Leviticus Chapter 2
The Grain Offering
A. The procedure for the grain offering.
1. (Leviticus 2:1–3) The presentation of the grain offering.
“When anyone offers a grain offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour. And he shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it. He shall bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests, one of whom shall take from it his handful of fine flour and oil with all the frankincense. And the priest shall burn it as a memorial on the altar, an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD. The rest of the grain offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. It is most holy of the offerings to the LORD made by fire.”
When anyone offers a grain offering to the Lord, the offering was composed of fine flour mixed with oil and frankincense. The worshiper would bring it to the priests, and one priest would take a handful of the flour and oil with all the frankincense to burn on the altar as a memorial portion before the Lord. The rest was given to Aaron and his sons to sustain the priesthood, showing that God’s servants were to live by the offerings of His people.
The grain offering was unique in that it was a bloodless sacrifice. It represented the labor of man’s hands, the result of cultivation and preparation, and symbolized the dedication of one’s daily work and service to God. G. Campbell Morgan rightly noted that it was “the symbol of service offered,” for it represented not life taken in atonement, but life lived in devotion and thanksgiving.
Matthew Poole observed three reasons for the institution of this offering. First, grains and produce were essential to human life and therefore fitting to be presented in honor to God. Second, it provided a means for the poor to worship, as even those without flocks could bring a grain offering and thus participate in the worship of the Lord. Third, it supplied necessary food for the priests, ensuring that the ministry in the tabernacle would not lack sustenance.
Poole further described fine flour as that which was sifted and purged of all bran, the best and purest form available, for only the finest was worthy to be offered to the Lord. The inclusion of frankincense symbolized the sweetness of devotion and prayer rising before God. As Peter-Contesse explained, frankincense was a rare and costly resin from Arabia that produced a pleasant aroma when burned, typically reserved for sacred use.
Because the priests represented God before the people, they were entitled to partake of what was offered to Him. As Rooker notes, the grain offering was likely the principal means of provision for the priesthood, ensuring that those who ministered at the altar would live by the altar. Nehemiah 13:12 records that the people “brought the tithes of grain and the new wine and the oil to the storehouse,” confirming the continued practice of storing such offerings for the service of the temple.
The burning of the memorial portion produced “a sweet aroma to the Lord,” expressing gratitude rather than atonement. This fragrance signified divine satisfaction with the worshiper’s thankful heart. In a primarily agrarian society, such an offering naturally reflected thankfulness for God’s faithful provision and blessing upon the harvest.
When God declared this offering “most holy of the offerings to the Lord made by fire,” it underscored the sacredness of gratitude itself. Thanksgiving is not a minor act of devotion but one of the holiest expressions of worship. The grain offering therefore reminds believers that God delights in sincere thankfulness and that service rendered from a grateful heart is precious in His sight.
The Grain Offering
B. Different types of grain offering.
2. (Leviticus 2:4–10) The various forms of the grain offering.
“And if you bring as an offering a grain offering baked in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil. But if your offering is a grain offering baked in a pan, it shall be of fine flour, unleavened, mixed with oil. You shall break it in pieces and pour oil on it; it is a grain offering. If your offering is a grain offering baked in a covered pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil. You shall bring the grain offering that is made of these things to the LORD. And when it is presented to the priest, he shall bring it to the altar. Then the priest shall take from the grain offering a memorial portion, and burn it on the altar. It is an offering made by fire, a sweet aroma to the LORD. And what is left of the grain offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. It is most holy of the offerings to the LORD made by fire.”
The instructions for the grain offering allowed for a variety of preparations. A person could bring fine flour baked in the oven, cooked on a flat griddle, or prepared in a covered pan. The worshiper had freedom to express devotion through different forms, yet every type followed the same basic principle—offering the fruit of human labor to God as a token of gratitude and dedication.
When the text says, “If you bring as an offering a grain offering baked in the oven,” it shows that the grain offering could be given as baked bread. This allowed worshipers to bring what was common in daily life as an act of worship. The preparation was done at home, making it an intimate expression of devotion. One can imagine an Israelite woman carefully kneading the fine flour, mixing it with oil, and baking it into cakes for the Lord. Worship began in the home, and when offered with sincerity, it became “a sweet aroma to the Lord.”
The mention of the covered pan refers to a vessel similar to a modern deep-fryer. As Harrison explains, this preparation likely resembled a deep-fried cake, much like a doughnut, while Harris notes that the cakes may have been boiled or fried like dumplings. Whatever the method, the purpose was to bring the best of one’s resources and skill before the Lord.
