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Leviticus
Chapter Twenty-two
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 22
In
this chapter several laws are delivered out, forbidding the priests to eat of
holy things, when in any uncleanness, or at any time what dies of itself, or is
torn of beasts, Leviticus 22:1;
also showing who belonging to the priests might or might not eat of the holy
things, Leviticus 22:10;
and others requiring that whatever offerings were brought by the children, of
Israel, they should be perfect and without blemish, Leviticus 22:17;
and also declaring what age a creature should be of when sacrificed, and the
time when thank offerings were to be eaten, Leviticus 22:26;
concluding with an exhortation to observe the commands of God, and sanctify
him, and not profane his name, Leviticus 22:31.
Leviticus 22:1. Then
the Lord
spoke to Moses, saying,
YLT 1And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... Immediately after he
had spoken concerning blemishes in priests, and in a continued discourse
signifying, that though priests that had blemishes might eat of the holy
things, yet neither they, nor even such who had not any, if they were under
legal impurity, might eat of them:
saying; as follows.
Leviticus 22:2.
2 “Speak to Aaron and his
sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of
Israel, and that they do not profane My holy name by what they dedicate
to Me: I am the Lord.
YLT 2`Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and
they are separated from the holy things of the sons of Israel, and they pollute
not My holy name in what they are hallowing to Me; I [am] Jehovah.
Speak unto Aaron and to his sons,.... The priests; the
children of Israel or the common people are not mentioned, as having no concern
in the following laws about eating holy things:
that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children
of Israel; both from offering their lawful sacrifices, which was the
business of their office when pure, and chiefly from eating that part of them
which was their due, and was allowed them; neither of these they were to do,
particularly the latter, when they were in any uncleanness, as the following
words show:
and that, they profane not my holy name in those things
which they hallow unto me; which the children of Israel set apart and
devoted to his service; which they would do, by eating their part of them when
unclean, and thereby show little reverence to that holy name to which they were
devoted; or which the priests themselves sanctified, by offering them to him;
for Jarchi says, this takes in the holiness of the priests themselves; but the
former seems best, and is confirmed in Leviticus 22:3,
I am the Lord; who is holy himself, and
whose holy things these are, and will be sanctified by those that draw nigh
unto him.
Leviticus 22:3.
3 Say to them: ‘Whoever of
all your descendants throughout your generations, who goes near the holy things
which the children of Israel dedicate to the Lord, while he has
uncleanness upon him, that person shall be cut off from My presence: I am
the Lord.
YLT 3`Say unto them, To your generations, any man
who draweth near, out of all your seed, unto the holy things which the sons of
Israel do sanctify to Jehovah, and his uncleanness on him -- even that person
hath been cut off from before Me; I [am] Jehovah.
Say unto them, whosoever he be of all your seed among your
generations,.... Whether male or female, in all succeeding ages, as long as
the ceremonial law lasted; for females as well as males of the families of the
priests ate of the holy things, provided they had no uncleanness on them, but
if they had, they might not:
that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel
hallow unto the Lord: that approaches to any of the sacrifices which the children of
Israel have devoted to the Lord, either to offer them, or even to touch them,
and particularly to eat of them; and so Jarchi and Ben Gersom observe, that
this going or drawing near is no other than eating; for touching only, a man
was not guilty of cutting off:
having his uncleanness upon him; through a leprosy, or
running issue, or touching any unclean person or thing, as the following words
explain it:
that soul shall be cut off from my presence; excluded from
the sanctuary, and the service of it, where the presence of God was; or be
removed out of the world by death, either by the civil magistrate, or by the
hand of God, by an immediate death, by the pestilence, as the Targum of
Jonathan:
I am the Lord; that will avenge the
breach of such a law, able to inflict such punishment, and faithful to
accomplish every word of his, whether in a way of threatening or promise.
Leviticus 22:4. 4 ‘Whatever
man of the descendants of Aaron, who is a leper or has a discharge,
shall not eat the holy offerings until he is clean. And whoever touches
anything made unclean by a corpse, or a man who has had an emission of
semen,
YLT 4`Any man of the seed of Aaron, and is leprous
or hath an issue -- of the holy things he doth not eat till that he is clean;
and he who is coming against any uncleanness of a person, or a man whose seed
of copulation goeth out from him,
What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper,.... A young,
or an old man, as the Targum of Jonathan, and indeed man or woman; for the
wives and daughters of the priests, if in this, and other circumstances
following, might not eat of the holy things until cleansed, who otherwise
might, see Leviticus 13:2,
or hath a running issue; a gonorrhoea, whether
man or woman, Leviticus 15:2,
he shall not eat of the holy things until he be clean; he might eat
of the tithes, but not of the wave breast, or heave shoulder:
and whoso toucheth any that is unclean by the dead; not only that
touched the dead, which made unclean, but that touched any person or thing that
was made unclean by it:
or a man whose seed goeth from him; involuntarily when
asleep, in a dream, and through a lustful imagination; see Leviticus 15:16.
Leviticus 22:5. 5 or
whoever touches any creeping thing by which he would be made unclean, or any
person by whom he would become unclean, whatever his uncleanness may be—
YLT 5or a man who cometh against any teeming thing
which is unclean to him, or against a man who is unclean to him, even any of
his uncleanness –
Or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing, whereby he may be made
unclean,.... Jarchi thinks this respects the measure or quantity of what
is touched, as if but the quantity of a lentil or small pea, see Leviticus 11:31,
or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness
he hath; as of a leper, a profluvious, or a dead man; Jarchi interprets
it of the latter, and of the quantity which defiles, which is that of an olive;
who also observes, that the phrase, "whatsoever uncleanness",
includes touching a profluvious man or woman, a menstruous woman, and a new
mother.
Leviticus 22:6. 6 the
person who has touched any such thing shall be unclean until evening, and shall
not eat the holy offerings unless he washes his body with water.
YLT 6the person who cometh against it -- hath even
been unclean till the evening, and doth not eat of the holy things, but hath
bathed his flesh with water,
The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even,.... Which is
the time fixed by the several laws for such uncleannesses, see Leviticus 11:31,
and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh
with water; in forty seahs of water, as the Targum of Jonathan; yea, when
the evening is come, he may not eat of the heave or wave offerings, until he
has dipped himself all over in water; nor should any eat of the Lord's supper
under the New Testament, but such as are first baptized in water.
Leviticus 22:7. 7 And
when the sun goes down he shall be clean; and afterward he may eat the holy offerings,
because it is his food.
YLT 7and the sun hath gone in, and he hath been
clean, and afterwards he doth eat of the holy things, for it [is] his food;
And when the sun is down he shall be clean,.... Having
washed himself in water, otherwise not, though the sun may be set:
and shall afterwards eat of the holy things; the families
of the priests lived upon:
because it is his food: his common food, his
ordinary diet, that by which he subsists, having nothing else to live upon;
this being the ordination of God, that he which ministered about holy things
should live on them; and these being his only substance, in compassion to him
they were detained from him no longer than the evening; and this was done, to
make him careful how he defiled himself, since thereby he was debarred of his
ordinary meals.
Leviticus 22:8. 8 Whatever
dies naturally or is torn by beasts he shall not eat, to defile
himself with it: I am the Lord.
YLT 8a carcase or torn thing he doth not eat, for
uncleanness thereby; I [am] Jehovah.
That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts,.... Whether
fowls or beasts, and even clean ones, which, had they been killed in a proper
manner, were fit to cut, but dying of themselves, or torn to pieces by other
birds or beasts of prey, might not, see Ezekiel 44:31,
he shall not eat, to defile himself therewith; being impure
food, at least in a ceremonial sense, and not fit to be eaten; these things
were forbid a common Israelite, and much less might a priest eat of them, see Leviticus 17:15,
I am the Lord; who enjoin this, and
expect to be obeyed.
Leviticus 22:9. 9 ‘They
shall therefore keep My ordinance, lest they bear sin for it and die thereby,
if they profane it: I the Lord sanctify them.
YLT 9`And they have kept My charge, and bear no
sin for it, that they have died for it when they pollute it; I [am] Jehovah
sanctifying them.
They shall therefore keep mine ordinance,.... The
observance of my word, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, of his word of
command; either respecting the not eating of such creatures that died of
themselves, or were torn by beasts; or else the not eating holy things in
uncleanness, so Jarchi and Gersom; but Aben Ezra thinks the sanctuary is
referred to, which was to be kept by the priests, and which seems to agree with
what follows:
lest they bear sin for it: the sanctuary, by
neglecting it, and so be charged with the guilt of sin, and be obliged to bear
the punishment of it:
and die therefore if they profane it; by going into
it in their uncleanness, and eating of the most holy things there when in such
circumstances, and die by the hand of God, as Jarchi and Ben Gersom interpret
it, as Nadab and Abihu did, and even in like manner, by fire, Leviticus 10:1; and
so the Targum of Jonathan,"lest they die by flaming fire:"
I the Lord do sanctify them; the priests, who were
separated from others, and devoted to his service, and therefore ought to be
holy; or the holy things separated for the use of the priests, but not to be
eaten in their uncleanness; the Arabic version renders it, "do sanctify
that", the sanctuary, and therefore it should not be profaned, but be kept
pure and holy.
Leviticus 22:10. 10 ‘No
outsider shall eat the holy offering; one who dwells with the priest, or
a hired servant, shall not eat the holy thing.
YLT 10`And no stranger doth eat of the holy thing;
a settler of a priest and an hireling doth not eat of the holy thing;
There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing,.... Any one
of the holy things, as the heave shoulder, wave breast, &c. by a
"stranger" is not meant one of another nation; though indeed all such
were called strangers, and might not eat of these things, Ephesians 2:12; but
one that was not of the family of a priest, though he might be an Israelite,
and even a Levite; anyone that was not of the seed of Aaron, as Aben Ezra; any
common man or laic, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, excepting those
after mentioned:
a sojourner of the priests, or an hired servant, shall not eat of
the holy thing: by the former is not intended an Heathen, a proselyte of the
gate, one that has renounced idolatry, and so permitted to live among the
Israelites, of it uncircumcised, who is often understood by one that sojourneth
in the gate, but here an Israelitish sojourner; and so the Targum of Jonathan
expressly has it,"a son of an Israelite, who is a sojourner of the
priests;'not that is a guest for a short time, or a boarder with him; for if he
may not eat of the holy things, what must he live on while with him? but one
that dwells in some part of his house: and by the latter is meant anyone that
is hired by the day, or week, or year, and when the time is expired is at his
liberty; though the Jewish writers commonly, and particularly Jarchi, interpret
the sojourner of the servant that has his ear bored, and is bought with money,
until the year of jubilee, and serves for ever; and the hireling of one that is
purchased for years, and goes out in the sixth year; but the above objection
will lie against these.
Leviticus 22:11. 11 But if the priest buys a
person with his money, he may eat it; and one who is born in his house may eat
his food.
YLT 11and when a priest buyeth a person, the
purchase of his money, he doth eat of it, also one born in his house; they do
eat of his bread.
But if the priest buy any soul with his money, he shall eat
of it,.... Whether any of his own nation, who sometimes, when become
poor, were obliged to sell themselves; or a stranger, as the Targum of
Jonathan; one of another nation, a Canaanitish servant, as Jarchi. Now these
being his own purchase, and always to abide with him, became part of his
family, and so might eat of the provisions of it; and it is from hence the Jews
gather, as Jarchi and Gersom, that his wife might eat of the holy things,
because bought with his money; but there is a better reason to be given for
that, for of whatever family she was before, whether of the priests or not, by
marriage she became a part, yea, a principal of his family, being one flesh
with him, bearing the same name, and entitled to all the privileges of his
house. This is extended by some Jewish writersF12Misn. Trumot, c.
11. sect. 9. & Maimon. & Bartenora in ib. Hilchot Trumot, c. 6. sect.
1. to cattle, for by any soul they understood also the soul of a beast, which
being bought by the priest's money, might eat of the offerings of the tithes:
and he that is born in his house; they shall eat of his meat; whether male
or female, as Aben Ezra; these are children of handmaids, as Jarchi, that were
bought with his money; and these children being born of them, became his
property, and part of his family, and so had a right to the provisions of his
house. All this may teach us, that the holy ordinances of the Gospel are not to
be administered to strangers, persons destitute of the grace of God, nor to
such as are not of the family or church of God, but to such as are bought and
redeemed with the blood of Christ, the high priest, and are born again of his
Spirit and grace.
Leviticus 22:12. 12 If
the priest’s daughter is married to an outsider, she may not eat of the holy
offerings.
YLT 12`And a priest's daughter, when she is a
strange man's, -- she, of the heave-offering of the holy things doth not eat;
If the priest's daughter also be married to a stranger,.... Not to an
Heathen, but to any Israelite, that is, a common man, or a layman, as the
Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, one that is not a priest; but is married
either to a Levite, or an Israelite, as Jarchi:
she may not eat of an offering of the holy things; the heave
shoulder or wave breast, &c. being removed into another family by marriage,
she is not reckoned of her father's family, and so had no more a right to eat
of the holy things.
Leviticus 22:13. 13 But
if the priest’s daughter is a widow or divorced, and has no child, and has
returned to her father’s house as in her youth, she may eat her father’s food;
but no outsider shall eat it.
YLT 13and a priest's daughter, when she is a widow,
or cast out, and hath no seed, and hath turned back unto the house of her
father, as [in] her youth, of her father's bread she doth eat; but no stranger
doth eat of it.
