Levítico 2
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Levítico 2
The Law of Grain Offerings Offerings of Well-being Grain Offerings 2:1-3 2:1-3 2:1-3 2:1-3 2:1-3 2:4-10 2:4-10 2:4-10 2:4 2:4 2:5-6 2:5-6 2:7-10 2:7 2:8-10 2:11-13 2:11-13 2:11-13 2:11-16 2:11-16 2:14-16 2:14-16 2:14-16 Etc. CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS Rotherham's Emphasized Bible, p. 126, has a good outline of the different items mentioned in this chapter. "of fine meal," Lev. 2:1-3 "from the oven," Lev. 2:4 "from the griddle," Lev. 2:5-6 "from the boiler," Lev. 2:9-11 "of first fruits" (of grains), Lev. 2:14-16 Remember, this is an individual Israelite (male or female) freewill offering to gain or restore "favor" with YHWH. It is possible that the offering of cereal, spoken of in this chapter, represented the daily life of the people given to YHWH. He was the author of life. It is also possible the offering was meant to provide, even those too poor to offer a bird, a chance to approach YHWH (i.e., Jewish Study Bible, p. 208). For further instructions about the priest's role in this offering, see Lev. 6:14-23; 7:9-10.
Levítico 2:1-3
2:1 "Now when anyone. . ." Just like Lev. 1:2, this phrase implies "any person," male or female, who desired the restoration of "favor" (see note at Lev. 1:3) with YHWH, could bring an offering to the Tabernacle. See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TABERNACLE CAMP. Remember, the first three chapters of Leviticus are about individual, freewill offerings for the purpose, not of forgiveness, but for gaining or restoring favor. ▣ "grain offering" The word (BDB 585) could refer to gift, tribute, offerings (non-cultic texts) grain/cereal offering (Pentateuch and Ezekiel) in 1 Sam. 2:17; 2 Chr. 32:23; Mal. 2:13 it refers to any type of sacrificial offering the burnt offering, Num. 15:1-4; 28:3-6 the peace offering, Num. 6:17; Lev. 9:4 the sin offering, Num. 6:14,15 2:2 "handful of fine flour" Only a handful of this was offered on the altar of sacrifice (see SPECIAL TOPIC: ALTAR OF SACRIFICE); the rest became the property of the priests to eat in the Tabernacle area (i.e., "a thing most holy," Lev. 2:3). The term "fine flour" (BDB 701) refers to wheat flour. Other grain flour, like barley, was considered less valuable or desirable. ▣ "frankincense" This is a resin from certain plants. It was one of the four constituents of the holy incense (cf. Exod. 30:34). See SPECIAL TOPIC: FRANKINCENSE. ▣ "its memorial portion" This NOUN (BDB 272, cf. Lev. 2:9,16; 5:12; 6:15) refers to the small portion of the offering burned on the altar. The rest belonged to the priest (cf. Lev. 2:3,10). ▣ "a soothing aroma" See SPECIAL TOPIC: A SOOTHING AROMA. 2:3 "a thing most holy, of the offerings to the Lord by fire" That which was offered to the Lord by fire on the alar became "most holy" and had to be eaten by the priests only in the tabernacle area. That which was called "holy" could be shared with the priest's family in a clean place.
Levítico 2:4-10
2:4 "baked" See SPECIAL TOPIC: BAKING BREAD. ▣ "unleavened cakes" We must be careful not to assume that leaven is always a symbol of sin. In Leviticus it is used along with the first fruits in Lev. 23:17-30, and it is included in some of the offerings for the priests, Lev. 7:11-13. Notice how the offering was to be prepared. baked in an oven unleavened cakes of fine (wheat) flour mixed with olive oil spread with olive oil ▣ NASB, NRSV, NJB, JPSOA "spread" "anointed" "brushed" "smeared" "mixed" secular - to smear sacred - to anoint The related NOUN (BDB 603) can mean ointment or consecrated portion. 2:5 NASB, NRSV, TEV, NJB, JPSOA, REB "a griddle" "pan" "frying-pan" 2:9 "a soothing aroma" See SPECIAL TOPIC: A SOOTHING AROMA.
Levítico 2:11-13
2:11-13 "leaven. . .honey" It is uncertain why leaven and honey were excluded from this particular offering. Some have assumed that because of their fermentation qualities, they were excluded because it involved something that was alive (i.e., bacteria) because they were involved in Canaanite sacrifices (Maimonides) 2:12 "first fruits" This refers to the first ripened fruits which were offered to YHWH (cf. Exod. 23:16,19; Lev. 23:10-11; Num. 15:18-20; Deut. 18:4-5; 26:1-11) but not burned. These offerings symbolized His ownership of the entire crop (as the tithe and Sabbath). 2:13 "Every grain offering of yours, moreover, you shall season with salt, so that the salt of the covenant of your God shall not be lacking from your grain offering" The concept of a salt covenant is very ancient (cf. Num. 18:19; 2 Chr. 13:5; Ezek. 43:24). Salt symbolized permanence and purity. It was a necessity of life. It was a symbol of friendship between peoples. Exactly which of these symbolic designations is referred to in this account is uncertain. See SPECIAL TOPIC: SALT and SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT.
Levítico 2:14-16
2:14,16 NASB, JPSOA "grits" "green heads" "coarse new grain" "bread" "crushed meal" "crushed bits" "pounded" "beaten out" in Arabic the root means "to pound," "to grind coarse" in Aramaic it means "to crush" In this context it seems to denote ripened or nearly ripened heads of grain that have been crushed into a coarse meal (i.e., not fine flour).