Old Testament · Law

Leviticus 3

The Peace Offering

A meal shared between the worshiper, the priest, and God. Communion before the word existed.

Berean Standard Bible BSB KJV
Read the commentary What this chapter means, the background behind it, and why it still matters

1“If one’s offering is a peace offering and he offers an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he must present it without blemish before the LORD.

2He is to lay his hand on the head of the offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall splatter the blood on all sides of the altar.

3From the peace offering he is to bring a food offering to the LORD: the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on them,

4both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys.

5Then Aaron’s sons are to burn it on the altar atop the burnt offering that is on the burning wood, as a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

6If, however, one’s peace offering to the LORD is from the flock, he must present a male or female without blemish.

7If he is presenting a lamb for his offering, he must present it before the LORD.

8He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splatter its blood on all sides of the altar.

9And from the peace offering he shall bring a food offering to the LORD consisting of its fat: the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on them,

10both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys.

11Then the priest is to burn them on the altar as food, a food offering to the LORD.

12If one’s offering is a goat, he is to present it before the LORD.

13He must lay his hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splatter its blood on all sides of the altar.

14And from his offering he shall present a food offering to the LORD: the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on them,

15both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys.

16Then the priest is to burn the food on the altar as a food offering, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the LORD’s.

17This is a permanent statute for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood.”

Commentary

Leviticus 3, explained

What Leviticus 3 is saying

The peace offering (zevach shelamim) may be a male or female animal from the herd or flock. After hand-laying and slaughter, specific fat portions and kidneys are burned on the altar, but the meat is shared in a communal meal between the worshipper, priests, and God. All fat and blood are permanently prohibited for Israelite consumption.

The background behind it

The peace offering is the only sacrifice where the worshipper eats a portion, creating a three-way communion: God (the fat on the altar), the priest (designated portions), and the worshipper (the remainder). The Hebrew shelamim derives from shalom, denoting wholeness, well-being, and restored relationship.

Themes running underneath

The shared meal embodies covenant communion—eating together with God and the priest represents relational wholeness. The fat prohibition reflects the principle that the best portion belongs to God. The blood prohibition, grounded in the theology of Leviticus 17:11 ('the life is in the blood'), reserves blood exclusively for atonement.

Why it still matters

The peace offering's communal meal prefigures the Lord's Supper—a shared table where God, mediator, and community participate together. It teaches that peace with God naturally flows into fellowship with others.

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