Leviticus 19 7

Leviticus 19:7 kjv

And if it be eaten at all on the third day, it is abominable; it shall not be accepted.

Leviticus 19:7 nkjv

And if it is eaten at all on the third day, it is an abomination. It shall not be accepted.

Leviticus 19:7 niv

If any of it is eaten on the third day, it is impure and will not be accepted.

Leviticus 19:7 esv

If it is eaten at all on the third day, it is tainted; it will not be accepted,

Leviticus 19:7 nlt

If any of the sacrifice is eaten on the third day, it will be contaminated, and I will not accept it.

Leviticus 19 verses

Leviticus 19 7 Meaning

Leviticus 19:7 establishes a strict prohibition regarding the consumption of meat from peace offerings. It declares that if any part of the sacrificial meat is eaten on the third day, it becomes an "abomination" (pigglû) and will not be "accepted" (lo' yērātseh) by God. This command underscored the importance of specific timing for the sacred meal, emphasizing reverence, holiness, and the divine expectation that holy things be consumed or disposed of within a set timeframe.

Leviticus 19 7 Context

Leviticus 19 is a central chapter in the "Holiness Code" (Lev 17-26), often considered the heart of the Torah's ethical teachings. Following the foundational command, "You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy" (v. 2), the chapter outlines a broad spectrum of ethical, moral, and ritual laws, aiming to transform Israel into a holy nation reflecting God's character. These laws regulate various aspects of Israelite life, including relationships with parents, neighbors, the poor, foreigners, and specifically, the proper conduct within their sacrificial system.

Verse 7 directly refers to the regulations for peace offerings (zevah shelamim), which were unique among sacrifices in that a portion of the meat was consumed by the worshiper and his household. Unlike burnt offerings (fully consumed on the altar) or sin/guilt offerings (eaten only by priests), peace offerings represented fellowship with God and shared communion. The rule about not eating the meat on the third day (first introduced in Lev 7:16-18) was crucial to prevent misuse, disrespect, and the ritual defilement that would come from treating sacred meat as common food or for prolonged feasting. It emphasized that even sacred communal meals had a strict time limit set by God, teaching reverence for divine appointments and the perishable nature of ritual purity if not upheld precisely according to His command.

Historically and culturally, ancient societies had varying practices regarding offerings to their deities. Some pagan cultures might leave offerings out indefinitely or consume them without strict temporal or hygienic regulations. This Levitical law serves as a polemic against such lax or idolatrous practices, clearly differentiating Yahweh's commands for precise and holy engagement with the sacred, preventing decay, spiritual profanity, and the perception that God's things could be handled carelessly for human convenience. It enforced God's standards of purity and timeliness for Israel, emphasizing that His holiness extended to the proper handling of all things dedicated to Him.

Leviticus 19 7 Word analysis

• And if any of it is eaten at all: The phrase emphasizes any amount, even a small portion, constitutes a violation. It highlights the absolute nature of the prohibition, leaving no room for partial adherence. This reinforces the sanctity of the regulations; slight deviance carries full consequence.

• on the third day: ba-yom ha-shlishi (בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁי). This is the critical temporal boundary. Peace offerings were meant to be consumed within one day, or by the second day at the latest for certain types (Lev 7:16). Eating it on the third day signifies exceeding the divinely appointed timeframe for its sacred status. While practical considerations (like spoilage in the warm climate) were certainly a factor, the emphasis here is on the command. The passage of time shifts the meat from sacred communion to potential profanity if not properly consumed or disposed of. In a broader biblical context, the "third day" often marks significant divine action or transition (e.g., resurrection, the covenant at Sinai). Here, it marks the completion of the valid period for the sacrificial meal.

• it is an abomination: pigglû (פִּגּוּל). This term is specifically used for a defiled or offensive sacrificial offering, especially meat that has been kept beyond its appointed time. It is a strong term indicating utter abhorrence in a ritual sense, far more severe than merely "unclean" (tameh). Pigglû implies that the offering (and by extension, the one who eats it) has become repulsive and utterly unacceptable to God, demonstrating severe disregard for the holiness of God and His commands. This term is exclusive to Levitical sacrificial laws and signifies extreme ritual defilement due to improper handling or timing.

• it shall not be accepted: lo' yērātseh (לֹא יֵרָצֶה). This signifies that the offering, and by implication, the act of the offerer, will not be pleasing or agreeable in God's sight. The purpose of the sacrifice – to create communion or achieve atonement – is completely nullified. God explicitly rejects it. The offerer gains no benefit and instead incurs guilt for profaning what is holy, as noted in the subsequent verse (Lev 19:8). The Hebrew verb ratsah means "to be pleased with," "to accept," or "to delight in." Its negation here shows divine displeasure.

Leviticus 19 7 Bonus section

The specific duration for eating the peace offering (one or two days, never three) reinforced several theological principles:

• Perishability of Sacred Communion: While the peace offering represented ongoing fellowship, the meat itself was perishable, symbolizing that ritual purity and its benefits require constant maintenance and adherence to divine terms. It highlighted that sacred engagement is timely, not everlasting without fresh, proper re-engagement.
• Preventing Exploitation and Indolence: The time limit prevented Israel from using the sacrifice for extended, prolonged feasts, thereby losing the immediacy of the sacred communion or reducing the act to mere feasting for convenience. It also deterred those who might store large quantities for later use, potentially creating commercial abuses or neglecting their own work to subsist on sacred meat.
• Theological Precision and God's Authority: The stern warning against pigglû for improper timing demonstrated that God is sovereign over all aspects of worship. It wasn't left to human discretion or convenience but prescribed divinely, teaching absolute obedience and distinguishing Israel's practices from the often-less-rigorous rituals of surrounding pagan nations. The "third day" acts as a stark deadline, signifying that after this point, what was once sacred transforms into something profane, due to human disobedience.

Leviticus 19 7 Commentary

Leviticus 19:7 powerfully underscores God's meticulous concern for holiness in all matters, especially those pertaining to worship. This verse, a reiteration of the rule in Leviticus 7:18, reveals that not only the quality and origin of an offering, but also the timing of its consumption, is crucial for its acceptance. By stipulating a precise window for eating sacrificial meat, God instills reverence and respect for sacred objects and divine commands. The rule goes beyond simple hygiene; it prevents the holy from becoming common, thereby preventing potential irreverence.

Eating the sacred meat on the third day rendered it pigglû, an abomination. This term's severity highlights that disobeying even seemingly minor details regarding divine instructions for holy things is a grave offense. It signifies that the offerer's actions moved from participation in holy communion to profaning God's sacred order, nullifying any spiritual benefit and incurring divine displeasure. The lesson for Israel was clear: interacting with God, especially through sacrifices, demanded strict obedience and mindful adherence to His every prescribed detail. This cultivated a posture of humility and submission to God's ways, rather than treating holy rituals as convenient or flexible. It ensured that the focus remained on God's holiness and His authority over His creation and its worship, preventing casualness where divine sanctity was involved.