17 And he shall cleave H8156 it with the wings H3671 thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: H914 and the priest H3548 shall burn H6999 it upon the altar, H4196 upon the wood H6086 that is upon the fire: H784 it is a burnt sacrifice, H5930 an offering made by fire, H801 of a sweet H5207 savour H7381 unto the LORD. H3068
But his inwards H7130 and his legs H3767 shall he wash H7364 in water: H4325 and the priest H3548 shall burn H6999 all on the altar, H4196 to be a burnt sacrifice, H5930 an offering made by fire, H801 of a sweet H5207 savour H7381 unto the LORD. H3068 And if his offering H7133 be of the flocks, H6629 namely, of the sheep, H3775 or of the goats, H5795 for a burnt sacrifice; H5930 he shall bring H7126 it a male H2145 without blemish. H8549
In burnt offerings G3646 and G2532 sacrifices for G4012 sin G266 thou hast had G2106 no G3756 pleasure. G2106 Then G5119 said I, G2036 Lo, G2400 I come G2240 (in G1722 the volume G2777 of the book G975 it is written G1125 of G4012 me,) G1700 to do G4160 thy G4675 will, G2307 O God. G2316 Above G511 when he said, G3004 G3754 Sacrifice G2378 and G2532 offering G4376 and G2532 burnt offerings G3646 and G2532 offering for G4012 sin G266 thou wouldest G2309 not, G3756 neither G3761 hadst pleasure G2106 therein; which G3748 are offered G4374 by G2596 the law; G3551 Then G5119 said he, G2046 Lo, G2400 I come G2240 to do G4160 thy G4675 will, G2307 O God. G2316 He taketh away G337 the first, G4413 that G2443 he may establish G2476 the second. G1208 By G1722 the which G3739 will G2307 we are G2070 sanctified G37 through G1223 the offering G4376 of the body G4983 of Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 once G2178 for all. And G2532 G3303 every G3956 priest G2409 standeth G2476 daily G2596 G2250 ministering G3008 and G2532 offering G4374 oftentimes G4178 the same G846 sacrifices, G2378 which G3748 can G1410 never G3763 take away G4014 sins: G266 But G1161 this man, G846 after he had offered G4374 one G3391 sacrifice G2378 for G5228 sins G266 for G1519 ever, G1336 sat down G2523 on G1722 the right hand G1188 of God; G2316
By G1223 him G846 therefore G3767 let us offer G399 the sacrifice G2378 of praise G133 to God G2316 continually, G1275 that is, G5123 the fruit G2590 of our lips G5491 giving thanks G3670 to his G846 name. G3686 But G1161 to do good G2140 and G2532 to communicate G2842 forget G1950 not: G3361 for G1063 with such G5108 sacrifices G2378 God G2316 is well pleased. G2100
But G235 with the precious G5093 blood G129 of Christ, G5547 as G5613 of a lamb G286 without blemish G299 and G2532 without spot: G784 Who verily G3303 was foreordained G4267 before G4253 the foundation G2602 of the world, G2889 but G1161 was manifest G5319 in G1909 these last G2078 times G5550 for G1223 you, G5209 Who G3588 by G1223 him G846 do believe G4100 in G1519 God, G2316 that raised G1453 him G846 up G1453 from G1537 the dead, G3498 and G2532 gave G1325 him G846 glory; G1391 that G5620 your G5216 faith G4102 and G2532 hope G1680 might be G1511 in G1519 God. G2316
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Leviticus 1
Commentary on Leviticus 1 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 1
Le 1:1-17. Burnt Offerings of the Herd.
1. the Lord … spake … out of the tabernacle—The laws that are contained in the previous record were delivered either to the people publicly from Sinai, or to Moses privately, on the summit of that mountain; but on the completion of the tabernacle, the remainder of the law was announced to the Hebrew leader by an audible voice from the divine glory, which surmounted the mercy seat.
2. Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them—If the subject of communication were of a temporal nature, the Levites were excluded; but if it were a spiritual matter, all the tribes were comprehended under this name (De 27:12).
If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord—The directions given here relate solely to voluntary or freewill offerings—those rendered over and above such, as being of standing and universal obligation, could not be dispensed with or commuted for any other kind of offering (Ex 29:38; Le 23:37; Nu 28:3, 11-27, &c.).
bring your offering of the cattle, &c.—that is, those animals that were not only tame, innocent and gentle, but useful and adapted for food. This rule excluded horses, dogs, swine, camels, and asses, which were used in sacrifice by some heathen nations, beasts and birds of prey, as also hares and deers.
3. a burnt sacrifice—so called from its being wholly consumed on the altar; no part of it was eaten either by the priests or the offerer. It was designed to propitiate the anger of God incurred by original sin, or by particular transgressions; and its entire combustion indicated the self-dedication of the offerer—his whole nature—his body and soul—as necessary to form a sacrifice acceptable to God (Ro 12:1; Php 1:20). This was the most ancient as well as the most conspicuous mode of sacrifice.
a male without blemish—No animal was allowed to be offered that had any deformity or defect. Among the Egyptians, a minute inspection was made by the priest; and the bullock having been declared perfect, a certificate to that effect being fastened to its horns with wax, was sealed with his ring, and no other might be substituted. A similar process of examining the condition of the beasts brought as offerings, seems to have been adopted by the priests in Israel (Joh 6:27).
at the door of the tabernacle—where stood the altar of burnt offering (Ex 40:6). Every other place was forbidden, under the highest penalty (Le 17:4).
4. shall put his hand upon the head—This was a significant act which implied not only that the offerer devoted the animal to God, but that he confessed his consciousness of sin and prayed that his guilt and its punishment might be transferred to the victim.
and it shall be—rather, "that it may be an acceptable atonement."
5. he shall kill the bullock—The animal should be killed by the offerer, not by the priest, for it was not his duty in case of voluntary sacrifices; in later times, however, the office was generally performed by Levites.
before the Lord—on the spot where the hands had been laid upon the animal's head, on the north side of the altar.
sprinkle the blood—This was to be done by the priests. The blood being considered the life, the effusion of it was the essential part of the sacrifice; and the sprinkling of it—the application of the atonement—made the person and services of the offerer acceptable to God. The skin having been stripped off, and the carcass cut up, the various pieces were disposed on the altar in the manner best calculated to facilitate their being consumed by the fire.
8. the fat—that about the kidneys especially, which is called "suet."
9. but his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water, &c.—This part of the ceremony was symbolical of the inward purity, and the holy walk, that became acceptable worshippers.
a sweet savour unto the Lord—is an expression of the offerer's piety, but especially as a sacrificial type of Christ.
10-13. if his offering be of the flocks—Those who could not afford the expense of a bullock might offer a ram or a he-goat, and the same ceremonies were to be observed in the act of offering.
14-17. if the burnt sacrifice … be of fowls—The gentle nature and cleanly habits of the dove led to its selection, while all other fowls were rejected, either for the fierceness of their disposition or the grossness of their taste; and in this case, there being from the smallness of the animal no blood for waste, the priest was directed to prepare it at the altar and sprinkle the blood. This was the offering appointed for the poor. The fowls were always offered in pairs, and the reason why Moses ordered two turtledoves or two young pigeons, was not merely to suit the convenience of the offerer, but according as the latter was in season; for pigeons are sometimes quite hard and unfit for eating, at which time turtledoves are very good in Egypt and Palestine. The turtledoves are not restricted to any age because they are always good when they appear in those countries, being birds of passage; but the age of the pigeons is particularly marked that they might not be offered to God at times when they are rejected by men [Harmer]. It is obvious, from the varying scale of these voluntary sacrifices, that the disposition of the offerer was the thing looked to—not the costliness of his offering.