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Leviticus
Chapter Twenty-two
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 22
In
this chapter several laws are delivered out
forbidding the priests to eat of
holy things
when in any uncleanness
or at any time what dies of itself
or is
torn of beasts
Leviticus 22:1;
also showing who belonging to the priests might or might not eat of the holy
things
Leviticus 22:10;
and others requiring that whatever offerings were brought by the children
of
Israel
they should be perfect and without blemish
Leviticus 22:17;
and also declaring what age a creature should be of when sacrificed
and the
time when thank offerings were to be eaten
Leviticus 22:26;
concluding with an exhortation to observe the commands of God
and sanctify
him
and not profane his name
Leviticus 22:31.
Leviticus 22:1. Then
the Lord
spoke to Moses
saying
YLT 1And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses
saying
And the Lord spake unto Moses
.... Immediately after he
had spoken concerning blemishes in priests
and in a continued discourse
signifying
that though priests that had blemishes might eat of the holy
things
yet neither they
nor even such who had not any
if they were under
legal impurity
might eat of them:
saying; as follows.
Leviticus 22:2.
2 “Speak to Aaron and his
sons
that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of
Israel
and that they do not profane My holy name by what they dedicate
to Me: I am the Lord.
YLT 2`Speak unto Aaron
and unto his sons
and
they are separated from the holy things of the sons of Israel
and they pollute
not My holy name in what they are hallowing to Me; I [am] Jehovah.
Speak unto Aaron and to his sons
.... The priests; the
children of Israel or the common people are not mentioned
as having no concern
in the following laws about eating holy things:
that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children
of Israel; both from offering their lawful sacrifices
which was the
business of their office when pure
and chiefly from eating that part of them
which was their due
and was allowed them; neither of these they were to do
particularly the latter
when they were in any uncleanness
as the following
words show:
and that
they profane not my holy name in those things
which they hallow unto me; which the children of Israel set apart and
devoted to his service; which they would do
by eating their part of them when
unclean
and thereby show little reverence to that holy name to which they were
devoted; or which the priests themselves sanctified
by offering them to him;
for Jarchi says
this takes in the holiness of the priests themselves; but the
former seems best
and is confirmed in Leviticus 22:3
I am the Lord; who is holy himself
and
whose holy things these are
and will be sanctified by those that draw nigh
unto him.
Leviticus 22:3.
3 Say to them: ‘Whoever of
all your descendants throughout your generations
who goes near the holy things
which the children of Israel dedicate to the Lord
while he has
uncleanness upon him
that person shall be cut off from My presence: I am
the Lord.
YLT 3`Say unto them
To your generations
any man
who draweth near
out of all your seed
unto the holy things which the sons of
Israel do sanctify to Jehovah
and his uncleanness on him -- even that person
hath been cut off from before Me; I [am] Jehovah.
Say unto them
whosoever he be of all your seed among your
generations
.... Whether male or female
in all succeeding ages
as long as
the ceremonial law lasted; for females as well as males of the families of the
priests ate of the holy things
provided they had no uncleanness on them
but
if they had
they might not:
that goeth unto the holy things
which the children of Israel
hallow unto the Lord: that approaches to any of the sacrifices which the children of
Israel have devoted to the Lord
either to offer them
or even to touch them
and particularly to eat of them; and so Jarchi and Ben Gersom observe
that
this going or drawing near is no other than eating; for touching only
a man
was not guilty of cutting off:
having his uncleanness upon him; through a leprosy
or
running issue
or touching any unclean person or thing
as the following words
explain it:
that soul shall be cut off from my presence; excluded from
the sanctuary
and the service of it
where the presence of God was; or be
removed out of the world by death
either by the civil magistrate
or by the
hand of God
by an immediate death
by the pestilence
as the Targum of
Jonathan:
I am the Lord; that will avenge the
breach of such a law
able to inflict such punishment
and faithful to
accomplish every word of his
whether in a way of threatening or promise.
Leviticus 22:4. 4 ‘Whatever
man of the descendants of Aaron
who is a leper or has a discharge
shall not eat the holy offerings until he is clean. And whoever touches
anything made unclean by a corpse
or a man who has had an emission of
semen
YLT 4`Any man of the seed of Aaron
and is leprous
or hath an issue -- of the holy things he doth not eat till that he is clean;
and he who is coming against any uncleanness of a person
or a man whose seed
of copulation goeth out from him
What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper
.... A young
or an old man
as the Targum of Jonathan
and indeed man or woman; for the
wives and daughters of the priests
if in this
and other circumstances
following
might not eat of the holy things until cleansed
who otherwise
might
see Leviticus 13:2
or hath a running issue; a gonorrhoea
whether
man or woman
Leviticus 15:2
he shall not eat of the holy things until he be clean; he might eat
of the tithes
but not of the wave breast
or heave shoulder:
and whoso toucheth any that is unclean by the dead; not only that
touched the dead
which made unclean
but that touched any person or thing that
was made unclean by it:
or a man whose seed goeth from him; involuntarily when
asleep
in a dream
and through a lustful imagination; see Leviticus 15:16.
