Leviticus 2:10 kjv
And that which is left of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.
Leviticus 2:10 nkjv
And what is left of the grain offering shall be Aaron's and his sons'. It is most holy of the offerings to the LORD made by fire.
Leviticus 2:10 niv
The rest of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the food offerings presented to the LORD.
Leviticus 2:10 esv
But the rest of the grain offering shall be for Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the LORD's food offerings.
Leviticus 2:10 nlt
The rest of the grain offering will then be given to Aaron and his sons as their food. This offering will be considered a most holy part of the special gifts presented to the LORD.
Leviticus 2 10 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 6:16-18 | And what is left of it Aaron and his sons shall eat...It shall be eaten in a holy place...it is most holy... | Stipulates eating location and re-confirms "most holy" status. |
| Lev 10:12-13 | And Moses said to Aaron and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his surviving sons, "Take what is left of the grain offering...and eat it unleavened beside the altar...for it is most holy." | Moses directly instructs priests on eating their portion. |
| Num 18:9-10 | This shall be yours from the most holy things...Every offering of theirs...every grain offering...shall be most holy for you and your sons. | Broader confirmation of priestly rights to most holy offerings. |
| Ex 29:37 | Whatever touches the altar shall be holy. | Principles of transferred holiness to what interacts with sacred objects. |
| Lev 2:1 | When anyone brings a grain offering as an offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour. | Initiates the instructions for the grain offering, whose remnant is Lev 2:10's subject. |
| Lev 2:9 | Then the priest shall take from the grain offering its memorial portion...and burn it on the altar, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD. | The action that leads to the "what is left" of the offering. |
| Lev 6:17 | It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it as their portion from my food offerings...it is most holy... | Reaffirms no leaven for priestly portion of grain offering, linking to its holy status. |
| Lev 7:9-10 | And every grain offering baked in the oven...or made in a pan...belongs to the priest who offers it. | Broadens the types of grain offerings whose remnant belongs to the priests. |
| Deut 18:1 | The Levitical priests...shall have no inheritance with Israel; they shall eat the LORD's food offerings. | Theological basis for priestly reliance on offerings for sustenance. |
| Josh 13:14 | To the tribe of Levi alone Moses gave no inheritance; the offerings by fire to the LORD God of Israel are their inheritance. | Historical application of priestly dependence on offerings. |
| Neh 12:44 | On that day men were appointed over the storerooms for the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them...the portions required by the Law for the priests. | Post-exilic example of dedicated support for the priesthood from contributions. |
| 1 Cor 9:13 | Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? | Paul affirms the principle of ministers living from their sacred service, referencing the Mosaic Law. |
| Gal 6:6 | One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches. | New Covenant principle echoing support for spiritual teachers/ministers. |
| 1 Tim 5:18 | For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain," and, "The laborer deserves his wages." | Paul's justification for supporting Christian ministers, connecting Old Testament principles to New Covenant practice. |
| Heb 7:11-14 | If perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood...what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek? | Highlights the temporary and typical nature of the Levitical priesthood in light of Christ. |
| Heb 9:10 | (which deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation). | Contextualizes Old Testament rituals, including offerings, as shadows. |
| Heb 10:1 | For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities... | Reinforces the typological nature of Old Testament laws and rituals. |
| 1 Pet 2:5 | you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. | Application of priestly concepts to New Covenant believers. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession... | New Testament believers share in a royal and holy priesthood, transcending the Levitical order. |
| Rev 1:6 | and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. | Believers in Christ are constituted as priests in the New Covenant. |
| Rom 12:1 | I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. | Connects physical Old Testament offerings to spiritual "living sacrifices" in the New Covenant. |
| Heb 13:15-16 | Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. | Spiritual sacrifices in the New Covenant – praise, good deeds, and sharing. |
Leviticus 2 verses
Leviticus 2 10 Meaning
Leviticus 2:10 details the allocation of the remnant of a grain offering (minchah). After a portion is offered to the LORD by fire, the remainder belongs exclusively to Aaron and his sons, the priests. This portion is declared "most holy," signifying its extreme sacredness, as it originates directly from the offerings made by fire to the LORD, thus requiring consumption under specific, holy conditions by ritually clean priests within the sanctuary area.
Leviticus 2 10 Context
Leviticus Chapter 2 describes the specific regulations for the Minchah or Grain Offering, which was a voluntary offering made by a worshiper. Unlike the Burnt Offering (Leviticus 1), not all of the Grain Offering was consumed by fire on the altar. Instead, a symbolic "memorial portion" (v. 9) of oil, frankincense, and flour was burned to the LORD as a pleasing aroma. Leviticus 2:10, therefore, deals with the sacred disposal and consumption of the remainder of this offering. This practice ensured God's portion was acknowledged, while simultaneously providing for the livelihood of the priesthood, who, as Levites, did not receive an tribal land inheritance in Israel (Numbers 18:20-21, Deuteronomy 18:1). The designation "most holy" underscored the sanctity of the offering and the stringent purity requirements for the priests handling and consuming it, ensuring that God's things were treated with utmost reverence. It implicitly contrasted with pagan cults where offerings might be entirely consumed by priests without sanctity or where deity images consumed nothing, showing God's true nature as both a recipient and a provider for His servants.
