Leviticus 7:37-38 · Bible study
Leviticus 7:37-38 Commentary: The Comprehensive Law of Offerings
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does this summary of sacrificial law include the consecration offering not found in chapters 1-7? Study its meaning and significance.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A concluding summary of the sacrificial law listing five offerings plus the consecration offering for priests; underscores the completeness of divine instruction.
- Key words: torah (law), olah (burnt offering), minchah (grain offering), chata't (sin offering), asham (guilt offering), millu'im (consecration/installation offering), shelem (peace offering).
- Main debate: Why is the consecration offering included here when it was not detailed in chapters 1, 7? Views range from a forward reference to Leviticus 8/Exodus 29 to a deliberate anticipatory inclusion.
- Theological theme: God's precise, authoritative command regarding worship and the consecration of priests; nothing is left to human invention.
- Best use: Studying the structure of Leviticus, understanding the connection between sacrifices and priesthood, and seeing the sufficiency of biblical instruction for worship.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
37This is the law of the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering, the ordination offering, and the peace offering,
38which the LORD gave Moses on Mount Sinai on the day He commanded the Israelites to present their offerings to the LORD in the Wilderness of Sinai.
WEB World English Bible 2000
37This is the law of the burnt offering, the meal offering, the sin offering, the trespass offering, the consecration, and the sacrifice of peace offerings
38which Yahweh commanded Moses in Mount Sinai in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their offerings to Yahweh, in the wilderness of Sinai.
KJV King James Version 1769
37This is the law of the burnt offering, of the meat offering, and of the sin offering, and of the trespass offering, and of the consecrations, and of the sacrifice of the peace offerings;
38Which the Lord commanded Moses in mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their oblations unto the Lord, in the wilderness of Sinai.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
37This is the law of the burnt-offering, of the meal-offering, and of the sin-offering, and of the trespass-offering, and of the consecration, and of the sacrifice of peace-offerings;
38which Jehovah commanded Moses in mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their oblations unto Jehovah, in the wilderness of Sinai.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
37This is the law for burnt-offering, for present, and for sin-offering, and for guilt-offering, and for consecrations, and for a sacrifice of the peace-offerings,
38which Jehovah hath commanded Moses in Mount Sinai, in the day of his commanding the sons of Israel to bring near their offerings to Jehovah, in the wilderness of Sinai.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
37This is the law of the burnt-offering, of the oblation, and of the sin-offering, and of the trespass-offering, and of the consecration-offering, and of the sacrifice of peace-offering,
38which Jehovah commanded Moses in mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to present their offerings to Jehovah, in the wilderness of Sinai.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
37This is the law of holocaust, and of the sacrifice for sin, and for trespass, and for consecration, and the victims of peace offerings:
38Which the Lord appointed to Moses in mount Sinai, when he commanded the children of Israel, that they should offer their oblations to the Lord in the desert of Sinai.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Leviticus 7:37
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions read this passage as a concluding summary of the sacrificial legislation in Leviticus 1, 7. The six offerings listed cover the five detailed in those chapters, burnt, grain, sin, guilt, and peace offerings, plus the consecration offering (mil·lu·'im). Keil and Delitzsch explain that the millu'im, though not first instituted in these chapters, is included as the “filling of the hand” for the priesthood, referencing Exodus 29. The Cambridge Bible notes this summary ties directly to the section on priestly duties in Leviticus 6:8, 8:34. Calvin sees Moses’s wording as a deliberate guard: because God commanded all necessary instructions on Sinai, no one should add innovations. Gill calls it a “recapitulation” of the laws. The historical note, in the wilderness of Sinai, anchors the revelation to Israel’s journey after leaving Egypt and before entering Canaan. There is firm agreement: God gave complete, authoritative directions for worship; the inclusion of the consecration offering underlines that even the priests’ installation fell under divine command, not human invention.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Editorial insertion or later addition: The consecration offering belongs to Exodus 29, not to Leviticus 1–7; its inclusion may be a scribal or redactional note linking the sections.
- Original, integral conclusion: The list is organically connected to Leviticus 6:20 (where the consecration offering is announced) and prepares for chapter 8; it belongs to the original composition.
- Deliberate anticipatory reference: Moses included the <em>millu'im</em> to complete the picture of Israel’s worship, showing that both offerings and ministers are established by divine command at Sinai.
