The law concerning LEVITICUS. CHAPTER III. the peace-offering The law of the peace-offering in general,. 1–5. That of the peace-offering taken from the flock, 6–11; and the same when the offering is a goat, 12–17. A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. An. Exod. Isr. 2. offering unto the LORD be of the A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. AND if his oblation be a sa- b Abib or Nisan he offer it of the herd, whether it be a male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD. 2 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about. 3 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace-offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, d NOTES ON CHAP. II. Verse 1. Peace-offering] □ shelamim, an offering to make peace between God and man; see on chap. vii., and Gen. xiv. 18. Verse 2. Lay his hand upon the head of his offering] See this rite explained on Exod. xxix. 10, and chap, i. 4. "As the burnt-offering, (chap. i.,)" says Mr. Ainsworth, "figured our reconciliation to God by the death of Christ, and the meat-offering, (chap ii.,) our sanctification in him before God, so this peaceoffering signified both Christ's oblation of himself whereby he became our peace and salvation, (Eph. ii. 14-16; Acts xiii. 47; Heb. v. 9; ix. 28;) and our oblation of praise, thanksgiving, and prayer unto God." Verse 3. The fat that covereth the inwards] The omentum, caul or web, as some term it. The fat that is upon the inwards; probably the mesentery or fatty part of the substance which connects the convolutions of the alimentary canal or small intestines. Verse 5. Aaron's sons shall burn it] As the fat was deemed the most valuable part of the animal, it was offered in preference to all other parts; and the heathens probably borrowed this custom from the Jews, for they burnt the omentum or caul in honour of their gods. Verse 9. The whole rump, it shall he take off hard by the backbone] To what has already been said on 514 Abib or Nisan. 66 the tails of the eastern sheep, in the note on Exod. xxix. 22, we may add the following observation from Dr. Russel concerning the sheep at Aleppo. Their tails," says he, "are of a substance between fat and marrow, and are not eaten separately, but mixed with the lean meat in many of their dishes, and also often used instead of butter." He states also that a common sheep of this kind, without the head, fat, skin, and entrails, weighs from sixty to seventy English pounds, of which the tail usually weighs fifteen pounds and upwards; but that those of the largest breed, when fattened, will weigh one hundred and fifty pounds, and their tails fifty, which corresponds with the account given by Ludolf in the note referred to above. sheep about Jerusalem are the same with those in Abyssinia mentioned by Ludolf, and those of Syria mentioned by Dr. Russel. The Verse 11. It is the food of the offering] We have already remarked that God is frequently represented as feasting with his people on the sacrifices they offered; and because these sacrifices were consumed by that fire which was kindled from heaven, therefore they were considered as the food of that fire, or rather of the Divine Being who was represented by it. "In the same idiom of speech," says Dodd, "the gods of the heathens are said, Deut. xxxii. 38, to eat ( 34* ) 13 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle the blood thereof upon the altar round about. 14 And he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, * Verses 1, 7, &c. Chapter vii. 23, 25; 1 Sam. ii. 15; 2 Chron. vii. 7. Chapter vi. 18; vii. 36; xvii. 7: xxiii. 14. Verse 16; compare with Deuteronomy xxxii. 14; Nehemiah the fat and drink the wine which were consumed on their altars." Verse 12. A goat] Implying the whole species, he-goat, she-goat, and kid, as we have already seen. Verse 17. That ye cat neither fat nor blood.] It is not likely that the fat should be forbidden in the same manner and in the same latitude as the blood. The blood was the life of the beast, and that was offered to make an atonement for their souls; consequently, this was never eaten in all their generations: but it was impossible to separate the fat from the flesh, which in many parts is so intimately intermixed with the muscular fibres; but the blood, being contained in separate vessels, the arteries and veins, might with great ease be entirely removed by cutting the throat of the animal, which was the Jewish method. By the fat therefore mentioned here and in the preceding verse, we may understand any fat that exists in a separate of unmixed state, such as the omentum or caul, the fat of the mesentery, the fat on the kidneys, and whatever else of the internal fat was easily separable, together with the whole of the tail already described. And probably it was the fat of such animals only as were offered to God in sacrifice, that was unlawful to be eaten.. sins of ignorance. A. M. 2514. An. Exod. Isr. 2. 15 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul Abib or Nisan. above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away. 16 And the priest shall burn them upon the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire for a sweet savour: all the fat is the LORD'S. m 17 It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither "fat nor blood. viii. 10.- Gen. ix. 4; chap. vii. 23, 26; xvii. 10, 14; Deuteronomy xii. 16; 1 Samuel xiv. 33; Ezekiel xliv. 7, 15. As all temporal as well as spiritual blessings come from God, he has a right to require that such of them should be dedicated to his service as he may think proper to demand. He required the most perfect of all the animals, and the best parts of these perfect animals. This he did, not that he needed any thing, but to show the perfection of his nature and the purity. of his service. Had he condescended to receive the meanest animals and the meanest parts of animals as his offerings, what opinion could his worshippers have entertained of the perfection of his nature? If such imperfect offerings were worthy of this God, then his nature must be only worthy of such offerings. It is necessary that every thing employed in the worship of God should be the most perfect of its kind that the time and circumstances can afford. As sensible things are generally the medium through which spiritual impressions are made, and the impression usually partakes of the nature of the medium through which these impressions are communicated; hence every thing should not only be decent, but as far as circumstances will admit dignified, in the worship of God: the object of religious worship, the place in which he is worshipped, and the worship itself, should have the strongest and most impressive correspondence possible. CHAPTER IV. · The law concerning the sin-offering for transgressions committed through ignorance, 1, 2. For the priest thus sinning, 3-12. For the sins of ignorance of the whole congregation, 13-21. For the sins of ignorance of a ruler, 22-26. For the sins of ignorance of any of the common people, 27-35. A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. An. Exod, Isr. 2. Abib or Nisan. AND the LORD spake unto Israel, saying, "If a soul shall a Chap. v. 15, 17; Num. xv. 22, &c.; 1 Sam. xiv. 27; Psa. xix, 12. A. M. 2514. An. Exod. Isr. 2. as the transgression or omission comes to his know. ledge, he shall offer the sacrifice here prescribed, and shall not suppose that his ignorance is an excuse for his sin. He who, when his iniquity comes to his knowledge, refuses to offer such a sacrifice, sins obstinately Concerning sins of ignorance A. M. 2514. An. Exod. Isr. 2. A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. 8 And he shall take off from it LORD, concerning things which ought not to be done, and shall all the fat of the bullock for the An. Exod. Isr. 2. Abib or Nisan. do against any of them: sin-offering; the fat that cover Abib or Nisan. 3 If the priest that is anointed do sin ac-eth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon cording to the sin of the people; then let him the inwards, bring for his sin, which he hath sinned, a young bullock without blemish, unto the LORD, for a sin-offering. a「 9 4 And he shall bring the bullock unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the LORD; and shall lay his hand upon the bullock's head, and kill the bullock before the LORD. 9 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away, 6 And the priest shall dip his finger in the 12 Even the whole bullock shall he carry blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times forth without the camp unto a clean place, before the LORD, before the veil of the sanc-where the ashes are poured out, and m burn tuary. him on the wood with fire: "where the ashes are poured out shall he be burnt. f 7 And the priest shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the LORD, which is in the tabernacle of the congregation; and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the altar of the burnt-offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. Chap. viii. 12.— - Chap. ix. 2.d Chap. i. 3, 4.- Le Ch. xvi. 14; Numbers xix. 4.- Chapter viii. 15; ix. 9; xvi. 18. Ch. v. 9. h Ch. iii. 3, 4, 5.- Exod. xxix. 14; Num. xix. 5. and wilfully, and to him there remains no other sacrifice for sin-no other mode by which he can be reconciled to God, but he has a certain fearful looking for of judgment—which shall devour such adversaries; and this seems the case to which the apostle alludes, Heb. x. 26, &c., in the words above quoted. There have been a great number of subtle questions started on this subject, both by Jews and Christians, but the above I believe to be the sense and spirit of the law. Verse 3. If the priest that is anointed] Meaning, most probably, the high priest. According to the sin of the people; for although he had greater advantages than the people could have, in being more conversant with the law of God, and his lips should understand and preserve knowledge, yet it was possible even for him, in that time in which the word of God had not been fully revealed, to transgress through ignorance; and his transgression might have the very worst tendency, because the people might be thereby led into sin. Hence several critics understand this passage in this way, and translate it thus: If the anointed priest shall lead the people to sin; or, literally, if the anointed priest shall sin to the sin of the people; that is, so as to cause the people to transgress, the shepherd going astray, and the sheep following after him, Verse 4. Lay his hand upon the bullock's head] See on chap. i. 4. 13 And if the whole congregation of Israel sin through ignorance, and the thing be hid from the eyes of the assembly, and they have done somewhat against any of the commandments of the LORD, concerning things which should not be done, and are guilty; 11. m Heb. xiii. Lo Num. xv. 24; Heb. to without the camp. Chap. vi. 11. - Heb. at the pouring out of the ashes. Josh. vii. 11.- -P Chap. v. 2, 3, 4, 17. Verse 6. Seven times] See the note on Exod. xxix. 30. The blood of this sacrifice was applied in three different ways: 1. The priest put his finger in it, and sprinkled it seven times before the veil, ver. 6. 2. He put some of it on the horns of the altar of incense. 3. He poured the remaining part at the bottom of the altar of burnt-offerings, ver. 7. Verse 12. Without the camp] This was intended figuratively to express the sinfulness of this sin, and the availableness of the atonement. The sacrifice, as having the sin of the priest transferred from himself to it by his confession and imposition of hands, was become unclean and abominable, and was carried, as it were, out of the Lord's sight; from the tabernacle and congregation it must be carried without the camp, and thus its own offensiveness was removed, and the sin of the person in whose behalf it was offered. The apostle (Heb. xiii. 11-13) applies this in the most pointed manner to Christ : "For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore JESUS also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach." Verse 13. If the whole congregation of Israel sin] This probably refers to some oversight in acts of re Concerning sins of ignorance A: M. 2514. A. M. 2514. Abib or Nisan. 14 When the sin, which they out the camp, and burn him as An. Exod. Isr. 2. have sinned against it, is known, he burned the first bullock: it An. Exod. Isr. 2. Abib or Nisan. then the congregation shall offer is a sin-offering for the cona young bullock for the sin, and bring him gregation. before the tabernacle of the congregation. 15 And the elders of the congregation 4 shall lay their hands upon the head of the bullock before the LORD: and the bullock shall be killed before the LORD. 16 And the priest that is anointed shall bring of the bullock's blood to the tabernacle of the congregation. 17 And the priest shall dip his finger in some of the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, even before the veil. 18 And he shall put some of the blood upon the horns of the altar which is before the LORD, that is in the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall pour out all the blood at the bottom of the altar of the burnt-offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 2 19 And he shall take all his fat from him, and burn it upon the altar. 20 And he shall do with the bullock as he did with the bullock for a sin-offering, so shall he do with this: and the priest shall make an atonement for them, and it shall be forgiven them. 22 When a ruler hath sinned, and "done somewhat through ignorance against any of the commandments of the LORD his God, concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty; 23 Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish: 24 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the goat, and kill it in the place where they kill the burnt-offering before the LORD: it is a sin-offering. 25. And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin-offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and shall pour out his blood at the bottom of the altar of burnt-offering. 26 And he shall burn all his fat upon the altar, as the fat of the sacrifice of peaceofferings: and the priest shall make an atonement for him.as concerning his sin, and it shall be forgiven him. 27 And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth some 21 And he shall carry forth the bullock with- what against any of the commandments of the 4 Chap. i. 4. Ver. 5; Heb. ix. 12, 13, 14.- Ver. 3. Num. xv. 25; Dan. ix. 24; Rom. v. 11; Heb. ii. 17; x. 10, 11, 12; 1 John i. 7; ii. 2." Ver. 2, 13. ligious worship, or to some transgression of the letter of the law, which arose out of the peculiar circumstances in which they were then found, such as the case mentioned 1 Sam. xiv. 32, &c., where the people, through their long and excessive fatigue in their combat with the Philistines, being faint, flew on the spoil, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground, and did eat with the blood; and this was partly occasioned by the rash adjuration of Saul, mentioned ver. 24: Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening. The sacrifices and rites in this case were the same as those prescribed in the preceding, only here the elders of the congregation, i. e., three of the sanhedrim, according to Maimonides, laid their hands on the head of the victim in the name of all the congregation. Verse 22. When a ruler hath sinned] Under the term nasi, it is probable that any person is meant who held any kind of political dignity among the people, though the rabbins generally understand it of the king. A kid of the goats was the sacrifice in this case, the rites nearly the same as in the preceding cases, Ver. 14.Ver. 20; any soul. w Ver. 4, &c. Ver. 30. Chap. iii. 5. Num. xv. 28.- a Ver. 2; Num. xv. 27.-b Heb. e Heb. people of the land. only the fat was burnt as that of the peace-offering. See ver. 26, and chap. iii. 5. Verse 27. The common people] Dy am haarets, the people of the land, that is, any individual who was not a priest, king, or ruler among the people; any of the poor or ordinary sort. Any of these, having transgressed through ignorance, was obliged to bring a lamb or a kid, the ceremonies being nearly the same as in the preceding cases. The original may denote the very lowest of the people, the labouring or agricultural classes. The law relative to the general cases of sins committed through ignorance, and the sacrifices to be offered on such occasions, so amply detailed in this chapter, may be thus recapitulated. For all sins and transgressions of this kind committed by the people, the prince, and the priest, they must offer expiatory offerings. The person so sinning must bring the sacrifice to the door of the tabernacle, and lay his hands upon its head, as in a case already referred to, acknowledging the sacrifice to be his, that he needed it for his transgression; and thus he was considered as confessing his sin, and the sin was considered as transferred to the animal, whose blood was then spilt LORD, concerning things which An. Exod. Isr. 2. ought not to be done, and be guilty; 28 Or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned. 29 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin-offering, and slay the sin-offering in the place of the burnt-offering. refuses to tell the truth. A. M. 2514. 32 And if he bring a lamb for a sin-offering, he shall bring it An. Exod. Isr. 2. a female without blemish. Abib or Nisan. 33 And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the sin-offering, and slay it for a sin-offering, in the place where they kill the burnt-offering. 34 And the priest shall take of the blood of the sin-offering with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bot tom of the altar: 35 And he shall take away all the fat thereof as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the peace-offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to 30 And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon the horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof at the bottom of the altar. 31 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace-offering; and the priest shall the offerings make by fire unto the LORD: burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour m and the priest shall make an atonement for unto the LORD; and the priest shall make an his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him. forgiven him. Chap. iii. 14. - Chap. iii. 3. h Exod. xxix. 18; chap. i. 9. d Verse 23.-e Ver. 4, 24. h i Verse 20. Verse. 28.- Chapter iii. 5. Verse to make an atonement. See on chap. i. 4. Such in- be unnoticed by a strict and holy law; these also need stitutions as these could not be considered as termi- the great atonement on which account we should nating in themselves, they necessarily had reference often pray with David, Cleanse thou me from secret to something of infinitely higher moment; in a word, faults! Psa. xix. 12. How little attention is paid to they typified Him whose soul was made an offering this solemn subject! Sins of this kind-sins commitfor sin, Isa. liii. 10. And taken out of this reference ted sometimes ignorantly, and more frequently heedthey seem both absurd and irrational. It is obviously lessly, are permitted to accumulate in their number, in reference to these innocent creatures being brought and consequently in their guilt; and from this very as sin-offerings to God for the guilty that St. Paul circumstance we may often account for those painful alludes 2 Cor. v. 21, where he says, He (God) made desertions, as they are called, under which many comhim to be sin (μapriav, a sin-offering) for us WHO paratively good people labour. They have committed KNEW NO SIN, that we might be made the righteousness sins of ignorance or heedlessness, and have not offered of God-holy and pure by the power and grace of the sacrifice which can alone avail in their behalf. God, in or through him. And it is worthy of remark, How' necessary in ten thousand cases is the following that the Greek word used by the apostle is the same excellent prayer! "That it may please thee to give by which the Septuagint, in more than fourscore places us true repentance; to forgive us all our sins, negliin the Pentateuch, translate the Hebrew word on gences, and ignorances; and to endue us with the chattaah, sin, which in all those places our translation grace of thy Holy Spirit, to amend our lives according renders sin-offering. Even sins of ignorance cannot to thy HOLY WORD.”—Litany. CHAPTER V. Concerning witnesses who, being adjured, refuse to tell the truth, 1. Of those who contract defilement by touching unclean things or persons, 2, 3. Of those who bind themselves by vows or oaths, and do not fulfil them, 4, 5. The trespass-offering prescribed in such cases, a lamb or a kid, 6; a turtle-dove or two young pigeons, 7-10; or an ephah of fine flour with oil and frankincense, 11–13. Other laws relative to trespasses, through ignorance in holy things, 14-16, Of trespasses in things unknown, 17-19. AND if a soul sin, and hear or known of it; if he do not the voice of swearing, and is utter it, then he shall bear his An. Exod. Isr. 2. a witness, whether he hath seen iniquity. A1 Kings viii, 31; Matt. xxvi. 63, A. M. 2514, An. Exod. Isr. 2. NOTES ON CHAP. V. Verse 1. If a soul sin] It is generally supposed that the ease referred to here is that of a person who, A. M. 2514. Abib or Nisan. b Ver. 17; chap. vii. 18; xvii. 16; xix. 8; xx. 17; Num. ix. 13. being demanded by the civil magistrate to answer upon oath, refuses to tell what he knows concerning the subject; such a one shall bear his iniquity—shall |