Chap. I. ver. 1.—the Lord called unto Moses.] The repetition, frequent as it is, of this form of promulgation is truly solemn and majestic, "The Lord called," that is, He declared and published His pleasure distinctly and aloud, as princes on their thrones, and generals in their camps, are wont to do. Yet He did this, as the rabbies observe, with expressions of tenderness and love; for it was not for His own sake that He imposed on them these rites of worship, but for their's; and that they might continually have in remembrance how much their whole dependence was upon Him. Biblioth. Bibl. —of the herd, and of the flock] God limits the kinds, whether animate or inanimate, which His people were to sacrifice or offer unto Him; whereas the Gentiles took their own liberty, and offered a strange variety of species; and almost something of every kind which was valuable or serviceable to themselves; because, in the same proportion, they supposed it would be acceptable to their deities. Dean Spencer. 2.—If any man of you bring an offering] It is observable, that in this beginning of the laws respecting sacrifices, God does not command the Israelites to offer these rites; but, appearing to suppose that they would offer them in compliance with the customs in which they had been brought up, and the usages of the world at that time, directs them to Himself, as the right object, and limits them to such things as are most agreeable to human nature. They were to offer them, of the herd as bullocks, or of the flock as sheep and goats. Bp. Patrick. One great end of the Levitical sacrifices was the prevention of idolatry. God needed them not: the sacrifice of a pure and humble mind was more agreeable to Him who is an intellectual Spirit. But the Israelites doisted on such gross manner of expressing their devotion; and seeing they must needs offer sacrifice, it pleased God to give them a law which might indulge them in their inclinations, and restrain them from sacrificing unto idols. Abp. Timison. Sacrifices had been appointed from the fall of man, but the design of them had been perverted or forgotten. The sacrifices in the Levitical law are to be considered, first, in a carnal worldly view, as freeing the Jew from all contracted uncleanness, and rendering him worthy to continue a member of that church, and an inheritor of the land of Canaan. Idly, In a spiritual sense, with regard to the sacrifice of Christ, which was to cleanse them from sin, and fit them for an inheritance in the heavenly Canaan. Bp. Wilson. The institution of animal sacrifice had continued until the giving of the law, no other offering but that of an animal being recorded in Scripture, down to this period, except in the case of Cain, when the offering was rejected. But when we come to the promulgation of the law, we find the connexion between animal sacrifice and atonement or reconciliation with God, clearly and distinctly announced. It is here declared, that sacrifices for sin should, on conforming to certain prescribed modes of offering, be accepted as the means of deliverance from the penal consequences of transgression. Dr. Magee. It is on the whole most probable that sacrifices were first instituted by God Himself, and enjoined to our first parents, presently after the fall: from whom, and afterwards from Noah, all nations received them by tradition. However, in process of time, these, as well as many other branches of religious faith and worship, were miserably corrupted: instead of brute animals, which God had appointed, human sacrifices grew into shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock. 3.—a burnt sacrifice] Burnt sacrifices were so called, because wholly burnt on the altar. These are the first and most ancient sort of sacrifices. They are mentioned by the Heathens, as well as the Jews; particularly by Xenophon, who speaks of offering burnt sacrifices of oxen to Jupiter, and of horses to the Sun. The Jews accounted these the most excellent of all their sacrifices. Some Christian writers make the burnt offering to be offered to God, as an acknowledgment of His being the Creator, Lord, and Preserver of all, worthy of all honour and worship. Others suppose that they were either to expiate the evil thoughts of the heart, as sin offerings and trespass offerings were to do for evil actions; or to atone for the breach of affirmative precepts, as those did for negative. But doubtless there was a further use and intention in these sacrifices, even to typify, and to direct the faith of the Old Testament believers to that only true atoning sacrifice, which the Son of God was to offer in due time. Hence Christ is said to have "offered up His body once for all," Heb. x. 10; that is, His whole Self, His entire human nature. Dr. Jennings, Lewis. —at the door of the tabernacle] Here the priest was carefully to inspect and examine the animal brought to be offered, to ascertain whether it was every way such as God required. In saying "the door of the tabernacle," which was in some sense His proper house, and the abode of His divine Majesty, He admonished them to sacrifice to Himself alone, and not to any strange gods; which was the reason of His commanding all sacrifices to be brought to this place. Dr. Outram. 4.—put his hand upon the head] Thereby, as it were, transferring the punishment, which was due to himself, upon the sacrifice that was to be slain and offered up. Abp. Tillotson. This ceremony of putting the hand on the head denoted the entire devotion of things or persons to the special service of God. Dr. Outram. He who brought the victim was commanded to lay his hand upon the head of the animal: which action was esteemed an acknowledgment of his own guilt, and a prayer that it Q 2 The burnt offerings of the flocks, and of the fowls- Before CHRIST 1490. it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him. 7. — shall put fire upon the altar.] Shall prepare the fire, and kindle the coals; for the original fire, as we read afterwards, came down from heaven. Biblioth. Bibl. 9. — a sweet savour] Acceptable to God as the testimony of the sincere devotion of the offerer. Bp. Kidder. It is a form of speech taken from men, who are delighted with the good scent and taste of meat and drink: none can reasonably imagine that the mere sacrifice was pleasing to God, but the devotion, faith, obedience, and sincerity of their minds who made the oblation. Bp. Patrick. See the note on Gen. viii. 21. 14. — turtledoves, or of young pigeons.] They were not to be birds of prey, or of the coarser kind, but of the more harmless and wholesome nature. Pyle. There was vast plenty of doves and pigeons in the land of Canaan, so that the poorest people could make this oblation without being put to any great charge. Pigeons were most esteemed when young, and on this account young pigeons are to be offered. Bp. Patrick. By means of this provision, the poor as well as the rich had it in their power to perform their religious duty, and make their offerings to God, who receives the services of the poor no less graciously than those of the rich, if they proceed from a sincere and willing mind. Ostervald. Chap. II. ver. 1. And when any will offer a meat offering] Here again is a merciful provision for those who were too poor to offer the sacrifice mentioned in the last chapter. The term "meat offering" should rather be translated bread offering, as use has now restrained the word meat to signify flesh. Dr. Wells. It was to be made of fine wheat flour, mixed with oil to give it a grateful flavour to the priests, ver. 3, and with frankincense, for the purpose, perhaps, of preventing an unpleasant smell in the court of the tabernacle. Bp. Patrick. The Hebrew word here for a meat offering is mincka, which denotes generally an oblation of the nature of a sacrifice, being consumed upon the altar; — oil] Oil was anciently in very high esteem among the Eastern nations on various accounts, and, as