Leviticus 7:11-21 · Bible study
Leviticus 7:11-21 Commentary: Peace Offerings
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Explore Leviticus 7:11-21, where God distinguishes thanksgiving, vow, and freewill peace offerings, with rules for eating the flesh and purity requirements.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The peace offering was a joyful yet holy meal shared with God, requiring prompt thanksgiving, faithful vow-keeping, and ritual purity.
- Key words: Todah (thanksgiving), neder (vow), nedavah (freewill), shelamim (peace offerings).
- Main debate: Why leavened bread was permitted in the thanksgiving offering while normally forbidden on the altar.
- Theological theme: The intersection of gratitude, holiness, and community in worship.
- Best use: Preaching on the urgency of gratitude, the importance of vows, and the seriousness of approaching a holy God.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
11Now this is the law of the peace offering that one may present to the LORD:
12If he offers it in thanksgiving, then along with the sacrifice of thanksgiving he shall offer unleavened cakes mixed with olive oil, unleavened wafers coated with oil, and well-kneaded cakes of fine flour mixed with oil.
13Along with his peace offering of thanksgiving he is to present an offering with cakes of leavened bread.
14From the cakes he must present one portion of each offering as a contribution to the LORD. It belongs to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the peace offering.
15The meat of the sacrifice of his peace offering of thanksgiving must be eaten on the day he offers it; none of it may be left until morning.
16If, however, the sacrifice he offers is a vow or a freewill offering, it shall be eaten on the day he presents his sacrifice, but the remainder may be eaten on the next day.
17But any meat of the sacrifice remaining until the third day must be burned up.
18If any of the meat from his peace offering is eaten on the third day, it will not be accepted. It will not be credited to the one who presented it; it shall be an abomination, and the one who eats of it shall bear his iniquity.
19Meat that touches anything unclean must not be eaten; it is to be burned up. As for any other meat, anyone who is ceremonially clean may eat it.
20But if anyone who is unclean eats meat from the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people.
21If one touches anything unclean, whether human uncleanness, an unclean animal, or any unclean, detestable thing, and then eats any of the meat of the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, that person must be cut off from his people.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
11“‘This is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which one shall offer to Yahweh:
12If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mixed with oil.
13He shall offer his offering with the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving with cakes of leavened bread.
14Of it he shall offer one out of each offering for a heave offering to Yahweh. It shall be the priest’s who sprinkles the blood of the peace offerings.
15The flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten on the day of his offering. He shall not leave any of it until the morning.
16“‘But if the sacrifice of his offering is a vow, or a free will offering, it shall be eaten on the day that he offers his sacrifice. On the next day what remains of it shall be eaten,
17but what remains of the meat of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burned with fire.
18If 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.
19“‘The meat that touches any unclean thing shall not be eaten. It shall be burned with fire. As for the meat, everyone who is clean may eat it;
20but the soul who eats of the meat of the sacrifice of peace offerings that belongs to Yahweh, having his uncleanness on him, that soul shall be cut off from his people.
21When 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.’”
KJV King James Version 1769
11And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the Lord.
12If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried.
13Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings.
14And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for an heave offering unto the Lord, and it shall be the priest’s that sprinkleth the blood of the peace offerings.
15And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave any of it until the morning.
16But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow, or a voluntary offering, it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his sacrifice: and on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten:
17But the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burnt with fire.
18And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it: it shall be an abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity.
19And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire: and as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof.
20But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.
21Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the Lord, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
11And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace-offerings, which one shall offer unto Jehovah.
12If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour soaked.
13With cakes of leavened bread he shall offer his oblation with the sacrifice of his peace-offerings for thanksgiving.
14And of it he shall offer one out of each oblation for a heave-offering unto Jehovah; it shall be the priest’s that sprinkleth the blood of the peace-offerings.
15And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace-offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten on the day of his oblation; he shall not leave any of it until the morning.
16But if the sacrifice of his oblation be a vow, or a freewill-offering, it shall be eaten on the day that he offereth his sacrifice; and on the morrow that which remaineth of it shall be eaten:
17but that which remaineth of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burnt with fire.
18And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace-offerings be eaten on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it: it shall be an abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity.
19And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire. And as for the flesh, every one that is clean shall eat thereof:
20but the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings, that pertain unto Jehovah, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from his people.
