It shall not be baken with leaven. I have given it unto them for their portion of my offerings made by fire; it is most holy, as is the sin offering, and as the trespass offering.

LEVITICUS 6:17KJV
Know the Bible

Leviticus 6:17 (KJV)

What does Leviticus 6:17 mean?

Leviticus 6:17 says that the priests’ portion of a certain offering must not be baked with leaven (yeast), because it is a most holy part of the offerings made by fire, just like the sin offering and the trespass offering. This rule sets apart the priests’ share as especially sacred and distinct from ordinary food.

In this verse, God is speaking to Moses, giving instructions for the priests about how to handle offerings brought by the Israelites. The focus is on the grain offering, which was to be made without leaven and was considered “most holy.” This strictness shows the seriousness of approaching God and the special status of these offerings compared to regular meals.

The Hebrew behind Leviticus 6:17

  • חָמֵץ (ḥametz, “leaven”): This word refers to anything made with yeast or that has fermented. Its exclusion here highlights the need for purity and separation from everyday food in offerings.
  • קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים (qodesh qadashim, “most holy”): This phrase means “most holy” or “holy of holies.” It marks the offering as belonging to the highest level of sacredness, reserved for God and those serving Him.
  • חֵלֶק (ḥeleq, “portion”): This word means “share” or “allotted part.” It clarifies that the priests receive a specific, set part of the offering, not just any food.
  • חַטָּאָה (ḥaṭṭā’āh, “sin offering”) and אָשָׁם (’āshām, “trespass offering”): These terms refer to other types of offerings that are also called “most holy.” The comparison shows that the grain offering is just as sacred as these other important sacrifices.

Why Leviticus 6:17 matters

  • Leviticus 6:17 clears up that not all food given to priests was treated the same; some portions were set apart as “most holy” and had stricter rules.
  • The verse emphasizes that even the priests, who served in the sanctuary, had to follow special guidelines to respect the holiness of God’s offerings.
  • By linking the grain offering to the sin and trespass offerings, Leviticus 6:17 shows that different types of sacrifices could share the same level of sacredness, not just those involving animals.

Where else these words appear

“leaven” Hebrew H2557 · used in 11 verses

  • Exodus 12:15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
  • Exodus 23:18 Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning.
  • Leviticus 7:13 Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings.

“baken” Hebrew H644 · used in 24 verses

  • Genesis 19:3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
  • Genesis 40:22 But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them.
  • 1 Samuel 8:13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

“offering” Hebrew H817 · used in 41 verses

  • Genesis 26:10 And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.
  • Leviticus 14:12 And the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the LORD:
  • Numbers 18:9 This shall be thine of the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every oblation of theirs, every meat offering of theirs, and every sin offering of theirs, and every trespass offering of theirs, which they shall render unto me, shall be most holy for thee and for thy sons.

“portion” Hebrew H2506 · used in 63 verses

  • Genesis 14:24 Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.
  • 1 Samuel 30:24 For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.
  • Ecclesiastes 2:21 For there is a man whose labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.