Leviticus 22:5. 5 or
whoever touches any creeping thing by which he would be made unclean
or any
person by whom he would become unclean
whatever his uncleanness may be—
YLT 5or a man who cometh against any teeming thing
which is unclean to him
or against a man who is unclean to him
even any of
his uncleanness –
Or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing
whereby he may be made
unclean
.... Jarchi thinks this respects the measure or quantity of what
is touched
as if but the quantity of a lentil or small pea
see Leviticus 11:31
or a man of whom he may take uncleanness
whatsoever uncleanness
he hath; as of a leper
a profluvious
or a dead man; Jarchi interprets
it of the latter
and of the quantity which defiles
which is that of an olive;
who also observes
that the phrase
"whatsoever uncleanness"
includes touching a profluvious man or woman
a menstruous woman
and a new
mother.
Leviticus 22:6. 6 the
person who has touched any such thing shall be unclean until evening
and shall
not eat the holy offerings unless he washes his body with water.
YLT 6the person who cometh against it -- hath even
been unclean till the evening
and doth not eat of the holy things
but hath
bathed his flesh with water
The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even
.... Which is
the time fixed by the several laws for such uncleannesses
see Leviticus 11:31
and shall not eat of the holy things
unless he wash his flesh
with water; in forty seahs of water
as the Targum of Jonathan; yea
when
the evening is come
he may not eat of the heave or wave offerings
until he
has dipped himself all over in water; nor should any eat of the Lord's supper
under the New Testament
but such as are first baptized in water.
Leviticus 22:7. 7 And
when the sun goes down he shall be clean; and afterward he may eat the holy offerings
because it is his food.
YLT 7and the sun hath gone in
and he hath been
clean
and afterwards he doth eat of the holy things
for it [is] his food;
And when the sun is down he shall be clean
.... Having
washed himself in water
otherwise not
though the sun may be set:
and shall afterwards eat of the holy things; the families
of the priests lived upon:
because it is his food: his common food
his
ordinary diet
that by which he subsists
having nothing else to live upon;
this being the ordination of God
that he which ministered about holy things
should live on them; and these being his only substance
in compassion to him
they were detained from him no longer than the evening; and this was done
to
make him careful how he defiled himself
since thereby he was debarred of his
ordinary meals.
Leviticus 22:8. 8 Whatever
dies naturally or is torn by beasts he shall not eat
to defile
himself with it: I am the Lord.
YLT 8a carcase or torn thing he doth not eat
for
uncleanness thereby; I [am] Jehovah.
That which dieth of itself
or is torn with beasts
.... Whether
fowls or beasts
and even clean ones
which
had they been killed in a proper
manner
were fit to cut
but dying of themselves
or torn to pieces by other
birds or beasts of prey
might not
see Ezekiel 44:31
he shall not eat
to defile himself therewith; being impure
food
at least in a ceremonial sense
and not fit to be eaten; these things
were forbid a common Israelite
and much less might a priest eat of them
see Leviticus 17:15
I am the Lord; who enjoin this
and
expect to be obeyed.
Leviticus 22:9. 9 ‘They
shall therefore keep My ordinance
lest they bear sin for it and die thereby
if they profane it: I the Lord sanctify them.
YLT 9`And they have kept My charge
and bear no
sin for it
that they have died for it when they pollute it; I [am] Jehovah
sanctifying them.
They shall therefore keep mine ordinance
.... The
observance of my word
as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan
of his word of
command; either respecting the not eating of such creatures that died of
themselves
or were torn by beasts; or else the not eating holy things in
uncleanness
so Jarchi and Gersom; but Aben Ezra thinks the sanctuary is
referred to
which was to be kept by the priests
and which seems to agree with
what follows:
lest they bear sin for it: the sanctuary
by
neglecting it
and so be charged with the guilt of sin
and be obliged to bear
the punishment of it:
and die therefore if they profane it; by going into
it in their uncleanness
and eating of the most holy things there when in such
circumstances
and die by the hand of God
as Jarchi and Ben Gersom interpret
it
as Nadab and Abihu did
and even in like manner
by fire
Leviticus 10:1; and
so the Targum of Jonathan
"lest they die by flaming fire:"
I the Lord do sanctify them; the priests
who were
separated from others
and devoted to his service
and therefore ought to be
holy; or the holy things separated for the use of the priests
but not to be
eaten in their uncleanness; the Arabic version renders it
"do sanctify
that"
the sanctuary
and therefore it should not be profaned
but be kept
pure and holy.
