Leviticus 2

Leviticus 1–7 sets out the regulations for the various offerings in sequence. Chapter 2 follows Leviticus 1, which treats the burnt offering of animals, and addresses the grain offering (KJV "meat offering"). The Hebrew term minchah originally meant "gift" or "offering." The next chapter, Leviticus 3, turns to the peace offering.

Outline

• Verses 1–3 The worshiper pours oil on fine flour, puts frankincense (a fragrant tree resin) on it, and brings it to the priest. The priest burns a handful of the flour and all the frankincense on the altar as a "memorial," and the remainder belongs to Aaron and his sons.
• Verses 4–10 These verses address offerings baked in an oven, cooked on a griddle, or cooked in a pot. All are made of fine flour and oil without leaven. A portion is burned as a memorial, and the rest goes to the priests.
• Verses 11–13 No leaven or honey may be included in a grain offering burned on the altar. Firstfruits may be offered but are not to be burned on the altar. Every offering is to be seasoned with "the salt of the covenant."
• Verses 14–16 These verses address the grain offering of firstfruits. The ears of grain are roasted and crushed, oil and frankincense are added, and a portion is burned as a memorial.

Key Verses

• Leviticus 2:2 "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" — This verse shows the meaning of the offering made by fire and of the memorial portion.
• Leviticus 2:11 "Ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the LORD made by fire" — This verse specifies the ingredients that may not be included in the grain offering.
• Leviticus 2:13 "Neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering" — This verse links the offering to the covenant through salt.

People and Places

• Aaron and his sons, the priests: They receive the offerings, burn them on the altar, and receive the remainder as a holy portion.
• The altar: This refers to the altar of burnt offering in the court of the tabernacle.

Points for Reflection

• Detailed regulations for the priests' handling of the grain offering appear again in Leviticus 6.
• The "firstfruits" of verse 12 refers to an offering of first produce that is not burned on the altar. Many commentators connect this with the regulation in Leviticus 23 requiring two loaves baked with leaven to be offered at the Feast of Weeks.
• Some strands of the Christian tradition offer a typological interpretation in which the fine flour represents Christ's spotless humanity, the oil the Holy Spirit, and the frankincense prayer. The text itself does not state this interpretation, and some interpreters urge restraint in such readings.
• Many Protestant denominations hold that the Old Testament sacrifices are fulfilled in Christ (Hebrews 10:1). Accordingly, they understand believers' praise and good works today as spiritual sacrifices (Hebrews 13:15–16).
• In the New Testament, leaven is sometimes used as an image of spreading evil influence (Matthew 16:6; 1 Corinthians 5:6–8). The phrase "every sacrifice shall be salted with salt," found in some manuscripts of Mark 9:49, recalls the salt regulation of this chapter.