Leviticus 3:2

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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) And he shall lay his hand.—Unlike the laying of hands on the burnt offering, there was no confession of sin here, but the utterance of words of praise to God, and this might be done in any place of the court-yard which was most convenient for the offerer to kill the sacrifice.

At the door of the tabernacle.—Better, at the entrance of the tent of meeting. (See Leviticus 1:3.)

Aaron’s sons the priests.—Better, the sons of Aaron, the priests. (See Leviticus 1:5.)

Shall sprinkle.—Better, throw (see Leviticus 1:5).

Benson Commentary

Leviticus 3:2. He shall lay his hand on the head of his offering — Here, as in the former case, (Leviticus 1:4,) the laying on of the offerer’s hand may denote his devoting the sacrifice wholly to God. In the peace-offerings it was accompanied with solemn thanksgiving to God, and an acknowledgment of those mercies which were the occasion of it. Thus Conradus, “This laying on of hands signifies devotion and faith, with an acknowledgment of the benefits, for which we can offer nothing of our own, but only return to God what we have received; that we may understand gratitude and thanksgiving to be the greatest sacrifices.” And kill it at the door — Not on the north side of the altar, where the burnt-offering was killed, as also the sin-offering, and the trespass-offering, but in the very entrance of the court where the brazen altar stood, which place was not so holy as the other; as appears both because it was more remote from the holy of holies, and because the ashes of the sacrifices were to be laid here. And the reason of this difference is not obscure, both because part of this sacrifice was to be waved by the hands of the offerer, (Leviticus 7:30,) who might not come into the court; and because this offering was not so holy as the others, which were to be eaten only by the priest, whereas part of these was eaten by the offerer.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

3:1-5 The peace-offerings had regard to God as the giver of all good things. These were divided between the altar, the priest, and the owner. They were called peace-offering, because in them God and his people did, as it were, feast together, in token of friendship. The peace-offerings were offered by way of supplication. If a man were in pursuit of any mercy, he would add a peace-offering to his prayer for it. Christ is our Peace, our Peace-offering; for through him alone it is that we can obtain an answer of peace to our prayers. Or, the peace-offering was offered by way of thanksgiving for some mercy received. We must offer to God the sacrifice of praise continually, by Christ our Peace; and then this shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Kill it at the door ... - See Leviticus 1:3. Tradition says that the peace-offerings might be killed in any part of the court.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2. he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering—Having performed this significant act, he killed it before the door of the tabernacle, and the priests sprinkled the blood round about upon the altar.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

At the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; not on the north side of the altar, where the burnt-offering was killed, Leviticus 1:11, as also the sin-offering, and the trespass-offering, Leviticus 6:25 7:2, but in the very entrance of the court where the Brazen altar stood, which place was not so holy as the other; as appears both because it was more remote from the holy of holies, and because the ashes of the sacrifices were to be laid here. And the reason of this difference is not obscure, both because part of this sacrifice was to be waved by the hands of the offerer, Leviticus 7:30, who might not come into the court; and because this offering was not so holy as the other, which were to be eaten only by the priest, when part of these were eaten by the offerer.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering,.... "His right hand with strength", the Targum of Jonathan says; perhaps both his hands were imposed; the Septuagint and Arabic versions read it in the plural number, "hands"; this same rite was used in the sacrifice of burnt offering; see Gill on Leviticus 1:4; which might be done in any place in the court where it was slain, only with this difference: according to Maimonides (d), there was no confession of sin made at laying on of hands upon the peace offerings, but words of praise were spoken:

and kill it at the door of the congregation; it seems as if it was not the priest, but the owner that brought it, and laid his hands on it, that killed it; and so the last mentioned writer says, that slaying the peace offering by a stranger was right; and as he and others (e) say, it might be slain in any part of the court; it was not obliged to be slain in the north part of it, as the burnt offering was, Leviticus 1:11.

and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about; in like manner as the blood of the burnt offering was, and it was done with two sprinklings, which were as four (f); See Gill on Leviticus 1:5 this was typical of the blood of Christ, called "the blood of sprinkling".

(d) Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 3. sect. 15. (e) Misn. Zebachim, c. 5. sect. 7. (f) Misn. ib.

Geneva Study Bible

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.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Leviticus 3:2

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

In the act of sacrificing, the presentation of the animal before Jehovah, the laying on of hands, the slaughtering, and the sprinkling of the blood were the same as in the case of the burnt-offering (Leviticus 1:3-5). It was in the application of the flesh that the difference first appeared.