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Leviticus 3

1“If his offering is a peace sacrifice, and he brings it from the herd, he is to bring a male or a female without defect before Yahweh. 2He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it at the entrance of the tent of meeting. The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to splash the blood against all sides of the altar. 3From the peace sacrifice he is to bring as an offering by fire to Yahweh the fat covering the inner parts and all the fat on the inner parts, 4the two kidneys and the fat on them at the loins, and the appendage of the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys. 5The sons of Aaron are to burn it as an offering on the altar, on the burnt offering that is on the wood that is on the fire—an offering by fire, a pleasing aroma to Yahweh.

6“If his offering is from the flock as a peace sacrifice to Yahweh, he is to bring a male or a female without defect. 7If he brings a sheep as his offering, he is to bring it before Yahweh. 8He is to lay his hand on the head of his offering and slaughter it before the tent of meeting. The sons of Aaron are to splash its blood against all sides of the altar. 9From the peace sacrifice he is to bring its fat as an offering by fire to Yahweh: the whole fat tail, which he is to remove close to the backbone, the fat covering the inner parts, and all the fat on the inner parts, 10the two kidneys and the fat on them at the loins, and the appendage of the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys. 11The priest is to burn it as an offering on the altar—food, an offering by fire to Yahweh.

12“If his offering is a goat, he is to bring it before Yahweh. 13He is to lay his hand on its head and slaughter it before the tent of meeting. The sons of Aaron are to splash its blood against all sides of the altar. 14From it he is to bring his offering as an offering by fire to Yahweh: the fat covering the inner parts and all the fat on the inner parts, 15the two kidneys and the fat on them at the loins, and the appendage of the liver, which he is to remove with the kidneys. 16The priest is to burn them as an offering on the altar—food, an offering by fire, a pleasing aroma. All fat belongs to Yahweh.

17“This is a lasting statute throughout your generations, wherever you live: you must not eat any fat or any blood.”

Translation notes 5

3:1, 6 — Peace offerings. “Peace sacrifice” represents the word for a slaughtered sacrifice together with the name of this offering category. “Sacrifice of well-being” is another rendering; “fellowship offering” emphasizes the shared meal described in chapter 7. The Hebrew expression is not limited to reconciliation after a quarrel, and this chapter does not explain it through a later biblical passage. Either sex is permitted here, unlike the herd and flock burnt offerings in chapter 1.

3:4, 10, 15 — Kidneys; liver. The repeated list names both kidneys, their surrounding fat at the loins, and an appendage associated with the liver. The precise anatomical identification of that appendage is uncertain. The draft preserves the distinct parts and the instruction to remove the appendage with the kidneys.

3:9 — Whole fat tail. This refers to the substantial tail fat of a sheep, a feature of fat-tailed breeds. “Close to the backbone” is a provisional rendering of a rare expression for the place of removal; the exact anatomical landmark is uncertain. “Whole” here describes the tail, not an additional animal.

3:11, 16 — Food. The Hebrew uses the ordinary word for bread or food in describing the altar portion. The draft retains this image without inserting a claim that God needs nourishment. The priest burns the listed portions; the entire animal is not burned as it is in the burnt offering.

3:16–17 — All fat; any blood. These claims remain as broad as their Hebrew wording here. Leviticus 7:23–27 gives further distinctions about fat, animal kinds, other uses, and blood. “Wherever you live” extends the instruction beyond the sanctuary. The draft does not replace this ritual command with a modern dietary explanation.