they were wont to express almost every matter of importance by actions as well as words, one way of setting any thing apart and appropriating it to an honourable use, was by anointing it with oil. Therefore we find Jotham, in his parable, makes the olive tree speak of its fatness, as that "wherewith they honour God and man," Judg. ix. 9. Accordingly, the tabernacle and temple, and their furniture, were consecrated by anointing them. And almost every sacrifice had oil, mixed with flour, added to it, when it was offered up. Nor was it used only to these things, but to persons also who were distinguished in honour above others: to kings, who were hence frequently styled in Scripture, "the Lord anointed;" to priests, concerning whom God commands in the case of Aaron and his sons, "thou shalt anoint them—that they may minister unto Me in the priest's office," Exod. xl. 15; and lastly to prophets, as where Elijah is directed to "anoint Elisha in his room," 1 Kings xix. 16. Abp. Secker. Chap. III. ver. 1. — a sacrifice of peace offering.] The Hebrew word translated peace signifies prosperity and happiness: thus these oblations were called peace offerings, because they were principally thankful acknowledgments for mercies received from the Divine bounty. The more particular division of these sacrifices is into thank offerings, freewill offerings, and offerings for vows. The first sort was offered for prosperity, or good, already obtained; the second, in the way of devotion, to continue or to procure peace with God; the third, for the attainment of future prosperity or good. The peace offerings of the Israelites were either of the whole congregation, or of particular persons. Lewis. — whether it be a male or female.] In burnt offerings, the female was never sacrificed, because the burnt offering was a more perfect sacrifice: for burnt offerings principally had respect to the honour of God, who justly demands the very best; but peace offerings more peculiarly related to the advantage of the offerers, and therefore they were left herein to their own free choice. Biblioth. Bibl. 2. — the memorial of it] Meaning that part of the offering, by which, being burnt on the altar, they made grateful acknowledgment of the power and goodness of God, and prayed that He would still remember and be gracious to them. Bp. Patrick. 2. — shall lay his hand upon the head] See note at chap. i. 4. It is observable, that in all sacrifices of beasts, chap. iii. 8, 13; iv. 4, 15, &c. the owner laid his hands upon their heads: to signify (no doubt) his property in what he offered, the transferring his right in it to God, and the devoting it to death for the purposes specified by the Law. All which, under that figurative state, were a type of Christ's voluntary death: as lively an image, as a priest and sacrifice different could exhibit of One who was priest and sacrifice both; and this lets us into the importance of those phrases, which say, Christ "offered His own body" for a sacrifice, &c. Dean Stanhope. 4. — wafers] It is mentioned by travellers, that the Arabs have in their tents flat stones, or copper plates, made on purpose for baking. Dr. Pococke speaks of 5. — upon the burnt sacrifice.] Here seems to be meant the daily sacrifice which was burnt every morning: after which this was to be offered, to intimate that the stated sacrifice was to take place of all others. Ep. Patrick. Of these daily sacrifices there were two, the one about nine o'clock in the morning, the other about three in the afternoon: these were so stated and constant, that they were never intermitted, not even upon festivals when others were added. They were a constant acknowledgment of God's sovereign dominion, and were in the nature of a daily prayer, that He would graciously continue His mercy to Israel. Lewis. — of a sweet savour unto the Lord.] As the design of these peace offerings was, to render solemn thanks and praise to God for His past favours, and to engage Him to continue His blessings; we should 11. — no leaven,] The prohibition of leaven was laid either to perpetuate the memory of their deliverance from Egypt, or to oppose some idolatrous rites of their heathen neighbours, or else to warn the priests to put away the "leaven of malice and wickedness," 1 Cor. v. 8. Bps. Patrick and Kidder. The principal priest of Jupiter, among the Romans, was absolutely forbidden to touch leaven. Plutarch makes the reason of this to be, that, as leaven itself is a corrupt substance, so it does more or less corrupt that mass with which it is mingled. But the true reason of this prohibition may be much better accounted for, by the Levitical law before us. Biblioth. Bibl. — nor any honey,] This was anciently offered to many of the Gentile deities. Besides, many have remarked that honey has something in it of the same nature with leaven, that, when it is burnt, it has an unpleasant smell. Under the name of honey, the Jews comprehended all sweet fruits, as figs, dates, &c. none of which were burnt, but only offered before the Lord. Biblioth. Bibl. 13. — salt of the covenant] "The salt of the covenant of God," that is, a symbol of the perpetuity thereof. Dr. Magee. Salt, among the ancients, was deemed a symbol of friendship and fidelity, and was therefore frequently used in sacrifices and covenants. Dr. Wells. The "salt of the covenant" means the salt, which by this law or covenant they were obliged to offer up in every oblation. Salt may also be deemed a sign of the perpetuity and inviolableness of the covenant on God's The offering of the herd, and of the flock. Before CHRIST 1490. ing of thy firstfruits unto the LORD, thou shalt offer for the meat offering of thy firstfruits green ears of corn dried by the fire, even corn beaten out of full ears. 17. — neither fat nor blood.] It is not meant of the fat which is mingled with the flesh of the animal, but of that of the entrails, which, as was before mentioned, was to be burnt at the altar. Bp. Patrick. The fat was to be the Lord's, by way of suggestion, that our offerings to God ought to be the richest and the choicest in their kind. Among other reasons assigned for the prohibition to eat fat, it is supposed that an opposition was intended to the practices of idolaters, who were wont to feast on the fat of their sacrifices. — nor blood.] As the blood of the sacrifices was a figure of the blood of the Messiah, so its being forbidden to be eaten implied how sacred and precious a thing it was. Biblioth. Bibl. See note on chap. vii. 26. Chap. IV. ver. 1. And the Lord spake] The repetition of these words seems to imply that the following precepts were delivered at a different time from the preceding. We now proceed to "sin offerings," or offerings to be made by those who had offended God, in expiation of their sins. Bp. Patrick. — a clean place.] Set apart in decency, and out of reverence to religion: and implying that the very ashes that were there laid were not to be converted to any human use. Biblioth. Bibl. Chap. V. ver. 1. — if a soul sin, &c.] If a person be adjured in the name of God to speak the truth, when he is called to be a witness in any cause, "whether he hath seen or known of it," that is, whether he can speak to the matter either from his own knowledge or from the information of credible witnesses, and do not "utter it," then he shall "bear his iniquity," or be deemed guilty and liable to punishment. Bps. Patrick and Kidder. It was the custom in those times and countries, for judges and magistrates to demand of accused persons, or witnesses in any cause, in the name of God, to speak the truth. And this laid the same obligations on them that the administering of an oath in our country does now. See instances in 1 Kings xxii. 16; 2 Chron. xviii. 15, &c. Pyle. 2. — If a soul shall sin] Here are three conditions of the description of sin: 1st, It was to be done ignorantly, unadvisedly, through surprise. 2dly, It was to be against negative precepts, or those which forbade something to be done. 3dly, It was not a sin of words or thoughts, but of actions—"shall do against any." Bps. Kidder and Patrick. The Hebrew word for sin offering includes the sense of cleansing, expiating, and making satisfaction: hence it denotes an offering for sin, whereby pardon is pro- 3. If the priest—do sin according to the sin of the people.] If the high priest sin like one of the common people. The high priest being a publick person, might by his sin and evil example involve the whole people in guilt and misery, chap. x. 6; 1 Sam. ii. 17, 24. Bp. Kidder. The sacredness of his office was an aggravation of his sin, beyond that of others, and his dignity rendered his example in doing evil more hurtful than their's: for which reason a more solemn sacrifice was appointed to be offered for his sins, even of ignorance, than for those of the common people. Dr. Jennings. 4. — and kill the bullock] Among the Gentiles, the alaying of beasts for sacrifice was not thought to be be- The sin offering of ignorance for the congregation, Before CHRIST 1490. 12. — the whole bullock] It was to be carried, skin and all, without being dissected, out of the camp, and there to be burnt in a fire on the ground. This was to signify that the offerer was in a perfect state of guilt, unfit to communicate with God; and that, like the offering itself, he deserved to be excluded from the society of his people, till he was reconciled by this sacrifice made in his stead: and thus Christ, who was made a sin offering for us, suffered "without the camp," that is, "without the gate" of Jerusalem, of whose expiation for us this offering was a type and figure, Hebr. xiii. 11, 12. Pyle. — without the camp] The burning of these sacrifices "without the camp" is to be understood as typical not only of Christ's suffering "without the gate" of Jerusalem, but probably also of His suffering for the salvation of the Gentiles, (who were without the camp of Israel,) as well as for the Jews: as the bringing the blood of those sacrifices into the Holy place was a figure ashes are poured out shall he be burnt. 13. — if the whole congregation—sin] The Jewish writers are of different opinions concerning the nature of this sin: some by the whole congregation understand the Sanhedrim, and imagine their sin to be, that they had mistaken in judgment, and by that means misled the people. Others interpret it of any general popular defection from the law of God, which through their ignorance of the law was not presently attended to. Thus, when Hezekiah restored the true worship of God after the temple had been shut up, he offered "a sin offering for the kingdom," 2 Chron. xxix. 21. Dr. Jennings. — and the thing be hid] That is, if they be not sensible of their error at the time of commission, but afterwards discover it, either by themselves or their rulers. Bp. Patrick. Before CHRIST 1490. d Chap. 5. 2. 5. 4. for the ruler, and for the people. for them, and it shall be forgiven them. 20. — it shall be forgiven them.] It is observable that we find no express promise of pardon to the priest himself, when he should sacrifice for himself, to the end that he might be so much the more cautious of sinning; or, in case he did sin, of relapsing. But forgiveness is here most expressly promised to the people, on the priest's intercession, to the end that the people might repose the stronger confidence in the mercy of God, provided they complied with His appointed ordinances. Biblioth. Biol. 22. — a ruler] Any person possessing eminence and authority over the people, as the Hebrew name imports. Bishop Kidder 26. — it shall be forgiven him.] That is, his sin shall not be imputed to him: but then this forgiveness is not the fruit of the sacrifice barely considered, but an effect of God's mercy. As the sacrifice was a token of the offerer's repentance, as well as the institution of God, and a type of our Saviour's death, it was accepted by God, and procured pardon to the offerer who had sinned. Bp. Kidder. It should be well remembered, that none of these sacrifices had in themselves any value sufficient to clear the sinner, and procure his forgiveness from God: they were only, by the mercy of God, instituted and accepted as a sign of the offender's repentance, and designed as figurative representations of a more full and perfect expiation to be hereafter made by Christ the Messiah, for the sins of mankind. Pyle. The trespass offering of a man for concealing his knowledge, AND if a soul sin, and hear the voice of swearing, and is a witness, whether he hath seen or known of it; if he do not utter it, then he shall bear his iniquity. Chap. VI. ver. 2. — trespass against the Lord.] False swearing, ver. 3, is a sin directly against God; and any wrong to our neighbour is an indirect offence against God, being a breach of His Commandments. Bp. Kidder. The trespasses specified in this verse are, "lying unto a neighbour in that which was delivered," that is, denying a trust which had been committed to him by a neighbour, or "in fellowship," (in Hebrew "putting of the hand;") alluding either to a contract between two parties, or to partnership in trade—or "in a thing taken away by violence," that is, by robbery or stealth, as the Hebrew word signifies—or "deceiving his neighbour," where the Hebrew expression signifies calumny, false accusation, and extortion. Bp. Patrick. 2. — touch any unclean thing.] The Hebrew doctors explain this of those persons, who, having touched an unclean thing, come into the sanctuary or eat of holy things: otherwise, it was sufficient to wash themselves to get rid of the uncleanness, chap. xi. 25, 40; but still this may apply to those who neglected to wash themselves as prescribed. Bp. Patrick. — guilty.] Having contracted a legal pollution. Bp. Kidder. 3. — uncleanness of man.] Which is described in chap. xii, xiii, xv. 4. Or if a soul swear, &c.] That is, if a person swear rashly and inconsiderately in the common affairs of life, that he will or will not do something, whether good or evil, &c. and if "it be hid from him," that is, if he have not rightly considered the thing before, whether it was in his power or not; whether it were lawful or not; or if through forgetfulness he omit to do what he might have done, when he knoweth it, "he shall be guilty, &c." Bp. Patrick. From this and other passages it appears, that God knowing the frailty and corruption of our nature, whereby no man is able always to stand upright, but will sometimes fall into sin, and so be liable to death and misery, He Himself of His infinite mercy to His own people was pleased to provide a remedy for them, whereby they might be freed, in ordinary cases, from the guilt contracted. Bp. Beveridge. 7. — sin offering, — burnt offering.] He was first to make his peace with God by a sin offering; and then his burnt offering or gift would be accepted. Bp. Patrick. 11. — the tenth part of an ephah] It must have been a great satisfaction to the poor, to find that so small and easy an offering would as effectually make their peace with God, as if they had been in a condition to bring oblations of greater value. Besides, this plainly shewed them that the intrinsic value of the offering was nothing, and admonished them of the necessity of a sacrifice infinitely more efficacious. Biblioth. Bibl. — no oil — neither shall he put any frankincense] The sin offering was to be offered without oil or frankincense, as an intimation that sin is most displeasing to God. Bp. Kidder. As oil and frankincense had delicacy in them, they were by no means suitable to that contri- for sacrilege, and for sins of ignorance. Before CHRIST 1400. b Chap. 8. 2. c Chap. 4. 25. priest, and the priest shall take his handful of it, $^(b)$ even a memorial thereof, and burn it on the altar, $^(c)$ according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: it is a sin offering. 