The Meaning of Leviticus 3:13 Explained

Leviticus 3:13

KJV: And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation: and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about.

YLT: and hath laid his hand on its head, and hath slaughtered it before the tent of meeting, and sons of Aaron have sprinkled its blood on the altar round about;

Darby: And he shall lay his hand on the head of it, and slaughter it before the tent of meeting; and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof on the altar round about.

ASV: and he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before the tent of meeting; and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he shall lay  his hand  upon the head  of it, and kill  it before  the tabernacle  of the congregation:  and the sons  of Aaron  shall sprinkle  the blood  thereof upon the altar  round about. 

What does Leviticus 3:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Leviticus 3:1-17 - Peace-Offerings From The Herd And The Flocks
The Lord Jesus has been set forth in Leviticus 1:1-17 as the burned-offering in relation to God; and in Leviticus 2:1-16, as the meal-offering in relation to man. We are now to regard Him as the peace-offering, to rectify the disturbed relations between God and man. It supplied food for God in the fat devoured by the sacred fire upon the altar, it fed the priests in those parts specially reserved for them, Leviticus 7:33-34; but the worshiper also might participate, Leviticus 7:15. Thus it was a feast that brought into close relations God, priest and people, and it furnished a beautiful typical picture of the truth taught in 1 John 1:3, "Our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ."
Before sitting at the sacrificial feast the offerer laid his hand on the victim's head, as though to transfer his sins; and we are reminded that we cannot feast on Christ as our Passover unless we have been first pardoned and justified through His death. [source]

Chapter Summary: Leviticus 3

1  The peace offering of the herd
6  whether a sheep
7  whether a lamb
12  or a goat
17  A prohibition to eat fat or blood

What do the individual words in Leviticus 3:13 mean?

And He shall lay - his hand on its head and kill it before the tabernacle of meeting and shall sprinkle the sons of Aaron its blood the altar all around
וְסָמַ֤ךְ אֶת־ יָדוֹ֙ עַל־ רֹאשׁ֔וֹ וְשָׁחַ֣ט אֹת֔וֹ לִפְנֵ֖י אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְ֠זָרְקוּ בְּנֵ֨י אַהֲרֹ֧ן דָּמ֛וֹ הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ סָבִֽיב

וְסָמַ֤ךְ  And  He  shall  lay 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָמַךְ  
Sense: to lean, lay, rest, support, put, uphold, lean upon.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יָדוֹ֙  his  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
רֹאשׁ֔וֹ  its  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
וְשָׁחַ֣ט  and  kill 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁחַט 
Sense: to kill, slaughter, beat.
לִפְנֵ֖י  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אֹ֣הֶל  the  tabernacle 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
מוֹעֵ֑ד  of  meeting 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹועֵד  
Sense: appointed place, appointed time, meeting.
וְ֠זָרְקוּ  and  shall  sprinkle 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: זָרַק 
Sense: to scatter, sprinkle, toss, throw, scatter abundantly, strew.
בְּנֵ֨י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אַהֲרֹ֧ן  of  Aaron 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַהֲרֹון  
Sense: brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest.
דָּמ֛וֹ  its  blood 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ  the  altar 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
סָבִֽיב  all  around 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מוּסָב 
Sense: places round about, circuit, round about adv.