ScriptureDepth's study of Leviticus 2
“Every offering of your meal offering you shall season with salt. You shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your meal offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.”
Leviticus 2:13
Yahweh commands that every meal offering includes salt, which represents the enduring covenant with God and dictates how the offerings are to be presented.
What Leviticus 2 is about
When anyone offers a meal offering to Yahweh, it shall be made of fine flour, with oil and frankincense poured on it (vv. 1-2). The priest takes a handful as a memorial and burns it on the altar, while the remainder is for Aaron and his sons (v. 3). Meal offerings can be baked in the oven as unleavened cakes or wafers, or made on a griddle (vv. 4-6). The offering must be presented to the priest, who then brings it to the altar (vv. 7-8). The priest burns a portion as a memorial, an offering of pleasant aroma to Yahweh (vv. 9-10). Yeast and honey are prohibited in meal offerings (vv. 11-12). Salt must be included as a seasoning in every offering (v. 13). For first fruits, grain in the ear may be offered, prepared with oil and frankincense (vv. 14-16).
Every offering must include salt of the covenant, which must not be lacking.
Leviticus 2 at a glance
- Leviticus 2:1–2Instructions for Grain Offerings
- Leviticus 2:3Priestly Share of Offerings
- Leviticus 2:4–6Forms of Grain Offerings
- Leviticus 2:7–8Presentation to the Priest
- Leviticus 2:9–10Burning the Memorial Portion
- Leviticus 2:11–12Prohibitions on Ingredients
- Leviticus 2:13–16Significance of Salt and First Fruits
Key verse: Leviticus 2:13
One thing to notice
The chapter prohibits certain ingredients in meal offerings, specifically yeast and honey. Verses 11 and 12 explicitly state that 'No meal offering' shall include these items, marking them as unacceptable for pleasing Yahweh. This prohibition is a clear guideline for what is acceptable in offerings.
Summary and study helps: AI-drafted (September 2026), checked by automated Scripture gates. Spotted an error? Report it. Fixes are listed on the corrections page.
Chapter text
Read Leviticus 2 (WEB)
Instructions for Grain Offerings Leviticus 2:1–2
1Verse 1. “‘When anyone offers an offering of a meal offering to Yahweh, his offering shall be of fine flour. He shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it. 2Verse 2. He shall bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests; and he shall take his handful of its fine flour, and of its oil, with all its frankincense; and the priest shall burn its memorial on the altar, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh.
Priestly Share of Offerings Leviticus 2:3
3Verse 3. That which is left of the meal offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. It is a most holy thing of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire.
Forms of Grain Offerings Leviticus 2:4–6
4Verse 4. “‘When you offer an offering of a meal offering baked in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil. 5Verse 5. If your offering is a meal offering made on a griddle, it shall be of unleavened fine flour, mixed with oil. 6Verse 6. You shall cut it in pieces, and pour oil on it. It is a meal offering.
Presentation to the Priest Leviticus 2:7–8
7Verse 7. If your offering is a meal offering of the pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil. 8Verse 8. You shall bring the meal offering that is made of these things to Yahweh: and it shall be presented to the priest, and he shall bring it to the altar.
Burning the Memorial Portion Leviticus 2:9–10
9Verse 9. The priest shall take from the meal offering its memorial, and shall burn it on the altar, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to Yahweh. 10Verse 10. That which is left of the meal offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. It is a thing most holy of the offerings of Yahweh made by fire.
Prohibitions on Ingredients Leviticus 2:11–12
11Verse 11. “‘No meal 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. 12Verse 12. As an offering of first fruits you shall offer them to Yahweh: but they shall not rise up for a pleasant aroma on the altar.
Significance of Salt and First Fruits Leviticus 2:13–16
13Verse 13. Every offering of your meal offering you shall season with salt. You shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your meal offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt. 14Verse 14. “‘If you offer a meal offering of first fruits to Yahweh, you shall offer for the meal offering of your first fruits grain in the ear parched with fire, bruised grain of the fresh ear. 15Verse 15. You shall put oil on it, and lay frankincense on it: it is a meal offering. 16Verse 16. The priest shall burn as its memorial, part of its bruised grain, and part of its oil, along with all its frankincense: it is an offering made by fire to Yahweh.
World English Bible (public domain)
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Main themes in Leviticus 2
Gratitude in Worship
Gratitude is a central aspect of the meal offerings outlined in this chapter. In verses 1-2, the meal offering is brought to 'Yahweh,' with fine flour, oil, and frankincense, indicating an expression of thankfulness and reverence. The offerings are described as 'a pleasant aroma to Yahweh,' showing how they serve as acts of worship rooted in gratitude.
