Leviticus 2:11-16

Why are some ingredients excluded from the altar while salt is required?

Berean Standard Bible

11 No grain offering that you present to the LORD may be made with leaven, for you are not to burn any leaven or honey as a food offering to the LORD. 12 You may bring them to the LORD as an offering of firstfruits, but they must not go up on the altar as a pleasing aroma. 13 And you shall season each of your grain offerings with salt. You must not leave the salt of the covenant of your God out of your grain offering; you are to add salt to each of your offerings. 14 If you bring a grain offering of firstfruits to the LORD, you shall offer crushed heads of new grain roasted on the fire. 15 And you are to put oil and frankincense on it; it is a grain offering. 16 The priest shall then burn the memorial portion of the crushed grain and the oil, together with all its frankincense, as a food offering to the LORD.

What is the context?

Leaven and honey must not be burned as food offerings on the altar, although they may be presented as firstfruits. Salt is required, with its covenant connection stated explicitly. The final verses describe an offering from roasted new grain with oil and frankincense.

The distinction concerns what goes on the altar, not a blanket declaration that leaven or honey is evil. Leviticus 7:11–14 includes leavened bread alongside the thanksgiving peace offering. Reading these instructions together prevents a rule about one use from being turned into a universal ban.

How is this passage commonly understood?

Wesley reads the absence of leaven as a lesson in purity and salt as a picture of sincerity and enduring covenant fellowship. The USCCB notes likewise draw attention to the covenant association of salt. Leviticus itself supplies the requirement but not one exhaustive explanation for each ingredient. The symbolic readings should remain distinguishable from the command.

What is our position?

We don't have a position on this passage yet. When our study reaches a conclusion the text supports, it will appear here.

Where can I study this further?

No deeper study linked yet.

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