Leviticus 1 commentary

The offering of sacrifices was an ordinance of true religion, from the fall of man unto the coming of Christ. But till the Israelites were in the wilderness, no very particular regulations seem to have been appointed. The general design of these laws is plain. The sacrifices typified Christ; they also shadowed out the believer's duty, character, privilege, and communion with God. There is scarcely any thing spoken of the Lord Jesus in Scripture which has not also a reference to his people. This book begins with the laws concerning sacrifices; the most ancient were the burnt-offerings, about which God here gives Moses directions. It is taken for granted that the people would be willing to bring offerings to the Lord. The very light of nature directs man, some way or other, to do honour to his Maker, as his Lord. Immediately after the fall, sacrifices were ordained.

In the due performance of the Levitical ordinances, the mysteries of the spiritual world are represented by corresponding natural objects; and future events are exhibited in these rites. Without this, the whole will seem unmeaning ceremonies. There is in these things a type of the sufferings of the Son of God, who was to be a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world? The burning body of an animal was but a faint representation of that everlasting misery, which we all have deserved; and which our blessed Lord bore in his body and in his soul, when he died under the load of our iniquities. Observe, 1. The beast to be offered must be without blemish. This signified the strength and purity that were in Christ, and the holy life that should be in his people. 2. The owner must offer it of his own free will. What is done in religion, so as to please God, must be done by love. Christ willingly offered himself for us. 3. It must be offered at the door of the tabernacle, where the brazen altar of burnt-offerings stood, which sanctified the gift: he must offer it at the door, as one unworthy to enter, and acknowledging that a sinner can have no communion with God, but by sacrifice. 4. The offerer must put his hand upon the head of his offering, signifying thereby, his desire and hope that it might be accepted from him, to make atonement for him. 5. The sacrifice was to be killed before the Lord, in an orderly manner, and to honour God. It signified also, that in Christians the flesh must be crucified with its corrupt affections and lust. 6. The priests were to sprinkle the blood upon the altar; for the blood being the life, that was it which made atonement. This signified the pacifying and purifying of our consciences, by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ upon them by faith. 7. The beast was to be divided into several pieces, and then to be burned upon the altar. The burning of the sacrifice signified the sharp sufferings of Christ, and the devout affections with which, as a holy fire, Christians must offer up themselves, their whole spirit, soul, and body, unto God. 8. This is said to be an offering of a sweet savour. As an act of obedience to a Divine command, and a type of Christ, this was well-pleasing to God; and the spiritual sacrifices of Christians are acceptable to God, through Christ, 1Pe 2:5.

Those who could not offer a bullock, were to bring a sheep or a goat; and those who were not able to do that, were accepted of God, if they brought a turtle-dove, or a pigeon. Those creatures were chosen for sacrifice which were mild, and gentle, and harmless; to show the innocence and meekness that were in Christ, and that should be in Christians. The offering of the poor was as typical of Christ's atonement as the more costly sacrifices, and expressed as fully repentance, faith, and devotedness to God. We have no excuse, if we refuse the pleasant and reasonable service now required. But we can no more offer the sacrifice of a broken heart, or of praise and thanksgiving, than an Israelite could offer a bullock or a goat, except as God hath first given to us. The more we do in the Lord's service, the greater are our obligations to him, for the will, for the ability, and opportunity. In many things God leaves us to fix what shall be spent in his service, whether of our time or our substance; yet where God's providence has put much into a man's power, scanty offerings will not be accepted, for they are not proper expressions of a willing mind. Let us be devoted in body and soul to his service, whatever he may call us to give, venture, do, or suffer for his sake.

1. And the Lord called unto Moses. In these seven chapters Moses will treat generally of the sacrifices. But since we read of many things here, the use of which has passed away, and others, the grounds of which I do not understand, I intend to content myself with a brief summary, from whence, however, the reader may fully perceive that whatever has been left to us relative to the legal sacrifices is even now profitable, provided we are not too curious. Let those who choose to hunt for allegories receive the praise they covet; my object is only to profit my readers, and it will suffice briefly to sum up what I think useful to be known. Although in this chapter burnt-offerings only are treated of, yet the rule which is laid down respecting them has a more extensive application, since Moses teaches what animals God would have offered to Him, so as that they may be acceptable, and also by whom and with what ceremonies they are to be offered. He enumerates three kinds, of the herd, of the flocks, and of fowls; for the case of the red heifer, from which the ashes of atonement were made, was different and peculiar; and here the question is as to the ordinary sacrifices, by which private individuals used either to atone for their sins or to testify their piety. He commands, therefore, that the cattle as well as the lambs and kids should be males, and also perfect and free from all blemish. We see, then, that only clean animals were chosen for the sacrifices, and again that all clean animals did not please God, but only domestic ones, such as allow themselves to be directed by the hand and will of men. For, though deer and roes are sometimes tamed, yet God did not admit them to His altar. This, then, was the first rule of obedience, that men should not offer promiscuously this or that victim, but bulls or bull-calves of their herds, and male lambs or kids of their flocks. Freedom from blemish is required for two reasons; for, since the sacrifices were types of Christ, it behooved that in all of them should be represented that complete perfection of His whereby His heavenly Father was to be propitiated; and, secondly, the Israelites were reminded that all uncleanness was repudiated by God lest his service should be polluted by their impurity. But whilst God exhorted them to study true sincerity, so he abundantly taught them that unless they directed their faith to Christ, whatsoever came from them would be rejected; for neither would the purity of a brute animal have satisfied Him if it had not represented something better. In the second place, it is prescribed that whosoever presented a burnt-offering should lay his hand on its head, after he had come near the door of the tabernacle. This ceremony was not only a sign of consecration, but also of its being an atonement, Lat., “piaculum.” Fr., “mais aussi de la malediction a cause du peche." since it was substituted for the man, as is expressed in the words of Moses, “And it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.” (Ver. 4.) There is not, then, the least doubt but that they transferred their guilt and whatever penalties they had deserved to the victims, in order that they might be reconciled to God. Now, since this promise could not have been at all delusive, it must be concluded that in the ancient sacrifices there was a price of satisfaction which should release them from guilt and blame in the judgment of God; yet still not as though these brute animals availed in themselves unto expiation, except in so far as they were testimonies of the grace to be manifested by Christ. Thus the ancients were reconciled to God in a sacramental manner by the victims, just as we are now cleansed through baptism. Hence it follows that these symbols were useful only as they were exercises unto faith and repentance, so that the sinner might learn to fear God’s wrath, and to seek pardon in Christ.

5. And he shall kill the bullock. The ceremony of killing is subjoined, viz., that the priest should prepare the victim itself, and pour its blood upon the altar, for it was not allowable for a private person to kill the victim with his own hands, but what the priest did in their name was transferred to them. “It is interesting to notice here, (says Bonar, in loco,) that Outram, Witzius, and others, seem to have proved that in patriarchal ages every man might offer his own sacrifice. The patriarchal ages were taught that every man must take Christ for himself personally. In the Mosaic economy, however, this is altered; there is another truth to be shewn forth. Any one (2 Chronicles 30:17) might kill the animal — any common Levite, or even the offerer himself — for there may be many executioners of God’s wrath. Earth and hell were used in executing the Father’s purpose toward the Prince of Life. But there is only one appointed way for dispensing mercy, and therefore only priests must engage in that act that signified the bestowal of pardon.” He appears, however, to be singular in his opinion that any but a Levite might kill the victim. But this is worth remarking, that although they brought the pledge of reconciliation from their home, yet that the ministers of expiation were to be sought elsewhere, since no one was competent for so illustrious an office, save he who was graced by the holy unction of God. It was, therefore, plainly manifested that all mortals are unworthy of coming near God to propitiate Him, and that the hands of all are in a manner polluted or profane except those which God himself has purged. For the honor of sacrificing came from nowhere else but from the grace of the Spirit, of which the external anointing was a pledge. We now understand how it was that individuals offered sacrifices to God, and yet that the priest alone performed this office. The altar was sprinkled with the blood, that the people might know that the blood poured from the victim did not fall on the ground, but was consecrated to God, and breathed, as it were, a sweet savor; just as now the blood of Christ appears before His face. I pass by the rest, since it does not seem worth while to enlarge on the third kind of offering, i.e., of the birds. Yet we must recollect that thus far Moses only speaks of the burnt-offerings, whose flesh was burned; for this was not the case with all, as we shall see hereafter. Although, then, it is twice said that “the priests shall lay the parts, the head and the fat,” etc., we must not understand it as if he only commanded the fat and the head to be burned, but that nothing was to be left the skin. Some think that פדר pheder, This word only occurs here, and in ver. 12, and chap. 8:20. S.M. says that the Jewish expositors declare it to mean that fat, or network of fat which is found upon the liver, and with which the severance (locus de-collationis) of the head was covered, when the head was put upon the fire. It is not easy to discover who may have said that it meant a dissevered head. — W. “Some translate it (says Poole, in loco) the body, or the trunk of the body, (whence, perhaps, C.’s error.) So the ancient Hebrews quoted in Fagius; so Vatablus, Grotius, Malvenda, Mercerus in Bochart." is a dissevered head, nor do I reject their opinion, provided we do not exclude the fat. Whatever was filthy in the victim, God would have to be washed, that it might not contaminate it. The question now arises why it was burned either wholly or partially. My own opinion is, that by the fire the efficacy of the Spirit is represented, on which all the profit of the sacrifices depends; for unless Christ had suffered in the Spirit, He would not have been a propitiatory sacrifice. Fire, then, was as the condiment which gave their true savor to the sacrifices, because the blood of Christ was to be consecrated by the Spirit, that it might cleanse us from all the stains of our sins. This God would have more fully represented in the burnt-offerings, yet no victim was offered of which some part was not consumed by fire.

Leviticus 2

Leviticus 2:1-16

1. And when any will offer a meat offering unto the LORD, his offering shall be of fine flour; and he shall pour oil upon it, and put frankincense thereon:

1. Anima quum offeret oblationem minha Jehovae, simila erit oblatio ejus: fundetque super eam oleum, ac thus superimponet.

2. And he shall bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof; and the priest shall burn the memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD:

2. Afferet autem eam ad filios Aharon sacerdotes, et accipiet inde plenum pugillum de simila ejus, et de oleo ipsius supra totum thus ipsius, adolebitque sacerdos odorem ejus super altare: oblatio ignita est odoris quietis Jehovae.

3. And the remnant of the meat offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’: it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.

3. Et residuum e minha, ipsius Aharon erit et filiorum ejus, sanctum sanctorum est ex oblationibus ignitis Jehovae.

4. And if thou bring an oblation of a meat offering baken in the oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil.

4. Quinn vero obtuleris oblationem minha, coctionem clibani, sit e simila placentae infermentatae mixtae oleo, et lagana ex infermentatis mixta oleo.

5. And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in a pan, it shall be of fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil.

5. Si minha sartaginis erit oblatio tua, sit simila conspersa oleo infermentata.

6. Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon: it is a meat offering.

6. Concides eam in frusta, et fundes super cam oleum: minha est.

7. And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in the fryingpan, it shall be made of fine flour with oil.

7. Quod si minha craticulm erit oblatio tua, simila sit oleo conspersa.

8. And thou shalt bring the meat offering that is made of these things unto the LORD: and when it is presented unto the priest, he shall bring it unto the altar.

8. Afferesque minham ex illis factam Jehovae: et offeres illam sacerdoti qui admovebit eam altari.

9. And the priest shall take from the meat offering a memorial thereof, and shall burn it upon the altar: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

9. Tolletque sacerdos de minha odorem ejus, et adolebit super altare: oblatio est ignita odoris quietis Jehovae.

10. And that which is left of the meat offering shall be Aaron’s and his sons’: it is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.

10. Et quod superfuerit e minha erit Aharon et filiorum ejus, sanctum sanctorum est ex oblationibus ignitis Jehovae.

11.: No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the LORD, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey, in any offering of the LORD made by fire.

11. Omnis minha quam offeretis Jehovae non fiet fermentata: quia de nullo fermento, et de nullo melle adolebis oblationem ignitam Jehovae.

12. As for the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer them unto the LORD: but they shall not be burnt on the altar for a sweet savour.

12. In oblatione primitiarum offeretis ea Jehovae: et super altare non ascendent in odorem quietis.

13. And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.

13. Et omnem oblationem minhae tuae sale salies, neque cessare facies sal foederis Dei tui a minha tua: in omni oblatione tua offeres sal.

14. 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.

14. Si vero obtuleris minham primitiarum Jehovae, spicam tostam igni, triticum contusum spicae plenae offeres minham primitiarum tuarum.

15. And thou shalt put oil upon it, and lay frankincense thereon: it is a meat offering.

15. Et pones super eam oleum, pones item thus super eam: minha est.

16. And the priest shall burn the memorial of it, part of the beaten corn thereof, and part of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof: it is an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

16. Et adolebit sacerdos odorem ejus, de frumento ejus contuso et de oleo ejus ultra totum thus ipsius: oblatio est ignita Jehovah.

THE THIRD BOOK OF MOSES, CALLED LEVITICUS.

Commentary by Robert Jamieson

CHAPTER 1

Le 1:1-17. Burnt Offerings of the Herd.

1. the Lord ... spake ... out of the tabernacle--The laws that are contained in the previous record were delivered either to the people publicly from Sinai, or to Moses privately, on the summit of that mountain; but on the completion of the tabernacle, the remainder of the law was announced to the Hebrew leader by an audible voice from the divine glory, which surmounted the mercy seat.

2. Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them--If the subject of communication were of a temporal nature, the Levites were excluded; but if it were a spiritual matter, all the tribes were comprehended under this name (De 27:12).

If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord--The directions given here relate solely to voluntary or freewill offerings--those rendered over and above such, as being of standing and universal obligation, could not be dispensed with or commuted for any other kind of offering (Ex 29:38; Le 23:37; Nu 28:3, 11-27, &c.).

bring your offering of the cattle, &c.--that is, those animals that were not only tame, innocent and gentle, but useful and adapted for food. This rule excluded horses, dogs, swine, camels, and asses, which were used in sacrifice by some heathen nations, beasts and birds of prey, as also hares and deers.

3. a burnt sacrifice--so called from its being wholly consumed on the altar; no part of it was eaten either by the priests or the offerer. It was designed to propitiate the anger of God incurred by original sin, or by particular transgressions; and its entire combustion indicated the self-dedication of the offerer--his whole nature--his body and soul--as necessary to form a sacrifice acceptable to God (Ro 12:1; Php 1:20). This was the most ancient as well as the most conspicuous mode of sacrifice.

a male without blemish--No animal was allowed to be offered that had any deformity or defect. Among the Egyptians, a minute inspection was made by the priest; and the bullock having been declared perfect, a certificate to that effect being fastened to its horns with wax, was sealed with his ring, and no other might be substituted. A similar process of examining the condition of the beasts brought as offerings, seems to have been adopted by the priests in Israel (Joh 6:27).

at the door of the tabernacle--where stood the altar of burnt offering (Ex 40:6). Every other place was forbidden, under the highest penalty (Le 17:4).

4. shall put his hand upon the head--This was a significant act which implied not only that the offerer devoted the animal to God, but that he confessed his consciousness of sin and prayed that his guilt and its punishment might be transferred to the victim.

and it shall be--rather, "that it may be an acceptable atonement."

5. he shall kill the bullock--The animal should be killed by the offerer, not by the priest, for it was not his duty in case of voluntary sacrifices; in later times, however, the office was generally performed by Levites.

before the Lord--on the spot where the hands had been laid upon the animal's head, on the north side of the altar.

sprinkle the blood--This was to be done by the priests. The blood being considered the life, the effusion of it was the essential part of the sacrifice; and the sprinkling of it--the application of the atonement--made the person and services of the offerer acceptable to God. The skin having been stripped off, and the carcass cut up, the various pieces were disposed on the altar in the manner best calculated to facilitate their being consumed by the fire.

8. the fat--that about the kidneys especially, which is called "suet."

9. but his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water, &c.--This part of the ceremony was symbolical of the inward purity, and the holy walk, that became acceptable worshippers.

a sweet savour unto the Lord--is an expression of the offerer's piety, but especially as a sacrificial type of Christ.

10-13. if his offering be of the flocks--Those who could not afford the expense of a bullock might offer a ram or a he-goat, and the same ceremonies were to be observed in the act of offering.

14-17. if the burnt sacrifice ... be of fowls--The gentle nature and cleanly habits of the dove led to its selection, while all other fowls were rejected, either for the fierceness of their disposition or the grossness of their taste; and in this case, there being from the smallness of the animal no blood for waste, the priest was directed to prepare it at the altar and sprinkle the blood. This was the offering appointed for the poor. The fowls were always offered in pairs, and the reason why Moses ordered two turtledoves or two young pigeons, was not merely to suit the convenience of the offerer, but according as the latter was in season; for pigeons are sometimes quite hard and unfit for eating, at which time turtledoves are very good in Egypt and Palestine. The turtledoves are not restricted to any age because they are always good when they appear in those countries, being birds of passage; but the age of the pigeons is particularly marked that they might not be offered to God at times when they are rejected by men [Harmer]. It is obvious, from the varying scale of these voluntary sacrifices, that the disposition of the offerer was the thing looked to--not the costliness of his offering.

And the Lord called unto Moses - From the manner in which this book commences, it appears plainly to be a continuation or the preceding; and indeed the whole is but one law, though divided into five portions, and why thus divided is not easy to be conjectured. Previously to the erection of the tabernacle God had given no particular directions concerning the manner of offering the different kinds of sacrifices; but as soon as this Divine structure was established and consecrated, Jehovah took it as his dwelling place; described the rites and ceremonies which he would have observed in his worship, that his people might know what was best pleasing in his sight; and that, when thus worshipping him, they might have confidence that they pleased him, every thing being done according to his own directions. A consciousness of acting according to the revealed will of God gives strong confidence to an upright mind.

Bring an offering - The word קרבן korban, from קרב karab, to approach or draw near, signifies an offering or gift by which a person had access unto God: and this receives light from the universal custom that prevails in the east, no man being permitted to approach the presence of a superior without a present or gift; and the offering thus brought was called korban, which properly means the introduction-offering, or offering of access. This custom has been often referred to in the preceding books. See also Leviticus 7.

Of the cattle - הבהמה habbehemah, animals of the beeve kind, such as the bull, heifer, bullock, and calf; and restrained to these alone by the term herd, בקר bakar, which, from its general use in the Levitical writings, is known to refer to the ox, heifer, etc. And therefore other animals of the beeve kind were excluded.

Of the flock - צאן tson. Sheep and Goats; for we have already seen that this term implies both kinds; and we know, from its use, that no other animal of the smaller clean domestic quadrupeds is intended, as no other animal of this class, besides the sheep and goat, was ever offered in sacrifice to God. The animals mentioned in this chapter as proper for sacrifice are the very same which God commanded Abraham to offer; see Gen 15:9. And thus it is evident that God delivered to the patriarchs an epitome of that law which was afterwards given in detail to Moses, the essence of which consisted in its sacrifices; and those sacrifices were of clean animals, the most perfect, useful, and healthy, of all that are brought under the immediate government and influence of man. Gross-feeding and ferocious animals were all excluded, as were also all birds of prey. In the pagan worship it was widely different; for although the ox was esteemed among them, according to Livy, as the major hostia; and according to Pliny, the victima optima, et laudatis sima deorum placatio, Plin. Hist. Nat., lib. viii., c. 45, "the chief sacrifice and the most availing offering which could be made to the gods;" yet obscene fowls and ravenous beasts, according to the nature of their deities, were frequently offered in sacrifice. Thus they sacrificed horses to the Sun, wolves to Mars, asses to Priapus, swine to Ceres, dogs to Hecate, etc., etc. But in the worship of God all these were declared unclean, and only the three following kinds of Quadrupeds were commanded to be sacrificed:

1. The bull or ox, the cow or heifer, and the calf.

2. The he-goat, she-goat, and the kid.

3. The ram, the ewe, and the lamb.

Among Fowls, only pigeons and turtle-doves were commanded to be offered, except in the case of cleansing the leper, mentioned Lev 14:4, where two clean birds, generally supposed to be sparrows or other small birds, though of what species is not well known, are specified.

Fish were not offered, because they could not be readily brought to the tabernacle alive.

Burnt-sacrifice - The most important of all the sacrifices offered to God; called by the Septuagint ὁλοκαυτωμα, because it was wholly consumed, which was not the case in any other offering. See on Leviticus 7 (note).

His own voluntary will - לרצנו lirtsono, to gain himself acceptance before the Lord: in this way all the versions appear to have understood the original words, and the connection in which they stand obviously requires this meaning.

He shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering - By the imposition of hands the person bringing the victim acknowledged,

1. The sacrifice as his own.

2. That he offered it as an atonement for his sins.

3. That he was worthy of death because he had sinned, having forfeited his life by breaking the law.

4. That he entreated God to accept the life of the innocent animal in place of his own.

5. And all this, to be done profitably, must have respect to Him whose life, in the fullness of time, should be made a sacrifice for sin.

6. The blood was to be sprinkled round about upon the altar, Lev 1:5, as by the sprinkling of blood the atonement was made; for the blood was the life of the beast, and it was always supposed that life went to redeem life.

See Clarke on Exo 29:10 (note). On the required perfection of the sacrifice see Clarke on Exo 12:5 (note). It has been sufficiently remarked by learned men that almost all the people of the earth had their burnt-offerings, on which also they placed the greatest dependence. It was a general maxim through the heathen world, that there was no other way to appease the incensed gods; and they sometimes even offered human sacrifices, from the supposition, as Caesar expresses it, that life was necessary to redeem life, and that the gods would be satisfied with nothing less. "Quod pro vita hominis nisi vita hominis redditur, non posse aliter deorum immortalium numen placari arbitrantur." - Com. de Bell. Gal., lib. vi. But this was not the case only with the Gauls, for we see, by Ovid, Fast., lib. vi., that it was a commonly received maxim among more polished people: - " - Pro parvo victima parva cadit.

Cor pro corde, precor, pro fibris sumite fibras.

Hanc animam vobis pro meliore damus."

See the whole of this passage in the above work, from ver. 135 to 163.

He shall flay - Probably meaning the person who brought the sacrifice, who, according to some of the rabbins, killed, flayed, cut up, and washed the sacrifice, and then presented the parts and the blood to the priest, that he might burn the one, and sprinkle the other upon the altar. But it is certain that the priests also, and the Levites, flayed the victims, and the priest had the skin to himself; see Lev 7:8, and 2Chr 29:34. The red heifer alone was not flayed, but the whole body, with the skin, etc., consumed with fire. See Num 19:5.

Put fire - The fire that came out of the tabernacle from before the Lord, and which was kept perpetually burning; see Lev 9:24. Nor was it lawful to use any other fire in the service of God. See the case of Nadab and Abihu, Leviticus 10 (note).

The priests - shall lay the parts - The sacrifice was divided according to its larger joints.

1. After its blood was poured out, and the skin removed, the head was cut off.

2. They then opened it and took out the omentum, or caul, that invests the intestines.

3. They took out the intestines with the mesentery, and washed them well, as also the fat.

4. They then placed the four quarters upon the altar, covered them with the fat, laid the remains of the intestines upon them, and then laid the head above all.

5. The sacred fire was then applied, and the whole mass was consumed. This was the holocaust, or complete burnt-offering.

An offering - of a sweet savor - אשה ריח ניחוח ishsheh reiach nichoach, a fire-offering, an odour of rest, or, as the Septuagint express it, θυσια οσμη ευωδιας, "a sacrifice for a sweet-smelling savor;" which place St. Paul had evidently in view when he wrote Eph 5:2 : "Christ hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering, και θυσιαν - εις οσμην ευωδιας, and a sacrifice, for a sweet-smelling savor," where he uses the same terms as the Septuagint. Hence we find that the holocaust, or burnt-offering, typified the sacrifice and death of Christ for the sins of the world.

His offering be of the flocks - See Clarke on Lev 1:2 (note).

Cut it into his pieces - See Clarke's note on Gen 15:10.

Pluck away his crop with his feathers - In this sacrifice of fowls the head was violently wrung off, then the blood was poured out, then the feathers were plucked off, the breast was cut open, and the crop, stomach, and intestines taken out, and then the body was burnt. Though the bird was split up, yet it was not divided asunder. This circumstance is particularly remarked in Abram's sacrifice, Gen 15:10. See Clarke's note Gen 15:10. See Ainsworth. We have already seen, on Lev 1:2, that four kinds of animals might be made burnt-offerings to the Lord.

1. Neat cattle, such as bulls, oxen, cows, and calves.

2. He-goats, she-goats, and kids.

3. Rams, ewes, and lambs.

4. Pigeons and turtle-doves; and in one case, viz., the cleansing of the leper, sparrows or some small bird.

All these must be without spot or blemish - the most perfect of their respective kinds, and be wholly consumed by fire. The Rich were to bring the most costly; the Poor, those of least price. Even in this requisition of justice how much mercy was mingled! If a man could not bring a bullock or a heifer, a goat or a sheep, let him bring a calf, a kid, or a lamb. If he could not bring any of these because of his poverty, let him bring a turtle-dove, or a young pigeon, (see Lev 5:7); and it appears that in cases of extreme poverty, even a little meal or fine flour was accepted by the bountiful Lord as a sufficient oblation; see Lev 5:11. This brought down the benefits of the sacrificial service within the reach of the poorest of the poor; as we may take for granted that every person, however low in his circumstances, might be able to provide the tenth part of an ephah, about three quarts of meal, to make an offering for his soul unto the Lord. But every man must bring something; the law stooped to the lowest circumstances of the poorest of the people, but every man must sacrifice, because every man had sinned. Reader, what sort of a sacrifice dost thou bring to God? To Him thou owest thy whole body, soul, and substance; are all these consecrated to his service? Or has he the refuse of thy time, and the offal of thy estate? God requires thee to sacrifice as his providence has blessed thee. If thou have much, thou shouldst give liberally to God and the poor; If thou have but little, do thy diligence to give of that little. God's justice requires a measure of that which his mercy has bestowed. But remember that as thou hast sinned, thou needest a Savior. Jesus is that lamb without spot which has been offered to God for the sin of the world, and which thou must offer to him for thy sin; and it is only through Him that thou canst be accepted, even when thou dedicatest thy whole body, soul, and substance to thy Maker. Even when we present ourselves a living sacrifice to God, we are accepted for his sake who carried our sins, and bore our sorrows. Thanks be to God, the rich and the poor have equal access unto him through the Son of his love, and equal right to claim the benefits of the great sacrifice!

Moses - Stood without, Ex 40:35, waiting for God's call. The tabernacle - From the mercy - seat in the tabernacle.

There are divers kinds of sacrifices here prescribed, some by way of acknowledgment to God for mercies either desired or received; others by was of satisfaction to God for men's sins; others were mere exercises of devotion. And the reason why there were so many kinds of them was, partly a respect to the childish state of the Jews, who by the custom of nations, and their own natural inclinations were much addicted to outward rites and ceremonies, that they might have full employment of that kind in Gods's service, and thereby be kept from temptations to idolatry; and partly to represent as well the several perfections of Christ, the true sacrifice, and the various benefits of his death, as the several duties which men owe to their Creator and Redeemer, all which could not be so well expressed by one sort of sacrifice. Of the flock - Or, Of the sheep; though the Hebrew word contains both the sheep and goats. Now God chose these creatures for his sacrifices, either, In opposition to the Egyptian idolatry, to which divers of the Israelites had been used, and were still in danger of revolting to again, that the frequent destruction of these creatures might bring such silly deities into contempt. Or, Because these are the fittest representations both of Christ and of true Christians, as being gentle, and harmless, and patient, and useful to men. Or, As the best and most profitable creatures, with which it is fit God should be served, and which we should be ready to part with, when God requires us to do so. Or, As things most common, that men might never want a sacrifice when they needed, or God required it.

A burnt sacrifice - Strictly so called, such as was to be all burnt, the skin excepted. For every sacrifice was burnt, more or less. The sacrifices signified that the whole man, in whose stead the sacrifice was offered, was to be entirely offered or devoted to God's service; and that the whole man did deserve to be utterly consumed, if God should deal severely with him; and directed us to serve the Lord with all singleness of heart, and to be ready to offer to God even such sacrifices or services wherein we ourselves should have no part or benefit. A male - As being more perfect than the female, Mal 1:14, and more truly representing Christ. Without blemish - To signify, That God should he served with the best of every kind. That man, represented by these sacrifices, should aim at all perfection of heart and life, and that Christians should one day attain to it, Eph 5:27. The spotless and compleat holiness of Christ. Of his own will - According to this translation, the place speaks only of free - will offerings, or such as were not prescribed by God to be offered in course, but were offered by the voluntary devotion of any person, either by way of supplication for any mercy, or by way of thanksgiving for any blessing received. But it may seem improper to restrain the rules here given to free - will offerings, which were to be observed in other offerings also. At the door - In the court near the door, where the altar stood, Lev 1:5. For here it was to be sacrificed, and here the people might behold the oblation of it. And this farther signified, that men could have no entrance, neither into the earthly tabernacle, the church, nor into the heavenly tabernacle of glory, but by Christ, who is the door, John 10:7,9, by whom alone we have access to God.

He shall put his hand - Both his hands, Lev 8:14,18, and Lev 16:21. Whereby he signified, that he willingly gave it to the Lord. That he judged himself worthy of that death which it suffered in his stead; and that he laid his sins upon it with an eye to him upon whom God would lay the iniquity of us all, Isa 53:6, and that together with it he did freely offer up himself to God. To make atonement - Sacramentally; as directing his faith and thoughts to that true propitiatory sacrifice which in time was to be offered up for him. And although burnt - offerings were commonly offered by way of thanksgiving; yet they were sometimes offered by way of atonement for sin, that is, for sins in general, as appears from Job 1:5, but for particular sins there were special sacrifices.

And he - Either, the offerer, who is said to do it, namely, by the priest; for men are commonly said to do what they cause others to do, as John 4:1,2. the priest, as it follows, or the Levite, whose office this was. Shall sprinkle the blood - Which was done in a considerable quantity, and whereby was signified, That the offerer deserved to have his blood spilt in that manner. That the blood of Christ should be poured forth for sinners, and that this was the only mean of their reconciliation to God, and acceptance with him.

Pieces - Namely, the head, and fat, and inwards, and legs, Lev 1:8,9.

Put fire - Or, dispose the fire, that is, blow it up, and put it together, so as it might be fit for the present work. For the fire there used and allowed came down from heaven, Lev 9:24, and was to be carefully preserved there, and all other fire was forbidden, Lev 10:1, &c.

The fat - All the fat was to be separated from the flesh, and to be put together, to increase the flame, and to consume the other parts of the sacrifice more speedily.

But the inwards shall he wash - To signify the universal and perfect purity both of the inwards, or the heart, and of the legs, or ways or actions, which was in Christ, and which should be in all Christians. And he washed not only the parts now mentioned, but all the rest, the trunk of the body, and the shoulders. A sweet savour - Not in itself, for so it rather caused a stink, but as it represented Christ's offering up himself to God as a sweet smelling savour.

North - ward - Here this and other kinds of sacrifices were killed, Lev 6:25, and Lev 7:2, because here seems to have been the largest and most convenient place for that work, the altar being probably near the middle of the east - end of the building, and the entrance being on the south - side. Besides this might design the place of Christ's death both more generally, in Jerusalem, which was in the sides of the north, Psa 48:2, and more specially, on mount Calvary, which was on the north - west side of Jerusalem.

Turtle - doves - These birds were appointed for the poor who could not bring better. And these birds are preferred before others, partly because they were easily gotten, and partly because they are fit representations of Christ's chastity, and meekness, and gentleness, for which these birds are remarkable. The pigeons must be young, because then they are best; but the turtle - doves are better when they are grown up, and therefore they are not confined to that age.

His head - From the rest of the body; as sufficiently appears, because this was to be burnt by itself, and the body afterwards, Lev 1:17. And whereas it is said Lev 5:8. He shall - wring his head from his neck, but shall not divide it asunder, that is spoken not of the burnt - offering as here, but of the sin - offering.

With its feathers - Or, with its dung or filth, contained in the crop and in the guts. On the east - Of the Tabernacle. Here the filth was cast, because this was the remotest place from the holy of holies, which was in the west - end; to teach us, that impure things and persons should not presume to approach to God, and that they should be banished from his presence. The place of the ashes - Where the ashes fell down and lay, whence they were afterwards removed without the camp.

He shall cleave the bird through the whole length, yet so as not to separate the one side from the other. A sweet savour unto the Lord - Yet after all, to love God with all our hearts, and to love our neighbour as ourselves, is better than all burnt - offerings and sacrifices.

1 AND the LORD called unto Moses , and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation , saying,

Who stood without, Exod. 40. 35. waiting for Gods call.

From the mercy-seat in the Tabernacle.

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock .

There are divers kinds of sacrifices here prescribed, some by way of acknowledgement to God for mercies either desired or received: others by way of satisfaction to God for mens sins: others were meer exercises of piety and devotion. And the reason why there are so many kinds of them was partly respect to the childish estate of the Iews, who by the custom of nations and their own natural inclinations were much addicted to outward rites and ceremonies, that they might have full employment of that kind in Gods service and thereby be kept from temptations to Idolatry; and partly to represent as well the several perfections of Christ the true sacrifice and the various benefits of his death, as the several duties which men owe to their creator and redeemer, all which could not be so well expressed by one sort of sacrifices.

Or, of the sheep: though the Hebrew word contains both sheep and goats, as appears both from the use of the word, Gen. 12. 16. and 2[illegible: 1+ letters]. 9. and 38. 17. and from ver. 10. and other places of Scripture. Now God chose these kinds of creatures for his sacrifices either 1. in opposition to the Egyptian Idolatry, to which divers of the Israelites had been used and were still in danger of revolting to again, that the frequent destruction of these creatures might bring such silly Deities into contempt. Or 2. because these are the fittest representations both of Christ and of true Christians, as being gentle, and harmless, and patient, and most useful to men. Or 3. as the best and most profitable creatures, with which it is fit God should be served, and which we should be ready to part with when God requires us to do so. Or 4. as things most common and obvious, that men might never want a sacrifice when they needed or God required it.

Marginal references: chap. 22. 18.

3 If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish : he shall offer it of his own voluntary will , at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation before the LORD.

Strictly so called, such as was to be all burnt, the skin excepted, Levit. 7. 8. See Gen. 8. 20. and 1 King. 3. 15. For otherwise every sacrifice was burnt, more or less. These sacrifices did partly signifie, that the whole man, in whose stead the sacrifice was offered, was to be intirely and unreservedly offered or devoted to Gods service; and that the whole man did deserve to be utterly consumed, if God should deal severely with him; and directed us to serve the Lord with all singleness of heart without self-ends, and to be ready to offer to God even such sacrifices or services wherein we our selves should have no part nor benefit.

As being more perfect than the female, Mal. 1. 14. and more truly representing Christ.

Of which see Exod. 29. 1. Levit. 22. 22, &c. To signify, 1. that God should be served with the best of every kind. 2. that man, represented by these sacrifices, should aim at all purity and perfection of heart and life, and that Christians should one day attain to it, Eph. 5. 27. 3. the spotless and compleat holiness of Christ, Heb. 9. 13, 14. 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19. and 2. 22.

According to this translation, the place speaks onely of free-will offerings, or such as were not prescribed by God to be offered in course, but were offered at the pleasure and by the voluntary devotion of any person either by way of supplication for any mercy which he needed or desired, or by way of thanksgiving for any favour or blessing received. But it may seem improper to restrain the rules here given to freewill offerings, which were to be observed in other offerings also. And the Hebrew word is by the [illegible: 1 word] Chaldee, Syr. and Arab. and others rendred to this purpose, for his acceptation, or that he may be accepted with God, or that God may be atoned, as it is ver. 4. And so this phrase is used, Levit. 23. 11.

In the Court near to the door, where the Altar stood, ver. 5. For here it was to be sacrificed, and here also the people might behold the oblation of it. And this further signified, that men could have no entrance neither into the earthly tabernacle, the Church, nor into the heavenly tabernacle of glory, but by Christ, who is the door, Io[illegible: 1+ letters]. 10. 7, 9. by whom alone we have access to God.

Marginal references: Or, to be [illegible: 1+ letters] ted for him. Isa. 56. 7. & 58. 5. & 6[illegible: 1+ letters] Jer. 6. 20.

4 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt-offering , and it shall be accepted from him to make atonement for him .

(i. e.) Both his hands, Levit. 8. 14, 18. and 16. 21. A common Enallage.

Whereby he signified, 1. that he willingly gave it to the Lord. 2. that he did legally unite himself with it, and judged himself worthy of that death which it suffered in his stead, and that he laid his sins upon it in a ceremonial way, and had an eye to him upon whom God would lay the iniquity of us all, Isa. 53. 6. and that together with it he did freely offer up himself to God.

To wit, ceremonially and sacramentally, as directing his faith and thoughts, to that true propitiatory sacrifice which in time was to be offered up for him. See Rom. 3. 25. Heb. 9. 15, 25, 26. And although burntofferings were commonly offered by way of thanksgiving, Gen. 8. 20▪ Psal. 51. 16, 17. yet they were sometimes offered by way of atonement for sin, to wit, for sins in general, as appears from Io[illegible: 1+ letters] 1. 5. but for particular sins there were special sacrifices, as we shall see.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 29. 1[illegible: 1+ letters], 15.

5 And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the Priests, Aarons sons shall bring the bloud, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the Altar that is by the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation.

Either 1. the offerer, who is said to do it, to wit, by the Priest: for men are commonly said to do what they cause others to do, as Ioh. 4. 1, 2. Or 2. the Priest, as it follows, or the Levite, whose office this was. See Exod. 29. 11. Levit. 8. 15. Numb. 8. 19. 1 Chron. 23. 28, 31. 2 Chron. 30. 16. and 35▪ 11.

Which was done in a considerable quantity, as may be gathered from Zech. 9. 15. and whereby was signified, 1. that the offerer deserved to have his blood spilt in that manner. 2. that the blood of Christ should be poured forth for sinners, and that that was the onely mean of their reconciliation to God and acceptance with him.

6 And he shall slay the burnt-offering , and cut it into his pieces .

Partly for decency, because the sacrifices being as it were Gods food and feast, it was incongruous to offer to God that which men refused to eat; and partly to signify that the great thing which God required and regarded in men was not their outward appearance, but their inside, and that as he doth see all mens insides, Heb. 4. 13. so he will one day make them visible to others.

To wit, the head, and [illegible: 1+ letters]at, and inwards and legs, ver. 8, 9.

7 And the sons of Aaron the Priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire.

Or dispose the fire, i. e. blow it up, and put it together so as it might be fit for the present work. For the fire there used and allowed came down from heaven, Levit. 9. 24. and was to be carefully preserved there, and all other fire was forbidden, Levit. 10. 1, &c.

8 And the Priests Aarons sons shall lay the parts, the head and the fat in order upon the wood that is in the fire which is upon the Altar.

All the fat, which was to be separated from the Flesh, and to be put together, to increase the flame, and to consume the other parts of the sacrifice more quickly. Others translate it, the trunck of the body, as distinguished from the head and joints and inward parts.

9 But the inwards and his legs, shall he wash in water, and the Priest shall burn all on the Altar, to be a burnt-sacrifice, an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

To signify the universal and perfect purity both of the inwards, or the heart, and of the legs, or ways or actions, which was in Christ, and which should be in all Christians.

Not onely the parts, now mentioned, but all the rest, the trunck of the body and the shoulders, as is apparent from the practise or execution of these precepts.

Not in it self▪ for so it rather caused a stink, but as it represented Christs offering up himself, to God as a sweet smelling savour, Eph. 5. 2. and to admonish us of the excellent vertue of Divine institution, without which God values no worship, though never so glorious, and by which even the meanest things are pretious and acceptable to God.

11 And he shall kill it on the side of the Altar Northward , before the LORD: and the Priests Aarons sons shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the Altar.

Here this and other kinds of sacrifices were killed▪ [illegible: 1 word]. 6. 25▪ and 7. 2. because here seem[illegible: 1+ letters] to have been the large[illegible: 1+ letters] and most convenient place for that work, the Altar being probably near the middle of the east end of the building, and the entrance being on the south-side: so the Northside was the onely vacant place. Be[illegible: 1+ letters]des this might design the place of Christs death both more generally; to wit, in [illegible: 1 word], which was in the sides of the north, Psal. 4[illegible: 1+ letters]. 2. and more specially, to wit, on mount Calvary, which was on the North and West side of Ierusalem.

14 And if the burnt-sacrifice for his offering to the LORD be of fowles, then he shall bring his offering of turtle doves, or of young pigeons .

These birds were appointed for the relief of the poor who could not bring better. And these birds are preferred before others, partly because they were easily gotten, and partly because they are fit representations of Christs chastity and meekness or gentleness, for which these birds are remarkable. The pigeons must be young, because then they are best, but the turtle-dove[illegible: 1+ letters] are better when they are more grown up, and therefore the[illegible: 1+ letters] are not confined to that age.

Marginal references: chap. 5. [illegible: 1+ letters].

15 And the Priest shall bring it unto the altar: and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar: and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar.

To wit, from the rest of the body, as sufficiently appears because this was to be burnt by it self, as it here follows, and the body afterwards, ver. 17. And whereas it is said Levit. 5. 8. he shall—[illegible: 1+ letters]ing his [illegible: 1 word] from his neck, but shall not divide it [illegible: 1 word], that is spoken not of the burntoffering, as here, out of the sin-offering, in which there might be a differing [illegible: 1 word].

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 word] off the head with the [illegible: 1 word].; Heb. [illegible: 1 word] w[illegible: 1+ letters]ll.

16 And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers , and cast it beside the altar on the Eastpart ; by the place of the ashes .

Or, with its dung or filth, to wit contained in the crop and in the guts.

To wit, of the Tabernacle. Here the filth was cast▪ because this was the remotest place from the Holy of Holies, which was in the West-end, to teach us, that impure things and persons should not presume to approach to God, and that they should be banished from his presence.

The place where the ashes fell down and lay, whence they were afterwards removed without the camp. See Levit. 4. 12. and 6. 10, 11. and 8. 17.

Marginal references: Or, [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word].

17 And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder : and the Priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt-sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

Shall cleave the bird thorough the whole length, yet so as not to separate the one side from the other, and so as there may be a wing left on each side. See Gen. 15. 10.

The Third Book of Moses (Leviticus)

Introduction

Contents, and Plan of Leviticus

The third book of Moses is headed תיקרא in the original text, from the opening word. In the Septuagint and Vulgate it is called Λευΐτικόν, sc., βιβλίον, Leviticus, from the leading character of its contents, and probably also with some reference to the titles which had obtained currency among the Rabbins, viz., “law of the priests,” “law-book of sacrificial offerings.” It carries on to its completion the giving of the law at Sinai, which commenced at Ex 25, and by which the covenant constitution was firmly established. It contains more particularly the laws regulating the relation of Israel to its God, including both the fundamental principles upon which its covenant fellowship with the Lord depended, and the directions for the sanctification of the covenant people in that communion. Consequently the laws contained in this book might justly be described as the “spiritual statute-book of Israel as the congregation of Jehovah.” As every treaty establishes a reciprocal relation between those who are parties to it, so not only did Jehovah as Lord of the whole earth enter into a special relation to His chosen people Israel in the covenant made by Him with the seed of Abraham, which He had chosen as His own possession out of all the nations, but the nation of Israel was also to be brought into a real and living fellowship with Him as its God and Lord. And whereas Jehovah would be Israel’s God, manifesting Himself to it in all the fulness of His divine nature; so was it also His purpose to train Israel as His own nation, to sanctify it for the truest life in fellowship with Him, and to bless it with all the fulness of His salvation. To give effect to the former, or the first condition of the covenant, God had commanded the erection of a sanctuary for the dwelling-place of His name, or the true manifestation of His own essence; and on its erection, i.e., on the setting up of the tabernacle, He filled the most holy place with a visible sign of His divine glory (Exo 40:34), a proof that He would be ever near and present to His people with His almighty grace. When this was done, it was necessary that the other side of the covenant relation should be realized in a manner suited to the spiritual, religious, and moral condition of Israel, in order that Israel might become His people in truth. But as the nation of Israel was separated from God, the Holy One, by the sin and unholiness of its nature, the only way in which God could render access to His gracious presence possible, was by institutions and legal regulations, which served on the one hand to sharpen the consciousness of sin in the hearts of the people, and thereby to awaken the desire for mercy and for reconciliation with the holy God, and on the other hand furnished them with the means of expiating their sins and sanctifying their walk before God according to the standard of His holy commandments.

All the laws and regulations of Leviticus have this for their object, inasmuch as they, each and all, aim quite as much at the restoration of an inward fellowship on the part of the nation as a whole and the individual members with Jehovah their God, through the expiation or forgiveness of sin and the removal of all natural uncleanness, as at the strengthening and deepening of this fellowship by the sanctification of every relation of life. In accordance with this twofold object, the contents of the book are arranged in two larger series of laws and rules of life, the first extending from ch. 1 to ch. 16, the second from ch. 17 to ch. 25. The first of these, which occupies the earlier half of the book of Leviticus, opens with the laws of sacrifice in ch. 1-7. As sacrifices had been from the very beginning the principal medium by which men entered into fellowship with God, the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of the world, to supplicate and appropriate His favour and grace, so Israel was not only permitted to draw near to its God with sacrificial gifts, but, by thus offering its sacrifices according to the precepts of the divine law, would have an ever open way of access to the throne of grace. The laws of sacrifice are followed in ch. 8-10 by the consecration of Aaron and his sons, the divinely appointed priests, by their solemn entrance upon their official duties, and by the sanctification of their priesthood on the part of God, both in word and act. Then follow in ch. 11-15 the regulations concerning the clean and unclean animals, and various bodily impurities, with directions for the removal of all defilements; and these regulations culminate in the institution of a yearly day of atonement (ch. 16), inasmuch as this day, with its all-embracing expiation, foreshadowed typically and prefigured prophetically the ultimate and highest aim of the Old Testament economy, viz., perfect reconciliation. Whilst all these laws and institutions opened up to the people of Israel the way of access to the throne of grace, the second series of laws, contained in the later half of the book (ch. 17-25), set forth the demands made by the holiness of God upon His people, that they might remain in fellowship with Him, and rejoice in the blessings of His grace. This series of laws commences with directions for the sanctification of life in food, marriage, and morals (ch. 17-20); it then advances to the holiness of the priests and the sacrifices (ch. 21 and 22), and from that to the sanctification of the feasts and the daily worship of God (chs. 23 and 24), and closes with the sanctification of the whole land by the appointment of the sabbatical and jubilee years (ch. 25). In these the sanctification of Israel as the congregation of Jehovah was to be glorified into the blessedness of the sabbatical rest in the full enjoyment of the blessings of the saving grace of its God; and in the keeping of the year of jubilee more especially, the land and kingdom of Israel were to be transformed into a kingdom of peace and liberty, which also foreshadowed typically and prefigured prophetically the time of the completion of the kingdom of God, the dawn of the glorious liberty of the children of God, when the bondage of sin and death shall be abolished for ever.

Whilst, therefore, the laws of sacrifice and purification, on the one hand, culminate in the institution of the yearly day of atonement, so, on the other, do those relating to the sanctification of life culminate in the appointment of the sabbatical and jubilee years; and thus the two series of laws in Leviticus are placed in unmistakeable correspondence to one another. In the ordinances, rights, and laws thus given to the covenant nation, not only was the way clearly indicated, by which the end of its divine calling was to be attained, but a constitution was given to it, fully adapted to all the conditions incident to this end, and this completed the establishment of the kingdom of God in Israel. To give a finish, however, to the covenant transaction at Sinai, it was still necessary to impress upon the hearts of the people, on the one hand, the blessings that would follow the faithful observance of the covenant of their God, and on the other hand, the evil of transgressing it (ch. 26). To this there are also added, in the form of an appendix, the instructions concerning vows. The book of Leviticus is thus rounded off, and its unity and independence within the Thorah are established, not only by the internal unity of its laws and their organic connection, but also by the fact, so clearly proved by the closing formula in ch.Lev 26:46 and Lev 27:34, that it finishes with the conclusion of the giving of the law at Sinai.

I. Laws and Ordinances Determining the Covenant Fellowship Between the Lord and Israel - Leviticus 1-16

The Laws of Sacrifice - Leviticus 1-7

When the glory of the Lord had entered the tabernacle in a cloud, God revealed Himself to Moses from this place of His gracious presence, according to His promise in Exo 25:22, to make known His sacred will through him to the people (Lev 1:1). The first of these revelations related to the sacrifices, in which the Israelites were to draw near to Him, that they might become partakers of His grace.Works relating to the sacrifices: Guil. Outram de sacrificiis libri duo, Amst. 1688; Bähr,Symbolik des mos. Cultus ii. pp. 189ff.; Kurtz on the Sacrificial Worship of the Old Testament (Clark, 1863); and Oehler, in Herzog's Cyclopaedia. The rabbinical traditions are to be found in the two talmudical tractates Sebachim and Menachoth, and a brief summary of them is given in Otho lex. rabbin. philol. pp. 631ff.

The patriarchs, when sojourning in Canaan, had already worshipped the God who revealed Himself to them, with both burnt-offerings and slain-offerings. Whether their descendants, the children of Israel, had offered sacrifices to the God of their fathers during their stay in the foreign land of Egypt, we cannot tell, as there is no allusion whatever to the subject in the short account of these 430 years. So much, however, is certain, that they had not forgotten to regard the sacrifices as a leading part of the worship of God, and were ready to follow Moses into the desert, to serve the God of their fathers there by a solemn act of sacrificial worship (Exo 5:1-3, compared with Lev 4:31; Lev 8:4, etc.); and also, that after the Exodus from Egypt, not only did Jethro offer burnt-offerings and slain-offerings to God in the camp of the Israelites, and prepare a sacrificial meal in which the elders of Israel took part along with Moses and Aaron (Exo 18:12), but young men offered burnt-offerings and slain-offerings by the command of Moses at the conclusion of the covenant (Exo 24:5). Consequently the sacrificial laws of these chapters presuppose the presentation of burnt-offerings, meat-offerings, and slain-offerings as a custom well known to the people, and a necessity demanded by their religious feelings (Lev 1:2-3, Lev 1:10, Lev 1:14; Lev 2:1, Lev 2:4-5, Lev 2:14; Lev 3:1, Lev 3:6, Lev 3:11). They were not introduced among the Israelites for the first time by Moses, as Knobel affirms, who also maintains that the feast of the Passover was the first animal sacrifice, and in fact a very imperfect one. Even animal sacrifices date from the earliest period of our race. Not only did Noah offer burnt-offerings of all clean animals and birds (Gen 8:20), but Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock an offering to the Lord (Gen 4:4).When Knobel, in his Commentary on Leviticus (p. 347), endeavours to set aside the validity of these proofs, by affirming that sacrificial worship in the earliest times is merely a fancy of the Jehovist; apart altogether from the untenable character of the Elohistic and Jehovistic hypothesis, there is a sufficient proof that this subterfuge is worthless, in the fact that the so-called Elohist, instead of pronouncing Moses the originator of the sacrificial worship of the Hebrews, introduces his laws of sacrifice with this formula, “If any man of you bring an offering of cattle unto the Lord,” and thus stamps the presentation of animal sacrifice as a traditional custom. Knobel cannot adduce any historical testimony in support of his assertion, that, according to the opinion of the ancients, there were no animal sacrifices offered to the gods in the earliest times, but only meal, honey, vegetables, and flowers, roots, leaves, and fruit; all that he does is to quote a few passages from Plato, Plutarch, and Porphyry, in which these philosophers, who were much too young to answer the question, express their ideas and conjectures respecting the rise and progress of sacrificial worship among the nations.

