Leviticus 2
Summary for Lev 2:1-16: 2:1-16 a The grain offering (Hebrew minkhah, “gift, present”) was a way to express worship to the Lord through a gift, recognizing him as Lord over the life of the worshiper. The grain offering was to accompany each whole burnt offering (Num 28:3-6 b, 12-13 c), sin offering (Num 6:14-15 d), and peace offering (Lev 9:4 e; Num 6:17 f). The grain offering supplied the priest with bread for his daily sustenance, because no farmland was allocated to priests. 2:1 g Choice flour was fine wheat flour (in contrast with common barley flour). See also 1 Kgs 4:22 h; Ezek 16:13 i, 19 j.• Israelites used olive oil as shortening in their cooking, as lamp fuel, and for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Accordingly, it was associated with the rich produce of the land and with God’s provision (Deut 8:8 k).
• Like choice flour, frankincense was frequently connected with the Tabernacle (Exod 30:34 l; Lev 24:7 m) or the Temple (1 Chr 9:29 n). This fragrant tree resin was also used by individuals on special occasions (Song 3:6 o; Matt 2:11 p). It was a primary ingredient of the holy incense burned in the Holy Place as a tangible expression of worship (Exod 30:34-38 q).
2:2 r The representative portion of the grain offering was burned on the altar to remind the worshiper that the whole offering belonged to God.
2:3 s rest of the grain offering: A portion of the fire offerings was generally reserved for the priest as food (see 6:16-17 t). Exceptions included the whole burnt offering (the priest received only the hide; see 7:8 u), offerings given by the priest for himself (4:3-12 v; 6:19-23 w), or offerings made for the entire community (4:13-21 x). In these cases, the offering was to be entirely burned. The grain offering provided the priests with bread for their diet.
• most holy (Hebrew qodesh qodashim, “holy of holies”): Both God and what belongs to him are holy. “Most holy” designates the priestly share as taken from the holy offering and reserved for a special function. This description is used for the priest’s share of any gifts dedicated to the Lord (Num 18:8-10 y).
2:4 z A large ceramic oven was placed in a hole, and around it a fire was kindled. Once the oven was hot, the flat bread baked against the inside of its wall.
• without any yeast: See study note on 2:11; see also Exod 12:8 aa.
2:5 ab A griddle was a flat stone or clay surface propped above a fire and heated. Later griddles were made of metal (Ezek 4:3 ac).
2:7 ad Dough prepared in a pan was fried with oil until crisp.
2:11 ae yeast: The bread commonly eaten in biblical times was comparable to modern sourdough. The substance that is often called “leaven” consisted of wild yeast spores mixed into moist dough or a flour mixture. The yeast would grow and cause the dough to ferment, souring and raising it. A reserved portion of the sour dough would be kneaded into subsequent batches (Matt 13:33 af). Unleavened bread was required for the Passover (Exod 12:8 ag), in remembrance of Israel’s bondage in Egypt (Deut 16:3 ah) and their speedy departure from that land (Exod 12:34 ai; 13:3 aj). Following the Exodus, unleavened bread acquired the status of altar bread. Leavened bread was not to be burned on the altar.
• honey: The Hebrew word (debash) can also refer to fruit nectar. The reason for its exclusion is not stated, but perhaps the frequent use of honey in pagan offerings, particularly to gods of the underworld, was a contributing reason. If the word refers to fruit nectar, its association with wine and fermentation may have linked it with yeast, making it ineligible to be burned on the altar. However, both honey and yeast were allowed as part of an offering of first crops (Lev 2:12 ak). Loaves of bread made with yeast were to be presented with thank offerings (7:13 al) and as a gift to the priest in the Festival of Harvest (23:17 am). In the New Testament, yeast becomes a spiritual metaphor, playing on its sour taste and on its tendency to spread (Matt 16:6 an, 11 ao, 12 ap; 1 Cor 5:6-8 aq; cp. Matt 13:33 ar).
2:12 as offering of the first crops: This offering (called “firstfruits” in many translations) was brought from the first part of the harvest (23:15-21 at; Num 28:26-31 au). Like the representative portion of the grain offering, this offering acknowledged that the entire harvest belonged to God (Lev 23:10-11 av; Exod 22:29 aw; 23:19 ax; 34:26 ay; Num 15:18-20 az; Deut 18:4-5 ba; 26:1-2 bb). It further recognized that the land itself, not just its products, belonged to God; Israel was merely the tenant (see Lev 25:23 bc).
2:13 bd In ancient times, salt represented permanence because it preserved food. A covenant of salt (see study notes on Num 18:19; 2 Chr 13:5) denoted an enduring covenant that was renewed with successive generations.
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