Leviticus 22:10. 10 ‘No
outsider shall eat the holy offering; one who dwells with the priest
or
a hired servant
shall not eat the holy thing.
YLT 10`And no stranger doth eat of the holy thing;
a settler of a priest and an hireling doth not eat of the holy thing;
There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing
.... Any one
of the holy things
as the heave shoulder
wave breast
&c. by a
"stranger" is not meant one of another nation; though indeed all such
were called strangers
and might not eat of these things
Ephesians 2:12; but
one that was not of the family of a priest
though he might be an Israelite
and even a Levite; anyone that was not of the seed of Aaron
as Aben Ezra; any
common man or laic
as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan
excepting those
after mentioned:
a sojourner of the priests
or an hired servant
shall not eat of
the holy thing: by the former is not intended an Heathen
a proselyte of the
gate
one that has renounced idolatry
and so permitted to live among the
Israelites
of it uncircumcised
who is often understood by one that sojourneth
in the gate
but here an Israelitish sojourner; and so the Targum of Jonathan
expressly has it
"a son of an Israelite
who is a sojourner of the
priests;'not that is a guest for a short time
or a boarder with him; for if he
may not eat of the holy things
what must he live on while with him? but one
that dwells in some part of his house: and by the latter is meant anyone that
is hired by the day
or week
or year
and when the time is expired is at his
liberty; though the Jewish writers commonly
and particularly Jarchi
interpret
the sojourner of the servant that has his ear bored
and is bought with money
until the year of jubilee
and serves for ever; and the hireling of one that is
purchased for years
and goes out in the sixth year; but the above objection
will lie against these.
Leviticus 22:11. 11 But if the priest buys a
person with his money
he may eat it; and one who is born in his house may eat
his food.
YLT 11and when a priest buyeth a person
the
purchase of his money
he doth eat of it
also one born in his house; they do
eat of his bread.
But if the priest buy any soul with his money
he shall eat
of it
.... Whether any of his own nation
who sometimes
when become
poor
were obliged to sell themselves; or a stranger
as the Targum of
Jonathan; one of another nation
a Canaanitish servant
as Jarchi. Now these
being his own purchase
and always to abide with him
became part of his
family
and so might eat of the provisions of it; and it is from hence the Jews
gather
as Jarchi and Gersom
that his wife might eat of the holy things
because bought with his money; but there is a better reason to be given for
that
for of whatever family she was before
whether of the priests or not
by
marriage she became a part
yea
a principal of his family
being one flesh
with him
bearing the same name
and entitled to all the privileges of his
house. This is extended by some Jewish writersF12Misn. Trumot
c.
11. sect. 9. & Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. Hilchot Trumot
c. 6. sect.
1. to cattle
for by any soul they understood also the soul of a beast
which
being bought by the priest's money
might eat of the offerings of the tithes:
and he that is born in his house; they shall eat of his meat; whether male
or female
as Aben Ezra; these are children of handmaids
as Jarchi
that were
bought with his money; and these children being born of them
became his
property
and part of his family
and so had a right to the provisions of his
house. All this may teach us
that the holy ordinances of the Gospel are not to
be administered to strangers
persons destitute of the grace of God
nor to
such as are not of the family or church of God
but to such as are bought and
redeemed with the blood of Christ
the high priest
and are born again of his
Spirit and grace.
Leviticus 22:12. 12 If
the priest’s daughter is married to an outsider
she may not eat of the holy
offerings.
YLT 12`And a priest's daughter
when she is a
strange man's
-- she
of the heave-offering of the holy things doth not eat;
If the priest's daughter also be married to a stranger
.... Not to an
Heathen
but to any Israelite
that is
a common man
or a layman
as the
Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan
one that is not a priest; but is married
either to a Levite
or an Israelite
as Jarchi:
she may not eat of an offering of the holy things; the heave
shoulder or wave breast
&c. being removed into another family by marriage
she is not reckoned of her father's family
and so had no more a right to eat
of the holy things.
Leviticus 22:13. 13 But
if the priest’s daughter is a widow or divorced
and has no child
and has
returned to her father’s house as in her youth
she may eat her father’s food;
but no outsider shall eat it.
YLT 13and a priest's daughter
when she is a widow
or cast out
and hath no seed
and hath turned back unto the house of her
father
as [in] her youth
of her father's bread she doth eat; but no stranger
doth eat of it.
