Definition: 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,
Explanation:
Okay, letās break down this passage from Leviticus 3:9. Itās a pretty detailed description of how to prepare a special offering ā think of it as a sacrifice meant to be offered to God. Hereās a simplified explanation:
Basically, this verse is saying:
āWhen you make a sacrifice to the LORD, you need to take
everything
off the animal ā the fat, the skin, and even the meat itself ā and present it as a gift.ā
Let's unpack that a little further:
āAn offering made by fireā
: This is key. The offering isnāt just any ordinary sacrifice. It needs to be
burned
with fire. This symbolizes cleansing and purification.
āan offering of the peace offeringā
: This is a specific type of sacrifice, often used in ancient Jewish rituals. Itās designed to be a symbol of peace and reconciliation.
āa sacrifice of the peace offeringā
: This is what we're describing now ā a carefully prepared offering.
ā[and] the fat thereof, [and] the whole rumpā
: This is where it gets more specific. The āfatā refers to the animalās skin and fat. The "whole rump" means the entire back of the animal ā the part thatās most exposed.
āit shall he take off hard by the backboneā
: This is a crucial detail. The
backbone
(the spine) is the most valuable part of the animal. The sacrifice is taken off here to be presented as a gift.
āand the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that [is] upon the inwardsā
: This describes the fat itself ā the layer of fat that covers the inside of the animal's body. The word ā[is]" is a tricky part, but it means "it exists." So, this part emphasizes the importance of removing
all
the fat from the animal.
Why was this done?
This practice was important for several reasons:
Purification:
It symbolized that the sacrifice would be completely cleansed and purified by fire, making it a true offering of Godās grace.
Showing Respect:
It demonstrated reverence and commitment to God.
In short, this verse describes a ritualistic process where the animal is meticulously prepared to be offered as a gift to Yahweh, emphasizing purity and honoring him.
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Do you want me to:
Explain any of these parts in more detail?
Connect this passage to other biblical stories or concepts?