Leviticus 2:1

King James Version (KJV)

And when any will offer a meat offering unto the Lord, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

Meat-offering - מנחה minchah . For an explanation of this word see Clarke's note on Genesis 4:3, and Lev. vii. Calmet has remarked that there are five kinds of the minchah mentioned in this chapter.

סלת soleth, simple flour or meal, Leviticus 2:1.
Cakes and wafers, or whatever was baked in the oven, Leviticus 2:4.
Cakes baked in the pan, Leviticus 2:5.
Cakes baked on the frying-pan, or probably, a gridiron, Leviticus 2:7.
Green ears of corn parched, Leviticus 2:14.

All these were offered without honey or leaven, but accompanied with wine, oil, and frankincense. It is very likely that the minchah, in some or all of the above forms, was the earliest oblation offered to the Supreme Being, and probably was in use before sin entered into the world, and consequently before bloody sacrifices, or piacular victims, had been ordained. The minchah of green ears of corn dried by the fire, etc., was properly the gratitude-offering for a good seed time, and the prospect of a plentiful harvest. This appears to have been the offering brought by Cain, Genesis 4:3; see Clarke's note Genesis 4:3. The flour, whether of wheat, rice, barley, rye, or any other grain used for aliment, was in all likelihood equally proper; for in Numbers 5:15, we find the flour of barley, or barley meal, is called minchah. It is plain that in the institution of the minchah no animal was here included, though in other places it seems to include both kinds; but in general the minchah was not a bloody offering, nor used by way of atonement or expiation, but merely in a eucharistic way, expressing gratitude to God for the produce of the soil. It is such an offering as what is called natural religion might be reasonably expected to suggest: but alas! so far lost is man, that even thankfulness to God for the fruits of the earth must be taught by a Divine revelation; for in the heart of man even the seeds of gratitude are not found, till sown there by the hand of Divine grace. Offerings of different kinds of grain, flour, bread, fruits, etc., are the most ancient among the heathen nations; and even the people of God have had them from the beginning of the world. See this subject largely discussed on Exodus 23:29; (note), where several examples are given. Ovid intimates that these gratitude-offerings originated with agriculture. "In the most ancient times men lived by rapine, hunting, etc., for the sword was considered to be more honorable than the plough; but when they sowed their fields, they dedicated the first-fruits of their harvest to Ceres, to whom the ancients attributed the art of agriculture, and to whom burnt-offerings of corn were made, according to immemorial usages." The passage to which I refer, and of which I have given the substance, is the following: -

"Non habuit tellus doctos antiqua colonos:

Lassabant agiles aspera bella viros.

Plus erat in gladio quam curvo laudis aratro:

Neglectus domino pauca ferebat ager.

Farra tamen veteres jaciebant, farra metebant:

Primitias Cereri farra resecta dabant.

Usibus admoniti flammis torrenda dedere:

Multaque peccato damna tulere suo."

Fastor., lib. ii., ver. 515.

Pliny observes that "Numa taught the Romans to offer fruits to the gods, and to make supplications before them, bringing salt cakes and parched corn; as grain in this state was deemed most wholesome." Numa instituit deos Fruge colere, et Mola Salsa supplicare, atque (ut auctor est Hemina) far torrere, quoniam tostum cibo salubrius esset - Hist. Nat. lib xviii., c. 2. And it is worthy of remark, that the ancient Romans considered "no grain as pure or proper for divine service that had not been previously parched." Id uno modo consecutum, statuendo non esse purum ad rem divinam nisi tostum - Ibid.

God, says Calmet, requires nothing here which was not in common use for nourishment; but he commands that these things should be offered with such articles as might give them the most exquisite relish, such as salt, oil, and wine, and that the flour should be of the finest and purest kind. The ancients, according to Suidas, seem to have made much use or meal formed into a paste with milk, and sometimes with water. (See Suidas in Μαζα ). The priests kept in the temples a certain mixture of flour mingled with oil and wine, which they called Ὑγιεια Hugieia or health, and which they used as a kind of amulet or charm against sickness; after they had finished their sacrifices, they generally threw some flour upon the fire, mingled with oil and wine, which they called θυληματα thulemata, and which, according to Theophrastus, was the ordinary sacrifice of the poor.

Was this helpful?

Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

A meat offering - Better translated in Leviticus 2:4 an oblation of a meat offering קרבן qorbân see Leviticus 1:2 מנחה mı̂nchāh signifies literally a “gift”; and it appears to have been applied especially to what was given by an inferior to a superior Genesis 32:18-20; Genesis 43:11; Judges 3:15; 1 Samuel 10:27: but in the technical language of the Law, it regularly denoted the vegetable offerings as distinguished from the animal offerings. Our translators have rendered it “meat-offering”, applying the word “meat”, according to old usage, as a general term for food. Vegetable-offering or meal-offering would be a more convenient rendering.

The meaning of the מנחה mı̂nchāh appears to be much more simple than that of the animal sacrifices. The מנחה mı̂nchāh as a sacrifice, was something surrendered to God, which was of the greatest value to man as a means of living. It might thus seem to be merely eucharistic. But it should not be overlooked that the grain had been modified, and made useful, by man‘s own labor. Hence, it has been supposed that the מנחה mı̂nchāh expressed a confession that all our good works are performed in God and are due to Him.

The order in which the kinds of offering are named agrees with their development in order of time. The burnt-offering and the מנחה mı̂nchāh answer to the first two offerings on record Genesis 4:3-4; Amos 5:22.

Three kinds of מנחה mı̂nchāh are here mentioned; (1) Leviticus 2:1-3; (2) Leviticus 2:4-7; (3) Leviticus 2:14-16. Of each of them a small portion was burned on the altar “for a memorial,” and the remainder was given to the priests. The offerings of flour belonged to the priests at large, but those of cakes and wafers to the officiating priests, Leviticus 7:9-10. Instructions to the priests are given in Leviticus 6:14-23.

Fine flour - finely bolted flour of wheat. It was probably always presented in a bowl, compare Numbers 7:13.

Oil - For the purpose of anointing and as food; in both senses a symbol of divine grace.

Frankincense - See the Exodus 30:34 note.

Was this helpful?

Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

Meat-offerings may typify Christ, as presented to God for us, and as being the Bread of life to our souls; but they rather seem to denote our obligation to God for the blessings of providence, and those good works which are acceptable to God. The term "meat" was, and still is, properly given to any kind of provision, and the greater part of this offering was to be eaten for food, not burned. These meat-offerings are mentioned after the burnt-offerings: without an interest in the sacrifice of Christ, and devotedness of heart to God, such services cannot be accepted. Leaven is the emblem of pride, malice, and hypocrisy, and honey of sensual pleasure. The former are directly opposed to the graces of humility, love, and sincerity, which God approves; the latter takes men from the exercises of devotion, and the practice of good works. Christ, in his character and sacrifice, was wholly free from the things denoted by leaven; and his suffering life and agonizing death were the very opposites to worldly pleasure. His people are called to follow, and to be like him.

Was this helpful?

SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

1. Offer a meat offering. More accurately, bring “a cereal offering [minchah] as an offering [qorban see on ch. 1:2], ” RSV. The word minchah, originally without specific religious significance, designated a gift presented to a superior. The “present” Jacob gave Esau was a minchah (Gen. 32:13). So also was the “present” that Joseph’s brothers gave him upon their arrival in Egypt (Gen. 43:11). It stood, as well, for the tribute paid by conquered peoples (2 Sam. 8:2, 6). These gifts expressed submission and dependence. At the time of Sinai minchah became the official designation for a gift to God, a gift of homage, an acknowledgment of the superiority of the One to whom the gift was given. It signified man’s dependence upon God for all the good things of life, in recognition of Him as owner and provider. In presenting such an offering a man acknowledged himself as but a steward of the things entrusted to him.

When the KJV translation was made the word “meat” meant food of all kinds. However, the expression “meat offering,” from minchah, now conveys the idea of flesh meat, which was not used in the “meat” offerings of Lev. 2. It was, rather, a meal or cereal offering, consisting of flour or grain prepared in various ways, but never of flesh meat. The minchah of Abel was, nevertheless, a lamb (Gen. 4:4). Most recent translations render minchah as “meal” or “cereal” offering.

As there were both private and public burnt offerings, so there were private and public meat offerings. The private meat offerings were voluntary, and could be offered at will and at any time. The public meat offerings were prescribed and mandatory.

Chief among the public meat offerings was the shewbread, or “bread of the Presence,” placed each Sabbath on the table in the first apartment of the sanctuary. It was first presented to the Lord, left on the table for a week, and then eaten by the priests. It was called the “bread of the Presence,” literally the “bread of the Face,” as it was continually on the table in the presence of, or before the face of, God. The shewbread table was also called the “pure table” (Lev. 24:6).

The shewbread offering consisted of 12 loaves, each made from about 51/3 lb. (2.4 kg.) of flour, and hence of considerable size. The loaves were placed in two stacks of six each on the table. The priests who had served during that week offered the Sabbath morning sacrifices and remained until the priests who had come in on Friday to serve the coming week offered the Sabbath evening sacrifices. The outgoing priests removed the old bread as the incoming priests placed the new on the table. They were careful not to remove the old until the new was ready to be put on; for there must always be bread on the table, as there must always be a burnt sacrifice on the altar. Hence, the burnt sacrifice was called the “continual burnt offering,” and the bread the “continual shewbread” (Ex. 29:42; 2 Chron. 2:4). The shewbread was offered to God under an “everlasting covenant” (Lev. 24:8). It was an ever-present testimony of Israel’s dependence upon God for sustenance and life; on God’s part it constituted a continual promise that He would sustain His people. Israel’s need was ever before God, and God’s promise was ever before the people.

A drink offering accompanied the morning and evening sacrifice (Ex. 29:40; Num. 15:5). For this reason the shewbread table contained dishes, spoons, covers, and bowls, or as other versions render it, dishes, spoons, and “cups, with which they pour out” (Ex. 25:29, Young’s translation). This drink offering was poured out in the holy place “unto the Lord.”

It is not a long step from the table of shewbread mentioned in the OT to the table of the Lord in the NT (see Luke 22:30; 1 Cor. 10:21). The bread is Christ’s body, broken for us. The cup is the new testament in His blood (1 Cor. 11:24, 25).The “bread of the Presence” is symbolic of Him who “ever liveth to make intercession” for us, of the “living bread which came down from heaven” (Heb. 7:25; John 6:51).

His offering shall be. This offering could be brought by anyone who desired to present a gift to God. It consisted of fine flour, oil, and frankincense. At times it was brought as a separate offering, but was generally combined with a burnt sacrifice.

Fine flour is the product of cooperation between God and man. God places the life principle in the seed, gives sunshine and rain, and causes it to grow. Man sows the seed, tends it, harvests it, grinds it into fine flour, and then presents it to God either in its material state as flour or as cakes baked in an oven. It is God’s original gift plus man’s labor. It is giving back to God His own with interest. It is symbolic of man’s lifework, of talents improved.

God gives to every man talents according to his capacity for using them. Some have more than one talent, no one has less. God is not pleased when men give back to Him only that which He has given them, return to Him only the amount of seed entrusted to them. God would have man plant the seed, tend and harvest it, remove all foreign and coarse particles, grind it between the upper and the nether millstone, crushing all life out of it, and then present it to Him as “fine flour.” He expects every talent to be improved, refined, ennobled.

Was this helpful?

BibleTools.info

Bible Verse Explanations and Resources

Leviticus 2:1