Commentary on Leviticus, Book · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Ver. 1. Verſe 1 AND if his oblation be a ſacrifice of peace-offering.] Having given orders about whole Burnt-offerings, in the firſt Chapter, and Meat-offerings (which had ſomething of that Nature in them) in the ſecond; he proceeds to Peace-offerings, which in the Hebrew are called Schelamim, from the word Schalam, either as it ſignifies Retribution, or Peace and Concord. They that take it in the firſt ſence, think the reaſon of the name to be from this; That God, the Offerer, and the Prieſt, had each of them their portion aſſigned to them of this Sacrifice. And they that follow the ſecond ſence do not much differ, when they ſay, That theſe Sacrifices were Symbols of Friendſhip between God, and the Prieſts, and thoſe that brought them; for all theſe feaſted at a Common Table, as R. Levi ben Gerſom expreſſes it. For part being offered on the Altar, and the Prieſt having taken his ſhare, the reſt was given to him that offered the Sacrifice. So that it was called a Peace-offering, ſaith Abarbanel (in his Preface to this Book) becauſe it made Peace (or rather declared Peace) between the Altar, the Priest, and the Owner. But they ſeem to me to have given the beſt account of this, who, becauſe Peace in their Language ſignifies Proſperity and Happineſs, think theſe were called Peace-offerings, becauſe they were principally thankful Acknowledgments of Mercies received from God's Bounty. For there being three ſorts of them mentioned VII. 15, 16. that of Thanksgiving is the firſt, called Totheh, Acknowledgment of ſome Benefit received.
The Gentiles called ſuch Sacrifices foreign, as appears from many places of Dionyſ. Halicarn. L. VI. & L. VIII. where there are theſe words, foreign. Plutarch calls them foreign, particularly in the Life of Ageſilaus, where he ſaith, foreign which is a perfect Deſcription of ſuch Sacrifices as are here appointed; with part of which they entertain'd their Friends. They are alſo called by thoſe Writers foreign, eſpecially when they had reſpect to any great Danger they had eſcaped; for which they offered theſe thankful Acknowledgments. The LXX. calls ſuch Sacrifices foreign.
If he offer it of the herd, whether it be a male or female.] A whole Burnt-offering was to be only of a Male: for being wholly Gods, and offered purely for his Honour, it was to be of the very beſt, I. 3. But Peace-offerings being alſo for the profit of him that offered them, who had the greateſt ſhare of them; it was at his liberty whether he would offer a Male or a Female. Directly contrary to the Egyptian Cuſtoms, if they were the ſame now, that they were in the time of Herodotus, who ſaith expreſly, foreign, it was not lawful among them to ſacrifice Females, L. II. cap. 41.
He ſhall offer it without blemiſh, &c.] See I. 3.
Ver. 2. Verſe 2 And he ſhall lay his hand upon the head of his offering.] The Man who brought the Offering was to lay his hand upon the Head of it; as was ordered in the whole Burnt-offering and Sin-offering, (See Ch. I. v. 4.) It might not be done by a Deputy, unleſs he was Heir to one that had vowed this Sacrifice, and died before he had performed it; in which caſe the Heir was to do what the Man himſelf ſhould have done, if he had been alive, as Maimonides obſerves. In this Sacrifice, laying on of hands, ſeems to have been done, not only with Prayer to God, that he would accept the Oblation (which the Jews ſay always accompanied this Action) but with acknowledgment of thoſe Mercies which were the occaſion of it. So Conradus Pellicanus well gloſſes upon I. 4. (which may be beſt applied to the uſe of this Rite in Peace-offerings) Laying on of Hands ſignifies Devotion and Faith, with acknowledgment of the Divine Benefits; for which we cannot offer any thing of our own, but rather return and reſtore to him what we have received; that we may underſtand giving of Thanks to be the greateſt of our Sacrifices.
And kill it.] See ch. I. v. 5.
At the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation.] Theſe being the leſſer holy things, as the Jews call them, were not offered as the whole Burnt-offerings and Sinofferings were, on the North-ſide of the Altar, (See ch. I. v. 11.) but any where elſe, near to the Entrance of the Tabernacle; which was in the Eaſt, where the others were thrown out, and therefore a leſs holy place. Only in laying on of hands, every Man was bound, whereſoever the Sacrifice was killed, to turn his Face Weſtward, toward the Sanctuary; becauſe then, as I ſaid, he made certain Prayers and Acknowledgments to the Divine Majeſty, which was always to be done in that poſture.
And Aarons ſons the Prieſts ſhall ſprinkle the blood upon the Altar round about.] See ch. I. v. 5.
Ver. 3. Verſe 3 And he ſhall offer.] One of the Prieſts then in waiting at the Altar.
Of the ſacrifice of the peace-offerings, &c.] After the Sacrifice was flayed and cut up, as is directed I. 6.
The fat that covereth the inwards.] That is, the Omentum, as the Latins call it, and hath much fat in it. See XXIX Exod. 13.
And all the fat that is upon the inwards]. All the Fat which adheres to the Meſentery, and other Entrails.
Ver. 4. Verſe 4 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them.] The Kidneys are noted by Ariſtotle to have more Fat about them, than any of the other Bowels: foreign. L. III. de Animal. cap. 9. Being ſo covered with it, that in diſſecting of a Body, the Kidneys at firſt ſight, are not to be perceived, as Anatomiſts obſerve; particularly our own Country-man Dr. Highmore.
Which is by the flanks.] The Hebrew word Ceſilim ſignifies the Loyns (as Bochart hath demonſtrated in his Hierozoicon, P. I. L. II. c. 45.) which have collops of fat upon them, as Eliphaz ſpeaks, XV Job 27.) and thence are eaſily inflamed, XXXVIII Pſal. 7.
And the caul above the liver.] The Hebrew word jothereth ſignifies the greateſt Lobe of the Liver. See XXIX Exod. 13.
It ſhall he take away.] Separate from the reſt of the Fleſh, to be offered on the Altar. For all the Fat, here mentioned, was God's portion of the Sacrifice: the Prieſt had the Breaſt and the right Shoulder; and he that brought the Offering had the reſt; as will appear more fully VII. 15, &c. 31. 32, &c.
Ver. 5. Verſe 5 And Aarons ſons.] Some of thoſe that Miniſter that day.
Shall burn it on the Altar upon the burnt-ſacrifice.] By the Burnt-ſacrifice ſeems here to be meant the daily Sacrifice, which was burnt every Morning: after which this was to be offered, but not before it.
Which is upon the wood that is on the fire.] The ſame wood, upon which the Burnt-ſacrifice had been offered, would ſerve to burn this Fat. Which being intirely conſumed, as the Holocauſts were, it is called in the following words, an offering made by fire, of a ſweet ſavour unto the LORD. See ch. 1. v. 9. That is, God was pleaſed graciouſly to accept of their pious Acknowledgments: the Offerings of theſe Inwards being, as if he that brought them had ſaid, I will pour out my Soul unto the LORD in Thanks and Praiſe for the Benefits he had received. So Abarbanel explains it in his Preface to this Book.
Ver. 6. Verſe 6 And if his offering, &c. be of the flock.] i.e. Of Sheep or Goats, which are both comprehended under the word Flock, (as was noted before ch. 1. v. 2.)
Male or Female.] See v. 1. Where I obſerved a difference between theſe Sacrifices and whole Burnt-offerings, in this reſpect; that either Male or Female were accepted for Peace-offerings, but Male alone for the other. To which may be added, that Birds were allowed for whole Burnt-offerings (I. 14, 15, &c.) but not for Peace-offerings: which were only of the Herd, or Flock; i. e. of Bullocks, Sheep, or Goats. The reaſon ſeems to be plain; becauſe Peace-offerings being to be divided between God, the Prieſt, and him that brought them, the portion of each would have been ſo ſmall, that it would have made the Feaſt upon it ſo very meagre and jejune, that it would have been contemptible.
He ſhall offer it without blemiſh.] It was at his choice whether he would bring it from the Herd or the Flock: but in its kind it was to be perfect. See chap. I. 3, 9.
Ver. 7. Verſe 7 If he offer a lamb for his offering.] Though a Bird was not accepted for a Peace-offering, yet a Lamb was; though not of ſuch value as a fat Sheep, or a Goat.
Then ſhall he offer it before the LORD.] This ſeems to be meant of the Man's preſenting it to be offered at the Altar.
Ver. 8. Verſe 8 And he ſhall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, &c.] This whole Verſe is only a direction to do with a Peace-offering of a Lamb or Sheep, as they were to do with that of a Bullock, v. 2.
Ver. 9. Verſe 9 And he ſhall offer of the Sacrifice of the Peace-offering, an offering made by fire unto the LORD.] As was directed in the Offering of a Bullock, v. 3.
The fat thereof, and the whole rump.] The whole Fat being to be offered (as was ordered alſo before) he enumerates the particulars; becauſe in this was more Fat, than in other Sacrifices of this kind. For the whole Rump of a Sheep was to be offered to God, though not of a Bullock, nor a Goat. And the reaſon was, becauſe in thoſe Countries the Tails of their Sheep are ſo vaſtly big, that (as Golius and others aſſure us) the leaſt of them weigh ten or twelve pound; and ſome exceed forty pound weight: and they are ſo very fat, that they melt the Fat and keep it to butter their Rice, and for other uſes, as Bochartus obſerves in his Hierozoicon, P. I. L. II. cap. 45.
It ſhall he take off hard by the back-bone.] The Hebrew word Atzah, which we tranſlate the Back-bone, denotes that part which is next to the Tail or Rump; and therefore muſt ſignifie that which Galen calls foreign. Which is a Bone at the extremity of the broad Bone, called Os Sacrum; confiſting of three Cartalaginous parts, as he deſcribes it.
And the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards.] See v. 3.
Ver. 10. Verſe 10 And the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, &c.] This Verſe is explained above, v. 4.
Ver. 11. Verſe 11 And the Prieſt ſhall burn it upon the Altar.] As he did the Fat of the Bullock, v. 5.
It is the food of the offering made by fire unto the LORD.] That which was offered upon the Altar, was accounted God's Meſs, as appears from I Malachai 12. where the Altar is called his Table, and the Sacrifice upon it his Meat: as here it is called his Bread or Food. To repreſent in a lively manner to them, that God dwelt, and (as we ſay) kept Houſe among them; and that they who partaked of theſe Sacrifices, feaſted with him upon his Proviſion. See upon XXV Exod. 8, 30.
Ver. 12. Verſe 12 And if his offering be a Goat, &c.] The Law concerning this Sacrifice, is the very ſame with the former (except what is ordered about the Rump of a Sheep) and this and the following Verſes (13, 14, 15.) need no farther Explication.
Ver. 16. Verſe 16 And the Priest ſhall burn it upon the Altar, it is the food of the offering, &c.]. See before v. 11.
All the fat is the LORDS.] That is, all the Fat before-mentioned; which may more properly be tranſlated the Suet. For that Fat which was a part of the Fleſh might be eaten (as appears from many places, particularly XXXII Deut. 14.) but not that which only lay upon it, and might be ſeparated from it; which was burnt upon the Altar, when they ſacrificed either Bullock, Sheep, or Goat. And when they killed any of theſe, or other clean Creatures, for their Food at home, ſtill they were to forbear to eat the Suet; partly out of reverence to God, whoſe portion it was at the Altar; and partly, becauſe it was heavy and too ſtrong a Food, as Maimonides takes it, More Nevochim P. III. cap. 48. And it ſeems therefore to have been offered upon the Altar, becauſe it was ſo unctuous, that it would eaſily burn, and make the Fleſh alſo conſume the ſooner. But from its being God's part, it came thence to ſignifie, the very beſt and moſt excellent of any kind of thing. As the beſt of the Tithe is called the Fat of the Tithe, XVIII Numb. 17. and the beſt Corn, is called the Fat of the Wheat, LXXXI Pſal. 16. and rich and powerful Men, are called the Fat upon Earth; as the chief and principal part of the People, XXII Pſal. 29.
Ver. 17. Verſe 17 It ſhall be a perpetual ſtatute.] In force as long as this Law about Sacrifices ſhall laſt.
For your generations.] For their Poſterity, as well as them who received this Law, in all ſucceeding Ages.
Throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.] This confirms what was ſaid before, that they might not eat ſuch Fat, as is before-mentioned, at home, as their ordinary Food; becauſe it is ſaid, throughout all your dwellings ye ſhall eat no fat. And Fat being joyned with Blood is another argument, that they might no more eat the Suet of Beaſts that were killed at home, for common uſe, than the Blood of ſuch Beaſts. From which they intirely abſtained, for the foregoing reaſons, as Maimonides obſerves in the Book fore-named; and for another alſo which he mentions in the XLVIth Chapter of it. Where he ſaith, The ancient Idolaters, called Zabij, were wont to eat the blood of their Sacrifices, becauſe they imagined this to be the Food of their Gods; with whom they thought they had ſuch Communion, by eating of their Meat, that they revealed to them things to come. And in this R. Moſes bar Nachman concurs with him, as Dr. Cudworth obſerves in the concluſion of his Treatiſe of the Right Notion of the Lord's Supper. For though he ſaith, that Blood was forbidden, becauſe it ſerved for Expiation, (in which he differs from Maimonides) yet he adds alſo, that it was uſed ſuperſtitiouſly by the Heathen in their Idolatrous Worſhip; where they partaked of the Blood with their Daemons, as being their Gueſts, and invited to eat with them at their Table. And ſo were joyned in faederal Society with them; and by this kind of Communion enabled to prophecy, and foretel things to come.