But if the priest's daughter be a widow or divorced
.... If her
husband be dead
or if living
and she is put away by him
whether a Levite
or
an Israelite:
and have no child: by him
as the Targum of Jonathan and
Jarchi add
nor is with child by him:
and is returned to her father's house
as in her youth
she shall
eat of her father's meat; not of all
or any part
only of some
of the heave offering
but not of the shoulder or breast
which is the tradition of the wise men
as
MaimonidesF13In Misn. Yebamot
c. 9. sect. 6. relates. There are two
cases in this affair excepted by them
which they suppose are implied in this
clause; the one is
if she is detained and reserved for her husband's brother
according to the law in Deuteronomy 25:5;
she being without children; and so the Targum of Jonathan adds
"and is not
kept or reserved for her husband's brother
'which is implied by her being
returned to her father's house; and the other is
if she is with child; for
though she had no children by her husband
yet if she is pregnant
that made
her unlawful to eat of the holy things; for then she is not as in her youthF14Misn
Yebamot
c. 7. sect. 4. & Bartenora in ib. . The Jewish canon concerning
such a person runs thusF15Misn. Yebamot
c. 9. sect. 6. ; the
daughter of a priest
married to an Israelite
may not eat of the heave
offering; if he dies
and she has a son by him
she may not eat of the heave
offering; if she is married to a Levite
she may eat of the tithes: if he dies
and she has a son by him
she may eat of the tithes: if she is married to a
priest
she may eat of the heave offering; if he dies
and she has a son by
him
she may eat of the heave offering; if her son by the priest dies
she may
not eat of the heave offering; if her son by the Levite dies
she may not eat
of the tithes; if her son by an Israelite
she may return to her father's
house
as it is said Leviticus 22:13
but there shall no stranger eat thereof; as not anyone
of another nation
so not anyone of another family beside the priest's
no
not
the son of a priest's daughter by an Israelite
which some think is principally
intended; and so Aben Ezra remarks this is said of a son
if she had any
and
upon whose account she herself might not eat.
Leviticus 22:14. 14 ‘And
if a man eats the holy offering unintentionally
then he shall restore a
holy offering to the priest
and add one-fifth to it.
YLT 14`And when a man doth eat of a holy thing
through ignorance
then he hath added its fifth part to it
and hath given [it]
to the priest
with the holy thing;
And if a man eat of the holy thing unwittingly
.... Either
not knowing that it is an holy thing
or the heave offering
or any thing of
that kind; or else is ignorant of the punishment of such an action
as Gersom
observes; and this is to be understood of any man that was not a priest
or was
not of the priest's family
even any common Israelite; so the Targum of
Jonathan
a man of Israel
or an Israelite
one of the common people:
then he shall put a fifth part thereof unto it; a fifth part
of the value of what he has eaten
to an equivalent for the whole
that is
he
shall pay the full value for what he has eaten
and a fifth part besides:
and shall give it to the priest with the holy thing; the meaning
is
that he shall give the fifth part to the priest
with the equivalent for
what he has eaten; for he could not give the holy thing itself
but a
compensation for it; according to Gersom
he was to give the principal to the
priest
whose the holy thing was he ate of
and the fifth part he might give to
what priest he would. The Jewish canon
concerning this matter
runs thus; he
that ignorantly eats the heave offering pays the principal
and the fifth part;
and the same
either he that eats
or drinks
or anoints; and whether the heave
offering be clean or unclean
he pays the fifth
and the fifth of the fifth;
and he does not pay the heave offering but of common things
rightly ordered
and they become an heave offering
and the compensation of it; and if the
priest would forgive
he may notF16Misn. Trumot
c. 6. sect. 1. .
Leviticus 22:15. 15 They
shall not profane the holy offerings of the children of Israel
which
they offer to the Lord
YLT 15and they do not pollute the holy things of
the sons of Israel -- that which they lift up to Jehovah
And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of
Israel
which they offer unto the Lord. By causing or suffering
strangers to eat of them; so Jarchi
referring the words to the priests
who
should be careful that strangers ate not of sacred things; or by the strangers
themselves eating them
whereby they were profaned and used as common things.
Leviticus 22:16. 16 or
allow them to bear the guilt of trespass when they eat their holy offerings;
for I the Lord
sanctify them.’”
YLT 16nor have caused them to bear the iniquity of
the guilt-offering in their eating their holy things; for I [am] Jehovah
sanctifying them.'
Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass
.... The
punishment of sin: either the strangers:
when they eat their holy things; the holy things
belonging to the priests
which they permitting them to do
suffer them to be
liable to the punishment incurred thereby
or else the priests themselves; so
the Septuagint version renders the word "themselves"; and in like
manner Jarchi interprets it; and then the sense may be
according to the
Targums of Jonathan and Onkelos
that the priests shall bear the punishment of
their sins
"when they shall eat the holy things in uncleanness
'which is
what is forbidden them in the former part of the chapter; but this seems to be
too remote; rather the former sense is best:
for I the Lord do sanctify them; both the priests
to
whom the holy things belong
and the holy things for their use
and the use of
their families
and them only.
Leviticus 22:17. 17 And
the Lord
spoke to Moses
saying
YLT 17And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses
saying
And the Lord spake unto Moses
.... At the same time;
for having said many things concerning the holiness of priests
whose business
it was to offer sacrifices
he adds various things concerning the nature
condition
and circumstances of the sacrifices they were to offer:
saying
as follows.
