NOTES,
CRITICAL AND PRACTICAL,
ON THE BOOK OF
LEVITICUS:
DESIGNED AS A GENERAL HELP TO
BIBLICAL.READING AND INSTRUCTION.
BY GEORGE BUSH,
PROF. OF ItED. AND ORIENT. LIT. N. Y. CITY UNIVERSITY.
NEW-YORK:
PUBLISHED BY NEWMAN AND IVISON,
199 Broadway.
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Entered according to act of Colgress,
Ia the year one thousand eight hundred and forty-two, by
GEORGE BUSH,
In.he C.ierK's office of the District Court of the Southern District of New-York.
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INTRODUCTION.
~ 1. Title, Author, Date, 4-c.
THE Hebrews, according to their usual custom, denominate this, the third book
in the order of the Pentateuch,  ~1 va-yikra, and he called, from its initial
word. By the Septuagint it is called Acvi'rcKoV, leuitikon (levitikon), of which
the Vulgate title' Leviticus' is the Latinized form; and this has been retained
by our own and all the, modern versions. It is so called from the fact that it
treats principally of the rites and ceremonies, the services and sacrifices, of the
religion of the Israelites, the charge of which was committed to the Levitical
priesthood, that is, to Aaron and his sons, or descendants, who were of the tribe
of Levi, and who alone of that tribe exercised the priestly office. It is not,
therefore, the ministry of the Levites properly so called, who constituted a distinct order from the priests, and subordinate to them, that forms the subject of
this book, for of their services a much fuller account is contained in the book of
Numbers than in the present. It is of the peculiar functions of' the sacerdotal
body usually termed ~ the sons of Aaron,' that the book, for the most part, treats,
for which reason it is denominated by the Talmudists  fZl~t   fl7  torath hakkohanim, the law of the priests, and  V111:ii r3n'1 torath hakkorbanoth, the law
of the offerings. The' sons of' Aaron,' or the priests, were mcrely assisted in
the performance of their sacred office by the descendants of the other branch of
Levi's family, who obtained the privilege of officiating as a kind of second order
of the priesthood, in recompense of the ready zeal which they displayed against
idolatry and the worshippers of the golden calf.
That Moses was the real author of this book, is proved, not only by the gen.
eral arguments which demonstrate him to have written the whole Pentateuch,
but by particular passages in other portions of the Scriptures where it is expressly
cited as his inspired work. Thus, Nehem. 8. 14,' And they found written in the
law which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should
dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month.' This ordinance is contained
Lev. 23. 34, 42. Again it is said of the mother of Jesus, Luke 2. 22, that' When
the days of her purification according to the lou' of Moses, were accomplished,
they brought him to Jerusalem,' a law which is to be found Lev. 12. 6. Once
more, it is said 2 Chron. 30. 16, of the priests and Levites, that' they stood in
their place, after their manner, according to the law of Moses, the man of the
Lord; the priests sprinkled of the blood which they received of the hand of the
Levites.' This regulation occurs Lev. 1. 5. The true authorship of the book is
by these passages put beyond question.
The time and place at which the book was written, are determined by the




iv                           INTRODUCTION,
words occurring ch. 27. 34,' These are the commandments which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel in Mount Sinai.' That this is to be
understood not only of those laws which were orally promulgated at that time
and place, but of those also which were committed to writing, may be inferred
from the parallel expression, Num. 36. 13,' These are the commandments and
the judgments which the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses, unto the child.
ren of Israel, in the plains of Moab, by Jordan, near Jericho.' As it was in the
plains of Moab here mentioned that Moses died, and as the precepts in the book
of Numbers could not have been written either prior or subsequent to the period
of the sojourn at that station, it is reasonable to conclude, that if in one case
mention is made of written laws, the same is to be understood in the other. So
that there is no room to question that this book was written during the encamp.
ment of Israel at the foot of Mount Sinai. This is strikingly confirmed by such
allusions as the following, indicating that the state of the Israelites at the time,
was that of an encampment, instead of a permanent settlement in cities and
villages. Lev. 4. 12,' The whole bullock shall he carry forth without the camp.'
v. 28,' And afterward he shall come into the camp.' Ch. 14. 33,' And the Lord
spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, When ye be come into the land of
Canaan which I give to you,' &c. implying that they had not yet arrived there.
~ 2. The Period embraced by the History.
Archbishop Usher, who is followed by Mr. Horne, supposes that the book
comprises the history of the transactions of a single month, viz. from April 21
to May 21, of the year 2514, which answers to the first month of the second year
after the departure from Egypt. Others consider it as containing onlly the account of what passed during the eight days of the consecration of Aaron and his
sons. The former is the more generally received opinion, but as the book itself
contains no definite data by which the chronological arrangement of its facts
can be adjusted, we can affirm nothing positive on the subject.
~ 3. Divisions, Contents, &c.
By the Jews this book is divided into ten rJIM"ID parashoth, or larger divisions,
and twenty-three VItU: siderim, or smaller divisions. These, in the arrange.
ment of our Bibles, are comprised in twenty-seven chapters, of which the
contents may be again subdivided and classified as follows:
PART I. —Laws concerning Sacrifices.
CHAPTE.RS
I. Of the burnt-offerings, -  -1   e                               I
II. Of the meat-offerings,             -. -                       2
III. Of the peace-offeriings,   ~. @..   3
IV. Of the sin-offerings,   e              _    A  4, 6
V  Of the trespass-offerings,    -                  -.   6, 7
PART II.-Institution of the Priesthood.
I. The consecration of Aaron and his sons,....
II. The offerings at the consecration of the priests,               9
III. Death of Nadab and Abihu,.. -          -                 10




INTRODUCTION.                               V
CHAPTERS
PART III.-Distinction of Clean and Unclean Animals.
I. Unclean beasts, birds, fishes, &c. specified,  -   -       -      11
PART IV.-Laws concerning Purification.
I. Of women after child-birth,                                       12,II Of persons infected with leprosy,                             13, 14
III. Of persons having bad issues,......                15
PART V.-Various Regulations.
I. Concerning the great day of atonement,..                16
II.    "      the place of offering sacrifices,                       17
III.   "       things prohibited to be eaten,..           17
IV.   "       incestuous connexions,...                  18
V.   "       idolatry and various other crimes,       -.          19-22
PART VI.-Laws concerning the Festivals,'Vows, and Tithes.
I. The sabbath, passover, pentecost, feast of trumpets, day of atone.
ment, and feast of tabernacles,..                               23
II. Various ceremonial and judicial rites relative to sacred festivals,  24
III. Law of the sabbatic year, year ofjubilee, &c.                     25
IV. Prohibition of idolatry, &c.                                       26
V. Of vows, things devoted, and tithes,            -... 
~ 4. Argument, Scope, 4ic.
Although the book of Leviticus contains some matters purely historical, yet
its leading scope is to record the laws concerning the sacrifices, ordinances, and
institutions of that remarkable economy from which it derives its name. The
established worship of the Hebrews was offering-not prayer, said or chanted,
nor instrumental music, nor any like form of devotion-hbut the presenting to the
Deity certain articles of fbod and drink. This system  of worship is not to be
understood as having originated at the time to which the book refers. As there
were moral laws in the world by which human conduct was more or less governed
prior to the delivery of the Decalogue from  Mount Sinai, so it is evident from
the history of Cain and Abel, of Noah, of Abraham, and other patriarchs, that
sacrificial offerings are to be dated back to the earliest periods of which we have
any account. They constituted the prevailing form in which the spirit of devotion was taught to express itself from the very infancy of the race. But as sacrifices were ordained to enter largely into the dispensation now about to be established, they are inthis book instituted, as it were, anew, placed upon their true
foundation, and commanded with circumstances which gave them  greater im.
portance, and served to illustrate their typical character with more effect.
The sacrifices prescribed in the Levitical worship, wvere of two kinds; the
bloody and the unbloody; or the animal and the vegetable offerings; the latter
consisting offruits and libations.
(I.) THE BLOODY SACRIFICES.-These consisted, (I.) of Holocausts, which
were offered to the Lord entire, and were considered as ranking highest in dig.
1*




Vi                             INTRODUCTTON,
nity and excellence, for which reason Moses commences the law of sacrifices with
them. (2.) Sin and Trespass-offerings, distinguished from the holocausts by
certain parts only of the animal'being burnt on the altar, while the flesh was
eaten by the priests.  (3.) Eucharistical Sacrifices, or Thank-offerings.  In
these the fat only was consumed on the altar, a small portion being allotted by
law to the priest, and all the rest being eaten at a solemn and joyful feast by the
offerer and his guests.
(II.) UNBLOODY SACRIFICES, OR MEAT-oFFERINGs.-These consisted of flour,
bread, cakes, and ears of corn and grain roasted, of which a full account is given
in ch. 2. The libations were of wine, and although the mode of pouring them
out is nowhere described, yet it is most likely that the wine was poured out of
some vessel upon the top of the altar.
That these sacrifices had all of them a typical intent; that they were' shadows of good things to come,' pointing more or less distinctly to' the body which
is of Christ,' the whole epistle to the Hebrews is a continued proof. The imposition of hands upon the head of the victim, the shedding of its blood, and the
consumption of its members upon the altar, were prefigurative acts setting forth,
by a kind of dramatic representation, the future offering of the' Lamrb of God
slain from the foundation of the world.' The requisite qualities of these sacrificial victims were emblematical of Christ's immaculate character, and the law
of their oblation was a practical hieroglyphic of the great gospel truth of the
atonement. So also were the outward washings and purifications enjoined by the
Mosaic law, designed to intimate the necessity of inward purity. Indeed, if
these institutions be severed from  their New Testament relations, we have no
key to unlock the hidden meaning of the Pentateuch, and the whole ritual contained in it dwindles down to a burdensome round of unmeaning  ceremonies.
But when regarded in the light now suggested, the whole service, like the veil
on the face of Moses, conceals a spiritual radiance under an outward covering,
and the wisdom of the various appointments appears at once worthy of its divine Author. To what extent the spiritual import of these rites was actually
understood by the Jews themselves, it may not be easy to determine; but that
something, over and above the simple act of slaying and offering the animal
victim, was required by the spirit of the law is evident from  the fact, that the
obedience of the chosen people is frequently represented as faulty, notwith.
standing their scrupulous observance of the outward rite. Thus Isal. 1. II, 12,'To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord:
I amn full of the burnt-offerings of-rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I deliglht
not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.'
But while the Jews probably in great measure full short of apprehendit.g the
true typical genius of their own dispensation, and consequently rejected its
divine Fulfiller when he came, an error is often committed on the other handl, in
modern times, by the attempt to elicit more fromn these figurative institutiotas
than they were intended to convey. It by no means follows that bec;ause certain portioris of the Levitical economy have a typical purport, we have therefore
a right to glve loose to imagination and multiply types at will, as if the Scriptures meant all that they can be made to mean. Tlis was the fault of imnly of
the earlier interpreters, who so abounded in mystical senses as to convert nearly
the whole system into a omass of fancied allegories and typical allusions, which




INTRODUCTION.                              V
Luther very properly characterized as the'froth of scripture.' To such lengths
was this style of interpretation carried by Origen. Hesychius, and their disciples
in later times, that one can scarcely open a volume of their commentaries with.
out reading in the title-page that the' mystical sense is duly expounded;' evi.
dently implying that the duty of the commentator was by no means discharged
by the accurate grammatical exegesis of the text but that he was bound in
addition to penetrate beyond the surface of the letter, and enlighten his readers
by an exhibition of the manifold occult meanings hidden beneath the surface, and
constituting those abysmal depths of import, which the plummet of lexicogra.
phy could never presume to sound.
It may be difficult, indeed, to lay down precise rules which shall be universally
applicable in the way of interpretation, but the grand canon undoubtedly is, to
follow strictly the apostolical explanations, where we have them; and, where
we have them  not, to proceed with extreme caution, adhering rigidly to the
analogy of faith, and standing as remote as possible from any thing which may
appear fanciful, and give occasion to cavillers to discard typical expositions
altogether. Under these restrictions we may safely recognize a typical import
in many items of the Levitical law which are not expressly affirmed by the New
Testament writers to be possessed of that character; and, in fact, in no other
way will that wondrous polity disclose to us the whole richness of its evangelical implications.
~ 5. Commentators.
The remark made under this head in the introduction to the Notes on Exo.
dus, holds strictly true of the book of Leviticus, viz. that it has been the subject
of few commentaries except such as have at the same time embraced either the
whole Pentateuch or the whole Bible. In pointing out therefore the sources of
illustration for this portion of the Mosaic writings, I can do little more than
recite the authorities already specified in my preceding volumes. They will be
found enumerated at considerable length in the prolegornena to the work on
Exodus, with critical estimates of the character and value of each. These it
will be unnecessary to repeat at length in the present connexion, but it may sub.
serve the convenience and information of the reader, to be furnished with the
titles of those works, from which he may hope to derive the most essential aid
in the study of the scope and genius of the Levitical law. The following may
be cited as claiming perhaps the first place in this relation:Outram's Dissertations on the Jewish Sacri- Saurin's Dissertations.
fices.                               Michaelis' Comment. on Laws of Moses.
Lowman on the Hebrew Ritual,           Spencer de Legibus Hebraeorum.
J. P. Smith on the Sacrifice and Priesthood  Graves on the Pentateuch.
of Christ.                           Warburton's Divine Legation.
Faber on the Three Dispensations.      Davison on Sacrifices,
"  Hora Mosaicae.                   Sykes on    do.
Willett's Hexapla on Leviticus.        Bahr's Symbolik of the Mosaic Worship
Pictorial Bible.                         (Germ.)
Lightfoot's Works.                     Owen's Prelim. Dissert. on Epistle to tho
Magee on the Atonement.                  Hebrews.
Witsius' Miscellanea Sacra.           I Ainsworth on the Pentateuch.




Viii                          INTRODUCTION.
To most of the above works I have had recourse in the preparation of the ensuing Notes, but to one of the number-The Pictorial Bible-I feel constrained
on this, as on former occasions, to express my indebtedness in a more particular
manner. The Notes of the Editor, Mr. Kitto, can scarcely be consulted on any
point of which he treats without advantage, but it is more especially in the
department of modern oriental manners and usages, that his work is so signally
in advance of any other Biblical Commentary. From having himself spent sev.
eral years as a traveler in the East, he has been enabled to make the existing
institutions, laws, and customs of those ancient regions of the globe most happily
tributary to the explanation of a multitude of passages which had never before the
light of a satisfactory solution cast upon them. On all subjects of this nature,
it will be perceived that I have drawn largely upon his pages, and so also
in the natural history of the beasts, birds, and fishes mentioned in the
eleventh chapter, in laying down the distinction between the clean and the unclean. For a very large part of the annotations on that chapter, requiring a
species of knowledge to which a mere critical or practical expositor can seldom
be expected to lay claim, I have been indebted to the results of his accurate
inquiries. Being conscious of the necessity, in this province of my work, of'entering into other men's labors,' I trust the reader, instead of objecting to my
copious extracts, will rather be grateful that I have provided so liberally from
this source for his information in a field of comment, into which he has probably
often come'seeking fruit, and finding none.'
In reference to the work now offered as a new korban on the altar of Biblical
learning, a few words -will be permitted. The book which I have here undertaken to illustrate on the plan of my previous volumes, constitutes a part of the
sacred canon less read, and usually accounted less interesting and important,
than almost any other. Although not omitted, of course, in any regular reading
of the Scriptures entire from beginning to end, yet it is seldom returned to on
any other occasion; and in Bible-class and Sunday-school instruction is almost
invariably passed by. May I be allowed to express the hope, that the present
volume will be found, in no small measure, to have redeemed this book from the
comparative disparagement which has fallen upon it?  If the ensuing notes
shall have the effect of transferring to the reader, in any good degree, the feeling of intense interest which has pervaded the mind of the author in the prose.
cution of his labors, the book will rise in his estimation with the perusal of every
successive chapter, till at the close he shall acknowledge that revelation is rich
even in its poorest parts, and that without the accurate knowledge of the Law
which he here acquires, he never could so fully have understood the nature and
value of the Gospel.
No apology will be required by the thorough student of the Bible for the very
frequent citation of the original in its appropriate type. The sentences are
always translated, and I doubt not they will in many instances verify to the
reader's mind the remark, which has so often occurred to my ownl, that a strictly
literal rendering of a passage of Scripture is, in multitudes of cases, the very
best commentary that can be offered upon it. The Hebrew is given without
points, not from any slight esteem of the value of that appendage to the language,
but simply in order to preserve the symmetry of the page by preventing the
lines from being thrown unduly asunder.




THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS.
of it ascended touwards heaven.  Its
CHAPTER I.                equivalents in other languages are as
follows; Chal. IY   altd, ascension;
THFE BURNT-OFFERING.          i     kelil, entireness; Mi't~2 gemira,
IN the system  of Jewish sacrifices, oblation. Gr. bXosKaoTwas,:t. aprwpa, 0,cthe Burnt-offerings, treated of in this KavrTwoa, all conveying the idea of a
chapter, held  the  most conspicuous fire-offering wholly consumed, which
place.  They were of all others the  is also clearly intimated by the Latin
most ancient; as the acceptable offer. word'holocaustum,' holocaust.  The
ing of Abel was undoubtedly of this sacrifice consisted in the irmolating of
description, and the worship both of a male animal victim, which was someNoah and Abraham, long prior to the  times a bull of three years old, some.
tirne of Moses, included them  as an  times a sheep or goat of one year old,
essential element. Indeed, the direc. and sometimes, but more rarely, a turtions concerning offerings in the chapter tle-dove, or young pigeon.  But from
before us, are introduced in such a way  whatever class of the animal kingdom
as to indicate that the Lawgiver was it were taken, whether froln the herd or
ilot propounding anew form of worship, the flock, whether it were bullocik, ram,
but regulating the ritual of one already  or goat, one thing was indispensableunderstood and used:' When any man  it was to be perfect in its kind,' a male
of you shall bring an offering to the  without blemish.' This rule was given
Lord, ye shall bring your offering of the  to intimate to the people the reverence
cattle, even of the herd and of the flock.' and respect with which they should
The earliest records of heathen anti. regard God, and every part of his ser.
quity show, moreover, that such sacri. vice. It would be highly unbecoming
fies were in use among nearly all to offer to him any thing that was lame,
nations, and distinguished by accompa- or blind, or diseased, or in any other
nying rites and ceremonies very similar way of little value. He will be served
to  those  observed by the Hebrews, with every creature's best.  But this
clearly indicating  that they derived  was not all. The animal was to be the
their origin from the same source, to wit, most excellent of its kind, in order the
a divine institution ordained to the pa. more fitly to shadow forth the excellenrents of the race, and kept up among  cies of Him who was to be the great
the antediluvians, from whom, through  substance of this type, the Lamb slain
Noah and his family, it was transmitted  from the foundation of the world, and
to all subsequent generations of men, who alone of' all that ever partook of
wherever dispersed over the earth.    our nature was truly without sin. As
The original termt for burtnt.offering, he was to be a spotless Savior, so his
uI V oll,, comes from the root, 1    representing type was to be a spotless
ealdh, to ascend. It is so called, be. victim.  In addition to this it is to be
cause it was laid whole on the altar, observed, that the animal was to be se.
and then, with the exception of the skin, lected from among those that were used
beitlg consumed by fire, the greatest part for food, and were most eminently ser



10                            LEVITICUS.                      [B. C. 1490.
viceable to man; thus teaching him, I when they had touched a dead body, —
that in serving God we are not to with- and by those referred to in Lev. 15.
hold from him even that which is most 1-15.
near and dear to us, which goes to sus-   We say that the design  of these
tain our being and constitute our com- offerings was mainly expiatory; arid
forts. As we received all from him, so such was undoubtedly the case.  At
we must render back all to him. Nor the same time, it is to be observed, that
must we here fail to notice that peculiar in the early ages of the world, when no
feature of the law, by which the obla. other sacrifices were offered but whole
tion was to be varied according to the burnt-offerings, this one kind of sacriability of the offerer. While the rich fice was also petitionar-y and euchaman presented his bullock, the consider- ristic, and was in fact applied to every
ate and benignant spirit of the law made part of sacred worship, according to the
provision for the poor man also, who, circumstances and promptings of each
as his circumstances would permit, individual. This is clearly deducible
might bring a lamb or a pigeon, with  from the inspired history. Noah offered
the assurance of its being equally ac- burnt-offerings as an expression of graceptable with the costlier gift of his titude to God for the preservation of
neighbor. No one was to be discouraged himself and his family through the
from approaching God, by the consider- perils of the deluge. Job added burnt.
ation that he was not able to present to  offerings to prayers, when he interceded
him such an offering as he could wish. for forgiveness for his sons and his
He would have no man, however hum- friends.  Balaatn, following, beyond
ble, excluded from  the pleasures and  doubt, the general custom, directed
benefits, to say nothing of the duties, of burnt-offerings to be prepared when lihe
such a religious observance. So legibly  was about to pray for safety to Balak,
do we find the stamp of the divine bene- and destruction to the Israelites. That
ficence impressed upon the smallest burnt offerings used also to be presented
itelns of his institutions.           as votive and voluntary oblations, may
The various ceremonies connected  be inferred from the language of David,
with the rite of the Burnt-offering, will Ps. 63. 13-15,' I will go into thine
be considered in detail, as we proceed house with burnt-offerings; I will pay
in our annotations; but we observe  thee my vows, which my lips have
here, in regard to the occasions on which uttered, and my mouth hath spoken,
this species of offering was made, that when I was in trouble. I will offer unto
they were both public and private. As thee burnt-sacrifices of fatlings, with
their design was, in the main,expiatory, the incense of rams; I will offer bulthey were presented, partly, in the name  locks with goats.' Ps. 61. 18, 19.' Do
of the whole nation, daily, every morn. good in thy good pleasure unto Zion;
ing and evening, as also in connexion  build thou the walls of JeMrusalem.
with a sin-offering on the great day of Then shalt thou be pleased with the
atonement, and on the three principal sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt.
anniversary festivals;-partly, on the offerings and whole burnt-offerings;
solemnity of consecration to office-and  then shall they offer bullocks upon
partly by private persons, in order to  thine altar.' In the former of these
be freed from the condition of Levitical passages is doubtless to be understood
uncleanness; namely, by women after votive offerings; and in the  latter,
child-bearing, at the end of the legally  voluntary ones.
prescribed period for the purification,-    Anl it is voluntary offerings, unquesby lepers when cured,-by Nazarites, tionably, which are contemplated in the




