Leviticus 7:6 kjv
Every male among the priests shall eat thereof: it shall be eaten in the holy place: it is most holy.
Leviticus 7:6 nkjv
Every male among the priests may eat it. It shall be eaten in a holy place. It is most holy.
Leviticus 7:6 niv
Any male in a priest's family may eat it, but it must be eaten in the sanctuary area; it is most holy.
Leviticus 7:6 esv
Every male among the priests may eat of it. It shall be eaten in a holy place. It is most holy.
Leviticus 7:6 nlt
Any male from a priest's family may eat the meat. It must be eaten in a sacred place, for it is most holy.
Leviticus 7 6 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 6:16 | And what is left of it Aaron and his sons shall eat… | Priests' portion from grain offering |
| Lev 6:26 | The priest who offers it for sin shall eat it… in a holy place. | Priestly eating of the sin offering |
| Lev 6:29 | Every male among the priests may eat of it; it is most holy. | Similar regulation for sin offering (Leviticus) |
| Lev 10:12 | Moses said to Aaron and to Eleazar and to Ithamar, his sons who were left, “Take the grain offering of what is left…and eat it beside the altar… | Instruction to consume priestly portions |
| Num 18:9 | This shall be yours from the most holy things… | General priestly portions from holy offerings |
| Num 18:10 | In a most holy place shall you eat it. Every male may eat it. | Confirmation of males eating most holy portions |
| Exod 29:33 | They shall eat those things with which atonement was made, to consecrate and ordain them… | Consecration food for priests |
| Exod 29:37 | For seven days you shall make atonement for the altar, and consecrate it; and the altar shall be most holy. | Designation of altar as "most holy" |
| Exod 30:29 | You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy. Whatever touches them will become holy. | Sanctity of holy anointing oil |
| Lev 10:17 | Why have you not eaten the sin offering in the holy place? For it is most holy… | Emphasizing the holiness of the sin offering |
| Lev 22:3-4 | "If any of your descendants throughout your generations approaches the holy things that the people of Israel dedicate to the LORD, while he has an uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD... no one who has a discharge or who is unclean through contact with a corpse shall eat of the holy things. " | Priestly purity required for eating holy things |
| Hag 2:12 | "If someone carries holy meat in the fold of his garment and touches bread, or stew, or wine, or oil, or any kind of food, does it become holy?" The priests answered, "No." | Illustrating that holiness does not transfer easily, requiring direct sanctity |
| 1 Sam 21:4 | The priest answered David, “I have no common bread, but there is holy bread — if the young men have kept themselves from women.” | Restriction on consecrated food even for laymen |
| John 6:53 | Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” | Spiritual eating of Christ, the ultimate sacrifice |
| 1 Cor 10:16 | The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? | Believers partake spiritually in Christ's sacrifice |
| Heb 4:14 | Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. | Christ as our ultimate High Priest |
| Heb 7:27 | He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for His own sins and then for those of the people, since He did this once for all when He offered up Himself. | Christ's superior, single sacrifice fulfilling OT |
| Heb 9:12 | He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of His own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. | Christ's eternal atonement |
| Heb 10:10 | And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. | Christ's sacrifice for sanctification |
| 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. | Believers as a spiritual priesthood |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. | Royal priesthood for all believers |
| Rev 1:6 | And He made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father… | Believers designated as priests in Christ |
Leviticus 7 verses
Leviticus 7 6 Meaning
Leviticus 7:6 dictates that only the consecrated male priests, direct descendants of Aaron, were permitted to eat the meat portions of the "most holy" sacrifices, such as the sin offering and guilt offering. This strict regulation underscored the extreme sacredness of these offerings, identifying them as divine sustenance for the priesthood and a symbol of their unique, ritually pure role in ministering before God.
Leviticus 7 6 Context
This verse is part of a detailed set of instructions concerning the guilt offering (Leviticus 7:1-10), elaborating on which parts of the sacrifice were to be consumed and by whom. It also echoes similar instructions for the sin offering in Leviticus 6:24-30. The broader context of Leviticus emphasizes God's holiness and the specific means by which sinful people can approach Him through sacrificial atonement and a purified priesthood. Historically, the Aaronic priesthood was divinely instituted, given specific duties and provisions, differentiating them clearly from the lay Israelites and pagan priests who served other deities. The meticulous regulations highlight God's order and demand for purity, contrasting with the often chaotic and impure practices of surrounding cultures.