Leviticus 22:18. 18 “Speak
to Aaron and his sons
and to all the children of Israel
and say to them:
‘Whatever man of the house of Israel
or of the strangers in Israel
who offers
his sacrifice for any of his vows or for any of his freewill offerings
which
they offer to the Lord
as a burnt offering—
YLT 18`Speak unto Aaron
and unto his sons
and
unto all the sons of Israel
and thou hast said unto them
Any man of the house
of Israel
or of the sojourners in Israel
who bringeth near his offering
of
all his vows
or of all his willing offerings which they bring near to Jehovah
for a burnt-offering;
Speak unto Aaron
and to his sons
.... The priests
whose
work it was to offer sacrifices
and therefore it behoved them to know what
kind and sort were to be offered by them
when brought to them:
and unto all the children of Israel: who were to bring the
sacrifices
and for whom they were to be offered
and therefore should be
acquainted with the nature and kind of what would be acceptable to God
and
what not:
and say unto them
whatsoever he be of the house of Israel; this phrase
includes women and servants
and even Gentiles
as say the Jewish writersF17T.
Bab. Cholin
fol. 13. 2. Bartenora in Misn. Shekalim
c. 1. sect. 5.
who may
vow vows
and make voluntary gifts
as well as the Israelites:
or of the strangers in Israel: those of other nations
that dwelt there
either proselytes of the gate
or proselytes of
righteousness
so Ben Gersom; and Aben Ezra observes
that the text speaks of
the stranger
because there is some reason in the vows and freewill offerings
of an Israelite and stranger
as follows:
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; the wise men
as Aben Ezra observes
distinguish between a vow and a freewill offering; every
vow is a freewill offering
but every freewill offering is not a vow; and
though these were both of them sorts of peace offerings
yet they were not
received from Gentiles under that notion
but as burnt offerings
because they
were offered in devotion to God
and not to be eaten by Israelites; so
MaimonidesF18Hilchot Maaseh Hakorbanot
c. 3. sect. 2
3. says
they
do not receive from Gentiles but burnt offerings only
as it is said Leviticus 22:25
"neither from a stranger's hand"
&c. even burnt offerings of
fowls they receive from a Gentile
though he be an idolater; but they do not
receive of them peace offerings
nor meat offerings
nor sin offerings
nor
trespass offerings; and so burnt offerings
which do not come by way of a vow
or a freewill offering
they do not receive from Gentiles
as the burnt
offering of a new mother and the like unto it; a Gentile that brings peace
offerings
they offer them as burnt offerings
because the heart of the Gentile
is towards heaven.
Leviticus 22:19. 19 you shall offer of your own
free will a male without blemish from the cattle
from the sheep
or from the
goats.
YLT 19at your pleasure a perfect one
a male of the
herd
of the sheep or of the goats;
Ye shall offer at your own will
.... For vows and freewill
offerings were at their own option
and depended on their own will and
pleasure
and when offered should be with a willing mind
and from their whole
heart: or "for good will to you"; as the Targums of Onkelos and
Jonathan; or for gracious
acceptation
that is
that they might be well
pleasing to God
and acceptable in his sight
so Jarchi; in order to which the
following direction was strictly to be observed:
a male without blemish
of the beeves
of the sheep
and of the
goats; bullocks
sheep
and goats
were the only sorts of beasts
out
of which sacrifices were taken
and those that were for burnt offerings were
always to be males
and unblemished
see Leviticus 1:3; but
for other offerings
as peace offerings and sin offerings
females might be
used
see Leviticus 3:1.
Fowls are not mentioned
though burnt offerings were of them
because it was
not required in them
only of beasts
that they should be males
and without
blemish; for
as Jarchi observes
these were not rejected on account of a
blemish
only for want of a member.
Leviticus 22:20. 20 Whatever
has a defect
you shall not offer
for it shall not be acceptable on your
behalf.
YLT 20nothing in which [is] blemish do ye bring
near
for it is not for a pleasing thing for you.
For whatsoever hath a blemish
that shall ye not offer
.... Which is
the general rule
the particulars of which are after given
and which has been
imitated by the Heathens. The Egyptians
as they only sacrificed the males of
beeves
so they were very curious in examining them
that they might be
entirely pure and perfectF19Heredot. Euterpe
sive
l. 2. c. 38. ;
and it was a custom among the Romans
that such sheep should be chosen for
sacrifice
in which there was nothing wantingF20Servius in Virgil.
Aeneid. l. 4. ; and so
among the Grecians
HomerF21Iliad. 1. ver.
66. speaks of perfect goats offered in sacrifice to appease the gods:
for it shall not be acceptable for you; be grateful
to God
and accepted by him on their account
if blemished; see Malachi 1:13.
Leviticus 22:21. 21 And whoever offers a
sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord
to fulfill his
vow
or a freewill offering from the cattle or the sheep
it must be perfect to
be accepted; there shall be no defect in it.
YLT 21`And when a man bringeth near a sacrifice of
peace-offerings to Jehovah
to complete a vow
or for a willing-offering
of
the herd or of the flock
it is perfect for a pleasing thing: no blemish is in
it;
And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offering unto the Lord
.... This
as
Ben Gersom observes
is distinguished from a burnt offering; for though it was
to be perfect
and without blemish
yet not obliged to be a male as that
Leviticus 3:1. This
was either by way of thanksgiving for mercies received
Leviticus 7:12
or
to accomplish his vow; made in any distress
that if God would deliver him
then he would offer such a sacrifice:
or a freewill offering; either on account of
favours received
or in order to obtain them: which sacrifice
whether
in beeves or sheep; whether in bullocks or sheep
under which
are comprehended goats
both being of the flock
Leviticus 22:19
it shall be perfect to be accepted; perfect in all its
parts
not only in those that are without and obvious to view
but in those
that are within: wherefore the Jewish writers sayF23Maimon. Hilchot
Issure Mizbeach
c. 2. sect. 11.
if it had but one kidney
or the spleen was
consumed
it was unfit for the altar; wherefore
in order to be an acceptable
sacrifice to God
it was to be complete in all respects:
there shall be no blemish therein; which is repeated for
the confirmation of it
and that it might be observed. Such sacrifices were
typical of Christ
the immaculate Lamb of God
who offered himself without spot
to him
1 Peter 1:19; and
shows that no sacrifice of man's can be so acceptable to God as to atone for
him
since none of theirs are perfect
and without blemish.
Leviticus 22:22. 22 Those
that are blind or broken or maimed
or have an ulcer or eczema or scabs
you shall not offer to the Lord
nor make an offering by
fire of them on the altar to the Lord.
YLT 22blind
or broken
or maimed
or having a wen
or scurvy
or scabbed -- ye do not bring these near to Jehovah
and a
fire-offering ye do not make of them on the altar to Jehovah.
Blind
or broken
or maimed
.... Which is
"blind" of one eye
or both: and so the Egyptians
as they would not
sacrifice any of their oxen that had any blemishes on them
and were of a
different colour
or changed in their form
so likewise such that were deprived
of either of their eyesF24Chaeremon. apud Porphyr. de Abstinentia
l. 4. sect. 7. . Some
as Aben Ezra observes
restrain that which is
"broken" to its being broken in the head; but others interpret it of
any fracture of the foot
as well as the head
and even of the tail
side
or
rib; though others think
that such fractures as were not open and visible are
excepted
as that of the rib; so Gersom; and with the Heathens
as PlinyF25Nat.
Hist. l. 8. c. 45. would have remarked
as they were not used to sacrifice
calves
brought on men's shoulders
so neither anything that halted: that which
is maimed some understand of that whose foot is broken
as Aben Ezra also
remarks; but the word is by the Septuagint rendered
"cut in the
tongue"; and the Targum of Jonathan
"whose eyebrows are smitten";
and Jarchi seems to take in both
interpreting it the eyebrow which is cut or
broken
and so the lip
which is cut or broken: but it is rather to be
understood more generally of its being maimed or mutilated in any part of it;
so with the Heathens
as PorphyryF26De Abstinentia
l. 2. sect. 23.
affirms
beasts that were mutilated were not to be sacrificed; and in the
ComedianF1Aristoph. Acharnens. ver. 784.
a sacrifice is objected
to
because it had no tail; upon which the Scholiast observes
that whatever
was mutilated was not offered in sacred services
nor was any thing imperfect
or unsound sacrificed to the gods; and particularly ServiusF2In
Virgil. Aeneid. l. 6. remarks
if their tongues were cut or slit; which
illustrates the Septuagint version
which is observed by Grotius:
or having a wen: or full of warts
as others; the Targum of
Jonathan is
whose eyes are smitten with a mixture of white and black; and so
Gersom interprets it of a like defect in the eye
in the white of the eye; for
he says
if it was in the black or pupil of the eye
the eye would be blind:
or scurvy or scabbed: the same of those in
men; See Gill on Leviticus 21:20
ye shall not offer these unto the Lord; any creatures
defective in any of these instances; three times this is said
as Jarchi
observes
to make them careful concerning the sanctification of them
and
concerning the slaying of them
and concerning the sprinkling of their blood:
nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the Lord; a burnt
offering on the altar of burnt offering
or burn the fat of them upon it.
Leviticus 22:23. 23 Either
a bull or a lamb that has any limb too long or too short you may offer as a
freewill offering
but for a vow it shall not be accepted.
YLT 23`As to an ox or a sheep enlarged or dwarfed
-- a willing-offering ye do make it
but for a vow it is not pleasing.
Either a bullock
or a lamb that hath anything superfluous
or lacking in its parts
.... That has either more
members than it should have
as five feet
or two gristles in an ear
as Gersom
says
or has fewer than it should have; or
as Jarchi
that has one member
longer or shorter than another
as the leg or thigh; according to the Targum of
Jonathan
that is redundant in its testicles
or deficient therein; the
Septuagint version is
that hath its ear or its tail cut; and so the Vulgate Latin
version:
that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering: for the
repair of the sanctuary or temple
as Jarchi and Gersom; money
or the value of
the sacrifices
might be given to the priests for that use
but according to
them might not be offered upon the altar: but it rather seems to be an
exception to the above law
and allows of the sacrifice of them for freewill
offering
though not for a vow
as it follows
but for a vow it shall not be accepted; because the
other was according to a man's will and pleasure
and he might bring what he
would on that account; but when he made a vow that he would offer such a
sacrifice
it must be of creatures that were perfect
and without blemish.
Leviticus 22:24. 24 ‘You
shall not offer to the Lord
what is bruised or crushed
or torn or cut; nor shall you make any offering
of them in your land.
YLT 24As to a bruised
or beaten
or enlarged
or
cut thing -- ye do not bring [it] near to Jehovah; even in your land ye do not
do it.
Ye shall not offer unto the Lord that which bruised
or crushed
or broken
or cut
.... The Targum of Jonathan is
whose testicles are pressed and
bruised
and whose nerves are corrupted and bruised
and so most Jewish writers
interpret it:
neither shall you make any offering thereof in your land; any offering
of any sort
either burnt offering or peace offering
or any other; or ye shall
not do
that is
any such thing as here suggested
not bruise
or crush
or
break
or cut the testicles of any creature; so the above writers.
Leviticus 22:25. 25 Nor
from a foreigner’s hand shall you offer any of these as the bread of your God
because their corruption is in them
and defects are in
them. They shall not be accepted on your behalf.’”
YLT 25And from the hand of a son of a stranger ye
do not bring near the bread of your God
of any of these
for their corruption
[is] in them; blemish [is] in them; they are not pleasing for you.'
Neither from a stranger's hand shall ye offer the bread of your
God of any of these
.... That is
from a Gentile
a proselyte of the gate
who had
renounced idolatry
and was willing to offer sacrifice to the true God; but
what had such defects and blemishes in them as before described the priest
might not take of his hands
and offer on the altar of God; and this is the
rather observed
because on the one hand the Gentile might think such
sacrifices would be acceptable
since he might have been used to offer such to
idols; and on the other hand
the priest might think such would do well enough
for Gentiles
though not for Israelites:
because their corruption is in them; or they are
corrupt through being bruised
crushed
broken
or cut:
and blemishes be in
them; which seems to be added to explain the former
and may have
respect to all the blemishes before named
and whatsoever is included in them;
for though there are but here mentioned
the Jews reckon no less than fiftyF3Maimon.
Hilchot Biath Hamikdash
c. 7. sect. 1
&c. :
they shall not be accepted for you; to make atonement for
you; Jarchi says
or "from you"
the priests; they shall not be
accepted of the Lord from their hands
and so be of no avail to the offerers
nor to those for whom they are offered.
Leviticus 22:26. 26 And
the Lord
spoke to Moses
saying:
YLT 26And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses
saying
And the Lord spake unto Moses
.... At the same time
as
before
in a continued discourse
the subject being of the same kind
relating
to sacrifices:
saying
as follows.
Leviticus 22:27. 27 “When
a bull or a sheep or a goat is born
it shall be seven days with its mother;
and from the eighth day and thereafter it shall be accepted as an offering made
by fire to the Lord.
YLT 27`When ox or lamb or goat is born
and it hath
been seven days under its dam
then from the eighth day and henceforth
it is
pleasing for an offering
a fire-offering to Jehovah;
When a bullock
or a sheep
or a goat
is brought forth
.... Those
three are only mentioned
because they were only made use of in sacrifice
to
which this law refers:
then it shall be seven days under the dam; whether a
calf
or a lamb
or a kid of the goats; it was not to be taken from its dam and
killed
either for food or sacrifice
before it was seven days old: Fagius
says
the Hebrews give two reasons why a creature might not be offered before
the eighth day; one is
that a sabbath might pass over it
nothing being
perfect and consistent without it
that giving
as they sayF4Tzerer
Hammor
fol. 104. 2. perfection and consistence to all the things of the world;
and the other
as the heavens and the earth being perfected in seven days
a
creature which lives so long seems to be
as it were
perfect; but he observes
if we inquire after the mystical sense of it
a better reason is to be given
namely
that Christ
the type of all the sacrifices
was not to be offered
or
suffer death in his infancy
which Herod contrived
but at man's estate; and to
show that no man is fit to be a propitiatory sacrifice
through weakness and
inability
being unable to stand before the justice of God
only Christ
in
whom is perfection of strength:
and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for
an offering made by fire unto the Lord; become an acceptable
burnt offering to God; so PlinyF5Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 51. says
that
the young of sheep are fit for sacrifice on the eighth day
and of an ox on the
thirtieth day; see Exodus 22:30.
Leviticus 22:28. 28 Whether it is a cow or ewe
do not kill
both her and her young on the same day.
YLT 28but an ox or sheep -- it and its young one
ye do not slaughter in one day.
And whether it be cow or ewe
.... Or "an ox or
sheep"F6שור או
שה "bovem vel pecus"
Pagninus
Montanus
&c.
for this law
as Aben Ezra says
respects both male and female
and
neither the one nor the other with their young might be slain; though Jarchi
says
the custom is concerning the female
for it is forbidden to slay the dam
and its son
or daughter; but it is not the custom concerning males
wherefore
it is lawful to slay the father and the son:
ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day; or
"it
and its son"F7אתו ואת
בנו "ipsum et filium ejus"
Pagninus
Montanus
&c.
the young
whether of a cow or ewe
and whether it be male
or female; though Gersom observes
that this law takes place only in the dam
and its female young
and not in the father and the son; for it is not
manifest
in many animals
who is their father
wherefore he is not guilty of
stripes
if the father and his son are slain in one day
even though it is
known it is its father: the reason of the law seems to be
to encourage mercy
and pity
and to discourage cruelty: hence the Targum of Jonathan is
"and
my people
the children of Israel
as our Father is merciful in heaven
so be
ye merciful on earth: a cow
or a sheep
&c.'
Leviticus 22:29. 29 And
when you offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord
offer it
of your own free will.
YLT 29`And when ye sacrifice a sacrifice of
thanksgiving to Jehovah
at your pleasure ye do sacrifice
And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the Lord
.... Which was
a sort of peace offering
distinct from freewill offerings and vows before
spoken of:
offer it at your own will; just what they pleased
whether a bullock
a sheep
or a goat
and whether a male or female; these were
left to their own option
or for acceptation to you
as the Targum of Jonathan
and so Jarchi; that is
it was right in them
and they ought to be careful to
offer it in such manner
that it might be acceptable to God
by observing the
rules given concerning it
particularly what follows.
Leviticus 22:30. 30 On
the same day it shall be eaten; you shall leave none of it until morning: I am
the Lord.
YLT 30on that day it is eaten
ye do not leave of
it till morning; I [am] Jehovah;
On the same day it shall be eaten up
.... Which is
the law concerning it; See Gill on Leviticus 7:15
ye shall leave none of it till the morning; of another
day
as the Vulgate Latin version adds
and much less the fat of them
and the
most holy things
as Ben Gersom observes
the one being to be burnt upon the
altar
the other to be eaten by the priests
I am the Lord; who has made this law
and expect it will be observed.
Leviticus 22:31. 31 “Therefore you shall keep
My commandments
and perform them: I am the Lord.
YLT 31and ye have kept my commands
and have done
them; I [am] Jehovah;
Therefore shall ye keep my commandments
and do them
.... Both
priests and people
even all the commandments delivered at this time
as well
as all others; these they were to observe and take notice of
and keep them in
memory
and put them in practice:
I am the Lord; See Gill on Leviticus 22:30.
Leviticus 22:32. 32 You
shall not profane My holy name
but I will be hallowed among the children of
Israel. I am the Lord
who sanctifies you
YLT 32and ye do not pollute My holy name
and I
have been hallowed in the midst of the sons of Israel; I [am] Jehovah
sanctifying you
Neither shall ye profane my holy name
.... By
transgressing the laws of God
particularly by offering blemished sacrifices
or before the proper tithe; or by slaying the dam and its young on one day;
for
as Aben Ezra observes
this is said to the sons of Aaron:
but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel; by his
priests among them
and by themselves
conforming to all the precepts
and
particularly the last mentioned
which respects them
and their eating up the
peace offerings the same day:
I am the Lord which hallowed you; had separated
them from all other people
and had given them holy laws to walk by
through
the observance of which they would be at least externally holy.
Leviticus 22:33. 33 who
brought you out of the land of Egypt
to be your God: I am the Lord.”
YLT 33who am bringing you up out of the land of
Egypt
to become your God; I [am] Jehovah.'
That brought you out of the land of Egypt
to be your God
.... Whereby
he showed himself to be their covenant God and Father
who had a kind and gracious
regard unto them
and which laid them under obligation to fear
serve
and
worship him as their God:
I am the Lord; that hath sovereign
right unto them
and claim upon them
and therefore they ought to be subject to
his will
and observe his laws ordinances.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》