B. C. 1490.]                 CHAPTER  I.                                11
CHAPTER  I.                of the tabernacle of the congregaA ND the Lorda called unto Mo- tion, saying,
ses, and spake unto hinlb out
_Ex. 1       9,b3      b Ex. 40, 34, 35. Num. 12,'4, 5.
chapter before us. The burnt-offering intensity of his sufferings in undergoing
about which directions are here given, that vicarious martyrdorm is not inaptly
was not the public offering of the lamb, denoted by the burning of the whole
morning   and  evenilg, nor one pre- Burnt-ofiering which was so expressly
scribed to the Israelites at any appoint- enjoined.  But without appearing to
ed time, or upon any particular occa- press the  coincidences between the
stuon. It had respect to an offering to type and the antitype, when every thing
be brought by any individual, whenever is taken into consideration, we see not
he felt himself so disposed.  It was how a doubt can remain that the sacriordered in view of those seasons in the fice of the Burnt-offering was designed
pious Israelite's experience, when he as a piacular substitute for the indivifelt his mind under more than ordinary dual in whose behalf it was brought to
impressions; when he was sensible of the altar. With these remarks we are
his general sinfulness and deficiencies; prepared to enter upon the explication
and when he would humbly seek mercy of the text.
for those manifold offences and failings   1. And the Lord called unto Moses,
which are not particularly specified, and spake unto him, 4-c. Heb.  t"'"1!
and had no express offering appointed vayikra, and he called.  The word
for them.' Lord,' though inserted by our transla.
As to the leading typical design of tors in the first clause, occurs in the
the Burnt-offering, nothing can be clear- original only in the second;-' And he
er than that it had a special regard to called unto Moses, and the Lord said,'
the offering of Christ in a human body. &c. A similar construction occurs in
It is so stated in the epistle to the He- Lev. 8. 15:' And he slew  it, and
brews;' When he cometh into the Moses took the blood,' &c.-where it
world he saith,sacrifice and offering thou would seem, from the context, that it
wouldlst not, but a body hast thou pre-. was Moses who slew  the sacrifice.
pared me; in burnt-offerings and sacri- Still the note on that passage will show
flees for sin thou hast no pleasure. Then  that there is some degree of doubt as to
saidi, Lo, I come (in the volume of the true  construction.  The  Jerus.
the bock it is written of me), to do thy  Targ. in this place renders,' And the
will, O God.' Here were the sins of a Word of the Lord called, &c. As the
whole world to be atoned for; here cloud of glory now filled the tabernacle,
were innumerable transgressions of in- and prevented all access to its interior,
numerable persons, which needed mer- Moses stood without while an audible
cy.  The time was come when the voice from. the mercy.seat addressed
Rattle upon a thousand hills would be him  in the words immediately followno longer accepted, but the offering of ing. The word' called,' in the original,
the Son of God was to supersede them  has the last letter written in smaller
all.  He was to be slain, who alone character than the rest, intimating, accould present an oblation worthy to be cording to the Jews, that God now spake,
accepted as an expiation for the sins of not with a loud thundering voice, as
untold millions of human beings. Such upon Mount Sinai, but in lower and
an offerin  he did present inl the sacri- gentler tones, as befitted a milder and
fice of himself on the cross, and the smore permanent maode of communic



12                           LEVITICUS.                      [BC. C. 1490
2 Speak unto the children of Is- the LORD, ye shall bring your of.
rael, and say unto them,c If any fering of the cattle, even of the
man of you bring an offering unto  herd, and of the flock.
c ch. 22, 18, 19.
tion.-~  Out of the tabernacle of the with each other in the following pascongregation.  Heb.'lV   SiSt7x;  mEo- sages:-1 Chron. 16. 1,'And they
hel moEd, more correctly rendered ta. offered (1Z~  yukribu,) burnt-sacri.
bernacle of meeting, or convention-tent, fices and peace-offerings before God;'
i. e., the tent or tabernacle where God for which 2 Sam. 6. 17 has,' And David
and his people met at stated times. offered (~Y)' yaal,) burnt-offerings and
See Note on Ex. 27. 21, where it is peace-offerings before the Lord.'  In
shown that the term implies the meet- accordance with this, the noun':l'
ing of two parties by previous appoint- korban, Gr. dwpov gift, is used to denote
ment. Gr. k rc7? aGra'i reov paprvpiov, C an offering,' or that which was brought
from the tabernacle of the testimony. to the altar, and dedicated to God, wheCompare  Num. 11. 53, Acts 7. 14. ther it was a thing animate or inaniBy the phrase' out of the tabernacle,' is mate, a human being or a brute beast.
meant, out of the most holy place, from  (On the use of the word in the New
over the mercy-seat, and between the  Testament, Mark 7. 11, in reference to
cherubim, where God was said pecu- a practice condemned by our Savior,
liarlyto reside. Hitherto he had spoken see Barnes' note, in loc.)  Thus the
to Moses out of heaven, or out of the bread or meat-offering, and the oblation
cloud; but having taken possession of of the first fruits, Lev. 2. 1-12, have the
the temple prepared for him, he makes appellation' korban' given them:'And
that his audience-chamber, and gives when any man will offer a meat-offer.
his servant orders from  thence.  It ing (meal-offering,) unto the Lord, his
does not appear that Moses was comrn  ofering (korban,) shall be of ine flour,'
manded to come into the tabernacle, &c. So also the silver vessels, cattle,
as the precluding glory probably now  sheep, &c., offered by the princes, Num.
filled the sacred edifice, but we may  7. 10-17, et inf. are comprehended under
suppose that he stood without, at or the general name of'korban.' Nay,
near the entrance, and there reverently  the very wood which was used to burn
listened to the uttered voice of Jehovah. the sacrifices on the altar, Nehem. 10.
2. If any man of you bring an offer- 34, from its being brought for that puring. Heb.')lbi) ted  ~'31t A n t:R  pose, is denominated'korban.'  And
adam ki yakcrib mikkem korban, a man  what is still more worthy of notice, the
then he shall bring of you an offering. same phraseology is employed in refer.
The original word here and elsewhere ence to the Levites as a consecrated
rendered' offering,' is I)11r korbobn, de- body of men, from their being brought
rived from the verb =11D kdrab. signify- near and presented to the Lord for the
ing radically to approach, to draw near service of the sanctuary: Num. S. 10.
to, and in what is termed the Hliphil, or'And thou shalt bring (~r   hikrab.
causative form, to cause to approach, ta,) the Levites before the Lbrd,' i. e.
to bring near, to present; hence in the shalt offer them as holy persons dediIHiphil, the verb is generally rendered  cated to the service of Jehovah. As
in our version to offer, a sense of the the verb'~  kdcrab, however, in its
term  expressly confirmed by the fact Hiphil form, denotes' principally the
that the original words for' bring near,' bare act of bringing any thing to a parand' offer,' are used interchangeably  ticular place or person, though rendered




B. C. 1490.]                    CHAPTER  I.                                  13
3 If his offering be a burnt-sacri-  male dwithout blemish: he shall
fice of the  herd, let him  offer a  offer it of his own voluntary will
d Exod. 12. 5. ch. 3. 1, and 22. 20, 21. Deut. 15. 21.  Mal. 1. 14.  Eph. 5. 27.
Heb. 9. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 19.
by the word'offer,' it is to be observed, by two several terms, lZr=  isheh, and
that when any private individual is said  ~>1 olah, of which the first being a de.
to I offer I an animal or other oblation, rivative from~ =  ish,fire, denotes an of.
it is to be understood simply of his fering by fire, and is applied both to ofbringing it to the altar, not of his per. ferings burnt wholly,and to those burnt
forming any part of the office which  in part.  This word is generally renwas exclusively appropriated  to the  dered by' offering by fire.' The word
Priests and Levites —~ Ye shall bring  naY olah, on the other hand, literally
your offering of the cattle, (even) of the  signifying' ascension,' from'.5: alah,
herd and of the flock. The term' cattle'  to ascend, because these offerings went
here is generic, including the'herd' up in flame and smoke into the air, is
and the'flock' mentioned in connec. applied  to  sacrifices  wholly  burntj
tion.  The word' even' is therefore  which the Greeks denominated bXoKauproperly supplied in our version, to in.:-rwpara holokautomata, or b'oocauorov hodicate that  herd' and'flock' are ex- lokauston from which the word'holoegetical of'cattle.'  The Heb. term  caust' has been transferred into our lanIN= tzon, comprehends both sheep and  guage. If rendered in English phrase,
goats, as is evident from v, 10. It ap- it should properly be' whole  burntpears, therefore, that there were only  offering,' whereas by its being generally
five kinds of living creatures which were  rendered by our translators' burnt-ofaccepted in sacrifice, viz. of animals: fering,' the genuine distinction between
beeves, sheep, and goats, including the  the original words is hidden from the
young of each kind of eight days old, ordinary reader, as there is no differ.
Lev. 22. 27; and of fowls: turtle-doves  ence between the expression' burnt-of.
and young pigeons, 1. 44. These being  fering,' and' offering by fire.' But let
of the most tame, gentle, and harmless  the phrase' whole burnt-offering' be
species of creatures, the most easily ob- employed, and the distinction is obh.
tained, as well as the most serviceable  vious. Every holocaust or' olah,' was
to man, were well adapted at once to  an'isheh,' or offering  by  fire, but
point out the distinguishing moral attri. every I isheh,  or fire offering, was not
butes of Christ and his people, those  a holocaust. It may here be remarked,'living sacrifices  which were' accept- that the' whole burnt-offering' was the
able to God,' and also to intimate man's  first or. principal sacrifice with which
absolute dependance upon God for those  God was daily served by his people,
blessings to which he owes his food and  Nuum. 28. 3, no part of it being eaten,
raiment, the crowning comforts of life. but the whole consumed upon the altar.
Besides, as some of the sacrifices were  It pointed to the offering of the body
followed by a feast on the victim, which  of Christ, as is evident from  Heb. 10.
was esteemed a covenant rite, therefore  10.  In Deut. 33, 10, it is rendered
such animals as were allocted for food,' whole burnt sacrifice.'-~-    A  male
would naturally be required to be offer- without blemish.  Heb. Vt;l~     tdmim,
ed in sacrifice.                        perfect; i. e. having neither deformity,
3. A burnt-sacrifice. Heb.   Y olah, defect, nor superfluity of members, and
more correctly rendered whole burnt-  free from distemper. Whence the pro.
offering.   The prescribed sacrificial phet says, Mal. 1. 14,' Cursed be the
offerings are distinguished in Hebrewv  deceiver who hath in his flockl a mnale
cw




14                             LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
at the door of the tabernacle of   4 eAnd he shall put his hand upthe congregation before the LoRD.   ech. 4. 15. and 3. 2, 8. 13. and 8. 14, 22.
and 16.21.
(i. e. a perfect male,) and voweth and  (12l%  lerdtzon).' Rosenmuller adopts
sacrificeth  unto the Lord  a corrupt the same construction. At the same
things' where' corrupt' is opposed to time, the sense given in our version'male.' This was a prefiguration of does no positive violence to the origi.
the perfect excellence of the sacrifice nal, and is supported by respectable
of Christ, who was'a lamb without names, but we think the other deci.
blemish and without spot.' 1 Pet. 1. 19. dedly preferable. —T At the door of the
And not only so; it was doubtless de-  tabernacle. Because here in the open
signed to intimate that we are to offer space of the court the altar of Burnt.
to God the best of all we have; the offerings was placed, upon which alone,
best of our time and strength, the vigor even on pain of death, these oblations
of our days, and the utmost of our ta- were to be made. Comp. Lev. 17. 3-7.
lents. Will he who would have no. The additional phrase,' before the
thing but the best of Israel's herds and  Lord,' has its usual import of before
flocks, be pleased with such poor rem. the Shekinah, the visible symbol of the
nants of our time and thoughts as may  divine presence. By thus bringing his
be left from the service of the world?  offering to the place prescribed, the
Had the Jew brought atn inferior beast, offerer acknowledged  that the Lord
it would have been rejected by the priest, dwelt there in a peculiar manner, and
or the offering would have been void by he moreover publicly, before all the
law. Let us not suppose that the de. people acknowledged himself a sinner,
fectiveness of our spiritual oblations like unto his brethret, and needing mer.
will be overlooked by him who searches cy no less than the vilest of the human
the heart. What a man soweth, that race.
shall he reap. Niggardly and unwilling    4. Shall put his hand upon the head,
gifts, weary and distasteful services, 4-c. From  Lev. 16. 21, it is probable
hasty  and perturbed devotions, will that by' hand' here is implied both the
find no more acceptance than the Is. hands. The act denoted that the vic.
raelite's blemished ox.-All the Burnt- tim  offered was thereby wholly given
offerings of beasts were to be males, over and devoted to God, being as it
but this is not prescribed in regard to were henceforth solemnly manunmitted
the fowls.-O- Of his own voluntary  from the possession-of the offerer, who
will. Heb. q2g) lirtzono, to his (i. e, from this time ceased to claim any farGod's) good pleasure, or favorable ac- ther interest in it or control over it. It
ceptance. Thus the phrase is rendered  significantly intimated, moreover, the
by the Gr. ce-ro, evarei Ktvptov, accepta- offerer's desire that his transgression
gle before the Lord, and the Lat.' ad might be put upon the animal thus pre.
placandurn sibi Dominum,' to render sented, and that the death to which he
the Lord propitious to him, and thus now devoted it, might be instead of
by the Chaldee,' that acceptableness that death which he had himself most
may be to him before the Lord.' This justly deserved. The sinner who pre.
sense is moreover confirmed by v. 4 sented.the victim thus disburdened him.
following, and by Lev. 23. 11,' And he self of the sin he acknowledged before
shall wave the sheaf before the Lord  God, and laid the weight of it upon the
to-be accepted for you, (==I~ lirtz- sacrifice. It thus taught the grand gos.
onekem),' and by Jer. 6. 20,.' Your pel doctrine of substitution.-:T  It
burut.offerings  are  not  acceptable siLll be accepted for him.  Ileb.'t




B. C. 1490.]                   CHAPTER  I.                                   15
on the head of the burnt-offerin,g;   5 And he shall kill the hbullock
4and it shall be faccepted tbr him before the LORD: iand the priests,
sto malke atonement fbr him.
and 16. 24. Numb. 15. 25. 2 Chron. 29. 23,
f ch 2. 21, 27. IsaiL 56, 7. Rom. 12.. 124. Rom. 5. 11  h Micah 6. 6. i 2 Chron.
Phil. 4. 18. g clh. 4. 20, 26, 31, 35, and 9. 7, 35. 11. Heb. 10. 11.
hiff nirtzdh lo, from  the same root be covered, made safe, expiated, or
with j7iv   ratzon, above v. 3, and con- atoned.  Accordingly we find the par.
firming the interpretation there given. don of sin expressly called the covering
---     To make an atonement for him. of sin, Nehem. 4. 4, 5,' Our God give
Heb. M~.: i DDy lekappE'r ilauv. This  them for a prey in the land of captivity,
was the great purport of the appoint- and cover not their iniquity, and let not
ment. In hope of tllis the worshipper their sin be blotted out from  before
brought his offering; through it he  thee.' Ps. 32. 1,'Blessed is he whose
sought pardon and reconciliation with  transgression is forgiven, whose sin is
God; and when he offered it rightly, it covered.' Ps. 85.2,' Thou hast brought
became an atonement for him, not for back the captivity of Jacob; thou hast
any value of its own, but by virtue of  forgiven the iniquity of thy people;
that great sacrifice which it prefigured. thou hast covered all their sin.' All
The original word        Oph kdjphar signi- such expiatory offerings poinlted direct.
fies prilllarily to cover; not so much, ly to Christ, who is the grand atonehowever, in the sense of wrapping as ment or reconciliation for the sins of
with a garment, as in that of smearing  men.  Dan. 9. 24.  1 John 2. 2. Heb.
or plaistering, it being applied, Gen. 6. 10, 8, 10. The burnt-offering, it is to
14, to the act of coating the ark with  be observed, had not, like the sin-offer.
pitch.  Its radical sense, therefore, is ing, respect to any particular sin, but
rather that of an adhesive than a loose  was designed to make atonement for sin
covering. From this primary notion of  in general. Thus it is said of Job, ch.
covering, it came to be applied by met. 1. 5, That he' offered burnt.offerings,
aphorical usage to the appeasing of  (sayings) it may be that my sons have
anger, or to that act of an offending  sinned.'
party by which he succeeds in procuring    5. And he shall kill the bullock, Heb.
ftvor and Ibrgiveness from  the person  t5Z2: ve-.shhat; in all probably an iior party offended. In this sense it is stance of the usage very common in
applied to the appeasing of an angry  Hebrew, where a verb is employed in a
countenance, Gen. 32. 20,' For he said, kind of impersonal sense, equivalent to
I will appease him, (HIeb. will cover his  the' on dit,' one says of tile French, or
face) with the present.' 2 Sam. 21. 3, the' man sagt,' id. of the German, both
Whllat shall I do for you, and where-  of which are evidently tantamount to
with shall I make the atonement (Heb. the passive, it is said. The expression
over)?' I'Prov. 16. 14,' The wrath of a  before us is not intended, we conceive,
king is as messengers of death, but a  to assert that the offerer, or any one in
wise man will pacify it (Heb. will  particular, was to kill the victim, but
cover it).' Its predominant usage is in  simply to say that one, some one, shall
relation to the reconciliation effected  kill it. In conformity with this idea,
between  God and sinners, in which  the Gr. preserves the indefinite form of
sense atonement for sin is the covering  the expression, by rendering it opavourav
of sin, or the seclring the sinner fr.om  they shacll slay. A similar phraseology
punishmlent.  Thus when sin is' par- appears in the following passages, Gen.
doned, or its consequent calamity re. 11. 9,' Therefore is the name of it callmoved, the sitl or person may be said to  ed Babel (Heb. i2.'1W1 lt> one called




16                           LEVITICUS.                       [B.. 1490.
Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, the door of the tabernacle of the
kand  sprinkle  the  blood  round  congregation.,about upon the altar that is by   6 And he shall flay the burntoffering, and cut it into his pieces.
k ch. 3.. Heb. 12.24. 1Pet. l. 2.
the name of it Babel).' Gen. 16. 14, or soul was especially in the blood, so
i'Wherefore the well waes called (rp  the'souls under the altar,' d&notes the
one called the well) Beer-lahai-roi.' blood of the martyrs plentifully shed,
Deut. 32. 37,' And he shall say (,ItR  and flowing as a sacrificial offering un.
one shall say-it shall be said) where der the altar. The act of sprinklinC
are their gods,' &c. Examples of this the blood was, during every period of
usage might be almost indefinitely mul. the Mosaic economy, exclusively the
tiplied, but those now adduced will prerogative of the priesthond. It was
probably be sufficient to confirm  our in the effusion of blood. which is the
rendering in the passage before us. It life, that the virtue of the sacrifice
is highly probable that the offerer him. cousisted, it being always understood
self and the common Levites united in that life went to redeem  life. It was
the act of slaughtering the animal. calculated and probably designed to
Indeed Patrick labors to show  from  remind the offerer that he deserved to
Maimonides, that' the killing of the have his own blood shed for his sins,
holy things might lawfully be done by and alluded moreover to the pacifying
a stranger (one not of Aaron's seed), and purifying of the blood of Jesus shed
yea, of the most holy things, whether for us fbr the remission of sins. Every
they were the holy things of private  reader of the New Testament knows
persons, or of the whole congregation.' how much our salvation is attributed
This would appear to be confirmed by  to the blood of Christ; and this great
2 Chron. 30. 17, where it is said that evangelical truth was thus taught in'there were many in the congregation  shadow to the Israelites under the Law.
that were not sanctified; therefore the  They were by this rite most impres.
Levites had charge of the killing of the sively taught that without the shedding
passovers for every one that was not of blood there was no remission of
clean;' implying that if' they had been sins; and however some of them might
clean they would have been authorized  have dim  and darkened views on this
to perform the service themselves.-   subject, while the veil was upon their
~1 Sprinkle the blood round about, 8fc. minds, we at least know the truth. We
This is doubtless the true sense of the know that the blood of all the animals
original, but both the Gr. and the Lat. shed at the altar of burnt-offering owed
render it by the stronger term' pour,' all its excellency to its being a type of'pour out.'  The sprinkling may be that blood of Jesus by which he hath
supposed perhaps to have been very  obtained eternal redemption for us.
copious, as Maimonides tells us that   6. He shall flay.  Gr. iclpavree they
the priest was to sprinkle the blood having flayedi shall divide,' &c. The
twice on the upper surface of the altar, Heb. VIMVg~ hiphshit, one shall flay,
and the rest of the blood was to be doubtless affords another instance of
poured out at the bottom of the altar the impersonal form  of speech illus.
on the south side-a rite to which there  trated above. The meaning is simply
is doubtless allusion, Rev. 6. 9' I saw  that those whose office it was to per.
under the altar (i. e. at the bottom of form this part of the ceremony should
the altar) the souls of them that were strip the skin from the victim, and then
slain for the wordof God.' As the life cut up the body into its appropriate




B. C. 1490.]                   CHAPTER  I.                                 17
7 And  the  sons of Aaron  the  shall lay the parts, the head, and
priest shall put fire upon the altar, the'fat, in order upon the wood
and Ilay the wood in order upon  that is on the fire, which is upon
the fire.                              the altar.
8 And the priests, Aaron's sons,  9 But his inwards and his legs
shall he wash in water: and the
Gen. 22. 9.             priest shall burn all on the altar,
parts. This would seem from 2 Chron.   8. Shall lay the parts. Heb. VlrI'l
29. 34, to have been usually the duty of  hannethdhim.  As the same word is
the priests;' The priests were too few, rendered in v. 6.' pieces,' it would have
and not able to flay all the burnt-offer, conduced more to the absolute precision
ings; therefore their brethren the Le-  which ought to be consulted in every
vites helped them.' The skin in such  translation of the Scriptures to have
cases, it is to be remembered, was a preserved that rendering in the present
part of the perquisites of the priest, instance. Uniformity's sake alone is
Lev. 7. 8.-I-  Cut it into his pieces. often sufficient to determine a translaThat is, into its natural, appropriate, tor in his choice of one out of two or
suitable pieces, such as head, neck, more renderings. This regular dividshoulders, legs, &c., or as the Gr. ren-. ing and laying on of the pieces of the
ders it, Kara pEaX, according to its memn- sacrifice was observed in all cases of
bets. Chal.' He shall divide it by the the Burnt-offering. Comp. Ex. 29. 17,
members thereof.' It was to be done 18. 1 Kings, 18. 23, 33. Lev. 8. 20,
in an orderly and systematic manner, 21.-9. 13.
and not confusedly.' Why were not   9. His inwards and his legs shall he
the greater members cut into small wash in water. These parts, in order
pieces 3  Because it is written, He that no filthy adhesions might pollute
shall cut it into the pieces thereof, and the sacred offerings, were not to be
not, Shall cut it into pieces.' Maimoni- burnt upon the altar until they had been
des. It is doubtless in allusion to this thoroughly cleansed by washing in wathat the apostle says, 2 Tim. 2. 15, ter; a process which, according to Mai.
rightly dividing  (opOoropovvra) the monides, was three times repeated be.
word of truth.'                        fore the ablution was thought to be
7. Shall put fire.  Heb. ='11'1~ 1  complete. The typical import of this
nidthenu ish, shall give fire; by which  ceremony is distinctly  intimated  by
is probably meant stirring up, cherish- the Apostle, Heb. 10. 22,' Let us draw
ing, supplying fuel for, the fire that was near with a true heart, in full assurance
originally kindled from  heaven, and  of faith, having our hearts sprinkled
which was to be kept perpetually burn. from  an evil conscience and our bo.
ing on the altar, as may be seen from  dies washed with pure uater.'-~ The
Lev. 6. 11.-~I Lay the wood in order. priest shall burn all on the altar. Heb.
Heb.'l   02d dreku, implying, as rightly'    hiktir, shall burn as a perfume,
rendered in our version, an orderly and  as the original properly implies. See
methodical arrangement, and spoken  the import of the term fully explained
of the setting or furnishing a table, in the Note on Ex.29. 13. It is not the
and marshalling the ranks of an army, usual word for consuming by fire, and
Judg. 20. 22; also metaphorically of  consequently we lose in our translation
the proper disposition of words in a the peculiar expressiveness of the origi.
prayer or discourse, Ps. 5. 4. Job, 32. nal, especially when taken in connex.
14.-37. 19                            ion with what follows.-' The burning
2'




