Leviticus 3:14 kjv
And he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,
Leviticus 3:14 nkjv
Then he shall offer from it his offering, as an offering made by fire to the LORD. The fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails,
Leviticus 3:14 niv
From what you offer you are to present this food offering to the LORD: the internal organs and all the fat that is connected to them,
Leviticus 3:14 esv
Then he shall offer from it, as his offering for a food offering to the LORD, the fat covering the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails
Leviticus 3:14 nlt
The priest must present part of this offering as a special gift to the LORD. This includes all the fat around the internal organs,
Leviticus 3 14 Cross References
| Verse | Text (Shortened) | Reference (Short Note) |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 3:16 | "...all fat is the LORD’s." | Direct declaration of God's absolute ownership of the fat. |
| Lev 7:23 | "You shall eat no fat, of ox or sheep or goat. All fat belongs to the LORD." | Explicit prohibition for Israelites from consuming animal fat designated for God. |
| Lev 7:25 | "whoever eats the fat of the animal... shall be cut off..." | Consequence for disobeying the sacred prohibition regarding fat. |
| Exod 29:13 | "You shall take all the fat that covers the entrails..." | Similar detailed instruction for offering fat in the context of priestly ordination. |
| Lev 4:8-10 | "And all the fat from the bull of the sin offering he shall remove... as was taken from the sacrifice of the peace offering..." | Fat from other offerings also burned, reinforcing the consistency of the practice. |
| Lev 8:25 | "Then he took the fat, and the fat tail, and all the fat that covers the entrails..." | Specification of fat offering during Aaron's anointing. |
| 1 Sam 2:15-16 | "...the fat was not yet burned... for they despised the LORD’s offering." | Eli's sons' disregard for the sacred fat led to their downfall, showing the seriousness of the command. |
| Gen 8:21 | "And when the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma..." | God's acceptance and pleasure in Noah's burnt offering, establishing the concept of acceptable aroma. |
| Exod 29:18 | "You shall burn the whole ram on the altar; it is a burnt offering to the LORD; it is a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD." | Designates a burnt offering as acceptable and pleasing to God. |
| Lev 1:9 | "...the priest shall burn all of it on the altar, a burnt offering, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD." | Common description of a properly performed offering as acceptable to God. |
| Ezek 20:41 | "As a pleasing aroma I will accept you, when I bring you out..." | God's acceptance and restoration of His people depicted as a pleasing aroma. |
| Phil 4:18 | "...a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God." | Spiritual application to financial giving by believers as an acceptable offering. |
| Eph 5:2 | "Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." | Jesus' self-sacrifice as the ultimate acceptable and perfectly pleasing offering to God. |
| Lev 3:1 | "If someone's offering is a sacrifice of peace offering..." | Introduction to the laws and procedures concerning the peace offering. |
| Lev 7:11-36 | (Detailed laws for peace offerings and their distribution) | Provides further elaborate rules concerning various peace offerings, confirming their purpose and practice. |
| Num 7:17 | "...twelve bullocks for a burnt offering... for peace offerings." | Examples of peace offerings made by tribal leaders for dedication and worship. |
| Deut 27:7 | "And you shall offer peace offerings and shall eat there, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God." | Emphasizes the communal meal and joyful fellowship aspect of the peace offering. |
| Heb 10:1-4 | "For since the law has but a shadow... it can never, by the same sacrifices... make perfect those who draw near." | Old Testament sacrifices, including peace offerings, were shadows pointing to a greater reality. |
| Heb 9:11-14 | "But when Christ appeared as a high priest... he entered once for all into the holy places, by means of his own blood..." | Jesus' single, perfect sacrifice fulfills and surpasses all Old Covenant animal sacrifices. |
| John 1:29 | "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" | Identifies Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice that cleanses humanity from sin. |
| 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." | Applies the principle of complete dedication to the New Covenant believer's life. |
| Col 2:17 | "These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ." | Confirms that Old Covenant rituals, including sacrifices, pointed to Christ as their ultimate fulfillment. |
Leviticus 3 verses
Leviticus 3 14 Meaning
Leviticus 3:14 specifies a crucial aspect of the peace offering, directing the worshiper to present particular parts of the animal's fat to the Lord. This includes "the fat that covers the entrails, and all the fat that is on the entrails," signifying the richest and innermost fat deposits. This portion, offered by fire, is declared "a food offering of an aroma pleasing to the Lord," underscoring divine acceptance and satisfaction with the offering when presented in obedience and devotion. It highlights God's ownership of the best, demanding the finest and most valuable aspects of the offering, thereby symbolizing the worshiper's full dedication to Him.
Leviticus 3 14 Context
Leviticus chapter 3 details the sacrificial laws concerning the zebach shelamim, known as the peace offering or fellowship offering. This offering was unique among the Levitical sacrifices because it culminated in a communal meal shared by the worshiper, the priests, and God (represented by the burnt fat and blood). Unlike the burnt offering (total devotion) or the sin offering (atonement), the peace offering was typically offered voluntarily to express thanksgiving, fulfill a vow, or simply to engage in fellowship with God. Verse 14 specifically addresses the components of the peace offering that are reserved solely for God – the choicest internal fat. Historically and culturally, fat was considered a valuable and rich commodity, often signifying prosperity and the best part of the animal. By commanding that all this fat be consumed by fire and presented to God, the law reinforced God's supreme claim over the most valuable aspects of creation and the worshiper's offering. It also served to differentiate Israel's worship practices from those of surrounding pagan cultures, which might have consumed these specific parts.
