King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast shall be Aaron's and his sons'.
Complete Jewish Bible:
The cohen is to make the fat go up in smoke on the altar, but the breast will belong to Aharon and his descendants.
Berean Standard Bible:
The priest is to burn the fat on the altar, but the breast belongs to Aaron and his sons.
American Standard Version:
And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar; but the breast shall be Aaron’s and his sons’.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And the priest{H3548} shall burn{H6999} the fat{H2459} upon the altar{H4196}: but the breast{H2373} shall be Aaron's{H175} and his sons{H1121}'.
Cross-References (KJV):
Leviticus 7:34
- For the wave breast and the heave shoulder have I taken of the children of Israel from off the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons by a statute for ever from among the children of Israel.
Leviticus 3:16
- 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.
Leviticus 3:5
- And Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which [is] upon the wood that [is] on the fire: [it is] an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
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.
Leviticus 6:16
- And the remainder thereof shall Aaron and his sons eat: with unleavened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it.
Leviticus 8:29
- And Moses took the breast, and waved it [for] a wave offering before the LORD: [for] of the ram of consecration it was Moses' part; as the LORD commanded Moses.
Numbers 18:18
- And the flesh of them shall be thine, as the wave breast and as the right shoulder are thine.
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Commentary for Leviticus 7:31
Leviticus 7:31 is a part of the Old Testament and specifically found within the Priestly Code, which provides detailed instructions for the sacrificial rituals and offerings in ancient Israel. The verse is part of a larger section (Leviticus 6:8-7:38) that outlines the regulations for various types of offerings, including the peace offering, which is the focus here.
The theme of Leviticus 7:31 centers on the sacrificial process and the division of the offering between God and the priesthood. In the sacrificial system of ancient Israel, the fat of the offering was considered the choicest part and was thus offered to God on the altar, symbolizing the consecration of the best to the divine. The fat was completely consumed by fire, signifying its total dedication to God. In contrast, the breast of the sacrifice was designated for the sustenance and support of the priests, specifically Aaron and his descendants, who served in the tabernacle (and later the temple). This allocation emphasizes the importance of providing for the religious leaders who were responsible for mediating between God and the people.
Historically, this verse reflects the ritual practices of the Israelites during the time of Moses, as they were establishing their religious identity and worship traditions in the wilderness after the exodus from Egypt. The detailed instructions for sacrifices were meant to ensure proper worship and to maintain the holiness of the people and their sanctuary. The division of the sacrifice also points to a broader theme in the Old Testament: the relationship between God, the priesthood, and the community, with each having specific roles and responsibilities. The priests' right to the breast of the offering was a form of remuneration for their priestly duties, reinforcing the concept of a covenant relationship where God provides for those who serve Him and the community.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H3548
There are 653 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כֹּהֵן
Transliteration: kôhên
Pronunciation: ko-hane'
Description: active participle of כָּהַן; literally one officiating, a priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a layman); chief ruler, [idiom] own, priest, prince, principal officer. - Strong's Number: H6999
There are 112 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קָטַר
Transliteration: qâṭar
Pronunciation: kaw-tar'
Description: a primitive root (identical with through the idea of fumigation in a close place and perhaps thus driving out the occupants); to smoke, i.e. turn into fragrance by fire (especially as an act of worship); burn (incense, sacrifice) (upon), (altar for) incense, kindle, offer (incense, a sacrifice). - Strong's Number: H2459
There are 69 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חֶלֶב
Transliteration: cheleb
Pronunciation: kheh'-leb
Description: or חֵלֶב; from an unused root meaning to be fat; fat, whether literally or figuratively; hence, the richest or choice part; [idiom] best, fat(-ness), [idiom] finest, grease, marrow. - Strong's Number: H4196
There are 338 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מִזְבֵּחַ
Transliteration: mizbêach
Pronunciation: miz-bay'-akh
Description: from זָבַח; an altar; altar. - Strong's Number: H2373
There are 12 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: חָזֶה
Transliteration: châzeh
Pronunciation: khaw-zeh'
Description: from חָזָה; the breast (as most seen in front); breast. - Strong's Number: H175
There are 480 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אַהֲרוֹן
Transliteration: ʼAhărôwn
Pronunciation: a-har-one'
Description: of uncertain derivation; Aharon, the brother of Moses; Aaron. - Strong's Number: H1121
There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּן
Transliteration: bên
Pronunciation: bane
Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.