Leviticus 3:7 kjv
If he offer a lamb for his offering, then shall he offer it before the LORD.
Leviticus 3:7 nkjv
If he offers a lamb as his offering, then he shall offer it before the LORD.
Leviticus 3:7 niv
If you offer a lamb, you are to present it before the LORD,
Leviticus 3:7 esv
If he offers a lamb for his offering, then he shall offer it before the LORD,
Leviticus 3:7 nlt
If you present a sheep as your offering, bring it to the LORD,
Leviticus 3 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 3:1 | "And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering..." | General instruction for peace offering. |
| Lev 3:6 | "And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering unto the LORD be of the flock; male or female..." | Broader category of flock animals for peace offering. |
| Lev 7:11-21 | "And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings..." | Detailed laws concerning the peace offering. |
| Exod 29:38 | "Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs..." | Lambs for daily offerings. |
| Exod 24:5 | "...sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings..." | Early mention of peace offerings. |
| Num 7:88 | "All the oxen for the sacrifice of the peace offerings were twenty and four bullocks, the rams sixty, and he goats sixty, the lambs of the first year sixty." | Lambs included in dedication offerings. |
| Gen 22:7-8 | "And Isaac spake... behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" "My son, God will provide himself a lamb..." | Prophetic foreshadowing of God providing the sacrifice. |
| Exod 12:5 | "Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year..." | Passover lamb as a sacrificial prototype. |
| Isa 53:7 | "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter..." | Prophecy of Christ as the suffering lamb. |
| Jer 11:19 | "...I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter..." | Jeremiah's depiction echoing the lamb's vulnerability. |
| John 1:29 | "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." | John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the ultimate lamb. |
| John 1:36 | "And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!" | Repetition of Jesus as the sacrificial Lamb. |
| Acts 8:32 | "The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer..." | Philip's interpretation of Isa 53 regarding Jesus. |
| 1 Pet 1:18-19 | "...but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." | Christ's perfect sacrifice likened to a spotless lamb. |
| Rev 5:6 | "And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne... stood a Lamb as it had been slain..." | Vision of the resurrected and atoning Lamb in heaven. |
| Heb 9:14 | "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God..." | Christ's superior sacrifice cleansing consciences. |
| Heb 10:10 | "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." | Christ's singular, effective offering replacing animal sacrifices. |
| Rom 12:1 | "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice..." | Call for believers' lives as spiritual offerings. |
| Phil 4:18 | "...I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God." | Spiritual offerings acceptable to God. |
| Heb 13:15 | "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually..." | Offering spiritual sacrifices through Christ. |
| Ps 54:6 | "I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good." | Voluntary nature of acceptable offerings. |
| Mic 6:6-8 | "...What doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" | True worship involves obedience, not just ritual. |
| 1 Sam 15:22 | "Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD?..." | Obedience prioritized over sacrifice alone. |
Leviticus 3 verses
Leviticus 3 7 Meaning
Leviticus 3:7 specifies that if an individual chooses to offer a lamb as their peace offering, they must bring it forward and present it to the LORD. This verse forms part of the detailed instructions for the peace offering, a voluntary sacrifice given as an act of fellowship, thanksgiving, or a freewill offering, emphasizing a specific animal choice for this ritual communion with God.
Leviticus 3 7 Context
Leviticus chapter 3 details the regulations for the peace offering (Hebrew: shelem or zebach shelamim), a voluntary sacrifice distinct from the compulsory sin or guilt offerings. Unlike the burnt offering where the entire animal was consumed on the altar, the peace offering involved a symbolic sharing of the sacrifice. Portions were given to God (fat, kidneys), to the priests (breast, right thigh), and the remaining meat was eaten by the worshipper and his household, emphasizing communion with God and fellow worshippers. This particular verse, 3:7, specifies that if the worshipper's choice of animal from "the flock" (as mentioned in verse 6) is a lamb, it must be formally presented to the LORD. Historically, these detailed laws established a structured and holy approach to God for the newly delivered Israelites in the wilderness, differentiating their worship practices from the chaotic and often immoral rituals of surrounding pagan cultures which lacked divine direction or ethical substance. The rules reinforced YHWH's absolute sovereignty, holiness, and the necessity of prescribed pathways for human-divine interaction.
Leviticus 3 7 Word analysis
- If he offers (וְאִם־כֶּבֶשׂ... וְהִקְרִיב, v'im kesev... v'hiqriv): The initial Hebrew conjunction v'im (and if) introduces a conditional clause. The verb hiqriv is from the root qarab (קָרַב), meaning "to draw near," here in the Hiphil stem, meaning "to cause to come near" or "to bring forward/present." This highlights the worshipper's active role in physically bringing the sacrifice to the Tabernacle and presenting it. It is a deliberate, volitional act.
- a lamb (כֶּבֶשׂ, kesev): This specifically refers to a young male or female sheep, not a goat (which is specified separately in Lev 3:12) or cattle (Lev 3:1). Lambs were common, relatively inexpensive, and known for their purity and innocence, making them suitable sacrificial animals. This choice would be based on the worshipper's means and preference.
- for his offering (קָרְבָּנוֹ, qorbano): This noun, derived from the same root qarab, literally means "his gift" or "that which he brings near." It refers to any sacrifice or offering presented to God. The possessive suffix indicates that it belongs to the worshipper, emphasizing the personal nature of the voluntary gift.
- then he shall offer it (וְהִקְרִיב, v'hiqriv): Repetition of the Hiphil form of qarab, "he shall bring it near/present it." This reiterates the action required of the worshipper in the ritual. The precise action signifies obedience to the divine instruction and intention of sincere worship.
- before the LORD (לִפְנֵי יְהוָה, lifnei YHWH): Literally "to the face of YHWH," or "in the presence of YHWH." This designates the sacred space, specifically the Tabernacle entrance and altar, where God's presence symbolically resided among His people. It stresses that the offering is directed to the one true God, YHWH, in His designated dwelling place, validating the sacrifice as acceptable and legitimate worship.
Leviticus 3 7 Bonus section
The specific choice of a "lamb" for the peace offering is noteworthy due to its accessibility and widespread availability within an agrarian society, making this form of sacrifice feasible for a broad spectrum of the Israelite population, not just the wealthy. This inclusiveness is characteristic of many Levitical laws, ensuring that various segments of society could participate in covenant worship. Furthermore, the voluntary nature of the peace offering—allowing for different animals (cattle, sheep, goats) as per verses 1, 6, 12—illustrates God's grace in permitting diverse expressions of the worshiper's heart while still requiring adherence to established sacred protocol. The act of "offering it before the LORD" would have been a profoundly physical and spiritual experience, involving walking up to the Tabernacle, interacting with the priest (though not mentioned in this verse, the priestly role is implied in the entire sacrificial system), and ritually presenting the animal, reinforcing the tangibility of approaching a holy God.
Leviticus 3 7 Commentary
Leviticus 3:7, though brief, underscores key principles of Old Covenant worship. It reveals God's meticulous expectation for His people's approach, even in voluntary acts of devotion like the peace offering. The instruction for bringing a "lamb" for "his offering" "before the LORD" points to the necessity of a specified, clean animal, willingly presented in the divinely appointed location. This wasn't merely a transactional act but a means of fostering holy communion, celebrating fellowship, and giving thanks to God. The very specific nature of these laws taught Israel obedience, reverence, and distinction from the unholy practices of surrounding nations, reinforcing that only by God's prescribed means could one truly "draw near" to Him. The recurring theme of the lamb in Old Testament sacrifice also profoundly foreshadows the ultimate, spotless "Lamb of God," Jesus Christ, whose single offering fulfills and perfects all ancient sacrifices, opening the way for true and lasting peace and fellowship with God (Hebrews 9-10). Believers today are called to offer themselves as living sacrifices (Rom 12:1) and praises (Heb 13:15), drawing near to God not through animal sacrifice, but through faith in Christ's perfect Lamb-like offering, leading to a profound spiritual communion and thanksgiving.