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Leviticus 3

Leviticus 3 sets the terms for peace offerings, reserving the prescribed fat for YHWH and forbidding consumption of blood.

An Israelite bringing a peace offering must choose an animal without defect from the herd or flock. God’s instructions assign distinct tasks to the worshiper and Aaron’s sons: the worshiper lays a hand on the animal and kills it, while the priests sprinkle its blood around the altar and burn the prescribed portions. The rules cover cattle, sheep, and goats, then close with a lasting prohibition against eating fat or blood.

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1“‘If his offering is a sacrifice of peace offerings, if he offers it from the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without defect before the LORD.
2He shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall sprinkle the blood around on the altar.
3He shall offer of the sacrifice of peace offerings an offering made by fire to the LORD. The fat that covers the innards, and all the fat that is on the innards,
4and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away.
5Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar on the burnt offering, which is on the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to the LORD.
6“‘If his offering for a sacrifice of peace offerings to the LORD is from the flock, either male or female, he shall offer it without defect.
7If he offers a lamb for his offering, then he shall offer it before the LORD;
8and he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it before the Tent of Meeting. Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar.
9He shall offer from the sacrifice of peace offerings an offering made by fire to the LORD; its fat, the entire tail fat, he shall take away close to the backbone; and the fat that covers the entrails, and all the fat that is on the entrails,
11The priest shall burn it on the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire to the LORD.
12“‘If his offering is a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD.
13He shall lay his hand on its head, and kill it before the Tent of Meeting; and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar.
14He shall offer from it as his offering, an offering made by fire to the LORD; the fat that covers the innards, and all the fat that is on the innards,
16The priest shall burn them on the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma; all the fat is the LORD’s.
17“‘It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that you shall eat neither fat nor blood.’”
World English BibleRead in NIV in Psalmlog →Highlighted verses are the most connected.
Key verses
Leviticus 3:16The declaration that the fat belongs to YHWH explains the repeated instructions for burning these portions on the altar.
Leviticus 3:1The opening rule permits either a male or female animal while requiring an offering without defect before YHWH.
Leviticus 3:17The closing statute extends the prohibition against eating fat or blood across Israel’s generations and dwellings.
Where this chapter reaches

Exodus shares the ritual pattern of blood applied to the altar and fat burned for YHWH, while 1 Samuel recounts priestly abuse involving sacrificial fat. Deuteronomy shares the prohibition against eating blood, extending that concern to the slaughter of animals for food.

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What stands out to you about the distinct tasks assigned to the worshiper and the priests?

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How does the declaration that the fat belongs to YHWH shape your reading of these detailed instructions?

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Questions people ask about Leviticus 3

What is a peace offering in Leviticus 3?

A peace offering is an animal sacrifice brought before YHWH from the herd or flock. Leviticus 3 describes the worshiper’s actions and the priests’ handling of blood and designated portions. It focuses on the altar ritual, leaving the occasions for the offering and the sharing of its meat unexplained here.

Why does Leviticus 3 forbid eating fat and blood?

The chapter reserves the specified fat for burning on the altar and declares that it belongs to YHWH. Blood is sprinkled around the altar. The closing verse forbids eating either. The fat described is concentrated fat around the organs and, for sheep, the tail fat; no fuller explanation for the blood prohibition appears here.

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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).