What is the grain (meat) offering described in this passage?

The grain offering here is a gift of fine flour mixed with oil and frankincense that is brought to the Lord. The priest takes a handful, with all the frankincense, and burns that part on the altar as a “memorial,” a pleasing smell to the Lord. That burned portion is the part directly offered on the altar. The rest of the flour and oil is given to Aaron and his sons as their food. It must be made without leaven and treated as “most holy,” showing it is set apart in a special way for God’s service.

Why did God give part of the grain offering to Aaron and his sons to eat?

The Lord says, “I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings made by fire.” Only a handful is burned on the altar, and the rest becomes their food. The passage sets this as their portion from the offerings and calls it “most holy.” They must eat it in a holy place, in the court of the tabernacle, and without leaven. The text does not give a further reason beyond stating that the Lord has given it to them in this way.

Why had the grain offering to be unleavened and eaten in the holy place?

The passage says that the grain offering “shall not be baken with leaven” and that it must be eaten “in the holy place,” in the court of the tabernacle. It is called “most holy,” so it is not to be treated as ordinary food or eaten in ordinary places. The text simply gives these requirements without adding more explanation for why leaven is excluded or why it must stay within the holy area.

What does it mean that this offering is called “most holy” and that everyone who touches it shall be holy?

The passage says that the grain offering is “most holy,” like the sin offering and the trespass offering, and that “every one that toucheth them shall be holy.” This means the offering is set apart from common use and only those who are holy may handle or eat it. It is not common food, but belongs to the Lord’s service in a special way.

What is the special grain offering of Aaron and his sons on the day of anointing?

There is a separate rule for the offering of Aaron and his sons. On the day the anointed priest is set apart, he is to offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour as a grain offering, half in the morning and half at night. It is made with oil in a pan and brought as baked pieces, offered on the altar as a pleasing smell to the Lord. This is called a perpetual statute for the anointed priest and for the one who succeeds him.

Why must the priest’s own grain offering be wholly burned and not eaten?

The passage says, “it is a statute for ever unto the LORD; it shall be wholly burnt. For every meat offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.” It describes this as a fixed rule for the priest’s grain offering but does not state a further reason beyond this command. The difference from the people’s grain offerings is simply that the priest’s own grain offering is entirely burned on the altar.

Who was allowed to eat the remainder of the grain offering, and under what conditions?

Only the males among the children of Aaron were allowed to eat the remainder of the grain offering. They had to eat it in the holy place, in the court of the tabernacle, and it had to be unleavened. It is called “most holy,” and the passage says that everyone who touches the offerings shall be holy, so those who eat and handle it must be set apart for this service.

How does this passage show the difference between offerings for the people and offerings for the priest?

When the grain offering is brought and the remainder is given to Aaron and his sons, only a handful with all the frankincense is burned on the altar and the rest is eaten by the priests as most holy food. By contrast, when the grain offering is for the priest himself, the passage says it “shall be wholly burnt” and “shall not be eaten.” The same kind of offering is treated differently depending on whether it belongs to the people or to the priest, and this difference is stated as a lasting statute in this law.

Lev.6.14

Leviticus 6:14

King James Version (KJV)

¶ And this is the law of the meat offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the Lord, before the altar.

Chapter:

Context:

The Grain Offering

¶ And this is the law of the meat offering: the sons of Aaron shall offer it before the Lord, before the altar.

And he shall take of it his handful, of the flour of the meat offering, and of the oil thereof, and all the frankincense which is upon the meat offering, and shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour, even the memorial of it, unto the Lord.

And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it.

It shall not be baken with leaven. I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as is the sin offering, and as the trespass offering.

All the males among the children of Aaron shall eat of it. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations concerning the offerings of the Lord made by fire: every one that toucheth them shall be holy.

¶ And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto the Lord in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat offering perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at night.

In a pan it shall be made with oil; and when it is baken, thou shalt bring it in: and the baken pieces of the meat offering shalt thou offer for a sweet savour unto the Lord.

And the priest of his sons that is anointed in his stead shall offer it: it is a statute for ever unto the Lord; it shall be wholly burnt.

For every meat offering for the priest shall be wholly burnt: it shall not be eaten.

Cross References

No cross references available for this verse.