The thank offering, or peace offering, was a voluntary Israelite sacrifice expressing thanksgiving and fellowship with God. It belonged to the wider class of peace offerings and could also accompany a vow or freewill gift.
Definition
The thank offering was the properly eucharistic form of the Israelite peace offering. It expressed spontaneous thanksgiving by an offerer regarded as already reconciled to and in covenant with God. Peace offerings also included offerings connected with vows and freewill gifts.
Biblical Usage
Peace offerings were not ordinarily offered according to a fixed regular schedule. Thanksgiving offerings and vow or freewill offerings were distinguished in the legislation, and peace offerings could be presented at times of national solemnity, rejoicing, sorrow, or fasting.
Historical Background
The ceremony is described in Leviticus 3 and 7. The two firstling lambs at Pentecost appear as the regularly recurring peace offering. A Nazarite’s offering at the completion of his vow was a notable example of a vow offering.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Smith's Bible Dictionary
the properly eucharistic offering among the Jews, in its theory resembling the meat offering and therefore indicating that the offerer was already reconciled to and in covenant with God. Its ceremonial is described in (Leviticus 3:1) ... The peace offerings, unlike other sacrifices, were not ordained to be offered in fixed and regular course. The only constantly-recurring peace offering appears to have been that of the two firstling lambs at Pentecost. (Leviticus 23:19) The general principle of the peace offering seems to have been that it should be entirely spontaneous, offered as occasion should arise, from the feeling of the sacrificer himself. (Leviticus 19:5) On the first institution, (Leviticus 7:11-17) peace offerings are divided into “offerings of thanksgiving” and “vows or freewill offerings;” of which latter class the offering by a Nazarite on the completion of his vow is the most remarkable. (Numbers 6:14) We find accordingly peace offerings offered for the people on a great scale at periods of unusual solemnity or rejoicing. In two cases only— (Judges 20:26; 2 Samuel 24:26)—peace offerings are mentioned se offered with burnt offerings at a time of national sorrow and fasting.
