And if thou offer a meat offering of thy firstfruits unto the LORD, thou shalt offer for the meat offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears.
A meat offering of thy first-fruits. From the mention of green ears, this seems to have been a voluntary offering before the harvest-the ears being prepared in the favorite way of Eastern people, by parching or roasting them at the fire, and then beating them out for use. The grits or polenta of early grain (cf. Leviticus 23:14; Ruth 2:14; 1 Samuel 17:17; 1 Samuel 25:18; 2 Samuel 17:28; 2 Kings 4:42) - i:e., says Gesenius, 'fresh wheat or barley groats,' in preparing which as an offering to God, the best and earliest ears were selected from х karmel (H3759)] garden or other grain.
The Rabbinical interpretation, therefore, is not absurd, but opens the way to the true sense-namely, 'a young and tender ear of grain; not a green ear.' Accordingly the passage should be rendered, 'Thou shalt bring for the meat offering of thy first-fruits, the abib, the fruit or cereal produce, parched with fire, beaten out of the full ear;' for it is evident that what is beaten out of the full ear is not a verdant, unripe ear, but the grain or edible part of it.
The first-fruits when presented as an offering was accompanied with some parched grain or bread baked of it. The use of parched grain is still very common in the rural districts of the East, as well as among the Bedouin Arabs. 'In the season of harvest the grains of wheat, not yet fully dry and hard, are roasted in a pan or in an iron plate, and constitute a very palatable article of food: this is eaten along with bread, or instead of it. Indeed, the use of it is so common at this season among the labouring classes that this parched grain is sold in the markets' (Robinson's 'Biblical Researches,' vol. 2:, p. 394).
It was designed to be an early tribute of pious thankfulness for the earth's increase, and it was offered according to the usual directions. But it was one of those rites enjoined on the Israelites, the regular or practicable observance of which could only be attended to after their settlement in the promised land.