Bible Strands
Leviticus 9:18
Then he slaughtered the ox and the ram as the people’s peace offering. His sons brought him the blood, and he splattered it on all sides of the altar.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — During the tabernacle consecration, the priest slaughters the ox and ram for the people’s peace offering while his sons hand him the blood for ritual application. This action follows the grain offering and precedes the removal of the fat portions.
The words — The text highlights וַיִּשְׁחַט (va/yishchat), meaning "he slaughtered" or "he cut the throat," and שְׁלָמִים (she/lamim), translated literally as "peace offerings." These terms anchor the ritual in deliberate animal death and the establishment of communal communion.
The thread — The peace offering motif extends to the New Testament where Christ establishes peace with God (Romans 5:1), destroys hostility between groups (Ephesians 2:14), and reconciles all creation through His work (Colossians 1:20). The ritual blood application prefigures the blood that secures that reconciliation.
Why it lands — The passage demands recognition that communion with God requires a mediated, costly sacrifice applied to the altar. It directs the reader to see the necessity of blood for peace and the pattern of priestly intercession fulfilled in Christ.
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
He slew also the bullock and the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings, which was for the people: and Aaron’s sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar round about,
Cross-references
- Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
- Ephesians 2:14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has torn down the dividing wall of hostility
- Colossians 1:20 and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross.
- Leviticus 3:1 “If one’s offering is a peace offering and he offers an animal from the herd, whether male or female, he must present it without blemish before the LORD.
- Leviticus 7:11 Now this is the law of the peace offering that one may present to the LORD:
- Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!