| Back to Home Page | Back to Book Index
|
Leviticus
Chapter Twenty-four
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 24
This
chapter treats of the oil for the lamps
and the ordering of them
Leviticus 24:1; of
the making of the shewbread cakes
and the setting of them on the table
Leviticus 24:5; and
an Israelite having blasphemed the name of the Lord
and inquiry being made
what should be done to him
he
and so any other person guilty of the same
is
ordered to be stoned to death
Leviticus 24:10; on
occasion of which several laws are repeated concerning killing a man or a
beast
or doing injury to any man
Leviticus 24:17.
Leviticus 24:1. Then
the Lord
spoke to Moses
saying:
YLT 1And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses
saying
And the Lord spake unto Moses
.... After he had
delivered to him the laws concerning the purity of the priests
and the
perfection of the sacrifices they were to offer
and concerning the feasts the
people were to keep
he spoke to Moses of some other things which concerned
both people and priests:
saying; as follows.
Leviticus 24:2.
2 “Command the children of
Israel that they bring to you pure oil of pressed olives for the light
to make
the lamps burn continually.
YLT 2`Command the sons of Israel
and they bring
unto thee pure olive oil
beaten
for the lamp
to cause a light to go up
continually;
Command the children of Israel
.... Moses was the chief
magistrate under God
and being clothed with authority from him
had power to
command the children of Israel to do what the Lord required of them:
that they bring unto thee pure oil olive
beaten
for the light; this was to
be at the public expense
and it belonged to the community to supply the
priests with oil for the light of the candlestick in the temple
Exodus 25:6; and
this oil was not to be any sort of oil
as train oil
or oil of nuts
almonds
&c. but oil of olives
and not any sort of that
but the purest
which was
the first that was taken from them; it seems there were three sorts
the first
of which was pure
and this beaten in a mortar
and not ground in a mill; See
Gill on Exodus 27:20
to cause the lamps to burn continually; the lamps in
the golden candlestick
which were seven
Exodus 25:37; or
"the lamp"
in the singular number
as it is in the original text;
the western lamp
which is said to be always kept lighted
from which the rest
were lighted when out; though the oil was undoubtedly for the supply of the
lamps
that they might burn always
night and day; or from night tonight
as
Jarchi; and both on sabbath days and working days
as the Targum of Jonathan.
Leviticus 24:3.
3 Outside the veil of the
Testimony
in the tabernacle of meeting
Aaron shall be in charge of it from
evening until morning before the Lord continually; it shall
be a statute forever in your generations.
YLT 3at the outside of the vail of the testimony
in the tent of meeting doth Aaron arrange it from evening till morning before
Jehovah continually -- a statute age-during to your generations;
Without the vail of the testimony
.... That is
on the
outside of the vail which divided between the holy and holy of holies
and
which was before the ark in which the testimony or law was:
in the tabernacle of the congregation; which the
apostle calls the first
namely
the holy place in which the candlestick
with
its lamps
stood
Hebrews 9:2
shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning
before the
Lord continually
that is
the lamp or lamps
or candlestick
in which they were
or the light of them; his business was
and so every priest's that succeeded
him
to supply the lamps with oil
to dress
him
and snuff them
that they
might burn clear
and burn always
and that before the Lord
in the presence of
the Lord:
it shall be a statute for
ever in your generations; until the Messiah should come
the true light
which would put
out all such typical ones
and by his Gospel spread light in all his churches
throughout the world; See Gill on Exodus 27:20 and
See Gill on Exodus 27:21.
Leviticus 24:4.
4 He shall be in charge of
the lamps on the pure gold lampstand before the Lord continually.
YLT 4by the pure candlestick he doth arrange the
lights before Jehovah continually.
He shall order the lamps on the pure candlestick
.... So
called
as Jarchi suggests
for these two reasons
partly because it was made
of pure gold
and partly because it was to be kept pure and clean
and free
from ashes
by the priest; see Exodus 25:31
before the Lord continually; which both respects the
situation of the candlestick
and the work about it
which Aaron was to do
continually before and in the presence of the Lord. Jarchi thinks this ordering
respects the measure of oil for every night
which he says
according to the
wise men
was half a log for every lamp
which was about a quarter of a pint of
oil.