Leviticus 7 6 Word analysis
- Every male (כָּל־זָכָר, kol-zāḵār): The Hebrew emphasizes strict gender exclusion. In the Israelite system, priestly duties, which included consuming these sacred portions, were reserved for males only, reflecting a patriarchal social and religious structure. This stipulation ensured a clear line of authority and responsibility within the sacred service.
- among the priests (בַּכֹּהֲנִים, bakkōhănîm): Specifically refers to the descendants of Aaron who were consecrated to serve God in the Tabernacle. This was an exclusive hereditary privilege and duty, distinguishing them as God's designated mediators. Their status conferred unique access to, and responsibility for, handling holy things.
- may eat of it (יֹאכֲלֶנָּה, yōḵĕlenāh): This phrase indicates both a permission and a divine provision. It was the priests' right and responsibility to consume these specific sacrificial meats, which served as part of their sustenance. More than mere nourishment, it signified their ritual participation in the offering itself and God's acceptance of it, thus confirming their intimate role in His covenant.
- it is most holy (קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים הִוא, qōḏeš qāḏāšîm hî): This is a Hebrew superlative, "holiness of holinesses" or "a holy thing of holy things," signifying the highest possible degree of sacredness. This designation implies that the item is supremely consecrated to God and requires utmost reverence, careful handling, and strict purity for those interacting with it. Its "most holy" status is the fundamental reason for the stringent restrictions placed on its consumption.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "Every male among the priests may eat of it": This phrase precisely defines the authorized group for consumption and their permitted action. It underscores the unique privilege and obligation of the male Aaronic priests to participate in the most sacred rituals, and for them, eating of the sacrifice was an act of worship and spiritual communion, not just physical sustenance. It also highlights God's provision for His dedicated servants through the sacrificial system.
- "it is most holy": This statement provides the profound theological reason for the preceding restriction. The intrinsic holiness of the offering elevates it beyond common food, making it accessible only to those specially consecrated and ritually pure. This principle ensures the reverence due to God's dedicated things and protects against profanation, which carried severe divine judgment.
Leviticus 7 6 Bonus section
The rigorous nature of these laws about what could and could not be eaten, and by whom, highlighted God's meticulous care for ritual purity and sanctity. This created a profound reverence for God's holiness within Israel. The priestly sustenance from the altar taught Israel about God's provision for His servants. The limitations underscore the theocratic nature of Israel where every aspect of life, even consumption, was under divine ordinance. The eventual fulfillment in Christ shows God's progressive revelation: from tangible sacrifices eaten by a designated few to spiritual identification with the Lamb of God accessible to all believers, establishing a broader, spiritual priesthood for the Church. This passage implicitly points towards the coming perfect sacrifice that would eternally sanctify believers, rather than through repeated, perishable rituals.
Leviticus 7 6 Commentary
Leviticus 7:6 serves as a key theological anchor, reiterating the sanctity of specific offerings and the exclusivity of the Aaronic priesthood in consuming them. The "most holy" designation implies that the guilt and sin offerings, through which atonement was made, bore an intimate connection to God's very being. Thus, only those set apart and ritually pure—the male priests—could partake, signifying their unique position as God's consecrated representatives and His provision for their sustenance through their sacred duties. This practice served not only as a means of living for the priests but also as a constant reminder of the profound holiness required in approaching a holy God.
In the New Covenant, this specific physical mandate for a hereditary priesthood is transformed. While there is no longer a need for earthly priests to consume physical offerings because Christ offered Himself as the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice (Heb 7:27; 9:12; 10:10), the underlying spiritual principles endure. Believers, through Christ, are constituted as a "holy priesthood" (1 Pet 2:5, 9), called to offer spiritual sacrifices of praise, thanksgiving, and lives consecrated to God. Our "eating" becomes a spiritual participation in Christ Himself—partaking in His life, His truth, and His redemptive work (John 6:53-56; 1 Cor 10:16). Just as the ancient priests lived by holy things, Christians are called to live by "every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matt 4:4), drawing spiritual nourishment from Christ, who is our ultimate, Most Holy provision. This emphasizes that access to divine communion is now universally available to all believers through faith in Jesus, though still demanding reverence, purity, and dedication to God.