priest was to present at his own expense.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Bible notes stress that the priest's grain offering is entirely burned on the altar, not eaten. This sets it apart from other grain offerings, which the priests could share. It is a permanent ordinance performed by the anointed high priest, offered half in the morning and half at evening.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights that the high priest's daily grain offering was entirely burned, unlike other grain offerings where only a handful was burned and the priests ate the rest. Because priests could not eat their own sacrifices, this rule showed they could not bear their own sins, pointing ahead to Christ’s perfect and sufficient sacrifice.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB stresses that the daily grain offering was a constant reminder to the high priest and his successors that despite their role in atoning for the people, their own persons and services were accepted only through faith. That faith itself required daily nourishment from God.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch stress that the high priest's perpetual grain offering was bloodless, unlike atoning sacrifices. As the Lord's sanctified servant, he drew near daily with a gift symbolizing the fruits of holiness, not expiation. They also insist the law required this only of the high priest, not ordinary priests.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange draws attention to the perpetual nature of these sacrificial duties. The fire on the altar must never go out, and the priests are given standing responsibilities for daily offerings, ash removal, and handling the sacred portions in a holy place. This section establishes the ongoing routines of worship, not just one-time events.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry focuses on the key distinction between the two kinds of meat-offering: the one brought by the people was shared, with only a handful burned as a memorial and the rest given to the priests for food. This arrangement, he notes, provided for the priests' daily needs while still honoring God with the first portion.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley highlights a symbolic distinction: the priest who offered for the people could eat part of the sacrifice, but when offering for himself he could not. The prohibition signified the Levitical priest's own imperfection and inability to bear the people's iniquity, and taught ministers to serve God with pure hearts, content with His honor alone.