The Meaning of Leviticus 3:2 Explained

Leviticus 3:2

KJV: And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

YLT: and he hath laid his hand on the head of his offering, and hath slaughtered it at the opening of the tent of meeting, and sons of Aaron, the priests, have sprinkled the blood on the altar round about.

Darby: And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and slaughter it at the entrance of the tent of meeting; and Aaron's sons, the priests, shall sprinkle the blood on the altar round about.

ASV: And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his oblation, and kill it at the door of the tent of meeting: and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he shall lay  his hand  upon the head  of his offering,  and kill  it [at] the door  of the tabernacle  of the congregation:  and Aaron's  sons  the priests  shall sprinkle  the blood  upon the altar  round about. 

What does Leviticus 3:2 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 3:2 mean?

And he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering and kill it [at] the door of the tabernacle of meeting and shall sprinkle sons of Aaron the priests - the blood the altar all around
וְסָמַ֤ךְ יָדוֹ֙ עַל־ רֹ֣אשׁ קָרְבָּנ֔וֹ וּשְׁחָט֕וֹ פֶּ֖תַח אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד וְזָרְק֡וּ בְּנֵי֩ אַהֲרֹ֨ן הַכֹּהֲנִ֧ים אֶת־ הַדָּ֛ם 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.
יָדוֹ֙  his  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
רֹ֣אשׁ  the  head 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
קָרְבָּנ֔וֹ  of  his  offering 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרְבָּן 
Sense: offering, oblation.
וּשְׁחָט֕וֹ  and  kill  it 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁחַט 
Sense: to kill, slaughter, beat.
פֶּ֖תַח  [at]  the  door 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּתַח  
Sense: opening, doorway, entrance.
אֹ֣הֶל  of  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.
וְזָרְק֡וּ  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.
בְּנֵי֩  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אַהֲרֹ֨ן  of  Aaron 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַהֲרֹון  
Sense: brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest.
הַכֹּהֲנִ֧ים  the  priests 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
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.
הַדָּ֛ם  the  blood 
Parse: Article, Noun, 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.