The object of the sacrificial laws in this book was neither to enforce sacrificial worship upon the Israelites, nor to apply “a theory concerning the Hebrew sacrifices” (Knobel), but simply to organize and expand the sacrificial worship of the Israelites into an institution in harmony with the covenant between the Lord and His people, and adapted to promote the end for which it was established.

But although sacrifice in general reaches up to the earliest times of man’s history, and is met with in every nation, it was not enjoined upon the human race by any positive command of God, but sprang out of a religious necessity for fellowship with God, the author, protector, and preserver of life, which was as innate in man as the consciousness of God itself, though it assumed very different forms in different tribes and nations, in consequence of their estrangement from God, and their growing loss of all true knowledge of Him, inasmuch as their ideas of the Divine Being so completely regulated the nature, object, and signification of the sacrifices they offered, that they were quite as subservient to the worship of idols as to that of the one true God. To discover the fundamental idea, which was common to all the sacrifices, we must bear in mind, on the one hand, that the first sacrifices were presented after the fall, and on the other hand, that we never meet with any allusion to expiation in the pre-Mosaic sacrifices of the Old Testament. Before the fall, man lived in blessed unity with God. This unity was destroyed by sin, and the fellowship between God and man was disturbed, though not entirely abolished. In the punishment which God inflicted upon the sinners, He did not withdraw His mercy from men; and before driving them out of paradise, He gave them clothes to cover the nakedness of their shame, by which they had first of all become conscious of their sin. Even after their expulsion He still manifested Himself to them, so that they were able once more to draw near to Him and enter into fellowship with Him. This fellowship they sought through the medium of sacrifices, in which they gave a visible expression not only to their gratitude towards God for His blessing and His grace, but also to their supplication for the further continuance of His divine favour. It was in this sense that both Cain and Abel offered sacrifice, though not with the same motives, or in the same state of heart towards God. In this sense Noah also offered sacrifice after his deliverance from the flood; the only apparent difference being this, that the sons of Adam offered their sacrifices to God from the fruit of their labour, in the tilling of the ground and the keeping of sheep, whereas Noah presented his burnt-offerings from the clean cattle and birds that had been shut up with him in the ark, i.e., from those animals which at any rate from that time forward were assigned to man as food (Gen 9:3). Noah was probably led to make this selection by the command of God to take with him into the ark not one or more pairs, but seven of every kind of clean beasts, as he may have discerned in this an indication of the divine will, that the seventh animal of every description of clean beast and bird should be offered in sacrifice to the Lord, for His gracious protection from destruction by the flood. Moses also received a still further intimation as to the meaning of the animal sacrifices, in the prohibition which God appended to the permission to make use of animals as well as green herbs for food; viz., “flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat” (Gen 9:4-5), that is to say, flesh which still contained the blood as the animal’s soul. In this there was already an intimation, that in the bleeding sacrifice the soul of the animals was given up to God with the blood; and therefore, that by virtue of its blood, as the vehicle of the soul, animal sacrifice was the most fitting means of representing the surrender of the human soul to God. This truth may possibly have been only dimly surmised by Noah and his sons; but it must have been clearly revealed to the patriarch Abraham, when God demanded the sacrifice of his only son, with whom his whole heart was bound up, as a proof of his obedience of faith, and then, after he had attested his faith in his readiness to offer this sacrifice, supplied him with a ram to offer as a burnt-offering instead of his son (Gen 22). In this the truth was practically revealed to him, that the true God did not require human sacrifice from His worshippers, but the surrender of the heart and the denial of the natural life, even though it should amount to a submission to death itself, and also that this act of surrender was to be perfected in the animal sacrifice; and that it was only when presented with these motives that sacrifice could be well-pleasing to God. Even before this, however, God had given His sanction to the choice of clean or edible beasts and birds for sacrifice, in the command to Abram to offer such animals, as the sacrificial substratum for the covenant to be concluded with him (Gen 15).

Now, though nothing has been handed down concerning the sacrifices of the patriarchs, with the exception of Gen 46:1., there can be no doubt that they offered burnt-offerings upon the altars which they built to the Lord, who appeared to them in different places in Canaan (Gen 12:7; Gen 13:4, Gen 13:18; Gen 26:25; Gen 33:20; Gen 35:1-7), and embodied in these their solemn invocation of the name of God in prayer; since the close connection between sacrifice and prayer is clearly proved by such passages as Hos 14:3; Heb 13:15, and is universally admitted.Outram (l. c. p. 213) draws the following conclusion from Hos 14:3 : “Prayer was a certain kind of sacrifice, and sacrifice a certain kind of prayer. Prayers were, so to speak, spiritual sacrifices, and sacrifices symbolical prayers.”

To the burnt-offering there was added, in the course of time, the slain-offering, which is mentioned for the first time in Gen 31:54, where Jacob seals the covenant, which has been concluded with Laban and sworn to by God, with a covenant meal. Whilst the burnt-offering, which was given wholly up to God and entirely consumed upon the altar, and which ascended to heaven in the smoke, set forth the self-surrender of man to God, the slain-offering, which culminated in the sacrificial meal, served as a seal of the covenant fellowship, and represented the living fellowship of man with God. Thus, when Jacob-Israel went down with his house to Egypt, he sacrificed at Beersheba, on the border of the promised land, to the God of his father Isaac, not burnt-offerings, but slain-offerings (Gen 46:1), through which he presented his prayer to the Lord for preservation in covenant fellowship even in a foreign land, and in consequence of which he received the promise from God in a nocturnal vision, that He, the God of his father, would go with him to Egypt and bring him up again to Canaan, and so maintain the covenant which He had made with his fathers, and assuredly fulfil it in due time. The expiatory offerings, properly so called, viz., the sin and trespass-offerings, were altogether unknown before the economy of the Sinaitic law; and even if an expiatory element was included in the burnt-offerings, so far as they embodied self-surrender to God, and thus involved the need of union and reconciliation with Him, so little prominence is given to this in the pre-Mosaic sacrifices, that, as we have already stated, no reference is made to expiation in connection with them.The notion, which is still very widely spread, that the burnt-offerings of Abel, Noah, and the patriarchs were expiatory sacrifices, in which the slaying of the sacrificial animals set forth the fact, that the sinner was deserving of death in the presence of the holy God, not only cannot be proved from the Scriptures, but is irreconcilable with the attitude of a Noah, an Abraham and other patriarchs, towards the Lord God. And even Kahnis's explanation, “The man felt that his own ipse must die, before it could enter into union with the Holy One, but he had also his surmises, that another life might possibly bear this death for him, and in this obscure feeling he took away the life of an animal that was physically clean,” is only true and to the point so far as the deeper forms of the development of the heathen consciousness of God are concerned, and not in the sphere of revealed religion, in which the expiatory sacrifices did not originate in any dim consciousness on the part of the sinner that he was deserving of death, but were appointed for the first time by God at Sinai, for the purpose of awakening and sharpening this feeling. There is no historical foundation for the arguments adduced by Hoffmann in support of the opinion, that there were sin-offerings before the Mosaic law; and the assertion, that sin-offerings and trespass-offerings were not really introduced by the law, but were presupposed as already well known, just as much as the burnt-offerings and thank-offerings, is obviously at variance with Lev 4 and 5.

The reason for this striking fact is to be found in the circumstance, that godly men of the primeval age offered their sacrifices to a God who had drawn near to them in revelations of love. It is true that in former times God had made known His holy justice in the destruction of the wicked and the deliverance of the righteous (Gen 6:13., Lev 18:16.), and had commanded Abraham to walk blamelessly before Him (Gen 17:1); but He had only manifested Himself to the patriarchs in His condescending love and mercy, whereas He had made known His holiness in His very first revelation to Moses in the words, “Draw not nigh hither; put off thy shoes,” etc. (Exo 3:5), and unfolded it more and more in all subsequent revelations, especially at Sinai. After Jehovah had there declared to the people of Israel, whom He had redeemed out of Egypt, that they were to be a holy nation to Him (Exo 19:6), He appeared upon the mountain in the terrible glory of His holy nature, to conclude His covenant of grace with them by the blood of burnt-offerings and slain-offerings, so that the people trembled and were afraid of death if the Lord should speak to them any more (Exo 20:18.). These facts preceded the laws of sacrifice, and not only prepared the way for them, but furnished the key to their true interpretation, by showing that it was only by sacrifice that the sinful nation could enter into fellowship with the holy God.

The laws of sacrifice in ch. 1-7 are divisible into two groups. The first (ch. 1-5) contains the general instructions, which were applicable both to the community as a whole and also the individual Israelites. Ch. 1-3 contain an account of the animals and vegetables which could be used for the three kinds of offerings that were already common among them, viz., the burnt-offerings, meat-offerings, and slain-offerings; and precise rules are laid down for the mode in which they were to be offered. In ch. 4 and 5 the occasions are described on which sin-offerings and trespass-offerings were to be presented; and directions are given as to the sacrifices to be offered, and the mode of presentation on each separate occasion. The second group (ch. 6 and 7) contains special rules for the priests, with reference to their duties in connection with the different sacrifices, and the portions they were to receive; together with several supplementary laws, for example, with regard to the meat-offering of the priests, and the various kinds of slain or peace-offering. All these laws relate exclusively to the sacrifices to be offered spontaneously, either by individuals or by the whole community, the consciousness and confession of sin or debt being presupposed, even in the case of the sin and trespass-offerings, and their presentation being made to depend upon the free-will of those who had sinned. This is a sufficient explanation of the fact, that they contain no rules respecting either the time for presenting them, or the order in which they were to follow one another, when two or more were offered together. At the same time, the different rules laid down with regard to the ritual to be observed, applied not only to the private sacrifices, but also to those of the congregation, which were prescribed by special laws for every day, and for the annual festivals, as well as to the sacrifices of purification and consecration, for which no separate ritual is enjoined.

1. General Rules for the Sacrifices - Leviticus 1-5

The common term for sacrifices of every kind was Corban (presentation; see at Lev 1:2). It is not only applied to the burnt-offerings, meat-offerings, and slain or peace-offerings, in Lev 1:2-3, Lev 1:10, Lev 1:14; Lev 2:1, Lev 2:4., Lev 3:1-6, etc., but also to the sin-offerings and trespass-offerings in Lev 4:23, Lev 4:28, Lev 4:32; Lev 5:11; Num 5:15, etc., as being holy gifts (Exo 28:38 cf. Num 18:9) with which Israel was to appear before the face of the Lord (Exo 23:15; Deu 16:16-17). These sacrificial gifts consisted partly of clean tame animals and birds, and partly of vegetable productions; and hence the division into the two classes of bleeding and bloodless (bloody and unbloody) sacrifices. The animals prescribed in the law are those of the herd, and the flock, the latter including both sheep and goats (Lev 1:2-3, Lev 1:10; Lev 22:21; Num 15:3), two collective terms, for which ox and sheep, or goat (ox, sheep and goat) were the nomina usitatis (Lev 7:23; Lev 17:3; Lev 22:19, Lev 22:27; Num 15:11; Deu 14:4), that is to say, none but tame animals whose flesh was eaten (Lev 11:3; Deu 14:4); whereas unclean animals, though tame, such as asses, camels, and swine, were inadmissible; and game, though edible, e.g., the hare, the stag, the roebuck, and gazelle (Deu 14:5). Both male and female were offered in sacrifice, from the herd as well as the flock (Lev 3:1), and young as well as old, though not under eighty days old (Lev 22:27; Exo 22:29); so that the ox was offered either as calf (Lev 9:2; Gen 15:9; 1Sa 16:2) or as bullock, i.e., as young steer or heifer (Lev 4:3), or as full-grown cattle. Every sacrificial animal was to be without blemish, i.e., free from bodily faults (Lev 1:3, Lev 1:10; Lev 22:19.). The only birds that were offered were turtle-doves and young pigeons (Lev 1:14), which were presented either by poor people as burnt-offerings, and as a substitute for the larger animals ordinarily required as sin-offerings and trespass-offerings (Lev 5:7; Lev 12:8; Lev 14:22, Lev 14:31), or as sin and burnt-offerings, for defilements of a less serious kind (Lev 12:6-7; Lev 15:14, Lev 15:29-30; Num 6:10-11). The vegetable sacrifices consisted of meal, for the most part of fine flour (Lev 2:1), of cakes of different kinds (Lev 2:4-7), and of toasted ears or grains of corn (Lev 2:14), to which there were generally added oil and incense, but never leaven or honey (Lev 2:11); and also of wine for a drink-offering (Num 15:5.).

The bleeding sacrifices were divided into four classes: viz., (1) burnt-offerings (Lev 1), for which a male animal or pigeon only was admissible; (2) peace-offerings (slain-offerings of peace, Lev 3), which were divisible again into praise-offerings, vow-offerings, and freewill-offerings (Lev 7:12, Lev 7:16), and consisted of both male and female animals, but never of pigeons; (3) sin-offerings (Lev 4:1-5:13); and (4) trespass-offerings (Lev 5:14-19). Both male and female animals might be taken for the sin-offerings; and doves also could be used, sometimes independently, sometimes as substitutes for larger animals; and in cases of extreme poverty meal alone might be used (Lev 5:11). But for the trespass-offerings either a ram (Lev 5:15, Lev 5:18; Lev 19:21) or a lamb had to be sacrificed (Lev 14:12; Num 6:12). All the sacrificial animals were to be brought “before Jehovah,” i.e., before the altar of burnt-offering, in the court of the tabernacle (Lev 1:3, Lev 1:5, Lev 1:11; Lev 3:1, Lev 3:7, Lev 3:12; Lev 4:4). There the offerer was to rest his hand upon the head of the animal (Lev 1:4), and then to slaughter it, flay it, cut it in pieces, and prepare it for a sacrificial offering; after which the priest would attend to the sprinkling of the blood and the burning upon the altar fire (Lev 1:5-9; Lev 6:2., Lev 21:6). In the case of the burnt-offerings, peace-offerings, and trespass-offerings, the blood was swung all round against the walls of the altar (Lev 1:5, Lev 1:11; Lev 3:2, Lev 3:8, Lev 3:13; Lev 7:2); in that of the sin-offerings a portion was placed upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and in certain circumstances it was smeared upon the horns of the altar of incense, or sprinkled upon the ark of the covenant in the most holy place, and the remainder poured out at the foot of the altar of burnt-offering (Lev 4:5-7, Lev 4:16-18, Lev 4:25, Lev 4:30). In the case of the burnt-offering, the flesh was all burned upon the altar, together with the head and entrails, the latter having been previously cleansed (Lev 1:8, Lev 1:13); in that of the peace-offerings, sin-offerings, and trespass-offerings, the fat portions only were burned upon the altar, viz., the larger and smaller caul, the fat upon the entrails and inner muscles of the loins, and the kidneys with their fat (Lev 3:9-11, Lev 3:14-16; Lev 4:8-10, Lev 4:19, Lev 4:26, Lev 4:31, Lev 4:35; Lev 7:3-5). When a peace-offering was presented, the breast piece and right leg were given to Jehovah for the priests, and the rest of the flesh was used and consumed by the offerer in a sacrificial meal (Lev 7:15-17, Lev 7:30-34). But the flesh of the trespass-offerings and sin-offerings of the laity was boiled and eaten by the priests in a holy place, i.e., in the court of the tabernacle (Lev 6:19, Lev 6:22; Lev 7:6). In the sin-offerings presented for the high priest and the whole congregation the animal was all burnt in a clean place outside the camp, including even the skin, the entrails, and the ordure (Lev 4:11-12, Lev 4:21). When the sacrifice consisted of pigeons, the priest let the blood flow down the wall of the altar, or sprinkled it against it; and then, if the pigeon was brought as a burnt-offering, he burnt it upon the altar after taking away the crop and faeces; but if it was brought for a sin-offering, he probably followed the rule laid down in Lev 1:15 and Lev 5:8.

The bloodless gifts were employed as meat and drink-offerings. The meat-offering (minchah) was presented sometimes by itself, at other times in connection with burnt-offerings and peace-offerings. The independence of the meat-offering, which has been denied by Bähr and Kurtz on insufficient grounds, is placed beyond all doubt, not only by the meat-offering of the priests (Lev 6:13.) and the so-called jealousy-offering (Num 5:15.), but also by the position in which it is placed in the laws of sacrifice, between the burnt and peace-offerings. From the instructions in Num 15:1-16, to offer a meat-offering mixed with oil and a drink-offering of wine with every burnt-offering and peace-offering, the quantity to be regulated by the size of the animal, it by no means follows that all the meat-offerings were simply accompaniments to the bleeding sacrifices, and were only to be offered in connection with them. On the contrary, inasmuch as these very instructions prescribe only a meat-offering of meal with oil, together with a drink-offering of wine, as the accompaniment to the burnt and peace-offerings, without mentioning incense at all, they rather prove that the meat-offerings mentioned in Lev 2, which might consist not only of meal and oil, with which incense had to be used, but also of cakes of different kinds and roasted corn, are to be distinguished from the mere accompaniments mentioned in Num 15. In addition to this, it is to be observed that pastry, in the form of cakes of different kinds, was offered with the praise-offerings, according to Lev 7:12., and probably with the two other species of peace-offerings as well; so that we should introduce an irreconcilable discrepancy between Num 15 and Lev 2, if we were to restrict all the meat-offerings to the accompaniments mentioned in Num 15, or reduce them to merely dependent additions to the burnt and peace-offerings. Only a portion of the independent meat-offerings was burnt by the priest upon the altar (Lev 2:2, Lev 2:9, Lev 2:16); the rest was to be baked without leaven, and eaten by the priests in the court, as being most holy (Lev 6:8-11): it was only the meat-offering of the priests that was all burned upon the altar (Lev 6:16). - The law contains no directions as to what was to be done with the drink-offering; but the wine was no doubt poured round the foot of the altar (Ecclus. l. 15. Josephus,Ant. iii. 9, 4).

