Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms, Song of Songs, Biblical commentary 3 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
1, The Peace-offrings, of the herd; 6, and of the stocke; 7, either Sheepe, 12, or Goat.
AND if his oblation be, a sacrifice of Peace-offrings: if he offer it of the herd, whether it be male or female; he shall offer it perfect, before Iehovah. And he shall lay his hand, upon the head of his oblation: and he shall kill it, at the doore of the Tent of the Congregation: and Aarons sonnes the Priests, shall sprinkle the blood, upon the Altar, round-about. And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the Peace-offrings, a Fire-offring unto Iehovah: the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards. And the two kidneyes, and the fat which is upon them, which is upon the flanks: & the caule above the liver, with the kidneyes, he shall take-away it. And Aarons sonnes shall burne it on the Altar, with the Burnt-offring, which is upon the wood, that is on the fire: it is a Fire-offring, of a savour of rest, unto Iehovah.
And if his oblation, for a sacrifice of Peace-offrings unto Iehovah, be of the flock: male or female, he shall offer it perfect. If he offer a Lamb, for his oblation: then shall he offer-it before Iehovah. And he shall lay his hand, upon the head of his oblation; and he shall kill it, before the Tent of the congregation: and Aarons sonnes, shall sprinkle the blood thereof, upon the Altar, round-about. And hee shall offer, of the sacrifice of the Peace-offrings, a Fire-offring unto Iehovah: the fat thereof, and the whole rumpe, it shall he take-off hard-by the backbone: and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards. And the two kidneyes, and the fat that is upon them, which is upon the flankes: and the caule above the liver, with the kidneyes, he shall take-away it. And the Priest shall burne it, upon the Altar: it is the bread of the Fire-offring unto Iehovah.
And if his oblation, be a Goat: then he shall offer it, before Iehovah. And he shall lay his hand, upon the head of it; and he shall kill it, before the Tent of the congregation: and Aarons sonnes, shall sprinkle the blood thereof, upon the Altar, round-about. And hee shall offer thereof, his oblation; a Fyre-offring, unto Iehovah: the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat, that is upon the inwards. And the two kidneyes, and the fat that is upon them, which is upon the flankes: and the caule above the liver, with the kidneyes, he shall take away it. And the Priest shall burne them, upon the Altar: it is the bread of the Fire-offring, for a savour of rest; all the fat, is Iehovahs. It shall be an eternal statute, for your generations, through-out all your dwellings: any fat or any blood, ye shall not eat.
Annotations.
HIs oblation] his korban, which the Greeke translateth his gift unto the Lord: so korban is by the Euangelift expounded a gift, Mark. 7. 11.
Peace-offrings] or, Pay-offrings: Hebr. a sacrifice of Payments, or of pacifications, or of perfections, whereby men paid unto God Confession and thankes for their peace and prosperitie, and for his performing of mercies, and pacification, and paid their vowes; as is written, Thy vowes are upon mee, O God: I will pay confessions unto thee, Psal. 56. 13. and Peace-offrings, are upon me; this day have I payed my vowes, Proverbs 7. 14. These sacrifices were of sundry sorts, either for Confession (or Thanks giving) Lev. 7. 11. 12. or for a Vow; or for a Uoluntary offring; Levit. 7. 16. Here, and usually in the law, the word is Shelamim, as of many payments or thankes, due unto God for his many benefits, as David professeth, Psalme 116. 12. 14. 17. 18. but in Amos 5. 22. it is used singularly Shelem. The Greeke often translateth it Eirenikee, that is, a Pacifying (or Peace) offring; but here and most commonly Soterion, a sacrifice of salvation, (offred unto God for his salvation of men.) The Chaldee hath, the sacrifice of sanctities (or sanctifications:) whether because none but clean & sanctified persons might eat of it? Leviticus 7. 19. 20. or for sanctifying the name of God by it. Sol. Iarchi saith they are called Peace-offrings, because they bring peace into the world: as also because by them there is peace to the Altar, to the Priests, and to the owners: that is, every of these have a part in the Peace-offrings. R. Menachem saith, it is of like meaning as that in Esay. 44. 28. He shall performe all my pleasure. The mysterie of this sacrifice is opened in Hosea 14. 2. Take-away (Lord) all iniquity, and receive (or give) good: and we will pay, the bullockes of our lips; which the Greeke there translateth, the fruit of our lips: and the Apostle likewise saith, By him (that is, by Iesus,) let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually: that is, the fruit of the lippes, confessing to his name; Heb. 13. 15. These Peace-offrings, were also given, when men in their troubles prayed unto God for peace and salvation, Iudges 20. 26. and 21. 4 1 Chronicles 21. 26. That as the Burnt offring (in Lev. 1.) figured our reconciliation to God by the death of Christ; and the Meat-offring (in Lev. 2.) our sanctification in him before God: so this Peaceoffring signified both Christs oblation of himselfe, whereby he became our Peace and salvation, Ephes. 2. 14. 15. 16. Acts 13. 47. Heb. 5. 9. and 9. 28. and our oblation of praise, thanks giving, and prayer unto God; in the middest of troubles, tentations, and spirituall combats, which we fight by faith in this life: so that we come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and finde grace to helpe in time of need; Heb. 4. 16. or female] herein it differeth from the Burnt-offring, which was to be of the males onelyonly, Lev. 1. 3. By this distinction of sexes, the Hebrewes gather, that the beast which was neither perfect male nor female, or both male and female, though it had no other blemish, was not fit for sacrifice: Maimony in Issurei Mizbeach, chap. 3. Sect. 3. Spiritually wee may apply this to the state of the Church in Christ, in whom there is neither male nor female, but all are one in him, Gal. 3. 28. And that God accepteth not onelyonly the sacrifice of Christ, but ours also in him, Heb. 13. 15. perfect] in Greeke, without blemish: See Exod. 12. 5. and Lev. 1. 3.
Vers. 2. lay] or, impose his hand, (in Greeke, his hands;) to testifie by this signe his faith in God through Christ: see the notes on Levit. 1. 4. The difference there and here, the Hebrew doctors thinke to be this, that ouer the Peace-offring, there was no confession (of sinnes,) but speaking words of Praise (unto God:) and that hands might be laid on in any place of the courtyard where he would, in the place where it was killed. Maimony, treat. of offring sacrifices, chap. 3. Sect. 14. 15. he] that is, the Priest or some other Levite shall kill it: see Lev. 1. 5. It might be killed in any place of the Court; (Maimony ibid. chap. 5. Sect. 4.) and was not restrained to the Northside of the Altar, as the Burnt-offring, Levit. 1. 11. For these Peace-offrings the Hebrewes call the letghter holy things; to distinguish them from the Holy of holies, Lev. 2. 10. sprinkle] according to the manner observed on Lev. 1. 5. For the Bur… offring. Trespass-offring and Peace-offring; the sprinkling of the blood of these three upon the Altar, was … alike: Maimony treat. of Offring sacrifices, chap. 5. Sect. 6. It figured the sprinkling of Christs blood, whereby we, our words, and workes are sanctified before God. 1 Pet. 1. 2. Heb. 12. 24.
Vers. 3. unto Iehovah] wholly burnt upon the Altar unto the Lord. There were besides, of every Peace-offring, the Brest and the right shoulder, which were waved and heaved before the Lord, and given the Priests to eat: whereof see Lev. 7. 30. 32. &c. the other flesh of the Peace-offring, was eaten by the owner that brought it, and his family and friends; Lev. 7. 15. 16. the fat] or, the su…. This sometime signifieth the best of all things, (as is shewed upon Gen. 4. 4.) and so teacheth to offer the best unto the Lord: sometime it signifieth unbeleefe, dulnesse, and hardnesse of heart, (as … is without sense,) Psalme 119. 70. Acts 28. 27. so the fat consumed in the fire, signified the taking away of our corruptions by the spirit of Christ. And the kidneyes, (which are the seat of lust,) not the heart or braines (which are the seat of wisedome and understanding,) were likewise burned; to teach mortification of our members which are on earth, fornication, uncleannesse, inordinate affection, &c. Colos. 3. 5. See the notes on Exod. 29. 13.
Vers. 4. which is] understand againe, the fat which is upon the flankes, or (as the Greeke and Chalde… interpret it) upon the thighs: so the Hebrew doctors expound it as a distinct fat from the former, and say it was the fat which is in the roots of the thighes, on the forepart. Maimony, treat. of forbidden meats, chap. 7. Sect. 6.
Vers. 5. shall burne it] The order of offring this sacrifice was; the Priest killed it, and sprinkled the blood, and flayed it, and tooke out the inwards. Afterwards he cut in pieces the flesh, and separated the brest and the right shoulder, (Levit. 7. 30. 32.) and put the inwards with the brest and shoulder, into the owners hands. And the Priest put his hand under the owners hands and waved all before the Lord, on the East side. And if it were a Thank-offring (Levit. 7. 12. 14.) he tooke of the bread that was brought therewith, one cake often, and laid it with the brest, shoulder, and inwards, and waved all upon the owners hands. First he laid the fat upon the owners hands, then the brest, and the shoulder above. And the two kidneyes and the caule of the liver, above them. And if there were any bread, hee laid it above, and so waved all. After that, he salted the inwards, and burned all upon the Altar: but the brest and the shoulder, were eaten by the Priests; and the remnant of the Peace-offring was eaten by the owners. But the Priests might not have the brest and shoulder, till the inwards were burned. Likewise the bread waved with the Thank-offring, was eaten by the Priests; and the rest of the bread, by the owners If two brought a peace-offring in partnership; the one of them waved it, by leave of his fellow: and if they were 100. one waved for them all. If the owner of the sacrifice were a woman, she waved it not, but the Priest. A woman never waved, save onelyonly in the offring of jealousie, (Numbers 5.) and of a Nazirite, (Num. 6.) Maimony, in treat. of offring sacrif chap. 9. Sect. 6. 7. &c. upon the Burnt offring] that is, laying it on the altar after the Burnt-offring; for that alwaies had the first place. Sol. Iarchi here saith: this teacheth us, that the daily Burnt-offring, was before any other oblation. It signified, that wee are first to bee reconciled unto God by the death of Christ, apprehended of us by faith, before any oblation of ours can be acceptable to God. of rest] Greeke, of sweet smell: in the Chaldee, an offring which shall be received with favour, before the Lord. See Levit. 1. 9. Hereby Gods acceptation of us, and of our service, praiers, thanksgiving, &c. in Christ, was signified, H b. 13. 15. 16.
Vers. 6. of the flocke] sheepe or goats, as after is explained: but here is no mention of fowles, as was for the Burnt-offring, Levit. 1. 14. The Hebrewes say, Peace-offrings are brought of sheepe, and of goats. and of bee…es, of males or of females, of great or of small: but no fowle is brought for Peace-offrings. Sm…l (beasts) are from eight daies old, untill a complete yeere, from day to day: and great (beasts) of the herd, till they be full three yeeres old, from day to day; and of the flocke, till they be full two yeeres old, from day to day: if they be more then thus, they are too old, and may not be offred. Maimony, treat. of Offring the sacrifice, chat. 1. Sect. 11.
Vers. 7. a Lamb] or sheepe; of the first yeere, as is noted on Levit. 1. implying also a sheepe of the second yeere, which was lawfull to be offred, as is before shewed.
Vers. 8. he] that is, the Priest or Levite, shall kill it, so in verse 13. see Levit. 1. 5. before] the Greeke translateth, at the doore of the Tent, (as Moses said in verse 2.) so after in verse 13. and these phrases explaine one another.
Verse 9. whole rumpe] the perfect (or intire) tayle; which in some kinde of sheepe is very great and fat; especially in those parts of the world, and namely in Syria, as Plinie mentioneth, Hist. b. 8. c. 48. Therefore it is here commanded to be burnt upon the altar, with the other fat and inwards.
Verse 11. the bread] or, the food, meaning the flesh which the fire on the altar was to eat up and consume. The Greeke translateth it, a savour of sweet-smell: so in verse 16. And because these things were burnt unto God, therefore God calleth them also his bread, Num. 28. 2. Ezek. 44. 7. and the Priests which burned them, are said to offer the bread of their God. Levit. 21. 6. 8. 17. and the holy things which the Priests did eat, are called by the like name, Levit. 21. 22.
Vers. 12. a Goat] this is here handled in a section apart, (not together with the sheepe, as was in the law of the burnt-offring, Leviticus 1. 10.) because of some difference in the oblation; as Sol. Iarchi observeth, there is in the fat of the sheepe, that which is not in the fat of the goat, for the rumpe of the sheepe was offred with the fat, verse 9.
Verse 17. any fat] to weet, any such far, and of such beasts as are here forespoken of, of beeves, sheepe, or goats, as the law after explaineth it, Leviticus 7. 23. and a man was not guilty, save for these three sorts of cleane beasts onelyonly: of other tame or wilde beasts, whether cleane or uncleane, the fat was as the flesh: saith Maimony, in tom. 2. treat. of Forbidden meates, chapter 7. Section 1. Morever, there were three sorts of fat, for eating wherof, men deserved to be cut off, (as in Leviticus 7. 25.) the fat which is upon the inwards, and which is upon the two kidneyes, and which is upon the flankes: but the rumpe was lawfull to be eaten, it was not called fat, but in the case of sacrifice onelyonly: even as the kidneyes and the caule above the liver, are called fat, in the case of sacrifice. The fat which was covered over with flesh, was lawfull: the fat upon the kidneyes was forbidden, not that which was within the kidneyes. The fat of the heart, &c. was lawfull. Maimony ibidem Sect. 5. 7. 9. any blood] to weet of fowles, or of beasts absolutely, as is explained, Lev. 7. 26. But blood of fishes, Locusts, and other such things, was not within this prohibition: therefore it was lawfull to eat or to drinke the blood of such fishes, locusts, &c. as were cleane for food: saith Maimony ibidem, chap. 6. S. …. See the annotations on Gen. 9. 4. Lev. 7. 26. & 17. 14. As eating & drinking, signifieth communion, 1 Cor. 11. 24. and 10. 16. 17. and the forbidding to eat, signifieth a forbidding of communion, Act. 10. 13. 14. 15. 28. Heb. 13. 10. so this prohibition of eating blood (which was given upon the altar to make atonement for mens soules, Lev. 17. 11.) and of fat, (which was given-upon the altar to be consumed there with fire, and so was the Lords, Levit. 3. 16.) seemeth to forbid figuratively, all ascribing unto our selves of the worke of our redemption, which is only by the blood of Christ, Eph. 1. 7. and of the worke of our sanctification, which Christ by his spirit performeth in us; 1 Cor. 1. 30. 31. Ephes. 5. 26. Heb. 10. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 2.