18                            LEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1490.
to be a burnt-sacrifice, an offering  and the priest shall lay them  in
made by fire, of a msweet savour order on  the wood that is on the
unto the LORD.                         fire which is upon the altar:
10 ~ And if his offering be of the   13  But he  shall wash  the inflocks, naminly, of the sheep, or of  wards and the legs with water:
the goats, for a burnt-sacrifice; he  and the priest shall bring it all,
shall bring  it a male  nwithout and burn it upon the altar: it is a
blemish.                               burnt-sacrifice, an  offering made
11 oAnd he shall kill it on the  by fire, of a sweet savour unto the
side of the altar northward before LORD.
the LoRD: and the priests, Aaron's   14 IT And if the burnt-sacrifice
sons, shall sprinkle his blood round  for his offering  to the LORD be of
about upon the altar:                  fowls, then he shall bring his of12 And be shall cut it into his  fering of pturtle-doves, or of young
pieces, with his head and his fat: pigeons.
n Gen. 8. 21. Ezek. 20. 28, 41. 2 Cor. 2.
15. Eph. 5. 2. Phil. 4. 18.  ver. 3. over. 5.
and broiling of the beasts could yield  less wealthy, who could not so well
no sweet savor; but thereto was added  afford to offer a bullock, would bring a
wine, oil, and incense, by God's appoint- sheep or a goat; and those who were
meiit, and then there was a savor of not able to do that were expected to
rest in it. Our prayers, as from us, bring a turtle-dove or a young pigeon.
would never please; but as indited by  Thus it appears that the parents of our
the Spirit, and presented by Christ, they  Lord, from their humble circumstances
are highly accepted in heaven.'-Trapp. in life, brought this latter kind of offer— r An offering made by fire, of a ing upon the purification of Mary, Luke
sweet savor unto the Lord. Heb. MtjT   2. 23-25. Indeed it will be observed
i lI nlt: run]   t olah ishgh ar'ha nihovah, throughout, that the directions respect.
a fire-offering  an odor of rest; or as ing the poor nman's offering are as mi.
the Gr. renders it,' a sacrifice of a sweet- nute and particular as any; intimating
smelling savor,' which words the apos- that God is no respecter of persons, and
tle plainly had in view in writing Eph. that his ministers are to be as anxious
5. 2,' Christ hath loved us, and hath  for the welfare, and as attentive to the
given himself for us an offering and a  interests, of the poorest of their flock,
sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling  as of the most opulent.
savor.' See note on Gen. 8. 21. Hence    11. On the side of the altar northward.
we learn that the holocaust, or whole If the victim had been slain on the east
burnt-offering, which, with the excep. of the altar, where the ashes were cast,
tlon of the skin, was entirely consumed, it might have obstructed the entranc.e
no part of it being left even for the food  to the court; on the south was the
of the priests, typified the sacrifice and  ascent to the altar, and on the west, the
death of Christ for the sins of the world. tabernacle; so that the north was on all
Chal.' Which shall be received with  accounts the most convenient quarter
favorable acceptation before the Lord.' for this purpose, not only for the slaughtcr of the sheep, but also of all the other
The Burnt-offering of the Flock.    animals offered.
10. If his offering be of the flocks.
In the divine requirement of the various   The Burnt-ofering of Fouls.
oblations, the circumstances of the    14. Turtle doves or of young pigeons.
offerers were kindly consulted.  The  Fronm the Heb. ~, tur (toor) comes the




B. C. 1490.]                   CHAPTER  I.                                 19
15 And the priest shall bring it   17 And he shall cleave it with
unto the altar, and' wring off his the wings thereof, but rshall not
head, and  burn it on the  altar:  divide it asunder: and the priest
and  the  blood  thereof shall be  shall burn it upon the altar, upon
wrung out at the side of the altar: the wood that is upon the fire:
16 And he shall pluck away his sit is a burnt-sacrifice, an offering
crop with his feathers, and cast it made by fire, of a sweet savour
qbeside the altar on the east part, unto the LORD.
by the place of the ashes:
q ch.. 10.  ~          r Gen. 15. 10. > ver. 9. 13.
qch. 6. 10.
Latin' turtur,' and the English I turtle,' the true rendering, as in the Heb. the.generally rendered' turtle-dove.' Bya pronominal suffix for   his' is in the
beautiful metaphor this bird is made by  feminine gender, necessarily referring
the Psalmist to denote the church: Ps. to'crop,' and not to' bird.' The drift
74. 19, i O deliver not the soul of thy  of the precept is to order that the crop
lurt/e-dove unto the multitude of the  or maw with its contents should be cast
enemies.' And Solomon. Cant. 2. 122 away. This was done in order to renmentions the return of this bird as one der the sacrifice clean, and it was to be
of the indications of spring.i  The  cast as far as' possible from  the most
voice of the turtle is heard in our land.' holy place, to intimate that all moral
Young pigeons (Heb.' sons of the  uncleanness was to be removed from the
dove') were thought preferable for worship of God.
food to the old, whereas the full grown    17. Shall cleave it with the wings
turtle-dove was accounted more deli- thereof. That is, with the wings still
cious than the young. The sacrifice  remaining, though  partially  severed
was ordered accordingly.               from the body. The sacrifice of birds,
15. Wring off the head. Heb. J73   Maimonides observes, was one of the
mtilak. The original term occurs only  most difficult services of the sanctuary;
here and Lev. 5. 8, so that we are chiefly  and as on this account the attention of
dependent upon the ancient versions for the priest was not less engrossed by the
its genuine sense. The Sept. renders it poorest sacrifice than by the most splen.
by zTrOKv.iVO, to cut with the nail. It did, the necessity ofattending to minute
probably means to make a section or details in the duties of religion was
cut in the head by pinching it with the  strikingly inculcated.
fingers and nails, so that the blood    REMARKS.-(1.) God, in his wisdom,
might distil from the wound. In this has seen fit, for the most part-to address
case the head was not actually separated  his creatures through the intervention
from the body, an idea which would  of mediators; and though the moral
seem  to be confirmed by Lev. 5. 8, law was spoken in thunder and lightwhere it is said that the priest should  ning from  Sinai, the ceremonial law,
wring off his head (Heb' cut with the pointing to the great gospel sacrifice,
nail') but should not divide it asunder;2 was given in a milder voice from the
i. e. should not entirely separate any  mercy seat.
one part from another. Though trans-   (2) Those sacrifices and offerings
lated' wring,' it is to be observed that are peculiarly acceptable to God, which
it is wholly a different word in the ori- are prompted rather by voluntary imginal from that rendered'wrung' in the pulse than by legal precept.
close of the verse.                      (2.) Although the light of nature
16. With his feathers; or, with the alone mnay suggest to man the duty of
filth thereof. The latter is undoubtedly  worshipping the Creator, yet the propel



20                             LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
mode of rendering him  homage is not that had not life. In like manner both
left to human invention, but is matter the offering of Cain, which was of the
of divine revelation.                  fruits of the earth, and that of Abel,
(3.) It is fit that the offerings which  which was of the firstlings of the flock,
are designed for the greatest and best are each of them called' Min'hah,' Gen.
of Beings, the infinitely perfect Jeho- 4. 3 —5.  So that the word in its general
vah, should be the best, and most per- import, does imply things slain as well
fect of their kind.'A  male without as things not slain, although some comblemish.'                              mentators have maintained the contrary.
(4.) In all our religious services and  But in ordinary usage, its meaning was
sacrifices our faith should aim  to lay  restricted to an offering made of fine
its hand upon the head of the one great flour, whether of wheat or barley. The
Atoning Victim for sin. Failing of this common rendering of the term  in the
our offerings are of little worth.     English Bible by' meat-offering' is in(5.) Were it not for the solution  correct according to the modern accep.
afforded in the gospel, what an inexpli- tation of the word' meat,' which is
cable mystery would be the whole Jew. now applied exclusively to flesh, alish ritual i How strange the fact that though at the time when our translation
the temple of God should so much re- was made it appears to have denoted
semble a slaughtcr-house a             very nearly the same as the word' food.'
(9.) How precious in the estimation  A more suitable rendering therefore at
of the Most HIigh must be the merit of the present day would be' meal-offer.
Christ's sacrifice, that it should avail to  ing,' flour-offering,' or even' bread.
convert the nauseous odor of burning  offering,' as the flour, before it was offlesh to a perfumed and refreshing in- fered, was generally, though not in every
cense!                                 case, made into thin cakes or wafers, or
something  very  nearly  resembling
CHAPTER  II.                bread. The materials of the Meat-ofTHIE MIEAT-OFFERING.          fering were fine flour, with oil poured
The second in the enumeration of the  on it, and frankincense and salt added
legal offerings, and that which occu. to it.  The flour was either that of
pies the present chapter is the Meat- wheat or barley, and might be presented
offering. The original term  is hln]t  in the form of flour, or it might be premrin'hah, from  the obsolete root hrtI  sented after undergoing the process of
rmana'h, to give, to bestow, and is equi. baking, or frying, in the form of cakes
valent to gift, present, oblation. It is or wafers. Sometimes the Meat-offer.
not exclusively, though it is predomi- ing, instead of being made of fine flour,
nantly, applied to religious offerings of consisted of the first fruits of the corn.
the bloodless species made to God. In  In this case the ears were to be taken
some cases, it is spoken of gifts pre-  when full, but yet green; to be parched
sented to men, as Gen. 32. 13,' And he or dried before the fire; the corn to be
(Jacob) took of that which he had with  beaten out; and the offering then to be
him a present (l'lrt1) for Esau his bro- made with oil, frankincense, and salt,
ther.' Gen. 43. 11,' And their father as before.
Israel said unto them, Take of the best   The Meat-offerings were either pre.
fruits of the land in your vessels, and  sented by themselves, or as an accom.
carry down the man a present (rfhMhi).' paniment to the stated burnt-offirings.
But the present made by Jacob to Esau  In the latter case they, together with
was of living things, viz. cattle, where- their attendant drink-offerings, were
as that carried to Joseph was of things wholly consumed on the altar; but in




B. C. 1490.1                  CHAPTER  II.                                21
the former, they were burnt only in  come, he caused this Meat-offering as
part, the remainder being given to the  well as the slain sacrifices to cease;
priests for their support. It is of these  Dan. 9. 27'H4 e shall cause the sacrifice
that the present chapter treats. The  and the oblation (IrfI) to cease.'
part of the offering which was burnt, And of the poor man's meat offering, it
together with  the frankincense, was  is expressly said, Lev. 5. 11-13, that it
called' the memorial9 of it, for reasons  should' make  atonement for sins.'
which are assigned in the note on v. 2.  From this it appears that the Scriptures
The meat-offerings which were not join the Meat-offering with the burnt.
commanded by the divine law, but were  offering as an expiation for sin; and
the votive or voluntary oblations of in- consequently that both have a typical
lividuals, were of five kinds, consisting  allusion to the atoning  sacrifice of
of some preparation of flour; as       Christ. But in this the import of the
1. Fine flour unbaked.               Min'hah does not seem to be exhausted.
2. Flour baked in a pan or on a flat It represents also the persons and serplate.                                 vices of believers made acceptable in
3. Flour baked in a frying pan.      Christ, for there is no doubt that both
4. Flour baked in an oven.           Christ and his Church are frequently
5. Flour made into a thin cake like a  shadowed out by the same symbolical
wafer.                                 ordinances.  In accordance with this
As to the leading moral design of the  we find it said, Is. 66. 20,' They shall
meat-offering, it is perhaps to be re- bring all your brethren for an offering
garded as mainly a grateful acknow- (,i7f3) out of all nations, &c., as the
ledgment of the bounty and beneficence  children  of Israel bring an offering
of God, as manifested in those gifts of  (Iliyh) ini clean vessel into the house
his providence to which we owe our of the Lord.) The accomplishment of
daily bread, and the various ministra-  this, the apostle intimates, is to be re.
tions to our physical comfort. At the  cognized in the results of his own minsame time, it is not, that we are aware, istration of the gospel to the Gentiles,
at all inconsistent with this to suppose, Rom. 15. 16,' That I should be the
that it might also have had a typical minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles,
purport kindred to that of most of the  ministering the gospel of God, that the
sacrificial offerings, which evidently  offering up (srpoaopa, oblation=t —rM)
pointed to Christ, and subordinately to  of the Gentiles might be acceptable,
his Church. From several passages it being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.'
would seem  natural to infer) that a  But it is not the persons only of believers
propitiatory as well as a eucharistic  that we behold typically set forth by
meaning was couched under this cere- this offering. Their good works, their
mony; and if so, we cannot well avoid  devoted  services, the fruits of their
the inference that it pointed to the  graces, are also indicated by this fea.
offering of the body of Christ as its  ture of the ancient economy. Ps. 141.
grand realizing  substance.  Thus 1 2,' Let my prayer be set forth before
Sam. 3. 14,' Therefore I have sworn  thee, and the lifting up of my hands as
unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity  the evening sacrifice  (rt')t]).'  So
of Eli's house shall not be purged with  when the Most High assured his people,
sacrifice nor offering (fif2t min'hah)  Mal. 1. 10, that he' would not accept
forever.' I Sam. 26. 19,' If the Lord  an offering at their hands,' he adds, v.
have stirred thee up against me) let him  11,' for from the rising of the sun even
accept  (Heb.  smell)  an  offering  unto the going down of the same, my
(j7r-rl).' Therefore when Christ had  name shall be great among the Gen



22                             LEVITICUS.                       [13. C. 1490o
CHAPTER  II.                 offering shall be of fine flour; and
A nd when any will offer aa meat- he shall pour oil upon it, and put
offering  unto  the LORD, his frankincense thereon:
c h. 6. 14. and 9. 1. Num. 15. 4.   2 And he shall bririg it to Aaron's
tiles; and in every place incense shall ciple of holiness;, which the Spirit of
be offered unto my name, and a pure  the Lord pours out upon the true be.
offering (i'72i2) i' and this is fulfilled  liever's heart, is indispensable to the
when' men pray every where, lifting up  acceptance of our spiritual sacrifices.
holy hands.'-The  remaining details The unction of love, gratitude, reverwill be given in the notes that follow.   ence, holy joy, and of every gracious
1. And when any.will offer. Heb. disposition, the fruit of the Spirit of
=,; n'1m  V::i  veenephesh ki tackrib, grace, must be present to impart its vir.
and a soul when it shall offer; i. e. a  tues to our oblations, or they avail us
person or man. See note on Gen. 2. 7. nothing. - ~f And put frankincense
as to the scriptural import of the word  thereon.  In order to cause a sweet' soul.' The English idiom is precisely  smell in the court of the tabernacle,
similar. Thus we say that such a place  which would otherwise have been of.
contains so many thousand souls; and  fensive in consequence of the vast quanin such a battle, so mtany souls per- tities of flesh burnt there.  But this
ished.  Shakspeare also speaks of a  was not all.  The friankincense, like
ship swallowed in the sea, and the  the oil, had a symbolical allusion. It'freightingsouls' within her.-~-A meat- represented that divine mediation and
offering.    Heb. MM=2 s illcs korban  intercession of Christ, by which lie
min'hah, a gift-offering, a donative, for perfumes and renders of a sweet smell
it is to be borne in mind that the offlr- all the prayers, praises, good works,
ing prescribed in this chapter was also  and holy affections, of his servants.
of the votive or voluntary kind, like the  He isj in the language of' the Song of
animal oblations of the foregoing chap. songs, ch. 3. 6,' like pillars of smoke,
ter, and therefore equally with them  perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
denominated ):1j' korbdn.-ft Shall and all powders of the merchant., That
pour oil upon it. To give it a grateful the frankincense is applicable prima.
relish, making it more palatable to the rily and mainly to Christ is evident
priests, who were to eat part of it, v, 3. from its being wholly consumed by fire.
Oil was to the food of the Israelites No part of his work is borne by any but
what butter is to ours. We see from  himself; nothing renders our services
this how kindly the Most High consults acceptable but his atoning, justifying,
the gratification of his servants while  interceding grace. But when this fact
ordering the provisions of his own ta. is cordially admitted by us, and all the
ble.  But the genius of the Levitical favor with which we meet attributed to
institute requires us to look beyond this the merit and mediation of Christ, then
for the adequate reason for the use of  our services for his honor and glory,
oil in these rites. This substance also  our oblations to his priests or his poor,
has a mystical or symbolical scope, as our works of beneficence and kindness
we have shown in the note on Ex. 29. 7. wrought for his sake,' come up as an
Its unquestionable import is, that any  odor of a sweet smell. a sacrifice ac.
offering which we offer should have  ceptable, well-pleasing to God.'  As
that anointing of the Holy One of which  the sacrifice of Christ himself was most
John speaks so largely in his first epis- pleasing unto God, so are the services
tie. That oil of divine grace, that prin- of all his people for Christ's sake.




B. C. 1490.]                  CHAPTEIR!                                  23
sons the priests: and he shall take  ing made by fire of a sweet savour
thereout his handful of the flour unto the LORD:
thereof, and of the oil thereof, with   3 And cthe remnant of the meat.all the frankincense thereof, and  offering shall be Aaron's and his
the priest shall burn bthe memorial sons': dit is a thing most holy of
of it upon the altar, to be an offer- the offerings of the LORD made by
fire.
b ver. 9. and ch. 5. 12. and 6. 15. and 24. 7.   c ch. 7. 9. and 10. 12, 13. d Exod. 29. 37~
Isa. 66. 3  Acts 10. 4.                Num. 18. 9.
2. Shall take thereout his handful. and hence it was employed in all those
Heb. yhtt  veklamets, shall grasp. Of sacrifices which had respect to right.
this meal-offering a part only, that is to eousness, and the effects of which were
say, about an handful, was burnt, the attended with joy; while on the other
rest being reserved for the priests' use; hand it was excluded from those which
but all the frankincense was burnt be.- had respect to sin, and the effect of
cause firom it the priest could derive no which was attended mainly with sorrow.
advantage. — f Shall burn the memo-   3. The remnant of the meat.offering
rial of it. Heb. t'3i~  hiktlir, shall shall be Aaron's and his sons'. That is,
r'educe it to fume or vapor, shall evaoo. what remains after the priest has taken
rate it, as in the burning of incense. his handful of the flour and the oil, With
See the original term explained in the all the frankincence, this shall belong
note on Ex. 29. 13. The part of the to the priests, and shall be eaten by.
offering which the priest took out with  them alone, in the court of the tabersao
his hand is called the' memorial  of cle, as a' thing nmost holy;' whereas
the meal or bread.offering, because it the less holy things, as tithes, first
was a remembrancer of God's supreme fruits, &c., might be eaten by their sons
dominion, a-grateful acknowledgment and daughters. Deut. 12. 5. —T  A
that they held and enjoyed every thing thing most holy.  Heb.  ~ ljl  m'p1
of him as sovereign Proprietor, and by kodesh kodoshim, holiness of holinesses,
this act supplicated the continuance of the Hebrew  mode of expressing the
it. It was designed to put him in mind, superlative  degree.  A  common dis.
as it were, of his covenant promise to  tinction was made by the Jews between
accept the services of his people ren- things most holy and the lighter holy
dered to him according to his command. things, as they termed them. Of the
ment; in allusion to which it is said by  former class are those of which none
the Psalmist, Ps. 20. 4,'  The Lord re-  whosoever, or none but the priests and
member all thine offerings, and accept the sons of priests might eat, and that
thy burnt-sacrifices.' Acts 14.4,' Thy only in the sanctuary. Lev. 6. 16-26.
prayers and thine alms come up for a Such were all whole burnt-offerings, all
memorial before God.' The sin and the sin.offerings, and all the peace-offer.
jealousy-offerings, on the other hand, ings for the whole congregation. The
had no oil or incense mixed with them,' lighter holy things' were such  as
because they were no offerings of gra. might be eaten by those who were not
cious memorial, but such as brought in- priests in any place within the camp,
iquity to remembrance, and were there. and subsequently within the city of Je.
fore devoid of those elements which  rusalem, as all the peace-offerings of
made them come up as a sweet-smell-  particularindividuals, t'he paschal lamb,
ing savor before the Lord. Comp. Num. the tithes, and the firstlings of cattle.
5. 15, Lev. 5, 11. A very prominent In regard to the mleal or bread-offering;
import of oil as a symbol is that ofjoy, it has been moreover suggested that a




r24;LEVITICUS.                      [B. C. 1490.
4 ~ And if thou bring an oblation  of a meat-offering baken  in the
particular sacredness attached to that thinness, is completely done in two or
from its having been designed as a type three minutes. Its moisture being then
of the Christian sacrifice, or the Lord's absorbed, it would fall from  the sides
Supper, in which it was virtually, con- of the oven into the fire, were it not retinued in the bread made of fine wheaten moved in proper time. This bread is
flour, which formed a part of that ordi- usually flexible and soft, and may be
nance.                               rolled up like paper; but if suffered to
4. Baken in an oven.  Heb.'T]]n remain long enough, it becomes hard
MXt manph'h tannoon,the baking of and crisp on the side which has been in
the oven. As there were several ways contact with the oven; but it is seldom
in which the bread offering, or Min'hah  suffered to attain this state, although
might be prepared, rules are here given'we, who have lived for about two years
applicable to these several modes; the on this sort of bread, thought it far preffirst case being where it was baked in  erable in this form.  It is to be oban'oven (Heb. b'121 tanniir), on which served, that this pit is not exclusively
we subjoin an extended article from the an oven, but, particularly in Persia, is
Pictorial Bible, in loc.' The ovens often the only fire-place for general
of a people continually on the move purposes which is to be found in cotcould have little resemblance to our tages, and even in some decent houses.
own, and we can only discover what Whether these were the' ovens' of the
-they probably were by a reference to Hebrews in the desert, it is difficult to
existing usages in the East. The trade determine.  They  are formed with
of a baker is only carried on in large little expense or labor; but are more
towns; people bake their own bread generally found in towns and villages
daily in villages and encampments, and than among the nomade tribes of the
to a very considerable extent in towns desert. The other things resembling
also. It is evident, therefore, thatwhen  ovens, act more or less upon the same
individual families bake every day so principle as that which we have demuch bread only as is required for that scribed.  They are of various kinds;
day, recollecting at the same time that but they may generally be described as
fuel is in general scarce, it is necessary strong unglazed earthen vessels, which
that the oven should be small, and con. being heated by an internal fire, the
suming but little fuel. These requisites bread is baked by being stuck against
are fully met in the common family the sides, in the manner already noticed.
ovens of Western Asia. That which Either the interior or outer surface is
may be considered the most general is used for this purpose, according to the
a circular pit in the earthen floor, construction of the vessel, and the de.
usually between four and five feet deep, scription of bread required. The com.
and about three feet in diameter. This mon bread is sometimes baked on the
pit is well plastered within; and the outside of the heated vessel; and thus
dough, which is in large oval or round also is baked a kind of large crisp his.
cakes-not thicker than pancakes, which cuit, as thin as a wafer, which is made
in appearance they very much resemble by the application of a soft paste to the
when done —is dexterously thrown heated surface, which bakes it in an in.against the sides of the pit, which has stant. Of this description, no doubt, is
been previously heated, amid has the the wafer-bread which we find men.
glowing embers still at the bottom. tioned in v. 4 and elsewhere. The ovens
This cake is not turned; and, from its of this sort with which the writer is




