(1) The Saerifciul mutcrinl consisted of the agri- cultural produce of Canaan, animal (Ex 22*'), cereal, and liquid (v.^). The victims included — of large cattle, the old and young of the ox-kind ; of small cattle, sheep and lambs, goats and kids. Of birds, the pigeon might be used in the Burnt-ollering. Wild animals and fish, which figure in the liaby- lonian ritual, were not oflercd. The blood and the fat were specially appropriated to Jehovah, and of animal products presented to Him we hear of wool (Hos2'), but notof the libation of milk. Meal, which was baked into cakes (Jg C", Am 5-^), was the com- mon form of the cereal offering. The valuable pro- ducts of oil (Gn 2S'», Mic 6') am"! wine (1 S 1=«, Am 2*) were ingredients of the sacrificial meal, and were doubtless also offered in the form of a liljation. The sacrifici.al material of the Carthaginians agrees with this, except that their code allowed many species of birds and also milk {CIS i. 237).
(2) T/te varieties of sacrifice were of two types — that in which the ofrering was wholly devoted to < lod, and that in which He received a portion and the worshippers feasted on the remainder. Of the former u.se the typical example is the Burnt-offering, of the latter the Sacrificial Feast (Ex 10== 18'^ 20") ; but there are other kinds of offering that have to be described which bear distinct names either because of the peculiarity of the ritual, or of the special end which they were designed to serve.
('() The Sacrificial Feast was probably the oldest form, was in early times by far the most common, and gave satisfactioo to normal states of religious feeling.
The n&mes by which this type of otferln^^ Is dfstinpruished In FtV are Sacrifice and Peace-olTfring. ' Sacrifice ' (njl) is Borae- limea cooCnst«d with the old generic name (.in;'3 1 8 2'-'^), but ottener with the Burnl-offcring (Ex 102», 1 8 «"), and in both caae« It Is * the general name for all sacrifices eaten at feuts ' (Oxf. Heb. Lex. i. n;i). The sacriBce in the narrower ft*nfle Is synonymouB with the Peace-ofTering (D;y), which is BimUarty used to desi^^nate the division of offerings wliicb were divided between God and man (Ex 2u24, Am 6*^). The original meaning of the dV^' is obscure. The interpreta- tion of ovir versions rendered' by Pence-oITerinK (LXX 6vf!» Mi^iixx) conceives it as the sacriilce offered when friendly re- lations existed towards God (O^V, *to be whole or at one ') — In contnuiiMtinntion to the piacular sacriflccs which presupposed estrungL-tuent. Ueihopjer is somewhat similar in idea. An alternative rendering derives it from D^C* 'to malco whole,' 'make restitution,' in which case it would be originally an offering of reparation (Rrglattun(Tgf>p/fr). and by an intelligible transition a payment of vows or thanit-onering (Luther).
The occasion of the Peace-offering was some ■nch event a« prompts human beings to come tog(ther in a festive spirit. Even in the modern World the joyful event provokes demonstrations and rejoicings which are felt to have their fittest
culmination in the banquet, and the Peace-offering was simply the form taken by the festal banquet in an age thoroughly permeated by the religious spirit. The opportunity for such celebrations is given, not only in the life of the nation and of the community, but in that of the kindred stock and of the family. In the national life such occa- sions for rejoicing occurred in the successful con- clusion of a campaign (lb 11'°, cf. Jg lU^), in the cessation of a visitation of famine or pestilence (2 S "24"), and in the accession of a king to his throne (1 K l'"). In the last case, and also at the dedication of the temple, the provision naturally was on the most magnificent scale (1 K 8'"). The smaller unit of the local community had its special occasion for rejoicing in the events of the agricul- tural year: firstlings and first-fruits supjdicd the material of a sacrificial meal (Ex 22-'"""). The visit of a notable prophet to a town also suggested the recognition of the privilege by a sacrificial feast (1 S 10'). The sept or larger family professed and strengthened its kinship by an annual reunion wliicli took the form of the sacred bancjuet ('20*). Similarly, family religion found occasional ex- pression in the pilgrimage of man and wife to a local sanctuary, where tliey ate and drank before the Lord (1 S l'). Other events in this sphere which were similarly hallowed were the de)iarture on a momentous journej' (Gn 31°*), the arrival of a guest of consequence (IS'"*), the embarkation on a new career (1 K 19='). In general it served to keej) alive the sense of dependence on God for pro tcction and the natural blessings of life, while it had the social value of promoting the solidarity of the nation and of its component parts.
i\) A course of preparation was required before taking part in the sacred observance ( 1 S 10°). A period of continence was ordained (21°, cf. Ex 19"''''') ; and lustrations and a change of garments constituted the physical holiness which was deemed seemly and necessary in approaching the Deity (Gn 35^ Ex 19""'-). Naturally, al.so, it was made the occasion for the display of finery and orna ments (Hos 2'"). There was recog;nizcd, however, the necessity of a more spiritual preparation in which the heart was touched, or even renewed by God ( 1 S 10'). (2) T/ie ritual necessarily varied with the material. In the case of the animal sacrifice, the blood and the fat were approjiriatcd to God (1 S 2"), and were consumed on the altar. To lessen the temiitation to sacrilege, it was provided that the fat should be given to God immediately after the slaughtering (Ex '23"). The accompany- ing offering consisted of unleavened bread {ib.}. The remaining portions were divided between the priests and the offerers. The sin of the sons of Eli was that, instead of taking the share allowed by ancient custom, they dipped with a rapacious flesh-hook into the cauldron, and also that they encroached on the Divine portion by claiming their share before the fat had been conveyc<l to God (1 S 2'="'-). At this stage the sacrificial tlesh was boiled, and it is represented as an objectionable innovation that the prie.'its demanded their |)ortion raw with a view to its being roasted. The custom of boiling the flesh is al.so commemorated in Ihe prohibition of seething a kid in its mother's milk (Ex 23'") — which probably had its origin, not so much in a feeling that the practice was of the nature of an outrage, as in heathen associations connected with the .sacrificial use of milk. (3) The reliqiints ej/iracy of the Sacrificial Fca-st was doubt- less dillerentlj' interpreted according to the degree of spiritual enlightenment. The popular idea prob- ably was that God was entertained at a feast, in which He received His portion in the form of fire- food, and that the honour and gratification thus afforded Him rendered Him well disposed to the