AND THE LORD CALLED... AND SPAKE. — Rather, _And he called unto Moses, and the Lord spake, &c._ (See Leviticus 8:15.) At the end of the previous book we are told that when the tent of meeting was completed, the Lord showed His approbation of it by covering the outside of the edifice with a heaven-se... [ Continue Reading ]
SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. — The directions for the different sacrifices specified in Leviticus 1:2; Leviticus 3:17, are not in the first instance communicated to the priests who should teach them to the people, but are directly addressed to the people themselves. YE SHALL BRING YOUR OFFERI... [ Continue Reading ]
IF HIS OFFERING BE A BURNT SACRIFICE. — Having stated what is meant by animals, the directions now treat upon the different kinds of the offerings them-selves. First in order comes the burnt offering, which is divided into burnt offering from the beeves (Leviticus 1:3), and burnt offering from the f... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL PUT HIS HAND. — Or, _lay his hand,_ as the same phrase is rendered in Leviticus 3:2; Leviticus 3:17, &c. The laying on of hands by the offerer on the victim was enjoined not only in the case of burnt offerings, but also in peace offerings (Leviticus 3:2; Leviticus 3:7; Leviticus 3:13; L... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL KILL THE BULLOCK. — The sacrificer himself slaughtered the victim on the north side of the altar, by cutting its throat, while a priest or an assistant held a bowl under the neck to receive the blood. BEFORE THE LORD. — That is, before the door of the tent of meeting (comp. Leviticus 1:... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL FLAY. — After the priest threw the blood on the walls of the altar, the sacrificer himself had to skin and cut up the sacrifice into its natural limbs (comp. Leviticus 1:12; Leviticus 8:20; Exodus 29:17), as head, breast, legs, &c., and not mangle it. The skin was the perquisite of the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SONS OF AARON. — The priests are to put the fire upon the altar, because they offered the sacrifice upon the altar. This applies to the first burnt offering which was offered upon the newly-erected altar, since afterwards the fire was always burning, and was never allowed to go out (Leviticu... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL LAY THE PARTS. — Better, _shall lay the pieces in order,_ as in Leviticus 1:12. The word here rendered by _parts_ is the same which is more properly translated _pieces_ in Leviticus 1:6. Here again the priests are not to lay the pieces upon the altar anyhow, but are to arrange them systematica... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT HIS INWARDS. — Before, however, the cut-up victim was thus arranged to be burnt, the stomach, the bowels, and the feet had to be thoroughly cleansed. In the time of the second Temple, the washing had to be repeated three times before the ablution was deemed complete. AND THE PRIEST SHALL BURN. —... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE FLOCKS. — Bullocks of course could only be offered by the wealthy. Hence the law now provides for those who could not afford so costly a sacrifice. They are to bring a lamb of the first year, which was the ordinary burnt offering in the time of Christ, and not a goat. The directions given wit... [ Continue Reading ]
ON THE SIDE OF THE ALTAR NORTHWARD. — As the place for the refuse was on the east side (see Leviticus 1:16), as the laver stood on the west side, and as the ascent to the altar was on the south side, the north side was the most convenient for slaughtering the victims. This also applies to the sin an... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH HIS HEAD AND HIS FAT. — That is, “he shall cut it into its pieces, and _sever_ or _cut off_ its head and its fat.” By a figure of speech not uncommon in Hebrew, one verb is connected with two substantives, though it only applies to one of the two, and a kindred verb has to be supplied for the s... [ Continue Reading ]
BE OF FOWLS. — The fowls here are in contrast to the cattle in Leviticus 1:2. And as the quadrupeds there are immediately defined to consist of bullocks, sheep and goats, so the generic term _winged creature_ is here restricted to the dove and pigeon. It will thus be seen that five different kinds a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PRIEST. — It was probably out of consideration for the feelings of the poor offerer, and to increase the importance of the otherwise small offering, that the priest himself brought the victim to the altar and slew it instead of the worshipper performing these acts, as in the case of quadrupe... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS CROP WITH HIS FEATHERS. — Just as in the case of quadrupeds the skin was flayed off the victim before it was put on the altar fire, so the feathers were removed from the bird before its body was placed on the altar. This is the natural sense which is to be expected from the context, since it can... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL CLEAVE IT WITH THE WINGS THEREOF. — Before placing it on the altar fire the priest made an incision in the wings, without, however, separating them wholly from the body, thus corresponding in some degree to the limbing of the quadruped. (See Leviticus 1:6.)... [ Continue Reading ]