What is clear: God commanded the entire system of sacrifices and the consecration of priests at Sinai, and this summary emphasizes that nothing was left to human discretion.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Inclusion of the consecration offering | The <em>millu'im</em> refers to the priestly installation (Exodus 29) and belongs in a comprehensive list of sacrifices commanded at Sinai. | Some see it as a forward reference to the ordination in Leviticus 8; others argue it is an integral original element anticipating the priests’ role. |
| Relationship to chapters 1, 7 | Leviticus 7:37-38 concludes a section detailing sacrifices. | Whether it concludes only the section on priestly duties in chapters 6, 7 (Cambridge Bible) or the entire sacrificial code of chapters 1, 7 (Keil & Delitzsch). |
| Location: Mount Sinai vs wilderness of Sinai | Both phrases refer to the same general region where Israel camped after the exodus. | Whether the laws were given while Moses was on the mountain (some readings of v.38) or from the tabernacle near the mountain (Gill, referring to Leviticus 1:1). |
| Salvation-historical significance | The offerings point to God’s provision for atonement and fellowship in the covenant relationship. | Christians see these sacrifices as types fulfilled in Christ (Clarke, Hebrews 9, 10); Jewish interpreters emphasize their ongoing role in the Temple system. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Leviticus 7:37-38 sits at a crucial literary hinge. It closes the first major section of the book (chapters 1, 7) and looks ahead to the ordination of the priesthood in chapter 8. The historical setting is the wilderness of Sinai, where Israel camped after the exodus (Exodus 19:1). According to Gill, the commands were not given while Moses was on the mount but after the tabernacle stood, “from whence the Lord spoke” (Leviticus 1:1). This temporal marker matters: the sacrificial system was designed for a mobile sanctuary, a people on the move.
The mention of all the offerings ties each sacrifice to specific occasions. The burnt offering expressed total dedication; the grain offering acknowledged God’s provision; sin and guilt offerings dealt with transgression; the peace offering celebrated communion with God and neighbor. The consecration offering stands apart. As Keil and Delitzsch note, it refers to the “filling of the hand” with sacrificial gifts during the priestly installation, a ceremony detailed in Exodus 29 and enacted in Leviticus 8. Including it in this summary signals that the priests themselves, before they could minister, needed to be consecrated through sacrifice.
The location in the wilderness of Sinai does more than pinpoint geography. It ties the covenant worship to the formative moment of the lawgiving at Sinai. The people are reminded that their worship was not their own invention but a revelation received in the wilderness, fitting for pilgrims on their way to the Promised Land. Matthew Henry points out that God commanded these laws not only for the people but also as a provision for the priests’ “comfortable maintenance” (Leviticus 7:35-36). This context shapes how later readers understand the orderliness and completeness of God’s instructions for approaching Him.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Leviticus 7:37-38. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, with only minor spelling variations (e.g., the divine name spelled defectively or plene) that do not affect the meaning. The passage has been transmitted with high consistency.
Reception History
In early Christian interpretation, this summary list was used to catalogue the OT sacrifices and, following the epistle to the Hebrews, to see them as foreshadowing Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice. Church fathers such as Gregory of Nazianzus referenced the completeness of the Levitical instructions to argue for orderly worship. Medieval Jewish commentators like Rashi and Ibn Ezra saw the inclusion of the millu'im as proof that the priestly consecration was integral to the law. The Reformation reaffirmed the sufficiency of Scripture from this passage: Calvin’s commentary stresses that God omitted nothing, so the church must not add. In modern scholarship, Leviticus 7:37-38 is recognized as a key structuring element that closes the first major section of the book.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God’s instructions are complete and sufficient. Calvin stresses that this summary “omitted nothing”, no addition from human invention is permissible. The list caps a full legal corpus.
- The consecration offering shows the minister must be set apart first. Barnes identifies this sacrifice as belonging to the installation of priests; Keil and Delitzsch ground it in Exodus 29. Those who serve must themselves be consecrated.
- The wilderness setting roots worship in God’s revelation, not human preference. The laws came not while Israel was settled but on the move, reminding the congregation that their approach to God is always shaped by His command, not convenience.
Five-point outline
- Burnt offering, total surrender to God.
- Grain offering, thanksgiving for daily provision.
- Sin and guilt offerings, dealing with transgression and its consequences.
- Peace offering, fellowship with God and neighbor.
- Consecration offering, those who mediate these gifts must first be consecrated.