But if the priest's daughter be a widow or divorced,.... If her
husband be dead, or if living, and she is put away by him, whether a Levite, or
an Israelite:
and have no child: by him, as the Targum of Jonathan and
Jarchi add, nor is with child by him:
and is returned to her father's house, as in her youth, she shall
eat of her father's meat; not of all, or any part, only of some, of the heave offering,
but not of the shoulder or breast, which is the tradition of the wise men, as
MaimonidesF13In Misn. Yebamot, c. 9. sect. 6. relates. There are two
cases in this affair excepted by them, which they suppose are implied in this
clause; the one is, if she is detained and reserved for her husband's brother,
according to the law in Deuteronomy 25:5;
she being without children; and so the Targum of Jonathan adds,"and is not
kept or reserved for her husband's brother,'which is implied by her being
returned to her father's house; and the other is, if she is with child; for
though she had no children by her husband, yet if she is pregnant, that made
her unlawful to eat of the holy things; for then she is not as in her youthF14Misn
Yebamot, c. 7. sect. 4. & Bartenora in ib. . The Jewish canon concerning
such a person runs thusF15Misn. Yebamot, c. 9. sect. 6. ; the
daughter of a priest, married to an Israelite, may not eat of the heave
offering; if he dies, and she has a son by him, she may not eat of the heave
offering; if she is married to a Levite, she may eat of the tithes: if he dies,
and she has a son by him, she may eat of the tithes: if she is married to a
priest, she may eat of the heave offering; if he dies, and she has a son by
him, she may eat of the heave offering; if her son by the priest dies, she may
not eat of the heave offering; if her son by the Levite dies, she may not eat
of the tithes; if her son by an Israelite, she may return to her father's
house, as it is said Leviticus 22:13,
but there shall no stranger eat thereof; as not anyone
of another nation, so not anyone of another family beside the priest's, no, not
the son of a priest's daughter by an Israelite, which some think is principally
intended; and so Aben Ezra remarks this is said of a son, if she had any, and
upon whose account she herself might not eat.
Leviticus 22:14. 14 ‘And
if a man eats the holy offering unintentionally, then he shall restore a
holy offering to the priest, and add one-fifth to it.
YLT 14`And when a man doth eat of a holy thing
through ignorance, then he hath added its fifth part to it, and hath given [it]
to the priest, with the holy thing;
And if a man eat of the holy thing unwittingly,.... Either
not knowing that it is an holy thing, or the heave offering, or any thing of
that kind; or else is ignorant of the punishment of such an action, as Gersom
observes; and this is to be understood of any man that was not a priest, or was
not of the priest's family, even any common Israelite; so the Targum of
Jonathan, a man of Israel, or an Israelite, one of the common people:
then he shall put a fifth part thereof unto it; a fifth part
of the value of what he has eaten, to an equivalent for the whole, that is, he
shall pay the full value for what he has eaten, and a fifth part besides:
and shall give it to the priest with the holy thing; the meaning
is, that he shall give the fifth part to the priest, with the equivalent for
what he has eaten; for he could not give the holy thing itself, but a
compensation for it; according to Gersom, he was to give the principal to the
priest, whose the holy thing was he ate of, and the fifth part he might give to
what priest he would. The Jewish canon, concerning this matter, runs thus; he
that ignorantly eats the heave offering pays the principal, and the fifth part;
and the same, either he that eats, or drinks, or anoints; and whether the heave
offering be clean or unclean, he pays the fifth, and the fifth of the fifth;
and he does not pay the heave offering but of common things, rightly ordered,
and they become an heave offering, and the compensation of it; and if the
priest would forgive, he may notF16Misn. Trumot, c. 6. sect. 1. .
Leviticus 22:15. 15 They
shall not profane the holy offerings of the children of Israel, which
they offer to the Lord,
YLT 15and they do not pollute the holy things of
the sons of Israel -- that which they lift up to Jehovah,
And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of
Israel, which they offer unto the Lord. By causing or suffering
strangers to eat of them; so Jarchi, referring the words to the priests, who
should be careful that strangers ate not of sacred things; or by the strangers
themselves eating them, whereby they were profaned and used as common things.
Leviticus 22:16. 16 or
allow them to bear the guilt of trespass when they eat their holy offerings;
for I the Lord
sanctify them.’”
YLT 16nor have caused them to bear the iniquity of
the guilt-offering in their eating their holy things; for I [am] Jehovah,
sanctifying them.'
Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass,.... The
punishment of sin: either the strangers:
when they eat their holy things; the holy things
belonging to the priests, which they permitting them to do, suffer them to be
liable to the punishment incurred thereby, or else the priests themselves; so
the Septuagint version renders the word "themselves"; and in like
manner Jarchi interprets it; and then the sense may be, according to the
Targums of Jonathan and Onkelos, that the priests shall bear the punishment of
their sins,"when they shall eat the holy things in uncleanness,'which is
what is forbidden them in the former part of the chapter; but this seems to be
too remote; rather the former sense is best:
for I the Lord do sanctify them; both the priests, to
whom the holy things belong, and the holy things for their use, and the use of
their families, and them only.
Leviticus 22:17. 17 And
the Lord
spoke to Moses, saying,
YLT 17And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... At the same time;
for having said many things concerning the holiness of priests, whose business
it was to offer sacrifices, he adds various things concerning the nature,
condition, and circumstances of the sacrifices they were to offer:
saying, as follows.
Leviticus 22:18. 18 “Speak
to Aaron and his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them:
‘Whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, who offers
his sacrifice for any of his vows or for any of his freewill offerings, which
they offer to the Lord
as a burnt offering—
YLT 18`Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and
unto all the sons of Israel, and thou hast said unto them, Any man of the house
of Israel, or of the sojourners in Israel, who bringeth near his offering, of
all his vows, or of all his willing offerings which they bring near to Jehovah
for a burnt-offering;
Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons,.... The priests, whose
work it was to offer sacrifices, and therefore it behoved them to know what
kind and sort were to be offered by them, when brought to them:
and unto all the children of Israel: who were to bring the
sacrifices, and for whom they were to be offered, and therefore should be
acquainted with the nature and kind of what would be acceptable to God, and
what not:
and say unto them, whatsoever he be of the house of Israel; this phrase
includes women and servants, and even Gentiles, as say the Jewish writersF17T.
Bab. Cholin, fol. 13. 2. Bartenora in Misn. Shekalim, c. 1. sect. 5. , who may
vow vows, and make voluntary gifts, as well as the Israelites:
or of the strangers in Israel: those of other nations
that dwelt there, either proselytes of the gate, or proselytes of
righteousness, so Ben Gersom; and Aben Ezra observes, that the text speaks of
the stranger, because there is some reason in the vows and freewill offerings
of an Israelite and stranger, as follows:
that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his
freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the Lord for a burnt offering; the wise men,
as Aben Ezra observes, distinguish between a vow and a freewill offering; every
vow is a freewill offering, but every freewill offering is not a vow; and
though these were both of them sorts of peace offerings, yet they were not
received from Gentiles under that notion, but as burnt offerings, because they
were offered in devotion to God, and not to be eaten by Israelites; so
MaimonidesF18Hilchot Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 3. sect. 2, 3. says, they
do not receive from Gentiles but burnt offerings only, as it is said Leviticus 22:25,
"neither from a stranger's hand", &c. even burnt offerings of
fowls they receive from a Gentile, though he be an idolater; but they do not
receive of them peace offerings, nor meat offerings, nor sin offerings, nor
trespass offerings; and so burnt offerings, which do not come by way of a vow,
or a freewill offering, they do not receive from Gentiles, as the burnt
offering of a new mother and the like unto it; a Gentile that brings peace
offerings, they offer them as burnt offerings, because the heart of the Gentile
is towards heaven.
Leviticus 22:19. 19 you shall offer of your own
free will a male without blemish from the cattle, from the sheep, or from the
goats.
YLT 19at your pleasure a perfect one, a male of the
herd, of the sheep or of the goats;
Ye shall offer at your own will,.... For vows and freewill
offerings were at their own option, and depended on their own will and
pleasure, and when offered should be with a willing mind, and from their whole
heart: or "for good will to you"; as the Targums of Onkelos and
Jonathan; or for gracious, acceptation, that is, that they might be well
pleasing to God, and acceptable in his sight, so Jarchi; in order to which the
following direction was strictly to be observed:
a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, and of the
goats; bullocks, sheep, and goats, were the only sorts of beasts, out
of which sacrifices were taken, and those that were for burnt offerings were
always to be males, and unblemished, see Leviticus 1:3; but
for other offerings, as peace offerings and sin offerings, females might be
used, see Leviticus 3:1.
Fowls are not mentioned, though burnt offerings were of them, because it was
not required in them, only of beasts, that they should be males, and without
blemish; for, as Jarchi observes, these were not rejected on account of a
blemish, only for want of a member.
Leviticus 22:20. 20 Whatever
has a defect, you shall not offer, for it shall not be acceptable on your
behalf.
YLT 20nothing in which [is] blemish do ye bring
near, for it is not for a pleasing thing for you.
For whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer,.... Which is
the general rule, the particulars of which are after given, and which has been
imitated by the Heathens. The Egyptians, as they only sacrificed the males of
beeves, so they were very curious in examining them, that they might be
entirely pure and perfectF19Heredot. Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 38. ;
and it was a custom among the Romans, that such sheep should be chosen for
sacrifice, in which there was nothing wantingF20Servius in Virgil.
Aeneid. l. 4. ; and so, among the Grecians, HomerF21Iliad. 1. ver.
66. speaks of perfect goats offered in sacrifice to appease the gods:
for it shall not be acceptable for you; be grateful
to God, and accepted by him on their account, if blemished; see Malachi 1:13.
Leviticus 22:21. 21 And whoever offers a
sacrifice of a peace offering to the Lord, to fulfill his
vow, or a freewill offering from the cattle or the sheep, it must be perfect to
be accepted; there shall be no defect in it.
YLT 21`And when a man bringeth near a sacrifice of
peace-offerings to Jehovah, to complete a vow, or for a willing-offering, of
the herd or of the flock, it is perfect for a pleasing thing: no blemish is in
it;
And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offering unto the Lord,.... This, as
Ben Gersom observes, is distinguished from a burnt offering; for though it was
to be perfect, and without blemish, yet not obliged to be a male as that, Leviticus 3:1. This
was either by way of thanksgiving for mercies received, Leviticus 7:12, or
to accomplish his vow; made in any distress,
that if God would deliver him, then he would offer such a sacrifice:
or a freewill offering; either on account of
favours received, or in order to obtain them: which sacrifice, whether
in beeves or sheep; whether in bullocks or sheep, under which
are comprehended goats, both being of the flock, Leviticus 22:19,
it shall be perfect to be accepted; perfect in all its
parts, not only in those that are without and obvious to view, but in those
that are within: wherefore the Jewish writers sayF23Maimon. Hilchot
Issure Mizbeach, c. 2. sect. 11. , if it had but one kidney, or the spleen was
consumed, it was unfit for the altar; wherefore, in order to be an acceptable
sacrifice to God, it was to be complete in all respects:
there shall be no blemish therein; which is repeated for
the confirmation of it, and that it might be observed. Such sacrifices were
typical of Christ, the immaculate Lamb of God, who offered himself without spot
to him, 1 Peter 1:19; and
shows that no sacrifice of man's can be so acceptable to God as to atone for
him, since none of theirs are perfect, and without blemish.
Leviticus 22:22. 22 Those
that are blind or broken or maimed, or have an ulcer or eczema or scabs,
you shall not offer to the Lord, nor make an offering by
fire of them on the altar to the Lord.
YLT 22blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen,
or scurvy, or scabbed -- ye do not bring these near to Jehovah, and a
fire-offering ye do not make of them on the altar to Jehovah.
Blind, or broken, or maimed,.... Which is
"blind" of one eye, or both: and so the Egyptians, as they would not
sacrifice any of their oxen that had any blemishes on them, and were of a
different colour, or changed in their form, so likewise such that were deprived
of either of their eyesF24Chaeremon. apud Porphyr. de Abstinentia,
l. 4. sect. 7. . Some, as Aben Ezra observes, restrain that which is
"broken" to its being broken in the head; but others interpret it of
any fracture of the foot, as well as the head, and even of the tail, side, or
rib; though others think, that such fractures as were not open and visible are
excepted, as that of the rib; so Gersom; and with the Heathens, as PlinyF25Nat.
Hist. l. 8. c. 45. would have remarked, as they were not used to sacrifice
calves, brought on men's shoulders, so neither anything that halted: that which
is maimed some understand of that whose foot is broken, as Aben Ezra also
remarks; but the word is by the Septuagint rendered, "cut in the
tongue"; and the Targum of Jonathan, "whose eyebrows are smitten";
and Jarchi seems to take in both, interpreting it the eyebrow which is cut or
broken, and so the lip, which is cut or broken: but it is rather to be
understood more generally of its being maimed or mutilated in any part of it;
so with the Heathens, as PorphyryF26De Abstinentia, l. 2. sect. 23.
affirms, beasts that were mutilated were not to be sacrificed; and in the
ComedianF1Aristoph. Acharnens. ver. 784. , a sacrifice is objected
to, because it had no tail; upon which the Scholiast observes, that whatever
was mutilated was not offered in sacred services, nor was any thing imperfect
or unsound sacrificed to the gods; and particularly ServiusF2In
Virgil. Aeneid. l. 6. remarks, if their tongues were cut or slit; which
illustrates the Septuagint version, which is observed by Grotius:
or having a wen: or full of warts, as others; the Targum of
Jonathan is, whose eyes are smitten with a mixture of white and black; and so
Gersom interprets it of a like defect in the eye, in the white of the eye; for
he says, if it was in the black or pupil of the eye, the eye would be blind:
or scurvy or scabbed: the same of those in
men; See Gill on Leviticus 21:20,
ye shall not offer these unto the Lord; any creatures
defective in any of these instances; three times this is said, as Jarchi
observes, to make them careful concerning the sanctification of them, and
concerning the slaying of them, and concerning the sprinkling of their blood:
nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the Lord; a burnt
offering on the altar of burnt offering, or burn the fat of them upon it.
Leviticus 22:23. 23 Either
a bull or a lamb that has any limb too long or too short you may offer as a
freewill offering, but for a vow it shall not be accepted.
YLT 23`As to an ox or a sheep enlarged or dwarfed
-- a willing-offering ye do make it, but for a vow it is not pleasing.
Either a bullock, or a lamb that hath anything superfluous,
or lacking in its parts,.... That has either more
members than it should have, as five feet, or two gristles in an ear, as Gersom
says, or has fewer than it should have; or, as Jarchi, that has one member
longer or shorter than another, as the leg or thigh; according to the Targum of
Jonathan, that is redundant in its testicles, or deficient therein; the
Septuagint version is, that hath its ear or its tail cut; and so the Vulgate Latin
version:
that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering: for the
repair of the sanctuary or temple, as Jarchi and Gersom; money, or the value of
the sacrifices, might be given to the priests for that use, but according to
them might not be offered upon the altar: but it rather seems to be an
exception to the above law, and allows of the sacrifice of them for freewill
offering, though not for a vow, as it follows
but for a vow it shall not be accepted; because the
other was according to a man's will and pleasure, and he might bring what he
would on that account; but when he made a vow that he would offer such a
sacrifice, it must be of creatures that were perfect, and without blemish.
Leviticus 22:24. 24 ‘You
shall not offer to the Lord
what is bruised or crushed, or torn or cut; nor shall you make any offering
of them in your land.
YLT 24As to a bruised, or beaten, or enlarged, or
cut thing -- ye do not bring [it] near to Jehovah; even in your land ye do not
do it.
Ye shall not offer unto the Lord that which bruised, or crushed,
or broken, or cut,.... The Targum of Jonathan is, whose testicles are pressed and
bruised, and whose nerves are corrupted and bruised, and so most Jewish writers
interpret it:
neither shall you make any offering thereof in your land; any offering
of any sort, either burnt offering or peace offering, or any other; or ye shall
not do, that is, any such thing as here suggested, not bruise, or crush, or
break, or cut the testicles of any creature; so the above writers.
Leviticus 22:25. 25 Nor
from a foreigner’s hand shall you offer any of these as the bread of your God,
because their corruption is in them, and defects are in
them. They shall not be accepted on your behalf.’”
YLT 25And from the hand of a son of a stranger ye
do not bring near the bread of your God, of any of these, for their corruption
[is] in them; blemish [is] in them; they are not pleasing for you.'
Neither from a stranger's hand shall ye offer the bread of your
God of any of these,.... That is, from a Gentile, a proselyte of the gate, who had
renounced idolatry, and was willing to offer sacrifice to the true God; but
what had such defects and blemishes in them as before described the priest
might not take of his hands, and offer on the altar of God; and this is the
rather observed, because on the one hand the Gentile might think such
sacrifices would be acceptable, since he might have been used to offer such to
idols; and on the other hand, the priest might think such would do well enough
for Gentiles, though not for Israelites:
because their corruption is in them; or they are
corrupt through being bruised, crushed, broken, or cut:
and blemishes be in
them; which seems to be added to explain the former, and may have
respect to all the blemishes before named, and whatsoever is included in them;
for though there are but here mentioned, the Jews reckon no less than fiftyF3Maimon.
Hilchot Biath Hamikdash, c. 7. sect. 1, &c. :
they shall not be accepted for you; to make atonement for
you; Jarchi says, or "from you", the priests; they shall not be
accepted of the Lord from their hands, and so be of no avail to the offerers,
nor to those for whom they are offered.
Leviticus 22:26. 26 And
the Lord
spoke to Moses, saying:
YLT 26And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying,
And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... At the same time, as
before, in a continued discourse, the subject being of the same kind, relating
to sacrifices:
saying, as follows.
Leviticus 22:27. 27 “When
a bull or a sheep or a goat is born, it shall be seven days with its mother;
and from the eighth day and thereafter it shall be accepted as an offering made
by fire to the Lord.
YLT 27`When ox or lamb or goat is born, and it hath
been seven days under its dam, then from the eighth day and henceforth, it is
pleasing for an offering, a fire-offering to Jehovah;
When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth,.... Those
three are only mentioned, because they were only made use of in sacrifice, to
which this law refers:
then it shall be seven days under the dam; whether a
calf, or a lamb, or a kid of the goats; it was not to be taken from its dam and
killed, either for food or sacrifice, before it was seven days old: Fagius
says, the Hebrews give two reasons why a creature might not be offered before
the eighth day; one is, that a sabbath might pass over it, nothing being
perfect and consistent without it, that giving, as they sayF4Tzerer
Hammor, fol. 104. 2. perfection and consistence to all the things of the world;
and the other, as the heavens and the earth being perfected in seven days, a
creature which lives so long seems to be, as it were, perfect; but he observes,
if we inquire after the mystical sense of it, a better reason is to be given,
namely, that Christ, the type of all the sacrifices, was not to be offered, or
suffer death in his infancy, which Herod contrived, but at man's estate; and to
show that no man is fit to be a propitiatory sacrifice, through weakness and
inability, being unable to stand before the justice of God, only Christ, in
whom is perfection of strength:
and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for
an offering made by fire unto the Lord; become an acceptable
burnt offering to God; so PlinyF5Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 51. says, that
the young of sheep are fit for sacrifice on the eighth day, and of an ox on the
thirtieth day; see Exodus 22:30.
Leviticus 22:28. 28 Whether it is a cow or ewe, do not kill
both her and her young on the same day.
YLT 28but an ox or sheep -- it and its young one,
ye do not slaughter in one day.
And whether it be cow or ewe,.... Or "an ox or
sheep"F6שור או
שה "bovem vel pecus", Pagninus, Montanus,
&c. , for this law, as Aben Ezra says, respects both male and female, and
neither the one nor the other with their young might be slain; though Jarchi
says, the custom is concerning the female, for it is forbidden to slay the dam
and its son, or daughter; but it is not the custom concerning males, wherefore
it is lawful to slay the father and the son:
ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day; or, "it
and its son"F7אתו ואת
בנו "ipsum et filium ejus", Pagninus,
Montanus, &c. , the young, whether of a cow or ewe, and whether it be male
or female; though Gersom observes, that this law takes place only in the dam
and its female young, and not in the father and the son; for it is not
manifest, in many animals, who is their father, wherefore he is not guilty of
stripes, if the father and his son are slain in one day, even though it is
known it is its father: the reason of the law seems to be, to encourage mercy
and pity, and to discourage cruelty: hence the Targum of Jonathan is,"and
my people, the children of Israel, as our Father is merciful in heaven, so be
ye merciful on earth: a cow, or a sheep, &c.'
Leviticus 22:29. 29 And
when you offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord, offer it
of your own free will.
YLT 29`And when ye sacrifice a sacrifice of
thanksgiving to Jehovah, at your pleasure ye do sacrifice,
And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the Lord,.... Which was
a sort of peace offering, distinct from freewill offerings and vows before
spoken of:
offer it at your own will; just what they pleased,
whether a bullock, a sheep, or a goat, and whether a male or female; these were
left to their own option, or for acceptation to you, as the Targum of Jonathan,
and so Jarchi; that is, it was right in them, and they ought to be careful to
offer it in such manner, that it might be acceptable to God, by observing the
rules given concerning it, particularly what follows.
Leviticus 22:30. 30 On
the same day it shall be eaten; you shall leave none of it until morning: I am
the Lord.
YLT 30on that day it is eaten, ye do not leave of
it till morning; I [am] Jehovah;
On the same day it shall be eaten up,.... Which is
the law concerning it; See Gill on Leviticus 7:15,
ye shall leave none of it till the morning; of another
day, as the Vulgate Latin version adds, and much less the fat of them, and the
most holy things, as Ben Gersom observes, the one being to be burnt upon the
altar, the other to be eaten by the priests
I am the Lord; who has made this law,
and expect it will be observed.
Leviticus 22:31. 31 “Therefore you shall keep
My commandments, and perform them: I am the Lord.
YLT 31and ye have kept my commands, and have done
them; I [am] Jehovah;
Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them,.... Both
priests and people, even all the commandments delivered at this time, as well
as all others; these they were to observe and take notice of, and keep them in
memory, and put them in practice:
I am the Lord; See Gill on Leviticus 22:30.
Leviticus 22:32. 32 You
shall not profane My holy name, but I will be hallowed among the children of
Israel. I am the Lord
who sanctifies you,
YLT 32and ye do not pollute My holy name, and I
have been hallowed in the midst of the sons of Israel; I [am] Jehovah,
sanctifying you,
Neither shall ye profane my holy name,.... By
transgressing the laws of God, particularly by offering blemished sacrifices,
or before the proper tithe; or by slaying the dam and its young on one day;
for, as Aben Ezra observes, this is said to the sons of Aaron:
but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel; by his
priests among them, and by themselves, conforming to all the precepts, and
particularly the last mentioned, which respects them, and their eating up the
peace offerings the same day:
I am the Lord which hallowed you; had separated
them from all other people, and had given them holy laws to walk by, through
the observance of which they would be at least externally holy.
Leviticus 22:33. 33 who
brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord.”
YLT 33who am bringing you up out of the land of
Egypt, to become your God; I [am] Jehovah.'
That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God,.... Whereby
he showed himself to be their covenant God and Father, who had a kind and gracious
regard unto them, and which laid them under obligation to fear, serve, and
worship him as their God:
I am the Lord; that hath sovereign
right unto them, and claim upon them, and therefore they ought to be subject to
his will, and observe his laws ordinances.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》