Matthew Poole and continuators on Leviticus 7

4 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them which is by the flanks, and the caul that is above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away.

Or, and that which is, &c. So this is another fat, as may seem probable from the mention of the several parts, the kidneys, and the flanks. For it seems preposterous after a plain and exact description of the very particular place of the fat, the kidneys, to adde another more dark and doubtful description of it from the flanks. And the Hebrew writers, whose common practise of these things makes them the best interpreters of it, make these divers kinds or parts of fat. And so there is onely an Ellipsis of the conjunction copulative, which is Psal. 133. 3. and in many other places, as hath been already shewed.

6 Every male among the priests shall eat thereof: it shall be eaten in the holy place: it is most holy.

Supposing him not to have any uncleannesse upon him, verse 20. or other impediment.

Marginal references: Num. 18. [illegible: 1+ letters] 10.

7 As the sin offering is, so is the trespass-offering : there is one law for them: the priest that maketh atonement therewith shall have it .

To wit, in the matter here following, for in other things they differed.

(i. e.) By a Synecdoche that part of it, which was by God allowed to the Priest. See Levit. 6. 26.

Marginal references: chap. 6. [illegible: 1+ letters]

9 And all the meat-offering that is baken in the oven, and all that is dressed in the frying-pan, and in the pan, shall be the priests that offereth it .

Except the part reserved by God, Levit. 2. 2, 9.

Because these were ready drest and hot, and to be presently eaten, and because the priest who offered it was in reason to expect, and have something more than his brethren who laboured not about it, and that he had onely in this offering, for the other were equally distributed.

Marginal references: chap. 2. 3▪ [illegible: 1+ letters]; Or, on [illegible: 1 word] plate, or [illegible: 1 word].

10 And every meat-offering mingled with oyl, and dry shall all the sons of Aaron have, one as much as another .

Without oyl, or drink-offering, as those Levit. 5. 11. Numb. 5. 15.

The sense may be either 1. That every priest shall have equal right to this, when the course of his ministration comes. But then there was no reason to make so great an alteration of the phrase, nor to make any distinction of the differing kinds of meat-offerings, if in both they were to be the Priest that offered them, as is expressed verse 9. and here, as they say, intended. Or rather 2. That these were to be equally divided among all the priests. And there was manifest reason for this difference, because these were in greater quantity than the former, and being raw might more easily and commodiously be divided and reserved for the several priests to dress it in that way which each of them best liked.

12 If he offer it for a thanksgiving , then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oyl, and unleavened wafers anointed with oyl, and cakes mingled with oyl, of fine flour fryed.

For mercies received. See Levit. 22. [illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ 2 [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1+ letters]. 31. and 33. 16.

13 Besides the cakes he shall offer for his offering, leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace-offerings .

Partly because this was a sacrifice of another kind than those in which leaven was forbidden, this being a sacrifice of thanksgiving for Gods blessings, among which leavened bread was one; partly to shew that leaven was not so strictly forbidden in other sacrifices as if it were evil in it self, but to teach us wholly to rest in the will of God in all his appointments without too scrupulous an enquiry into the particular reasons of them. Obj. Leaven was universally forbidden, Lev. 2. 11. Ans. 1. That prohibition concerned onely things offered and burnt upon the Altar, which this bread was not, but it was offered onely towards the Priests food. 2. That was another kind of sacrifice, and therefore it is no wonder if it had other Rites. 3. That leaven was not universally forbidden appears from Levit. 23. 17.

Or, With to[illegible: 1+ letters] sacrifice of thanksgiving for his peace or prosperity.

14 And of it he shall offer one out of the whole oblation for an heave-offering n unto the LORD, and it shall be the priests that sprinkleth the blood of the peace-offerings.

Of it, (i. e.) Either of the loaves of leavened bread mentioned verse 13. or of the offering, one of each part of the whole oblation, as it follows, it being most probable and agreeable to the rules and laws laid down before and afterward, that the Priest should have a share in the unleavened cakes and wafers as well as in the leavened bread. Concerning the heaveofferings. See Exod. 29. 24, 28.

15 And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peaceofferings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered: he shall not leave any of it untill the morning.

By the Priests and offerers, Levit. 22. 30.

16 But if the sacrifice of his peace-offering be a vow , or a voluntary offering , it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his sacrifice: and on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten .

Offered in performance of a vow, the man having desired some special favour from God, and vowed the sacrifice to God if he would grant it,

Which a man freely offered to God, in testimony of his Faith and Love to God, without any particular injunction from God, or design of his own special advantage thereby. See Levit. 22. 23. Ezek. 46. 12.

Which was not allowed for the thank-offering. The reason of which difference is to be fetched onely from Gods good pleasure and will, to which he expects our obedience, though we discern not the reason of his appointments.

Marginal references: chap. 19. 5, 6.

17 But the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice, on the third day, shall be burnt with fire .

That it might neither putrefie, and thereby be exposed to contempt; nor yet be reserved either for superstitious abuse, or for the Priests domestick use, which would savour of covetousness and of distrust of Gods care for their future provisions.

18 And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace-offerings be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it: it shall be an abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity.

For an acceptable service to God.

Marginal references: chap. 19. 8.

19 And the flesh , that toucheth any unclean thing , shall not be eaten: it shall be burnt with fire, and as for the flesh , all that be clean shall eat thereof.

To wit, of the holy offerings, of which he is here treating, and therefore the general word is to be so limited; for other flesh one might eat in this case, Deut. 12. 15, 22.

After its oblation: which might easily happen, as it was conveyed from the Altar to the place where it was eaten: for it was not eaten in the holy place, as appears, because it was eaten by the priests together with the offerers, who might not come thither.

i. e. The other flesh, that which shall not be polluted by any unclean touch.

Whether priests or offerers, or guests invited to the feast. See 1 Sam. 9. 12. and 20. 26. Both the flesh and the eaters of it must be clean.

20 But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings, that pertain unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him , even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

Knowingly: for if it were done ignorantly, a sacrifice was accepted for it, Levit. 5. 2.

(i. e.) Not being cleansed from his uncleanness according to the appointment, Levit. 11. 24, &c. This verse speaks of uncleanness from an internal cause, us by an issue, &c. for what was from an external cause is spoken of in the next verse.

Marginal references: chap. 15. 3.; Gen. 17. 14.

21 Moreover, the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man , or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peaceofferings, which pertain unto the LORD: even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

Or, Of woman, for the word signifies both, and that there were such things coming from Men or Women, the touch whereof did pollute men and things may be seen Levit. 15. and elsewhere. Others make it an Hypallage, [illegible: 1+ letters]anness [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word], for a man of uncleanness, or, [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] man. But that seems not necessary here.

Marginal references: chap. 12. and 13. and 15.; chap. 11. 24, 28.

23 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, ye shall eat no manner fat of oxe, or of sheep, or of goat .

The general prohibition of eating sat, Lev. 3. 17. is here explained of and restrained to those kinds of creatures which were sacrificed to God.

24 And the fat of the beast that dieth of it self, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts , may be used in any other use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it.

He speaketh still of the same kinds of beasts, and sheweth that this prohibition reacheth not onely to the fat of those beasts which were offered to God, but also of those that died or were killed at home. And if this seems a superfluous prohibition concerning the fat, since the lean as well as the fat of such beasts was forbidden, Levit. 22. 8. it must be noted that that prohibition reached onely to the priests, verse 4.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word].

29 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, He that offereth the sacrifice of his peace-offerings, unto the LORD, shall bring his oblation unto the LORD , of the sacrifice of his peace-offerings.

Not by another, but by himself, as it is explained ver. 30.

(i. e.) Those parts of the peace-offering▪ which are in a special manner offered to God, to wit, the fat, and breast and shoulder, as it follows.

(i. e.) To the Tabernacle, where the Lord was present in a special manner. He shews, that though part of such offerings might be eaten in any clean place, Levit. 10. 14. yet not till they had been killed and part of them offered to the Lord in the place appointed by him for that purpose.

30 His own hands shall bring the offerings of the LORD made by fire , the fat with the breast, it shall he bring, that the breast may be waved for a wave-offering before the LORD.

After the beast was killed and the parts of it divided, the Priest was to put the parts mentioned into the hands of the offerer. See Exod. 29. 22▪ 23, 24.

So called not strictly, as burnt-offerings are because some parts of these were left for the Priest, ver. 31. but more largely, because even these peace-offerings were in part, though not wholly, burnt.

To and fro, by his hands, which were supported and directed by the hands of the Priest.

Marginal references: chap. 3, 3, 4, 19, 14.

31 And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast shall be Aarons and his sons .

(i. e.) The portion of every succeeding High-priest and his family, compare Exod. 29. 26.

34 For the wave-breast and heave-shoulder have I taken of the children of Israel, from off the sacrifices of their peace-offerings, and have given them unto Aaron the priest, and unto his sons, by a statute for ever, from among the children of Israel.

The breast or heart is the [illegible: 1+ letters]eat of Wisdom, and the shoulder of strength for action, and these two may denote that Wisdom and Vertue or Power which was in Christ our High-priest, 1 Cor. 1. 24. and which ought to be in every priest.

Marginal references: Exod. 29. 28. chap. 10. 14. Numb. 18. 18. Deut. 18. 3.

35 This is the portion of the anointing of Aaron, and of the anointing of his sons, out of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, in the day when he presented them, to minister unto the LORD in the priests office.

(i. e.) Of the Priesthood, the sign put for the thing signified, and the anointing by a like figure is put for the right, or part, of the sacrifices belonging to the Priest by vertue of his anointing, as plainly appears from the words here following, out of the offerings, &c.

This was their portion appointed them by God in that day, and therefore to be given to them in after ages. Or, from the day, &c. and thence forward, the Hebrew preposition beth being put for min, as it is frequently.

37 This is the law of the burnt-offering, of the meat-offering, and of the sin-offering, and of the trespass-offering, and of the consecrations , and of the sacrifice of the peace-offerings:

(i. e.) Of the sacrifice offered at the consecration of the Priests.