7:11–15 This section describes the disposal of the fellowship offering and the various reasons for bringing it. It may be a thanksgiving offering, votive offering, or freewill offering. When the offering is given as an expression of gratitude, it should also contain unleavened cakes mixed with oil, unleavened cakes spread with oil, and cakes of fine flour soaked with oil. Contrast this instruction with that in Leviticus 5:11, in which oil is prohibited from those grain offerings associated with purification rites. The oil dedicates the offerings to God and so makes them offerings of thanksgiving.

As we have seen, the Hebrew notion of thanksgiving is closely tied to praise. The worshiper recounts the story of how God has delivered or blessed, and in rejoicing brings a fellowship offering alo…