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Leviticus 2

1“When a person brings a grain offering to Yahweh, his offering is to be fine flour. He is to pour oil on it and put frankincense on it. 2He is to bring it to the sons of Aaron, the priests. The priest is to take from it a full handful of its flour and oil, together with all its frankincense, and burn its memorial portion as an offering on the altar—an offering by fire, a pleasing aroma to Yahweh. 3What remains of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons. It is most holy, from Yahweh's offerings by fire.

4“When you bring a grain offering baked in an oven, it is to be fine flour made into unleavened loaves mixed with oil or unleavened wafers spread with oil. 5If your offering is a grain offering prepared on a griddle, it is to be fine flour mixed with oil, unleavened. 6Break it into pieces and pour oil on it. It is a grain offering. 7If your offering is a grain offering prepared in a pan, it is to be made of fine flour with oil. 8You are to bring to Yahweh the grain offering prepared in these ways. The one bringing it is to present it to the priest, who is to bring it near the altar. 9The priest is to take its memorial portion from the grain offering and burn it as an offering on the altar—an offering by fire, a pleasing aroma to Yahweh. 10What remains of the grain offering belongs to Aaron and his sons. It is most holy, from Yahweh's offerings by fire.

11“No grain offering that you bring to Yahweh is to be made with leaven, for you must not burn any leaven or any honey as an offering by fire to Yahweh. 12You may bring them to Yahweh as an offering of first produce, but they must not go up on the altar as a pleasing aroma. 13You are to season every grain offering of yours with salt. You must not leave the salt of the covenant of your God off your grain offering. With every offering of yours you are to bring salt.

14“If you bring a grain offering of first ripe grain to Yahweh, you are to bring fresh ears roasted in fire, crushed new grain, as your grain offering of first ripe grain. 15You are to put oil on it and place frankincense on it. It is a grain offering. 16The priest is to burn its memorial portion as an offering, from its crushed grain and its oil, together with all its frankincense—an offering by fire to Yahweh.

Translation notes 6

2:1 — Person; grain offering. The Hebrew word often translated “soul” here means a person. “Grain offering” names this flour or grain preparation; the same Hebrew noun can mean a gift or tribute in other contexts. “Fine flour” is a conventional rendering and does not establish a modern milling grade. Frankincense is an aromatic resin.

2:2, 9, 16 — The handful; memorial portion. The Hebrew does not explicitly name the person taking the handful in verse 2. The draft identifies the priest by inference from the ritual's later instructions; the offerer is another possible subject. Only a handful of the flour and oil is burned, but all the frankincense accompanies it. The “memorial portion” represents the offering before God; the expression does not require the idea that God has forgotten.

2:3, 10 — Most holy. This is a ritual classification. The unburned portion belongs to Aaron and his sons; later instructions specify its handling and consumption. It is not discarded or burned with the memorial portion.

2:4–8 — Preparations; subjects. “Griddle” and “pan” distinguish two Hebrew terms whose exact implements are uncertain. The text does not specify modern cookware or a precise frying method. In verse 8 Hebrew shifts from “you” to “he”; the draft identifies the one presenting the offering and the priest who brings it to the altar. Those identifications clarify the pronouns rather than translate separately stated names.

2:11–14 — First produce; salt. The permission in verse 12 concerns the leaven and honey just mentioned; it does not permit burning them on the altar. “Honey” may include sweet fruit products. Verse 13 first requires salt on every grain offering, then states the requirement more broadly for every offering. The text calls it “the salt of the covenant” without explaining here exactly how salt signifies that covenant.

2:14 — First ripe grain. The Hebrew describes fresh grain, roasting in fire, and crushed grain from new growth. Whether these words describe successive preparation or alternative forms is disputed. The draft retains the grain and preparation details without adding a precise recipe.