The Lord commanded that these offerings be unleavened cakes or unleavened wafers. Later, in Leviticus 2:11, He explicitly forbids the use of leaven or honey in the offerings made by fire. Leaven, or yeast, symbolizes corruption and sin, and God desired His people’s worship to be pure, free from the contamination of hypocrisy or worldliness. Jesus warned of “the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matthew 16:6–12), meaning their corrupt teaching and hypocrisy, and of “the leaven of Herod” (Mark 8:15), referring to worldly compromise. Likewise, Paul wrote, “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:6–8).
G. Campbell Morgan explained the symbolism clearly: “The leaven of the Pharisees was hypocrisy—ritualism without moral substance. The leaven of the Sadducees was rationalism—the denial of the supernatural. Paul spoke of the leaven of malice and wickedness, as the opposite of sincerity and truth.” In every generation, these corrupting influences are to be excluded from the service of God. The grain offering teaches that service to God must be sincere, free of pretense, and untouched by sin or compromise.
This picture of unleavened bread also reminds believers of Christ, the true Bread of Life. Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:32–35). Jesus fulfilled the meaning of the grain offering through His sinless service to the Father, His perfect devotion, and His life freely offered for the salvation of man.
The offering was to be of fine flour mixed with oil. The oil was both practical and symbolic. Practically, it helped the flour bind together and burn properly. Spiritually, it represented the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Every act of service to God must be done under the influence and empowerment of the Spirit. As John Trapp observed, “Jacob was the first we read of that consecrated his offerings with oil (Genesis 28:18); probably he had it from his predecessors.” Oil throughout Scripture signifies consecration, blessing, and divine empowerment.
Finally, the Lord instructed that “what is left of the grain offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons.” This portion provided sustenance for the priests and their households, a continual reminder that those who serve at the altar live by the altar. It was called “most holy of the offerings to the Lord made by fire,” emphasizing again that even a simple act of gratitude or daily labor, when sanctified and presented to God, becomes sacred and pleasing in His sight.
C. Special instructions regarding the grain offering.
1. (Leviticus 2:11) The addition of leaven or honey was prohibited.
“No grain offering which you bring to the LORD shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey in any offering to the LORD made by fire.”
The Lord gave clear instructions that no grain offering presented upon the altar was to include leaven or honey. These two ingredients, though common and useful in daily life, were excluded from sacrificial worship because of their symbolic meanings. Leaven represented corruption and the permeating nature of sin, while honey symbolized carnal pleasure and the imitation of sweetness apart from divine purity.
When the Lord said, “No grain offering which you bring to the LORD shall be made with leaven,” it was because leaven consistently served as a picture of sin and its effects. The process of leavening began when a small portion of fermented dough was saved from a previous batch and kneaded into new dough. That small piece would spread through the entire lump, making it rise and puff up. In the same way, sin and pride spread through the human heart and through society if left unchecked. Paul wrote, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump” (Galatians 5:9), showing how just a small amount of corruption can influence the whole.
This symbolism is consistent throughout Scripture. Jesus warned His disciples, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees” (Matthew 16:6), referring to their false teaching, hypocrisy, and unbelief. Likewise, Mark 8:15 records His warning against “the leaven of Herod,” referring to worldliness and political compromise. In the New Testament, Paul exhorted the church in Corinth, “Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:7–8).
G. Campbell Morgan observed, “As the burnt offering was to be without blemish, so the meal offering was to be without leaven.” God’s standard for worship is holiness—free from both moral defect and spiritual corruption. Yet, in certain offerings like the peace offering, leavened bread could be brought but not burned on the altar. It was part of the heave offering or wave offering (Leviticus 7:11–14; Leviticus 23:17), symbolizing fellowship between God and His people, though not part of the atoning sacrifice itself.
The Lord also said, “Nor any honey in any offering to the LORD made by fire.” Honey was another forbidden ingredient. In the ancient world, honey—whether from bees or concentrated fruit syrup such as date or raisin syrup—was often used in pagan rituals. Peter-Contesse explains that honey was “a favorite thing to sacrifice to pagan deities.” God therefore excluded it to prevent His worship from imitating heathen practices.
Matthew Poole offered another reason, writing, “To teach us that God’s worship is not to be governed by men’s fancies and appetites, to which honey might have been grateful, but by God’s will.” In other words, God rejects worship that is man-centered or sensually appealing. Worship must be governed by divine revelation, not human invention.
Symbolically, leaven represents the artificial souring of sin, while honey represents artificial sweetness—both distortions of what is true. God desires His people to come before Him without pretense, without trying to appear either more humble or more pleasing than they truly are. Paul wrote, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:1–2). God desires sincerity of heart, not artificial spirituality.
