A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Leviticus · Chapter 7 – Chapter 8
CHAP. VII.
Verſ. 1. LIkewiſe this is the law of the trespaſſe-offering, &c.]
For what tranſgreſſions the ſinne-offering was appointed, and for what the treſpaſſe-offering, it is hard to determine. Some think the treſpaſſe-offering was for ſmaller ſinnes; but I rather conceive, that where either God in the externall duties of his worſhip, or their brethren in civill affairs, was any way damaged by the offender, there a treſpaſſe-offering was due; for other tranſgreſſions the ſinne-offering. See the notes upon chap. 5. 10.
Verſ. 2. In the place where they kill the burnt-offering.]
See the note upon chap. 1. 11.
Verſ. 7. As the ſinne-offering is, ſo is the trespaſſe-offering.]
Namely, as in moſt other things, ſo in this that follows, that the prieſt was to have the remainer of this as he had of the other.
Verſ. 8. And the priest that offereth any mans burnt-offering, &c.]
All the remainder of the ſinne and treſpaſſe-offering the prieſt had, skinne and all; but even of the burnt-offering alſo he muſt have the skinne.
Verſ. 9. And all the meat-offering that is baken in the oven, &c.]
That is, theſe meat-offerings that were baken or fried, &c. and ſo were to be eaten hot, were therefore the prieſts portion that offered them, who might eat them preſently; but if the meat-offerings were mingled with oyl, or dry, that is, flowre dry, not mingled with oyl or any other liquour, ſuch as was the meat-offering for ſinne, chap. 5. 11. Becauſe theſe might be reſerved to be dreſſed afterwards at their leaſure, therefore theſe were equally to be divided amongſt all the prieſts, as is expreſſed verſ. 10.
Verſ. 13. Beſides the cakes, he ſhall offer for his offering leavened bread, &c.]
How this may be reconciled with that, Levit. 2. 11. ſee the notes there: Becauſe this meat-offering was onelyonly for food to be eaten, no part of it to be burnt upon the altar, leaven is here allowed. And beſides it was a ſigne that this oblation was before thought upon and prepared, not ſuddenly offered.
Verſ. 14. And he ſhall offer one out of the whole oblation, &c.]
The reſt were for the owner and his family, &c. as was the remainder of the fleſh. See Deut. 27. 7. Thou ſhalt offer peace-offerings, and eat there, and rejoyce there before the Lord thy God. See alſo Deut. 12. 6, 7.
Verſ. 15. And the fleſh of his ſacrifice of his peace-offerings for thankſgiving ſhall be eaten the ſame day, &c.]
How the fat of the peace-offerings was to be burnt upon the altar, was ſhown before, chap. 3. 3, 4, 5. Here now is preſcribed how the remainder of the ſacrifice was to be eaten. And for the underſtanding hereof, we muſt note that there are here three ſeverall ſorts of peace-offerings mentioned, or three ſeverall occaſions of offering peace-offerings: the firſt were theſe that were offered for thankſgiving, verſ. 15. that is, by way of teſtifying their thankfulneſſe for ſome mercies received: the ſecond were thoſe that were offered in liew of a vow, and this the moſt Expoſitours conceive to be meant of ſuch peace-offerings which men vowed they would give unto God if ſuch or ſuch a merciemercy God ſhould grant them, and which accordingly when God had ſatisfied their deſires they did then pay unto God; which though paid by way of thankſgiving they make to be different from the former, becauſe thoſe were brought onelyonly upon the generall bond of thankfulneſſe, and that for generall mercies, theſe were brought upon a ſpeciall bond of a vow made upon their obtaining ſome ſpeciall bleſſing, which they had deſired of God. But others again underſtand it of peace-offerings vowed and paid accordingly, the vow not being conditionall in caſe any ſuch bleſſing were obtained but abſolute; and ſo they make this to differ from the firſt which was for thankſgiving: yea and ſome underſtand it of ſuch peace-offerings as were offered not in performance of a vow formerly made, but at the time when a vow was made by way of ſeeking Gods favour for the obtaining of ſome bleſſing which they ſought of God. The third were thoſe that were brought as a voluntary offering, which were ſuch as were not brought upon any particular obligation either of mercies received, or of the want of any bleſſing, but of devotion in generall, by way of acknowledging Gods goodneſſe to them in generall, and teſtifying their deſire of the continuance of his love and favour. Ag…in, 2. we muſt note, that for the firſt of theſe one law is given, and for the other two, another: for thoſe peace-offerings that were for thankſgiving, they were commanded to eat the ſame day they were offered, both the prieſt and the people; but thoſe that were for a vow or voluntary offering, they had two dayes allowed them for the eating of them, and then what was left on the third day was to be burnt with fire. And why was this difference? Surely becauſe God would hereby teach them that he muſt be worſhipped as himſelf appointeth, and not as they in their reaſon ſhould think …it; and withall the appointing of that to be preſently eaten which was for thankſgiving might teach them not to be remiſſe in returning thanks for the bleſſings they injoyed.
Verſ. 18. And if any of the fleſh of the ſacrifice of his peace-offerings be eaten at all on the third day, &c. it ſhall be an abomination, &c.]
The Hebrew word ſignifieth a thing which by being kept too long beginneth to be corrupt and ſtink, to ſhow how God would abhorre them.
Verſ. 19. And the fleſh that toucheth any unclean thing ſhall not be eaten, i… ſhall be burnt with fire.]
The fleſh of the peace-offerings was not to be eaten doubtleſſe in the holy place, but was carried thence (after it was killed at the tabernacle and the fat burnt upon the altar) and eaten elſe-where: for ſo it is ſaid of the right ſhoulder and breaſt which were the prieſts portion, Levit. 10. 14. The wave-breaſt and the heave-ſhoulder ſhall ye eat in a clean place, thou and thy ſonnes and thy daughters with thee. And well we may conclude that if the prieſts did not eat their portion in the holy place, much leſſe did the people eat their portion there. Now becauſe being carried out of the holy place it might caſually …e touched by ſome unclean perſon, or ſome unclean thing, order is here given that it ſhould not then be eaten as a holy ſacrifice, but burnt with fire, becauſe being ſo defiled it was not fit to repreſent Chriſt, who was perfectly holy, and pure from the leaſt pollution of ſin.
And a… for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof.]
That is, that which abideth clean and fit to be eaten, all that be clean, both prieſts and owners, ſhall eat thereof.
Verſ. 20. But the ſoul that eateth of the fleſh of the ſacrifice of peace-offerings that p…rtain unto the Lord, &c.]
Here order is given for the puniſhment of thoſe that ſhould wittingly eat of the peace-offerings when they were unclean, whether it were by reaſon of any naturall perſonall uncleanneſſe that was then upon them, which is that uncleanneſſe ſpoken of in this twentieth verſe; or by touch of any unclean thing, which is afterwards added in the follovving verſe, to vvit, that they ſhould be cut off from their people, that is, put to death: if they did it unvvittingly, a ſacrifice of atonement vvas appointed for them, chap. 5. 2. but if they did vvilfully and preſumptuouſly thus profane Gods holy things, they vvere to be cut off by the civill Magiſtrate. And hereby alſo vvas ſhaddovved forth that thoſe that bear the name of Chriſt, and profeſſe themſelves Chriſtians, and yet continue in their ſinnes, and hate to be reformed, deſtruction ſhall be their end, neither vvill God reckon them amongſt his people; and more particularly vvhoever partake of the ſignes and ſeals of grace unvvorthily do eat and drink judgement to themſelves, 1. Cor. 11. 27, 28, 29.
Verſ. 23. Ye ſhall eat no manner fat, of ox, of ſheep, or of goat.]
See the note upon Levit. 3. 17.
Verſ. 24. And the fat of the beaſt that dieth of it ſelf, &c. may be uſed in any other uſe.]
Herein I conceive is implyed that ſuch fat of beaſts fit for ſacrifices (when killed at home for their private uſes) might alſo be imployed in other uſes, though i… might not be eaten: for elſe what did they do with it? It were abſurd to think it was caſt away and loſt: ſo that I underſtand theſe words as if it had been ſaid, even the fat of ſuch beaſts when they die of themſelves, &c. may be uſed in any other uſe; not onelyonly when they are killed for meat, but when they die of themſelves. And hence ſome conclude that though the touch of ſuch carcaſes did render a man unclean; yet the touch of the fat of thoſe dead beaſts that died of themſelves did not defile them.
Verſ. 29. He that offe…eth the ſacrifice of his peace-offerings unto the Lord ſhall bring his oblation, &c.]
That is, he that ſhall offer a ſacrifice of peace-offerings unto the Lord, he ſhall himſelf with his own hands preſent that part which is to be un oblation unto the Lord, to wit, the fat with the breaſt and the right ſhoulder, as is expreſſed in the following verſe. Becauſe their peace-offerings they might eat i… the camp, and afterwards in any part of Jeruſalem, ſo the place were cl…an, there might be ſome danger leſt the people ſhould think that their peace-offerings might be killed in any place, and therefore for prevention hereof this law is here added, that they muſt bring their peace-offerings unto the Lord, and there the Lords and the prieſts portion muſt be gi…en them before they themſelves eat of them.
CHAP. VIII.
Verſ. 6. ANd Moſes brought Aaron and his ſonnes, and waſhed them with water.]
Namely at the braſen laver which was made for that purpoſe.
Verſ. 7. And he put upon them the coat, &c.]
That is, the undermoſt garment, which was made of fine linen, and girded to him with a girdle of needle-work, concerning which and the reſt of the holy garments of Aaron here mentioned, there is already noted what is requiſite to be known in the notes upon the 28. chapter of Exodus. There was alſo linen breeches made for the prieſts, Exod. 28. 42. b…t thoſe were not appointed to be put on at their conſecration, Exod. 29. but the prieſt was to put them on himſelf when he was to execute his office, and therefore they are not …ere mentioned.
Verſ. 10. And Moſes too… the anointing oyl, and an…nted the …aber…cle, &c.]
See the notes upon Exod. 30. 26.
Verſ. 11. And he ſprinkled thereof upon the alt…r ſeven times, &c.]
He did not onelyonly anoint the altar as he did other things, but alſo ſprinkle it ſeven times with the oyl of conſecration, becauſe it was conſecrated to more ſpeciall uſe then other parts of the taberhacle, namely for the holy ſacrifices.
Verſ. 14. And he brought the bullock for the ſinne-offering, &c.]
Concerning thoſe rites of conſecrating the prie…s, ſee the ſeverall notes upon the 29. chapter of Exodus.
Verſ. 15. And poured the bloud at the bottom of the altar, and ſanctified it, &c.]
See the notes upon Exod. 29. 12. After this the altar ſanctified the gifts and oblations upon it, Mat. 23. 19. Here is no…mention made of ſprinkling bloud ſeven times before the Lord, nor of the altar of incenſe, as in other ſinne-offerings for the prieſt, Levit. 4. 7. The reaſon is, becauſe there the ſacrifice was intended for ſome ſpeciall ſinne of the prieſt being then conſecrated, but here for ſinnes in generall of prieſts not yet conſecrated, and indeed not ſo much for the expiation of their ſinnes, as the conſecration of their perſons.