Leviticus 3 14 Word analysis
- And he shall offer: Refers to the individual bringing the peace offering. It highlights the worshiper's personal engagement and initiation of the act of devotion to the Lord.
- from it: Specifies that the designated portion for offering is taken directly from the animal provided by the worshiper for the peace offering.
- his offering: Signifies the animal itself, which the worshiper has personally dedicated and presented as their specific gift to God.
- a food offering (אִשֶּׁה, ishsheh): More precisely translated as "offering made by fire." This term consistently designates sacrifices that are consumed on the altar by fire, transforming them into an acceptable presentation for divine interaction. It does not imply that God literally eats, but rather that the offering is dedicated to Him through burning.
- of an aroma pleasing (רֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ, rêaḥ nîḥōaḥ): A significant theological phrase, meaning "a smell of soothing" or "a restful/calming aroma." It denotes divine acceptance, satisfaction, and contentment with the offering and the sincere heart of the one offering it. It is not an appeal to God's literal sense of smell but signifies His favor and pleasure in a correctly presented sacrifice, demonstrating obedience and faith.
- to the Lord (לַיהוָה, lē-YHWH): Directs the offering and its ultimate purpose to Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel, emphasizing the exclusive divine recipient.
- the fat (חֵלֶב, ḥēlev): In biblical context, ḥēlev denotes the richest, choicest, and most vital part of the animal, often surrounding the internal organs. It was highly prized and strictly prohibited for human consumption in Israel (Lev 7:23-25), signifying that this premium part was exclusively for God. Burning the fat produced a significant blaze and smoke, underscoring its valuable and essential nature as an offering consumed for God alone.
- that covers the entrails: Refers specifically to the omentum and other sheets of fat found covering and adhering to the abdominal organs, such as the intestines and stomach. This distinction ensures precision in identifying the sacred portion.
- and all the fat that is on the entrails: This reinforces the previous clause, emphasizing totality. It includes any and all fat directly attached to or surrounding the intestines and other internal organs, ensuring that no vital internal fat is withheld from the Lord.
- "And he shall offer from it his offering": This phrase emphasizes the active role and personal devotion of the worshiper in bringing and designating the animal for sacrifice, highlighting that the act originates from their personal choice and commitment to God.
- "a food offering of an aroma pleasing to the Lord": This phrase is a divine declaration of acceptability and pleasure. It defines the character of the offering from God's perspective—that it is received with favor and brings Him satisfaction, serving as a sign of reconciliation or communion with His people.
- "the fat that covers the entrails, and all the fat that is on the entrails": This detailed, double phrasing underlines the completeness and exactness required in offering the "best" to God. It highlights that the most internal, hidden, and valued fat, signifying the animal's vitality and richness, must be consecrated entirely to the Lord, representing a full surrender of the choicest parts.
Leviticus 3 14 Bonus section
- Polemic Against Pagan Practices: The specific prohibition against humans consuming the fat, detailed in Leviticus 3:14 and other passages, directly counteracted common pagan rituals of the ancient Near East. In many idolatrous practices, worshipers would consume the fat and blood, believing it transferred divine power or facilitated communion with their deities. Israel's law distinctly asserted that these parts were God's exclusive portion, underscoring His holiness, His singular claim over life, and preventing syncretism with foreign cults.
- The Significance of "Hidden" Fat: The focus on "fat that covers the entrails" and "fat on the entrails" implies the giving of not just the visible best, but the internal, hidden, and deeply integrated parts of the offering. This can be interpreted metaphorically as offering God the innermost parts of one's being – the hidden intentions, the core motivations, and the very depths of one's heart and life.
- Prefiguring Ultimate Fellowship: The peace offering, where parts were consumed by God (fat), the priest, and the worshiper, uniquely prefigured profound fellowship. This foreshadows the New Covenant reality where believers fellowship with God through Christ's sacrifice, particularly in the Lord's Supper, which is a communion based on His "once for all" sacrifice that was ultimately acceptable and pleasing to God.
Leviticus 3 14 Commentary
Leviticus 3:14 is foundational to understanding the consecratory aspects of Israelite worship, particularly within the context of the peace offering. By demanding the exclusive burning of the choicest internal fat, the verse establishes that God claims the most valuable and innermost essence of any offering. This "fat," symbolizing richness, vitality, and what is considered best, could not be eaten by humans, signifying God's ultimate ownership and preeminence. The "pleasing aroma" designates divine acceptance of this specific act of obedience and worship. The ritual thus taught the Israelites to prioritize God by giving Him what was most costly, emphasizing His holiness and separation from human consumption. The burning of the fat consumed for God was an act of complete consecration. This practice anticipates the perfect and final sacrifice of Jesus Christ, whose entire life and sacrificial death were "a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God," perfectly pleasing and providing true fellowship and peace between God and humanity. This foundational principle is now spiritually applied to believers in Christ, calling them to offer their "bodies as a living sacrifice"—their innermost being and best efforts—fully consecrated and devoted to God, which is truly their spiritual worship through Him.