Bible Strands
Leviticus 2:16
The priest shall then burn the memorial portion of the crushed grain and the oil, together with all its frankincense, as a food offering to the LORD.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The passage delivers a divine instruction to the priest detailing the final step of the grain offering ritual. This command occurs immediately after the oil and frankincense are placed on the crushed grain.
The words — וְ/הִקְטִ֨יר (ve./hik.Tir) translates literally as "and he will make smoke," designating the priest's action of burning the memorial portion. אַזְכָּרָתָ֗/הּ ('az.ka.ra.Ta/h) means "its memorial offering," identifying the specific subset of the grain and oil set apart for the altar.
The thread — The ritual of burning a memorial portion before the LORD appears throughout the grain offering regulations, establishing a pattern of consecrated remembrance. The concept of the Spirit resting upon or being sent by the LORD runs in Isaiah 11:2 and Isaiah 61:1, while the Spirit's intercessory role is noted in Romans 8:26.
Why it lands — The text requires the reader to observe that a portion of the offering must be physically burned as a memorial before the LORD. It demands recognition that the ritual action itself, not merely the ingredients, constitutes the prescribed offering.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 11:2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD.
- Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is on Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners,
- Romans 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.
- Hebrews 5:7 During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence.
- Leviticus 2:1 “When anyone brings a grain offering to the LORD, his offering must consist of fine flour. He is to pour olive oil on it, put frankincense on it,
- Leviticus 2:4 Now if you bring an offering of grain baked in an oven, it must consist of fine flour, either unleavened cakes mixed with oil or unleavened wafers coated with oil.
- Leviticus 2:9 The priest is to remove the memorial portion from the grain offering and burn it on the altar as a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
- Leviticus 2:12 You may bring them to the LORD as an offering of firstfruits, but they must not go up on the altar as a pleasing aroma.
- Psalms 141:2 May my prayer be set before You like incense; my uplifted hands, like the evening offering.