Leviticus 24:5. 5 “And
you shall take fine flour and bake twelve cakes with it. Two-tenths of an
ephah shall be in each cake.
YLT 5`And thou hast taken flour
and hast baked
twelve cakes with it
two tenth deals are in the one cake
And thou shalt take fine flour
.... Of wheat
and the
finest of it:
and bake twelve cakes thereof; answerable to the twelve
tribes
as the Targum of Jonathan
which were typical of the spiritual Israel
of God:
two tenth deals shall be in one cake; that is
two
tenth parts of an ephah
which were two omers
one of which was as much as a
man could eat in one day of the manna: so that one of these cakes was as much
as two men could eat of bread in one day; each cake was ten hands' breadth
long
five broad
and seven fingers its horns
or was so highF7Menachot
c. 11. sect. 4. .
Leviticus 24:6. 6 You
shall set them in two rows
six in a row
on the pure gold table before
the Lord.
YLT 6and thou hast set them two ranks (six in the
rank) on the pure table before Jehovah
And thou shalt set them in two rows
.... The twelve cakes:
six on a row; not by the side of each other
but six upon
one another:
upon the pure table; the shewbread table
so
called because overlaid with pure gold
and kept clean and bright
Exodus 25:24
before the Lord; for this stood in the holy place
in the
same place as the candlestick did
which has the same position
Leviticus 24:4; of
the mystical and typical sense of these cakes; see Gill on Exodus 25:30.
Leviticus 24:7. 7 And
you shall put pure frankincense on each row
that it may be on the bread
for a memorial
an offering made by fire to the Lord.
YLT 7and thou hast put on the rank pure
frankincense
and it hath been to the bread for a memorial
a fire-offering to
Jehovah.
And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row
.... Two cups
of frankincense
in each of which was an handful of it
and which were set by
each row of the cakes
as Jarchi observes:
that it may be on the bread for a memorial; or "for
the bread"
instead of it
for a memorial of it; that being to be eaten by
the priests
and this to be burned on the altar to the Lord
as follows:
even an offering
made by fire unto the Lord; not the bread that was after a time taken
away
and eaten by the priests
but the frankincense.
Leviticus 24:8. 8 Every
Sabbath he shall set it in order before the Lord continually
being
taken from the children of Israel by an everlasting covenant.
YLT 8`On each sabbath-day he arrangeth it before
Jehovah continually
from the sons of Israel -- a covenant age-during;
Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the Lord continually
.... That is
the priest or priests then ministering
who should bring new cakes and place
them in the above order
having removed the old ones
which was done in this
manner; four priests went in
two had in their hands the two rows (of bread)
and two had in their hands two cups (of frankincense); four went before these
two to take away the two rows (of the old bread)
and two to take away the two
cups (of frankincense); and they that carried in stood in the north
and their
faces to the south and they that brought out stood in the south
and their
faces to the north; these drew away (the old bread) and they put them (the
new)
and the hand of the one was over against the hand of the other
as it is
said
"before me continually"
Exodus 25:30 F8Menachot
c. 11. sect. 7. ; that is
at the same time the hands of the one were employed
in taking away
the hands of the other were employed in setting on; so that
there was always bread upon the table:
being taken from the
children of Israel by an everlasting covenant; God requiring it of
them
and they agreeing to give it
as they did
either in meal or in money;
for this was at the expense of the community.
Leviticus 24:9. 9 And
it shall be for Aaron and his sons
and they shall eat it in a holy place; for
it is most holy to him from the offerings of the Lord made by fire
by a perpetual statute.”
YLT 9and it hath been to Aaron
and to his sons
and they have eaten it in the holy place
for it [is] most holy to him
from
the fire-offerings of Jehovah -- a statute age-during.'