Illustration hooks
- Mission briefing packet: an expedition leader provides all necessary protocols, including the commissioning ceremony for the officers. Nothing is left for the team to guess.
- Company handbook: a new hire receives the full set of procedures, including the section about how the managers themselves were trained. The book doesn’t work without that chapter.
- Recipe book: a master chef writes complete instructions for every dish, from appetizers to the feast. One recipe covers the way the kitchen staff are certified.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does God care so much about the exact form of worship in Leviticus?
- How does this summary help us understand the purpose of each offering?
- What does the consecration of priests have to do with our church leaders today?
Leading a Discussion
This short summary packs a lot. It is a table of contents for Leviticus 1, 7, but one item seems out of place: the consecration offering. Before you read, remember that the passage concludes a section of detailed law about sacrifices. Then consider the questions below as a group.
Discussion questions
- What offerings does Moses list here, and where have we seen them in the preceding chapters?
- The consecration offering (millu'im) was not detailed in chapters 1, 7. Where else in the Torah do we find instructions for it? (See Exodus 29, Leviticus 8.)
- Keil and Delitzsch say this offering means “filling the hand” with sacrificial gifts. What does that image suggest about the priest’s role?
- Calvin argued this summary warns against adding human inventions to worship. Do you agree that the completeness of God’s command here is meant to limit later additions? Why or why not?
- How does the repeated location “in the wilderness of Sinai” shape the way you read these laws? What does that place represent for Israel?
- The passage includes the consecration of the priests along with the offerings. What does that connection say about how worship leaders should be prepared?
- How might this summary affect the way you approach worship, prayer, or the sacraments 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)
| Exodus 29:1 | “This is the thing that you shall do to them to make them holy, to minister to me in the priest’s office: take one young bull and two rams without defect, |
| Exodus 29:38 | “Now this is that which you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old day by day continually. |
| 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 1:1 | Yahweh called to Moses, and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, saying, |
| Leviticus 5:6 | and he shall bring his trespass offering to Yahweh for his sin which he has sinned: a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin. |
| Leviticus 6:9 | “Command Aaron and his sons, saying, ‘This is the law of the burnt offering: the burnt offering shall be on the hearth on the altar all night until the morning; and the fire of the altar shall be kept burning on it. |
| Leviticus 6:18 | Every male among the children of Aaron shall eat of it, as their portion forever throughout your generations, from the offerings of Yahweh made by fire. Whoever touches them shall be holy.’” |
| Leviticus 6:20 | “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. |
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 systematically defines the Hebrew terms for each sacrifice, showing how every offering pointed forward to Christ's atoning death. He treats the trespass offering, fire offering, and others as divinely designed types whose meaning is fulfilled when Christ made His soul an offering for sin.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes clarifies that "of the consecrations" refers to the sacrificial offerings made during the ordination of the priests. He also connects the wilderness of Sinai to the earlier narrative in Exodus, grounding the scene in Israel's journey.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin highlights that God gave such thorough instructions for the offerings that nothing was left out, specifically to block any human additions. He sees this as a firm warning against inventing our own practices in worship, urging strict obedience to what God alone prescribed.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The writer notes that these verses appear to conclude the whole section on sacrifices, but the specific order in which the offerings are listed ties them more closely to the section beginning at 6:8. The mention of consecration likely points back to the anointing instructions in chapter 6.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note observes that the preceding verses gather together the laws for every kind of offering—burnt, grain, sin, guilt, consecration, and peace. All were given by the Lord to Moses on Mount Sinai, commanding Israel to bring their gifts to Him in the wilderness.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill points out that this verse is a summary, not new instruction. He clarifies that these laws were given near Mount Sinai after the tabernacle was built, not on the mountain itself. He also notes the command to offer sacrifices was given here, but the actual offerings were not yet carried out in the wilderness.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch notes that the "fill-offering" (milluim) refers specifically to the ceremony of consecrating priests by "filling the hand" with sacrificial gifts, not to installing someone in general office. They then argue the entire sacrificial system was only a shadow that could not perfect the conscience; its forgiveness was a temporary forbearance, anticipating the one true sacrifice of Christ.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that these closing verses establish a double truth: God provides generously for those who serve Him in ministry, and He commands the people's worship as a binding duty, not a voluntary option. He observes that obedience itself carries an immediate reward.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley clarifies that the consecrations refer specifically to the sacrifice offered when the priests were set apart for their office. He narrows the meaning from a general term to the particular ritual act of offering.