Bible Strands
Leviticus 5:12
He is to bring it to the priest, who shall take a handful from it as a memorial portion and burn it on the altar atop the food offerings to the LORD; it is a sin offering.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The text addresses an Israelite who cannot afford birds, instructing him to bring a tenth of an ephah of fine flour to the priest during the ritual of atonement.
The words — The verb קָמַץ (qamatz) means "to take a handful," and מְלֹא־קֻמְצוֹ (melo-qumtzo) specifies "the fullness of his handful."
The thread — This ritual action mirrors the memorial portion taken from grain offerings in Leviticus 2:9 and parallels the priestly handling of offerings in Leviticus 2:2 and Leviticus 4:35.
Why it lands — The passage requires the worshiper to accept a scaled-down offering while affirming that the priest's ritual action effectively secures atonement and forgiveness.
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The Hebrew words
King James Version
Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it, even a memorial thereof, and burn it on the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the Lord: it is a sin offering.
Cross-references
- 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 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 2:2 and bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests. The priest shall take a handful of the flour and oil, together with all the frankincense, and burn this as a memorial portion on the altar, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
- 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 1:13 The entrails and legs must be washed with water, and the priest shall present all of it and burn it on the altar; it is a burnt offering, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
- Leviticus 1:17 He shall tear it open by its wings, without dividing the bird completely. And the priest is to burn it on the altar atop the burning wood. It is a burnt offering, a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
- 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.
- Leviticus 3:4 both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys.
- Leviticus 3:11 Then the priest is to burn them on the altar as food, a food offering to the LORD.
- Leviticus 6:15 The priest is to remove a handful of fine flour and olive oil, together with all the frankincense from the grain offering, and burn the memorial portion on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD.