Bible Study Leviticus 2
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Leviticus 2 · WEB

The Grain Offering

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"'When anyone offers an offering of a grain offering to Yahweh, his offering shall be of fine flour. He shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it.
2He shall bring it to Aaron's sons, the priests; and he shall take a handful of its fine flour, and of its oil, with all its frankincense. The priest shall burn its memorial on the altar, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
3That which is left of the grain offering shall be Aaron's and his sons'. It is a most holy part of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire.
4"'When you offer an offering of a grain offering baked in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.
5If your offering is a grain offering on a griddle, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mixed with oil.
6You shall cut it in pieces, and pour oil on it. It is a grain offering.
7If your offering is a grain offering of the pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.
8You shall bring the grain offering that is made of these things to Yahweh. It shall be presented to the priest, and he shall bring it to the altar.
9The priest shall take from the grain offering its memorial, and shall burn it on the altar, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
10That which is left of the grain offering shall be Aaron's and his sons'. It is a most holy part of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire.
11"'No grain offering which you shall offer to Yahweh shall be made with yeast; for you shall burn no yeast, nor any honey, as an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
12As an offering of first fruits you shall offer them to Yahweh, but they shall not ascend for a pleasant aroma on the altar.
13Every grain offering of yours you shall season with salt. You shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.
14"'If you offer a grain offering of first fruits to Yahweh, you shall offer for the grain offering of your first fruits grain in the ear parched with fire, bruised grain of the fresh ear.
15You shall put oil on it, and lay frankincense on it. It is a grain offering.
16The priest shall burn its memorial, part of its bruised grain, and part of its oil, with all its frankincense, as an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
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Summary

Chapter 2 describes the grain offering (*minchah*), a bloodless offering of flour, oil, and frankincense presented to God as an act of worship and dedication. The offering could be raw flour, baked in an oven, cooked on a griddle, or prepared in a pan. Key prohibitions include no leaven and no honey, while salt was required in every grain offering as a symbol of the covenant. A portion was burned on the altar and the remainder went to Aaron and his sons for their sustenance.

Themes

  • Worship with the fruit of one's labor — grain represented agricultural work and livelihood
  • Holiness in preparation — specific ingredients honored or dishonored God
  • The covenant relationship symbolized by salt (an ancient preservative, representing permanence)
  • Provision for the priesthood — the leftovers sustained those who served at the altar

Key verses

  • Lev 2:1 — “When anyone offers an offering of a grain offering to Yahweh, his offering shall be of fine flour. He shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it.”
  • Lev 2:11 — “No grain offering which you shall offer to Yahweh shall be made with yeast; for you shall burn no yeast, nor any honey, as an offering made by fire to Yahweh.”
  • Lev 2:13 — “Every grain offering of yours you shall season with salt. You shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering.”

Context & background

The grain offering accompanied burnt offerings and peace offerings, representing the worshiper's dedication of daily labor to God. At Mount Sinai in the Sinai Peninsula (modern Egypt), Israel was transitioning from a nomadic people to one with an established worship system. The prohibition on leaven and honey may reflect their association with fermentation and corruption; salt, conversely, was a symbol of covenant permanence across the ancient Near East. The priests' receiving a portion of the grain offering was part of the system by which the Levitical tribe — who received no land inheritance — was provided for.

Cross-references

  • 1 Cor 5:7-8 — Paul contrasts the old leaven of malice with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth
  • Col 3:17 — "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus" reflects the principle of offering all of life's labor to God
  • Mark 14:22 — The Last Supper uses bread, connecting to grain offering themes of dedication and covenant
  • Matt 5:13 — Jesus calls his disciples "the salt of the earth," echoing the covenant salt imagery
  • Num 15:1-12 — Grain and drink offerings are to accompany animal sacrifices

Check your reading

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  1. Observe

    What two ingredients were forbidden in any grain offering burned on the altar (v. 11)?

  2. Observe

    What ingredient was required to accompany every grain offering, called the "salt of the covenant" (v. 13)?

  3. Interpret

    What does the requirement of "fine flour" (rather than coarse) suggest about worship?

  4. Interpret

    What likely is symbolized by salt being called the "salt of the covenant" (v. 13)?

  5. Apply

    The grain offering represented the worshiper's daily labor (flour and oil). How can a believer today bring his "grain offering" to God?

  6. Apply

    Jesus called his disciples "the salt of the earth" (Matt 5:13). In light of Leviticus 2:13, what does this imply?

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