VI. (1) AND THE LORD SPAKE. — Like Leviticus 5:14, which begins with the same introductory formula, this is a further communication made to the lawgiver wherein other instances are specified which require a trespass offering. It is repeatedly stated, in some of our best commentaries, that Leviticus... [ Continue Reading ]
AND COMMIT A TRESPASS AGAINST THE LORD. — It will be seen that the trespass against God is, strictly speaking, a violation of the rights of a neighbour’s property. As fraud and plunder are most subversive of social life, a crime of this sort is described as an insult to God, who is the founder and s... [ Continue Reading ]
OR HAVE FOUND. — The fifth instance adduced is of property which was neither entrusted nor exacted but accidentally found. For the law on lost property, see Exodus 23:4; Deuteronomy 22:1. AND SWEARETH FALSELY. — This refers to all the five instances specified — that is, if he denies with an oath th... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN IT SHALL BE, BECAUSE HE HATH SINNED, AND IS GUILTY. — Better, _And it shall come to pass, token he hath so sinned, and acknowledged his guilt._ (See Leviticus 4:22.) That is, when he has committed any of the aforementioned offences, and denied the sin with an oath, but afterwards voluntarily ac... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHALL ADD THE FIFTH PART MORE THERETO. — The first thing the offender must do, when he realises and confesses his guilt, is to make restitution of the property which he had embezzled, if he still has it, or if that be impossible, he is to pay the value of it as estimated by the authorised tribun... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH THY ESTIMATION. — That is, according to the official valuation; the ram is to be so grown up as to be worth two shekels. (See Leviticus 5:15.)... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES, SAYING. — This is the fourth instance in which this formula is used (see Leviticus 4:1; Leviticus 5:14; Leviticus 6:1) in Leviticus, and, as in the former passages, introduces a further communication to the Lawgiver. Hitherto the law pointed out to the people under wha... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS THE BURNT OFFERING, BECAUSE OF THE BURNING UPON THE ALTAR. — Better, _This, the burnt offering, shall he upon the fire on the altar._ That is, the continued burnt offering, with which the sacrifices here enumerated begin, is to remain burning upon the altar from the evening until the morning.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PRIEST SHALL PUT ON HIS LINEN GARMENT. — The officiating priest was to put on his sacerdotal garments, which consisted of four pieces — viz., (1) the tunic, which was a long close robe of fine linen, with sleeves but without folds, covering the whole body, and reaching down to the feet; (2)... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL PUT OFF HIS GARMENTS. — That is, the priest shall change the sacred robes in which he ministered at the altar; for other garments, though less holy, were not common, since the removing of the ashes was still a sacerdotal function. The holy garments were deposited in the cells within the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE FIRE UPON THE ALTAR SHALL BE BURNING IN IT. — Better, _and the fire upon the altar shall burn by it._ This is almost a literal repetition of the last clause in Leviticus 6:9, and is here introduced to caution the priest whose function it is to remove the ashes. When engaged in this act, he i... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FIRE SHALL EVER BE BURNING. — This fire, which first came down from heaven (Leviticus 9:24), was to be continually fed with the fuel especially provided by the congregation, and with the daily burnt offerings. During the second Temple, this perpetual fire consisted OF three parts or separate pil... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THIS IS THE LAW OF THE MEAT _OFFERING._ — In Leviticus 2:1, where this meat offering is spoken of, the people are told of what the _mincha_ is to consist, and what portion of it was the perquisite of the officiating priest. In the section before us (Leviticus 6:14) additional directions are give... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL TAKE OF IT. — That is, one of the sons of Aaron mentioned in the preceding verse, whose rotation it is to serve at the altar. For an explanation of these directions see Leviticus 2:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH UNLEAVENED BREAD SHALL IT BE eaten. — Better, _unleavened shall it be eaten._ That is, the remainder of the meal is to be made into unleavened cakes, and thus be eaten. (See Leviticus 10:12.) By adding the word _with,_ which is not in the original, the Authorised Version says that the priests a... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE GIVEN IT UNTO THEM FOR THEIR PORTION. — It was ordained that those who ministered at the altar should live of the altar; hence the priests had no portion or inheritance in the land.... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE MALES AMONG THE CHILDREN OF AARON. — The sin offerings, the trespass offerings, and the remainder of the peace offerings being most holy, could only be eaten by the male members of the families of the priests within the court of the sanctuary; whilst the offerings of tithes, fruit, the shoul... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES. — The new law, which is here introduced with this special formula (see Leviticus 6:8), gives directions about the meat offering which the high priest is to bring on his consecration to the pontifical office (Leviticus 6:19). It naturally follows the sacrificial instruc... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS THE OFFERING OF AARON AND OF HIS SONS. — This offering, which is called the oblation of initiation, was, according to the practice which obtained during the second Temple, the _mincha “_of Aaron and his sons,” as the text before us declares; that is, of the high priest and of every common pr... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE PRIEST OF HIS SONS. — That is, any one of his descendants who succeeds to the high priesthood is to do the same in all times to come, since it is a statute to last as long as the priesthood continues. IT SHALL BE WHOLLY BURNT. — Unlike the ordinary meat offerings brought by the laity, which... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR EVERY MEAT OFFERING FOR THE PRIEST. — Better, _and every meat offering of a priest_ This rule applies to every meat offering brought by the priests themselves for the same reason.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES. — As IS indicated by the special formula, this introduces a new law, or rather a more expanded law than the one contained in Leviticus 4:1, giving more precise directions to the priests about the sin offering of the laity (Leviticus 6:24).... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE PLACE WHERE THE BURNT OFFERING IS KILLED. — That is, the north side of the altar. (See Leviticus 1:11.) IT IS MOST HOLY. — That is, the sin offering belongs to the class of sacrifices which is most holy. (See Leviticus 2:3.)... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PRIEST THAT OFFERETH IT FOR SIN. — Rather, _the priest that offereth it for expiation_, or, _the priest that expiateth sin by it._ That is, who makes atonement by the blood thereof. (See Leviticus 9:15.) SHALL EAT IT. — God gave the sin offering as food for the priests to bear the iniquity of t... [ Continue Reading ]
WHATSOEVER SHALL TOUCH THE FLESH THEREOF. — Better, _every one that toucheth the flesh thereof,_ as the Authorised Version rightly renders this phrase in Leviticus 6:18 of this very chapter, where it is explained. AND WHEN THERE IS SPRINKLED.... — So peculiarly sacred was the sin offering, that whe... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE EARTHEN VESSEL. — The earthen vessels need by the Hebrews were unglazed. The ordinary domestic vessels throughout the East are so to this day. From their porous character, therefore, they would absorb some of the fat juices of the flesh which was boiled in them for the priests to eat. And as... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE MALES AMONG THE PRIESTS. — Not only did the officiating priest, whose perquisite the flesh of the sin offering became, and his male children, partake of it, but he could invite any other priests and their sons to the meal. It is to this practice that the apostle refers when he says, “We have... [ Continue Reading ]
AND NO SIN OFFERING, WHEREOF... — Better, _but no sin offering,_ &c. The rule set forth in the preceding verse only applies to the sin offerings of the laity (Leviticus 4:22, &c.); their flesh fell to the share of the priests, but the flesh of the sin offerings, the blood of which was brought into t... [ Continue Reading ]