Bible Strands
Leviticus 3:5
Then Aaron’s sons are to burn it on the altar atop the burnt offering that is on the burning wood, as a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The text records a divine command given to the priestly line regarding the ritual procedure for peace offerings. Aaron’s sons are instructed to burn the specified fats on the altar during the sacrifice.
The words — The verb הִקְטִירוּ (hik.Ti.ru) literally means "they will make smoke" or "they will cause to ascend as smoke." It takes the object אֹתוֹ (o.T/o), referring to the fat portions designated in the preceding verse.
The thread — This burning procedure echoes the altar fire maintenance command in Leviticus 6:12 and the fat-burning directive in Exodus 29:13. The ritual function later informs the New Testament metaphor of believers offering spiritual sacrifices in 1 Peter 2:5.
Why it lands — The text requires the priest to perform a specific physical act of burning designated fat on the altar fire. It establishes the ritual standard for how peace offerings are to be presented as a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
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 Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.
Cross-references
- Leviticus 6:12 The fire on the altar shall be kept burning; it must not be extinguished. Every morning the priest is to add wood to the fire, arrange the burnt offering on it, and burn the fat portions of the peace offerings on it.
- Exodus 29:13 Take all the fat that covers the entrails and the lobe of the liver, and both kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar.
- 1 Peter 2:5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
- Exodus 29:38 This is what you are to offer regularly on the altar, each day: two lambs that are a year old.
- Leviticus 1:9 The entrails and legs must be washed with water, and the priest shall burn all of it on the altar as a burnt offering, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
- Leviticus 4:31 Then he is to remove all the fat, just as it is removed from the peace offering, and the priest is to burn it on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.
- Leviticus 4:35 And he shall remove all the fat, just as the fat of the lamb is removed from the peace offerings, and he shall burn it on the altar along with the food offerings to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.
- Leviticus 7:29 “Speak to the Israelites and say, ‘Anyone who presents a peace offering to the LORD must bring it as his sacrifice to the LORD.
- Leviticus 9:9 The sons of Aaron brought the blood to him, and he dipped his finger in the blood and applied it to the horns of the altar. And he poured out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar.
- 1 Samuel 2:15 Even before the fat was burned, the servant of the priest would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast, because he will not accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”