13. And the priest shall make an atonement for him] Whoever among the Israelites, on account of any sin or uncleanness, was excluded from the worship of the tabernacle, could only recover the Divine favour through the intercession of the priest, who was said on these occasions to "make atonement;" which he ordinarily did, by appearing before God in the holy place, with the blood of the appointed victim. An offering of blood was not indeed so absolutely required, but that on particular occasions the law in this respect was relaxed: as in the case of extreme poverty, when the substitution of a less expensive offering was allowed. But on all occasions the ministry of the priest was so indispensably necessary, that without it no atonement could be made. See ver. 10, 11; chap. xiv. 20; xvi. 16, 33. Veysie. 15. If a soul—sin through ignorance.] If a person, through error, forgetfulness, or inadvertency, take or detain what is due to the sanctuary or the priests, the oblations or firstfruits, or the like. Biblioth. Bibl. — with thy estimation by shekels] At least two shekels, as the Jewish doctors observe. Besides his sacrifice, he was to make satisfaction in money, according as the priest should estimate the damage. Bp. Patrick. — shekel of the sanctuary.] See note on Exod. xxx. 13. — for a trespass offering:] The difference between the sin offering and the trespass offering is not distinctly ascertained. The principal difference seems to have consisted in this: a sin offering was for a thing done ignorantly against one of the negative precepts, and now known to be certainly done. The trespass offering, on the other hand, was for an act committed, when it was doubtful whether a precept was violated by the action: in this, the person, being uncertain whether he had trespassed or not, was to bring a trespass offering, to secure him against the penalty of "cutting off," which he otherwise incurred: and, if once he came to know that he had offended against a commandment by the action, then he was to make atonement by a sin offering. Levis. Perhaps the trespass offering was for sins of lesser importance, as the omission of some duties, and the neglect of observing the legal washings and purifications; whereas the sin offering was for greater offences, in the commission of things forbidden by God. Dr. Beaumont. The trespass offering, though, in many things, like the sin offering, yet in other things differed from it. 1. A female was allowed in a sin offering, but a male was required in the trespass offering; compare chap. iv. 28, with chap. vi. 6. 2. The blood of the sin offering was to be put upon the horns of the altar, chap. iv. 34; that of the trespass offering to be sprinkled round about the altar, chap. vi. 2. 3. The sin offering was sometimes offered for the whole congregation, chap. iv. 13; the trespass offering was for a single person. Bp. Kidder. 16.— he shall make amends &c.] By this law those, who had taken or withheld by mistake any thing dedicated to God, were not only to offer a sacrifice, but also to make restitution, and even to add to it a fifth part. Whence we learn our indispensable obligation to restore whatever we are unlawfully possessed of: and since those, who had withheld any sacred thing ignorantly, were bound to make restitution, even above the value of it, the duty of restitution must be still more indispensable, when we have taken and withheld, knowingly and wilfully, what does not belong to us. Ostervald. Divers offerings. Divers offerings. Before CHRIST 1490. dealing, putting of the hand. a Numb. 5. 6. b Chap. 5. 16. day of his being found guilty. day of his trespass. Chap. 5. 15. 4. — and is guilty.] In the judgment of his own conscience and by the confession of his lips; for, if the injury was proved upon him without his own confession, the penalty was greater. Biblioth. Bibl. 8. And the Lord &c.] Here the Hebrews begin a new section of their law: as it has been before declared what offerings the people should bring to the Lord, instructions are now given to the priests, how they shall manage the several offerings that are brought. 9. — It is the burnt offering.] He explains that He offering: It is the burnt offering, || because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it. 10. — and take up the ashes] So strictly the law consulted and provided for the dignity of the minutest matters in the worship of God. None but those who were dedicated to the sacred ministry were allowed so much as to dispose of the ashes in their proper place. Biblioth. Bibl. 11. — unto a clean place.] See note on chap. iv. 12. 13. The fire shall ever be burning] It can admit of little doubt that the perpetual sacred fires of the Heathens, whether Persians, Greeks, Romans, Indians, &c. were copied from this Divine original amongst the Jews. The antiquity of sacred fires among the Greeks and Romans is well known. Theophrastus informs us, that this rite of burning perpetual fire to the gods had formed a part of their worship from time immemorial, being used as an expressive symbol or figure of their immortality. The sacred fire among the Persians was viewed with such superstitious regard, that, if ever it were extinguished, they would only rekindle it by fire lighted up from the sun. Biblioth. Bibl. Before CHRIST 1490. burning. d Chap. 2. 1. Numb. 15. 6. e Chap. 2. 9. Divers offerings. Divers offerings. Before CHRIST 1490. vened bread shall it be eaten in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle of the congregation they shall eat it. 18. — every one that toucheth them shall be holy.] The sense is, "Every one that toucheth them shall be beforehand sanctified and free from any legal defilement." Bp. Hall. 20. — Aaron and of his sons,] Aaron and "his successors," the high priests which shall succeed him. Bp. Kidder. 25. — This is the law &c.] Here directions for the people's sin offerings are repeated from chap. iv. 27, with some additional circumstances. 27. Whatsoever shall touch &c.] All this particularly inculcated a reverence and veneration for holy things, the duty of approaching them with fear, and of observing a decent distance. Biblioth. Bibl. Chap. VII. ver. 7. — there is one law for them.] One The peace offering for a vow, &c. The fat and blood Before CHRIST 1490. Or, on the flat plate, or, else. Chap. VIII. ver. 3. — all the congregation] All the elders and principal officers. They seem to have been assembled on this occasion, to satisfy the people that Aaron and his sons did not intrude themselves on the office of the priesthood, but were solemnly consecrated by Moses, the servant of the Lord. Bp. Patrick. Notwithstanding the Lord had fixed the whole ceremonial of the consecration, and chose the person, yet the congregation is summoned. For the presence of the people is required at the ordination of a priest, that all may know, and be certain, that the person elected is eminent among the people in character, for learning, sanctity, and virtue; and, being themselves their own witnesses of this, they may be precluded all scruples in future. Biblioth. Bibl. 10. — shall all the sons of Aaron have.] It was said in the preceding verse, that the meat offering should be "the priest's that offereth it." Some reconcile the two, by distinguishing between that which was raw, and that which was dressed; the one belonging to the priest that offered, the other to the priests in common. Others interpret the matter thus: that each priest should have his day or turn of ministration, in which he might claim what was offered, as the other priests did in their turns. Biblioth. Bibl. 13. — leavened bread] The leavened bread was not to be offered on the altar, for that had been absolutely forbidden at chap. ii. 11; but it was to be eaten by the priests and the offerer. Dr. Wells. 