Leviticus 2 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
Time Period
Around 1446 to 1406 BC, in the same block of instruction given in the first month at Sinai
Location
The tent of meeting in the Israelite camp at Sinai, with its bronze altar in the courtyard
Audience
The Israelites of the exodus generation, especially ordinary households bringing produce rather than livestock
Situation
The instructions turn to the grain offering, made from fine flour with oil and frankincense, whether raw, baked, griddle cooked or fried. A handful is burned on the altar and the rest belongs to the priests.
Key Background
Grain, oil and wine were the staple crops of the Levant, so an offering of flour represented a farmer's labour in the same way an animal represented a herdsman's. Leaven and honey are excluded because both cause fermentation, which spoils food kept near an altar, while salt is required since salt preserves and was a standard token of a binding agreement in the ancient Near East. The portion burned is called a memorial portion, a small token given to God while the bulk feeds the priesthood, which had no farmland of its own.
When someone brings a to Yahweh, the must be They are to pour olive oil on it, put on it,
and bring it to Aaron's sons, the priests. The priest will scoop out a handful of the fine flour and oil, along with all the frankincense, and burn this on the altar — a a to Yahweh.
The rest of the grain gift goes to Aaron and his sons. Of everything burned for Yahweh, this part to
When you bring a grain gift baked in an oven, it must be of fine flour made and mixed with oil, or made and brushed with oil.
If your grain gift is cooked on a it must be fine flour mixed with oil, made without yeast.
Break it into pieces and pour oil on it — it is a grain gift.
If your grain gift is cooked in a it must be made of fine flour with oil.
Bring the grain gift made from these ingredients to Yahweh. Present it to the priest, and he will take it to the altar.
The priest will remove the representative portion from the grain gift and burn it on the altar — a fire gift, a soothing aroma to Yahweh.
The rest of the grain gift goes to Aaron and his sons. Of everything burned for Yahweh, this part belongs to God alone.
No grain gift you bring to Yahweh may be made with because you must never burn any or as a fire gift to Yahweh.
You may bring yeast and honey to Yahweh as a but they must not go up on the altar as a soothing aroma.
Season every one of grain gifts with Never leave the of out of grain gift. Put on every gift you bring.
If you bring a gift of your first harvest to Yahweh, bring of roasted over fire — crushed from the new crop — as your first-harvest gift.
Put oil on it and place frankincense on it — it is a grain gift.
The priest will burn the representative portion — some of the crushed grain and oil, along with all the frankincense — as a fire gift to Yahweh.