The great importance of the sacrifices prescribed by the law may be inferred to a great extent, apart from the fact that sacrifice in general was founded upon the dependence of man upon God, and his desire for the restoration of that living fellowship with Him which had been disturbed by sin, from the circumstantiality and care with which both the choice of the sacrifices and the mode of presenting them are most minutely prescribed. But their special meaning and importance in relation to the economy of the Old Covenant are placed beyond all question by the position they assumed in the ritual of the Israelites, forming as they did the centre of all their worship, so that scarcely any sacred action was performed without sacrifice, whilst they were also the medium through which forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with the Lord were obtained, either by each individual Israelite, or by the congregation as a whole. This significance, which was deeply rooted in the spiritual life of Israel, is entirely destroyed by those who lay exclusive stress upon the notion of presentation or gift, and can see nothing more in the sacrifices than a “renunciation of one’s own property,” for the purpose of “expressing reverence and devotion, love and gratitude to God by such a surrender, and at the same time of earning and securing His favour.”This is the view expressed by Knobel in his Commentary on Leviticus, p. 346, where the idea is carried out in the following manner: in the dedication of animals they preferred to give the offering the form of a meal, which was provided for God, and of which flesh formed the principal part, though bread and wine could not be omitted. These meals of animal food were prepared every day in the daily burnt-offerings, just as the more respectable classes in the East eat animal food every day, and give the preference to food of this kind; and the daily offering of incense corresponded to the oriental custom of fumigating rooms, and burning perfumes in honour of a guest. At the same time Knobel also explains, that the Hebrews hardly attributed any wants of a sensual kind of Jehovah; or, at any rate, that the educated did not look upon the sacrifice as food for Jehovah, or regard the festal sacrifices as festal meals for Him, but may simply have thought of the fact that Jehovah was to be worshipped at all times, and more especially at the feasts, and that in this the prevailing and traditional custom was to be observed.

The true significance of the legal sacrifices cannot be correctly and fully deduced from the term corban, which was common to them all, or from such names as were used to denote the different varieties of sacrifice, or even from the materials employed and the ritual observed, but only from all these combined, and from an examination of them in connection with the nature and design of the Old Testament economy.

Regarded as offerings or gifts, the sacrifices were only means by which Israel was to seek and sustain communion with its God. These gifts were to be brought by the Israelites from the blessing which God had bestowed upon the labour of their hands (Deu 16:17), that is to say, from the fruit of their regular occupations, viz., agriculture and the rearing of cattle; in other words, from the cattle they had reared, or the produce of the land they had cultivated, which constituted their principal articles of food (viz., edible animals and pigeons, corn, oil, and wine), in order that in these sacrificial gifts they might consecrate to the Lord their God, not only their property and food, but also the fruit of their ordinary avocations. In this light the sacrifices are frequently called “food (bread) of firing for Jehovah” (Lev 3:11, Lev 3:16) and “bread of God” (Lev 21:6, Lev 21:8, Lev 21:17); by which we are not to suppose that food offered to God for His own nourishment is intended, but food produced by the labour of man, and then caused to ascend as a firing to his God, for an odour of satisfaction (vid., Lev 3:11).

In the clean animals, which he had obtained by his own training and care, and which constituted his ordinary live-stock, and in the produce obtained through the labour of his hands in the field and vineyard, from which he derived his ordinary support, the Israelite offered not his victus as a symbolum vitae, but the food which he procured in the exercise of his God-appointed calling, as a symbol of the spiritual food which endureth unto everlasting life (Joh 6:27, cf. Lev 4:34), and which nourishes both soul and body for imperishable life in fellowship with God, that in these sacrificial gifts he might give up to the Lord, who had adopted him as His own possession, not so much the substance of his life, or that which sustained and preserved it, as the agens of his life, or his labour and toil, and all the powers he possessed, and might receive sanctification from the Lord in return. In this way the sacrificial gifts acquire a representative character, and denote the self-surrender of a man, with all his labour and productions, to God. But the idea of representation received a distinct form and sacrificial character for the first time in the animal sacrifice, which was raised by the covenant revelation and the giving of the law into the very centre and soul of the whole institution of sacrifice, and primarily by the simple fact, that in the animal a life, a “living soul,” was given up to death and offered to God, to be the medium of vital fellowship to the man who had been made a “living soul” by the inspiration of the breath of God; but still more by the fact, that God had appointed the blood of the sacrificial animal, as the vehicle of its soul, to be the medium of expiation for the souls of men (Lev 17:11).

The verb “to expiate” (כּפּר, from כּפר to cover, construed with על htiw d objecti; see Lev 1:4) “does not signify to cause a sin not to have occurred, for that is impossible, nor to represent it as not existing, for that would be opposed to the stringency of the law, nor to pay or make compensation for it through the performance of any action; but to cover it over before God, i.e., to take away its power of coming in between God and ourselves” (Kahnis, Dogmatik, i. p. 271). But whilst this is perfectly true, the object primarily expiated, or to be expiated, according to the laws of sacrifice, is not the sin, but rather the man, or the soul of the offerer. God gave the Israelites the blood of the sacrifices upon the altar to cover their souls (Lev 17:11) The end it answered was “to cover him” (the offerer, Lev 1:4); and even in the case of the sin-offering the only object was to cover him who had sinned, as concerning his sin (Lev 4:26, Lev 4:35, etc.). But the offerer of the sacrifice was covered, on account of his unholiness, from before the holy God, or, speaking more precisely, from the wrath of God and the manifestation of that wrath; that is to say, from the punishment which his sin had deserved, as we may clearly see from Gen 32:20, and still more clearly from Exo 32:30. In the former case Jacob’s object is to reconcile (כּפּר) the face of his brother Esau by means of a present, that is to say, to modify the wrath of his brother, which he has drawn upon himself by taking away the blessing of the first-born. In the latter, Moses endeavours by means of his intercession to expiate the sin of the people, over whom the wrath of God is about to burn to destroy them (Exo 32:9-10); in other words, to protect the people from the destruction which threatens them in consequence of the wrath of God (see also Num 17:11-12; Num 25:11-13). The power to make expiation, i.e., to cover an unholy man from before the holy God, or to cover the sinner from the wrath of God, is attributed to the blood of the sacrificial animal, only so far as the soul lives in the blood, and the soul of the animal when sacrificed takes the place of the human soul. This substitution is no doubt incongruous, since the animal and man differ essentially the one from the other; inasmuch as the animal follows an involuntary instinct, and its soul being constrained by the necessities of its nature is not accountable, and it is only in this respect that it can be regarded as sinless; whilst man, on the contrary, is endowed with freedom of will, and his soul, by virtue of the indwelling of his spirit, is not only capable of accountability, but can contract both sin and guilt. When God, therefore, said, “I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls” (Lev 17:11), and thus attributed to the blood of the sacrificial animals a significance which it could not naturally possess; this was done in anticipation of the true and perfect sacrifice which Christ, the Son of man and God, would offer in the fulness of time through the holy and eternal Spirit, for the reconciliation of the whole world (Heb 9:14). This secret of the unfathomable love of the triune God was hidden from the Israelites in the law, but it formed the real background for the divine sanction of the animal sacrifices, whereby they acquired a typical signification, so that they set forth in shadow that reconciliation, which God from all eternity had determined to effect by giving up His only-begotten Son to death, as a sacrifice for the sin of the whole world.

But however firmly the truth is established that the blood of the sacrifice intervened as a third object between the sinful man and the holy God, it was not the blood of the animal in itself which actually took the place of the man, nor was it the shedding of the blood in itself which was able to make expiation for the sinful man, in such a sense that the slaying of the animal had a judicial and penal character and the offering of sacrifice was an act of judgment instead of an ordinance of grace, as the juridical theory maintains. It was simply the blood as the vehicle of the soul, when sprinkled or poured out upon the altar, that is to say, it was the surrender of an innocent life to death, and through death to God, that was the medium of expiation. Even in the sacrifice of Christ it was not by the shedding of blood, or simply by the act of dying, that His death effected reconciliation, but by the surrender of His life to death, in which He not only shed His blood for us, but His body also was broken for us, to redeem us from sin and reconcile us to God. And even the suffering and death of Christ effect our reconciliation not simply by themselves, but as the completion of His sinless, holy life, in which, through doing and suffering, He was obedient even to the death of the cross, and through that obedience fulfilled the law as the holy will of God for us, and bore and suffered the punishment of our transgression. Through His obedientia activa et passiva in life and death Christ rendered to the holy justice of God that satisfactio et poena vicaria, by virtue of which we receive forgiveness of sin, righteousness before God, reconciliation, grace, salvation, and eternal life. But these blessings of grace and salvation, which we owe to the sacrificial death of Christ, do not really become ours through the simple fact that Christ has procured them for man. We have still to appropriate them in faith, by dying spiritually with Christ, and rising with Him to a new life in God. This was also the case with the sacrifices of the Old Testament. They too only answered their end, when the Israelites, relying upon the word and promise of God, grasped and employed by faith the means of grace afforded them in the animal sacrifices; i.e., when in these sacrifices they offered themselves, or their personal life, as a sacrifice well-pleasing to God. The symbolical meaning of the sacrifices, which is involved in this, is not excluded or destroyed by the idea of representation, or representative mediation between sinful man and the holy God, which was essential to them. It is rather demanded as their complement, inasmuch as, without this, the sacrificial worship would degenerate into a soulless opus operatum, and would even lose its typical character. This symbolical significance is strikingly expressed in the instructions relating to the nature of the sacrificial gifts, and the ritual connected with their presentation; and in the law it comes into the foreground just in proportion as the typical character of the sacrifices was concealed at the time in the wise economy of God, and was only unfolded to the spiritual vision of the prophets (Isa 43) with the progressive unfolding of the divine plan of salvation.

The leading features of the symbolical and typical meaning of the sacrifices are in their general outline the following. Every animal offered in sacrifice was to be תּמים, ἄμωμος, free from faults; not merely on the ground that only a faultless and perfect gift could be an offering fit for the Holy and Perfect One, but chiefly because moral faults were reflected in those of the body, and to prefigure the sinlessness and holiness of the true sacrifice, and warn the offerer that the sanctification of all his members was indispensable to a self-surrender to God, the Holy One, and to life in fellowship with Him. In connection with the act of sacrifice, it was required that the offerer should bring to the tabernacle the animal appointed for sacrifice, and there present it before Jehovah (Lev 1:3), because it was there that Jehovah dwelt among His people, and it was from His holy dwelling that He would reveal Himself to His people as their God. There the offerer was to lay his hand upon the head of the animal, that the sacrifice might be acceptable for him, to make expiation for him (Lev 1:4), and then to slay the animal and prepare it for a sacrificial gift. By the laying on of his hand he not only set apart the sacrificial animal for the purpose for which he had come to the sanctuary, but transferred the feelings of his heart, which impelled him to offer the sacrifice, or the intention with which he brought the gift, to the sacrificial animal, so that his own head passed, as it were, to the head of the animal, and the latter became his substitute (see my Archäologie i. 206; Oehler, p. 267; Kahnis, i. p. 270). By the slaughter of the animal he gave it up to death, not merely for the double purpose of procuring the blood, in which was the life of the animal, as an expiation for his own soul, and its flesh as fire-food for Jehovah, - for if the act of dying was profoundly significant in the case of the perfect sacrifice, it cannot have been without symbolical significance in the case of the typical sacrifice, - but to devote his own life to God in the death of the sacrificial animal which was appointed as his substitute, and to set forth not only his willingness to die, but the necessity for the old man to die, that he might attain to life in fellowship with God. After this self-surrender the priestly mediation commenced, the priest sprinkling the blood upon the altar, or its horns, and in one instance before Jehovah’s throne of grace, and then burning the flesh or fat of the sacrifice upon the altar. The altar was the spot where God had promised to meet with His people (Exo 29:42), to reconcile them to Himself, and bestow His grace upon them. Through this act of sprinkling the blood of the animal that had been given up to death upon the altar, the soul of the offerer was covered over before the holy God; and by virtue of this covering it was placed within the sphere of divine grace, which forgave the sin and filled the soul with power for new life. Fire was constantly burning upon the altar, which was prepared and kept up by the priest (Lev 6:5). Fire, from its inherent power to annihilate what is perishable, ignoble, and corrupt, is a symbol in the Scriptures, sometimes of purification, and sometimes of torment and destruction. That which has an imperishable kernel within it is purified by the fire, the perishable materials which have adhered to it or penetrated within it being burned out and destroyed, and the imperishable and nobler substance being thereby purified from all dross; whilst, on the other hand, in cases where the imperishable is completely swallowed up in the perishable, no purification ensues, but total destruction by the fire (1Co 3:12-13). Hence fire is employed as a symbol and vehicle of the Holy Spirit (Act 2:3-4), and the fire burning upon the altar was a symbolical representation of the working of the purifying Spirit of God; so that the burning of the flesh of the sacrifice upon the altar “represented the purification of the man, who had been reconciled to God, through the fire of the Holy Spirit, which consumes what is flesh, to pervade what is spirit with light and life, and thus to transmute it into the blessedness of fellowship with God” (Kahnis, p. 272).

It follows from this, that the relation which the sprinkling of the blood and the burning of the flesh of the sacrifice upon the altar bore to one another was that of justification and sanctification, those two indispensable conditions, without which sinful man could not attain to reconciliation with God and life in God. But as the sinner could neither justify himself before God nor sanctify himself by his own power, the sprinkling of blood and the burning of the portions of the sacrifice upon the altar were to be effected, not by the offerer himself, but only by the priest, as the mediator whom God had chosen and sanctified, not only that the soul which had been covered by the sacrificial blood might thereby be brought to God and received into His favour, but also that the bodily members, of which the flesh of the sacrifice was a symbol, might be given up to the fire of the Holy Spirit, to be purified and sanctified from the dross of sin, and raised in a glorified state to God; just as the sacrificial gift was consumed in the altar fire, so that, whilst its earthly perishable elements were turned into ashes and left behind, its true essence ascended towards heaven, where God is enthroned, in the most ethereal and glorified of material forms, as a sweet-smelling savour, i.e., as an acceptable offering. These two priestly acts, however, were variously modified according to the different objects of the several kinds of sacrifice. In the sin-offering the expiation of the sinner is brought into the greatest prominence; in the burnt-offering this falls into the background behind the idea of the self-surrender of a man to God for the sanctification of all his members, through the grace of God; and lastly, the peace-offering culminated in the peace of living communion with the Lord. (See the explanation of the several laws.)

The materials and ritual of the bloodless sacrifices, and also their meaning and purpose, are much more simple. The meat and drink-offerings were not means of expiation, nor did they include the idea of representation. They were simply gifts, in which the Israelites offered bread, oil, and wine, as fruits of the labour of their hands in the field and vineyard of the inheritance they had received from the Lord, and embodied in these earthly gifts the fruits of their spiritual labour in the kingdom of God (see at Lev 2).

Lev 1:1-2

The Burnt-Offering. - Lev 1:2. “If any one of you present an offering to Jehovah of cattle, ye shall present your offering from the herd and from the flock.” קרבּן (Corban, from הקריב to cause to draw near, to bring near, or present, an offering) is applied not only to the sacrifices, which were burned either in whole or in part upon the altar (Lev 7:38; Num 18:9; Num 28:2, etc.), but to the first-fruits (Lev 2:12), and dedicatory offerings, which were presented to the Lord for His sanctuary and His service without being laid upon the altar (Num 7:3, Num 7:10., Num 31:50). The word is only used in Leviticus and Numbers, and two passages in Ezekiel (Eze 20:28; Eze 40:43), where it is taken from the books of Moses, and is invariably rendered δῶρον in the lxx (cf. Mar 7:11 “Corban, that is to say a gift”). הבּהמה מן (from the cattle) belongs to the first clause, though it is separated from it by the Athnach; and the apodosis begins with הבּקר מן (from the herd). The actual antithesis to “the cattle” is “the fowl” in Lev 1:14; though grammatically the latter is connected with Lev 1:10, rather than Lev 1:2. The fowls (pigeons) cannot be included in the behemah, for this is used to denote, not domesticated animals generally, but the larger domesticated quadrupeds, or tame cattle (cf. Gen 1:25).

Lev 1:3-9 Ceremonial connected with the offering of an ox as a burnt-offering. עלה (vid., Gen 8:20) is generally rendered by the lxx ὁλοκαύτωμα or ὁλοκαύτωσις, sometimes ὁλοκάρπωμα or ὁλοκάρπωσις, in the Vulgate holocaustum, because the animal was all consumed upon the altar. The ox was to be a male without blemish (ἄμωμος, integer; i.e., free from bodily faults, see Lev 22:19-25), and to be presented “at the door of the tabernacle,” - i.e., near to the altar of burnt-offering (Exo 40:6), where all the offerings were to be presented (Lev 17:8-9), - “for good pleasure for him (the offerer) before Jehovah,” i.e., that the sacrifice might secure to him the good pleasure of God (Exo 28:38).

Lev 1:10-13

With regard to the mode of sacrificing, the instructions already given for the oxen applied to the flock (i.e., to the sheep and goats) as well, so that the leading points are repeated here, together with a more precise description of the place for slaughtering, viz., “by the side of the altar towards the north,” i.e., on the north side of the altar. This was the rule with all the slain-offerings; although it is only in connection with the burnt-offerings, sin-offerings, and trespass-offerings (Lev 4:24, Lev 4:29, Lev 4:33; Lev 6:18; Lev 7:2; Lev 14:13) that it is expressly mentioned, whilst the indefinite expression “at the door (in front) of the tabernacle” is applied to the peace-offerings in Lev 3:2, Lev 3:8, Lev 3:13, as it is to the trespass-offerings in Lev 4:4, from which the Rabbins have inferred, though hardly upon good ground, that the peace-offerings could be slaughtered in any part of the court. The northern side of the altar was appointed as the place of slaughtering, however, not from the idea that the Deity dwelt in the north (Ewald), for such an idea is altogether foreign to Mosaism, but, as Knobel supposes, probably because the table of shew-bread, with the continual meat-offering, stood on the north side in the holy place. Moreover, the eastern side of the altar in the court was the place for the refuse, or heap of ashes (Lev 1:16); the ascent to the altar was probably on the south side, as Josephus affirms that it was in the second temple (J. de bell. jud. v. 5, 6); and the western side, or the space between the altar and the entrance to the holy place, would unquestionably have been the most unsuitable of all for the slaughtering. In Lev 1:12 וגו ואת־ראשׁו is to be connected per zeugma with לנתחיו htiw amguez , “let him cut it up according to its parts, and (sever) its head and its fat.”

Lev 1:14-15

The burnt-offering of fowls was to consist of turtle-doves or young pigeons. The Israelites have reared pigeons and kept dovecots from time immemorial (Isa 60:8, cf. 2Ki 6:25); and the rearing of pigeons continued to be a favourite pursuit with the later Jews (Josephus,de bell. jud. v. 4, 4), so that they might very well be reckoned among the domesticated animals. There are also turtle-doves and wild pigeons in Palestine in such abundance, that they could easily furnish the ordinary animal food of the poorer classes, and serve as sacrifices in the place of the larger animals. The directions for sacrificing these, were that the priest was to bring the bird to the altar, to hip off its head, and cause it to ascend in smoke upon the altar. מלק, which only occurs in Lev 1:15 and Lev 5:8, signifies undoubtedly to pinch off, and not merely to pinch; for otherwise the words in Lev 5:8, “and shall not divide it asunder,” would be superfluous. We have therefore to think of it as a severance of the head, as the lxx (ἀποκνίζειν) and Rabbins have done, and not merely a wringing of the neck and incision in the skin by which the head was left hanging to the body; partly because the words, “and not divide it asunder,” are wanting here, and partly also because of the words, “and burn it upon the altar,” which immediately follow, and which must refer to the head, and can only mean that, after the head had been pinched off, it was to be put at once into the burning altar-fire. For it is obviously unnatural to regard these words as anticipatory, and refer them to the burning of the whole dove; not only from the construction itself, but still more on account of the clause which follows: “and the blood thereof shall be pressed out against the wall of the altar.” The small quantity that there was of the blood prevented it from being caught in a vessel, and swung from it against the altar.

Lev 1:16-17

He then took out בּנצתהּ את־מראתו, i.e., according to the probable explanation of these obscure words, “its crop in (with) the foeces thereof,”This is the rendering adopted by Onkelos. The lxx, on the contrary, render it ἀφελεῖ τὸν πρόλοβον σὺν τοῖς πτεροῖς, and this rendering is followed by Luther (and the English Version, Tr.), “its crop with its feathers.” But the Hebrew for this would have been ונצתו. In Mishnah, Sebach. vi. 5, the instructions are the following: “et removet ingluviem et pennas et viscera egredentia cum illa.” This interpretation may be substantially correct, although the reference of בנוצתה to the feathers of the pigeon cannot be sustained on the ground assigned. For if the bird’s crop was taken out, the intestines with their contents would unquestionably come out along with it. The plucking off of the feathers, however, follows from the analogy of the flaying of the animal. Only, in the text neither intestines nor feathers are mentioned; they are passed over as subordinate matters, that could readily be understood from the analogy of the other instructions. and threw it “at the side of the altar eastwards,” i.e., on the eastern side of the altar, “on the ash-place,” where the ashes were thrown when taken from the altar (Lev 6:3). He then made an incision in the wings of the pigeon, but without severing them, and burned them on the altar-fire (Lev 1:17, cf. Lev 1:9).

The burnt-offerings all culminated in the presentation of the whole sacrifice upon the altar, that it might ascend to heaven, transformed into smoke and fragrance. Hence it is not only called עלה, the ascending (see Gen 8:20), but כּליל, a whole-offering (Deu 33:10; Ps. 51:21; 1Sa 7:9). If the burning and sending up in the altar-fire shadowed forth the self-surrender of the offerer to the purifying fire of the Holy Ghost; the burnt-offering was an embodiment of the idea of the consecration and self-surrender of the whole man to the Lord, to be pervaded by the refining and sanctifying power of divine grace. This self-surrender was to be vigorous and energetic in its character; and this was embodied in the instructions to choose male animals for the burnt-offering, the male sex being stronger and more vigorous than the female. To render the self-sacrifice perfect, it was necessary that the offerer should spiritually die, and that through the mediator of his salvation he should put his soul into a living fellowship with the Lord by sinking it as it were into the death of the sacrifice that had died for him, and should also bring his bodily members within the operations of the gracious Spirit of God, that thus he might be renewed and sanctified both body and soul, and enter into union with God.

Leviticus

There is nothing historical in all this book of Leviticus except the account which it gives us of the consecration of the priesthood (ch. viii.-ix.), of the punishment of Nadab and Abihu, by the hand of God, for offering strange fire (ch. x), and of Shelomith's son, by the hand of the magistrate, for blasphemy (ch. xxiv). All the rest of the book is taken up with the laws, chiefly the ecclesiastical laws, which God gave to Israel by Moses, concerning their sacrifices and offerings, their meats and drinks, and divers washings, and the other peculiarities by which God set that people apart for himself, and distinguished them from other nations, all which were shadows of good things to come, which are realized and superseded by the gospel of Christ. We call the book Leviticus, from the Septuagint, because it contains the laws and ordinances of the levitical priesthood (as it is called, Heb. vii. 11), and the ministrations of it. The Levites were principally charged with these institutions, both to do their part and to teach the people theirs. We read, in the close of the foregoing book, of the setting up of the tabernacle, which was to be the place of worship; and, as that was framed according to the pattern, so must the ordinances of worship be, which were there to be administered. In these the divine appointment was as particular as in the former, and must be as punctually observed. The remaining record of these abrogated laws is of use to us, for the strengthening of our faith in Jesus Christ, as the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, and for the increase of our thankfulness to God, that by him we are freed from the yoke of the ceremonial law, and live in the times of reformation.

This book begins with the laws concerning sacrifices, of which the most ancient were the burnt-offerings, about which God gives Moses instructions in this chapter. Orders are here given how that sort of sacrifice must be managed. I. If it was a bullock out of the herd, ver. 3-9. II. If it was a sheep or goat, a lamb or kid, out of the flock, ver. 10-13. III. If it was a turtle-dove or a young pigeon, ver. 14-17. And whether the offering was more or less valuable in itself, if it was offered with an upright heart, according to these laws, it was accepted of God.

The Law Concerning Offerings. (b. c. 1490.)

1 And the Lord called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord , ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.

Observe here, 1. It is taken for granted that people would be inclined to bring offerings to the Lord. The very light of nature directs man, some way or other, to do honour to his Maker, and pay him homage as his Lord. Revealed religion supposes natural religion to be an ancient and early institution, since the fall had directed men to glorify God by sacrifice, which was an implicit acknowledgment of their having received all from God as creatures, and their having forfeited all to him as sinners. A conscience thoroughly convinced of dependence and guilt would be willing to come before God with thousands of rams, Mic. vi. 6, 7. 2. Provision is made that men should not indulge their own fancies, nor become vain in their imaginations and inventions about their sacrifices, lest, while they pretended to honour God, they should really dishonour him, and do that which was unworthy of him. Every thing therefore is directed to be done with due decorum, by a certain rule, and so as that the sacrifices might be most significant both of the great sacrifice of atonement which Christ was to offer in the fulness of time and of the spiritual sacrifices of acknowledgment which believers should offer daily. 3. God gave those laws to Israel by Moses; nothing is more frequently repeated than this, The Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel. God could have spoken it to the children of Israel himself, as he did the ten commandments; but he chose to deliver it to them by Moses, because they had desired he would no more speak to them himself, and he had designed that Moses should, above all the prophets, be a type of Christ, by whom God would in these last days speak to us, Heb. i. 2. By other prophets God sent messages to his people, but by Moses he gave them laws; and therefore he was fit to typify him to whom the Father has given all judgment. And, besides, the treasure of divine revelation was always to be put into earthen vessels, that our faith might be tried, and that the excellency of the power might be of God. 4. God spoke to him out of the tabernacle. As soon as ever the shechinah had taken possession of its new habitation, in token of the acceptance of what was done, God talked with Moses from the mercy-seat, while he attended without the veil, or rather at the door, hearing a voice only; and it is probable that he wrote what he heard at that time, to prevent any mistake, or a slip of memory, in the rehearsal of it. The tabernacle was set up to be a place of communion between God and Israel; there, where they performed their services to God, God revealed his will to them. Thus, by the word and by prayer, we now have fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ, Acts vi. 4. When we speak to God we must desire to hear from him, and reckon it a great favour that he is pleased to speak to us. The Lord called to Moses, not to come near (under that dispensation, even Moses must keep his distance), but to attend and hearken to what should be said. A letter less than ordinary in the Hebrew word for called, the Jewish critics tell us, intimates that God spoke in a still small voice. The moral law was given with terror from a burning mountain in thunder and lightning; but the remedial law of sacrifice was given more gently from a mercy-seat, because that was typical of the grace of the gospel, which is the ministration of life and peace.

Law of the Burnt-Offering. (b. c. 1490.)

3 If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord . 4 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. 5 And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord : and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 6 And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces. 7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire: 8 And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar: 9 But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord .

If a man were rich and could afford it, it is supposed that he would bring his burnt-sacrifice, with which he designed to honour God, out of his herd of larger cattle. He that considers that God is the best that is will resolve to give him the best he has, else he gives him not the glory due unto his name. Now if a man determined to kill a bullock, not for an entertainment for his family and friends, but for a sacrifice to his God, these rules must be religiously observed:—1. The beast to be offered must be a male, and without blemish, and the best he had in his pasture. Being designed purely for the honour of him that is infinitely perfect, it ought to be the most perfect in its kind. This signified the complete strength and purity that were in Christ the dying sacrifice, and the sincerity of heart and unblamableness of life that should be in Christians, who are presented to God as living sacrifices. But, literally, in Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female; nor is any natural blemish in the body a bar to our acceptance with God, but only the moral defects and deformities introduced by sin into the soul. 2. The owner must offer it voluntarily. What is done in religion, so as to please God, must be done by no other constraint than that of love. God accepts the willing people and the cheerful giver. Ainsworth and others read it, not as the principle, but as the end of offering: "Let him offer it for his favourable acceptation before the Lord. Let him propose this to himself as his end in bringing his sacrifice, and let his eye be fixed steadily upon that end—that he may be accepted of the Lord." Those only shall find acceptance who sincerely desire and design it in all their religious services, 2 Cor. v. 9. 3. It must be offered at the door of the tabernacle, where the brazen altar of burnt-offerings stood, which sanctified the gift, and not elsewhere. He must offer it at the door, as one unworthy to enter, and acknowledging that there is no admission for a sinner into covenant and communion with God, but by sacrifice; but he must offer it at the tabernacle of the congregation, in token of his communion with the whole church of Israel even in this personal service. 4. The offerer must put his hand upon the head of his offering, v. 4. "He must put both his hands," say the Jewish doctors, "with all his might, between the horns of the beast," signifying thereby, (1.) The transfer of all his right to, and interest in, the beast, to God, actually, and by a manual delivery, resigning it to his service. (2.) An acknowledgment that he deserved to die, and would have been willing to die if God had required it, for the serving of his honour, and the obtaining of his favour. (3.) A dependence upon the sacrifice, as an instituted type of the great sacrifice on which the iniquity of us all was to be laid. The mystical signification of the sacrifices, and especially this rite, some think the apostle means by the doctrine of laying on of hands (Heb. vi. 2), which typified evangelical faith. The offerer's putting his hand on the head of the offering was to signify his desire and hope that it might be accepted from him to make atonement for him. Though the burnt-offerings had not respect to any particular sin, as the sin-offering had, yet they were to make atonement for sin in general; and he that laid his hand on the head of a burnt-offering was to confess that he had left undone what he ought to have done and had done that which he ought not to have done, and to pray that, though he deserved to die himself, the death of his sacrifice might be accepted for the expiating of his guilt. 5. The sacrifice was to be killed by the priests of Levites, before the Lord, that is, in a devout religious manner, and with an eye to God and his honour. This signified that our Lord Jesus was to make his soul, or life, an offering for sin. Messiah the prince must be cut off as a sacrifice, but not for himself, Dan. ix. 26. It signified also that in Christians, who are living sacrifices, the brutal part must be mortified or killed, the flesh crucified with its corrupt affections and lusts and all the appetites of the mere animal life. 6. The priests were to sprinkle the blood upon the altar (v. 5); for, the blood being the life, it was this that made atonement for the soul. This signified the direct and actual regard which our Lord Jesus had to the satisfaction of his Father's justice, and the securing of his injured honour, in the shedding of his blood; he offered himself without spot to God. It also signified the pacifying and purifying of our consciences by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ upon them by faith, 1 Pet. i. 2; Heb. x. 22. 7. The beast was to be flayed and decently cut up, and divided into its several joints or pieces, according to the art of the butcher; and then all the pieces, with the head and the fat (the legs and inwards being first washed), were to be burnt together upon the altar, v. 6-9. "But to what purpose," would some say, "was this waste? Why should all this good meat, which might have been given to the poor, and have served their hungry families for food a great while, be burnt together to ashes?" So was the will of God; and it is not for us to object or to find fault with it. When it was burnt for the honour of God, in obedience to his command, and to signify spiritual blessings, it was really better bestowed, and better answered the end of its creation, than when it was used as food for man. We must never reckon that lost which is laid out for God. The burning of the sacrifice signified the sharp sufferings of Christ, and the devout affections with which, as a holy fire, Christians must offer up themselves their whole spirit, soul, and body, unto God. 8. This is said to be an offering of a sweet savour, or savour of rest, unto the Lord. The burning of flesh is unsavoury in itself; but this, as an act of obedience to a divine command, and a type of Christ, was well pleasing to God: he was reconciled to the offerer, and did himself take a complacency in that reconciliation. He rested, and was refreshed with these institutions of his grace, as, at first, with his works of creation (Exod. xxxi. 17), rejoicing therein, Ps. civ. 31. Christ's offering of himself to God is said to be of a sweet-smelling savour (Eph. v. 2), and the spiritual sacrifices of Christians are said to be acceptable to God, through Christ, 1 Pet. ii. 5.

10 And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish. 11 And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the Lord : and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar. 12 And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar: 13 But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord . 14 And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the Lord be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons. 15 And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar: 16 And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes: 17 And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord .

Here we have the laws concerning the burnt-offerings, which were of the flock or of the fowls. Those of the middle rank, that could not well afford to offer a bullock, would bring a sheep or a goat; and those that were not able to do that should be accepted of God if they brought a turtle-dove or a pigeon. For God, in his law and in his gospel, as well as in his providence, considers the poor. It is observable that those creatures were chosen for sacrifice which were most mild and gentle, harmless and inoffensive, to typify the innocence and meekness that were in Christ, and to teach the innocence and meekness that should be in Christians. Directions are here given, 1. Concerning the burnt-offerings of the flock, v. 10. The method of managing these is much the same with that of the bullocks; only it is ordered here that the sacrifice should be killed on the side of the altar northward, which, though mentioned here only, was probably to be observed concerning the former, and other sacrifices. Perhaps on that side of the altar there was the largest vacant space, and room for the priests to turn them in. It was of old observed that fair weather comes out of the north, and that the north wind drives away rain; and by these sacrifices the storms of God's wrath are scattered, and the light of God's countenance is obtained, which is more pleasant than the brightest fairest weather. 2. Concerning those of the fowls. They must be either turtle-doves (and, if so, "they must be old turtles," say the Jews), or pigeons, and, if so, they must be young pigeons. What was most acceptable at men's tables must be brought to God's altar. In the offering of these fowls, (1.) The head must be wrung off, "quite off," say some; others think only pinched, so as to kill the bird, and yet leave the head hanging to the body. But it seems more likely that it was to be quite separated, for it was to be burnt first. (2.) The blood was to be wrung out at the side of the altar. (3.) The garbages with the feathers were to be thrown by upon the dunghill. (4.) The body was to be opened, sprinkled with salt, and then burnt upon the altar. "This sacrifice of birds," the Jews say, "was one of the most difficult services the priests had to do," to teach those that minister in holy things to be as solicitous for the salvation of the poor as for that of the rich, and that the services of the poor are as acceptable to God, if they come from an upright heart, as the services of the rich, for he accepts according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not, 2 Cor. viii. 12. The poor man's turtle-doves, or young pigeons, are here said to be an offering of a sweet-smelling savour, as much as that of an ox or bullock that hath horns or hoofs. Yet, after all, to love God with all our heart, and to love our neighbour as ourselves, is better than all burnt-offerings and sacrifices, Mark xii. 33.

CHAPTER I.

AND hee called, unto Moses: and Iehovah spake unto him out of the Tent of the Congregation, saying. Speake unto the sons of Israel, & say unto thē; when any man of you, shal offer an oblation, to Iehovah: of the cattell, of the herd, & of the flock, ye shall offer your oblation. If his oblation be a Burnt-offring of the herd; let him offer it, a male perfect: at the doore of the Tent of the congregation, shall he offer it: for his favourable acceptation, before Iehovah. And he shall lay his hand, upon the head of the Burnt-offring: and it shall be favourably accepted for him, to make-atonement for him. And hee shall kill the yongling of the herd, before Iehovah: and the sons of Aaron, the Priests, shall bring neere the blood, and shall sprinkle the blood upon the Altar round about: which is by the doore of the Tent of the congregation. And he shall flay the Burnt-offring: and shall cut it, into the peices therof. And the sons of Aaron the priest, shall put fire, upon the Altar: and shall lay the wood in-order, upon the fire. And the sonnes of Aaron, the priests, shall lay in order the pieces, the head, & the fat: upon the wood wch is on the fire, which is upon the altar. And the inwards thereof, and the legs thereof, hee shall wash in water: and the priest, shall burne all upon the Altar; it is a Burnt-offring, a Fire-offring, of a favour of rest, unto Iehovah.

And if his oblation be of the flocke: of the sheepe or of the goats, for a Burnt-offring: he shall offer it, a male perfect. And he shall kill it, at the side of the altar, northward, before Iehovah: and the sonnes of Aaron, the priests, shall sprinkle the blood therof upon the altar, round about. And hee shall cut it into the pieces thereof, and the head therof, and the fat thereof: and the Priest shall lay them in order; upon the wood, which is on the fire, which is upon the altar. And the inwards and the legs, he shall wash in water: and the Priest shall offer all, and burne it upon the altar: it is a Burnt-offring, a Fire-offring, of a savour of rest, unto Iehovah.

And if the Burnt-offring his oblation to Iehovah, be of the fowle: then hee shall offer his oblation, of turtle-doves, or of yong pigeons. And the Priest shall bring it neere, unto the altar; and he shall cut-with his naile the head thereof, and burne it on the altar: and the blood thereof, shall bee wrung out, upon the side of the altar. And hee shall plucke away the crop thereof, with the feathers of the same: and shall cast it beside the altar, eastward; into the place of the ashes. And he shall cleave it, with the wings therof, he shal not divide-it-asunder: and the Priest shall burne it, upon the altar; upon the wood which is upon the fire: it is a Burnt-offring, a Fire offring, of a savour of rest, unto Iehovah.