15. — shall be eaten the same day] The reasons for this ordinance seem to have been, that the service of the sacrificial feast between God and man should be conducted with special reverence and decency, and that the meat might be taken fresh and untainted; also that none of it should be set by, and hoarded for private use and entertainment, but that it should be free and common to those who stood in need of it. Biblioth. Bibl. 16. — a vow, or a voluntary offering.] A "vow" of offering sacrifice to God upon receiving a benefit; as the "voluntary offering" was freely made beforehand, in the hope that God would confer the benefit. Bp. Patrick. 18. — eaten at all on the third day.] The prohibition to eat the flesh on the third day might appear unnecessary in so warm a climate; but it should be remembered, that the practice of drying meat is frequent in those hot climates, and that this is sometimes done to flesh killed with a religious intention, which may have been the cause of this prohibition. The Mahometans, who go in pilgrimage to Mecca, are obliged, on a certain day, to sacrifice a sheep, part of which they dry for use at other times. Harmer. — neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth] It shall not be looked upon by God as a peace offering made by him. Dr. Wells. — the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity.] That is, shall become guilty of a great sin; (Dr. Wells,) and suffer the punishment for it. Bp. Hall. 20. — that soul shall be cut off] The person shall be excluded from all his privileges as an Israelite and member of God's church and people. Pyle. 23. — Ye shall eat no manner of fat.] None of those parts of fat and suet, which God had appropriated to the sacrifices on His altar. Pyle. See note on chap. iii. 17. are forbidden. The priests' portion. Before CHRIST 1490. used in any other use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it. 26. — ye shall eat no manner of blood.] This command may be thus paraphrased: Forasmuch as the blood of animals is the very life and soul of them, I have separated or selected it to be a ransom for your souls, and for that most sacred use, the expiation of your sins. You are therefore strictly and scrupulously to abstain from blood, out of regard to this separation, and to be cautious not to bring to your tables that which I have consecrated to My altar. On blood depends the gift of My grace, and your life; and therefore you are not to put it to any vulgar use, nor presume to nourish your bodies with that, which is, as it were, the life and preservative of your souls. Dean Spencer. The custom of eating blood appears to have prevailed in the time of Moses; otherwise why would that have been forbidden, which was never practised? We have the testimony of different travellers, that this same practice still prevails in some countries, particularly in Abysimia, and in India at the sacrifices of their idols. Frogments to Calmet. It was the great end of the numerous sacrifices of the Mosaick ritual to impress the Jewish people, for a season the chosen depositaries of revealed truth, with an opinion of the necessity of a sanguinary expiation even for involuntary offences; to train them to the habitual belief of that awful maxim, that "without shedding of blood there is no remission." The end of those earlier sacrifices, which were of use in the patriarchal ages, was unquestionably the same. To inculcate the same important lesson, in the earliest instance of a sacrifice upon record, respect was had to the shepherd's sacrifice of the firstlings of his flock, rather than to the husbandman's offering of the fruit of his ground; and for the same reason, by the prohibition laid upon the sons of Noah, and afterwards enforced in the severest terms in the Mosaick law, blood was sanctified, as it were, as the immediate instrument of atonement. The end of the prohibition was to impress mankind with a high reverence for blood, as a most holy thing, consecrated to the purpose of the general expiation; but this expiatory virtue belonged, not to the blood of bulls and of goats, but to the blood of Christ, of which the other was by God's appointment made a temporary emblem. Bp. Horeley. See the notes on Gen. ix. 4; Levit. xvii. 11. 35. This is the portion of the anointing &c.] That is, this (the wave breast and the heave shoulder) is the portion assigned to Aaron and his sons in their quality of priests consecrated to the Lord, and which shall contribute to their support. Calmet. Moses consecrated Aaron and his sons. LEVITICUS. Their sin offering and burnt offering. Before CHRIST 1490. 2. — for a sin offering.] This sin offering was for himself, that is, for his own sins generally, ver. 8, to show that the high priest was but a frail and sinful man like others; an imperfect intercessor, and but a type and resemblance of One, more perfect and complete, to come hereafter, Hebr. v. 5; vii. 27. Pyle. We here see the imperfection of the law of Moses: the high priest himself could not offer an acceptable sacrifice, until an atonement was made for him, whereas (to the praise of our Redeemer) we Christians have an High Priest without sin, and who is at God's right hand, continually making intercession for all that come unto God by Him. Bp. Wilson. — and offer them before the Lord.] It is observable, that no peace offering is ordered for the high priest, as there is afterwards for the people, ver. 4, because the offerer and the priest shared in this case the whole, after the fat was burnt; and it was not fitting that he should have all the sacrifice to himself. Bp. Patrick. 6. — washed them with water.] So Christ, our High Priest, as it were to consecrate that element for our baptism, was Himself baptized in the river Jordan. Biblioth. Bibl. 6. — the glory of the Lord shall appear unto you.] That is, a visible sign of the presence and favour of God: which was fulfilled, ver. 24, by His sending fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice. Any such token of God's favour and more especial presence may be called "the glory of the Lord." Compare 2 Peter i. 17, with Matt. xvii. 5; and Rom. ix. 4, with 1 Sam. iv. 22. Bp. Kidder. 8. — the Urim and the Thummim.] See the note on Exod. xxviii. 30. It should be observed, that Moses here says nothing of the precious stones on the breastplate, as in Exod. xxxix. 10—13; but only mentions the Urim and the Thummim; which seems to supply an additional proof that they were the same. Bp. Patrick. 14. — for the sin offering:] The first part of the ceremony was an offering for sin; because, till their sins were expiated, they were not fit to offer any thing to God, much less to offer for the sins of others. Lewis. 15. — and Moses took the blood, &c.] Moses had never been consecrated after the manner of Aaron, but he was made a priest for this peculiar purpose by an extraordinary commission. Lewis. 17. But the bullock, &c.] We do not find that the blood of this sacrifice was carried into the holy place; whence it may be inferred, that no high priest, whether ordinary, or extraordinary, such as Moses now was, might eat of any sin offering, offered for the priests themselves, although the blood of it was not brought into the sanctuary. Hence we may infer, that although the sins of the people were taken away by the priests, who, by eating of their sin offering, plainly showed that they bare their iniquity, (as the phrase is, chap. x. 17;) yet the sins of the priests themselves could not be taken away by any sacrifice they could offer for sin, of which The ram of consecration. Aaron and his sons sanctified. Before CHRIST 1400. 33. — and Moses took of the blood of it, &c.] This ceremony figured out our Christian privileges and duty. The blood represented that blood by which we are saved; the oil (ver. 12) our holy unction. The right ear is a symbol of our approved obedience, and the hand and foot, of our good actions. Biblioth. Bibl. They put the blood on the tip of their right ears, to signify, as the Jewish doctors discourse, that they should attend to the Divine prescriptions; and then upon their right thumbs and great toes, (in which lies the strength of the hands and feet,) to denote their strenuous and ready performance of their duty. As the right hand, &c. are mentioned, it may well be thought to signify the most exact and perfect obedience; the right hand, &c. being every where represented, as the most excellent, and the strongest to do execution. Lewis. 