“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 backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,”
My Notes
What Does Leviticus 3:9 Mean?
"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 backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards." The peace offering (shelamim, from shalom — peace, wholeness, well-being) was unique among sacrifices because it was shared: part went to God (burned on the altar), part to the priest, and part to the worshipper and their family. It was the only offering the worshipper ate — making it a communal meal with God.
The fat — considered the richest, most valuable part of the animal — belonged exclusively to God. The fat was always burned, never eaten (Leviticus 3:17). God received the richest portion; the worshipper received the sustaining portion. The order reflects the priority: God's portion first, then the community's.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What does it mean to you that worship can look like a shared meal rather than a painful sacrifice?
- 2.How does giving God the 'fat' — your best, richest portion — actually create conditions for celebration?
- 3.When was the last time your worship felt like a peace offering — generous, communal, and joyful?
- 4.What would change if you approached giving to God as the beginning of a feast rather than a loss?
Devotional
The peace offering is a meal with God. You bring an animal. Part burns on the altar — God's portion. Part goes to the priest. And part goes back to you and your family. You eat it together. At the tabernacle. In the presence of God. It's a dinner party where God is the host and the guest of honor simultaneously.
The fat goes to God. All of it. The richest, most prized portion of the animal — the ancient equivalent of the best cut of meat — belongs to the LORD. You don't keep the best for yourself and give God what's left. You give him the richest part, and you eat what remains. The order matters: his portion first.
But what remains is still generous. The peace offering isn't deprivation — it's celebration. You and your family eat at God's table. The sacrifice that began with giving becomes a feast. That's the pattern: generosity toward God doesn't impoverish you. It creates the conditions for celebration.
This is the sacrifice that best pictures what worship should feel like. Not grim obligation. Not painful extraction. A shared meal. The best given to God. The rest enjoyed by the community. Peace — shalom, wholeness — expressed through the act of eating together in the presence of the one who provides everything.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering,.... That is, the priest, Aaron, or one of his two sons:
an…
The whole rump - The whole fat tail: i. e., the tail of the kind of sheep well known in the East, and often weighing 15…
The whole rump, it shall he take off hard by the backbone - To what has already been said on the tails of the eastern…
Directions are here given concerning the peace-offering, if it was a sheep or a goat. Turtle-doves or young pigeons,…
The fat tail here reserved for sacrifice was regarded as a delicacy, and set before Saul. In 1Sa 9:24 for -that which…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture