Who could eat the leftover meat of an Israelite sacrifice, and what happened if there was too much for the priests?
The priests could eat the leftover meat of an Israelite sacrifice first. If there was more than the priests could handle, they evidently had the authority to designate it to the individual, perhaps the person who originally brought the sacrifice.
Les explains that when Israel brought a sacrificial animal to the priests, the priests ate of the leftover meat first. Yet if the amount exceeded what the priests could handle, it was evidently within their power to designate the remainder to the individual, maybe the one who brought the sacrifice in the first place. This parallels pagan counterfeit sacrifices, where meat was taken to the marketplace or given to the offerer, but Israel did the same thing.
Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
More Questions
What did it mean when an Israelite ate the meat of the sacrifice he brought?
When an Israelite brought and ate of his own sacrifice, he was partaking of the altar and thereby identifying himself with the God to whom he was sacrificing.