III. (1) A SACRIFICE OF PEACE OFFERING. — The peace offering of which this chapter treats, consisted of two kinds, the peace offering from the herd (Leviticus 3:1), and the peace offering from the flock (Leviticus 3:6). As in the case of the burnt offering (Leviticus 1:3), the ox is mentioned first... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL LAY HIS HAND. — Unlike the laying of hands on the burnt offering, there was no confession of sin here, but the utterance of words of praise to God, and this might be done in any place of the court-yard which was most convenient for the offerer to kill the sacrifice. AT THE DOOR OF THE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL OFFER. — That is, he who brings the sacrifices, not the priest. THE FAT. — That is, the best or choicest part. Hence the expression is also used for the best produce of the ground (Genesis 45:18; Numbers 18:12). As the most valuable part of the animal, the fat belonged to God, and henc... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AARON’S SONS. — After the offerer has killed the victim, taken out the choice parts and offered them to the officiating priest, the latter shall burn _it,_ that is, the whole collection of the fat pieces described in Leviticus 3:3, upon the ashes of the continual burnt offering, which was the da... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE FLOCK. — That is, of sheep or goats; they too might be either male or female, provided only that they were without organic defects.... [ Continue Reading ]
A LAMB. — Better, _a sheep,_ as it is rendered in Leviticus 1:10; Leviticus 7:23; Leviticus 22:19; Leviticus 22:27, &c, since the word denotes a full-grown sheep.... [ Continue Reading ]
BEFORE THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION. — Better, _before the tent of meeting._ (See Leviticus 3:2.)... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WHOLE RUMP. — Better, _the whole fat tail_ (so also Exodus 29:22; Leviticus 7:3; Leviticus 8:25; Leviticus 9:19). The sheep of Syria and Palestine were, and still are, the bread-tailed species, the broad part often weighing fifteen pounds and upwards. In young animals, the substance of the tail,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE TWO KIDNEYS. — The ritual enjoined in these two verses is the same as in Leviticus 3:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FOOD, or _bread,_ that is, which the fire upon the altar was to consume for God, or the sacrifice. Hence that which was burnt unto God was called His bread (Numbers 28:2; Ezekiel 44:7), and the priests who burnt it are described as offering “ the bread of their God” (Leviticus 21:6; Leviticus 21... [ Continue Reading ]
(12-15) AND IF HIS OFFERING BE A GOAT. — The directions about the goat as a peace offering are the same as those about an ox. No mention of male or female is here made, because this point is already stated in Leviticus 3:6. Unlike the burnt offering (Leviticus 1:10), the goat is here separated from... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL BURN THEM. — That is, the fat pieces which have thus been specified (see Leviticus 4:35), because they constitute the bread of Jehovah; they are to ascend in a sweet-smelling savour to heaven. (See Leviticus 1:9). ALL THE FAT IS THE LORD’S. — This part of the verse is intimately connected wit... [ Continue Reading ]
(17)_)._ We find here, in this writing of Samuel, the first trace of literary composition among the Israelites since the days of Moses. The great revival in letters which began shortly after the days of Saul was due, most probably, to the influence of Samuel and those great schools of the prophets... [ Continue Reading ]