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Leviticus
Chapter Three
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 3
This
chapter contains the law of the peace offerings
and gives an account what they
consisted of
and of the various rites and ceremonies used at them
as of the
bullock and the rites appertaining to that
Leviticus 3:1 and
of the lamb
and of the rites peculiar to it
Leviticus 3:6 and
of the goat
and of the rites belonging to it
Leviticus 3:12 and
the chapter is concluded with a law forbidding the eating of fat and blood
throughout their dwellings for ever
Leviticus 3:17.
Leviticus 3:1. ‘When
his offering is a sacrifice of a peace offering
if he offers it
of the herd
whether male or female
he shall offer it without blemish before
the Lord.
YLT 1`And if his offering [is] a sacrifice of
peace-offerings
if out of the herd he is bringing near
whether male or
female
a perfect one he doth bring near before Jehovah
And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering
.... The
Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan render it
the "sacrifice of
holinesses"
or "sanctifications"; so called
not because they
were more holy than other sacrifices; for they were what the JewsF3Misn.
Zebachim
c. 5. sect. 7. call the lighter holy things
in distinction from the
most holy things
such as the meat offerings were
Leviticus 2:10 but
as Ainsworth suggests
either because none but holy persons might eat of them
Leviticus 7:19
though this also was enjoined in other sacrifices
or because hereby the name
of God was sanctified. These offerings were either by way of thanksgiving for
favours received
or for free devotion
or as a vow
and in order to obtain for
himself that offered and family health and safety
peace and prosperity
see Leviticus 7:11 all
which the word used signifies; and these sacrifices are by the Septuagint
called "sacrifices of salvation" or "health"
because
offered either in gratitude for it
or to enjoy it; or else they were offered
to make peace and reconciliation
and therefore are called peace offerings
and
that they were for this purpose is certain from Ezekiel 45:15 and
Gersom says they had their name from hence
because they bring peace between
God and men; they were a kind of a pacific festival between God
the priests
and the owner
and were typical of Christ
who has made peace for us by his
blood and sacrifice. There is something very offensive to God in sin
it being
a breach of his law
and contrary to his nature and will
provoking to the eyes
of his glory
deserving of wrath
and death itself
and so not only sets man at
a distance from him
but creates an enmity between them; hence a peace offering
became necessary; such an one man could not bring acceptable to God; for
neither his repentance nor good works would do; but Christ has offered up
himself a sacrifice
and thereby has made reconciliation for sin and sinners
and procured peace with God for them; the consequence of which is spiritual
peace here
and eternal peace hereafter; and so is a "sacrifice of
peaces"
as the Hebrew phrase here may be literally rendered
and is the
proper antitype and full completion of this sort of sacrifice:
if he offer it of the herd; that is
a bullock:
whether it be a male or female; as it might
be either; showing
as some think
that in Christ Jesus
and in the Gospel churches
and under the Gospel dispensation
there is no distinction of male and female
with respect to blessings and privileges
Galatians 3:28 or
rather as others
denoting both strength and weakness in Christ; strength in
his obedience
and weakness in his sufferings; strong he was as the man of
God's right hand made so by him
and yet was crucified through weakness:
he shall offer it without blemish before the Lord: signifying
the perfection and purity of Christ's sacrifice of peace offering in the sight
of God: "before the Lord"; this
according to Gersom
was on the west
side of the court.
Leviticus 3:2.
2 And he shall lay his hand
on the head of his offering
and kill it at the door of the tabernacle
of meeting; and Aaron’s sons
the priests
shall sprinkle the blood all around
on the altar.
YLT 2and he hath laid his hand on the head of his
offering
and hath slaughtered it at the opening of the tent of meeting
and
sons of Aaron
the priests
have sprinkled the blood on the altar round about.
And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering
.... "His
right hand with strength"
the Targum of Jonathan says; perhaps both his
hands were imposed; the Septuagint and Arabic versions read it in the plural
number
"hands"; this same rite was used in the sacrifice of burnt
offering; see Gill on Leviticus 1:4;
which might be done in any place in the court where it was slain
only with
this difference: according to MaimonidesF4Maaseh Hakorbanot
c. 3.
sect. 15.
there was no confession of sin made at laying on of hands upon the
peace offerings
but words of praise were spoken:
and kill it at the door of the congregation; it seems as
if it was not the priest
but the owner that brought it
and laid his hands on
it
that killed it; and so the last mentioned writer says
that slaying the
peace offering by a stranger was right; and as he and othersF5Misn.
