The Basic Grain Offering
Study note
The grain offering, sometimes called the 'meat offering' in older translations, had nothing to do with meat. It was made from fine flour mixed with olive oil and frankincense. Only a handful was burned on the altar as a memorial portion to God. The rest was given to the priests as food. This offering showed gratitude to God for providing daily bread and represented the fruit of a person's labor.
1 "When someone brings a grain offering to the Lord, it must be made from fine flour. The person must pour olive oil over it and put frankincense on top." And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:
2 "The person must take it to Aaron's sons, the priests. The priest will scoop out a handful of the flour mixed with oil, along with all the frankincense, and burn this portion on the altar as a reminder of the whole offering. It is a gift given by fire, and its aroma brings pleasure to the Lord." And he shall bring it to Aaron's sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and 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:
3 "Whatever grain offering is left over belongs to Aaron and his sons. It is the most sacred part of the fire offerings given to the Lord." And the remnant of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.
Grain Offerings Baked or Cooked
Study note
God gave several options for how to prepare the grain offering. It could be baked in an oven, cooked on a griddle, or fried in a pan. All methods required fine flour and oil but no yeast. The variety of cooking methods showed that God welcomed different ways of giving, as long as the heart behind it was sincere. The portion not burned on the altar belonged to Aaron and his sons.
4 "If a person brings a grain offering that was baked in an oven, it must be made from fine flour. It can be either thick cakes made without yeast and mixed with oil, or thin wafers made without yeast and coated with oil." And if thou bring an oblation of a meat offering baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.
5 "If the grain offering is made on a flat griddle, use fine flour mixed with oil. Do not add any yeast." And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in a pan, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil.
6 "Tear it into bite-sized pieces and drizzle oil over them. This counts as a grain offering." Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon: it is a meat offering.
7 "If the grain offering is cooked in a deep pan, make it from fine flour and oil." And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in the fryingpan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.
8 "However it is prepared, bring the grain offering to the Lord. Hand it to the priest, and he will carry it to the altar." And thou shalt bring the meat offering that is made of these things unto the LORD: and when it is presented unto the priest, he shall bring it unto the altar.
9 "The priest will remove the memorial portion from the grain offering and burn it on the altar. It is a gift given by fire, and its aroma brings pleasure to the Lord." And the priest shall take from the meat offering a memorial thereof, and shall burn it upon the altar: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
10 "Everything that remains from the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons. It is the most sacred part of the fire offerings given to the Lord." And that which is left of the meat offering shall be Aaron's and his sons': it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.
Rules About Yeast, Honey, and Salt
Study note
Yeast and honey were never to be included in offerings burned on the altar. Yeast causes bread to rise through a process like decay, and in the Bible it often represents sin or corruption. Honey could also ferment. Salt, however, was required in every grain offering. Salt was a symbol of lasting agreements because it preserves food. The 'salt of the covenant' reminded Israel that their agreement with God would last forever.
11 "No grain offering brought to the Lord may contain yeast. You must never include yeast or honey in any offering you burn as a fire gift to the Lord." No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the LORD made by fire.
12 "You may bring yeast and honey to the Lord as a firstfruits gift. But never burn them on the altar. They must not be burned as a sweet-smelling gift." As for the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer them unto the LORD: but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet savour.
13 "Season every grain offering you bring with salt. Salt represents the lasting agreement between you and your God, so never leave it out of your grain offerings. Put salt on every offering you bring." And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.
The Firstfruits Grain Offering
Study note
When offering grain from the first harvest of the year, it was prepared differently. The fresh grain was roasted over a fire and then crushed. Oil and frankincense were added. Offering the firstfruits showed that the people trusted God to provide the rest of the harvest. They gave from the very first portion rather than waiting to see how much they would have.
14 "When you bring a grain offering of your first crops to the Lord, offer freshly picked grain. It must be roasted over fire and then crushed." And if thou offer a meat offering of thy firstfruits unto the LORD, thou shalt offer for the meat offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears.
15 "Drizzle oil on it and place frankincense on top. This is a grain offering." And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is a meat offering.
16 "The priest will burn the special portion — some of the crushed grain and oil, plus all the frankincense. This is a gift given by fire to the Lord." And the priest shall burn the memorial of it, part of the beaten corn thereof, and part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.