21And when any one shall touch any unclean thing, the uncleanness of man, or an unclean beast, or any unclean abomination, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings, which pertain unto Jehovah, that soul shall be cut off from his people.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
11`And this is a law of the sacrifice of the peace-offerings which one bringeth near to Jehovah:
12if for a thank-offering he bring it near, then he hath brought near with the sacrifice of thank-offering unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and thin unleavened cakes anointed with oil, and of fried flour cakes mixed with oil;
13besides the cakes, fermented bread he doth bring near with his offering, besides the sacrifice of thank-offering of his peace-offerings;
14and he hath brought near out of it one of the whole offering--a heave-offering to Jehovah; to the priest who is sprinkling the blood of the peace-offerings--it is his;
15as to the flesh of the sacrifice of the thank-offering of his peace-offerings, in the day of his offering it is eaten; he doth not leave of it till morning.
16`And if the sacrifice of his offering is a vow or free-will offering, in the day of his bringing near his sacrifice it is eaten; and on the morrow also the remnant of it is eaten;
17and the remnant of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day with fire is burnt;
18and if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace-offerings be really eaten on the third day, it is not pleasing; for him who is bringing it near it is not reckoned; it is an abominable thing, and the person who is eating of it his iniquity doth bear.
19`And the flesh which cometh against any unclean thing is not eaten; with fire it is burnt; as to the flesh, every clean one doth eat of the flesh;
20and the person who eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of the peace-offerings which are Jehovah's, and his uncleanness upon him, even that person hath been cut off from his people.
21`And when a person cometh against any thing unclean, of the uncleanness of man, or of the uncleanness of beasts, or of any unclean teeming creature, and hath eaten of the flesh of the sacrifice of the peace-offerings which are Jehovah's, even that person hath been cut off from his people.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
11And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace-offering, which [a man] shall present to Jehovah.
12If he present it for a thanksgiving, then he shall present with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and fine flour saturated with oil, cakes mingled with oil.
13Besides the cakes, he shall present his offering of leavened bread with the sacrifice of his peace-offering of thanksgiving.
14And of it he shall present one out of the whole offering as a heave-offering to Jehovah; to the priest that sprinkleth the blood of the peace-offering, to him it shall belong.
15And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace-offering of thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is presented; he shall not let any of it remain until the morning.
16And if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow, or voluntary, it shall be eaten the same day that he presented his sacrifice; on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten;
17and the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burned with fire.
18And if [any] of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace-offering be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, it shall not be reckoned to him that hath presented it; it shall be an unclean thing, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity.
19And the flesh that toucheth anything unclean shall not be eaten; it shall be burned with fire. And as to the flesh, all that are clean may eat [the] flesh.
20But the soul that eateth the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offering which is for Jehovah, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from his peoples.
21And if any one touch anything unclean, the uncleanness of man, or unclean beast, or any unclean abomination, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offering, which is for Jehovah, that soul shall be cut off from his peoples.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
11This is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings that is offered to the Lord.
12If the oblation be for thanksgiving, they shall offer loaves without leaven tempered with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and fine flour fried, and cakes tempered and mingled with oil.
13Moreover loaves of leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanks, which is offered for peace offerings:
14Of which one shall be offered to the Lord for firstfruits, and shall be the priest's that shall pour out the blood of the victim.
15And the flesh of it shall be eaten the same day: neither shall any of it remain until the morning.
16If any man by vow, or of his own accord offer a sacrifice, it shall in like manner be eaten the same day. And if any of it remain until the morrow, it is lawful to eat it.
17But whatsoever shall be found on the third day shall be consumed with fire.
18If any man eat of the flesh of the victim of peace offerings on the third day, the oblation shall be of no effect: neither shall it profit the offerer. Yea rather, whatsoever soul shall defile itself with such meat, shall be guilty of transgression.
19The flesh that hath touched any unclean thing, shall not be eaten: but shall be burnt with fire. He that is clean shall eat of it.
20If any one that is defiled shall eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which is offered to the Lord, he shall be cut off from his people.
21And he that hath touched the uncleanness of man, or of beast, or of any thing that can defile, and shall eat of such kind of flesh: shall be cut off from his people.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Leviticus 7:11
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that the peace offering (shelamim) includes three distinct occasions: thanksgiving, vow, and freewill. Barnes notes that this classification and the conditions for eating the flesh are the main additions to the basic law in Leviticus 3. The thanksgiving offering (todah) required three kinds of unleavened cakes and wafers mixed with oil, plus leavened bread. Keil and Delitzsch observe that the leavened bread was presented as a separate gift, not burnt on the altar. The flesh of the thanksgiving must be eaten on the same day; for vow and freewill offerings, a second day is allowed but no longer. The penalty for violating these limits or for eating holy meat while unclean is being “cut off from his people.” Clarke and others interpret this as excommunication or death. All commentators emphasize that the peace offering is both a joyful meal and a holy act, demanding promptness and ritual purity.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Practical and spiritual timeliness: The one-day limit prevents spoilage and underscores immediate gratitude (Clarke, Calvin).