33. — ye shall not go out — for seven days] As Aaron Vol. I. hands, and upon his sons' hands, and waved them for a wave offering before the LORD. 35. — day and night seven days.] This was to make their consecration more solemn, and to draw the observation of the people. By abiding "seven days," a sabbath, as the Jews observe, passed over their heads, without which, they conceive, the consecration of Aaron and his sons could not have been completed. But the sabbath of the Lord did never so exactly pass over any high priest in his consecration, as it did over the great High Priest of the New Testament. For, however it was in Aaron's consecration, it was to our blessed Saviour a day of rest indeed after six days of labour, watching, praying, and fasting, which concluded in His bloody death and passion. Bp. Patrick. 36. — by the hand of Moses.] In this ordination of the priests, Moses performed the office of the consecrating priest. In after-times, on the death of the high priest, it is probable that the ceremony of consecrating his successor was performed by some of the inferior priests, the most venerable for rank and age. Calmet. Chap. IX. ver. 1. — on the eighth day.] The eighth day from the beginning of the consecration of the priests. Bp. Patrick. 15. And he brought the people's offering, &c.] The priest, having offered all that was necessary for himself, now became fit to make supplication for the people. Bp. Patrick. 22. — and blessed them,] This was the peculiar office of the priest. The form of this blessing is afterwards prescribed at Numb. vi. 24, &c. Bp. Kidder. The people, when they were convened to the tabernacle, might not depart, until the priest dismissed them with his benediction. Lamy. 24. — there came a fire out from before the Lord,] From that glory of the Lord which appeared unto all the people. Biblioth. Bibl. — the burnt offering and the fat:] It seems most natural and easy to take this burnt offering and fat for the evening sacrifice: which concluding the work of this day, God gave a special token of His acceptance of all the other sacrifices, by consuming it; and likewise publicly testified His approbation of all the abovementioned rites of the ministry of Aaron, whose anthority was hereby established in a miraculous manner. Bp. Patrick. — they shouted,] They shouted with joy, and fell on their faces, with humble adorations, and thanksgiving to God, for thus graciously testifying His acceptance of all that had been done on that day. Dr. Wells. Chap. X. ver. 1. — offered strange fire before the Lord,] The crime of Nadab and Abihu consisted in venturing to burn incense in the sanctuary at all, without any order from God, and, still further, in using for the purpose common fire taken from some other place, and not that which God had peculiarly sent for the service of His sanctuary. Bp. Patrick. 2. — there went out fire from the Lord,] There came a flash of fire from the Divine Presence; (Pyle:) it was sent either from the altar or from above, (Bp. Kidder,) and "devoured them," that is, scorched their inward and vital parts, without consuming the outer parts. This severity of immediate punishment was necessary towards the first transgressors of the Divine Law, to deter others from the same offence, and to increase the reverential awe of the Divine Majesty. Bp. Patrick, Dr. Wells. Nadab and Abihu, having been admitted to the high dignity of the priesthood, were particularly obliged to the observance of God's commands. The higher their station was, and the more distinguishing the favours they had received, the more heinous was their offence, in attempting to adulterate an ordinance of God's institution. They thought that common fire might serve the purpose of burning incense, as well as that which was held more sacred; at least, in the gaiety, or rather naughtiness of their hearts, they were minded to make the experiment, in direct opposition to the Divine command. And therefore, it was just and requisite in God (especially in the beginning of the priesthood, and when one alteration of a Divine precept might, in process of time, be productive of many more) to inflict an exemplary punishment, that others might fear, and not commit the like abomination. Stackhouse. If this crime had been committed some ages after, when the memory of the original of this heavenly fire had been worn out, it might have been excused on the plea of ignorance; R 2 Aaron and his sons are forbidden to mourn for Nadab and Abihu. Before CHRIST 1490. 3. — before all the people I will be glorified.] Meaning either, I will be reverenced by My priests in a special manner before the people; or else, I will glorify Myself by vindicating My honour, in punishing those priests who shall offend thus signally and openly before all the people. Dr. Wells. I expect to be worshipped auguately, with a decorum and rites bearing some resemblance to My separate and eminent nature. Locke. — And Aaron held his peace.] Aaron holds his peace, not out of amazement or sullenness, but out of patient and humble submission: seeing God's displeasure and his sons' deserts, he is content to forget that he had sons. He might have had a silent tongue and a clamorous heart, but his silence was no less inward; he quietly submitted to the will of God, and held his peace because the Lord had done it. There is no greater proof of grace than to smart patiently, and humbly and contentedly to rest the heart in the justice and wisdom of God's proceeding. Bp. Hall. 5. — and carried them in their coats out of the camp.] They carried them in their coats, or the linen garments in which they ministered, because these having touched their dead bodies, were no longer fit for the Divine service.—"Out of the camp." It was the ancient custom, not to bury in cities, but in the fields adjacent, Gen. xxiii. 9, 17; and so in succeeding times, Matt. xxvii. 7. Bp. Patrick. 6. — Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes.] The uncovering of the head, whether by putting off the ornament usually worn on it, or by shaving off the hair, was a customary sign of sorrow, Ezek. xxiv. 17, 23; Levit. xiii. 45; Numb. vi. 5, 9. Pyle. Perhaps, by uncovering the head was meant no more than the taking off what covering was over it, in order to throw dust upon it, in token of great grief and sorrow. Lamy. The priests were forbidden to go into a course of mourning on this occasion, probably to shew that God's service is not to be interrupted by human accidents. Pyle. They were also to testify by this means that they were more concerned for the honour of God than for their own interest, and that they acquiesced in the just judgments of God. Ostervold. 7. — the anointing oil of the Lord is upon you.] You are devoted and consecrated by a solemn unction to the service of God, which must not be omitted out of respect to any person whatsoever. Bp. Patrick. The anointing oil of the Lord, which was upon the priests, was the oil of joy and gladness; compare Ps. xlv. 7; typical of the Spirit of Christ. Biblioth. Bibl. 10. — that ye may put difference &c.] "That your faculties may be clear and in right order, to distinguish sacred things and persons: that the former be used and handled with exact decency and reverence, and that no unclean person enter My sanctuary and pollute it." Had the liberty here forbidden been allowed, excess and licentiousness might have in time prevailed; and, when the priests were intoxicated with wine, they might have The law of eating the holy things. What beasts may be eaten. Before CHRIST 1490. 