A Help for the Understanding of the Holy Scriptures, Leviticus · Chapter 22
CHAP. XXII.
Verſ. 2. SPeak unto Aaron and to his ſonnes that they ſeparate themſelves from the holy things, &c.]
That is, that they wholly abſtain from meddling with them, or eating of them, to wit, whilſt any legall uncleanneſſe is upon them, as is expreſſed verſ. 3. And by the holy things of the children of Iſrael are meant all their oblations, whereof the prieſts were to eat, yea even their firſt-fruits, Numb. 18. 13. onelyonly of the tithes it ſeems they might eat, even whilſt they were unclean. In the former c…apter the Lord ſhewed what naturall and perſonall blemiſhes made the prieſts unfit for his ſervice; here he ſhows now what accidentall pollutions ſhould make them for the time unfit for the ſame ſervice: for however it might ſeem needleſſe to enjoyn the prieſts to ſeparate themſelves in the time of their uncleanneſſe, ſince it was before forbidden the people not to pollute Gods holy things by intermeddling with them at ſuch times, Levit. 7. 20. But the ſoul that eateth of the fleſh of the ſacrifice of peace-offerings that pertain unto the Lord, having his uncleanneſſe upon him, even the ſoul ſhall be cut off from his people; yet becauſe men honoured above others uſe to abuſe their advancements, as if they had … priviledge to ſinne, leſt the prieſts ſhould pretend ſuch a priviledge, this is alſo particularly forbidden them.
Verſ. 4. What man ſoever of the ſeed of Aaron is a leper, or hath a running iſſue, &c.]
This concerneth women alſo, Aarons daughters, who might eat of ſome of the holy things, yet not when they were unclean.
Verſ. 9. They ſhall therefore keep mine ordinance, &c.]
That is, they ſhall abſtain from eating of the things before ſpoken of.
Verſ. 10. There ſhall no ſtranger eat of th… holy things, &c.]
That is, none but thoſe of Aarons poſterity, though Iſraelites or Levites: yet an exception is added in the next verſe, to wit, that any ſervants the prieſts had bought with their money, might eat of theſe things, whether Iſraelite (who was yet to go out after ſeven years ſervice) or ſervants bought for ever from other nations.
Verſ. 14. And if a man eat of the holy things unwittingly then he ſhall put the fifth part thereof unto it, &c.]
And withall offer a ramme for his ſinne againſt God, chap. 5. 15. If a ſoul commit a treſpaſſe and ſinne through ignorance in the holy things of the Lord, then he ſhall bring for his treſpaſſe unto the Lord a ramme without blemiſh, &c. But here onelyonly ſatisfaction is made to the prieſts.
Verſ. 15. And they ſhall not pr…fane the holy things of the children of Iſrael, &c.]
That is, the prieſts; to wit, by eating them when they are unclean.
Verſ. 16. Or ſuffer them to bear the iniquity of treſpaſſe, when they eat their holy things, &c.]
That is, the prieſts ſhall not, by ſuffering the people to eat of the holy things, expoſe them to the guilt of ſuch a ſinne, and the puniſhment that will follow thereon.
Verſ. 18. Whatſoever he be of the houſe of Iſrael, or of the ſtranger in Iſrael, &c.]
In this precept three things are required in all burnt-offerings, whether they were brought by Iſraelites born, or proſelytes (who though they were ſtrangers born, yet embracing the religion of the Iſraelites were admitted to offer ſacrifices, as being ingrafted, as it were, into Gods Iſrael) and whether they were brought for a vow or a freewill-offering: to wit, firſt, that they muſt be of the beeves, or ſheep, or goats; ſecondly, that they muſt alwayes be males: in other ſacrifices a female was ſometimes accepted, but never in burnt-offerings; and thirdly, that they muſt be without blemiſh, of all which ſee the notes upon the firſt chapter of this book.
Verſ. 21. And whoſoever offereth a ſacrifice of peace-offerings, &c.]
Here direction is given for their peace-off…rings, to wit, that whether they were brought for a vow or for a freewill-offering▪ they muſt be firſt of the flocks or herds, beeves or ſheep or goats; and ſecondly, that they muſt be perfect and without blemiſh, that is, as ſome diſtinguiſh them, perfect in regard of the inwards, and outwardly without blemiſh. Yet in peace-offerings that were not for a vow, but for a freewill-offering, though no blemiſh was allowed, yet ſomething was allowed that was after a ſort a blemiſh, as appears in the exception that follows, verſ. 23. to wit, a bullock or a lamb or kid, that had any thing ſuperfluous or lacking in his parts; for this is not meant of ſuch cattel as were any way monſtrous, that had of any part too many or too few, as five legs, or three ears, or but one eye; but it is meant of ſuch as had any part too long or too ſhort, over big or over little, not according to th… ordinary proportion of nature, as is uſually in other catel of that kind: and this though it were ſome kind of defect, yet it was not accounted a blemiſh, and ſo it was allowed in peace-offerings that were brought for a freewill-offering, not in peace-offerings that were brought for a vow.
Verſ. 2…. Ye ſhall not offer unto the Lord that which i… bruiſ…d, &c.]
No not in freewill-offerings.
Verſ. 25. Neither from a ſtrangers hand ſhall ye off…r the br…ad of your God, &c.]
Some underſtand this of ſtrangers that were proſelytes; le… (ſay they) any man ſhould think that ſuch blemiſhed ſacrifices, as are before ſpoken of might ſerve for proſelytes, expreſſe mention is made, that from their hands they ſhould not be excepted. Some again by ſtrangers will have ſuch meant, as were neither of the ſeed, nor the religion of the Iſraelites, uncircumciſed ſtrangers; and theſe expound this law three ſeverall wayes: to wit, firſt, that though ſuch blemiſhed ſacrifices were bought from the hand of ſtrangers uncircumciſed with their money, yet they might not offer them to God, becauſe they were blemiſhed, and ſo their corruption was in them, that is, they were corrupted and polluted, and ſo were not fit for ſacrifices; or ſecondly, that if a ſtranger, that is, any of the h…athen uncircumciſed would bring any ſacrifice to be offered for them, and brought any of thoſe fore-mentio…ed blemiſhed ſacrifices, it ſhould not be accepted; or thirdly, that from the hand of any pagan they ſhould not offer the bread of their God, that is, his ſacri…ces of any of theſe, that is, of any of the cattel before mentioned whether blemiſhed or without blemiſh, and that becauſe they are blemiſhed and polluted, even becauſe they are brought by the uncircumciſed. But neither of theſe two laſt Expoſitions ſeem to me probable. Not the firſt of them, becauſe I no where find that the heathen were allowed to bring any ſacrifices at all, and therefore it was needleſſe to forbid the taking of a blemiſhed ſacrifice from them: Nor the laſt, becauſe thi… law doth onelyonly ſpeak of ſacrifices that ſhould be accepted from the Iſraelites (and not for heathens) as the laſt clauſe doth evidently ſhew, they ſhall not be accepted for you.
Verſ. 27. When a bullock or a ſheep or a goat is brought forth, then it ſhall be ſeven dayes under the damme, &c.]
The ſame is enjoyned concerning their firſtborn cattel, Exod. 22. 30. Becauſe till they were eight dayes old they were not fit to be eaten by men; therefore till then the Lord would not allow them to be brought for ſacrifices.
Verſ. 28. And whether it be cow or ew, ye ſhall not kill it and her young both in one day.]
To wit, that being taught merciemercy in killing of beaſts for ſacrifices, they might learn much more to ſhew merciemercy to men, and alſo how they ſhould labour after perfect purity when they came to offer ſacrifices to God.
Verſ. 30. On the ſame day it ſhall be eaten up, &c.]
See chap. 17. 15.