Leviticus 3:16
New International Version
The priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the LORD’s.

New Living Translation
and the priest will burn them on the altar. It is a special gift of food, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. All the fat belongs to the LORD.

English Standard Version
And the priest shall burn them on the altar as a food offering with a pleasing aroma. All fat is the LORD’s.

Berean Standard Bible
Then the priest is to burn the food on the altar as a food offering, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the LORD’s.

King James Bible
And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour: all the fat is the LORD'S.

New King James Version
and the priest shall burn them on the altar as food, an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma; all the fat is the LORD’s.

New American Standard Bible
The priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire as a soothing aroma; all fat is the LORD’S.

NASB 1995
The priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire for a soothing aroma; all fat is the LORD’S.

NASB 1977
‘And the priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire for a soothing aroma; all fat is the LORD’s.

Legacy Standard Bible
And the priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire for a soothing aroma; all fat is Yahweh’s.

Amplified Bible
The priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar as food. It is an offering by fire, a sweet and soothing aroma; all the fat is the LORD’S.

Christian Standard Bible
Then the priest will burn the food on the altar, as a food offering for a pleasing aroma. “All fat belongs to the LORD.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then the priest will burn the food on the altar, as a fire offering for a pleasing aroma.” All fat belongs to the LORD.

American Standard Version
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 Jehovah's.

Contemporary English Version
One of the priests will put these pieces on the altar and send them up in smoke as a food offering with a smell that pleases me. All fat belongs to me.

English Revised Version
And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a sweet savour: all the fat is the LORD'S.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then the priest will burn them on the altar. It is food, an offering by fire to the LORD. It is a soothing aroma. All the fat belongs to the LORD.

Good News Translation
The priest shall burn all this on the altar as a food offering pleasing to the LORD. All the fat belongs to the LORD.

International Standard Version
The priest is to burn it on the altar, a food offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma. All the fat belongs to the LORD.

Majority Standard Bible
Then the priest is to burn the food on the altar as an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the LORD’s.

NET Bible
Then the priest must offer them up in smoke on the altar as a food gift for a soothing aroma--all the fat belongs to the LORD.

New Heart English Bible
The priest shall burn them on the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma; all the fat is the LORD's.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
The priest shall burn them on the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma; all the fat is Yahweh’s.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and the priest has made them an incense on the altar [as] bread of a fire-offering, for refreshing fragrance; all the fat [is] YHWH’s.

Young's Literal Translation
and the priest hath made them a perfume on the altar -- bread of a fire-offering, for sweet fragrance; all the fat is Jehovah's.

Smith's Literal Translation
And the priest burnt them upon the altar; the bread of the sacrifice for an odor of sweetness: all the fat to Jehovah.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the priest shall burn them upon the altar, for the food of the fire, and of a most sweet savour. All the fat shall be the Lord's.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the priest shall burn them upon the altar, as nourishment for the fire and as a most sweet odor. All the fat shall be for the Lord;

New American Bible
The priest shall burn these on the altar as food, a sweet-smelling oblation. All the fat belongs to the LORD.

New Revised Standard Version
Then the priest shall turn these into smoke on the altar as a food offering by fire for a pleasing odor. All fat is the LORD’s.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the priest shall burn them upon the altar; it is a food offering made by fire for a sweet savour; all the fat is the LORD'S.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the Priest shall offer them up on the altar a food offering for a sweet savor; all the fat is for LORD JEHOVAH.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the priest shall make them smoke upon the altar; it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a sweet savour; all the fat is the LORD'S.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the priest shall offer it upon the altar: it is a burnt-offering, a smell of sweet savour to the Lord. All the fat belongs to the Lord.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Laws for Peace Offerings
15both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys. 16Then the priest is to burn the food on the altar as an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma. All the fat is the LORD’s. 17This is a permanent statute for the generations to come, wherever you live: You must not eat any fat or any blood.”…

Cross References
Leviticus 7:23-25
“Speak to the Israelites and say, ‘You are not to eat any of the fat of an ox, a sheep, or a goat. / The fat of an animal found dead or mauled by wild beasts may be used for any other purpose, but you must not eat it. / If anyone eats the fat of an animal from which a food offering may be presented to the LORD, the one who eats it must be cut off from his people.

Leviticus 17:6
The priest will then splatter the blood on the altar of the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and burn the fat as 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 4:31
Then he is to remove all the fat, just as it is removed from the peace offering, and the priest is to burn it on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD. In this way the priest will make atonement for him, and he will be forgiven.

Leviticus 6:12
The fire on the altar shall be kept burning; it must not be extinguished. Every morning the priest is to add wood to the fire, arrange the burnt offering on it, and burn the fat portions of the peace offerings on it.

Numbers 18:17
But you must not redeem the firstborn of an ox, a sheep, or a goat; they are holy. You are to splatter their blood on the altar and burn their fat as a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

Deuteronomy 12:27
Present the meat and blood of your burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD your God. The blood of your other sacrifices must be poured out beside the altar of the LORD your God, but you may eat the meat.

1 Samuel 2:15-16
Even before the fat was burned, the servant of the priest would come and say to the man who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast, because he will not accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.” / And if any man said to him, “The fat must be burned first; then you may take whatever you want,” the servant would reply, “No, you must give it to me right now. If you refuse, I will take it by force!”

