Laws for Peace Offerings
The chapter begins with a peace offering from the herd: the animal must be whole, the worshiper lays a hand on it and slaughters it, and the priests handle the blood and burn the chosen fat portions on the altar.
“1If 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. 2He is to lay his hand on the head of the offering and slaughter it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons the priests shall splatter the blood on all sides of the altar. 3From the peace offering he is to bring a food offering to the LORD: the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on them, 4both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys. 5Then Aaron’s sons are to burn it on the altar atop the burnt offering that is on the burning wood, as a food offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.
The same offering is then described for a sheep, whether male or female, with the same sequence of presentation, slaughter, blood, and burning, though the lamb’s fat tail is named as part of the offering.
6If, however, one’s peace offering to the LORD is from the flock, he must present a male or female without blemish. 7If he is presenting a lamb for his offering, he must present it before the LORD. 8He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splatter its blood on all sides of the altar. 9And from the peace offering he shall bring a food offering to the LORD consisting of its fat: the entire fat tail cut off close to the backbone, the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on them, 10both kidneys with the fat on them near the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys. 11Then the priest is to burn them on the altar as food, a food offering to the LORD.
A goat may also be brought under the same pattern, and the section ends by declaring that all the fat belongs to the LORD. From there the rule widens into a lasting command not to eat fat or blood.
12If one’s offering is a goat, he is to present it before the LORD. 13He must lay his hand on its head and slaughter it in front of the Tent of Meeting. Then Aaron’s sons shall splatter its blood on all sides of the altar. 14And from his offering he shall present a food offering to the LORD: the fat that covers the entrails, all the fat that is on them, 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 a food offering, 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.”