B. C. 1490.]                 CHAPTER  TI.                               25
oven, ii shall be unleavened calies   5 ~ And if thy oblation be a meatof fine flour mingled with oil, or offering baken in a pan, it shall be
unleavened wafers eanointed with  of fine flour unleavened, mingled
oil.                                  with oil.
e Exod. 29. 2.
most familiar are nearly three feet high, question i and it is equally probable
wld about fifteen inches in diameter at that those ovens which are mentioned
the top, which is open. It gradually  after their settlement in Palestine were
wvidens to the bottom, where tliere is a one of the two, or both the modifications
tle for the convenience of withdraw- of the same principle which we have
ing whe ashies.  When the inside is ex- described as being ordinarily exhibited
l.llsively used for baking, the outside  in the houses of Western Asia.2-Pict.
is usoually coated with clay, the better Bib.-    Unleavened cakes. Heb. D'en
tt} concentrate the heat. We have seen LnVI halloth matzoth, cakes of unlea.
thenm used tuder various circumstances. venednesses, an intensitive mode of exE'ven tile vessels navigating the Tigris pressiun equivalent to' altogether unare usually fulrnished with one of them, leavened.' On the import of leaven in
foi  baking the daily supply of bread; the system of sacrifices see note on Ex.
and they are sometimes built to the  12. 8. — r  Mingled with oil. See note
deIclk for standing use. The Arab sail- on Ex. 29. 2. If the cakes were made
ors have theim also in their vessels on somlewhat thick, the oil was poured in
thle Red Sea., and elsewhere. Some- and mingled in the kneading; but if
tinles a large water-vessel, with the  they were thin like a wafer, the oil was
bottom knocked out, is made to serve  only smeared over the surface, simply
as a substitute, and goes by tile same  to anoint the substance but whether
name. This name (tenuir) is as nearly  before or after the baking, is uncertain,
as possible, the original Hebrew word  though Maimonides supposes the latter.
9'1.2  tannszr, translated I oven' in the   5. Baken in a pan. Heb. tnFithj 5
text.  Ovens, somewhat similar, are al hammahabath.' Dr. Boothroyd,
frequently used ill houses in the place availing himself of our now improved
of the hole in the floor already men. knowledge of the East, translates' on a
tioned, especially in apartments which fire-plate,' instead of' in a pan.' He is
have not the ground for their floor. doubtless correct.  In the preceding
They are then not only used for cooking  note we have mentioned a mode of
and baking bread, but for warming the baking bread on an iron plate laid on
apartment.  The top is then covered  the top of the oven; but a more simple
with a board, and over this a large  and primitive use of a baking plate is
cloth or counterpane is spread, and the  exemplified among the nomade tribes of
people sit around, covering their legs Asia. We first witnessed the process
and laps with the counterpane. So also  at at small encampment of Eelauts in
the pit in the floor, when not in use for the north of Persia. There was a con.
cooking or baking bread, is in winter vex plate of iron (copper is often in use)
covered over, and warms the apartment, placed horizontally about nine inches
in much the same manner. It remains from the ground, the edges being sup.
to add, that bread is sometimes baked  ported by stones. There was a slow
on an iron-plate placed over the opening fire underneath, and the large thin cakes
at the top of the oven. That the ovens were laid upon the upper or convex sur.
of the Israelites In the desert were some- face, and baked with the same effect as
thing on the principle of these earthen  when stuck to the sides of an oven; but
ovens, there is not much reason to  rather more slowly. The thin wafer
3




2                             LEVITICUS,                      (B. C. 1490,
6 Thou shalt part it inl pieces, meat-offering baken in the frying.
and pour oil thereon: it is a meat- pan, it shall be made of fine flour
offering.                             with oil.
7  X And if thy  oblation  be a   8 And thou shalt bring the meatbread of soft paste can be baked by the means certain that such kneading did
same process, wvhich is recommended to not take place, even though it is not
the wandering tribes by the simplicity  mentioned.  Besides the Bedouins do
and portability of the apparatus, We not always knead the broken bread
believe that a flat plate is sometimes again with butter, but are content to
employed in this way, though we donot soak or dip the broken morsels in meltrecollect to have witnessed its use. ed butter. It is probable that the preChardin thinks that this process was in sent text explains the mingling with oil
use long before ovens of any kind were mentioned in vv, 4 and 7, better than by
known; and ihe is probably right. Un- suppositig that the paste wats tempered
leavened oatmeal cakes, baked on an with oil before being baked. Using oil
iron plate called a'girdle,' are still with bread continues to be a very comn.
very general in Scotland, and also in the mon practice in the East; and the
north of England.'-Pict. Bib.         Bedouin Arabs,% and  generally  other
6. Thou shalt part it in pieces, and  Orientals, are fond of dishes composed
poour oil thereon.' We here see bread, of broken bread, steeped not only in oil,
after being baked, broken up again and butter, and milk, but also in prepara.
mingled with oil. Was this an extraor- tions of honey, syrups, and vegetable
dinary and peculiar preparation for the  juices.  Oil only is allowed in the
altar, or was it a preparation in com- I meat offerings,' honey being expressly
mon use among the Hebrews? We in- interdicted in v. 11, and this shows that
cline to the latter opinion, as it seems the use of honey with bread was even
to differ very little from a common and  thus early common among the Israel.
standard dish among the Bedouin Arabs. ites.'- Pict. Bib.
This is made of unleavened paste, baked    7. Baken in the frying-pan. I There
in thin cakes, which are afterwards is in use among the Bedouins and others
broken up, and thoroughly kneaded with  a shallow earthen vessel, somewhat rebutter, adding sometimes honey, and  sembling a frying-pan, and which is
sometimes milk, but generally employ- used both for frying, and for baking one
ing butter alone for the purpose. This sort of bread. Something of this sort
second kneading brings it into the state  is thought to be intended here. There
in which it is eaten with great satisfac- is also used in Western Asia a modifi.
tion by the Arabs. The only difference cation of this pan, resembling the Eastbetween this and the preparation in the ern oven, which Jerome describes as a
text, is the use of butter instead of oil; round vessel of copper, blackened on the
and in its not being said here that the outside by the surrounding fire, which
bread was kneaded anew, but only that heats it within. This might be either
it was broken up and mingled with oil. the' oven' or the'pan' of the present
These points of difference are not very  chapter. This pan-baking is common
essential. The Bedouins, as a pastoral enough in England, where the villagers
people, have no oil; but are very fond bake large loaves under inverted round
of it when it can be obtained: butter, iron pots, with embers and slow-burning
therefore, as used by them, may be re. fuel heaped upon them. But it is progarded as a substitute for the' oil' of bable that the fire.plate, which we have
the text.  And as to the want of a noticed under v. 5, is really intended
second kneading in the text, it is by no here, and that the' pan' there, is the




B. C. 1490.]                    CHAPTER  II.                               27:
offering that is made ofthese things    11 No meat-offering which ye
unto the LORD: and when it is shall bring unto the LORD shall be
presented unto the priest, he shall made with ileaven: for ye shall
bring it unto tile altar.               burn no leaven, nor any honey, in
9 And the priest shall take from   any offering of the LORD made by
the  meat-offering  fa  memorial fire.
thereof, and shall burn it upon the   12  I hIAs for the oblation of the
altar: it is an goffering made by  first-fruits, ye shall offer them  unto
fire, of a swveet savour unto the  the LORD: but they shall not be
LORD.                                  burnt on the altar for a sweet sa10 And 1lthat which is left of the vour.
meat-offering shall be Aaron's and   13 And  every  oblation  of thy
his sons'; it is a thing most holy, meat-offering  Ishalt thou  season
of tile offerings of the LonR  made
by fire.                                 i ch. 6. 17. See Matt. 16. 12. Mark 8.
15.  Lukle 12. 1. 1 Cor. 5. 8. Gal. 5. 9.
k Exod. 22. 29. ch. 23. 10, 11. 1 Mark 9.
r ver. 2. g Exod. 29. IS. h ver. 3.    49. Col. 4. 6.
frying-pan' of the present text. This not with the old leaven, neither with
seeins to us very probable, as the name  the leaven of malice and wickedness,
given by the Bedouins to this utensil is but with the unleavened bread of sincertajen, which is nearly identical with the ity and truth.'  Honey, in like man.
name (rj)yavsv) which the Septuagint ner, may well be considered as the em-.
gives to the' pan' in v. 5. It is useful blem of the unwholesome sweetness of
to obtain this etymological identifica-'sensual indulgence and worldly plea.
tion of the Arabian tajen with one of the sure. And these we are well assured
pans' of this chapter, but it is of little are perfectly inconsistent with the acimportance to determine which' pan' it ceptance of any offering which we may
is. Upon the whole, the oven, the pan, profess to bring to God. The honey of
and the frying-pan of vv. 4, 5, and 7, sensual gratification will make polluted
may, as it appears to us, be referred  and abominable any religious oblation
with much confidence to the clay oven, with which it may be mixed.
the metal plate, and the earthen vessel   12. As for the oblation of the first.
which we have noticed.'-Pict. Bib..frtuits, ye shall offer them, 4-c. Ains.
11. NIo leaven nor any honey. That worth very plausibly suggests that this
is, as it should seem, neither sour nor is but a continuation of the ordinance
sweet;- nothing of the fermenting kind, respecting the use of leaven and honey,
which   would have an unkindly effect, of which, and not of first-fruits, he unwhen eaten, upon the animal economy. derstands the word I them' in this con.
But here also, we trace a moral mean- nexion.  The verse contains a single
ing. Leaven is a well-known emblem  exception to the rule  given  above.
of pride and hypocrisy. These swell There was one case in which leaven
the heart, and puff it up with self-im- and honey might be used, to wit, with
portance and self-deceit.  This was the first-fruits. With themthey might
especially the leaven of the Pharisees, be offered, but not burnt upon the altar.
who made their prayers, and gave their This also is the interpretation of Ro.
alms, and did all, to be seen of men. senmuller.
Leaven is also used as an emblem of    13. Ezvery oblation of thy meat-offermalice and wickedness, as we learn  ing shalt thou season with salt. Salt is
from the words of the Apostle, 1 Cor. the opposite to leaven, as it preserves
5. 8.'Therefore let us keep the feast, from putrefaction and corruption, and




28                              LEVITICUS.                         [B.C. 1490;
was therefore used to signify the purity  which by that ceremony was said to be
and persevering fidelity necessary in  macta, i. magis aucta, augmented or in.
the worshippers of God. It was called  creased, whence the term mactatio in
the I salt of the covenant,' because as the heathen  sacrifices to express the
salt was incorruptible, so was the cove- killing of the victim immediately after
nant and promise of Jehovah, which on  the affusion of the wine. But as to the
this account is called 2 Chron. 13. 5,' a  sacred use of salt Homer affords several
c,,venant of salt;' i. e. all everlasting   distinct allusions to it in the religious
co.rvenant. But in order to obtain an  rites mentioned in the Iliad.  Thus:atequate idea of the reasons which' Then near the altar of the darting king,
pr(omTpted the use of this article and.
ntd   th  us  of this articl, and  Disposed in rank, their hecatomb they bring;
miade it so in(lispensable in the services With water purify their hands and take
of the Jewish altar, we are to remem-  The sacred offering of the salted cake.'
her that the sacrifices were a kiind of                             IL. I. I. 584
feast, in lwhich those who partool of  And again
them were fobr the time being the guests
(  God, and catingm  and drinking at his'Above the coals the smoking fragment burns,
table.  But it was by eating and drinlc-  And sprinkles sacred salt from lifted urns.'
IL. mx. 1. 281.
ing together, that all important covenalnts \w~ere anciently ratified and c   Nearly every traveler who has visited
firned, and as salt was of course never the modern nations of the East, has furwanting at such entertainments, it came  nished us with striking anecdotes illusat length to be regarded as a symbol of trative of the sacredness with which
1iendsllip, and the phrase' covenant salt was regarded as an emblem   of
of salt' was but another name for the  fidelity in all their compacts.  Thus
imost firm, enduring, and  inviolable  Baron Du Tott, speaking  of one who
compact.  In like manner, salt among  was desirous of his acquaintance, says,
the ancients was the emblem of iriend-  upon his departure,'He promised in a
ship and fidelity, and therefore was used  short time to return.  I had already
in all their sacrifices and covenants. attended him half way down the stair.
No part of their religious ceremonies is  case, when stopping, and turning briskly
more  prominent than that which con- to one of my domestics, Bring me directsists in the use of salt. Thus in Vir-  y, said he, some bread and salt.  What
gil, ~ime. Lib. II. 1. 133:              he requested was brought; when, taking
a little salt between his fingers, and put-' Mihi sacra parari..'Mihi sacra parari ting it with a mysterious air on a bit of
Et salst fruges, et circum tempora vitta.'      it with a 
bread, he eat it with a devout gravity,'For me the sacred rites were prepared, assuring me that I might now rely on
and the salted cake) and fillets to bind  him.'  And D'Herbelot remarks, that
about my temples.' Servius' explana. t among other exploits which are re..tion is,' Salt and barley, called salted  corded of Jacoub bea Laith, he is said
meal, with which they used to sprinkle  to have broken into a palace, and having
the forehead of the victim, the sacrifi-  collected a very large booty, which he
cial fire, and the knives.'  From  the  was on the point of carrying away, he'mola salsa,' salted cake, of the Latins, found his foot kicked something which
were derived the words immolo) immo.- made him  stumble; putting it to his
latio, to immolate, immolation, and this  mouth, the better to distinguish it, his
by synecdoche came to be applied to  tongue soon informed him it was a lump
the whole process of sacrificing. So  of salt; upon this, according to the
after the salted meal it was customary  morality, or rather superstition, of the
to pour wine on the head of the victim, country, where the people considered




B. 0. 1490.]                      CHAPTER  II.                                     29
with salt; neither shalt thou suffer  fire, even corn  beaten  out of Pfull
mthe salt of the covenant of thy  ears.
God to be lacking from  thy meat-   15 And qthou shalt put oil upon
offering: nwith  all thine offerings  it, and  lay frankincense  thereon:
thou shalt offer salt.                     it is a meat-offering.
14 And if thou offer a meat-offer-   16 And the priest shall burn rthe
ing  of  thy  first-fruits  unto  the  memorial of it, part of the beaten
Lurv,  Othlou  shalt  offer for the  corn  thereof; and  part of the oil
ieai-off'ering   of  thy  first-fruits,  thereof, with all the  frankincense
ogreen ears  of corn  dried  by  the  thereof: ii is an offering made by' Numb. 1S. 19.  Ezek 43. 24.  0 c. fie uto the LORD.
9.3I 1o, 1-                                   P 2 Kings 4. 42. q ver. 1. r ver. 2.
~   [.;'i    sym1 bol and pledge of hospi- kind concern for the maintenance of
t.:,., ill:'   so touched that le left all those who were devoted to ministry in
h!.;-.j()., y, retiring without taking away  sacred tlhilgs.  Those who labor in the
"itNi',ii,,  with  him."-~f  Neither  word are to be competently supported.
s.,liuttt/,Iu suffer, dc.  That is, ye are' Do ye not know that they which min-,;t t, ialiailie, that because the Lord's  ister about holy things live of the things
shll.,l.,), tlhe offering is to be consumed  of the temple?  Anti they which wait
b)! ii'')0   it111!t nol really) eaten, ye may  at the altar are partakers with the altar.
ti.,1c- 1t (lispense wil seasoning  it. Even so hath the Lord ordained that,, \  Sy tiliig that is offered to him must  they which preach the Gospel should
I.[ lie t, st and mlost savory of its kind. live of the Gospel.' 1 Cor. 9. 13, 14.;1.. G-eeon ears of corn dried by the    (8.) c When it is presented unto the
ire.'lhey drietl thelm  in the fire, in  priest.' As none of the ancient sacred
li-, gr:.nl ear, because'that otherwise  offerings were to be presented irmme.
fi,,: tlheir moisture  they would not diately to God, but were first put into;il.lilt of being ground in a mill.-    the hand of the priest, and through hin
~T Corn beaten out of full ears.  Heb. offered  upon  the  altar, so  spiritual?='_3'-. t geres karmel, small broken  sacrifices under the  Gospel are not
cotr,  of the green  ear.  The original available in the sight of God, unless
flieh.'_i~ goeres, has the import ofsome. tendered to him  through Jesus Christ,
shing crushed, broken, pounded, for  the great High Priest of the New Tes.
a!ich thle Chal. has'broken-grains,' or  tament.
as wre should term it,' grits.' The Gr.    (11.) Especial care is to be taken
renllers the whole clause rsa vrE(ppeylsvEa  not only that our religious services be
yiiop  cpis7,  young  parched  grains  cleansed from the leaven of' hypocrisy,
broken in the mill.  These first fruits  but that they be thoroughly pervaded by
had a typical reference to Christ, who  the'salt' of grace.  Col. 4. 6, 1 Let
is thus denominated, 1 Cor. 15. 20, and  your speech be always with salt, sea.
by wlhorm all the rest of the harvest is  soned with grace.'  Mark 9, 49 1 Every
sanctified.  To the preparatory parch-  sacrifice shall be seasoned wiLh salt.'
in-g breaking,, and grinding, we see per.    (14.) If the' first-fruits'  of the har.
Iihaps an allusion in the words of the pro-  vest field were of old so peculiarly acplhet, Is. S. 5, 5; He was wounded lbr  ceptable to Gotl, how much more must
our trant rlessions, le was bruised for  lie be pleased now with  the first-fruits
onl' linquities.'                          of the Spirit, and the expressions of an
PE Ia:RIs. —(3.)  The rer;nant of the  early piety in the young.  The'  green,.t-offerinl  shall be  Aaron's.   In  e;ls   ( ofyo-utfill devotion willnaturally't, y dispensation God lhas evisced ta  le tollowed by the ripened sheaves of a
3*




30                              LEVITICUS.                         LB. C. 1490.
godly old age, and in this form gathered  state of affairs, either obtained  and
into the garners of eternal life.        gratefully acknowledged, or supplicated.  A'sacrifice of peace-offerings'
CIHAPTER  III.               therefore is properly a' sacrifice of payTHIE PEACE-OFFERING.             offerings, of requitals, of retributions,
Pursuing the scriptural order of the  or pacifications,' and was offered (1.)
specified ofeins under the la    we Upon the recovery of peace with God in
specified offerings under the law, we
0                       consequence of' an expiation for some
corme in the present chapter to that consequence of an expiatio  for so
whichl is denominiated the Peace-offer- sin comm"itted; Hos. 14. 2.  (2.)  As
ingc. h'I'se Ieb. term  thns rendered is an expression of thanklsgiving for mer~t hlw5   shlel.nimim, from  tlhe root:)t cies received; Lev. 7. 12. Judg. 20.26.
to   a     mae goorestoe, 1 Chron, 21. 26. (3.) On tihe perform.
sh'?7la,      to  make upa make good, restore, e o
repayy; and thence to make up a differ-  ance of a.ow, as Ps. 56. 13, i Ty 
ence. to effect a reconciliation, to be at are upon me, O God; I will render
peace.'I'he leadingl i(leas, therefore, paises (Heb.' will repay coifessions')
pec.Th    edigieaterfrunto thee?1 Prov. 7. 14 1 I have peaceconve. ed by the term, are those either
of rel7iSiution or of peace; and the telm  offerings with me (Heb.' peace-offereace i   e Scripture gnrall denotes ings are (were) upon me,' i. e. the oblipeace iner  tife  gtual  concoyd of fdiends    gation of peace-offerings); this day
either the  tual concord of friends  have I paid omy vows;' this kind of
or a state of prosperity. These different
senses assigned to the root have led to  peace-offering being voued on coidition
n                             that a particular mercy were bestowed,
different expositions of the appellation
derived forno it. On the oe hand, it is  was perfornled after the condition was
e  idea of  granted.  By the Gr. the original word
held, that the idea of retribution, or
is rendered here and elsewhere OviaU
recompence, is prominent in the nane is redered here an  elsewhere 
givetl to this class of sacrifices, and that  OyTljpiOV sacrifice of salvation, (or safe.
it indicates the division or distribution  ty); though sometiles by e1Pejei     a
niade of them into three parts, one Ior pacifying or peace-offering; and by
God, one for the offerers, and one for the Chal. a' a sacrifice of sanctities (or
the priests. This opillion is maintained  sanctifications),' probably because none
by the author of a Jewish treatise en. but clean and sanctified persons were
titled nMBo  Siphra, who says,' they  permitted to eat of it; Lev. 7. 19, 20.
were so called  because a prescribed  Sol. Jarchi, a Jewish  Commentator,
portion of thein fell to the share of each  says they are called peace-offerings,
party.'  On the other hand, it is held  I because they  bring  peace into the
by some, that the other'sense of the  world, and because by them  there is
rcot,-narnely, that of concord is domi. peace to the altar, to the priests, and
nant in the derivative, and that the  to the owners.' This, however, is ranamte o;f these oblations denotes their ther the effect of the expiatory than of
being symbols of friendship between  the eucharistic offerings.  Yet it is re.
God, the priests, and the offerers, to  markable that as these sacrilices reeach of whom  was allotted a certain  ceived their original appellation from
portion of them.  The opinion, how.  their being offered in thanksgiving or
ever, is more simple and natural and  supplication for prosperity, so because
therefore mi-ore probable, which regards  they  were employed  by tile offerers
the combined  ideas of prosperity andl themselves in sacred feasts, they were
retribution or requital as prominent in  also very frequently designated by ano.
the term, and that this class of' offerings ther namie t'FnZ1 zebalhim, which is
is so called beLcause they were always  the appropriate term for victims slaugh.
presented in reference to a prosperous  tere d for sacrifices anld for banquzets.




