Leviticus 2 15

Leviticus 2:15 kjv

And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is a meat offering.

Leviticus 2:15 nkjv

And you shall put oil on it, and lay frankincense on it. It is a grain offering.

Leviticus 2:15 niv

Put oil and incense on it; it is a grain offering.

Leviticus 2:15 esv

And you shall put oil on it and lay frankincense on it; it is a grain offering.

Leviticus 2:15 nlt

Put olive oil on this grain offering, and sprinkle it with frankincense.

Leviticus 2 verses

Leviticus 2 15 Meaning

Leviticus 2:15 details specific requirements for the grain offering, also known as the "meat offering" in older translations. It mandates that olive oil and frankincense must be added to the fine flour offering. This preparation makes the offering ready to be presented to the Lord through the priest, signifying an act of worship, dedication, and gratitude from the offerer, representing the fruits of their labor and God's provision. It emphasizes purity, anointing, and prayerfulness in approaching God.

Leviticus 2 15 Context

Leviticus 2 establishes the laws concerning the Minchah, or grain (meal/meat) offering, one of the primary offerings in the Mosaic covenant. Unlike the blood offerings (burnt, sin, trespass), the grain offering was typically bloodless and focused on the dedication of the "firstfruits" or the sustenance God provided to His people. This chapter outlines variations: raw flour, baked, or griddle-cooked. Verse 15 specifically addresses the requirement of adding oil and frankincense after the initial preparation steps, implying a further act of dedication and anointing before it is brought to the priest at the altar. Historically and culturally, such offerings acknowledged God as the source of all provision and expressed thanksgiving, fellowship, or voluntary devotion, contrasting with the crude and often self-serving offerings to pagan deities.

Leviticus 2 15 Word analysis

• And (וְ – ve): A conjunction, simply connects this verse to the preceding instructions regarding the grain offering's preparation.
• thou shalt put (וְנָתַתָּ֤ – wə-nāṯattā): From the root נָתַן (nātan), meaning "to give, put, place, set." Here, a divine command, a mandatory action for the offerer. The second person singular implies individual responsibility in the offering process.
• oil (שֶׁ֙מֶן֙ – shemen): Refers to olive oil.
  • Significance: Olive oil in the Bible is a rich symbol. It represents anointing for consecration (Exo 30:25, Lev 8:12), the presence and empowering of the Holy Spirit (1 Sam 16:13, Isa 61:1), blessing and prosperity (Psa 23:5), and joy (Psa 45:7). Its inclusion indicates that the offering is set apart, consecrated, and potentially Spirit-led. It provides substance and richness, perhaps symbolizing the "fatness" or best of the harvest.
• upon it (עָלֶ֖יהָ – ‘āleyhā): Referring back to the prepared grain offering (fine flour, baked, etc.) as detailed in preceding verses of Lev 2.
• and lay (וְשַׂמְתָּ֥ – wə-śamtā): From the root שׂוּם (śûm), "to put, place, set." Similar to nātan, it reinforces the commanded act of addition.
• frankincense (לְבֹנָ֑ה – leḇônâ): A fragrant, white, gummy resin, often burned for its aromatic smoke.
  • Significance: Its Hebrew name (levonah) comes from the root for "white" (lavan), indicating purity. Frankincense was part of the holy incense in the tabernacle (Exo 30:34) and was placed on the bread of the Presence (Lev 24:7). It symbolized holiness, the presence of God, and its rising smoke was often associated with prayers ascending to God (Psa 141:2, Rev 5:8). Its presence makes the offering a "sweet savor" to the Lord.
• thereon (עָלֶ֣יהָ – ‘āleyhā): Again referring to the grain offering.
• it is (ה֥וּא – hū): Simply "it is," asserting the identity or type of offering.
• a meat offering (מִנְחָֽה׃ – minḥâ): This is the Hebrew term for the "grain offering" or "meal offering." Older translations render it "meat offering" due to the general meaning of "meat" as food in old English, not specifically animal flesh.
  • Significance: The minchah was unique as a bloodless offering. It acknowledged God's provision and sovereignty over daily sustenance. It could express thanks, consecration, or serve as an accompanying offering to burnt offerings. It symbolized dedicating one's work and life (represented by flour, oil) to God. Unlike sin or guilt offerings (Lev 4-5), it did not typically atone for sin but represented an act of devotion or fellowship. Its acceptance depended on the purity and intention of the offerer (Psa 51:17, Isa 1:11).

