Leviticus 23:13
And the grain offering with it shall be two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, a food offering to the LORD with a pleasing aroma, and the drink offering with it shall be of wine, a fourth of a hin.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's striking here is the double portion of flour compared to other lamb offerings – this wasn't just a standard meal offering, but a special abundance offered to God, acknowledging His overflowing provision from the harvest. It underscores that our thankfulness should be in proportion to the mercies we receive.
This passage describes the specific offerings required for the Feast of Firstfruits, which immediately follows the waving of the barley sheaf. It details the amounts of fine flour, oil, and wine for both the main sacrifice and the drink offering, emphasizing that these were to be presented to the Lord as a pleasing aroma. This comes directly after instructions for the waving of the first sheaf of the harvest and the burnt offering of a lamb, setting the stage for the counting of weeks leading to Pentecost.
Why did the grain offering require a double portion of flour compared to other sacrifices?
The verse specifies "two tenth deals of fine flour mixed with oil" for the grain offering. Typically, a meat offering accompanying a lamb sacrifice was one tenth deal (Exodus 29:40). The doubling here is significant. It signifies a greater level of gratitude and thanksgiving for the abundant harvest that God provided. It wasn't just a standard offering; it was a generous expression of thankfulness for the 'fruits of the earth' (as noted in commentaries like Gill's and Barnes'). This doubled offering reflects the principle that our thankfulness should be in proportion to the mercies we receive.
What did the 'pleasing aroma' signify in these ancient sacrifices?
The grain offering is explicitly called "an offering made by fire unto the LORD with a pleasing aroma." This phrase, "pleasing aroma" (or "sweet savor"), appears throughout Leviticus and signifies that the offering was acceptable to God. It wasn't about the literal smell, but about the heart attitude behind the offering. It represented the worshiper's sincere devotion and the acceptance of their sacrifice by God. Calvin notes that such ceremonies reminded Israel that their sustenance came from God, not just the earth. When the offerings were made as prescribed, with faith and gratitude, they were a representation of worship that pleased God.
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Why was wine poured out as a drink offering alongside the grain?
The verse concludes by mentioning the drink offering: "and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, a fourth part of a hin." Drink offerings, often of wine, were an integral part of many burnt offerings and peace offerings (Numbers 15:5-10). While the grain offering was the "meat" of the sacrifice, the drink offering was its accompaniment. Commentaries suggest it symbolized joy, celebration, and the pouring out of one's life or resources in devotion to God. Barnes points out that the amount here is consistent with other drink offerings for a lamb. Though the grain was doubled in quantity, the wine offering remained standard, perhaps indicating that while the expression of gratitude for harvest could be amplified, the fundamental act of pouring out one's life for God remained constant in its prescribed measure.
Understand the original words
min·ḥāh · Hebrew Noun
A sacrifice of agricultural produce (usually flour and oil) offered to the Lord in recognition of His provision and sovereignty over the harvest.
rê·aḥ nî·ḥō·aḥ · Hebrew Noun phrase
A metaphor used in sacrificial law to indicate that an offering is pleasing to God and that He accepts it as a sincere expression of worship.
ne·seḵ · Hebrew Noun
A ritual act involving the pouring out of wine as a libation, typically accompanying other sacrifices, signifying a complete surrender or joy before the Lord.
This passage describes the standard grain and drink offerings for daily sacrifices, providing a baseline for comparison to the *doubled* offerings in Leviticus 23:13, highlighting the abundance celebrated.
Numbers 15:4This verse sets the standard offering for a lamb, which is one tenth deal of flour, again underscoring that the *two* tenth deals in Leviticus 23:13 signify a more abundant and thankful offering.
Romans 11:16Paul alludes to the Levitical firstfruits, stating 'If the first-fruits offered now are holy, then the whole lump is also holy.' This shows the theological significance of offering the first and best to God, as seen in Leviticus 23:13.
1 Corinthians 15:20This passage presents Jesus as the 'firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep,' directly linking the Old Testament agricultural offerings of firstfruits to the ultimate harvest of resurrection made possible by Christ.
Philippians 4:18Paul describes the Philippians' gifts as a 'fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God,' echoing the 'pleasing aroma' mentioned in Leviticus 23:13 and showing how our offerings of gratitude to God continue today.
calvinLeviticus 23:1-44: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,"
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest:
Alloquere filios Israel, et dic eis, Quum ingressi fueritis terrain quam ego do vobis, et messueritis messem ejus, tunc offeretis omnes primitias messis vestrae ad sacerdotem.
And he shall wave the shea…
pooleLeviticus 23:13: "And the meat offering thereof shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin."
Two tenth deals, or, parts , to wit, of an ephah, i. e. two omers, whereas in other sacrifices of lambs there was but one tenth deal prescribed, Numbers 15:4 . The reason of which disproportion may be this, that one of the tenth deals was a necessary attenda…
What's striking here is the double portion of flour compared to other lamb offerings – this wasn't just a standard meal offering, but a special abundance offered to God, acknowledging His overflowing provision from the harvest. It underscores that our thankfulness should be in proportion to the mercies we receive.
This passage describes the specific offerings required for the Feast of Firstfruits, which immediately follows the waving of the barley sheaf. It details the amounts of fine flour, oil, and wine for both the main sacrifice and the drink offering, emphasizing that these were to be presented to the Lord as a pleasing aroma. This comes directly after instructions for the waving of the first sheaf of the harvest and the burnt offering of a lamb, setting the stage for the counting of weeks leading to Pentecost.
This passage describes the specific offerings required for the Feast of Firstfruits, which immediately follows the waving of the barley sheaf. It details the amounts of fine flour, oil, and wine for both the main sacrifice and the drink offering, emphasizing that these were to be presented to the Lord as a pleasing aroma. This comes directly after instructions for the waving of the first sheaf of the harvest and the burnt offering of a lamb, setting the stage for the counting of weeks leading to Pentecost.
"And the grain offering with it shall be two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, a food offering to the LORD with a pleasing aroma, and the drink offering with it shall be of wine, a fourth of a hin." — What's striking here is the double portion of flour compared to other lamb offerings – this wasn't just a standard meal offering, but a special abundance offered to God, acknowledging His overflowi…
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