Leviticus 2 10 Word analysis
- And what is left (הנותרת, ha'noteret):
- Literally "the remainder" or "that which remains."
- Significance: This specifically refers to the bulk of the minchah after the symbolic azkarah (memorial portion) has been offered on the altar. It emphasizes the concept of distribution, where God receives His designated portion, and His ministers receive theirs from the same sacred offering.
- of the grain offering (המנחה, ha'minchah):
- Hebrew: Minchah. Often translated as "grain offering" or "cereal offering."
- Meaning: Broadly, a gift or tribute. In a cultic context, a bloodless offering typically made of flour, oil, and frankincense, symbolizing devotion, gratitude, and acknowledgment of God's provision. It's distinct from animal sacrifices.
- Significance: This was a common, everyday offering reflecting the agricultural economy of Israel, connecting daily sustenance with worship and dependency on God.
- shall be Aaron's and his sons':
- Hebrew: לאהרן ולבניו, l'Aharon ul'banav (to Aaron and to his sons).
- Significance: This establishes the right of the officiating priests (Aaron and his descendants) to consume a portion of specific offerings. It highlights God's ordained system for providing for His ministers, who were dedicated entirely to temple service and had no land inheritance. It underscored their unique position and direct reliance on God's provisions through the worship system.
- it is a most holy part (קודש קדשים, qodesh qodashim):
- Hebrew: Qodesh qodashim, literally "holiness of holies" or "a holy of holies."
- Meaning: A superlative expression denoting the highest degree of holiness or sacredness.
- Significance: Items designated qodesh qodashim could only be handled by sanctified priests in a holy place (the courtyard or Tabernacle/Temple), underscoring strict ritual purity and reverence. It means it is utterly set apart for God's sacred purposes and not to be trifled with, conveying ultimate separation and consecration. This status distinguishes it from other offerings which might be considered "holy" but not "most holy," allowing broader access or different handling (e.g., portions of peace offerings).
- of the LORD's food offerings (מאישי יהוה, mei'ishei YHWH):
- Hebrew: Mei'ishei YHWH, literally "from the fire offerings of YHWH." Ishei (אשי) often translated "food offerings by fire" or "offerings made by fire."
- Meaning: Refers to anything burned on the altar for YHWH, whether the entire animal or a portion. The phrase suggests God "eats" these offerings, an anthropomorphic expression signifying that they are received and accepted by Him.
- Significance: This phrase underlines the divine ownership and acceptance of the offerings. The priests are thus consuming what God has designated as His own, a profound act of shared communion and dependency. It establishes that their food comes directly from the holy sacrifices to God Himself, further emphasizing its consecrated nature.
Leviticus 2 10 Bonus section
- Purity Laws: The "most holy" designation implies stringent purity laws for priests consuming it. A priest who was ceremonially unclean due to contact with a corpse, defiling discharge, etc., was prohibited from eating these most holy offerings until he was cleansed and washed (Lev 7:20-21; 22:3-7). This reinforced the sanctity of the portion and the high standards required for priestly service.
- Connection to Tabernacle/Temple Layout: The consumption of "most holy" offerings by the priests was restricted to the courtyard of the Tabernacle or later, the Temple (Lev 6:16). This geographical restriction further amplified the sanctity and set-apartness of these particular provisions for the consecrated priests in a consecrated space.
- Contrast with Sin/Guilt Offerings: Unlike the sin offering and guilt offering (parts of which were also "most holy" for priests to eat, Lev 6:26, 7:6), the grain offering was typically voluntary and expressed devotion or gratitude, rather than atonement for sin. Yet, the remaining portion carried the same level of sanctity, highlighting that all things designated to God, even expressions of gratitude, demand ultimate reverence.
Leviticus 2 10 Commentary
Leviticus 2:10 succinctly states a crucial principle within the Levitical sacrificial system: the priestly right to certain parts of offerings designated "most holy." This provision for Aaron and his sons, the priestly class, served several interlocking purposes. Theologically, it established that the sustenance of God's ministers flowed directly from His sacred provision—the offerings dedicated to Him. This arrangement ensured that the priesthood, who possessed no tribal land, were materially supported by the community through their faithful engagement with God's commands. Calling their portion "most holy" underscored the sanctity not only of the offering itself but also of the priestly office and their vital role in mediating between God and His people. It conveyed the necessity for absolute ritual purity on the part of the priests who partook of these holy things and confined their consumption to the holy precinct, fostering an environment of reverence and strict adherence to divine stipulations. This verse is a window into the Old Testament understanding of shared sacred space, the sanctity of service, and God's detailed care for both worship and those who facilitate it.