F. B. Meyer summarized this beautifully:
“No leaven — the symbol of the rising pride and self.”
“No honey — that which is merely attractive and sensuous.”
True worship therefore avoids both the puffing up of pride and the self-indulgent sweetness of emotion. God seeks holiness and truth in the hearts of those who serve Him.
2. (Leviticus 2:12) The offering of firstfruits.
“As for the offering of the firstfruits, you shall offer them to the LORD, but they shall not be burned on the altar for a sweet aroma.”
The Lord required the offering of the firstfruits—the earliest and best produce of the harvest—as an acknowledgment that all provision came from His hand. Yet, unlike the regular grain offering, the firstfruits were not to be burned on the altar. Instead, they were offered by a different procedure as a token of thanksgiving and dependence upon God’s faithfulness.
The phrase “you shall offer them to the LORD” indicates dedication of the first and best to God. This principle runs throughout Scripture: “Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine” (Proverbs 3:9–10). Giving the firstfruits was an act of faith that trusted God to bless the remainder.
The instruction “they shall not be burned on the altar for a sweet aroma” sets this offering apart from the grain offering of fine flour. God reserved a distinct ritual for firstfruits, which is explained in Leviticus 2:14–16. This showed that while thanksgiving was always to be expressed, not every form of offering was suited for the altar. The Lord established order and purpose in worship, ensuring that each type of offering reflected the right aspect of relationship between the worshiper and Himself.
D. Each grain offering must include salt.
3. (Leviticus 2:13) The command to include salt with every offering.
“And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.”
In this verse, the Lord commanded that every grain offering be seasoned with salt. The repetition of the command—three times in a single verse—reveals its importance. Salt symbolized purity, preservation, covenant, and cost. It served as both a physical and spiritual emblem of the believer’s relationship with God.
When the Lord said, “Every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt,” He emphasized that worship must not be bland, careless, or corrupted. Salt purifies and preserves, preventing decay and corruption. Just as salt halts the natural process of spoilage in meat, so the covenant relationship with God preserves His people from moral decay. It is the nature of flesh to spoil, but salt-curing preserves it, illustrating how God’s covenant restrains corruption in His people and maintains holiness.
Salt also carried social and relational meaning in the ancient world. Among Eastern peoples, the sharing of salt at a meal was a symbol of friendship and loyalty. To “eat a man’s salt” signified a lasting bond of fellowship and trust. Therefore, when God required salt in every sacrifice, it symbolized the enduring covenant relationship between Him and His people—a reminder that worship was not merely ritual, but relational.
This understanding also complements the earlier command excluding honey (Leviticus 2:11). God desired salt, which purifies and endures, rather than honey, which spoils and represents artificial sweetness. Charles Spurgeon expressed this pointedly: “There is a kind of molasses godliness which I can never stomach.” True devotion, then, is not artificial or sentimental, but sincere, holy, and steadfast.
Spurgeon further remarked that even this small detail—a pinch of salt—shows that no act of obedience is insignificant in the sight of God: “My brethren, nothing in the service of God is trifling. A pinch of salt may seem to us exceedingly unimportant, but before the Lord it may not be so.” Every small act of faithfulness has meaning when it is done in obedience to God. Even the smallest offering must be presented with reverence and care.
The Jewish historian Josephus and later rabbinic writings note that there was a special chamber in the temple designated for storing salt (Middot 5:3), emphasizing the permanence of this practice. Salt was considered so essential to the sacrificial system that it was kept ready at all times.
When the Lord referred to “the salt of the covenant of your God,” He introduced a deeper theological idea. The “covenant of salt” represents a pure, enduring, and valuable agreement between God and His people. Salt is chemically pure—it does not spoil or change—symbolizing the unchanging nature of God’s promises. It preserves, symbolizing the eternal endurance of His covenant. And it was costly, symbolizing the great worth of fellowship with Him.
Numbers 18:19 records this phrase: “All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer to the LORD, I have given to you and your sons and daughters with you as an ordinance forever; it is a covenant of salt forever before the LORD with you and your descendants with you.” Similarly, 2 Chronicles 13:5 declares, “Should you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the dominion over Israel to David forever, to him and his sons, by a covenant of salt?” Both passages confirm that salt signified permanence, faithfulness, and incorruptibility in God’s dealings with His people.
Finally, the verse concludes, “With all your offerings you shall offer salt.” This shows that the symbolism of salt extends beyond the grain offering to every sacrifice. Jesus connected this idea to His followers when He said, “For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another” (Mark 9:49–50). Believers, as living sacrifices, must be seasoned with both fire and salt—purified through trial and preserved in holiness and peace.