12. — Take the meat offering that remaineth] He seems to have been afraid that Aaron's grief for the loss of his sons might have so disturbed his mind as to make him careless of this part of his duty; or that Eleazar and Ithamar, through mistake or forgetfulness, might have offended against some of the laws lately delivered about sacrifice, which therefore he here repeats, that they might be exactly observed. Bp. Patrick. 17. — to bear the iniquity of the congregation,] This was done by their eating the sin offering. And thus our great High Priest is said to bear our iniquities, Is. liii. 11. The priest, by eating of the sin offering, receiving the guilt upon himself, may well be thought to prefigure One, who should be both priest and sacrifice for sin, which was accomplished in Christ. Biblioth. Bibl. 19. — should it have been accepted] Would God have been pleased with me, if I had eaten of the sacrifice in my present sorrow and sadness? Bp. Patrick. 20. — when Moses heard that, he was content] Because the fault was not done designedly, but through human frailty, they being perplexed with grief. The letter of the law gives place to great necessity. S. Clarke. Chap. XI. ver. 2. — the beasts which ye shall eat] Rather, that ye may eat. The laws distinguishing between clean and unclean beasts were peculiar to the Israelites: their main drift and scope was, to preserve them distinct from other nations, and so to prevent their learning foreign idolatrous customs. Bp. Patrick. A strict and religious distinction was appointed with respect to meats for several good reasons, peculiar to the Jewish dispensation: the chief of these was, that by setting a mark of restraint and impurity on such creatures as were generally eaten, or held in sacred and superstitious esteem by the neighbouring heathen nations, and confining the Israelites to a diet peculiar to themselves, God might keep them a separate people, free from heathen intercourse, and from allurement to idolatry and superstitious practices. Pyle. God was pleased to make a difference between certain creatures, as for divers other reasons, so for moral significations, to teach them, 1. To abhor that filthiness and those other ill qualities, for which some of these creatures are noted. 2. To observe the special purity which God required of them above other nations, ver. 44. 3. To prevent their conversing too familiarly with the heathen, Acts x. 11—15; xi. 6, 7, &c. S. Clarke. — the hawk after his kind,] This bird was held in so much veneration by the Egyptians, that, as Herodotus tells us, they made it death, if a man killed one of them undesignedly. It was sacred to the sun on account of its swiftness. Biblioth. Bibl. Chap. XII. ver. 2. — days of the separation] For which see chap. xv. 19, 20. — for a sin offering.] By sin, in this place, we must understand not a moral turpitude, but only a legal uncleanness. Biblioth. Bibl. Not that childbearing itself was a sin, or that this sin offering was required for the sin of the mother; but because, say the Jews, the pain of childbearing was a punishment of sin, and "the mother of all living" was the first who brought sin and sorrow into the world; and therefore God appointed this offering for the expiation of that primary offence. Levis. Chap. XIII. ver. 2. — plague of leprosy.] Whether this disease were the natural effect of any thing peculiar to the air and soil of these countries, or, as is more probable, the special stroke of a Divine hand (see chap. xiv. 34; 2 Kings v. 7, 27, and xv. 5.) for the sins of men; God was pleased to declare that whatsoever person or thing was infected by it, should be in a state of uncleanness; meaning by this treatment, on account of this bodily distemper, to caution them the more earnestly against all vicious habits and distempers of the mind and heart. Pyle. The leprosy in all its stages, and under all its appearances, is one of the most calamitous of diseases. We, in Britain, have long been for the most part happily freed from it by a variety of causes; and therefore we are not able to form just conceptions of its various distinctions, and their appearances, in the hotter parts of the globe. Script. illustr. The leprosy, it is supposed, was a disease, at first The laws and tokens how to discern the leprosy. Before CHRIST 1600. the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests: 3. Whatsoever parteth the hoof,] The Hebrew text means, emphatically, "divideth the division of the hoofs," implying an entire and total separation of the hoof into two parts; and meaning also neither more nor What beasts, fishes, fowls, &c. may, Before CHRIST 1490. 3. — in the eighth day] Till the eighth day the infant was not well able to undergo the pain. Willet. 4. — three and thirty days.] Thus all the days of her purification were forty; during the last thirty-three she was not prevented from conversing with her neighbours, but was debarred from touching any of the holy things. It is affirmed that the ancient idolaters in Eastern countries had a great number of tedious and tiresome customs respecting the purification of their childbed women; from all which God freed His people, leaving them at liberty to attend to all manner of offices in their families, and only restraining them from partaking of the holy things. Bp. Patrick. 5. — the coney.] The Hebrew word (saphan) seems improperly rendered a rabbit. Bochart understands it to mean the jerboa, or jumping mouse: but Dr. Shaw and Bruce conceive it to signify the damas Israel, or Israel's lamb; described by Dr. Shaw as a harmless creature, of the same size and quality as the rabbit, and with the like incurring posture, and disposition of the fore teeth. Parkhurst. 5. — she shall be unclean two weeks.] Thus the time is doubled in case she bare a female; perhaps to remind them of the sin of Eve, who "was (first) in the transgression," 1 Tim. ii. 14. Bp. Kidder. 6. — for a burnt offering.] In gratitude to God for giving her a safe deliverance, and bestowing on her a child, and raising her up in her former strength, and bringing her again to His sanctuary; where, by this 7. — the swine.] Maimonides fancies that this animal was prohibited on account of its filthy feeding and wallowing in the mire: others give the reason, because it feeds on flesh; and some, because it breeds the leprosy in hot climates. But, whatever might be the grounds of this prohibition, that prohibition could not be the only reason, why the whole nation of the Jews abhorred this more than any other of the unclean animals which were equally forbidden, insomuch that they called it a strange thing. It was certainly owing to some other cause, that in process of time this became to them the most abominable of all creatures; and that cause was, it is supposed, because the Gentiles used it in their sacrifices and mysteries of religion, and because nothing was accounted a more delicious food among many great nations: who (if a strong abhorrence of this creature had not been infused into the Jews) might have invited them to their tables, and bred such familiarity with them as would have concluded in idolatry. The Jews were not allowed so much as to open these beasts to take out the fat, and apply it to any use. In this they are now so scrupulous that they say they may not touch them alive with one of their fingers, for fear of the leprosy. Lewis. The swine is held in utter abomination by some at least of the Mahometans: the old Persians also religiously abstained from eating its flesh. Biblioth. Bibl. 8. — they are unclean to you.] Whoever touched their carcases was under a legal uncleanness, so that it was 9. These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters.] The species of fish are not here enumerated, because the clean and unclean are better distinguished by their general character here given than by names. Moses allows to the Hebrews all fish which had fins and scales, contrary to the custom of the Egyptians, who, it is thought, abstained from them. The Egyptian priests, from motives of superstition, refrained from all fish. Calmet. 