King James Version
What Does Leviticus 2:3 Mean?
“And the remnant of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.”
Context
1
And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:
2
And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD:
3
And the remnant of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.
4
And if thou bring an oblation of a meat offering baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.
5
And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in a pan, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil. in a pan: or, on a flat plate, or, slice
Commentary
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers(3) **And the remnant.**—With the exception of the memorial or the handful of flour and oil, and of all the frankincense, this meat offering belonged to the priests, who divided it among them, and by whom alone it was to be consumed in the court of the sanctuary.
**A thing most holy.**—The offerings consisted of two classes, *less holy *and *most holy. *The thank offerings (Leviticus 23:20; Numbers 6:20), the firstborn of clean sacrificed animals (Numbers 18:17), the firstlings of oil, wine, and corn, and the paschal sacrifices, belonged to the less holy, and might be eaten entirely or partially in any clean place within the holy city by the officiating priests and their families (Leviticus 10:12-14). The incense offering, the shew-bread (Exodus 30:26; Leviticus 24:9), the sin and trespass offerings (Leviticus 6:25-28; Leviticus 7:1; Leviticus 7:6; Leviticus 14:13, &c.), and the meat offerings here described, belonged to the most holy class. They could only be eaten in the court of the sanctuary by the priests alone.
Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.
Historical Context
This verse is found in the book of Leviticus. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.
Theological Significance
Leviticus 2:3 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.
Cross-References
Verses related to Leviticus 2:3
Cross-references from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge