Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 3:12

And if his offering [be] a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD.

See Lev 1:10 note. Birds were not accepted as peace-offerings, most probably because they were, by themselves, insufficient to make up a sacrificial meal.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 12. A goat] Implying the whole species, he-goat, she-goat, and kid, as we have already seen.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

12. if his offering be agoatWhether this or any of the other two animals were chosen,the same general directions were to be followed in the ceremony ofoffering.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And if his offering be a goat,…. As it might be, and which also was of the flock:

then he shall offer it before the Lord; in the same place and manner as the bullock and the lamb, Le 3:1

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

Verses 12-17:

Israel was forbidden to eat either blood or fat. The prohibition against eating of blood was long-standing, having been given to Noah following the flood, Ge 9:4. One reason for this prohibition: the life is in the blood, and God forbids the taking of innocent life.

This is the first record in Scripture prohibiting the eating of fat. This likely refers to the internal fat. One reason for this requirement is that this belongs to God, and none may take that which is His.

Another reason for the prohibition of the eating of fat could be for health purposes. Medical science has determined that a diet including animal fat can result in high cholesterol levels in the blood, and this in turn can produce various serious (and often fatal) illnesses.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

(12-15) And if his offering be a goat.The directions about the goat as a peace offering are the same as those about an ox. No mention of male or female is here made, because this point is already stated in Lev. 3:6. Unlike the burnt offering (Lev. 1:10), the goat is here separated from the sheep because of the difference in the oblation, arising from the

broad tail of the sheep, which does not exist in the goat.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

A Peace Offering of Goats ( Lev 3:12-16 ).

Lev 3:12-15

‘And if his oblation be a goat, then he shall offer it before Yahweh, and he shall lay his hand on its head, and kill it before the tent of meeting; and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle its blood on the altar round about. And he shall offer from it his oblation, even an offering made by fire to Yahweh, the fat that covers the innards, and all the fat that is on the innards, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the covering of fat on the liver, with the kidneys, shall he take away.’

As with the ox and sheep, so with the goats. The threefold repetition, beloved of ancient writers, stresses the threefold importance of the lesson. Peace is made between God and men, and once that is done men and women can commune with God. This was the assurance that the peace offering constantly gave to those who were true to Him.

Lev 3:16

‘And the priest shall burn them on the altar. It is the food of the offering made by fire, for a pleasing odour; all the fat is Yahweh’s.’

Again the result is described. Here it is confirmed that the food of the offering made by fire is the pleasing odour. Further, all the fat is Yahweh’s. The essential being of the animal, and its best part, belongs to Him.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Of Goats

v. 12. And if his offering be a goat, then he shall offer it before the Lord.

v. 13. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before the Tabernacle of the Congregation; and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof, as it was caught when the animal was slaughtered, upon the altar round about.

v. 14. And he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards,

v. 15. and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.

v. 16. And the priest shall burn them upon the altar; it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savor; all the fat is the Lord’s, that is, all the loose fatty parts that were enumerated in these three cases were to be the Lord’s portion.

v. 17. It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings that ye eat neither fat nor blood. As long as the children of Israel were in the wilderness, all the animals slaughtered for food had to be brought to the Sanctuary, Lev 17:3-7; in the land of Canaan, they were permitted to slaughter such animals in their own cities. Deu 12:15, but all the sacrifices had to be made at the place of the Sanctuary. The prohibition, however, concerning the loose fat mentioned in this Chapter and that regarding blood remained in force for the Jewish people. In the case of all peace-offerings the wave-breast and the heave-shoulder belonged to the priests, Lev 7:30 ff. and the rest of the meat was to be eaten by the worshiper and his family in the court of the Tabernacle. This joyous sacrificial meal was to express the happiness which the believers felt because of their covenant with the God of their salvation, just as we Christians enjoy the blessings of God’s covenant in the Sacrament of the Altar.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

a goat: Lev 3:1, Lev 3:7-17, Lev 1:2, Lev 1:6, Lev 1:10, Lev 9:3, Lev 9:15, Lev 10:16, Lev 22:19-27, Isa 53:2, Isa 53:6, Mat 25:32, Mat 25:33, Rom 8:3, 2Co 5:21

Reciprocal: 1Sa 10:3 – three kids

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Lev 3:12-16. Goats.The language is the same as in the preceding paragraph, save that the tail is not mentioned. Birds are not included among the victims for peace offerings. They could hardly be divided among the participants. The whole chapter, and specially Lev 3:17, shows that Ps interest is not with the sacrifice as a whole, but one particular part of it, the scrupulous devoting of the fat and the blood to Yahweh. We can distinguish here and elsewhere in P, as in the other codes, the hand of the legislative reformer.

Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible