Matthew Poole and continuators on Leviticus 3

1 AND if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace-offering , if he offer it of the herd, whether it be a male or female , he shall offer it without blemish, before the LORD.

Which was an offering for peace and prosperity and the favour and blessing of God, either 1. obtained, and so this was a thank-offering, as Levit. 7. 12, 16. or 2. desired▪ and so it was a kind of supplication to God▪ as Iudg. 20. 26. 1 Chron. 21. 26.

Which were allowed here▪ though not in burnt-offerings, because those principally respected the honour of God, who is to be served with the best▪ but the peace-offerings did primarily respect the benefit of the offerer, and therefore the choice was left to himself.

2 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation : and Aarons sons the Priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

Not on the North-side of the Altar▪ where the burnt-offering was killed, Levit. 1. 11. a[illegible: 1+ letters] also the [illegible: 1 word]-offering and the trespass-offering▪ Levit. 6. 25. and 7. 2. but in the very entrance of the court, where the brazen altar stood, which place was not so holy as the other, as appears both because it was more remote from the Holy of holies, and because the ashes of the sacrifices were to be laid here. And the reason of this difference is not obscure, both because part of this sacrifice was to be waved by the hands of the offerer, Levit. 7. 30. who might not come into the Court; and because this offering was not so holy as the other, which were to be eaten onely by the Priest, when part of these were eaten by the offeret.

Marginal references: Exod. [illegible: 1 word] ▪

5 And Aarons sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice , which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

Either 1. upon the remainders of it, which yet were burning or rather 2. after it: for the daily burnt-offering was first to be offered, both as more eminently respecting Gods honour, which ought to be preferred before all things, and as the most solemn and stated sacrifice, which should take place of all voluntary and occasional oblations, and as a sacrifice of an higher nature and use, being for expiation and atonement, without which no peace could be obtained, nor peace-offering offered with acceptance.

9 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace-offering, an offering made by fire unto the LORD: the fat thereof and the whole rump , it shall he take off hard by the back-bone: and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards.

Which in sheep is fat and sweet, and in these parts was very much larger and better than ours, as is agreed both by antient and modern writers, and therefore was fitly offered to God.

11 And the Priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto the LORD.

(i. e.) The parts now mentioned, and for the rest, they fell to the Priest, Levit. 7. 31.

(i. e.) The fewel of the fire, or the matter of the offering. It is called food, Heb. bread, to note Gods acceptance of it and delight in it, as men delight in their food.

Marginal references: Heb. the bread, [illegible: 1 word]. 16. & chap. 21. 6.

16 And the Priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour. All the fat is the LORDS.

The parts mentioned, among which the tail is not one, as it was in the sheep, because that in goats is a refuse part.

This is to be limited, 1. to those beasts, which were offered or might be offered in sacrifice, as it is explained and restrained, Levit. 7. 23, 25. 2. to that kind of fat which is here above mentioned and required to be offered, which was separated, or easily separable from the flesh: for the fat which was here and there mixed with the flesh they might eat, Deut. 32. 14. Neh. 8. 10.

Marginal references: Heb. bread.

17 It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations, throughout all your dwellings , that ye eat neither fat , nor blood .

Not onely at or near the Tabernacle, nor onely of those beasts which you actually sacrifice, but also in your several dwellings, and of all that kind of beasts.

This was forbidden, 1 To preserve the reverence of the holy rites, and sacrifices. 2. That they might be taught hereby to acknowledge God as their Lord and the Lord of all the creatures, who might reserve what he pleased to himself. 3. To exercise them in obedience to God and self-denial and mortification of their appetites, even in those things which probably many of them would much desire.

This was forbidden partly to maintain reverence to God and his worship; partly out of opposition to Idolaters, who used to drink the blood of their sacrifices; partly with respect unto Christs blood, thereby manifestly signified; and partly for moral admonition about avoiding cruelty, &c.

Marginal references: Gen. 9. 4. chap. 7. 23, 26. & 17. 10, 14. Deut. 12. 16. 1 Sam. 14. 33. Ezek. 44. 7.