Lev 3:1-11 | Clarke | e4.org | CHAPTER III The law of the peace-offering in general , 1-5. That of the peace-offering taken from the flock , 6-11; and the same when the offering is a goat , 12-17. NOTES ON CHAP. III Verse 1. Peace-offering ] shelamim , an offering to make peace between God and man; , and .

‏ Leviticus 3:1-11

CHAPTER III

The law of the peace-offering in general, 1-5.

That of the peace-offering taken from the flock, 6-11;

and the same when the offering is a goat, 12-17.

NOTES ON CHAP. III

Verse 1. Peace-offering] shelamim, an offering to make peace between God and man; See Clarke on Le 7:38, and Ge 14:18.

Verse 2. Lay his hand upon the head of his offering] See this rite explained, See Clarke on Ex 29:10, and "Le 1:4". "As the burnt-offering, (chap. i.,)" says Mr. Ainsworth, "figured our reconciliation to God by the death of Christ, and the meat-offering, (chap. ii.,) our sanctification in him before God, so this peace-offering signified both Christ's oblation of himself whereby he became our peace and salvation, (Eph 2:14-16; Ac 13:47; Heb 5:9; Heb 9:28,) and our oblation of praise, thanksgiving, and prayer unto God."

Verse 3. The fat that covereth the inwards] The omentum, caul or web, as some term it. The fat that is upon the inwards; probably the mesentery or fatty part of the substance which connects the convolutions of the alimentary canal or small intestines.

Verse 5. Aaron's sons shall burn it] As the fat was deemed the most valuable part of the animal, it was offered in preference to all other parts; and the heathens probably borrowed this custom from the Jews, for they burnt the omentum or caul in honour of their gods.

Verse 9. The whole rump, it shall he take off hard by the backbone] To what has already been said on the tails of the eastern sheep, in the note on Ex 29:22, we may add the following observation from Dr. Russel concerning the sheep at Aleppo. "Their tails," says he, "are of a substance between fat and marrow, and are not eaten separately, but mixed with the lean meat in many of their dishes, and also often used instead of butter." He states also that a common sheep of this kind, without the head, fat, skin, and entrails, weighs from sixty to seventy English pounds, of which the tail usually weighs fifteen pounds and upwards; but that those of the largest breed, when fattened will weigh one hundred and fifty pounds, and their tails fifty, which corresponds with the account given by Ludolf in the note referred to above. The sheep about Jerusalem are the same with those in Abyssinia mentioned by Ludolf, and those of Syria mentioned by Dr. Russel.

Verse 11. It is the food of the offering] We have already remarked that God is frequently represented as feasting with his people on the sacrifices they offered; and because these sacrifices were consumed by that fire which was kindled from heaven, therefore they were considered as the food of that fire, or rather of the Divine Being who was represented by it. "In the same idiom of speech," says Dodd, "the gods of the heathens are said, De 32:38, to eat the fat and drink,,the wine which were consumed on their altars.