The peace offering

, or offering of salvation (Lev. 3:1) — threefold: the offering of praise, or thanksgiving (Lev. 7:12), the offering of a vow, and finally the freewill offering (Lev. 7:16). For this sacrifice any unblemished cattle, large or small, and of either sex, could be used (Lev. 3:1, 6; 9:4 [as given]). Pigeons are nowhere mentioned in connection with peace offerings. The ritual acts performed over this sacrifice, up to the sprinkling of blood, resemble those of the burnt offering (Lev. 3:2; 8:13 [as given]).

Then, from the sacrificial animal, the fatty inward parts were removed, the same as in the sin offering, and were burned on the altar, laid on top of the burnt offering (Lev. 3:3–5, 9–11, 14–16; 9:18 [as given]). Next the breast and the right shoulder were removed; the latter was left to the officiating priest, while the former was offered to Jehovah through the rite of waving (see Wave Offering and Heave Offering before the LORD). The remaining parts of the animal were given to the one who had brought the sacrifice, and from them was made a sacrificial feast, in which all members of his household could take part, after prior levitical purification (Lev. 7:15–18, 22–30).

The meat of the offering of praise or thanksgiving had to be eaten on the very day of the sacrifice (Lev. 7:15–18; 22:30 [as given]). But in the case of the vow offering and the freewill offering, what remained from the first day was to be eaten the following morning, and whatever was not eaten within the appointed time had to be burned — but not upon the altar (Lev. 7:16–18). Under pain of destruction, it was forbidden for persons in a state of uncleanness, or defiled by any impurity, to eat the meat of the peace offering (Lev. 7:20, 21). In the peace offerings, along with unleavened bread and cakes with oil, leavened bread might also be offered as a sacrifice (Lev. 7:12, 13).