10. — all that have not fins and scales &c.] Among the Romans, it was not permitted to use fish, that had no scales, in sacrifices to their gods. Pliny cites a law of Numa: "Let not fish which are without scales be dressed for sacrificial feasts or banquets." Calmet. 11. — shall not shut him up.] Shall not shut him up for a temporary separation, because there could be no need of further proof, nor any doubt whether it was the leprosy or not. Bp. Patrick. 13. — the eagle.] The eagle has its flesh hard, and is ravenous in its nature; and therefore, on a natural and moral account, some authors fancy it was prohibited; but Origen has given a better reason, viz. that those creatures generally are forbidden to the Jews, which were looked upon as prophetical by the Egyptians and other nations; among which he expressly mentions the eagle and the hawk. Diodorus Siculus relates, that the people of Thebes worshipped the eagle, looking upon it as a royal bird, worthy of Jupiter. Lewis. — the ossifrage.] A species of eagle, by some called the sea eagle. This bird is understood to have received its name from its flying up, after it has eaten the flesh of its prey, to a proper height, and thence letting fall the bones upon a rock, or hard stone, so as to break them with greater ease, and thus get at the delicacy of the marrow. Biblioth. Bibl. 13. — he shall pronounce him clean] This circumstance shall be considered as a proof that the blood is perfectly purged, the inward corruption being all driven out. Pyle. 15. — the raw flesh is unclean:] This being so undoubted a mark of leprosy that there needed no more. Bp. Patrick. Before CHRIST 1600. 16. And the owl.] The Hebrew word signifies literally "the daughter of vociferation." Parkhurst. By some it is understood to mean the ostrich. It is certain that it was the constant persuasion of the Jews, that God did not permit them to eat the flesh of the ostrich, which is no where forbidden, if not here. Lewis. In regard to the names of birds in some of these verses, translators have differed; and, from our imperfect knowledge of the Hebrew names used in natural Before CHRIST 1490. or may not be eaten. CHAP. XI. The creeping things which are unclean. 17. — the great owl,] Instead of this, the Greek and Vulgate translations have the ibis, a ravenous bird, well known to have been sacred among the Egyptians. Biblioth. Bibl. St. Jerome takes the word to signify a stork, and others a bustard. Lewis. 19. — the stork,] This bird was also held in veneration by the Egyptians and other people, on account of its great use in destroying serpents. It was esteemed most valuable by the people of Thessaly, which country abounded so much in serpents, that, if the storks had not killed them, the people must have deserted the country. Bockert. — the bat,] Moses, beginning the catalogue with the noblest of birds, the eagle, ends with the vilest, which is the bat. The name in Hebrew, as also in Greek, signifies it to be a bird of night, or darkness. It is observable, generally, that the birds forbidden are either rapacious, and live on flesh, or are night-birds, or haunt marabes and lakes, or are heavy and not easily raised from the ground, or live on dung and coarse diet. On the contrary, the birds allowed by the law of Moses, are those that live upon a cleaner food. Lewis. 20. All fowls that creep, going upon all four,] All "flying insects," which also creep upon the earth, as flies, wasps, bees, &c. If it be said that these have six legs, it is answered, that their two fore feet are not pro- perly feet, but rather serve them for hands. Biblioth. Bibl. 21. — to leap withal upon the earth:] In this verse is an exception of those flying insects which, besides their four legs with which they go, have two legs or thighs, which give them power to leap upon the earth, as well as to go. Such are those locusts mentioned in the next verse. As to the various sorts of locusts, it is observed that there are nine kinds mentioned in Scripture, four only of which are permitted to be eaten. By what marks the locusts, which are permitted, are distinguished, is so little agreed among the Hebrews, that it plainly shows they have no certain knowledge about the matter. Lewis. 22. — the beetle after his kind,] The beetle and the grasshopper seem to be a wrong translation; for they were not human food, as were the locusts. Bp. Patrick. It should be observed that the phrase, "after his kind," so often repeated in the laws concerning fowls and flying things, does not necessarily imply that there are different kinds of every flying thing to which it is applied, but only imports "every one of that kind:" it is an expression denoting that the whole species is prohibited. Lewis. 27. — whatsoever goeth upon his paws,] In the original "upon his hands:" as lions, apes, bears, dogs, cats, &c. Lewis. 32. — vessel of wood, — or skin, or sack.] Wooden bowls are still used by the Arabs in this same country: also trunks or baskets covered with skins; and sacks of hair cloth for the purpose of conveying their goods from place to place. Harmer. 35. — ranges for pots.] The following account is given by Rauwolf of the management of the Eastern people for saving fuel: "They make in their tents or houses a hole about a foot and a half deep, wherein they put their earthen pots, with the meat in them closed up: three fourth parts thereof they lay about with stones, and the fourth part is left open, through which they fling in their dried dung, twigs, and straw, which burn immediately, and give so great heat, that the pot grows very hot: thus they boil their meat with a little fire, quicker than we do our's with a great one on our hearths." This quotation may explain perhaps in the best manner what is meant by "ranges for pots" in this passage. Harmer. 36. — a fountain or pit.] Pit or cistern. Those hot Eastern countries did not much abound with water, which made this exception the more necessary; and water itself also was the means of purifying uncleanness, being the proper element for separating the unclean particles from the persons or things defiled. Thus, without this exception, it would have been difficult for those who were unclean, ever to cleanse themselves. Biblioth. Bibl. 37. — upon any sowing seed] Sowing seed being of great importance to the uses and necessities of life. For the inconvenience would have been very great, if the husbandman must have deferred sowing as often as he happened to find a dead animal in the corn designed for the furrows. Biblioth. Bibl. 38. But if any water be put upon the seed, &c.] The reason of this difference was, that the seed to be sown went through many alterations, before it became food, which took away the pollution. Wet seed might be supposed to have received some tincture from the carcase, which dry did not; and, not being so fit to be sown till it was dry, was in that time to be cleansed. Lewis. 41. — every creeping thing] Except those allowed at ver. 21, 22. The following verse, "whatsoever goeth upon the belly, &c." seems to be an explanation of this. Bp. Patrick. 44. For I am the Lord your God:] I am God of Myself, and not like one of the Gentile gods; being infinitely superiour, both in My attributes and My works, particularly in that work of bringing you out of the land of Egypt. It is therefore My pleasure that there should be a special peculiarity in your diet, to be one mark of distinguishing you as a nation separated, and consecrated to Me alone. Dean Spencer. 45. — ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.] Implying that, as God is in Himself a being infinite in perfec- The purification and offerings of women after childbirth. and of the fowl, and of every living creature that moveth in the waters, and of every creature that creepeth upon the earth: