11 Neither shall he go in to any dead body, nor defile himself for his father, or for his mother; 12 Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for P the crown of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD.. 13 And he shall take a wife in her virginity. 14. A widow, or a divorced woman, or profane, or a harlot, these shall he not take: but he shall take a virgin of his own people to wife. 15 Neither shall he profane his seed among his people: for I the LORD do sanctify him. Chap. x. 6.—————a Num. xix. 14; see ver. 1, 2.— Chap. x. 7. Exod. xxviii. 36; chap. viii. 9, 12, 30.4 Ver. 7; Ezek. xliv. 22. Ver. 8. marriages of the priest 16 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. An. Exod. Isr. 2. Abib or Nisan. 17 Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God. t 8 represents. see the note on Gen. xiv. 18. As the chief or high A deformed person, though consummate priest was a representative of our blessed Lord, there-in diplomatic wisdom, would never be employed as an fore he was required to be especially holy; and he is ambassador by any enlightened court, if any fit person, represented as God's king among the people.. Verse 12. The crown of the anointing oil—is upon him] By his office the priest represented Christ in his sacrificial character; by his anointing, the prophetic influence; and by the crown, the regal dignity of our Lord. Verse 13. He shall take a wife in her virginity.] na bethuleyha. This is a full proof that in bethulah is the proper Hebrew term for a virgin; from the emphatic root bathal, to separate; because such a person was in her separate state, and had never been in any way united to man. Verse 17. Whosoever-hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God.] Never was a wiser, a more rational, and a more expedient law enacted relative to sacred matters. The man who ministers in holy things, who professes to be the interpreter of the will of God, should have nothing in his person nor in his manner which cannot contribute to render him respectable in the eyes of those to whom he ministers. If, on the contrary, he has any personal defect, any thing that may render him contemptible or despicable, his usefulness will be greatly injured, if not entirely prevented. If however a man have received any damage in the work of God, by persecution or otherwise, his scars are honourable, and will add to his respectability. But if he be received into the ministry with any of the blemishes specified here, he never will and never can have that respect which is essentially necessary to secure his usefulness. Let no man say this is a part of the Mosaic law, and we are not bound by it. It is an eternal law, founded on reason, propriety, common sense, and absolute necessity. The priest, the prophet, the Christian minister, is the representative of Jesus Christ; let nothing in his person, carriage, or doctrine, be unworthy of the personage he unblemished, could possibly be procured. Verse 18, A blind man] That is, in one eye; for he that was utterly blind could not possibly be employed in such a service. A flat nose, like that of an ape ; so the best versions. Any thing superfluous, such as six fingers, six toes, &c. Verse 19. Broken-footed, or broken-handed] Clubfooted, bandy-legged, &c. ; or having the ankle, wrist, or fingers dislocated. -Verse 20. Crook-backed] Hunch-backed or gibbous. A dwarf, pr dak, a person too short or too thin, so as to be either particularly observable, or ridiculous in his appearance. A blemish in his eye] A protuberance on the eye, observable spots or suffusions. Scurvy, or scabbed] A bad habit of body, evidenced by scorbutic or scrofulous affections. Stones broken] Is ruptured; an infirmity which would render him incapable of fulfilling the duties of his office, which might be often very fatiguing. In the above list of blemishes we meet with some that might render the priest contemptible in the eyes of men, and be the means of leading them, not only to despise the man, but to despise the ministry itself; and we meet with others that would be very great impediment in the discharge of his ministerial duties, and therefore any person thus blemished is by this law precluded from the ministry. The blemishes here enumerated have been considered by some in an allegorical point of view, as if only referring to the necessity of moral purity; but although holiness of heart and righteousness of life be essentially necessary in a minister of God, yet an absence of the defects mentioned above is, I fully believe, what God intends here, and for the reasons too which have been already advanced. It must however be None to be made a priest A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. the offerings of the LORD made | nor come nigh unto the altar, An. Exod. Isr. 2. by fire: he hath a blemish; he Abib or Nisan. shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God. A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. because he hath a blemish; that An Exod. Isr. 2. he profane not a my sanctuaries : for I the LORD do sanctify them. Abib or Nisan. 22 He shall eat the bread of his God, both 24 b And Moses told it unto Aaron, and of the most holy, and of the holy. to his sons, and unto all the children of 23 Only he shall not go in unto the veil, Israel. granted, that there have been some eminent divines who have been deformed; and some with certain blemishes have been employed in the Christian ministry, and have been useful, The Mosaic rule, however, will admit of but few exceptions, when even examined according to the more extended interpretation of the Christian system. "The Hebrews say there are in all 120 blemishes which disable the priest―eight in the head, two in the neck, nine in the ears, five in the brows, seven in the eyelids, nineteen in the eyes, nine in the nose, nine in the mouth, three in the belly, three in the back, seven in the hands, sixteen in the secrets, eight in any part of the body, eight in the skin, and seven in the strength and in the breath."-Ainsworth. In ancient times, even among heathens, persons of the most respectable appearance were appointed to the priesthood; and the emperor, both among the ancient Greeks and Romans, was both king and priest. It is reported of Metellus, that, having lost an eye in endeavouring to save the Palladium from the flames, when the temple of Vesta was on fire, he was denied the priesthood, though he had rendered such an excellent piece of service to the public; yet the public opinion was that a priest who was defective in any member was to be avoided as ominous. See Dodd. "At Elis, in Greece, the judges chose the finest looking man to carry the sacred vessels of the deity; he that was next to him in beauty and elegance led the or; and the third in personal beauty, &c., carried the garlands, ribbons, wine, and the other matters used for the sacrifice."-Athen. Deipnosoph., 1. xiii., c. 2. ·Verse 23. He shall not go in unto the veil] priest with a blemish was not permitted to enter into the holy of holies, nor to burn incense, nor to offer the shew-bread, nor to light the golden candlestick, &c. In short, he was not permitted to perform any essential function of the priesthood. 1. THE great perfection required in the Jewish high priest was intended principally to point out the perfection of that priesthood of which the Jewish was only the type. And yet, as the apostle assures us, that law made nothing perfect, but pointed out that most perfect priesthood and sacrifice by which we draw near to God. 2. As none who had a blemish could enter into the holy of holies, and this holy of holies was a type of the kingdom of God, so nothing that is defiled can enter into heaven; for he gave himself for his Church that he might purify it to himself, and present it at last before the presence of the Divine glory having neither spot nor wrinkle, nor any such thing, Eph. v. 27; a passage which evidently refers to the directions in the preceding verse. Reader, art thou become a king and priest unto God and the Lamb and hast thou obtained, or art thou earnestly seeking, that holiness without which thou canst not see the kingdom of heaven? CHAPTER XXII. Of the uncleanness of the priests, by which they were prevented from ministering in holy things, 1–5. How they should be cleansed, 6, 7. The priest must not eat of any animal that had died of itself, or was torn by wild beasts, but must keep God's ordinances, 8, 9. No stranger, sojourner, nor hired servant shall eat of the holy things, 10. A servant bought with money may eat of them, 11. Who of the priest's family may not eat of them, 12, 13.. Of improper persons who partake of the holy things unknowingly, 14-16. Freewill-offerings, and sacrifices in general, must be without blemish, 17-25. The age at which different animals were to be offered to God, 26, 27. No animal and its young shall be offered on the same day, 28. How the sacrifice of thanksgiving was to be offered, 29, 30. All God's testimonies to be observed, and the reason, 31-33. 580 a Laws relating to the A. M. 2514. An. Exod. Isr. 2. b C ANI CHAP. XXII. ND the LORD spake unto 2 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they a separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me: I am the LORD. 3 Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed, among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD. 4 What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hatha frunning issue; he shall not eat of the holy things until he be clean. And whoso toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goeth from-him; 5 Or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness he hath; 6 The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat _b a Num. vi. 3. Chap. xviii. 21.- Exod. xxviii. 38; Num. xviii. 32; Deut. xv. 19.- d Chap. vii. 20. Chap. xv. 2.- Heb. running of the reins. - Chap. xiv. 2; xv. 13. Num. xix. 11, 22. Chap. xv. 16. Chap. xi. 24, 43, 44. 1 Chap. xv. 7, 19.- m Chap. xv. 5; Heb. x. 22. Chap. xxi. NOTES ON CHAP. XXII. uncleanness of the priests. of the holy things, unless he A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. An. Exod. Isr. 2. Abib or Nisan. 7 And when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things; because it is his food. 8 That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I am the LORD. 9 They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, P lest they bear sin for it, and die therefore, if they profane it: I the LORD do sanctify them. 10 There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing a sojourner of the priest, or a hired. servant, shall not eat of the holy thing. 11 But if the priest buy any soul with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house; they shall eat of his meat. 12 If the priest's daughter also be married unto a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things. t V 13 But if the priest's daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto her father's house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father's meat: but there shall no stranger eat thereof. selves' even with the abominations of the heathen; but the servant or slave that was bought with money, ver. 10, might eat of these things, because he was the property of the master for ever. Verse 2. Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves] The same subject is continued in this chapter as in the preceding, with this addition, that besides the perfection of the priests, it was indis- We see that it was lawful, under the Mosaic ecopensably necessary that the sacrifices also should be nomy, to have slaves under certain restrictions; but perfect. In the service of God, according to the these were taken from among the heathen, and inlaw, neither an imperfect offering nor an imperfect structed in the true religion: hence we find, as in the offerer could be admitted. What need then of a above case, that they were reckoned as a part of the mediator between a holy God and sinful men! priest's own family, and treated as such. They cerAnd can we expect that any of our services, how-tainly had privileges which did not extend either to ever sincere and well-intentioned, can be accepted, sojourners or to hired servants; therefore their situaunless offered on that living Altar that sanctifies the gift? Verse 4. Is a leper, or hath a running issue] See the case of the leper treated at large in the notes on chapters xiii. and xiv. ; and for other uncleannesses, see the notes on chap. xv. Verse 10. There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing] For the meaning of the word stranger, see the note on Exod. xii. 43. The Jews suppose that stranger here means one who has had his ear pierced, (see the note on Exod. xxi. 6,) and that sojourner means a servant who is to go free on the Sabbatical year. Neither of these was permitted to eat of the holy things, because they were not properly members of the priest's family, and might go out and defile them tion was incomparably better than the situation of the slaves under different European governments, of whose souls their pitiless possessors in general take no care, while they themselves venture to profess the Christian religion, and quote the Mosaic law in vindication of their system of slavery. How preposterous is such conduct! and how intolerable! Verse 13. But if the priest's daughter be a widow— and is returned unto her father's house] A widow in Bengal not unfrequently returns to her father's house on the death of her husband: the union betwixt her and her own family is never so dissolved as among European nations. Thousands of widows in Bengal, whose husbands die before the consummation of marriage, never leave their parents.-WARD. 14 And if a man eat of the An. Exod. Isr. 2. holy thing unwittingly, then he shall put the fifth part thereof unto it, and shall give it unto the priest with the holy thing. a 17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 18 Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill-offerings, which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt-offering; 19 b Ye shall offer, at your own will, a male without blemish of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats. 20 But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you. 21 And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto the LORD to accomplish Verse 14. Then he shall put the fifth part thereof unto it] The holy thing of which he has unknowingly eaten shall be fairly valued, and to this value he shall add one fifth more, and give the whole to the priest. Verse 20. Whatsoever hath a blemish] The same perfection is required in the sacrifice that was required in the priest; see on ver. 2, and the notes on the preceding chapter. Verse 23. That hath any thing superfluous or lacking] The term y sarua signifies any thing extended beyond the usual size, and the term p kalut signifies any thing unusually contracted; and both mean any monstrosity, whether in redundance or defect. Such things, it seems, might be offered for a freewill-offering, because that was not prescribed by the law; God left it to a man's piety and gratitude to offer such additional gifts as he could: what the law required was indispensably necessary, because it pointed out the Gospel economy; but he that made a vow to offer such a sacrifice as the law had not required, could of course bring an imperfect offering. Some contend that the last clause of this verse should be thus read: If thou offer it either for a freewill-offering, or for a vow, it shall not be accepted. It was the must be without blemish. A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. his vow, or a freewill-offering in beeves or f sheep, it shall be An. Exod. Isr. 2. perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein. Abib or Nisan. 22 Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the LORD. 23 Either a bullock or ai lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill-offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted. 24 Ye shall not offer unto the LORD that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof in your land. n 25 Neither from a stranger's hand shall ye offer m the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them; they shall not be accepted for you. 26 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 27 When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the LORD. Chap. vii. 16; Num. xv. 3, 8; Deut. xxiii. 21, 23; Psa. Ixi. 8; lxv. 1; Eccles. v. 4, 5.- Or, goats. Ver. 20; Mal. i. h Chap. i. 9, 13; iii. 3, 5.- i Or, kid. * Chap. xxi. 18. Num. xv. 15, 16.- mChap. xxi. 6, 17.- Mal. i. 14. • Exod. xxii. 30. 8. ם. opinion of the Jews, and it appears to be correct, that none of these imperfect animals were ever offered on the altar; but the person who made the freewill-offering of such things as he had, sold the animal, and gave its price for the support of the sanctuary. Verse 24. Bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut] That is, no bullock or lamb that is injured in any of the above ways, shall be offered unto the Lord. Verse 25. Their corruption is in them] Viz., they are bruised, crushed, broken, &c. The .Verse 27. When a bullock-is brought forth] This is a most unfortunate as well as absurd translation, The creature called an ox is a bull castrated; surely then a bullock was never yet brought forth! original word shor signifies a bull, a bullock, or indeed any thing of the neat kind: here, even common sense required that it should be translated calf; and did I not hold myself sacredly bound to print the text of the common version with scrupulous exactness, I should translate the former clause of this verse thus, and so enter it into the text: When a CALF, or a LAMB, or a KID is brought forth, instead of, When a bullock, a sheep, or a goat is brought forth, the absurdity of which is glaring." Seven days under the dam] In vindication of the propriety of this precept it may be justly asserted, that the flesh of very young animals is comparatively innutritive, and, that animal food is not sufficiently nourishing and wholesome till the animal has arrived at a certain growth, or acquired the perfection of its nature. There is something brutish in eating the young of beast or fowl before the hair and hoofs are perfect in the one, and the feathers and claws in the other. Before this period their flesh is not good for food. See the note on chap. ix. 1. Verse 28. Ye shall not kill it and her young-in one day.] This precept was certainly intended to inculcate mercy and tenderness of heart; and so the Jews understood it. When it is necessary to take away the lives of innocent animals for the support of our own, we should do it in such a way as not to blunt our moral feelings; and deplore the necessity, while we feel an express gratitude to God for permission, to do it. Verse 30. Leave none of it until the morrow] See the note on chap. vii. 18. Verse 32. Neither shall ye profane my holy name] God's name is profaned or rendered common when we feasts of the Lord. A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. 31 Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: An. Exod. Isr. 2. I am the LORD. 32 Abib or Nisan. Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the LORD which halyou, low 33 W That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD. W V Chap, xviii. 21. Chap. x. 3; Matt. vi. 9; Luke xi. 2. Chap. xx. 8.- - Exod. vi. 7; chap. xi. 45; xix. 36; xxv. 38; Num. xv. 41. treat his commands as we often do those of our fellows, when they do not appear to have self-interest to recommend them. He therefore profanes God's holy name who does not both implicitly believe and conscientiously obey all his words and all his precepts. I will be hallowed among the children of Israel] The words children of Israel, beney Yishrael, which so frequently occur, should be translated either the descendants or posterity of Israel, or the people of Israel. The word children has a tendency to beget a false. notion, especially in the minds of young people, and lead them to think that children, in the proper sense of the word, i. e., little ones, are meant. Verse 33. Brought you out of the land of Egypt] By such a series of miraculous interferences, to be your God to save you from all idolatry, false and superstitious worship, teach you the right way, lead and support you in it, and preserve you to my eternal kingdom and glory: God, infinite in his own perfections, has no need of his creatures; but they need him; and, as a source of endless felicity, he opens himself to all his intelligent offspring, CHAPTER XXIII. The feasts of the Lord, 1, 2. The Sabbath, 3. The passover and unleavened bread, 4-8. A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. An. Exod. Isr. 2. Abib or Nisan. ΑΝ a 2 Speak unto the children of 3 Six days shall work be. Abib or Nisan. Israel, and say unto them, Concerning the done but the seventh day is the Sabbath feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim of rest, a holy convocation; ye shall do no b a Verse 4, 37.- Exodus xxxii. 5; 2 Kings x. 20; Psa. lxxxi. 3. NOTES ON CHAP. XXIII. Verse 2. These are my feasts.] The original word moad is properly applied to any solemn anniversary, by which great and important ecclesiastical, political, or providential facts were recorded; see on Gen. i. 14. Anniversaries of this kind were observed in all nations; and some of them, in consequence of scrupulously regular observation, became chronological Exod. xx. 9; xxiii. 12; xxxi. 15; xxxiv. 21; chap. xix. 3; Deut. v. 13; Luke xiii. 14. epochs of the greatest importance in history the Olympiads, for example. Verse 3. The seventh day is the Sabbath] This, because the first and greatest solemnity, is first mentioned. He who kept not this, in the most religious manner, was not capable of keeping any of the others. The religious observance of the Sabbath stands at the very threshold of all religion. See the note on Gen. ii, 3, |