Ezekiel 44:7
In addition to all your other abominations, you brought in foreigners uncircumcised in both heart and flesh to occupy My sanctuary; you defiled My temple when you offered My food—the fat and the blood; you broke My covenant.

Malachi 1:7-8
By presenting defiled food on My altar. But you ask, ‘How have we defiled You?’ By saying that the table of the LORD is contemptible. / When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is it not wrong? And when you present the lame and sick ones, is it not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor?” asks the LORD of Hosts.

Genesis 8:21
When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, He said in His heart, “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from his youth. And never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done.

Exodus 29:18
Then burn the entire ram on the altar; it is a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the LORD.

1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.

Romans 12:1
Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

Hebrews 13:15-16
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name. / And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.


Treasury of Scripture

And the priest shall burn them on the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet smell: all the fat is the LORD's.

it is the food

Leviticus 3:11
And the priest shall burn it upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire unto the LORD.

all the fat

Leviticus 3:3-5,9,11,14,15
And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, …

Leviticus 4:8-19,26,31
And he shall take off from it all the fat of the bullock for the sin offering; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, …

Leviticus 7:23-25
Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat…

Jump to Previous
Altar Aroma Bread Burn Burned Fat Fire Fire-Offering Food Fragrance Jehovah's LORD's Odor Odour Offer Offered Offering Perfume Pleasant Pleasing Priest Savor Savour Smell Smoke Soothing Sweet
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Altar Aroma Bread Burn Burned Fat Fire Fire-Offering Food Fragrance Jehovah's LORD's Odor Odour Offer Offered Offering Perfume Pleasant Pleasing Priest Savor Savour Smell Smoke Soothing Sweet
Leviticus 3
1. The peace offering of the herd
6. whether a sheep
7. whether a lamb
12. or a goat
17. A prohibition to eat fat or blood














The priest shall burn them on the altar
In the ancient Hebrew context, the role of the priest was central to the sacrificial system. The Hebrew word for "priest" is "kohen," which signifies one who mediates between God and man. The act of burning on the altar symbolizes complete dedication to God. The altar, "mizbeach" in Hebrew, was a sacred place where offerings were made, representing the meeting point between the divine and the earthly. This act of burning signifies purification and transformation, turning the physical into a spiritual offering.

as food, an offering made by fire
The phrase "as food" in Hebrew is "lechem," which generally means bread or sustenance. Here, it metaphorically represents the offering as nourishment for the divine presence. The "offering made by fire" or "isheh" in Hebrew, indicates a sacrificial act that involves fire, symbolizing the presence of God, as fire often represents divine holiness and purification. This offering is a tangible expression of worship and reverence, acknowledging God's provision and sovereignty.

a pleasing aroma
The Hebrew term "reyach nichoach" translates to "a pleasing aroma," which is a recurring phrase in the sacrificial texts. This concept conveys the idea that the offering, when given with a sincere heart, is acceptable and delightful to God. It reflects the relational aspect of worship, where the physical act of sacrifice transcends into spiritual communion with God. The aroma symbolizes the acceptance and favor of God towards the worshiper.

All the fat belongs to the LORD
In the ancient Near Eastern context, fat was considered the best part of the animal, symbolizing richness and abundance. The Hebrew word "chelev" refers to this fat, which was seen as the choicest portion. By declaring that "all the fat belongs to the LORD," the scripture emphasizes the principle of giving God the best of what we have. It underscores the idea of total devotion and the acknowledgment that all blessings and abundance ultimately come from God. This directive serves as a reminder of God's holiness and the call for His people to honor Him with their finest offerings.

(16) Shall burn them.--That is, the fat pieces which have thus been specified (see Leviticus 4:35), because they constitute the bread of Jehovah; they are to ascend in a sweet-smelling savour to heaven. (See Leviticus 1:9).

All the fat is the Lord's.--This part of the verse is intimately connected with the following verse. As the fat belongs to the Lord, it is therefore enacted as a perpetual statute that it must never be eaten.



Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then the priest
הַכֹּהֵ֖ן (hak·kō·hên)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3548: Priest

will burn
וְהִקְטִירָ֥ם (wə·hiq·ṭî·rām)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural
Strong's 6999: To smoke, turn into fragrance by fire

the food
לֶ֤חֶם (le·ḥem)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain

on the altar
הַמִּזְבֵּ֑חָה (ham·miz·bê·ḥāh)
Article | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 4196: An altar

as an offering made by fire,
אִשֶּׁה֙ (’iš·šeh)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 801: A burnt-offering, a sacrifice

a pleasing
נִיחֹ֔חַ (nî·ḥō·aḥ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5207: A quieting, soothing, tranquilizing

aroma.
לְרֵ֣יחַ (lə·rê·aḥ)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7381: To smell, perceive odor

All
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the fat
חֵ֖לֶב (ḥê·leḇ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2459: Fat, richest, choice part

[is] the LORD’s.
לַיהוָֽה׃ (Yah·weh)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel


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OT Law: Leviticus 3:16 The priest shall burn them (Le Lv Lev.)
Leviticus 3:15
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