Zebachim
c. 5. sect. 7. say
it might be slain in any part of the court; it
was not obliged to be slain in the north part of it
as the burnt offering was
Leviticus 1:11.
and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the
altar round about; in like manner as the blood of the burnt offering was
and it
was done with two sprinklings
which were as fourF6Misn. ib. ; See
Gill on Leviticus 1:5 this
was typical of the blood of Christ
called "the blood of sprinkling".
Leviticus 3:3.
3 Then he shall offer from
the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire to the Lord. The fat that
covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails
YLT 3`And he hath brought near from the sacrifice
of the peace-offerings a fire-offering to Jehovah
the fat which is covering
the inwards
and all the fat which [is] on the inwards
And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering
.... That is
the priest
not all of it
but some of it
even what is after mentioned:
an offering made by fire unto the Lord; for what was
offered to the Lord was burnt
and is that part of it which is next mentioned
in this and the following verse:
the fat that covereth the inwards
and all the fat that is upon
the inwards; both that which covered them
and that which stuck to them; and
the fat being the best
it was the Lord's
and offered to him
and denoted
Christ the fatted calf
whose sacrifice is best and most excellent; and which
was typified by that which Abel offered up
and which being of the fat of the
flock
and offered up by faith in Christ's sacrifice
was more excellent than Cain's
Genesis 4:4.
Leviticus 3:4.
4 the two kidneys and the
fat that is on them by the flanks
and the fatty lobe attached to
the liver above the kidneys
he shall remove;
YLT 4and the two kidneys
and the fat which [is]
on them
which [is] on the flanks
and the redundance above the liver
(beside
the kidneys he doth turn it aside)
And the two kidneys
and the fat that is on them
which is by
the flanks
.... Meaning either the two kidneys which were next the flanks
or the fat upon them
which was next to them; these
and the burning of them
may signify the burning zeal and flaming love and affections of Christ for his
people
which instructed him
and put him upon offering himself a sacrifice of
peace offering for them
see Psalm 16:7.
and the caul above the liver
with the kidneys
it shall he take
away; or the caul
which is a thin membrane or skin
in which the
liver is enclosed
with the liver
together with the kidneys
he separated from
the rest in order to burn
at least with a part of the liver; so Jarchi and
Gersom interpret it
that he should take a little of the liver with the caul;
and indeed some think the word rendered "caul" signifies a part of
the liver
that which the Greeks call the "table"
the broader part
of it
like a table; and which word the TalmudistsF7T. Bab. Cholin
fol. 46. 1. retain
who speak of טרפשיה דכבדא
"the table of the liver"; and by which
Jarchi on Exodus 29:13
interprets the caul above the liver
the same as here.
Leviticus 3:5.
5 and Aaron’s sons shall
burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice
which is on the wood that
is on the fire
as an offering made by fire
a sweet aroma to the
Lord.
YLT 5and sons of Aaron have made it a perfume on
the altar
on the burnt-offering which [is] on the wood
which [is] on the fire
-- a fire-offering of sweet fragrance to Jehovah.
And Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar
.... That is
the fat of the several parts before mentioned; this signified the sufferings of
Christ
by which our peace is made
and by whose death we are reconciled to
God: this rite of burning the fat of the inwards of sacrifices was used by the
Pagans
and is still retained by the idolatrous Indians to this dayF8See
the Abridgment of Mr. Brainerd's Journal
published in 1748
p. 30. :
upon the burnt sacrifice; which
as Gersom says
was the burnt offering of the daily sacrifice of the morning
which was offered
first of all sacrifices; so Jarchi says
"we learn that the daily burnt
offering preceded every other offering:'this was an eminent type of Christ's
sacrifice:
which is upon the wood that is on the fire; that is
which burnt offering was laid upon the wood on the fire
and the fat of the
peace offering upon that:
it is an offering
made by fire
of a sweet savour unto the Lord; as Christ's sacrifice
is
Ephesians 5:2; see
Gill on Leviticus 1:9.
Leviticus 3:6. 6 ‘If
his offering as a sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord is of
the flock
whether male or female
he shall offer it without blemish.
YLT 6`And if his offering [is] out of the flock
for a sacrifice of peace-offerings to Jehovah
male or female
a perfect one he
doth bring near;
And if his offering
for a sacrifice of peace offering unto Lord
be of the flock
.... As it might be: and be either male or female; which he
pleased:
he shall offer it without blemish; See Gill on Leviticus 3:1.
Leviticus 3:7. 7 If
he offers a lamb as his offering
then he shall offer it before the Lord.
YLT 7if a sheep he is bringing near [for] his
offering
then he hath brought it near before Jehovah
If he offer a lamb for his offering
.... Which was of the
flock
and must be of the first year; this is a rule laid down by MaimonidesF9Maaseh
Hakorbanot
c. 1. sect. 14.
that where ever this word is used in the law
it
signifies one of the first year:
then shall he offer it before the Lord; bring it into
the court
and present it to the priest.
Leviticus 3:8. 8 And
he shall lay his hand on the head of his offering
and kill it before the
tabernacle of meeting; and Aaron’s sons shall sprinkle its blood all around on
the altar.
YLT 8and hath laid his hand on the head of his
offering
and hath slaughtered it before the tent of meeting
and sons of Aaron
have sprinkled its blood on the altar round about.
And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering
.... The
Targum of Jonathan adds here
as before
"his right hand with
strength:"
and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation; in the court
in any part of it; for
as Gersom says
all places were right for this; the man
that brought it killed it
or the butcher
as the Targum of Jonathan says here
also as on Leviticus 3:2
and Aaron's sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof round about upon
the altar; upon the four horns of it; see Gill on Leviticus 3:2.
Leviticus 3:9. 9 ‘Then
he shall offer from the sacrifice of the peace offering
as an offering made by
fire to the Lord
its fat and the whole fat tail which he shall remove close to the
backbone. And the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is
on the entrails
YLT 9`And he hath brought near from the sacrifice
of the peace-offerings a fire-offering to Jehovah
its fat
the whole fat tail
(over-against the bone he doth turn it aside)
and the fat which is covering
the inwards
and all the fat which [is] on the inwards
And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering
.... That is
the priest
Aaron
or one of his two sons:
an offering made by fire unto the Lord; that part of
it which was to be burnt with fire; and in the peace offering of the lamb there
was something more than in the peace offering of the bullock
or of the goat
which follows:
the fat thereof
and the whole rump
it shall he take off
hard by the backbone; not the rump or tail
but the fat of it; the copulative
"and" is not in the text; wherefore Aben Ezra says
that Gaon was
mistaken in reading it as we do
"the fat there of"
and "the
whole rump"; but it should be rendered
"its fat of the whole
rump"
or "tail": in the eastern countriesF11Vid.
Ludolf. Hist. Ethiop. l. 1. c. 10. sect. 14.
some sheep and lambs had very
large tails
and very fat ones
the least weighing ten or twelve pounds
the
largest above forty
and were put in little carts for ease and safety; see Gill
on Exodus 29:22 now
such as were "whole"
entire
perfect
and without blemish
as the
word signifies
the fat of them that was next to the backbone was to be taken
off of such as were brought for peace offerings:
and the fat that covereth the inwards
and all the fat that is
upon the inwards; as before; See Gill on Leviticus 3:3.
Leviticus 3:10. 10 the
two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the flanks
and the fatty
lobe attached to the liver above the kidneys
he shall remove;
YLT 10and the two kidneys
and the fat which [is]
on them
which [is] on the flanks
and the redundance above the liver
(beside
the kidneys he doth turn it aside)
And the two kidneys
.... The same direction
is given here as about the bullock of the peace offering; see Gill on Leviticus 3:4.
Leviticus 3:11. 11 and the priest shall burn them
on the altar as food
an offering made by fire to the Lord.
YLT 11and the priest hath made it a perfume on the
altar -- bread of a fire-offering to Jehovah.
And the priest shall burn it upon the altar
.... The fat
of the tail
of the inwards
the two kidneys
and the caul of the liver:
it is the food of
the offering made by fire unto the Lord; or "bread";
this part of the offering that was burnt belonged to the Lord; it was his food
and what was accepted of by him
and therefore is elsewhere called the bread of
God
Leviticus 21:8.
Leviticus 3:12. 12 ‘And
if his offering is a goat
then he shall offer it before the Lord.
YLT 12`And if his offering [is] a goat
then he
hath brought it near before Jehovah
And if his offering be a goat
.... As it might be
and
which also was of the flock:
then he shall offer it before the Lord; in the same
place and manner as the bullock and the lamb
Leviticus 3:1
Leviticus 3:13. 13 He
shall lay his hand on its head and kill it before the tabernacle of meeting;
and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle its blood all around on the altar.
YLT 13and hath laid his hand on its head
and hath
slaughtered it before the tent of meeting
and sons of Aaron have sprinkled its
blood on the altar round about;
And he shall lay his hand upon the head of it
.... His right
hand
according to the Targum of Jonathan
as before; the same directions are
given for the killing of it
and for the sprinkling of its blood
as in the offerings
of the bullock and lamb.
Leviticus 3:14. 14 Then
he shall offer from it his offering
as an offering made by fire to the Lord. The fat that
covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails
YLT 14and he hath brought near from it his
offering
a fire-offering to Jehovah
the fat which is covering the inwards
and all the fat which [is] on the inwards
Verse 14-15
And he shall offer thereof his offering
.... The same
rules are laid down about taking the fat off of several parts as in the
sacrifice of the bullock; but nothing is said of the fat of the rump and tail
as is said of the lamb.
Leviticus 3:15. 15 the
two kidneys and the fat that is on them by the flanks
and the fatty lobe attached
to the liver above the kidneys
he shall remove;
YLT 15and the two kidneys
and the fat which [is] upon
them
which [is] on the flanks
and the redundance above the liver
(beside the
kidneys he doth turn it aside)
Leviticus 3:16. 16 and
the priest shall burn them on the altar as food
an offering made by
fire for a sweet aroma; all the fat is the Lord’s.
YLT 16and the priest hath made them a perfume on
the altar -- bread of a fire-offering
for sweet fragrance; all the fat [is]
Jehovah's.
And the priest shall burn them upon the altar
.... Which
shows that not the fat only
but the inwards and the kidneys
were burnt also;
so Maimonides saysF12Ut supra
(Maaseh Hakorbanot) c. 9. sect. 11.
that the priest salted the parts
and burned them upon the altar; and the
priests might not have the breast and shoulder (which were what belonged to
them) until the parts were burnt:
it is the food of
the offering made by fire; which the Lord ate of
or accepted of:
for a sweet savour; as a type of the sweet smelling sacrifice
of Christ
with which he is well pleased:
all the fat is the Lord's; that is
all that was
upon the parts mentioned in the several sacrifices of peace offerings
which
was to be taken off and burnt: though the Jewish writers understand it of all fat
in general
and so interpret the law that follows.
Leviticus 3:17. 17 ‘This
shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your
dwellings: you shall eat neither fat nor blood.’”
YLT 17`A statute age-during to your generations in
all your dwellings: any fat or any blood ye do not eat.'
It shall be a perpetual
statute for your generations
.... That is
unto the end of the Mosaic
dispensation
until the Messiah comes
and his sacrifice is offered up
and his
blood is shed
till that time in all generations: and
throughout all your dwellings; wherever their
habitations should be
it is a law to be observed:
that ye eat neither fat nor blood; the Jewish writers
think
that this is not to be restrained to the fat and blood of sacrifices
because these were not offered in their dwellings
but in the tabernacle and
temple
and therefore interpret it of fat and blood in general; but what fat
and blood are meant may be seen in Leviticus 7:23 the
Targum of Jonathan adds
"but upon the top of the altar it shall be offered
to the name of the Lord
'which seems to restrain it to the sacrifices.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》