- Leaven as symbol of festivity: Leaven in the thanksgiving offering, normally forbidden on the altar, points to the joy of the occasion.
- Cut off as excommunication or death: Commentators differ on whether the penalty was exclusion from the community or divine judgment, but both agree it was severe.
What is clear: The peace offering was a sacred, communal meal that required prompt consumption and ritual purity, reflecting the holiness of God.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Classification of peace offerings | All traditions agree the passage identifies three types: thanksgiving, vow, and freewill. | Some debate whether the thanksgiving was only for mercies received or could also precede a request, as Calvin suggested. |
| Use of leavened bread | Leavened bread was part of the thanksgiving offering but not burned on the altar. | Christians differ on whether the leaven symbolizes sin, humanity, or simply the festiveness of the meal. |
| Time limits for eating | Thanksgiving must be eaten the same day; vow and freewill may be eaten over two days but not the third. | The reason for the stricter limit on thanksgiving is debated: some see urgency of gratitude, others practical concerns about spoilage. |
| Penalty of cutting off | Violators were to be 'cut off from his people', a severe penalty. | Interpretations range from excommunication to death by divine judgment; both views are held by faithful scholars. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The peace offering (shelamim) was a sacrifice of well-being: a communal meal shared between God, the priest, and the offerer’s family. Leviticus 3:1 describes the animal requirements; here the focus shifts to the accompanying grain offerings and eating rules. The three categories reflect different life settings. According to Jewish tradition cited by Gill, a thanksgiving might be offered after a sea voyage, recovery from illness, or release from prison. The vow offering was conditional, while the freewill was spontaneous devotion.
The inclusion of leavened bread is unusual. Leaven is forbidden on the altar (Leviticus 2:11), but this bread was not burnt; it was eaten by the priests. The strict time limits on the thanksgiving prevented spoilage in the hot climate and guarded against misuse of holy meat, as Clarke suggests. The penalty “cut off” likely meant excommunication from the community, possibly death, showing the seriousness of treating the sacred meal with contempt. Cross-reference: Leviticus 22:29-30 also stresses the same-day consumption of the thanksgiving.
Textual Notes
According to Keil and Delitzsch, the latter part of verse 19 (“As for the meat, everyone who is clean may eat it”) is absent in the Septuagint and Vulgate. Other commentators do not note significant variants. The majority of Hebrew manuscripts and English translations include the clause.
Reception History
Christians across traditions have read this passage as emphasizing the holiness of the sacrificial meal and the need for purity in approaching God. Early church interpreters allegorized the peace offerings as prefiguring the Eucharist. The Reformation focus on the communal meal and the urgency of thanksgiving has been influential in Protestant worship. In Eastern Orthodox lectionaries, the passage is linked to prayers of thanksgiving. Across eras, the distinction between thanksgiving, vow, and freewill has been used to teach the variety of expressions in the believer’s relationship with God.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Thanksgiving must be offered promptly. The one-day limit pushes gratitude to the forefront. A thank-offering cannot be postponed.
- Vows and freewill offerings also have limits. They can wait one day, but not beyond the second. God honors faithful intent but not procrastination.
- Purity is essential at the sacred meal. Physical uncleanness disqualifies the worshiper. The penalty shows how serious it is to approach God carelessly.
Five-point outline
- Peace offerings were a joyful celebration with God.
- The thanksgiving offering included leavened bread, a unique allowance.
- Time rules varied by type: same day for thanksgiving, two days for vow/freewill.
- Leftover meat on the third day was an abomination.
- Uncleanness disqualified the eater, resulting in being cut off.
Illustration hooks
- A surprise party where the guest of honor doesn't show up until two weeks later. The delay kills the joy.
- A check written for a charity that sits uncashed for months because you forgot to mail it.
- Cleaning your house before hosting a respected guest. The ceremonial purity in Leviticus underscores the holiness of God's presence.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why did God care so much about how quickly the meat was eaten?
- What does “cut off from his people” mean for us today?
- How does this passage connect to the Lord’s Supper?
Leading a Discussion
This passage details the inner life of worship: specific occasions for peace offerings, times for eating, and standards of purity. It shows that joyful worship still operates under God's order. In small groups, use these questions to explore the text and reflect on your own patterns of worship and gratitude.
Discussion questions
- What distinguishes a thanksgiving offering from a vow or freewill offering? Why do you think God provided these three categories?
- The thanksgiving offering included leavened bread, which was usually forbidden on the altar. What does this tell us about the uniqueness of this occasion?
- Why do you think the time limit for eating the thanksgiving meat was stricter than for the other offerings? What does this imply about the urgency of gratitude?
- What does “cut off from his people” mean in context? How does this penalty reflect the seriousness of holiness in worship?
- How do the rules for purity in this passage challenge your own approach to corporate worship? What does “cleaning our hands” look like in daily life?
- In what ways can the peace offering, as a shared meal, help us understand the communion of the Lord’s Supper?
- How does knowing that God distinguished specific occasions for offerings affect the way you present your own prayers of thanks, vows, and freewill praise?
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 3:17 | “‘It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that you shall eat neither fat nor blood.’” |
| Leviticus 22:18 | “Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, ‘Whoever is of the house of Israel, or of the foreigners in Israel, who offers his offering, whether it is any of their vows or any of their free will offerings, which they offer to Yahweh for a burnt offering: |
| Leviticus 22:21 | Whoever offers a sacrifice of peace offerings to Yahweh to accomplish a vow, or for a free will offering of the herd or of the flock, it shall be perfect to be accepted. It shall have no defect. |
| Ezekiel 45:15 | and one lamb of the flock out of two hundred, from the well-watered pastures of Israel—for a meal offering, for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make atonement for them,” says the Lord Yahweh. |
| Leviticus 2:4 | “‘When you offer an offering of a meal offering baked in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil. |
| Leviticus 6:16 | That which is left of it Aaron and his sons shall eat. It shall be eaten without yeast in a holy place. They shall eat it in the court of the Tent of Meeting. |
| Leviticus 22:29 | “When you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to Yahweh, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted. |
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
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke highlights the practical reason the sacred meat had to be eaten before morning: in a hot climate it would quickly rot, and that would dishonor what had been consecrated to God. He also notes Mr. Harmer's suggestion that the rule aimed to prevent the dried, preserved flesh from being later misused for superstitious purposes.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes distinguishes three types of peace-offerings: thank-offerings for mercies received, vow-offerings tied to a condition, and voluntary-offerings as pure devotion. The thank-offering required especially generous distribution of the meat, particularly to the poor, to guard against stinginess and express genuine gratitude.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible Schools notes that the peace offering could be brought for three distinct reasons: thanksgiving, a vow, or a freewill offering. Each type had specific rules, with thanksgiving offerings requiring the flesh to be eaten the same day, while vow and freewill offerings allowed two days. The commentary also details the accompanying cakes and textual variations.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva notes emphasize the strict timing and purity rules for peace offerings. For a thank offering the meat must be eaten the same day, while a vow or freewill offering can be eaten the next day. Eating any of it on the third day makes the offering unacceptable, and any unclean person who eats of it must be cut off from Israel.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill distinguishes three kinds of peace offerings—thanksgiving for mercies received, a vow made in distress, and a freewill offering—each with different rules for when the meat must be eaten. The thanksgiving offering must be consumed the same day, while vow and freewill offerings allow a second day, but nothing on the third. He also notes that unclean persons or things touching the meat require it to be burned.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB notes that the peace offering included leavened bread, which was common at feasts. The restriction against eating the flesh on the third day was likely given to prevent a superstitious belief that leftover meat had special holiness. Any violation made the sacrifice invalid and brought exclusion from the community.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argue that the command to burn leftover peace-offering flesh on the third day was not to force hospitality to the poor, but to prevent desecration. Meat in a warm climate began to spoil by then, and eating putrid flesh would profane what was holy. This restriction applied to the offerer and all who partook.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry draws a clear distinction between two kinds of peace offerings: the thanksgiving offering must be eaten the same day, while a vow or voluntary offering may be eaten on the second day as well. This rule teaches that gratitude for a fresh mercy demands immediate celebration, whereas a deliberate vow allows for a slower, more extended fellowship with God.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley clarifies that leavened bread was allowed in the thank offering because it was not burned on the altar. The general ban on leaven applied only to sacrifices placed on the fire. This distinction meant the priest could take a share of both the leavened and unleavened portions.