Words-group analysis:

• "And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon": This phrase mandates two specific additives for the grain offering. Both oil and frankincense are recurring symbolic elements in biblical worship, each conveying layers of meaning crucial to approaching a holy God. Their combination elevates the offering from simple food to a consecrated, fragrant act of devotion, embodying spiritual anointing and the ascension of prayer and praise. The order is specified, suggesting oil is absorbed by the flour first, then frankincense added on top, both making it distinct and pleasing.
• "it is a meat offering": This short declarative sentence reconfirms the nature of the sacrifice. It clearly identifies the offering with these specific components as a "minchah." This distinction is important in Leviticus as it delineates between various sacrifices, each with its unique purpose and requirements, highlighting that this offering, though without blood, is nonetheless a legitimate and specified form of worship to God.

Leviticus 2 15 Bonus section

The specific inclusion of both oil and frankincense in this type of grain offering (fine flour offering) stands in contrast to grain offerings made in connection with a sin offering for the poor (Lev 5:11-13), which expressly forbade their inclusion due to the nature of the sin offering needing to be completely without embellishment. This distinction highlights that while the main purpose of the grain offering in general was not atonement for sin (that was blood's role), its core purpose here in Lev 2:15-16 is fellowship, praise, and pure dedication to God.

Furthermore, the symbolism found in this verse parallels later New Testament truths:

• Our lives as offerings: Rom 12:1 calls believers to present their "bodies a living sacrifice," which is our spiritual act of worship. Just as the grain offering had to be meticulously prepared with oil and frankincense, so too should our lives be Spirit-filled (oil) and characterized by ascending prayers and dedication (frankincense) as we offer them to God.
• Christ's Purity: Christ, as the ultimate grain offering in His life of perfect humanity, embodied purity (fine flour), was anointed by the Holy Spirit (oil), and His life and prayers were a fragrant offering to the Father (frankincense), culminating in His full dedication. While the grain offering did not explicitly picture atonement, it represented His pure life given fully.

Leviticus 2 15 Commentary

Leviticus 2:15 provides the final touch to the worshipper's preparation of the minchah (grain offering) before it is brought to the priests. The requirement to add oil and frankincense is not merely ritualistic but deeply symbolic. The oil points to divine anointing, a blessing that consecrates and sets apart. In the larger biblical narrative, it becomes a powerful emblem of the Holy Spirit's presence, empowering and enabling service (1 Sam 16:13, Acts 10:38) and bringing joy and gladness (Psa 45:7). Its inclusion on the grain offering suggests that the offering itself, representing one's sustenance or labor, is to be consecrated by God's presence and grace.

The frankincense, a costly, fragrant resin, symbolizes holiness and serves as a powerful metaphor for prayer ascending to God (Psa 141:2, Rev 5:8). Its clean, rising smoke indicated purity and divine acceptance. Placing frankincense on the offering infused it with this spiritual aroma, signifying that the act of offering should be pure, intentional, and accompanied by the worshipper's devout heart and prayer. The specific minchah form presented here, unlike some others, required the frankincense to be burned as a memorial portion (Lev 2:16), making the essence of this offering (the oil and frankincense) a "sweet savor" to the Lord, representing an ideal approach to Him.

Collectively, this verse underscores that while the grain offering itself speaks of offering one's material sustenance and labor back to God, the addition of oil and frankincense layers spiritual depth. It transforms a simple act of provision into a sanctified, Spirit-filled expression of devotion and communion, highlighting that God values not just the gift but the purity of heart, anointing, and fervent prayer that accompany it. It serves as a reminder that true worship involves both our tangible resources and the spiritual dedication of our lives.