Leviticus 2 explains the grain offering, the meal offering that accompanied worship in ancient Israel. This page gives you ready-made study questions for the chapter, with leader’s notes for each one. It suits a small group, a Sunday school class, or personal reading, and it works whether you have an hour or only a few minutes.
Leviticus 2 at a Glance
The chapter moves through the different forms the grain offering could take: fine flour baked in an oven, cooked on a griddle, or prepared in a pan. In each case the offering is mixed with oil and often frankincense, a portion is burned on the altar as a memorial, and the rest belongs to the priests. The chapter then adds rules about what must never be included, namely yeast and honey, and what must always be included, namely salt. It closes with the offering of first fruits, which is grain roasted and prepared for the altar.
Observation Questions
Use these questions first, before anyone offers an interpretation. Ask the group to point to the specific words in the text and to name what they see, without explaining it yet. Give a minute of silence for each question so quieter members can find their answer.
Leviticus 2:1-3
1 “‘When anyone offers an offering of a meal offering to the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour. He shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it. 2 He shall bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests; and he shall take his handful of its fine flour, and of its oil, with all its frankincense; and the priest shall burn its memorial on the altar, an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to the LORD. 3 That which is left of the meal offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. It is a most holy thing of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.
(WEB)
Read this passage first so the group hears the basic instructions for the grain offering. It introduces the ingredients, the memorial portion, and the priests’ share, which the rest of the chapter builds on.
Leviticus 2:4-7
4 “‘When you offer an offering of a meal offering baked in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil. 5 If your offering is a meal offering made on a griddle, it shall be of unleavened fine flour, mixed with oil. 6 You shall cut it in pieces, and pour oil on it. It is a meal offering. 7 If your offering is a meal offering of the pan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.
(WEB)
This passage describes the different ways the offering could be prepared. Reading it aloud helps the group see that worship could be expressed through ordinary cooking methods.
Leviticus 2:11-13
11 “‘No meal offering, which you shall offer to the LORD, shall be made with yeast; for you shall burn no yeast, nor any honey, as an offering made by fire to the LORD. 12 As an offering of first fruits you shall offer them to the LORD: but they shall not rise up for a pleasant aroma on the altar. 13 Every offering of your meal offering you shall season with salt. You shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your meal offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.
(WEB)
These verses contain the prohibitions on yeast and honey and the requirement of salt. They are central to the chapter’s teaching on purity and covenant faithfulness, so they deserve a slow reading.
Leviticus 2:14-16
14 “‘If you offer a meal offering of first fruits to the LORD, you shall offer for the meal offering of your first fruits grain in the ear parched with fire, bruised grain of the fresh ear. 15 You shall put oil on it, and lay frankincense on it: it is a meal offering. 16 The priest shall burn as its memorial, part of its bruised grain, and part of its oil, along with all its frankincense: it is an offering made by fire to the LORD.
(WEB)
This passage gives the rules for the first fruits offering and closes the chapter. Reading it last lets the group end on the image of offering the first and best of the harvest to God.
Leviticus 2:13
Every offering of your meal offering you shall season with salt. You shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your meal offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.
(WEB)
This single verse is the most quoted line from the chapter and states the requirement of salt with every offering. It is a useful verse to return to during the discussion of application.
Memory Verse for Leviticus 2
A Closing Prayer for the Group
Father, we come to you as people who have often given you what was left over. Thank you that you receive our offerings and make room in your worship for ordinary gifts from ordinary lives. Teach us to offer you the first portion of our time, our resources, and our attention. Season our days with the faithfulness of your covenant, so that our words and work carry something of your steadiness. Help us to share generously with those who serve among us, and give us courage to follow through on the one step each of us has named today. Keep us grateful for everything that comes from your hand. Amen.