And it shall be Aaron's and his sons'
.... The
twelve cakes of the old bread
when taken off the shewbread table; these were
divided between the courses of the priests that carried in and brought out; and
the high priest had half from each course
so that the half was for Aaron or
the high priest
and the other half for his sons
or the priests that
ministeredF9Maimon. Hilchot Tamidin
c. 4. sect. 12
14. :
and they shall eat it in the holy place; in the
tabernacle or some court of it
and not in their own houses: it is said the
shewbread was not eaten sooner than the ninth day
nor after the eleventh; how?
it was baked on the evening of the sabbath
and it was eaten on the sabbath
the ninth day; if a feast day happened to be on the eve of the sabbath
it was
eaten on the tenth; if the two feast days of the beginning of the year so fell
it was eaten on the eleventh dayF11Menachot
c. 11. sect. 9. : the
reason why it was only eaten in the holy place is:
for it is most holy unto him; it was one of the most
holy things
which were only to be eaten by males
and in the sanctuary not as
the light holy things
which were eaten in the houses and families of the
priests
and by their wives and daughters also:
of the offerings of the Lord made by fire
by a perpetual statute; not that the
bread was a burnt offering
but the frankincense upon it
or by it
and so
having a connection with it
the whole is said to be an offering by fire: the
one was given to the priests of the Lord to eat
and the other was consumed on
the altar; and both were an offering to the Lord; and the frankincense being
offered by fire unto the Lord
instead of the bread it was reckoned as if that
was so offered.
Leviticus 24:10. 10 Now
the son of an Israelite woman
whose father was an Egyptian
went out
among the children of Israel; and this Israelite woman’s son and a man
of Israel fought each other in the camp.
YLT 10And a son of an Israelitish woman goeth out
(and he [is] son of an Egyptian man)
in the midst of the sons of Israel
and
strive in the camp do the son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel
And the son of an Israelitish woman
.... Whose name
and the
name of his mother
are afterwards given:
whose father was an Egyptian; Jarchi says
this is the
Egyptian whom Moses slew
Exodus 2:12; and so
others in Abendana:
went out among the children of Israel; went out of
Egypt with them
according to the Targum of Jonathan
and so was one of the
mixed multitude
which came from thence with them
which is not improbable; some
say he went out of Moses's court of judicature; but it is more likely that the
meaning is
he went out of his tent
so Aben Ezra
into the midst of the camp
to claim his rank and place among the people of Israel; though the Jewish
writers
as Jarchi and Aben Ezra
take this phrase
"among the children of
Israel"
to signify that he was a proselyte
and became a Jew
or had
embraced the Jewish religion in all respects:
and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel
strove together in the camp; which man of Israel
according to the
Targum of Jonathan
was of the tribe of Dan
as was the mother of the man he
strove with; what they strove about is not easy to say; Aben Ezra suggests
because this stands connected with the above laws
as if this man had said some
things in a reviling way about the shewbread
the oil
and the offerings
and
so a dispute arose between them
concerning them; but Jarchi says
it was about
the business of the camp
and it is more commonly received that this man claimed
a place to fix his tent on in the tribe of Dan
in right of his mother; but the
other urged
that the order of fixing tents was according to the genealogies
and with the ensigns of their father's house
and therefore he had no right to
rank with them
his father being an Egyptian
and perhaps from words they came
to blows
see Exodus 21:22;
though the Jewish writers understand it of their contending
at least of its
issuing in a judiciary way
before a court of judicature: so it is said
when
Israel dwelt in the wilderness
he (the son of the Egyptian) sought to spread
his tent in the midst of the tribe of Dan
and they would not suffer it
because the ranks of the children of Israel were
every man according to his
rank
with the ensigns according to the genealogy of their fathers; and they
began and contended in the camp
wherefore they went into the court of
judicature
the son of the woman of the daughter of Israel
and the man
a son
of Israel
who was of the tribe of DanF12Targum Jon. in loc. .
Leviticus 24:11. 11 And the Israelite woman’s
son blasphemed the name of the Lord and cursed; and so they
brought him to Moses. (His mother’s name was Shelomith the daughter of
Dibri
of the tribe of Dan.)
YLT 11and the son of the Israelitish woman
execrateth the Name
and revileth; and they bring him in unto Moses; and his
mother's name [is] Shelomith daughter of Dibri
of the tribe of Dan;
And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the Lord
and cursed
.... As they were striving together
or when the trial was over
he being cast
fell into outrageous blasphemies against God
who made such laws
for the civil polity of Israel
and cursed the judges that had given sentence
against him; so the Targum of Jonathan; and so the Jews generally understand by
the "name" blasphemed
the name Jehovah
which he spake out plainly
and which
they say
is ineffable
and ought not to be pronounced but by the
high priest in the sanctuary; but this man expressed it in its proper sound
and made use of it to curse the man that strove with him
or the judge that
judged him; so it is said in the MisnahF4Sanhedrin
c. 7. sect. 5.
"a blasphemer is not guilty until he expresses the name;'but it
undoubtedly means blaspheming God himself
by whatsoever name:
and they brought him unto Moses; having heard his
blasphemy
to charge him with it before him
or in order to have due punishment
inflicted on him: as to the matter of contest between him and the Israelite
that had been decided in a lesser court of judicature
such an one as had been
set up by the advice of Jethro; but though there was full proof of his
blasphemy and cursing
which
perhaps
were expressed in open court; they might
not know what punishment to inflict upon him for so horrid a crime
of which
perhaps
they had never had an instance before
and therefore sent him to
Moses
to whom the hearing and decision of weighty matters belonged; see Exodus 18:22
and his mother's name was Shelomith
the daughter of Dibri
of the tribe of Dan; which is observed
as it should seem
to show in what tribe this
affair happened
and what the quarrel was first about
even a place and rank in
this tribe.
Leviticus 24:12. 12 Then
they put him in custody
that the mind of the Lord might be shown
to them.
YLT 12and he causeth him to rest in charge -- to
explain to them by the mouth of Jehovah.
And they put him in ward
.... In some prison
a
place known in the camp
as Aben Ezra observes:
that the mind of the Lord might be shewed them; for
though
this was a breach of the third command
in which God declares he would not hold
such an one guiltless
Exodus 20:7; yet no
particular punishment being expressed
it was not a clear case whether the Lord
would punish for it himself
by an immediate stroke of his hand
or whether by
the civil magistrate; and if by the latter
in what manner; for though it might
be concluded
without any hesitation
that he was worthy of death
since
cursing father or mother was death
Exodus 21:17; and
much more blaspheming God
yet what death to put him to they might be at a loss
about; or if that was understood of stoning
they might think this deserved a
sorer punishment
and therefore consulted God about it.
Leviticus 24:13. 13 And
the Lord
spoke to Moses
saying
YLT 13And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses
saying
And the Lord spake unto Moses
.... From off the mercy
seat in the holy of holies
where he had promised to meet him and commune with
him about anything he should inquire of him
as he did at this time:
saying; as follows.
Leviticus 24:14. 14 “Take
outside the camp him who has cursed; then let all who heard him lay
their hands on his head
and let all the congregation stone him.
YLT 14`Bring out the reviler unto the outside of
the camp; and all those hearing have laid their hands on his head
and all the
company have stoned him.
Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp
.... To show
that he had no part nor lot in Israel
and that he was unworthy to be a member
of their civil community
or of their church state; and
besides
the place of
stoning
or where malefactors suffered any kind of death
was without the camp
as afterwards without the city
see Hebrews 13:12
let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head; the Targum of
Jonathan adds
"and the judges;'so Jarchi remarks
that they that
"heard him" are the witnesses
and the word "all"
comprehends the judges: Maimonides saysF5Hilchot Obede Cochabim
c.
2. sect. 10. the same
and observes that hands were laid on no malefactor but
the blasphemer; and this was done to show that the one had bore a faithful
testimony
and the other had pronounced a righteous sentence on him; and that
he had brought this guilt and punishment upon himself by his sin; wherefore it
was usual for them to say
as the same writers observe
"thy blood be upon
thine own head
and we not punished for thy death
which thou hast been the
cause of to thyself:"
and let all the congregation stone him; which Aben Ezra
interprets of the great men of Israel; nor can it be thought that every
individual of the people could cast a stone at him
but it was to be done by
some of them
in the presence of them all
or as many as could conveniently get
together to behold it; and this was done to show their detestation of the sin
and to deter from the commission of it: it was the same kind of punishment that
was ordered to be inflicted on him that cursed his father or mother
Leviticus 20:9;
God
the God of mercy
requiring no sorer punishment
though it deterred a
greater
for such a sin against himself
than against a common parent.
Leviticus 24:15. 15 “Then
you shall speak to the children of Israel
saying: ‘Whoever curses his God
shall bear his sin.
YLT 15`And unto the sons of Israel thou dost speak
saying
When any man revileth his God -- then he hath borne his sin;
And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel
.... On this
occasion
and gave them some laws and rules concerning the above affair
and
other things:
saying
whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin; which some
understand of anyone of another nation
that cursed the God he used to serve in
his own country; but it can hardly be thought that a law should be made by the
one only living and true God
to preserve the honour and credit of false gods
when he is so jealous of his own glory; and those are spoken of in Scripture
with the greatest contempt
as dunghill deities
and are actually cursed
Jeremiah 10:11; but
they are rather to be interpreted of judges and all civil magistrates
who
as
Aben Ezra observes
are sometimes called Elohim or gods
Psalm 82:1; and the
rather
as it is probable this man had cursed his judges
and so this is a
distinct sin from what follows; and not only the manner of expressing it
but
the punishment of it
seem to be different; for the phrase
"to bear his
sin"
is used where the punishment is not expressly declared
and is by
Jarchi and others interpreted of cutting off from his people
but in what way
is not certain; whereas the punishment of a blasphemer of God is before and
after clearly expressed; see Leviticus 20:19.
Leviticus 24:16. 16 And
whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to
death. All the congregation shall certainly stone him
the stranger as well as
him who is born in the land. When he blasphemes the name of the Lord
he shall be
put to death.
YLT 16and he who is execrating the name of Jehovah
is certainly put to death; all the company do certainly cast stones at him; as
a sojourner so a native
in his execrating the Name
is put to death.
And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord
.... Or
"but he that blasphemeth"
&c. from whence the Jews gather
that
the name Jehovah must be expressed
or it is no blasphemy; so Jarchi; but it is
not bare using or expressing the word Jehovah that is blasphemy
but speaking
ill and contemptuously of God
with respect to any of his names
titles
and
epithets
or of any of his perfections
ways
and works:
he shall surely be put to death; no mercy shall be shown
him
no reprieve or pardon granted him: hence it is saidF6R. Alphes
par. 1. Yoma
c. 1. fol. 261. 1.
there is no atonement for it
by repentance
or chastisements
or the day of atonement: so blasphemy against the Holy Ghost
is not forgiven
neither in this world nor in that which is to come
Matthew 12:31
and all the congregation
shall certainly stone him; shall have no pity on him
nor spare him
but stone him till he dies:
as well the stranger as he that is born in the land
when he
blasphemeth the name of the Lord
shall be put to death; even a
proselyte of the gate
a Gentile that sojourned among them
uncircumcised
and
did not profess the Jewish religion
as well as a proselyte of righteousness
and an Israelite born; yet
if he blasphemed the God of Israel
was to lose his
life without any mercy shown him.
Leviticus 24:17. 17 ‘Whoever
kills any man shall surely be put to death.
YLT 17`And when a man smiteth any soul of man
he
is certainly put to death.
And he that killeth any man shall surely be put to death. With the
sword
as the Targum of Jonathan adds; which restrains it to any man of the
children of Israel
but wrongly; for the original law respects any man
whatever
Genesis 9:6; and so
it does here; See Gill on Exodus 21:12.
Leviticus 24:18. 18 Whoever
kills an animal shall make it good
animal for animal.
YLT 18`And he who smiteth a beast repayeth it
body
for body.
And he that killeth a beast shall make it good
.... Pay for
it
give the value of it
or another as good as that instead of it
as follows:
beast for beast; or "soul for soul"; life for
life
that is
a living one for that the life of which is taken away
and one
every way as good as that.
Leviticus 24:19. 19 ‘If
a man causes disfigurement of his neighbor
as he has done
so shall it be done
to him—
YLT 19`And when a man putteth a blemish in his
fellow
as he hath done so it is done to him;
And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour
.... Does him
any hurt or mischief
causes any mutilation or deformity in him by striking
him:
as he hath done
so shall it be done unto him: not that a
like damage or hurt should be done to him
but that he should make satisfaction
for it in a pecuniary way; pay for the cure of him
and for loss of time
and
in consideration of the pain he has endured
and the shame or disgrace brought
on him by the deformity or mutilation
or for whatever loss he may sustain
thereby; See Gill on Exodus 21:18 and
See Gill on Exodus 21:19.
Leviticus 24:20. 20 fracture
for fracture
eye for eye
tooth for tooth; as he has caused disfigurement of a
man
so shall it be done to him.
YLT 20breach for breach
eye for eye
tooth for
tooth; as he putteth a blemish in a man so it is done in him.
Breach for breach
eye for eye
tooth for tooth
.... Which is
not to be taken strictly or literally
but for the price or value of those
which
is to be given in a pecuniary way; See Gill on Exodus 21:24
Exodus 21:25
as he hath caused a blemish in a man
shall it be done to him; unless he
gives satisfaction
and pays a valuable consideration for it.
Leviticus 24:21. 21 And whoever kills an
animal shall restore it; but whoever kills a man shall be put to death.
YLT 21`And he who smiteth a beast repayeth it
and
he who smiteth [the life of] man is put to death;
And he that killeth a beast
he shall restore it
.... The same
as in Leviticus 24:18
which is repeated for the confirmation of it
and that it might be observed
though Jarchi takes it to be a different law; before
he says
it speaks of him
that kills a beast
here of him that makes any wound or bruise in it
which he
must make good; and it must be allowed that the manner of expression is
different; there it is
he that smites the soul of a beast so that it dies
here only he that smites a beast
though it dies not
yet having some damage
done it
satisfaction must be made:
and he that killeth a man
he shall be put to death; or he that
smites a man
though he does not kill him
as Jarchi observes
only makes a
wound or bruise in him
because it is not said
the soul of a man
as before;
but such damages did not require death
but satisfaction in another way
as in Leviticus 24:19.
Leviticus 24:22. 22 You
shall have the same law for the stranger and for one from your own country; for
I am the Lord
your God.’”
YLT 22one judgment is to you; as a sojourner so is
a native; for I [am] Jehovah your God.'
Ye shall have one manner of law
.... Respecting the above
things
blaspheming of the name of God
taking away the life of man
or of any
beast
and of doing damage to either:
as well for the stranger as for one of your own country; the above
laws were binding upon proselytes as well as Israelites
and proselytes of the
gate as well as proselytes of righteousness
though the Jews commonly restrain
it to the latter:
for I am the Lord your God; whose name is holy and
reverend
and ought not to be blasphemed; and who is the Maker and preserver of
man and beast
and made these laws respecting them
and expected they should be
obeyed
especially by the children of Israel
whose covenant God and Father he
was
and they under the greatest obligation to serve and obey him.
Leviticus 24:23. 23 Then
Moses spoke to the children of Israel; and they took outside the camp him who
had cursed
and stoned him with stones. So the children of Israel did as the Lord commanded
Moses.
YLT 23And Moses speaketh unto the sons of Israel
and they bring out the reviler unto the outside of the camp
and stone him with
stones; and the sons of Israel have done as Jehovah hath commanded Moses.
And Moses spake unto the children of Israel
.... As the
Lord had commanded him:
that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp
and stone him with stones; which were the instructions God had given
to Moses upon inquiring his mind and will about this matter:
and the children of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses; they took the
blasphemer
and led him out of the camp
put their hands on him
and stoned him
with stones till he died.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》