Holiness and Purity
Holiness and purity are central in the instructions for grain offerings. Verse 11 specifies that 'no meal offering' should contain yeast or honey, which are deemed impure for such offerings. This requirement for purity is consistent with the designation of offerings as 'most holy' in verses 3 and 10, indicating that worship must be approached with a focus on holiness.
Covenant Relationship
The covenant relationship between Yahweh and Israel is evident in the requirements for offerings. In verse 13, the stipulation that every meal offering must be seasoned with salt connects to the 'salt of the covenant of your God.' This requirement in verses 12 and 16 reinforces the idea that offerings are part of a mutual commitment between Yahweh and His people.
Role of the Priesthood
The role of the priesthood is clearly defined in the context of meal offerings. In verses 2 and 9, Aaron's sons, the priests, are instructed to take portions of the offerings and burn them on the altar, signifying their mediating role. This structure, along with the designated shares of offerings in verses 3 and 10, outlines the priests' responsibilities in maintaining the sacrificial system.
Chapter outline
How Leviticus 2 unfolds
Leviticus 2:1–2 Instructions for Grain Offerings
When someone offers a meal offering to Yahweh, it must consist of fine flour, oil, and frankincense, and it is to be presented to Aaron's sons, the priests (vv. 1-2).
Leviticus 2:3 Priestly Share of Offerings
The portion of the meal offering that remains after the priest's memorial portion shall belong to Aaron and his sons, marking it as a most holy offering (v. 3).
Leviticus 2:4–6 Forms of Grain Offerings
Grain offerings can take various forms, including unleavened cakes and wafers, all made from fine flour mixed with oil, ensuring they are not leavened (vv. 4-6).
Leviticus 2:7–8 Presentation to the Priest
The meal offering of fine flour with oil is to be brought to Yahweh, and it must be presented to the priest, who will then bring it to the altar (vv. 7-8).
Leviticus 2:9–10 Burning the Memorial Portion
The priest will burn the memorial portion of the meal offering on the altar as a pleasing aroma to Yahweh, while the remainder is set aside for the priests (vv. 9-10).
Leviticus 2:11–12 Prohibitions on Ingredients
Meal offerings must not include yeast or honey, which are explicitly prohibited, and while first fruits can be offered, they do not create a pleasing aroma when burned (vv. 11-12).
Leviticus 2:13–16 Significance of Salt and First Fruits
Every meal offering must be seasoned with salt, emphasizing the necessity of this ingredient in offerings, and first fruits must be prepared in a specific manner with oil and frankincense (vv. 13-16).
Key verses
Leviticus 2:13Yahweh commands that every meal offering includes salt, which represents the enduring covenant with God and dictates how the offerings are to be presented.
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Study questions
Questions for studying Leviticus 2
- observeIn v2, what does the priest do with the 'memorial' from the meal offering?
- observeWhat are the offerings made of fine flour in vv. 4-7?
- interpretThe phrase 'most holy' in vv. 3 and 10: why is the meal offering designated this way?
- interpretWhy is leaven prohibited in offerings according to v11?
- applyWhen have you prepared a 'meal offering' of gratitude, as described in this chapter?
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Cross-references
Passages that echo Leviticus 2
- Matthew 5Leviticus 2:13 and Matthew 5:13Both use salt: Leviticus 2:13 says to season offerings with salt, while Matthew 5:13 describes believers as the salt of the earth.
- Leviticus 6Leviticus 2:1 and Leviticus 6:14Both address meal offerings: Leviticus 2:1 mentions fine flour for offerings, while Leviticus 6:14 defines its law.
- Leviticus 7Leviticus 2:4 and Leviticus 7:12Both involve unleavened cakes: Leviticus 2:4 details cakes mixed with oil, while Leviticus 7:12 mentions similar offerings.
- Leviticus 5Leviticus 2:2 and Leviticus 5:12Both relate to offerings: Leviticus 2:2 describes a meal offering, while Leviticus 5:12 addresses a sin offering.
- Mark 9Leviticus 2:13 and Mark 9:49Both refer to salt: Leviticus 2:13 instructs salt for offerings, while Mark 9:49 speaks of every sacrifice seasoned with salt.
- Ezekiel 43Leviticus 2:13 and Ezekiel 43:24Both utilize salt: Leviticus 2:13 commands salt in offerings, while Ezekiel 43:24 involves casting salt on burnt offerings.
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