Annotations. LEviticus] this name the booke hath from the Greeke translation; because it chiefly treateth of the service and sacrifices, which the Levites used in the Tabernacle. The Hebrew name, is of the first word of the booke Vajikra, that is, And he called. See the like noted upon Genesis & Exodus. Vers. 1. And he] namely the Lord (whose glory had filled the Tabernacle, Exod. 40. 35.) called unto Moses. So the Greeke also explaineth it: and Thargum Ierusalemy thus, And the word of the Lord called unto Moses. This booke is by the word And, joyned to the former, as a continuance of the historie. And here beginneth the 24. Section or lecture of the Law, wherof see, Gen. 6. 9. called] The last letter of this word, in Hebrew is written extraordinarily small; where in the Hebrew Doctors suppose some mystery to bee implyed. The manner of calling, was by a voice from the mercy-seat upon the Arke, Numb. 7. 89. Exod. 25. 22. that being a figure of Christ, signified how God by him would teach Israel, how they should serve him in spirit and truth, Ioh. 1. 17. Heb. 1. 1. And God spake not with a lowd thundering voice, as he did on mount Sinai, but with a soft low voice: which the small letter seemeth to intimate. The phrase he called, and Iehovahs name being mentioned after, is like that in Exod. 24. 1. he said, come up unto Iehovah. Tent] or as the Chaldee translateth it Tabernacle, where God and his people met at appointed times, as he promised, Exodus 25. 22. and 30. 36. In Greeke it is, the Tent, (or Tabernacle) of testimonie: by which name Moses also calleth it, in Numb. 1. 53. and Stephen, in Act. 7. 44. As the Tabernacle principally figured Christ, Heb. 9. 11. Ioh. 2. 19 21. so God speaking now from it, who before had spoken on mount Sinai, signified how in the last dayes hee would speake unto us in the Sonne, who by himselfe should purge our sins, Heb. 1. 1. 2. 3. Vers. 2. offer an oblation] or, an offring, or bring neere a gift: called in Hebrew Korban, of comming neere unto God thereby: the Greek usually translateth it doron, a gift; and so doth the Holy Ghost in Mark. 7. 11. Mat. 5. 23. and 8. 4. and 23. 18. Hebr. 5 1. And to bring-neere, to weet, unto God, is to offer unto him: for one of these, is used for another; as in 1 Chor. 16. 1. they brought neere Burntoffrings: for which in 2 Sam. 6. 17. is written, David offred Burnt offrings. These offrings under the Law, were figures of Christs offring, who gave himselfe for us, Heb. 10. and by whom wee also present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, Rom. 12. 1. and doe draw nigh unto God, Heb. 7. 19. and offer by him, the sacrifice of praise unto God, continually, Heb. 9. 11. 12. 14. and 13. 15. For the legal sacrifices, could not make him that did the service, perfect as pertaining to the conscience, Heb. 9. 9. And so the wise among the Hebrewes doe acknowledge their ignorance concerning the truth of these mysteries, untill the spirit from above be powred out upon them: yet supposing that they signified the offrings which Michael offreth of the soules of the just; as saith R. Menachem on Levit. 1. But unto us the Apostles have opened these parables, and shewed their full accomplishment by Michael, that is, Christ, Heb. 7. and 8. and 9. and 10. Rev. 12. 7. the herd] or, the Beeves, or Bulls, as the Chaldee expounds them. These cattel of the herd and flock, were the principall sacrifices, both among Iewes and Gentiles: as the law here, and Balaams historie, Numb. 23. 1. 14. 29. and heathen writers manifest. Homer, Iliad. 1. flocke] the word comprehendeth sheepe and goats, as is explained in verse 10. No beasts might bee sacrificed to God, but these three sorts, beeves, sheepe, or goats: nor any fowles, but turtle-doves and pigeons, verse 14. These five kindes of living creatures, (which onely might bee offred to God,) are of the most tame and meeke, profitable and serviceable, harmelesse, sociable, &c. and so were fittest to signifie the like things, in Christ and his people. God appointed not that men should bee killed for sacrifices, (although the heathens and idolatrous Israelites sometimes killed such, Psalme. 106. 37. 38.) because as it was not possible that the blood of Bulls and of Goats should take away sins, Heb. 10. 4 so neither could the blood of men: but God (that is, Christ,) was to purchase his Church with his owne blood, Act. 20. 28. Verse 3. Burnt-offring] called in Hebrew G[illegible: 1 span] lah, that is, an Ascension; in Greeke Holocautoma (Hebrewes 10. 6.) that is, an whole-burnt-offring: this was the first and principall sacrifice, wherewith God was served every day by the Church of Israel, Numbers 28. 3. The reason of the name is shewed on Genesis 8. 20. where also it appeareth, that this kinde of sacrifice was not now first instituted, but observed from the beginning: and kept among the Gentiles, Numbers 23. 1. 2. 3. 2 Kings 3. 27. and 5. 17. The signification was of Christ, that through the eternall spirit offred himselfe, unto God, Hebrewes 9. 14. and 10. 8. 10. and of Christians, that present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is their reasonable service. Romanes 12. 1. There were five sorts of sacrifices ordinary, instituted of God: Burnt-offrings (commanded here,) Meatoffrings (in Leviticus 2.) Peace-offrings, (in Leviticus 3.) Sinne-offrings, (in Leviticus 4.) and Trespasse-offrings (in Leviticus 5. 15. &c.) a male] so must all burnt offrings of beasts bee, verse 10. but the like is not said of the foules, verse 14. And by the Iewish canons, the fowles might be male or female, Maimony, in Mis. tom. 3. in Maasch hakorbanoth (or treat. of offring the Sacrifices,) Chapt. 1. Sect. 8. perfect] not having any deformitie, want or superfluity of parts without or within; nor other corruption. The Greeke translateth it, without blemish: set the notes on Exodus 12. 5. and Leviticus 22. 21. Thus are we to understand the Prophet, when he saith, Cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flocke a male, [that is, a perfect male,] and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing, Malac. 1. 14. It figured Christs perfection in himselfe, and ours in him, Heb. 9. 13. 14. Ephes. 5 27. and teacheth us to honour God with our best things, and to serve him with a perfect heart, 1 Chron. 28. 9. at the doore] within the court, where the Altar was, vers. 5. see this law explained in Leviticus 17. 3. 4. &c. As it was the way of honour unto God, for the Offerer to bring his sacrifice himselfe unto the Sanctuary, and not to send the Priest to take a beast out of his house and offer it for him: so the doore might also lead them unto Christ (who saith, I am the doore of the sheepe, Iohn 10. 7.) by whom wee enter into the holy place, Heb. 10. 19. 20. His body was the true Tabernacle and Temple, called a greater and more perfect tabernacle, which the Lord pitched & not man, Heb. 9. 11. and 8. 2. Ioh. 2. 19. 21. The Church was secondarily figured by the Temple and Tabernacle, Ephesians 2. 21. 22. for his favourable-acceptation] or, for acceptation of him; that hee and his offering may bee favourably accepted of God. This sense, both the Greeke and Chaldee versions yeeld, also the old Latine: and the promise in verse 4. confirmeth it; and the like phrase in Leviticus 23. 11. is so interpreted of all: the contrary whereof, is in Ieremy 6. 20. Your Burnt-offrings are not to favourable-acceptation: that is, they are not acceptable. And the Apostle exhorteth, present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, Romans 12. 1. Some take the words of this Law here to meane, according to the good will of him that offereth; that he should not sacrifice to God by compulsion, but of his owne voluntary will, for God loveth a chearfull giver, 2 Corinth. 9. 7. In the former sense, it taught men to offer in the faith of Christ, without which it is unpossible to please God. Hebrewes 11. 6. and by faith, Abel offred unto God, a more excellent sacrifice then Cain, Hebr. 11. 4. Vers. 4. shall lay his hand] or, impose his hand; and by hand seemeth to be meant his hands; as else-where is expressed, Leviticus 16. 21. The man that brought the offring, was to lay or impose hands himselfe upon it while it was alive; thereby disburdening himselfe of sinne, and laying it upon the sacrifice, Leviticus 16. 21. and testifying his faith in Christ the true sacrifice to bee slaine for him. The Hebrew Doctors say, All oblations of beasts, which a particular person offreth either of debt or voluntarily, hee layeth hands on them whiles they are alive; except it bee the first-borne, and the tithe, and the Passeover. All doe impose hands, excepting the deafe, the foole, and a childe, and a servant, and a woman, and the blinde, and the stranger. Neither may a messenger impose hands, for there is no imposition but by the owners; as it is written, AND HEE SHALL LAY HIS HAND; not his wives hand, nor his servants, nor his messengers. Five that bring one sacrifice, all doe lay hands upon it, one after another, not all together. Who so dyeth, and leaveth oblations, burnt-offring, or peace-offrings; his heyre is to bring the same, and lay hands upon it, &c. There is no imposition of hands on the sacrifices of the Congregation, save two; on the scape Goat, Leviticus 16. 21. and the Sinne-offring, Leviticus 4. 15. They lay on no hands but in the court: if they doe it without the court, they must lay on hands againe within. And in the place where they impose hands, they kill it. And the killing is immediately after the imposition. And hee that imposeth, must doe it with all his might, with both his hands upon the head of the beast, not upon the necke or sides: and nothing may bee betweene his hands and the beast. Hee layeth his hands betweene the two hornes, and confesseth upon the sinoffring, the iniquity of sinne, and upon the trespasseoffring, the iniquity of trespasse: and upon the burnt offring hee confesseth the iniquity of doing that hee should not, and not doing that hee ought, &c Maimony, in treat. of offring sacrifices, Chapt. 3. Sect. 6. 8. 9. &c. But as for sacrifices of fowles (verse 14.) there was no charge to impose hands on them: Maimony, ibidem, Sect. 7. make-atonement] or, expiate, make-reconciliation, which is usually meant in regard of mans sinne, and Gods wrath for the same, Leviticus 4. 20. &c. The Hebrew Capper, signifieth covering; not as with a garment (which may easily be taken off,) but as with plaister that cleaveth, Genesis 6. 14. and is applyed to the covering, that is, the appeasing of an angry countenance, Genesis 32. 20. and so for the anger of God, which is appeased by the burnt-offring of Christs body, for he is the Atonement (or, Reconciliation) for our sinnes: Dan. 9. 24. 1 Iohn 2. 2. Heb. 10. 8. 10. Thus the Burnt-offring was for atonement and remission of sinnes, Iob 42. 8. to weet, generall sinnes, and such as often are unknowne to men, (as Iob offred burnt offrings, saying, it may be that my sonnes have sinned, Iob 1. 5.) Whereas for speciall sinnes, there was a speciall sacrifice and sinne-offring, Leviticus 4. And both the Burnt-offring, and Sinne-offring are joyned in Christs offring up of his owne body for us, Psal. 40. Hebr. 10. 5. 6. &c. Also Burnt-offrings were given in signe of thankfulnesse to God, and so betokened a new creature and holy life, Psalm. 51. 19. 20. 21. and 66. 13. 14. 15. Gen. 8. 20. For this cause the Burnt-offring is first taught, as being the principall and most common, offred daily for the Church: and when other sorts of sacrifices were brought, this burnt-offring was alwayes one; See Leviticus 9. 8. 12. 15. 16. and 12. 6. and 14. 19. 20. and 16. 15. 24. Num. 6. 10. 11. and 7. 15. 16. and 29. 2. Iudg. 20. 26. Vers. 5. he shall kill] in Greeke, they shall kill: meaning the Priests or Levites. For whereas it followeth, the sonnes of Aaron the Priests, shall offer the blood; this killing is not restrained to them as the offring of the blood, but might be performed also by the Levites, that were given to helpe the Priests in their service, Num. 8. 19. So though the Priests killed, in 2 Chron. 29. 24. yet the like is said also of the Levites, that they killed, and the Priests sprinkled the blood from their hands, and the Levites flayed, 2 Chron. 35. 10. 11. Also in 2 Chr. 30. 17. The Levites had the charge of the killing of the Passeovers. This killing therefore, and the slaying after mentioned in vers. 6. was not strictly tied to the Priests office, as some other things were, in Numb. 3. 10. So in the Hebrew Canons they say, The killing of the holy things may be done by strangers, [such as are not of Aarons seed,] even of the most holy things; whether they be the holy things of a particular person, or of the congregation: Maimony in Biath hamikdash, Chap. 9. Sect. 6. The place of killing was on the North side of the Altar, V. 11. And the Iewes have a tradition, that the morning sacrifice was killed at the Northwest, and the evening sacrifice at the Northeast, that it might bee over against the Sunne: Maimony in Tamidin (or, treat. of the Daily sacrifices,) chap. 1. Sect. 11. The slaying of the sacrifices, figured the death of Christ, of whom it is prophesied, Messiah shall be cut off, (or slaine) Daniel 9. 26. for, without shedding of blood, there is no remission. Heb. 9. 22. It figured secondly, the mortifying of Gods people, by his Word, Spirit, and participation of Christs afflictions; as, Mortifie (or kill) therefore your members which are upon the earth, Colossians 3. 5. and If ye through the spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the bodie, ye shall live, Roman. 8. 13. whereby is meant a ceasing from sinne, 1 Peter 4. 1. 2. And, For thy sake, we are killed all the day; wee are accounted as sheepe of slaughter, Rom. 8 36. yongling of the herd] that is, the yong bull, or calfe, as the Greeke translateth it: Hebrew, sonne of the herd: see Genesis 18. 7. In Mich. 6. 6. such sacrifices are called sonnes of a yeere, that is, young bulls, or bullockes of the first yeere, not older: see the notes on Exodus 12. 5. and 29. 1. before Iehovah] in the court of the Sanctuary, where all sacrifices must be slaine, Levit. 17. 3. 4. and unto God onely, not to creatures: for he that sacrificed to any, save unto Iehovah onely, was utterly to be destroyed, Exodus 22. 20. bring neere] unto the altar: or offer it. And this immediately; and out of the court it might by no meanes be caried. The blood of the holy things, that goeth out of the court, becomes unallowable for sacrifice; and though they bring it in again, and sprinkle it on the altar, it is not acceptable: saith Maimony, in treat of holy things polluted, chapt. 1. Sect. 35. sprinkle] or, as the Greeke translateth, poure-on; for the originall word signifieth a pouring-on with sprinkling; and this was in large measure, that the corners of the Altar were filled with blood, Zach. 9. 15. Therefore the Iewish canons say, that the sacrificers were to indeavor to receive all the blood; and the sacrifices of which lesse blood was received then sufficed for the sprinkling, the blood was not sanctified. When the Priest tooke the blood in the bowle, he sprinkled thereof two sprinklings, upon the two corners of the Altar overthwartly on the northeast borne, and on the southwest horne. And this must bee so thicke, that by the twice sprinkling, the blood may be found on the foure sides of the Altar, as it is written (Leviticus 1.) ROVND ABOVT. And the rest of the blood, is poured at the bottome of the Altar on the south side. Maimony treat. of offring the sacrifices, chap. 4. Sect. 8. and Chapter 5. Sect. 6. This sprinkling had a foreshadowing of the sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ, 1 Peter 1. 2. Esay 52. 15. And unto this rite of powring the blood at the bottome of the Altar, (commanded in Leviticus 4. 7.) that mystery hath reference, of the soules of them that were slaine for the word of God, seene under the Altar, Rev. 6. 9. Vers. 6. he shall] the Greeke translateth, they shall flay; it is meant of the Priests and Levites which were to assist the Priests in offring all burnt sacrifices, 1 Chron. 23. 31. as before they helped to kill, verse 5. and as appeareth, by 2 Chronic. 29. 34. where the Priests were too few, and not able to flay all the burnt-offrings; therefore their brethren the Levites helped them. The Priest also had the skinne of the burnt-offring which hee offred, Leviticus 7. 8. They flayed not untill the blood was sprinkled: saith Maimony, treat. of offring the sacrifices, ch. 5. sect. 18. This flaying signified also the afflictions of Christ and his people, Mic. 3. 3. Matth. 27. 28. and the opening and making bare of the mystery of Christ by the Gospell, Galat. 3. 1. the pieces thereof] the naturall pieces, or members (as the Greeke translateth it,) as head, brest, legges, &c. it might not bee a confused or disordered mangling. The manner of it, Maimony sheweth particularly, in his said treat. of offring sacrifices, chap. 6. where he mentioneth the cutting off of the head first, then of the legges or thighes, of the forefeet, and or the hinder feet, of the brest, of the sides, of the necke; of the Cane (or chanell bone) of the shoulder, of the Chine (or backe bone,) and of the Rumpe. The Liver was left hanging on the right side; the heart and the lungs, on the channell bone; the milt, on the left side; and the kidneyes on the rump. And to this question, why the greater members were not cut into small pieces? he answereth, because it is written, he shall cut it into the pieces thereof, and not, shall cut it into pieces. The Chaldee also here translateth, hee shall divide it by the members thereof. From this custome of dividing the sacrifices, it seemeth the Greeke interpreters thus translated and expounded the words of God to Kain; If thou offer aright, and dividest not aright. hast thou not sinned? Genesis 4. 7. It figured the worke of the Ministery in the Church, rightly dividing the word of truth, 2 Tim. 2. 15. and so preaching the Gospell, that before mens eyes Iesus Christ may be evidently-set-forth, and as it were crucified among them, Galat. 3. 1. Esay 66. 21. It also signified the effect of Gods word in us, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soule and spirit, of the joynts and marrow, and a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Heb 4. 12. Vers. 7. put fire] Hebrew, give fire. This may be understood of making and ordering the fire, which was continually nourished upon the Altar, Leviticus 6. 12. 13. and which at first came downe from heaven, Levit. 9. 24. But the Hebrew Doctors, from these words say, although that fire came downe from heaven, it is here commanded to bring common fire. Maimony, treat. of the Daily oblation Chap. 2. Sect. 1. It figured the continuall ministration of the Spirit, by Christ and his ministers preaching of the Gospell, Matth. 3. 11. Gal. 3. 6. Ier. 23. 29. and especially the preaching of the Crosse, and afflictions of Christ and his people, Gal. 6. 12. 14. 1 Pet. 4. 12. 13. 14. lay the wood] of this ordering see the notes on Levit. 6. 12. Moreover the wood (as also the salt) for all sacrifices, was to be the Congregations publike: and no particular person, might bring salt or wood for his oblation, from his owne house: saith Maimony, in treat. Of things forbidden to come on the Altar, Chap. 5. Sect. 13 Hereupon publike order was taken in Nehem. 10. 34. and 13. 31. for the Wood offring, (or Korban) to have it brought into the house of God, at times appointed. The Hebrew Doctors say, that in the moneth Ab (the fift moneth, which wee call Iuly) they hewed wood for the Korban (or offring) Iakob ben Aser, in Orach chajim. Vers. 8. the pieces] When they had cut in pieces the burnt offring, they brought all the pieces to the footstall (of the altar) and salted them there, (as is commanded, Levit. 2. 13. Ezek. 43. 24.) Afterwards, they laid all the pieces on the top of the Altar. Then taking away the synew that shranke, (wherof see Gen. 32. 32.) on the top of the Altar, they shrew it upon the ashes which were in the midst of the altar. Then sprinkled (or strowed) they all the pieces upon the fire, as it is written (in Deut. 12. 27.) OF THE FLESH, AND OF THE BLOOD: even as the blood was sprinkled, so all the flesh was sprinkled. And after they were sprinkled, they laid them in order againe upon the fire, as it is written, (Levit. 1. 12.) And the Priest shall lay them in order. Maimony, treat. of offring the sacrifices, chap. 6. sect. 4. This dividing and laying by pieces on the Altar, was observed in all burnt-offrings; see Exod. 29. 17. 18. 1 King. 18. 23. 33. Levit. 8. 20. 21. and 9. 13. the fat] The Hebrew Peder, is used onely here, and in v. 12. and in Levit. 8. 20. and is thought to bee the fat-caule, or midriffe, that parteth the intrailes. The Greeke and Chaldee both translate it fat. Vers. 9. in water] not in wine, nor in any mixture, or other liquor. And the inwards they washed not lesse then three times: saith Maimony in treat. of offring the sacrific. Chap. 6. Sect. 6. The washing of the inwards, and of the legs (or the feet, as the Greeke translateth; signified our purification by the spirit of Christ, sprinkled in our hearts from an evill conscience, and washed in our bodies with pure water, Ezek. 36. 25. Heb. 10 22. He that is washed, needeth not save to wash his feet; Iohn 1[illegible: 1 letter]. 10. the Priest] Michael (that is, Christ, Revel. 12. 7.) he is the great Priest that is on high, and he offreth the soules of the just, like the daily offrings made by fire: saith R. Menachem on Levit. 6. shall burne] to weet, as perfume, as the word implyeth. It burned upon the altar, all night, untill the morning, Levit. 6. 9. Howbeit, they offred no offrings but by day; as it is written (Lev. 7. 38.) in the day that hee commanded the sonnes of Israel to offer, &c. in the day, and not in the night. Therefore they slay no sacrifices, but by day, nor sprinkle any blood, but in the day of the killing: but the sacrifices whose blood is sprinkled by day, they burne their fat, &c. all the night; and so the members of the burnt offring, they burne them in the night, &c. Maimony, treat. of offring the sacrific. ch. 4. sect. 1. 2. This burning of sacrifices, signified the consecrating of Christ through afflictions and sufferings; and the like fiery trials which his people must undergoe: Hebrewes 2. 10. and 13. 11. 12. 1 Peter 4. 1. 12. Zachar. 13. 9. For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall bee salted with salt, Marke 9. 49. It figured also the worke of Gods Spirit, Matth. 3. 11. it is] or, it shall bee: these words, it is, are added also in the Greeke version, and rightly from the 13. and 17. verses following. of rest] that is, of sweet savour, as the Greeke translateth. The Chaldee expoundeth it, which shall bee received with favourable-acceptation before the Lord. See the notes on Genesis 8. 21. It figured the sweet savour of Christs sacrifice, (and of ours in him) unto God, Ephesians 5. 2. Romanes 12. 1. 1 Peter 2. 5. For as a sweet smell refresheth and quieteth the senses, so Christs oblation appeaseth Gods Spirit. Therefore the Priest also prayed for the offerer, (figuring Christs mediation) and so by prayer and oblation pacified Gods wrath, as appeareth by Iob 42. 8. where God sayd, Goe to my servant Iob, and offer up for your selves a burnt offring, and my servant Iob shall pray for you, for I will accept his face: lest I deale with you after your folly. So Darius ordained that beasts should be given the Iewes, for the Burnt-offrings of the God of heaven, that they might offer Sacrifices of rest, unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the King, and of his sonnes, Ezr. 6. 9. 10. Vers. 10. sheepe] or, young-rammes; which the Greeke here translateth lambes. They were of the first yeere, Exodus 29. 38. For the Hebrew Chesob, (called also Chebes, Levitie. 4. 32. whereupon the Dutch Schaep, and English Sheepe; by transplacing the letters, is derived;) wheresoever these are spoken of in the Law, are sheepe of the first yeere. And wheresoever Ajil er Aelim (Rammes) are mentioned; they are males of the second yeere: saith Maimony, treat. of offring the sacrifices, chap. 1. s. 14 These also figured Christ the lambe of God, Esay 53. 7. Iohn 1. 29. or of the goats] the law expresseth severall kinds by themselves: hereupon the Hebrewes gather, it may not be a beast of divers kinds, part like a sheepe, and part like a goat: nor borne of such mixture, no nor like another kind; as if a sheepe bring forth her young like a goat, or a goat like a sheepe, it is not lawfull to bring such a beast upon the Altar: Maimony in Issureimizbeach, ch. 3. S. 4. 5. &c. Vers. 11. the side] or, the thigh of the Altar; and so vpon the ground, as the Altar standeth: whereupon the Hebrew Canons say, That if a Beast bee hanged up and killed in the ayre of the Court, it is polluted. Maimony treat. of holy things polluted, Chapt. 1. Sect. 16. In killing the daily Burnt-offrings of the Church (mentioned in Numbers 28. 3.) they bound the Lambe, and laid his head to the South, his face to the West; the slayer stood on the East side, with his face to the West. The morning sacrifice hee killed by the North-west horne of the Altar; the evening sacrifice, by the North-east horne. Thalmud Bab. in Tamidin, chapter 4. northward] on the North side of the altar; which is also to bee understood of the yong Bull forementioned, and of other the most holy sacrifices, as of the Sin-offring, Lev. 6. 25. and the trespasse-offring, Lev. 7. 1. 2. Of all sacrifices, they receive the blood in a vessell of ministration, by the hand of a Priest: but the place of killing them, and the place of receiving the blood, is not alike in them all. For the holy of holies, they kill not them, nor receive their blood, but on the northside of the Altar: but the light holy things, them they kill, and receive their blood, in any place of the Courtyard: saith Maimony, treat▪ of offring the sacrif▪ chap. 5. sect. 1. 2. The most holy things that are killed on the southside, or whose blood is received on the south side, are polluted, Maimony treat. of holy things polluted, Chap. 1. Sect. 7. The Hebrew Doctors gather a mystery here; that as it is said in Ier. 1. 14. Out of the North, an evill should breake forth, &c. therefore to restraine the evils, or judgements of God, the Burnt-offrings and Sinneoffrings were slayne on the northside of the Altar. R. Menachem: and Baal Hatturim, on Lev. 1. Vers. 12. the Priest shall lay] Chazkuni observeth, that of the bullock, which was a great beast, it was said, in vers. 8. they (the Priests) shall lay: but of the sheepe which was a small beast, it is written, he (the Priest) shall lay. Vers. 13. offer all] or, bring neere all, and burne it: see vers. 9. The wool that was on the sheeps head, and the hayre on the Goats beard, and the bones and the sinewes, and the hornes and the hoofes: whiles they cleaved to the members, they burned all: saith Maimony treat. of offring the sacr. chap. 6. sect. 2. It signified all Christ and whatsoever he hath suffered and done, to be ours by faith, Gal. 1. 20. and that wee also give our selves wholly unto God by him, 1 Thessalon. 5. 23. Vers. 14. Turtle doves] of the Hebrew Tor, the Latine Turtur, and English Turtle are deriued: and the voice of this fowle, agreeth with the name. Here is no difference put of male or female, of perfect or blemished: howbeit, the Hebrew Doctors gather by proportion from the former lawes, that although lesser blemishes disable not doves from sacrifices, yet the greater doe, as if they want an eye, or a foot, &c. it is not lawfull to bring them upon the altar. Also they say, Young Turtles are unlawfull, and old Doves are unlawfull. Yong pigeons are allowable, so long as if one plucke the wing, the place whereout he plucketh, fill up with blood. And turtles are allowable, after that they wexe golden coloured; [as Psalm. 68. 14.] Maimony tom. 3. in Issure Mizbeach. Chap. 3. Sect. 1. 2. yong pigeons] Hebr. sonnes of the dove. The holy Ghost in Greeke translateth these sonnes, young ones, Luke 2. 24. from Levit. 12. The Turtle doves were to be old, not young: the pigeons, young, not old: saith also R. Sol. Iarchi. on Lev. 1. These were sacrifices for the poorer sort, that were not able to bring a lambe, Levit. 5. 7. and 12. 8. Therefore the daily burnt-offring of the Church of Israel, was two Lambes, Numbers 28. 3. and by the Hebrew Canons, The Congregation never offred sowle, Maimony, treat of offring sacrific. chapter 1▪ Sect. 4. The D[illegible: 1 letter]ve is a creature sociable, innocent, chaste, mournfull, quiet, fearfull, given to meditation: and unto such, Gods people are often likened: See Song. 2. 14. and 4. 1. Matth. 10. 16. Esay 38. 14. and 59. 11. and 60. 8. Ezekiel 7. 16. Hosea 11. 11. Psal. 74 19. Vers. 15. bring-it-neere] or, offer it at the Altar▪ cut-with-his-nayle] The Hebrew Malak, is found onely here, and in Leviticus 5. 8. which the Greeke interpreteth Apokniso, to cut with the nayle of ones finger. By this meanes the blood came out, but the head was not thereby parted from the body, Leviticus 5. 8. The manner (as the Hebrew Doctors have recorded) was thus: The Priest went up on the footstall (of the Altar) and turned in compasse and came to the South-east horne, and there hee tooke the head from the necke, and divided them asunder: [and herein the burnt▪ offring differed from the Sinne-offring, which might not be divided, Levit. 5. 8.] and if he devided it not, it was unlawfull. Then wrung he out the blood of the head and the blood of the body, upon the side of the Altar, &c. and hee tooke the head, and returning to that place of the Altar where hee cut it with his nayle, hee rubbed it with salt, and sprinkled it upon the fire-offrings. And hee came to the body, and pluckt away with his hand, the crop and skinne that was upon it, with the meat, and the entrailes that came-out therewith, and threw the[illegible: 1 letter] into the place of the ashes. And hee clave it with the wings thereof with his hand without a knife and divided it not asunder: then hee rubbed it with salt, and sprinkled it upon the fire-offrings. Hee that cut the necke with a knife, or (did cut it) on the side[illegible: 1 letter], it was not Melicah [the cutting with the nayle here commanded;] but as if it had beene strangled, or had bled at the nose: [which was an unlawfull way of killing.] Maimony treat. of offring sacrific. chap. 6. Sect. 20. 21. 22. 23. Vers. 16. fethers of the same] or, filth of the same; to weet, of the crop, for thereunto (by the gender) it hath reference; and is therefore by Onkelos the Chaldee paraphrast translated the meat of the same, which was in the crop; and the Chalde[illegible: 1 letter] called Ionathans, expoundeth it, the dung (or, filth) thereof: but the Greeke translateth it, fether[illegible: 1 letter], as elsewhere the Hebrew word signifieth. eastward] that was neerest the doore, and furthest from the Sanctuary: ready to be caried out, Levi[illegible: 1 letter]. 6. 10. 11. to teach that all uncleannesse was to be removed out of Gods sight: for holinesse becommeth his house, Psalme 93. 5. And so it figured the holinesse that was in Christ our sacrifice, who without all sinne or uncleannesse offered himselfe unto God for us; by which also hee clensed and purified his people, and their service of God, Heb 9. 14. Vers. 17. with the wings] that is, having them on. And the not dividing it asunder, might fore-shadow the manner of Christs death, of whom [illegible: 1 word] bone was not broken: Iohn 19. 33. 36. And how we should give up our selves wholly unto God by him, 1 Thess. 5. 23. So in Lev. 5. 8. of rest] Greeke, of sweet-smell: see vers. 9. God comforteth the poore, by promising the like acceptance of, and delight in his small sacrifice; as in the Bulls, Rammes, Goats, of the richer sort: For [illegible: 1 word] there be first a willing minde, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not, 2 Cor. 8. 12. These Burnt offrings pleased God, and were a sweet savour unto him, not in themselves, but in Christ, in whose faith the godly offred them, till the time of reformation. As for the outward sacrifices, God testifieth, I desired mercie and not sacrifice: and the knowledge of God, more then Burnt offrings, Hos. 6. 6. and David saying that the Lord delighted not in sacrifice, nor would accept of a Burnt-offring, addeth, The sacrifices of God, are abroken spirit, &c. Psal 51. 18. 19. And the wisest of the Scribes of old, could say, that to love (God) with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soule, and with all the strength; and to love his neighbour as himselfe: is more then all Burnt-offrings and Sacrifices. Mark. 12. 33.