You must not offer the blood of My sacrifices with anything leavenedIn the context of ancient Israelite worship, sacrifices were central to maintaining a covenant relationship with God. The prohibition against offering blood with leavened bread underscores the importance of purity and separation from sin, as leaven often symbolizes sin or corruption in biblical texts (e.g.,
1 Corinthians 5:6-8). The blood of sacrifices represents life and atonement (
Leviticus 17:11), and mixing it with leaven would symbolize impurity. This command reflects the holiness required in worship and the need for a pure heart when approaching God. The Passover, a key event in Israel's history, also involved unleavened bread, symbolizing haste and purity (
Exodus 12:8).
nor may the fat of My feast remain until morning
The fat of the sacrifices was considered the best part and was to be offered to God, symbolizing giving the best to Him (Leviticus 3:16). The command that it should not remain until morning indicates the immediacy and completeness of the offering, ensuring that nothing is left over that could decay or be misused. This reflects the principle of giving God what is due without delay, emphasizing the importance of honoring God with the first and best of what one has. This practice also prefigures the complete and perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who offered Himself wholly and without reservation (Hebrews 10:10-14).
Persons / Places / Events
1.
GodThe speaker of the command, emphasizing His holiness and the proper way to worship Him.
2.
IsraelitesThe recipients of the law, who are being instructed on how to conduct sacrifices and offerings.
3.
SacrificesThe offerings made to God, which are central to the worship practices of the Israelites.
4.
LeavenA symbol of sin and corruption, which is prohibited in offerings to maintain purity.
5.
FeastRefers to the sacred meals associated with sacrifices, which must be consumed in a specific manner.
Teaching Points
Holiness in WorshipGod’s instructions emphasize the need for purity and holiness in worship. Just as leaven was excluded from sacrifices, believers are called to remove sin from their lives as they approach God.
Symbolism of LeavenLeaven represents sin and corruption. In our spiritual lives, we must be vigilant to remove anything that corrupts our relationship with God.
Immediate ObedienceThe command not to let the fat remain until morning teaches the importance of immediate and complete obedience to God’s instructions.
Sacrificial LivingJust as the Israelites were to offer sacrifices without leaven, Christians are called to live sacrificially, offering themselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.
Community and AccountabilityThe communal aspect of the feasts and sacrifices reminds us of the importance of community in our spiritual journey, encouraging accountability and mutual edification.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Exodus 23:18?
2.How does Exodus 23:18 emphasize the importance of proper worship practices?
3.What does "blood of My sacrifice" teach about the significance of offerings?
4.How can we ensure our worship aligns with God's standards in Exodus 23:18?
5.Why is it important to avoid mixing God's offerings with leavened bread?
6.How does Exodus 23:18 relate to New Testament teachings on pure worship?
7.What does Exodus 23:18 mean by "blood of My sacrifice"?
8.Why is leaven prohibited in Exodus 23:18?
9.How does Exodus 23:18 relate to the Passover?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Exodus 23?
11.What are the Jewish feasts and festivals in the Bible?
12.Does God desire sacrifices? (Hosea 6:6 vs. Exodus 29:18)
13.Why does Exodus 18:12 lack priestly procedures or tabernacle sacrifices, unlike later instructions, when Jethro offers sacrifices with Israelite elders?
14.What does Passover commemorate?What Does Exodus 23:18 Mean
You must not offer the blood of My sacrifices with anything leavened“Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to me along with anything containing yeast.” (Exodus 23:18a)
• Leaven consistently symbolizes corruption and sin. Jesus warned, “Watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees” (Matthew 16:6). Paul later echoed, “A little leaven works through the whole batch of dough” (Galatians 5:9).
• Blood represents life and atonement (Leviticus 17:11). When blood is presented before God, nothing corrupting may mingle with it—underscoring that only a pure, untainted sacrifice satisfies Him.
• Israel already knew every grain offering must be “without leaven” (Leviticus 2:11). Here God extends the ban to anything paired with the blood, pointing ahead to Christ, “a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:19).
• This command reinforces single-hearted devotion. The Passover rite had driven out leaven for seven days (Exodus 12:15). The same vigilance is expected each time Israel approaches God: no tolerated compromise, no concealed sin.
Nor may the fat of My feast remain until morning“Nor shall the fat of My festival offering remain until morning.” (Exodus 23:18b)
• Fat was the choicest part, belonging solely to the LORD (Leviticus 3:16). Allowing it to sit overnight hinted at careless worship or half-hearted obedience.
• God regularly demands prompt consumption or burning of sacrificial portions: the Passover lamb’s leftovers were to be burned “before morning” (Exodus 12:10); peace offerings had to be eaten the same day (Leviticus 7:15).
• The rule teaches immediacy—when God provides, His people respond without delay. Jesus emphasized the same spirit: “Leave your gift … first be reconciled” (Matthew 5:23-24).
• Keeping nothing until morning guards against decay and theft while illustrating God’s sufficiency: Israel would gather fresh manna each new dawn (Exodus 16:19-21). His mercies are “new every morning” (Lamentations 3:23); yesterday’s leftovers cannot replace today’s obedience.
summaryExodus 23:18 links purity and promptness. Leaven must never mingle with sacrificial blood, showing that sin cannot coexist with atonement. Fat must not linger, calling God’s people to eager, complete, and timely devotion. Together the commands point toward the perfect, sinless sacrifice of Christ and invite believers to worship Him with undivided hearts and immediate obedience.
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Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread.--Some regard this prohibition as extending to all sacrifices; but the majority of commentators limit it to the sacrifice of the Paschal lamb, which was the only sacrifice as yet expressly instituted by Jehovah. According to modern Jewish notions, leavened bread is permissible at the other feasts; at Pentecost it was commanded (
Leviticus 23:17).
The fat of my sacrifice.--Rather (as in the Margin),the fat of my feast.The fat of the Paschal lambs was burnt on the altar with incense the same evening. Thus the whole lamb was consumed before the morning. As the Paschal lamb is??? ??????, "mysacrifice," so the Passover is "myfeast."
Verse 18. -
Law of the Paschal sacrifice. That the Paschal lamb is here intended by "my sacrifice," seems to be certain, since the two injunctions to put away leavened bread, and to allow none of the victim's flesh to remain till the morning (see
Exodus 12:10), are combined in the Paschal sacrifice only. Of all the offerings commanded in the law the Paschal lamb was the most important, since it typified Christ. It may therefore well be termed, in an especial way, "God's sacrifice."
By the fat of my feast some understand the fat of the lamb, others the best part of the feast (Keil) -
i.e., the lamb itself. In
Exodus 34:25, which is closely parallel to the present place, we read, for "the fat of my feast," "the sacrifice of the feast of the passover."
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
You must notלֹֽא־(lō-)Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, noofferתִזְבַּ֥ח(ṯiz·baḥ)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 2076:To slaughter for sacrificethe bloodדַּם־(dam-)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1818:Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshedof My sacrificesזִבְחִ֑י(ziḇ·ḥî)Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 2077:A slaughter, the flesh of an animal, a sacrificewithעַל־(‘al-)Preposition
Strong's 5921:Above, over, upon, againstanything leavened,חָמֵ֖ץ(ḥā·mêṣ)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 2557:That which is leavenednor mayוְלֹֽא־(wə·lō-)Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, nothe fatחֵֽלֶב־(ḥê·leḇ-)Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 2459:Fat, richest, choice partof My feastחַגִּ֖י(ḥag·gî)Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 2282:A festival gathering, feast, pilgrim feastremainיָלִ֥ין(yā·lîn)Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3885:To stop, to stay permanently, to be obstinateuntilעַד־(‘aḏ-)Preposition
Strong's 5704:As far as, even to, up to, until, whilemorning.בֹּֽקֶר׃(bō·qer)Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1242:Dawn, morning
Links
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OT Law: Exodus 23:18 You shall not offer the blood (Exo. Ex) 