Salt in the believer’s life therefore points to four essential aspects of our service to God:
Remember the covenant: Serve God faithfully, knowing His promises are sure and eternal.
Remember fellowship: Maintain genuine relationship with Him, grounded in love and obedience.
Remember sincerity: Offer worship that is genuine, without pretense or hypocrisy.
Remember purity: Keep one’s heart and service undefiled by sin or corruption.
Thus, salt was not a mere seasoning but a sacred symbol of holiness, permanence, and friendship with God. Every offering, whether large or small, was to carry this reminder that covenant worship is both a privilege and a responsibility to live in purity and truth before the Lord.
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The Grain Offering
E. Procedure for a grain offering of firstfruits.
4. (Leviticus 2:14–16) The instructions for the offering of firstfruits.
“If you offer a grain offering of your firstfruits to the LORD, you shall offer for the grain offering of your firstfruits green heads of grain roasted on the fire, grain beaten from full heads. And you shall put oil on it, and lay frankincense on it. It is a grain offering. Then the priest shall burn the memorial portion: part of its beaten grain and part of its oil, with all the frankincense, as an offering made by fire to the LORD.”
The Lord provided specific instructions for those who brought a grain offering of firstfruits. This offering differed from the regular grain offering in that it represented the first yield of the harvest. These first grains, still green and fresh, were roasted on the fire and presented as a token of gratitude for God’s provision and as an expression of faith in His continued blessing.
When the text says, “If you offer a grain offering of your firstfruits to the LORD,” it recalls Leviticus 2:12, where God previously forbade offering firstfruits in the same way as the regular grain offering. Now, He revealed the correct procedure. The principle of firstfruits was central to Israel’s worship life. The first portion of the harvest and the firstborn of animals belonged to the Lord (Exodus 13:2; Deuteronomy 26:1–2). This act of giving demonstrated faith and dependence upon God. It was not given after ensuring there would be enough left, but first—before the abundance of the full harvest was seen.
This was what might be called risky giving—faith-based generosity. The land could fail to produce more, the harvest could be lean, or the livestock might not bear again, yet the first and best still belonged to the Lord. In doing this, Israel expressed trust that God would provide all that followed. The Lord honored such faith, as Proverbs 3:9–10 promises: “Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.” God’s promise was that obedience and generosity toward Him would never result in lack.
Trapp insightfully remarked that the presentation of “green heads of grain roasted on the fire” signified that “God should be served with the firstfruits of our age, the primrose of our childhood.” In other words, God delights not only in the firstfruits of the harvest but also in the first and best years of our lives. Youth should be dedicated to His service, not wasted in sin or self-indulgence.
The instructions continued: “You shall put oil on it, and lay frankincense on it: it is a grain offering.” These additions symbolized both sweetness and costliness. The oil represented the presence and anointing of the Holy Spirit, while the frankincense represented prayer and worship ascending before God. Together, they transformed a simple handful of roasted grain into an act of sacred devotion, offered with gratitude and reverence.
The priest’s role was then described: “Then the priest shall burn the memorial portion: part of its beaten grain and part of its oil, with all the frankincense, as an offering made by fire to the LORD.” The “memorial portion” was that which was burned upon the altar to represent the whole. While in other grain offerings part was retained for the priests, this particular offering appears to have been wholly consumed in fire. None of it was kept for personal use, symbolizing that the firstfruits belonged entirely to God. It was a declaration of dependence, thanksgiving, and consecration.
The act of roasting “green heads of grain” also connected to the agricultural reality of the early harvest season. These were the first tender heads of barley ripened by the spring sun, offered before the full crop was ready. In faith, the worshiper thanked God for what little had appeared, trusting Him to bring the rest to maturity.
The firstfruits offering also pointed prophetically to Christ. Paul wrote, “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). Just as the first sheaf of the harvest was presented to God as a pledge that the rest would follow, so Christ’s resurrection guarantees the resurrection of all who belong to Him. Jesus, as the firstfruits, sanctifies the entire harvest of redeemed humanity. His resurrection is the assurance that death has been conquered and that those who are His will share in His resurrection life.
Thus, the grain offering of firstfruits pointed to several key truths:
It declared that all provision and blessing come from God alone.
It called for faith that honored God before the abundance was seen.
It symbolized the dedication of the first and best to the Lord.
It prophetically foreshadowed Christ, the firstfruits of the resurrection.
The firstfruits offering, therefore, was not merely agricultural; it was spiritual—a confession of faith, gratitude, and hope. It taught that all true worship begins with trusting God’s provision and giving Him the best, not what remains after self is satisfied.
