Exodus 29:32Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Let Aaron and his sons partake of the consecrated loaves, the meat of the sheep, and the loaves situated in the bowls at the entrance of the tabernacle of revelation. Additionally, it is recorded that David consumed the sacred loaves, which was contrary to the law, as indicated in 1 Samuel 21:6 where it states that David and his companions ate the loaves. This highlights that the directive about the consecrated loaves was ceremonial and provided as a temporary guideline, rather than being a strict prohibition regarding conduct; therefore, David is justified in this instance due to necessity.

The typical peace offering could be consumed in any pure location and alongside leavened bread, as mentioned in Leviticus 5:40 and 2:13. However, this particular offering was designated for the priests alone to partake of, right at the entrance of the tabernacle, and only with unleavened bread, as indicated in verse 2. Any leftovers from this offering were to be incinerated, as it was considered sacred. It is noteworthy that the priests were also the only ones permitted to eat the flesh of the sin offering, referred to as "the great holy thing" in Leviticus 5:40 and 2:6.