B. C. 1490.]                    CHAPTER  IIL                                  31
Yet this is plainly a metaphorical sense  has sailed over the ocean, or traveled
of the term, by which we are in no dan- through d.,serts; who has beeni deliver.
ger of being misled. From their being  ed from  prison, or recovered from dis.
principally consumed by the offerers at ease; for they are under the greatest
the feast that followed the oblation, obligations to praise God.' Allusions
Michaelis, BoothLroyd, and others, pre- also to the Peace-offering as a votive or
fer to translate tile term I feast-sacri- voluntary oblation occur in the follow.
fice' rather than I peace-offering;' while  in!g passages, from which it will appear
others again choose to render the ori- that such offerings were generally viowed
ginal    thallk-offering.' But we deem  in times of danger and distress. JoIn.
it best to give the most literal render- 2. 9,  I will sacrifice unto thee with the
ing and supply all deficiencies by tile  voice of thanksgiving, I wi.ll pay that I
requisite explanations.                  have vowed; salvation is of the Lord.';,s intimated above, the Peace-offer- 2 Sam. 15. 8,  For thy servant vowed a
ilm.:s were of a threefold character, vol- vow while I abode at Geshur, in Syria,
attl.ry, votive,'and eucharistic. The  saying, if the Lord shall bring me again
t,r ofi lhese was offered in view ofspe-  indeed to Jerusalem, then I will serve
ci: faivors and blessings enjoyed; the  the Lord;' i. e. will serve him  with a
two fornmer for mercies desired and im- peace or thank-offering.  One of the
plored. In Lev. 7. 11, 12, the Peace- most striking instances of this kind
offering is evidently regarded as an act occurs in the case of the eleven tribes,
of thanksgiving for mercies received, Judg. 20. 26, who from a zeal of God's
and as such is referred to by David, Ps. house had undertaken  to punish the
107. 22, c Let them sacrifice the sacri- Benjamites for the- horrible wickedness
fices of than1ksgicni g (r =lfl ~ 1N 7i1I they had committed.  Twice had the
yizbe'hu zib'hl6 todFh), and declare his confederate tribes gone up against the
works with rejoicing.' So also Ps. 116. Benjamites, and twice been repulsed
lS, 17)  0 Lord, truly I am thy ser  with the loss of twenty thousand men.;:,at, I ain thy servant, and the son of  But being still desirous to know and do
thine handimaid; thou hast loosed my  the will of God in this matter, as it was
bIonds.   I will offer to thee tlte sacri-  his quarrel only that they were aveng.
ortce of thanrsgi:ing (     jili'~=l ziba'h mieg,' they went up to the house of God
eodfih), and will call upon the name of  and wept and fasted until even, and
the Lord.i  Hence it was that Heze- offered burnt-offerings and peace-offerkiah, 2 Chron. 29. 20, after having abol- ings unto the Lord;' anti thus God de.
islhed all idolatrous rites, and restored  livered the Benjamites into their hands,
tihe ancient worsh2ip, directed eucha-  so that with the exception of six hunristic sacrifices to be offered. Such too, dred only, who fled, the whole tribe of
it is evident, were offered by Manasseh, Benjamin, male and females, was ex2 Chron. 33. 16, after his restoration to  tirpated.  So Jacob, Gen. 28.20-22, and
his country and kingdom. The general Jephthlah, Judg. 30. 31; and so David,
doctrine held by the Jews in respect to  Ps. 66. 13, 14,' I will pay thee my vows,
thiis kind of oblations is thius expressed  wlhich my lips have uttered, and my
by Aben Ezra;' Thie design of an eu- mouth hath  spoken when I was in
charistic sacrifice is, that aniy person  trouble.' From this it appears that this
delivered from trouble may give praise  kind of sacrifices was very ancient, and
to God on account of it.' Equivalent was grafted upon that innate desire to
to this is the language of Sol. 3archli  testify a mind grateful for divine bene.
dAn euchartistic sacrifice ought to be  fits, the traces of which are discoverable
offered to God by every one -who has ex- in all ages and all nations.
perienced any thing like amiracle 3 who    The material of the Peace-offering




32                            LEVITICUS.                      [B. C. 1490.
was to be either of the herd or the flock, self and his family and friends, if cerethe greater or lesser animals, but never monially clean, as a social and hospitaof the fowl, probably because their ble meal. If the Peace-offering were
diminutive size did not admit of the of the eucharistic class, it was to be
three-fold division between God, the eaten the same day it was offered, and
priest, and the people. Like the holo- none of it was to be left until the morncaustic offerings, it must be without ing. But if the sacrifice of the offering
blemish; but unlike to them, it might were a vow or a voluntary offering, part
be either male or female. Of the rites of it might be eaten on the day on
and ceremonies pertaining to the obla- which it was offered, and part of it on
tion, some were in common with the the next day; but if any of it remained
other sacrifices, and some peculiar to unto the third day, that part must not
itself. It must he brought to the door be eaten, but must be burnt with fire.
of the tabernacle; the owner must lay The reason of the difference in the two
his hand on it; it must be killed, and cases is perhaps this: the tribute of
the blood shed and sprinkled on the altar love and gratitude was far more pleasround about; and finally it must be ing to God, as arguing a more heavenly
burnt upon the altar, except the reserved  frame of mind. In consequence of its
parts. In these respects the details of superior excellence the sacrifice that
the oblation are very similar to those was offered as a thanksgiving must be
of the burnt-offering. But peculiar to eaten on the same day; whereas the
itself was the division of the offering sacrifice offered as a vow or voluntary
into three parts-the limitation of the offering might, being less holy and actime for eating it-the addition ofleaven  ceptable, be eaten also on the second
-and the prohibition of fat and blood; day.
each of which particulars will be duly    As to the occasions on which the
considered in its proper place.       Peace-offerings were presented, some
The victim of the Peace-offering was of them were fixed by divine appointto be divided between God, and the ment, and some were altogether oppriest, and the people; to each a por. tional.  The fixed occasions were at
tion. The part to be burnt I before the the consecration of the priests, Ex. 29.
Lord upon the altar, upon the burnt- 28; at the expiration of the Nazarite's
offering,' consisted of all the suet per- vow, Num. 6. 14; at the dedication of
taining to the inwards, the two kidneys, the tabernacle and temple, Num. 7. 17;
the caul upon the liver, and all the fat. and at the feast of first-fruits, Lev. 23.
This was the Lord's portion. Another 19. In addition to these, the people
was assigned to the priest. This con- were at liberty to offer them whenever
sisted of the breast and the right a sense of gratitude or of need inclined
shoulder. The breast was to be waved  them to it. It is to occasions of this
to and fro, and the shoulder was to be kind that the directions in the present
heaved upwards before the Lord, in chapter mainly have respect.
token of their being appropriated to his   Having thus explained the nature of
house and service.  The breast was the Peace-offering, and the various rites
then given to the priests in general, and ceremonies connected with it, it
while the shoulder remained the per. remains to advert briefly to the moral
quisite of him who officiated. A por- lessons which it was calculated to im.
tion also of the leavened bread was to part. And in the outset we may re.
be given to the priest. All the remain. mark, that the rendering of the original
der of the oblation, which was by far adopted in our version suggests the idea
the greatest part, belonged to the offer- of a pacifying effect as wrought by this
er himself, and was to be eaten b y him- species of sacrifice, which is to be attrib.




B. C. 1490.]                 CHAPTER  III.                                 33
CHAPTER  III.                offer it of the herd, whether it be
AND if his oblation be a a sacri- a male or female; he shall offer it
fice of peace-offering, if he  bwithout blemish before the LORD.
ch. 7. 11, 29. and 22. 21.                   b ch. 1. 3
uted rather to the other class of offer- mitting him to his own friendship and
ings, whose scope was more distinctly  love. He would feel deep abasement
expiatory.  The word peace has a dil: for the alienation and disaffection which
ferent shade of meaning in the Hebrew  appeared in his own heart. As he laid
froms what it has in our language. With  his hand on the animal's head, and as
us it suggests most naturally and legiti- he saw its blood streaming at his feet,
mately the idea of reconciliation, the he would think of his own utter unworbringing into concord contending par- thiness to appear before God, and he
ties, —an idea which is more properly  would be affected to think that lie owed
to be associated with the effects of the all his permission to approach him to
stated burnt-offering, or the oczasional the sufferings of another in his stead.
sin and trespass.offering. In the He- As he saw the smoke of the fat ascend
brew the import of prosperity, of uel- to heaven, lie would rejoice in this acfare, is predominant to the enjoyment ceptance of his offering.  When he
or the petition of which this offering  looked upon the waved breast and the
was especially appointed. The idea of uplifted shoulder, he would be thankful
grateful acknowledgment therefore is for the ministry of the appointed servthe leading idea which it is calculated  ants of the Most High, and when he
to suggest. But with what expressive  retired from the ceremony he would go
ceremonies was this service marked! on his way rejoicing that the Lord had
How strongly would it tend to infuse accepted him  in his work, and would
the spirit of a son and of a friend into  eat his food with all the warmest emo.
the heart of the worshipper. How em- tions of gratitude, affiance, and love.
phatically would he be reminded of the  Such would be the legitimate influence
blessed privileges which  he enjoyed  of a ceremony of this nature upon the
through his sacrifice. Partaking of the  heart of every pious Jew. It would be
same viands was ever considered as the  one of his most privileged feasts, though
bond and proof of friendship and peace; but a private one, and would throw a
and here the Lord, his priests, and the peaceful and  happy frame over the
offerer himself, all partook of the same  whole soul. Thus the evangelical docofferings. They sat down together as trines were presented to him, and all
it were at the same table. In this rite  those right feelings towards God, which
accordingly the Jew would read a happy  are so powerfully called forth by the
assurance of the divine favor towards gospel, were in a measure according
hinm. As he feasted with his family  with his light experienced by a Jew.
and fiiends on the portion assigned him
from tile altar, he would enjoy a peace
in his own soul from  this instituted    1 If his oblation.  Heb. lY'7l korbatoken of reconciliation and friendship. no, his korban or gift, as usual in this
The whole ceremony was eminently  connection  wherever' offering'  or
calculated to produce all the emotions' oblation' occurs in our version.  Gr.
appropriate to his condition.  As he  ro eopov avrov rep Kvptl, his gift to the
brought his offering to the altar, he  Lord. In like manner we find' krorban'
would think of the great mercy and  explained as a gift hby the Evangelist,
condescension of God in thus providing  Mark 7. 11.-IT Male or female. In
a way of acceptance for him, and ad- this respect the peace-offering differed




34                             LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
2 And che shall lay his hand upon  and all the fat that is upon the inthe head of his offering, and kill it wards,
at the door of the tabernacle of the   4 And the two kidneys, and the
congregation:  and  Aaron's sons fat that is on them, which is by the
the priests shall sprinkle the blood  flanks, and the caul above the livupon the altar round about.             er, with  the kidneys, it shall he
3 And he shall offer of the sacri- -take away.
fice of the peace-offering, an offer-   5 And Aaron's sons eshall burn it
ing made by fire unto  the LoRn;  on the altar, upon the burnt-sacridthe fat that covereth the inwards, file, which is upon the wood, that
c ch. 1. 4, 5. Exod. 29. 10  d Exod. 29.                         13.
13, 22. ch. 4. 8, 9.
from  the holocaust, or whole burnt- ed to the offerer, to be eaten by him, his
offering, in which a male only was family and friends, in a sacrificial feast.
allowed.                               — I  The fat that covereth the inuwards.
2. Shall lay his hand.  The imposi. Frequently termed with us' the suet.'
tion of hands in this case differed from  This was always burned upon the altar,
the same ceremony in the sacrifice of and would naturally serve to feed the
the holocaust in this, that over the head  fire.  See a fuller explanation in the
of the peace-offering there was no con. Note on Ex. 29. 13. The design of this
fession of sins, but merely the uttering  part of the ceremony may be understood
of praise and supplication to God.-   in either of the ways following. (1.) As
rF And kill it at the door?, 4c. That is the' fat' of any thing is sometimes but
the priest or some other Levite shall another name for its best or choicest
kill it. So also v. S. See note on Lev. part (see Note on Gen. 4. 4), and as the
1. 5. As this offering belonged to what' fat' was deemed the most valuable
were termed the lesser or lighter holy  part of the animnaal, it was offered in
things, it was not required to be offered, preference to all other parts, implying
like the burnt-offering or the sin-offer. that the best of every thing was to be
ing, on the north side of the altar, but offered to God.  (2.) As, however, the
in any place of the court. Lev. 1. 11. term is used in other cases to denote the
-IT And Aaron's sons shall sprinkle.  dullness, hardness, and unbelief of the
This was to be done according to the heart, Ps. 119. 70. Acts 28. 27, it may
manner prescribed, Lev. 1. 5.' For the here signify the consuming of our cor-.
burnt-offering,' says Maimnonides,'  the ruptions by the fire of the Holy Spirit.
trespass-offering, and the peace-offering, The' kidneys' also, the supposed seat
the sprinkling of the blood of these  of some of the strongest of the sensual
three upon the altar was ever alike.' propensities, were burnt probably to
It was obviously a type of the sprink- teach the duty of the mdrtification of
ling of Christ's blood, whereby we, our our members which are upon earth, for.
words and works are sanctified before nication, uncleanness inordinate affec.
God. 1 Pet. 1. 2, Heb. 12. 14.         tion, &c. Col. 3.5
3. Shall offer of the sacrifice. Heb.   4. The caul above the liver. See note
lZT7:f   mizzeba'h. That is, part of the on Ex. 29. 13. —ff Which is by the
peace-offering; for of this sacrifice one flanks.  Heb. 1}ZD1     keselim, loins.
part, viz. the fat pieces, the kidneys, Gr. and Chal.' Whichl is on the thighs.'
the caul, &c., was to be burnt; a second, Comp. Job 15. 27,' He covereth his face
consisting of the breast and the right with his fatness, and maketh collops of
shoulder, was reserved for the priest; fat on his flanks. (5bZ kesel.)'
while all the remainder was appropriat.   5. Uposn the burnt.sacrifice.  That is,




B. C. 1490.]                   CHAPTER  III                                35
-is on the fire: it is an offering  the head of his offering, and kill it,
made by fire, of a sweet savour before the tabernacle of the conunto the LORD.                         gregation: and Aaron's sons shall
6 ~ And if his offering for a sa- sprinkle the blood thereof round
crifice of peace-offering unto  the  about upon the altar.
L, ORD be of  the flock, male or fe-   9 And he shall offer of the sacritale; fhe shall offer it without fice of the peace-offering an offerblemish.                               ing  made by fire unto the Loan:
7 If he offer a lamb for his offer-  the  fat thereof, and  the  whole
ing, then shall lie offer it before  rump, (it shall he take off hard by
the LoaD.                              the back-bone;) and  the fat that
8 And he shall lay his hand upon  covereth the inwards, and all the
fat that is upon the inwards,
f ver 1, &c.
in addition to the burnt-offering, laying  resembling the common English sheep,
it on the altar after the daily offering  is distinguished by a larger and thicker
of the lamb, which always had the pre. tail than any British species possesses.
cedency.                               But the tail of the species peculiarly
called' fat-tailed,' seems to exceed all
The Peace-offering of the Flock —. A  reasonable bounds, and has attracted
Lamb.                  the attention of all travelers from  the
6. If his offering-be of the flock. times of Herodotus to our own. These
That is, of sheep  or goats, which  tails, or rather tails loaded on each side
are both included under the term flock. with enormous masses of fat, are often
4 Peace-offerings,7  says Mainmonides, one-fourth the weight of the whole car.'are brought of sheep, of goats, and of cass, when divested of the head, inteso
beeves, inale or female, and great or tines, and skin. The tails seem  to atsmall; but no fowl is brought for a tain the largest size in the countries
peace-offering.' The reason of this ex- with which the Hebrews were most
ception was that fowls had not fat conversant; for in countries more east.
enough to be burnt upon the altar.     ward we never saw them quite so large
9. The whole rump.  Heb.'5'S7r   as the largest of those described by Dr.
~nh i hAtiialyah temnimah, the pefect or Russell in his  I Natural History of
entire tail.' Dr. Boothroyd renders, Aleppo.'   He says that a common
more distinctly: —' The large fat tail sheep of this sort weighs, without the
entire, taken off close to the rump.' It offal, sixty or seventy pounds, of which
might seem extraordinary that the tail the tail usually weighs fifty or upwards;
of a sheep (only of a sheep) should be but he adds, that such as are of the
pointed out with so much care as a suit- largest breed and have been fattened,
able offering upon God's altar, were it will sometimes weigh 150 lbs., the tails
not distinctly understood what sheep  being 50 lbs. These last very large
and what tail is intended. The direc- sheep are kept in yards where they are
tion indicates that the fat-tailed species in no danger of injuring their tails; but
were usually offered in sacrifice, if the  in some other places where they feed
flocks of the Hebrews were not wholly  in the fields, the shepherds sometimes
composed of them.  This species is affix a thin piece of board to the under
particularly abundant in Syria and Pal. part of the tail, to prevent its being torn
estine, equalling or outnumbering the  by bushes and thickets, as it is not
cotnmmon Bedouin species.  Even the  covered  underneath with thick wool
latter, although in other respects much  like the upper part.  Sometimes the




36                            LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
10 And the two kidneys, and the  offering, even, an offering made by
fat that is upon them, which is fire unto the LoRD; the fat that
by the flanks, and the caul above  covereth the inwards, and all the
the liver, with the kidneys, it shall fat that is upon the inwards,
he take away.                           15 And the two kidneys, and the
11 And the priest shall burn it fat that is upon them, which is by
upon the altar: it is gthe fbod of  the flanks, and the caul above the
the offering made by fire unto the  liver, with the kidneys, it shall he
LORD.                                  take away.
12 i[  And if his offering  be a   16 And the priest shall burn them
goat, then hhe shall offer it before  upon the altar: it is the food of
the LORD.                              the offering made by fire for a sweet
13 And he shall lay his hand upon  savour: iall the fat is the LORD'S.
the head of it, and kill it before the   17 It shall be a kperpetual sta tu te
tabernacle  of the  congregation: for your generations throughout all
and the sons of Aaron shall sprin- your dwellings, that ye eat neither
kle  the  blood  thereof upon  the lfat nor mblood.
altar round about.                      i ch. 7. 23, 25. 1 Sam. 2. 15. 2 Chron. 7.
14 And he shall offer thereof his 7. k ch. 6. 18. and 7. 36. and 17. 7. and 23.
14. t ver. 16. compare with Dent. 32. 14.
Neh. S. 10. m Gen. 9. 4. ch. 7. 23, 26 and
g See ch. 21. 6, 8, 17, 21, 22. and 22. 25. 17. 10, 14. Deut. 12. 16. 1 Sam. 14. 33,
Ezek. 44. 7. Mal. 1. 7, 12. h ver. 1. 7. &c. F.Eek. 44. 7, 15.
board is furnished with small wheels, 6, 8, 17, the priests who burnt them are
to enable the sheep to drag it along the  expressly said to offer' the bread of
more easily.  The mutton of these  their God.' The use of this language
sheep is very good, and the fat of the represented in a striking manner the
tail is the most grateful animal fat the  fact that God dwelt, and, as it were,
writer ever tasted. It is rich and mar- kept house among them, and that tliose
rowY, and is never eaten alone, but is who partook with him  of these sacrimixed up in many dishes with lean  flees, were entertained as guests at his
meat, and is in various ways employed  table.
as a substitute for butter and oil. The
standing Oriental dish, boiled rice, is  The Peace-offering of the Floclc.-2. A
peculiarly palatable when lubricated                    Goat.
with fat from the tail of this remarlka-   12. If his offering be a goat. The
ble species of sheep.  Viewed in its law concerning this offering coincides
various applications, the tail is an ar- entirely with the preceding respecting
tide of great use and delicacy, and  the lamb, except in what relates to the
could be no unworthy offering.'-Picl. rump or tail, so that this section requires
Bib.                                  very little commentary.
11. It is the food of the offering, 4c.   14. He shall offer thereqf. That is,
We have before remarked, in speaking  a part of it, the part which he imme.
of the general object of the altar, that diately goes on to specify, viz. the fat,
the sacrifices offered upon it were ac- the kidneys, the caul, &c.
counted, in a sense, the provisions of    17. That ye eat neither fat nor blood.
God's table, the viands upon which he This prohibition respecting the eating
feasted.  See Mal. 1. 12. Such offer- of fat, is to be understood of the fat of
sags are here called his'bread,' or such animals as were offered to God in
food,' and the phraseology occurs also  sacrifice, and not of others, although the
Num. 28. 2 Ezek. 44. 7. and in Lev. 21. Jews, we believe, ipterpret it of all fat,




B. C. 1490.1                  CHAPTER  IV.                                 37
without exception. But the contrary Is sand hills.' All that remains for us is
to be gathered from Lev7.  2,' Ye shall to say,' Accept, I beseech thee, the
eat of no manner of fat of ox, or of  free-will offerings of my mouth.' If
sheep, or of goat;' implying that the  we withhold these, well may we fear
fit of other animals might be eaten. that every beast that was ever slaugh.
As to blood, however, the probability is, tered on these occasions, and every poralthough the Rabbinical writers main- tion ever offered, will appear in judg.
rauil that that of locusts, fishes, &c. was ment against us, to condemn our ingra.
lawful, that it was intended to be uni- titude and obduracy!
versally forbidden. The prohibition inll   (5.)' Shall burn it on the altar, upon
Gen. 9. 4, is absolute and unqualified; the burnt-sacrifice.'  The Peace-offer.'Flesh with the blood thereof shall ye  ing, whether presented in a way of
not eat.' The reasons of the prohibition  thanksgiving or supplication, equally
doubtless were, (1.) To put a difference  began with a sacrifice in the way of
between the chosen people and Gentile  atonement.  Thus, whatever be the
idolaters, who used to drink the blood  frame of our minds, and whatever serof their sacrifices; Ps. 16. 4,' Their vice we render unto God, we are invasorrows shall be multiplied that.hasten  riably to fix our thoughts on the atoneafter another God: their drink-offer-  ment of Christ, as the  only means
ings of blood will I not offer.' (2.) To  whereby our persons or our services can
restrain any tendency to the acquisition  find acceptance with God.
of a cruel and sanguinary disposition.
(3.) To inspire respect and reverence              CHAPTER  IV.
for that which was intended to represent         THea SIN-OFrERING.
the precious blood of Christ, in which    The Jewish law prescribed two kinds
the virtue of his atonement was to con- of piacular sacrifices distinguished in
sist.                                  our language by the appellations Sin.
REMARKS. —(1.) As the highest re- offering and Trespass-offering-terms
compense which God requires for his which, though not adequately expressbenefits towards us is the tribute of a ing the force of the original words, we
grateful heart, he that withholds this are obliged to retain for the want of
clearly proves himself unworthy of the  better.  The original for Sin-offering
least of heaven's mercies.             is Mpt) haltdh, or Gutt:mi  hattdth, the
(1.) A cordial thank-offering to God  strict rendering of which is sin, but
should ever follow  the attainment of  which is by metaphorical usage em.
any lawful object upon which our hearts ployed to denote a sin.-offering.  So in
have been set.                         like manner ton dshdm  rendered tres(2.) How  kindly are we exempted  pass-offering properly and primarily
from the legal burdens of the Jews! If  signifies trespass. In accordance with
they wished to express their humilia- this usage the apostle, 2 Cor. 5. 21, says
tion or gratitude, it was at the expense  God' made him  (Christ) to be sin
of a part of their property, yielded up  (asaprmav a sin-offering) for us, who
to God by way of sacrifice. No such  knew no sin, that we might be made
necessity is imposed upon us.  God  the righteousness of God.'  The Gr.
hath not made us'to serve with an  word here used by the apostle is the
offering, nor wearied us with incense.' same by which the Septuagint in more
It is the offering of a free heart, or of a  than eighty places in the Pentateuch
broken and contrite spirits' that he  translate the Heb. word liXtr1 hattdih,
desires of us, and that he will accept in  sin, which in all these places our Engpreference to'the cattle upon a thou- lish version renders sin-offering.  Yet
4




S8                              LEVITICUS.                          [B. C. 1490.
it is at the same time proper to observe  and the Trespass-ofdiring, it seetms best.
that the term  nay be taken in this con, entirely to renounce mlailg   a distinc.
nexion as an abstract for the concrete, tion.' By which lie probdbly does not
and simply imply that God treated the  mean that there was no distiuctiol, but
Savior as if he were a sinner-.          that at this day it is very difficult, if
The distinction of these two kinds of  not inmpossible to discover it.
offerings is exceediilgly difficult to be    The difficulLy lits in great measure in
deteriiiiued.  In Lev. 5. 5, 6, the terms  in this, that the Sin-odielilg seenms to
are used as signifying precisely the  have reslect to a lihter species of' sin,
same thing, and in the 11tht and 12th  and yet to require the more solemn
verses the Trespass-offering   is thrice  offeril, g; whiist the Trespass ofiering
mentioned as a Sin-offering.  The ex- relates to considerably hle;avier offences,
planation suggestedt by Michaelis, Jalin, and yet admits of ain easier melthod of
Geseiiius, aniL others, viz. that sin-offer-  obtaining obrgivenless.  This is evident
ings were  presented for offences of  from  the fact, that in the  Trespass.
cofmmission, and Trespass-ofiferings for offeriug  pigeons or turtle-doves imiight,
those of omission, has of late perhaps  be offered, or in case of extreme poverty
been mnost generally received.  Yet it a measure of flour; but ii the Sill-offerfails on examination to yield  entire  ing 1no such abatemient. or commutation
conviction; for some offences mentioned  was allowed.  But thens there  were
among trespasses, (as Lev. 5. 2,3.) are  somile peculiarities  attaching  to  the
as mruch of a positive nature, as any of  Trespass-ofirelng which may perhaps
the transgressions indicated in a general afford a solution to this appalrent anlorway as requiring to  be expiated by  aly, and which we shall advert to alter
Sin-offerings; and the very occasion of' stating thl' principal points of differaI Trespass-ofifering (Lev. 5. 17-19.) is ence between the two.  (1.) They dif
describedin language which moststrict. fered in the occasions oil which they
ly applies to a positive violation of law. were offered.  l'The Sin-offerings, it ap
Nor can we well make the distinction  pears, were presented on account oi
consist in the offence having been com. something  done amiss through igno.
mnitted unawares in the one case, and  rance or isnfirmity,'while the Tres.
not in the other; for if the person  pass-offering would seenm rather to have
bound to present a Sin offering, is uni- been for sins conmmitted through inad,
formly described as one who has I sin- vertence, or the porter of temptation, and
ned through ignorance,' the same too is  under circumlstances which appear to
the character of transgressions men- admit of less apology  than the pre.
tioned in connexion with Trespass-of. ceding. Aniong the latter were sins of
ferings, Lev. 5. 2, 3 15. On the whole, great enormity, such as violence, fiaud,
whatever the distinction was, it does lying, and even perjury itself; Lev. 5.
not seem to have been of' much import-  1, 4,-6. 2, 3. There must of course be
ance; and  Wimmer, (Realwdrterbuch), very different degrees of crinminality in
after a pretty ftill discussion of the sub- these sins. according to the degree of
ject, which is to be found translated in  information the person possessed, an.1
J. P. Smith's' Discourses on the Sa- the degree of conviction against which
crifice and Priesthood of Christ,' re- lie acted. It might be that even in these
marks, that as none of the previous so- thinges the person had siiined through
lutions are satisfactory, and' as in the  ignorance only; but whiatever circumnstatements of the law itself' nothing is stances there might be to extenuate or
contained that can in any measure con- aggravate liis crime, the Trespass-offer.
duct us safely to a determination upon  itng was the appointed means whereby
the difference between the Sin-offering  he was to obtain mercy and forgiveness.




B. C. 1490.]                  CHAPTER  IV.                                39
(2.) They differed in the circumstances    The Sin-offerings were of two hinds,
attending them.  In the Sin-offering  the greate7 and the less. The greater
there was a particular respect to the  were offered, (1) When the high-priest
rank and quality of the offiender. If he had committed an offence, and thereby
were a priest, Ihe was to offer a bullock; brought guilt upon the whole nation.
wuhich was also the appointed offering  In this case he was required to bring
for the whole congregation. If he were  the greatest of all the sacrifices, a young
a ruler or tiagistrate, he must offer a  bullock, because he was the least ex.
kid, a male; but if he were a common  cusable of all men if he knew not the
individual, a female kid or lamb would  law  of God, or heedlessly did  any
sufice.  In the Trespass-offering, no  thing contrary to it. This victim  he
niention is made of a bullock for any  was to bring to the door of the tabernao0le, but only of a female kid or lamb, cle, lay his hand upon its head, and kill
of turtle-doves or young pigeons, or in it before the Lord. A part of the blood
the event of a person's not being able  was then jetted with his finger seven
to afford then  li he might offer about five times towards the separating veil or
pints of flour, which would be accepted  curtain of the sanctuary, a part of it
in their stead, Lev. 5. 6, 7, 11. This is  was sprinkled on the altar of incense,
the excepted case to which Paul refers and the remainder poured out on the
when lie says, Heb. 9. 22,' Almost all ground at the foot of the altar of burnt.
things are by the law purged with blood.' offerings. The inward fat was then to
Now thus far it does appear that the  be burnt upon the altar, but the skin
heavier sins were to be atoned for by  and all the remaining parts were to be
the lighter sacrifices; but then there  carried out and burnt without the gates
were three things required in the Tres- of the canip or city. (2.) When the
pass-offering which had no place in the  whole nation had committed an offence
Sinq-offering, viz.: confession of the  through ignorance, and afterwards recrime, restitution of the property, and  pented. In this case the offering was
compensation for the injury, Suppose  the same, a young bullock without
a person had' robbed God' by keeping  blenmish, upon which the elders of the
back a part of his tithes, whether inten. congregation were to lay their hands,
tionally or not, he must, as soon as it and then the victim was to be slain, and
was discovered, present his offering, the same ceremonies used in the dis.
confess his fault, restore what he had  posal of the blood, as in the similar
unjustly taken, atd add one fifth more  offering of the priest.  (3.) On the
of its value, as a compensation of the  great day of atonement for the highinjury he had done, Lev. 5. 5. —6. 5. priest and the nation. The ceremonies,
The same process was to take place if  which were more numerous and imposby fraud or violence he had injured a ing than usual, will be detailed ill the
man, Nunm. 5. 6-8. This gives a decided  notes on the 16th ch., where we have
preponderance to the Trespass-offering, treated at full length of the two-fold
and shows that the means used for the  ordinance of the sacrificial and the
expiation of different offences bore a scape goat.
just proportion to the quality of those    The less0- kind of Sin-offerings were
offences. We do not affirm  that this brought in the following cases.  (l.)
observation clears up all the difficulty  When a magistrate or ruler committed
respecting the distinction of the two  an offence through error, which afterkinds of offerings, but that it removes wards came to his knowledge.  His
some part of it we think there can be no  sacrifice was then to be a kid of the
doubt.                                 goats without blemish, whose blood




40                            LEVITICUS.                      [B. C. 1490
CHAPTER IV.                 rael, saying, alf a soul shall sin
AND the LORD spake unto Mo- through ignorance against any of
ses, saying,
2 Speak unto the children of Is-    c h. 5. 15, 17. Nnm. 15, 22. &c. 1 Sam.
14. 27. Ps 19. 12.
was partly smeared upon the altar, and this typical ordinance to the bosom of
partly poured upon the ground. The  the penitent believer.  The language
fat pieces only came to the altar; the of the Apostle, Heb. 13. 11-13, makes it
rest fell to the priest. Lev. 4. 22-26. evident that the Sin-offering pointed
(2.) When a private person sinned  directly to Christ, through whose effi.
through ignorance. The sacrifice pre- cacious atonement all his sins, whether
scribed was a ewe or a female kid. of greater or less aggravation, are can(3.) When a woman was purified from  celled and abolished. It is those daily
a long-continued hemorrhage; or, after infirmities, those sins unconsented to,
child-birth, had reached the time of and yet committed; those faults too
purification. Lev. 12. 6, 8.-15. 25-30. covert for detection, or too late detect.
(4.) When one had a running issue, as ed; it is they that constitute his daily
mentioned Lev. 15. 2, 142 15. (5.) When  struggles, and wage within him an un.
a Nazarite had touched a corpse, or the ceasing warfare.  And when he has
time of his vow was completed. Num. seen the sins of his wilfiul alienation
6. 10, 14. (6.) On the consecration of borne away by the atoning sacrifice,
a priest or Levite. Lev. 9. 23. Num. these cleaving vestiges of a corrupt
8. 8, 12. (7.) On the purification of a nature will often vex him with painful
leper. Lev. 14. 19-31. The other de- fears, lestthere should still be a demand
tails of the offering will be noticed as of wrath against him. How appropri.
we proceed.                           ate then is this exhibition of a continual
In contemplating the institution of offering for our continual need!'He
the Sin-offering, the strongest impres- that knewv no sin was made sin (a sinsion perhaps which we receive from it is offering) for us.' Here we have parthat of guilt and responsibility attach- don; not once, to cancel the past debt
ing, in the sight of God, to sins of in- and begino n a new score; but pardon
firmity and ignorance; for it is to such  daily, hourly renewed, as often as the
that it mainly has respect.  We are  Sin-offering is pleaded before the Fa.
prone to imagine that an offence com- ther, is brought in faith, and laid upon
mitted unintentionally  or unawares, the altar before the Lord. We do nocannot incur the charge of guilt. Men thing well. If we pray, it is with cold
do not scruple to plead their ignorance, and wandering thoughts; if we hear, it
their infirmities, their natural and ha- is with distracted and forgetful minds;
bitual propensities in excuse for their we are continuallysiurprised,continulally
misdeeds. But the law of God deter. overtaken, continually turned aside by
mines otherwise. It enjoins an onerous the current of temptation, that runs so
ceremony for the expiation of sins un- strong against us, when perhaps we
consciously committed. The sin, it is cannot convict ourselves of one indulged,
true, is not so great as if it were done deliberate sin. Therefore did the God
knowingly, wilfully, and presumptuous. of mercies ordain this peculiar institu.
ly; yet still it is sin, and as such needs tion, prefiguring to them  of old the
an atonement. Without the shedding divine oblation to be once offered, but
Of blood there was no remission. At forever efficacious, for the pardon of this
the same time we are not to lose sight and every kind of guilt.
of the consolation which flows through




B. C. 1490.]                 CHAPTER  IV.                                 41the commandments of the LoRD   3 blf the priest that is anointed
concerning  things  which  ought do sin according  to the sin of the
not to be done, and shall do against                  b ch. 8. 12.
any of them:
passes, more fully explained! Heb. 5. 3
by two distinct words, where he speaks
-ri Shllsnho gornests t of the duty of priests' to have compas2. Shall sin through ignorance against  sion on the irnorant, and on them  that
any of the commandments. Heb. =M   are out of the way.'  These ignorances
h'2l7Z2 D~ih  tiA:U):L r ttUl A  nephesh. or errors therefore occurred when any
ki tehetd bishgdguih mikkol mitzvoth  one, through not knowing, or forgetting,
a soul when it shall sin through inad-or not duly heeding the law, and im
verterntly err ing Pfrom any of the com- pcelled rather by a casual infirmity, than
mandments. The true construction is, by a settled intention, committed some
not' sinning against,' but' erring from,' foul act which God had forbidden. In
as the phraseology in the original is in  such cases, as soon as the transgression
effect the same with that in Ps. 119:10. came to the knowledge of the offender,'Let me not utander from (man e    n   he was required to offer the sacrifice
al tashgeni) thy commandments.' —   here prescribed; and not to think that
XT Through ignorance; i.e. unadvisedly, ignorance or inadvertency was an exunwittingly, unawares. The Heb. i      cuse for his sin. But he, on the other
shegcgih,;  here used, comes from   ~   hand, who sinned presumptuously, and
shiigAh, to go astray, to err, to trans. with an avowed contempt of' the law
gress through mistake, ignorance, or and the law-maler, was to be cut off,
inaduvertency. In the Greek it is some- and there remained no more sacrifice for
times rendered by ayvola ignorance, but the sin, Heb. 10. 26, 27.-I  And shall
here, and frequently  elsewhere, by  do against any of them. Heb. M=lZy1
atovaccoS unwillingly, the exact oppo- tIl l[tht  vedsdhm'mahath m&'hnnah,
site to exovalwc  willingly or wilfully, shall do of (any) one of them. Gr.
occurring Heb. 10. 26, and opposite also  7ro)7q7 iV rt aor' avrov, shall do any one
to what the law, Num. 15. 57, 30, terms thing of them. The phrase' do against'
sinning with a high hand, or presump- does not perhaps materially vary from
tuously.  The import of the term is a correct rendering, but the obvious
fully disclosed, Num. 35. 11, where  idea of the original is the doing of
mention is made of' hilling a person  something which dught not to be done.
at unawares;' Heb. 1MWi shegagdh, The Jewish writers insist on the fol.
by error, unwittingly, which, in the  lowing circumstances relative to the
parallel passage, Deut. 19. 14, is ex- sin mentioned in the text.  (1.) Its
pressedbyignorantly, or literally, with- being committed through ignorance, or
out knowledge; both which terms, for mistake, or involuntarily.  (2.) Its
greater explicitness, are joined together being against some negative command.
in Josh. 20. 3,' The slayer that killeth  (3.) Its including facts, not words or
any person unawares (IZ1C11   bishga- thoughts, as appears from the expres.
gdh, by error), and unwittingly (i.e. sion,'and shall do against any of them.'
without knowledge),' which is also  (4.) Its consisting of such facts as, if
opposed to a' lying in wait,' i. e. with  perpetrated willingly,would subject, th
a set purpose and intention to kill; offender to a t:Z kereth, cr capital
Deut. 19. 11. Ex. 21. 13. The Apos- cutting off.
tle, Heb. 9. 7, denominates such sins    3. The priest that:s anointed. That
ayvqr!ptara  ignorances, or ignorant tres-  is, the High Priest, as rendered both in
4*




42                             LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
people; then let him  bring for his the congregation before the LORD
sin which he hath sinned, ca young  and shall lay his hand upon the
bullock without blemish unto the  bullock's head, and kill the bullock
LORD for a sin-offering.                before the LORD.
4 And he shall bring the bullock   5 And the priest that is anointed
dunto the door of the tabernacle of  eshall take of' the bullock's blood,
ch. 9. 2. d ch. 1. 3, 4.              ech. 16. 14. Numb. 19. 4.
the Gr. and Chal.; for the High Priest of the offering.  Here the word em.
only was, in after times, thus honored. ployed is ") par, properly a calf, while
Lev.21.10. 16. 32. Ex.29.29. Thus, the victim  in the peace-offering was
as the apostle says,' The law made ",i-l shor, an ox, though rendered less
those high priests who had infirmity, strictly in our version a bullock.and who needed daily to offer up sacri-'1I Let him bring for his sin —for a
fices, first, for their own sins, and then  sin-offering. The same original word
for the people's;' but our High Priest, j  Iri hattah, sin, is used in both cases.
Christ Jesus, was holy, harmless, unde. This, as we already remarked, is the
filed, and separate from  sinners, and  name both for sin and the sin.offering;
made higher than the lieavens. -        as the word piaculum  was among the
[ Sin according to the sin of the people. heathen, which signified both a great
Heb. =.iiM ht2M  leashmath haim, to  crime and the expiatory sacrifice for it.
the guilt of the people, i. e. so as to  See Rom. 8. 3. 2 Cor. 5. 21, where the
cause the people to transgress and bring  word a[aprta sin, is used in the same
guilt upon themselves, by emboldening  manner.
them in iniquity by his pernicious ex.   4. Shall lay his hands,.c. In the
ample, or involving them, in virtue of  trespass-offering and other sacrifices of
the intimate relation subsisting between  this nature, confession was joined with
priest and people, in the consequences  the imposition of hands; but in the sin.
of his guilt. Thus 1 Chron.21. 3,' Why  offering it is not mentioned, though
then doth my Lord require this thing? some commentators have supposed it
Why will he bring a cause of trespass  was implied. But we prefer to adhere
(i~721D) leashmah) to Israel?' where  to the simple letter of the record. But
the word rendered C cause of trespass,' that the offering was, or ought to have
is the same with that occurring here, and  been made in a penitent, believing, and
rendered' sin.' Gr. roV rto Xaov allapTre   imploring frame of spirit, there can be
so that the people sin. Vulg.' delinquere  no doubt.'Neither reconciliation-day
faciens populum,' so as to make the  (Lev. 16.), nor sin-offering, nor trespcople to offend. Chazkuni, a Jewish  pass-offering do make atonement, savcommentator, explains it thus:' To  ing for ther that repent and believe in
make the people guilty, in that he hath  their atonement.'-Maimonides.  Antaught and permitted them to do a thing  other of the Jewish writers (Nitzachon,
forbidden.' -l A young bullock. Heb. p. 11) observes,' When a man sacrificed
_11= Ta "1  par ben bcdkir, a young  a beast he was to think,' I am more a
bullock, by which is meant one little  beast than this present; for I have sin.
larger than a calf. It would almost ned, and for the sins which I have comseem that there was ground for the re. mitted, I offer this animal; though it
mark made by some, that in great were more just that he who sinned
offences the sacrifices were compara.  should suffer death than this beast.'
tively small, lest it should be imagined  Wherefore by this sacrifice a man was
that pardon was obtained by the value  led to begin his repentance.'




B. 0. 1490.]                    CHAPTER  IV.                                  43
and bring it to the tabernacle of  all the fat of the bullock for the
tlhe congregation:                       sin-offering; the fat that covereth
6 And the priest shall dip his fin- the inwards, and all the fat that is
ger in the blood, and sprinkle of  upon the inwards,
the blood seven times before the   9 And the two kidneys, and  the
LORD, before the vail of the sanc-  fat that is upon them, which is by
tuary.                                   the flanks, and the caul above the
7 And the priest shall fput some  liver, with the kidneys, it shall he
of the blood upon the horns of the  take away,
altar of sweet incense before the   10 h1As it was taken off fromn  the
LoRD, which is in the tabernacle  bullock  of the sacrifice of peaceof the  congregation; and  shall offerings: and thepriest shall burn
pour gall the blood of the bullock  them  upon the altar of the burntat the bottom  of the altar of' the  offering.
burnt-offerinrg, which is at the door    11 iAnd the skin of the bullock,
of the tabernacle of the congrega-  and  all his flesh, with  his head,
tion.                                    and with his legs, and his inwards,
8 And he shall take off from  it and his dung:
f ch. 8. 15, and 9. 9, and 16.      g ch. 5.9.    ch. 3. 3,4, 5. i Exod. 29. 14. Numb. 19. 5.
5. And brin2  it to the tabernacle of  He must struggle for it.  He nust urge
the con gregat ion.  By wvhich is mreant the plea of atoning blood again  and
that it should be brought into the very  again.-S T Before the vail of the sancsanctuary, as appears fiom  whit fol- tuary.  Heb. lile D1 ~D            nDD   rd
lows. The preposition it el, might eth pen' paroketh hakkodesh, and beindeed  properly  have been rendered  fore the vail of holiness.  Gr. rata ro
into, as in the cases mentioned in the  tciararsrauoa -ru aytov before the holy vail.
Note on Ex. 28. 30. Gr. eLs a-lv aKrilvv  The clause is plainly exegetical of the
into the tabernacle.                     preceding' before the Lord,' which is
6. Sprinkle of the blood seven times. equivalent to' before the Shekiralh,' and
A mystical number, signifying the.full this we know had its residence in the. ndl perfect cleansing of sin, and carry. holy of holies, just behind the separate
ing with it also an implication of the ing vail between the two apartmnents,
aggravated heinousness of the offence as called in Heb. 9. 3,' the second vail.'2
committed by a priest; for this, it ap.   7. And thie priest shall pat, 8-c. This
pears, was peculiar to this sacrifice for also was peculiar to this sacrifice, and
sin) and to that for the whole congrega-. to that for the whole congregation, v.
tion. We do not read of its being  17. The blood was thus applied to each
adopted in any other case. It was to  horn or spire of the incense.altar, pro.
be sprinkled towards the vail of the  bably to intimate that no intercessions
sanctuary, where the Lord, who was to  or prayers would be accepted from the
be propitiated, dwelt, and from  this sinner till he was absolved from  his
ceremony being practised in no other guilt by virtue of the atoning blood.instance save in that of the cotgrega-  ~1 Shall pour all the blood; i. e. all that
tional offering, it would seem to imply  is left after the sprinkling.  It could
that in respect to offetnces of this ntatre, not be absolutely all, but the quantity
there was peculiar need of the offerer's of' blood sprinkled in the sanctuary was
havirg recourse to that i blood ofsprink. so small, that the remainder might,
ling,' which could alone speak peace to  without impropriety, be  termed  the
his conscience. The restoration of the  whole. During the Israelites' residence
divine favor was not so easily obtained. in the wilderness, it is probable they




44                             LEVITICUS.                          [B. C. 1490
12 Even the whole bullock shall him  on the wood with fire: where
lie carry  forth without the camp  the ashes are potred out shall he
unto  a clean  place, kwhere  the  be burnt.
ashes are  poured  out, and Iburn               k cb. 6. 11    1 eb. 13. 11.
lad receptacles under ground with con- was to be carried out of the camp skin
veyances to carry off the blood.  After and all entire, and burnt ill a fire on the
tile building of thle Temple, tlhere were  ground.  By this was denoted the oftwo holes, one on the west side of the  ferer's being in a state of guilt, wholly
altar, the other on the south, by which  unworthy to communicate with God,
the blood was conveyed into a subter-  and like the offering itself' deserved to
ranean  channel, commtnicating with  be excluded the society of his people,
the brook Kedrron.                       till reconciled by the sacrifice now made
12. Shall he carry forth u'ithout the  in his stead.  Thus Christ, who was
cam). ftleb. W1~1T   hotzi, he or one  made sin or a sin-offering for us,' sutl'
shall carry forth; undoubtedly an in- fered  without  the  gate.'  Even this
stanlce of that indefinite or irmpersonal. slight accordance of the type and the
formi of exl'tession, so comrnion in Hie- antitype serves to show how completely
brew    where  the  singular,  like  the  all the grand observances of the law
Fr 1   b1h I on dit,' they say, has the irm- had their realization in him.-~. Burn
p(ort of llie.lural.  And ttius it is ren- him  on the wood with fire.  Not upon(l
(tere(t both here aind in v. 21, by the Gr. an altar, but on a fire nlade with wli  oo
Eto~,vrat, theyJ shall carry forth.  So  upon the ground, to show the odious.
ini v. 24, our verion renders' in the  ness of the sin. As the whole  lurllt
place wlere they kill the burllt-oefiring,  sacrifices were baurnt on the altar be.
vwhen the original is =t2V     yish'hat, he  cause they were an I offering of sweet.
or one Hiills.  This is ani idliom of very  smnelling savor to God,' so this Nwas biurnt
extensive use anid of the utmost import-  without the calmp upon the ground t
tlce in the sacred writings.  See it show thlat the odor of it was ungratefi i
more fully illustrated in the Note on  and abominable. —      ~ WV/ere the ashts
Lev. 1. 5. This precept has a primary  are poured ouit. There were two placcs
reference to the state of the Israelites  where the ashes were poured, one by
during their wandering in the wilder- the side of the altar whlere they were
ness. After their settlement in Canaan  first laid, of wlich mention is mac'e
atrnd the erection of the Temple at Jeru- Lev. 1. 16; the other, wilthout the prt.salemn, they carried them out of the city. cincts of the caimp, to x\ hich, as to a
The sacrifice, now considered as having  general receptacle, the ashes and other
the sin of the priest transferred from  refuise matterof the camp was conveyed.
hirrlself to it, by his imposition of  The publicity here given to the bum iirrg
hands, was become unclean and abomi- of the sin-offering of the priest, mright
nable, and was carried as it were out be intended to convey a deeper impr{'s.
of God's sight. The ceremony, there-  sion of the enormity of his sin compared
fore, was strikingly significant of the  with that of the comnimon people, al.
sinfulness of this sin. The fat portions  though the same thing was comtmanided
only of the victini, with the kidneys  in case the  whole  congregation had
and caul, after being detached from the  sinned,  There was, therefore, a pecu.
rest were to be burnt upon the altar. liar reproach attached to this sacrifice,
No other part was to come near the  intimated by the repetition of the pre.
altar, nor was the least share of it per- sent order-from the offence upon whicb
mlitted to either priest or people, but it it was founded,




B. 0. 1490.]                 CHAPTER  IV.                                45
13 1~ And mif the whole congre-   16 PAnd the priest that is anointgation of Israel sin through igno- ed shall bring of the bullock's blood
rance, nand the thing be hid from  to the tabernacle of the congregathe eyes of the assembly, and they  tion:
ha:lve done somewhat against any   17 And the priest shall dip his
of the commandments of the LORD  finger in some of the blood, and
concernling  things which  should  sprinkle it seven times before the
not be done, and are guilty;          LORD, even before the vail.
14 When the sin which they have   18 And he shall put some of the
sinned against it is known, then  blood upon the horns of the altar
the congregation shall offer a young  which is before the LORD, that is
bullock for the sin, and bring him  in the tabernacle of the congregabefore the tabernacle of the con- tion, and  shall pour out all the
gregation.                            blood at the bottom of the altar of
15 And the elders of the congre- the burnt-offering, which is at the
gation oshall lay their hands upon  door, of the tabernacle of the conthe head of the bullock before the  gregation.
LornD: and  the bullock  shall be   19 And he shall take all his fat
killed before the LORD.               from  him, and burn it upon the
altar.
1 -Numb. 15. 24. Josh. 7. 11. n ch. 5. 2,
3, 4, 17. o ch. 1. 4.                        P ver. 5. Heb. 9. 12, 13, 14.
that they were not for the present sensi2.-The   S-oin    fo  the Wole ble of their error or transgression. The
Con7"re0attin.            reference is to a case where they had
13. If the whole  congregation sin. ignorantly or inadvertently committed
This probably refers to some oversight some act which they presumed at the
in acts of religious worship, or to some time to be lawful, but which subsequent
transgression of the letter of the law  reflection or instruction convinced them
committed, not presumptuously, but was sinful. In this case, as soon as
heedlessly, as in the case mentioned  they came to a sense of their wrong-doI Sam. 14. 32; where, after smiting the ing, the elders, or heads of the tribes,
Philistines, the Israelites'  flew upon  as the representatives of the whole body,
the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and  were to bring a young bullock to the
calves, and slew them on the ground: tabernacle and present it to the high.
and the people did eat them with the priest, who was to offer it by way of
blood.' This was a congregational sin. atonement for them, in the same man.
The sacrifices and rites in this case ner and with the same circumstances,
were the same as in the preceding; only  that he did the other for himself.
here the elders laid their hands on the    15. The elders shall lay their hands.
head of the victim, in the name of all Not the priests in this case, but the
the congregation. —T f And the thing  heads and magistrates of the nation,
he hid from the eyes of the assembly. who were seventy in number. As all
Heb. 5jj jhaakklhal, the word properly  the people could not lay their hands
answering to our English word church, upon the bullock, it was sufficient that
as it is well rendered by Ainsworth. it were done by the elders, or a part of
Accordingly Stephen says of Moses, them, in the name of the congregation.
Acts 7. 38,' This is he that was in the Maimonides says, that the number of
church in the wilderness with the angel elders that officiated on this occasion
that spake to him.'  By'the things was three. This act denoted the faith
weing hidden from their eyes,' is meant of the people in a coming Messiah,' up.




46                            LEVITICUS.                       [B. 0. 1490.
20 And he shall do with the bul- shall bring his offering, a kid of the
lock as he did qwith  the bullock  goats, a male without blemish:
for a sin-offering, so shall he do   24 And uhe shall lay his hand
witn  this: rand the priest shall upon the head of the goat, and kill
make an atonementfor them, andit it in the place where they kill the
shall be forgiven them.                burnt-offering before the LORD: it
21 And he shall carry forth the  is a sin-offering.
bullock without the camp, and burn   25 xAnd the priest shall take of
hin  as be burned the first bullock'  the blood of the sin-offering with
it is a sin-offering for the congre- his finger, and put it upon  the
gation.                                horns of the altar of burnt-offering,
22 M~ When a ruler hath sinned, and shall pour out his blood at the
oand'done somewhat through igno- bottom  of' -the altar of burnt-ofrance against any of the command- fering.
ments of the LORD his God con-  26 And he shall burn all his fat
cernirtg things which should not upon  the altar, as Ythe fat of' the
be done, and is guilty;               sacrifice of peace-offerings:  zand
23 Or tif his sin, wherein he hath  the priest shall make an atonement
sinned, come to his knowledge; he  for him as concerning his sin, and
it shall be forgiven him.
qver. 3. rNum. 15. 25. Dan. 9. 24. Rom. it shall be forgiven him.
5. It. Heb. 2. 17. and 10. 10, 11, 12. 1 John   u ver. 4, &e. x ver. 30. Y ch. 3. 5. z ver.
1. 7. and 2. 2.  ver. 2. 13. t ver. 14.  20. Num. 15. 28.
on whom  the Lord would lay the ini- the goats instead of a bullock, was not
quity of us all.' Is. 53. 6.          to be brought into the tabernacle, but
was all to be bestowed upon the brazen
3.-The Sin-offeri7ng for the Ruler.   altar, nor was the flesh of it to be burnt
22. When a ruler hath sinned. Heb. without the camp; which intimated
Wt7D: ndisi, prince, i. e. one preferred, that the sin of a ruler, though worse
elevated, advanced above others; from  than that of a common person, was not
X:2:  nis2, to lift up. It is a common  so heinous as of that of the high priest,
ap)pellation both of supreme and subor- or of the whole congregation.
dinate rulers, and is very frequently   25. Put it-upon the horns of the altar.
used to signify the head of a tribe. In every sacrifice for sin the horns of
The Jews understand it peculiarly of one or other of the altars were required
the head or prince of the great Sanhe. to be touched with the blood, but with
drim, who was the king himself, while  this difference, that in the sacrifice for
they were under kingly government; the sins of the high priest and the
but it seems more reasonable to under. people, when the blood of the victim
stand it of all the great officers or ma. was brought into the sanctuary, the
gistrates; any one who held any kind  horns of the altar of incense were
of political dignity among the people. sprinkled, in others, those of the altar
-— T And is guilty, or if his sign come of holocaust.
to his kntowledge; i. e. if he is presently   26. He shall burn all his (i. e. its) fat
reminded of it by the checks of his own  upon the altar. Nothing is here said,
conscience, or if after a time it be sug- as in the case of two of the previous
gested to him by others. The ceremo. offerings, v. 12, 21, which were to be
nies in this case differed from those in  burnt without the camp, of' the disposal
the case of the offering of the anointed  that should be made of the flesh of the
priest, inasmuch as the blood of the the victim.  But in Lev. 6. 26, 29, and
ruler's sin-offering, which was a kid of Num. 18. 9) 10, the prescribed law of




B. C0. 1490.]                CHOAPTER  IV.                             47
27 TfAnd aifany one of the corn- away  from  off the  sacrifice of
mon people sin through ignorance, peace-offerings;  and  the  priest
while hie doeth somewhat against shall burn it upIon the altar for a
any of the commandments of the  fsweet savour unto the LORD: gand
LORD  conrcerninr   things  which  the priest shall make an atonement
ought not to be done, and be guilty; for him, and it shall be forgiven
28 Or bif his sin which he hath  him.
sinned  come to his knowledge;    32 And if he bring a lamb for a
then he shall bring his offering, a sin-offering, hBe shall bring  it a
kid of the goats, a feemale without female without blemish.
blemish, for his sin which he hath   33 And he shall lay his hand upsinned.                              on the head of the sin-offering,
29 cAnd he shall lay his hand  and slay it for a sin-offering in the
upon the head of the sin-offering,- place where they kill the burntand slay  the sin-offering in the  offering.
place of the burnt-offering.          3/4 And the priest shall take of
30 And the priest shall take of I the blood ofthe sin-offering with
the blood thereof withi his finder, i his finger, and put it upon the
and put it upon the horns of the  horns of' the altar of burnt-offering,
altar of burnt-offering, and shall and shall pour out all the blood
pour out all the blood thereof at thereof at the bottom of the altar:
the bottom of the altar.              35 And he shall take away all
31 And dhe shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat oi the
the fat thereof, eas the fat is taken  lamb is taken away from the sacriaver. 2. Num. 15. 27. b ver. 23. c ver. 4.   f Exod. 29. 18. ch. 1. 9. g ver 26. h1ver.
24. d ch. 3. 14. e ch. 3. 3.         is.
the Sin-offering is, that the priest and the burnt-offering and the peace-offer.
his sons should eat it in the sanctuary, ing, yet it is nowhere said of the fore.
and no where else; provided that they  going sin-offerings;'the reason of
were free from uncleanness.          which,' says Bp. Patrick,'I am  not
able to give, unless it were to comfort
4. —The Sin-ofering for one of the the lowest sort of people with the hope
common people.             of God's mercy, though their offerings
27. If any one of the common people. were mean compared with those of
Heb. y'ni-i =t hhi tI   tMq im ne-  others.'
phesh ahath mEam hddretz, if one soul   33. And slay it for a sin.offiering in
of the people of the land; i. e. as the place where they kill the burntrightly rendered, any of the common offering.  Here again the Gr. gives
people, whether private Israelite, priest, correctly the plural form qta5ovaLv they
or Levite, with the exception of the shall slay, just as our translation in the
high priest and ruler mentioned above.  same clause renders  tFIl  yish'hat,
28. A kid of the goats.  This was though singular, they kill, they are
the ordinary sacrifice prescribed on such accustomed to kill,
occasions; but when the poverty of the    35. According to the offerings made by
offerer prevented such an oblation, one fire unto the Lord. Heb. nt11  A 11 s P
of less value was appointed; Lev. 5. al ish' Yehovah; which maybe render.
11, 12. The ceremonies were nearly  ed, upon, with, or beside the offerings
the same as in the preceding cases.  made by fire; i. e. in addition to the
3'1. For a sweet savor unto the Lord. burnt-offerings which were daily con.
Although this phrase is used concerning  sumed upon the altar. As for the flesh




48                             LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
fice of the peace-offerings; and the  the priest shall make an atonement
priest shall burn them  upon  the  for his sin that hehath committed,
altar, iaccording  to  the offerings  and it shall be forgiven him.
made by fire unto the LORD: kand
ch. 3. 5. k ver 26, 31.
or bodies of this and the foregoing Sin. the degree of' guilt denoted by the term
offering of the rulers, they were not, is greater than that denoted by the word
like those of the high priest and the con-  t;l n'hdti, to sin, from  which comes
gregation, burnt without the camp, but the appropriate term for sin.offerings.
were eaten by the priests, as directed,   The Trespass-offerings. as we have
Lev. 6. 26-30.                         already remarked, so greatly resembled
REMAsiRS. —(2.) Sins of ignorance, the Sin-offerings, that it is by no means
though of less guilt than sins of pre-.easy to distinguish between their. The
sumption, do as really need the blood  occasions on which they were offered
of atonement, and as truly form  the  were much the same, and the ceremoe
matter of repentance, as any others.    nies much the same also. Indee, we
(2.) From the fact that greater sacri.sometimes have the same oblations
fices and more burdensome rites were called  interchangeably  Sin-offerings
appointed for the priest and the prince and Trespass-offerings, as particularly
than for private persons       p it is evident Lev. 5. 6-8:'And he shall bring his tres.
that the sins of some men are of a. more  pass-offering (ADS ashcImo) unto the
heinous character, more scandalous and  Lord for his sin which he hath sinned,
pernicious, than those of others. Per. (t1r  O       rR iXti iY al'hattdtho asher
sons occupying a public station, which  dta) a female from the fock, a latnb
makes them  conspicuous, cannot sin  or a kid of the goats, for a sin-offering.
with impunity, however it may be with  And if he be not able to bring a lamb,
others.                               then he shall bring for his trespass which
(13.) As there might be among the he hath committed (NtMM ~27D'57lZ7i.
people of Israel a sin of the whole con. ashmo asher'hltd) two turtle-doves,
gregation, so at the present time there or two young pigeons, unto the Lord;
may be a sin of the whole nation, which  one for a sin-offering (rlt;1  lehatneeds, as it were, a national atonement. tdth) and the other for a burnt-offering.'
(28.)' If his sin come to his  now. Here it is observable that the offence
ledge.' Whenever conscience charges committed is called indifferently a sin
upon us former sins committed, wshether and a trespass, and the sacrifice offered,
against God or man, we are bound to  a trespass-offering and a sin-offering.
make restitution, though years may  Notwithstanding this there were marked
have elapsed since the event occurred. points of difference between the two.
Sin-offerings were sometimes offered for
CHAPTER V.                 the whole congregation; Trespass-offer.
ings never but for particular persons.
THE TRESPASS-OFFERING.         Bullocks were sometimes used for Sin.
The original word for Trespass.offer. offerings, never for Trespass.offerings.
ing is t2~ dshdm, from a root of the  The blood of the Sin-offering was put
same letters t=2: dsham, to fail in  on the horns of the altar; that of the
duty, to transgress, to be guilty, or, as Trespass-offering was only sprinkled
it is for the most rendered in our ver- round about the bottom  of the altar.
sion to trespass. The leading idea is Still we are left in ignorance of the proplainly that of guilt, and it is exten- cise nature of the distinction, or for
sively admitted by lexicographers that what reasons the law in one case pre.




B. C. 1490.]                 CHAPTER  V.                                   49
scribed one, and in another the other. that most of the offences which were to
Lightfoot guided by rabbinical author- be expiated by the Trespass-offering
ity, makes the difference to consist in were of this character. Indeed, Outram,
this, that both indeed were offered for whose authority on this subject is per.
the same sort of transgressions, but the haps of more weight than that of any
tws esh/sam, or trespass-offering was to other writer, observes that in all cases
be offered when it was doubtful whe- where the tiZ    dshdm  was required,
ther a person had transgressed or not; there was some wrong or injury done.as for instance, suppose that he had  to a neighbor, except in the case of the
eaten -iat, and was afterwards in doubt Nazarite defiled by the dead, Num.
whsether it was the fat belonging to the 6. 12, and of the leper, Lev. 14. 12.
tmiscular flesh, which was lawvftl to be Still we cannot positively affirm  that
eaten, or the fat of the inwards, which  this is the designed  import of the
was uilawful; then he was to offer an  term, and are obliged therefore to leave
tar iishltii.  But if it were certaii, the matter enveloped more or less in
Land he knew that he had trespassed, helie that cloud of obscurity which, as we
iiust offer the inn7 l~hattet2ih, or sin-of. have already remarked in the introducfering.  Maimonides is of opinion that tion to the preceding chapter, rests upon
the offences for which the t:127  ishltm  the distinction between the Sin and the
was offered were inferior to those for Trespass-offerilug. Thus much however
which the rnonT'lhattdtdh was offered.  is clear, that the class of offences for
Bochart, on the other hand, and we which the Trespass-offering was to be
think with much better reason, holds brought included those which, though
that the offences expiated  by  =1:  not amounting to wilful and presumptu.
Ashlim were more grievous than those ous acts, were yet usually committed
expiated by  il1n'lhattidah.  Aben against knowledge, and were therefore
Ezra makes 1 Ito   h'hattdd2h to signify  of a higher grade of guilt than the sins
a sacrifice offered for purging offences of mere ignorance and infirmity which
comrnmitted through ignorance of the  were contemplated by the Sin-offerings.
law;  i:M   Cish2m  for such as were  Several such are mentioned in the comcommitted through forgetfulness of it. mencement of this chapter, viz. the
Others again make the difference to be, concealing of any part of the truth by a
that the axo'hatttd2h was for offences witness properly adjured; the touching
proved by witnesses; the  CM Itshdir  any unclean person or thing; and' the
for secret faults known to others only  swearing rashly that he would do what
by  the  offender's  confession.  But might be sinful, or what he might not
against all these hypotheses very spe. be able to perform. In all these cases
cious objections may be urged, and it a female lamb or kid was to be offered,
is therefore to the following that we and confession made of guilt.: The
are disposed to give the preference.   ceremonies of oblation were precisely
It is contended, and we think upon  the same as those of the Sin-offering,
very plausible grounds, by several dis- except that the blood, instead of being
tinguished critics, that the class of put upon the horns of the altar, was to
offences to which the word bl  idshFidm  be sprinkled round about the altar. If
is applied, although ultimately com. the offender was too poor to give a
mitted against God, were yet always, lamb, he was to bring two turtle-doves
or generally, such as involved an injury  or two young pigeons, the one for this
towards one's neighbor; and in this  particular sin which burdened his con.
sense they affirm that our English word  science, the other for a burnt-offering
trespass is its most suitable representa- for his sins in general; making expiae
tive. It is certain, as a matter of fact, tion first for that in which he had msnore
5




50                             LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
immediately offended. If even this was forgiven him for any thing of all that
beyond his mneans, the tenth part of an  he bath done in trespassing therein.'
ephahll of flour, or about five pints, might On the general subject of the Sill and
be substituted.                         Trespass-offerings  we  may  remark,
Another class of offences to which  that while the purpose and design of
this offering had reference, was that in  these various ceremonies have been diswhich soime trespass was committed  closed so far as they can convey moral
ignorantly or undesignedly against the  or spiritual knowledge to our minds,
holy things of the Lord, Lev. 5. 15 com- there is doubtless much in the externar l
pared with Lev. 22. These were things forms that must be referred to the sovededicated to the Lord under the cere-  reign will of God. No other satisf:ac
mnial law, or prescribed or prohibited  tory reason can be assigned for the
by its rules, and were very numerous. requirement in certain cases of one of
Thus if one had unwittingly kept back  these species of offerings rather than
any of the required offerings, or had  another, than that it was the divine
eaten within his private gates the tittles pleasure so to have it.  In the ordithat belonged to the priests, or had nances before us it is clear, that the
failed to sanctify the firstlings of the  wilful sins for which a ram  was the
males; in these cases he was to bring largest offering required, were greater
as a Trespass-offering a ram without than those infirmities for which a bulblemish.  But besides this, he was to  lock was demanded. If the atoneme:nt
make restitution, with the addition of had really lain in the type, this would
the fifth part, according to the estimate  have borne almost an appearance of informed by the priest.  Nay, if he even  justice. But as it was no doubt intendonly suspected that he had offended in  ed by every kind of expiation to fix the
any of these holy thintgs, lie was to  attention upon the Great Atonement
bring the ram  as a Trespass-offering, thereafter to be made for all sin, the
and to pay tile estimated value, but intrinsic value of the particular offering
without the addition of the twenty per was a matter of comparatively little
cent.                                  importance. Indeed it is very conceivA third class of offences were those able, as we have already relmarked,
of a somewhat deeper dye-certain  that a sacrifice of less value may have
bpen and wilful'injuries and violatioas been ordained for sins of greater enorof law, such as thefts, violence, false. mnity with the express purpose of con.
swearing, deceit and fraud.'If a soul veying the intimation that the atoning
sin and commit a trespass against the virtue was not in the sacrifice, but in
Lord, and lie against his neighbors &c.' the better blood which was to be shed
Thus if one denied what had been cornm  at a future day on Calvary.  Compared
mitted to his trust, or dealt fraudulently  with this every typical prefiguration,
in any concern of partnership, or took  even the most costly that could be de.
any thing away by open violence, or vised fell so infinitely short in value,
secretly deceived his neighbor to his that it might have been a special aim
loss, or denied having found that which  of divine wisdom to ordain a less in
was lost; in all these cases the delin. order the more forcibly to impress upquent must bring a ram for a Trespass-. on the mind the intrinsic inefficacy of
offering, and must pay the value, esti- a greater.
mated by the priest, of the injury done,   But while it was not especially imwith the addition of the fifth part there- portant for the worshipper to know why
of. Doing thus, it was said that' the  one animal was chosen to expiate one
priest should make an atonement for sin, and another another, it waus import.
him before the Lord, and it should be ant for him to know that for every par



B. C. 1490.]                    CHAPTER  V.                                   5i
CHAPTER  V.                   witness, whether he hath seen or
ND if a soul sin, aand hear the  known of it; if he do not utter it,
voice of swearing, and is a  then he shall bbear his iniquity.
a I Kings 8. 31. Matt. 26. 63.  b ver. 17. ch. 7 18, and 17. 16, and 19. 8,
and 20.'17. Numb. 9. 13.
ticular sin there was a remedy pro- is adjured or put upon his oath asawit.
vided; so that no man need incur the  ness of any fact which is brought into
divine wrath, either by reason of his  legal question.  The precept cdoes not,
11ost secret faults or his most flagrant it would seem, relate to the duty of in.
violations of the law. This is the very  forming  against a common  profane
essence of gospel truth. No sin, not swearer, but to the case of one who is
even the smallest or most unintentional, summoned to give evidence before the
could be forgiven without a sacrifice. civil magistrate.  Judges, amllong the
But no man need await the judicial Jews, had power to adjure not only the
lpunishment.  As soon as he knew his witnesses, but the person  suspected
fault, or suspected it, he had his reme- (contrary to the criminal jurisprudence
dy. He lknew what lie was to do. If  of modern times, which requiresno nan
hle did it not the condemnation that en- to accuse himself), as appears from the
sued was self-procured.  It was not the  high priest's adjuring our Savior, who
fault of the law, nor the fault of the  thereupon answered, though he had bejudge, nor the fault even of his own  fore been silent, Mat. 26. 63, 64. So
natural weakness or infirmity, if the  the apostle says, 1 Thess. 5. 27,  I
evil he had committed was not forgiven  charge (adjure) you by the Lord that
him. This is the gospel. Whatever  this epistle be read unto all the holy
men may think of their natural condi- brethren.' Now if a person i heard the
tion as an extenuation of their sins; voice of swearing,' i. e. if he were ad.
however they may venture to impugn  jured by an oath of the Lord to testify
the justice that assures their punish-  what he knew in relation to any matter
ment; this at least cannot be gain. of fact in question, and yet through fear
sayed —the remedy is provided; the  or favor refused to give evidence, or
atonement is made known; the mode  gave it but in part, he was to' bear his
of making it personably available is iniquity;' i. e. to bear the punishment
clearly stated; it is efficacious for of his iniquity, if he repented not and
every sin; it is within the reach of' brought not the appointed sacrifices  It
every sinner. Christ by his one obla. seems to be implied that such;an one
tion has made satisfaction for the sins should he considered in the sight of God
of the whole world. If any man chooses  as guilty of the transgression which he
to abide the consequences of his trans-  has endeavored to conceal, as may be
gressions, rather than seek forgiveness  inferred from  Prov. 29. 24,' Whoso is
in the way prescribed, the condemna.- partner with a thief, hateth his own
tion is his own deliberate choice.      soul: he heareth cursing and bewrayeth
it not;' i. e. he hears the words of' the
Various offences of Infirmity or Inaduring him, and binding
magistrate'- adjuring him, and binding
vertence for which the Trespass-o.fer   his soul under the penalty of a' curse'
ing was prescribed.                   to declare the whole truth, yet he' be.. — In concealing Knowledge.       wrayeth,' or uttereth it not; he persists
I. And hear the voice of swearing. in wickedly stifling his evidence and
Heb. 4I-'  A'ce. iZI72"1 veshdmedh kol concealing the filcts; surely such an
dbIh, and hear the voice of adjuration,  one is a' partner' with the culprit, and
execration, or oath.  That is, when one  by exposing himself to the consequences




52                            LEVITICUS;                        [B. C. 1490.
2 Or cif a soul touch any unclean  of man, whatsoever uncleanness it
thing, whether it be a carcass of  be that a man  shall be defiled
an unclean beast, or a carcass of  withal, and it be hid fron  him;
unclean  cattle, or the carcass of when he knoweth of it, then lihe
unclean creeping things, and if it shall be guilty.
be hidden from him; he also shall  4 Or if a soul swear, pronouncing
be unclean, and dguilty.               with his lips fto do evil, or gto do
3 Or if he touch ethe uncleanness good, whatsoever it be that a man
c ch. 11. 24, 28, 31, 39. Numb. 19. 11, 13,   f See 1 Sam. 25. 22. Acts 23. 12. g See
1ti.,1 ver 17. e ch. 12. and 13. and 15.  Mark 6. 23.
of thus withholding the truth, may be a mere conltinuations of the conditional
jiastly said to' hate his own soul.' —--  language of the verse, and not as declarIr And is a witness. The Hebrew can- ative of the divine sentence respecting
ons speak of four different kinds of  the offender. This declaration or apoaths; (1.) The oath of pronouncing a pointment is reserved to the 5th and 6th
thing (of which see v. 4); (2.) Vain  verses, where the corresponding duty is
or rash oaths (forbidden Ex. 20. 7); enjoined. In the original each of these
(3.) the oath concerning that which  clauses is introduced by the particle
was delivered to keep; (4.) the oath' and,' which would seem to have been
of witness, here mentioned. This they  improperly omitted by our own and
explain as follows;' As when witnesses most other translators.
can give testimony concerning goods,  2.-In touching an unclean Thing.
and the owner requireth then  to wit.   2. If  soul touch any unclean thisg,
ness, and they deny that they can give  whether it be, 4-c. Tlat is, either the
testimony, and swear that they cannot, dead body of a clean animial, or the
&c., for such an oath they are to bring.  living or dead body of an unclean creathe sacrifice here appointed.'-Mai. ture. All such persons were required
monides.-~ 1 VYhether he hath seen or to wash themselves and their clothes in
known of it.  That is, whether it be a clean water, and were considered as
matter which has come under his own  unclean until evening, Lev. 11. 8, 24. 31.
personal knowledge, or which he has   _     If it be hidden from  him.   That
learnt from the information of others. is, if he be not aware of the incleannessThe spirit of the precept seems to re- which he has contracted, and goes on
quire avaoluntary rendering of testimony  to do those things which he would not
when it was known that iniformation'be at liberty to do, provided: he were
-was sought, as well as a true and faith. conscious of s defilement, such
ful declaration when summoned by le- conscious of his deflmnt uh sey
t declaration when summoned by le   ering the tabernacle or eating'of holy
gal process. -T He shall bear his mnithings, then when hi.   cmes  to be ac.
quity. Heb. o   cl:a Mus a venhsapavono. quainted with the fact he shall look
The whol' chlause mad  y  perhaps be  upon himself as'  unclean,' just as if he
rendered,' If he do not utter it and  knowingly' touched the unclean thing,
shall bear his iniquity,' i. e. shall con-  and consequently excluded from divins
sequently remain subject to the wrath  worship till he had offered the sacrifice
of God, and liable to condign punish. appointedv. 6.
ment; implying that this is a part of
the sinlful condition  embraced under    3.-In touching an unclean Person.
the hypothetic particle' if,' which is   3. Or if he touch the uncleanness, 4c.
not an improbable sense. And so in  These different kinds of uncleanness
respect to the final clause of the three  are afterwards specified in detail, Lev.
ensuing verses, we may regard it as.11-15, where see Notes.




B.0;C. 1490.]                 CHAPTER  V.                                  53
shall pronounce with an oath, and  be guilty in one of these things,
it be hid from him; when he know- that he shall heonfess that he hath
eth of it, then he shall be guilty  sinned in that thing:
in one of these.                         h ch. 16. 21. and 26. 40. Numb. 5. 7. Ezra
5 And it shall be, when he shall 1o. 11, i2.
sidered so far obligatory, that it was
-4.-Ina taking a rash Oath.      necessary to expiate its non-fulfilment
4. If a soul swear, pronouncing with  by an offering; and it was at the same
his lips, 8c.  That is, when a man  time, the best possible means of wean.
swears rashly that he will or will not ing the people from rash oaths, because
do such and such a thing,:as David, that the man who had become addicted to
he would kill Nabal; Jepthah, that he that unbecoming practice, would find
wouldl sacrifice to the Lord whatsoever himself too frequently obliged either to
should meet him  coming out of his keep his oaths, how great soever the
doors, &c.  The original word Nt=  inconvenience, or else to make offerings
bdtd, rendered pronounce,  has the im- for their atonement.'-Comnment. on
port of rashly, inyconsiderately, or fool. Laus  of Moses, v. 4, p. 111.-~  And
ishly utlterin  any thing, as may be itbehidfrom him.  It supposesthathe
seen, Ps. 106. 33, where it is said of did not rightly understand or duly con.
Moses that' he spake unadvisedly (Heb. sider the circumstances of his swearing,
N='1 yehatta) with his lips.' So Prov. as whether the object were lawful, or
12. 18S,' There is that speaketh (Heb. the performance of it in his power. If
N_1 bvote, speaketh rashly) like the  these matters were' hidden from him,
piereings of a sword.' Thus also Nurn. or he was not properly auware of them,
30. 6, 8, the phlrase' uttered ought with  he was bound to atone for the hastiness
her lips,' is in Heb.'2    a mibta, the and rashness of his oath by a sacrifice.
rash or incautious utterance of the lips. ---  Then he shall be guilty in one of
From the Ileb. root is probably formed these. Rather,' and he shall be guilty
the Gr. Barrs battos, and $larrouoyla in one of these,' i. e. one of the three
baltologia, rash, vatin, heedless speaking, cases above propounded.
which occurs Mat. 6. 7,'But when    5. When he shall be guilty in one of
ye pray use not vain repetitions (Gr. these things. That is, in one of the four
faUroaXoyx battologia) as the heathens sins just mentioned. The words seem
do; i. e. do not indulge in rash or in. to be merely a repetition of the final
considerate professions; speak not un- clause  of the  preceding  verse.advisedly to your Maker in prayer, IT Shall confess.  At the same time
either in  iaking vows or promises, laying his hands on the head of tile vie.
whatever may be tile warmth of your time in token of his faith in the great
devotions. The import of the precept atoning sacrifice.  The offering was not
is doubtless the same as that contained  acceptable unless accompanied with a
Eccl. 5.2.' Be not rash with thy mouth,  penitential confession, and an humble
and let tnot thine heart be hasty to uttter  prayer for pardon.  The form  of the
any thing before God.' The present.1 confession was substantially this:'I
rendering, vain repetitions,? does not have sinned; I have done iniquity; I
seem  to be warranted by sufficient au.  have trespassed, and have done thus and
thority.-As to the law itself,' it served  tllus; and (ldo return my repentance before
very effectually,' says Michaelis,' to  thee; and with this I make atonement.'
maintain the honor of oaths, inasmuch  The animal was then  considered to
as every oath, however inconsiderate, hbear vicariously the sins of the person
or unlawful, or impossible, was con- who'brought it.
5*




54                             LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
6 And he shall bring his trespass-   7 And iif he be not able to bring
offering unto the LORD for his sin  a lamb, then he shall bring for his
which  he hath  sinned, a female  trespass which he hath committed,
from  the flock, a lamb or a kid of  two kturtle-doves, or two young
the goats, for a sin-offering; and  pigeons, unto the LORPD; one for a
the priest shall make an atonement
for hint concerning his sin.                i ch. 12. 8. and 14. 21. k ch. 1. 14.
6. He shall bring his trespass-offering. he has violated, when he has served out
Heb.'Illt  ashitmo, which may be ren. the time of his sentence in prison, or
dered  guilt-offering, as the original paid the prescribed pecuniary penalty.
1tQ=   asham properly signifies guilti- To a man who had offended without
ness or trespass, just as the word ren- detection, except by his own conscience,
dered' sin-offering,, ch. 4, literally sig- the system  would have an admirable
nifies sin or tran2sgression. The one as application. It would never suffer his
well as the other pointed to Christ, of conscience to sleep, till he had informed
whom it is said, Is. 53. 10,' Thou shalt against himself.  It would be perpetumake his soul an offering for sin (V:O   ally addressing him  with the ofer to
asham, a guilt or trespass-offering).' restore him to a fair standing, and to
---- The priest shall make an atone- self-respect, as soon as he would come
ment fo? him. As the atonement was forward, avow his offence, present his
not accepted without his repentance, so offering, or (to phrase it differently)
his repentance would not justify himn  pay his fine, and make restitution to
without the atonement. In regard to  those whom he had injured, if the case
the excellent uses of this feature of the was such, as to admit of' this being
general system  of Levitical laws, we done. And, once more, the system was
cite the remarks of Prof. Palfrey:-c- If  of excellent influence in putting the le.
an offence were committed in ignorance, gal penalty of'fine in the form of a're.
the offender, it is true, would not be ligiousoffering. The wrong.doer,while
culpable, except for having neglected  lihe gave satisfaction to the state, and
to inform himself concerning the char- paid the fine of his delinquency, was
acter of his act. But his sin done una. thus reminded, that it was not only
wares might injure his neighbor as much against the state that he had offended,
us if it had been committed against and was at the same time made to exlight; and society is interested in pre. press the penitence of his heart to God.'
venting that ignorance of the lawamong -Lect. on Jet. Anltiq. vol. 1, p. 250.
its memnbers which allows them  to do    7. And if he be not able to bring a
it harmn. He who had unintentionally  lamb. Heb. ti-'1       1.r    dat:1 Ai t1m ins
transgressed a law, then, being called  lo taggia ycido dei si'h, if his hand?reach
on, as soon as he came to know the ille- not to the sufficiency (or value) of a
gality of what had been done, to put lamb.  This was ordained  that the
himself to expense because of it, found  means of atonement might be within
himself addressed by a motive to avoid  the ability of all classes. In reference
such a mistake in future; in other to these offerings, Maimonides says,
words, to acquaint himself with the law.' If a poor man brought the oblation of'.
The presumptuous offender was pun- the rich, he was accepted; but if the
ishled, in the form of a Sin or Trespass. rich brought the oblation of the poor,
offering, by a fine, by which he I made he was not accepted.' Pigeons were so
atonement,' just as in our day, a man plenteous in Palestine and the neigh.
has made his atonement, or his recon- boring countries, that he must have neen
ciliation, with the society whose laws poor indeed,who could not afford a pair.




B. C. 1490.]                   CHAPTER  V.                                 55
iin-offering, and  the other for a  for a burnt-offering, according to
ournt-offering.                        the nmanner: oand the priest shall
8 And he shall bring  them  unto  make an atonement for him for his
the priest, who  shall offer thiat sin whicli he hath  sinned, and it
which is for the sin-offering first, shall be forgiven him.
and  wvring off his head from  his   11 ~IBut itf hebe not able to bring
necel, but shall not divide -it asun- two turtle-doves, or two young pider:                                   geons; then he that sinned shall
9 And  hie  shall sprinkle of the  bring for his offering the tenth part
loo'd of the sin-offering upon the of an ephah of fine flour for a sinside of the altar; and  llthe rest of  offering; qhe shall put no oil upon
the blood shall be wrung  out at it, neither shall he put any frankthe bottom of the altar: it is a sin- incense thereon: for it is a sin-ofoffering.                              fering.
1iQ Anrd he shall offer the second   12 Then shall he bring it to the
1 chi. 1. 15. m ch. 4.. 7, 1, 30, 34.  n ch. 1. 14. o ch. 4. 26. P Numb.. 5.
Adrichonmius, the traveler, tells us that statutes, appears very conspicuous here.
there was a sinagle tower to ti'e south  If any onte were so impoverished that
of Jerusalem, in which 5000 doves even an offering of two-or three birds
nestled.  Maundrell also remarks of  were not easily within his reach, then a
Kefteen, in Syria, that' the adjacent slight oblation of fluor was acceptable
fields abounding with corn give the in- in its stead. But while we admire the
hlabitants great advantage for breeding  graciousness of heaven in this respect,
pigeons, insomuch that you here find let us not fatil to observe that the offence
more dove-cotes than other houses.' was invariably to be followed by some'- One for a sin-offering, and the kind of atonement, in order to generate
other for a burnt-offering  it being  habits of' the utmost vigilance and cirnecessary for the sinner first to have cumspection in all their deportment.
his peace made with God by the sin-' God may be represented,' says R. Levi,
offierig, in order to have his burnt-of-' as declaring in tlis precept, It is not
fering or gift accepted.               my will that such things should be done;
S. Wring off his head. Rather'pinch  hut if any man commit them  through
or nip the head with the nail,' as ex- frailty, let him  repent heartily, anti
plained in the Note on Lev. 1. 15. It keep a stricter guard over himself in
does not appear that the head was to future. Let him offer sacrifices which
be quite separated finno the body.     may serve to imprint the remembrance
10. According to the manner. Heb. of his guilt on his mind, and likewise
7DDh11  k mmishpdt, according to the to prevent him from  offending  again.'
judgeement, i. e. according to the ordi- Thlle prescribed offering in this case was
nance or statute; the original term  the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour,
=M'0i7  mtishpfit being used to signify  or about three quarts, as the ephah con.
tile prescribed mode of doing any thing, taimed a little more than seven gallons
particular in the matter of religious and a half.  This was to be offered
services. -   ~ For his sin.  Heb. without oil, not only because that would
-IM=t8h5Yf miP'hattatho, f*rom  his sin; make it too costly for the poor, but be.
i. e. cleansin- himn from it.          cause it was a sin-offering, and there.
11. But if he be not able to bring two fiore to show the loathsomeness of the
turtle-doves.  The kind consideration  sin for which it was offered, it must not
of the ability and circumstances of the  be grateful either to the taste by oil, or
offender, which distinguishes all these  to the smell by frankliincense,




56                             LEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1490.
priest, and the priest shall-take his  shall bring for his trespass unto the
handful of it, q even a  memorial LoRD a ram without blemish out
thereof, and burn it on the altar, of the flocks, with thy estimation
raccording to  the qfferings made  by shekels of silver, after Ythe sheby fire unto the LORD: it is a sin- kel of the sanctuary, for a trespassoffering.                               offering:
13 sAnd the priest shall make an   16 And he shall make amends for
atonement for him  as touching his  the harm  that he hath done in the
sin that he hath sinned in one of  holy thing, and zshall add the fifth
these, and it shall be forgiven him: part thereto, and give it unto the
and  t the remnant  shall be  the  priest; aand the priest shall make
priest's, as a meat-offering.          an atonement for him with the ram
14 ~ And the LonD spake unto  of the trespass-offering, and it shall
Moses, saying,                         be forgiven him.
15 ulf a soul commit a trespass,   17 ~ And if a bsoul sin, and comand sin through ignorance, in the  mit any of these things which are
holy things of the LORD; then xhe  forbidden to be done by the comyExod. 30.13. ch. 27. 25. 2ch. 6.5. and
3. ch 2.  2. r.14. 3X Ezra 10.. 2 h.   22. 14. and 27. 13, 15, 27, 31. Numb. 5. 7.
a ~h. 4. 26. b ch. 4.2.
12. Shall take his handful of it. port of prevaricating or dealing fraud.
Heb. 1=-X  RUl}~'1=2? 7t'f  kcimetz  ulently, especiallyinmattersofreligion.
mimmenu melo kamtzo, shall grasp of — 9  In the holy things of the Lord.
it the fulness of his grasping.  This As for instance by not paying his full
was peculiar to all the meat-offerings, tithes; by neglecting to consecrate or
that a handful as a memorial should be redeem the first born; by appropriating
burnt on the altar, while the remainder to his own use the first-fruits; or by
was eaten by the priests, except in the  eating any of those parts of the sacrifice
case of the priests' own offerings of this  which pertained to the priests. This
kind, which were all burnt, as appears was a trespass; an offence which it is
from Lev. 6. 16,22, 23.-~ According  here supposed might be done through
to the offerings. See Note on Lev. 4. 35. mistake, forgetfulness, or want of care
13. In one of these. That is, by one or zeal; for if it were done presurmptuof these three before mentioned sacri- ously, in contempt of the law, the
fices, either that of a lamb, or of two  offender died without mercy, Heb. 10.
turtle-doves or young pigeons, or of 28.-IT   With thine estimation.  Or,
fine flour. Rashi observes that as there'with thy valulation.'  That is. with
were three classes of men, the rich, the  so much money as should be an adepoor, and the very poor; so there are quate satisfaction for the wrong done to
three kinds of offerings prescribed in  the priest. This estimation was to be
this chapter, adapted to the circum. mlade by the priest, as appears from
stances of these several classes.      Lev. 27. 8, 12. Or it may mean, as the
ancient versions generally understood
5.-For a Trespass committed through  it, that the ram should be at least of' the
Ignorance.               value of two shekels, the plural for the
14. If a soul commit a trespass. Heb. dual.- IT After the shekel of the sance
Ash >  ry   timal maal, trespass a tres- tuary. See Note on Ex. 30. 13.
pass. The original wvord is different
from that which has hitherto been ren.      6.-The Doubtful Trespass.
flered trespass, and has mainly the im-   17. If a soul sin, &4c. In order s.1ll




B. C. 1490.]                   CHAPTER  V.                                 57
mandments of the LORD; c though  priest shall make an  atonement
ie wist it not, yet is he'guilty, Ibr hin concerning  his ignorance
and shall bear his iniquity,.          wherein lhe erred and wist it not,
IS eAnd lie shall bring a  ramn  and it shall be forgiven him.
without blemish  out of tile flock,   19 It is a trespass-offering: g he
with thy estimation, for a trespass-  hathl  certainly  trespassed against
offering unto the priest; fand the  the LORD.
v er. 15. cl. 4. 2, 13, 22, 27. Ps. 19. 12.
Luke 12.. 4 l. d1 er2.  1 ver. 15.' er y 16.
more effectually to deter the chosen  does this apply to such sins as brought
race from all irreverence towards any  dishonor upon the holy name of God.
thing peculiarly dedicated to God and  A manll may be patient in regard to
hisservice, it is here enacted that if  wrongs done to himself, but not in regard
any one sinned in regard to the use of to those that are done to the Most High.
things which he only suspected to be    (5.)' Shall confess that he hath sin.
sacred-about which he was left in sus- ned in that thing.' Confession of sinl,
pense whether he had offended or not-  il order to be acceptable, niust be pareven in this case, that lie might be sure  ticular. Such was David's confession;
of being on the safe side, he was to' I have  done  this evil;' and such
brintg hiis ram as a tresspasser, and pay  Achan's. It is not enough to rest in
the value of the thing according to the  generals.
priest's estimation, as ordered v. 15,   (7.)'If he be not able to bring a
only with this differenlce, that the addi-  lamb.' It is not the greatness of the
tional prescribed fifth part was here to  gift but the heart of the giver, which
be dispensed with, inasmuch as there  God regards.
was some uncertainty whether he had    (16.)' Shall make amends.'  Reactually transgressed or no. It would  pentance for wrong done to our neighbor
perhaps seem, from  the letter of' the  is incomplete unless accompanied by
two passages, that the case here men- restitution.
tioned was the same with that in the    (18.)' The priest shall make atonepreceding ch., v. 27, yet the different ment for him.' The great Christian
offerings prescribed seem  to preclude  doctrine that to the atonement alone we
this idea. In the former case the sacri- owe all our pardon and peace, is here
fice appointed was a kid of the goats or prominently set forth. Contrition, con.
a female lamb; but in the present, an  fession, restitution, all the feelings
unblemished ram was prescribed. The  which accompany, and all the works
previous passage, moreover, is to be which are meet bfor repentance, are inunderstood of moral prohibitions, of dispensable; but it is faith in the atonethings concerning others; this on the  ment of Christ which justifies. Upon
other hand, has respect to ceremonial that alone must the penitent's hope be
precepts touching sacrifices or other placed. While he weeps tears of grief
things pertaining to divine worship.   and shame, while he renounces all his
evil ways, while he strives to undo all
RE:t AaRcs.-(l.) We are not to ac- the evil which he has previously done,
count our duty discharged merely by  the sacrifice of Christ must be looked to
avoiding sin ourselves; we are bound to  as the only meritorious cause, as the
use our utmost endeavors to prevent it only appointed method of mercy. For
n others, and not to shrink from  the  this his earnest application must be
responsibility or odiuni of bearing pub. made; without this his professed re.
lie testimony against it.  Especially  pentance will avail him nothing.




58                              LEVITICUS.                         [B. C. 1490.
CHAPTER  VI.                   trespass against the Lonr), and b lie
AND tile LorD spake unto Mo-  unto his neighbour in thaL  c which
ses, saying,                        was delivered  hirn  to  keep, or in
2 If a soul sin, and a conmmit a, ch. 19. 11.  Acts 5.4. Col. 9. 3..  Exod.
a Numb. 5. 6.               2.7. 10.
CHAlPTER YVIvv. 9-11 of that chapter, we may obh
serve, that if the aniimal were stolen, or
The T respass-offeri7g for sins of Injus.s   met with an accident, wlthen onut at pas.
tice, F raud,  obberJy, False-Dealing, ture, the depositary  was  allowed  to
4-c.                                  Iclear himself by oatlh, and then tile
2. If a soul sin and commit a trespass. owner had to claimn tpon lin; but if it
Gr..,0t.OCY',lttPL   ra Tag ~vroXai  KvplOV)  were stolenl from his otwnl pretlises, he
despisin0 shall despise the command- was obliged to rnmaklie restitution.  This
meats of the Lord. In the Heb. the  was obviously on the priciple of its
phraseology is the same as in chl. 5. 15. being more difficult to steal a beast
It may here be remarketd, that the first fiom a house thlan any thing else; and
seven verses of this chapter are in the  tihat as lie might have had the profilt
original embraced withlin the precedilng  arising from the use of it, so lie ouglht
chapter, to which, perhaps, they more  to bear the loss arising frotl his neglect
properly belong.- ~T Against the Lord. in looking alfter it, or frolt accident —
Although all the instances specified re- vwhich is of more rare occurtreccet and
late to our neighbor, yet it is called  often difficult to distingtish frorr neg.
a trespass against the Lord, because  lect (see.lTichaelis, vol. 2. p. 375).
though the injury be (lone immrledliately  The inportance of dlistinct regulatiotns
to a fellow  creature, yet an affriont is on the stubject of deposited  inl'perty,
thereby given to the Most High, whose  has been strongly felt by all O'iental
authority has furbidden thte wrong, and  legislators; and it proceeds fi(om  the
who has made the comlmand of loving  fact that there were not at any titme,
our neighbor second only to tlhat of.antd are not now, any of those responsi.
loving hirmself. —     That uwhich uwas ble banking  establishments whi!ch in
delivered him  to keep.  Heb. 7'lD   modern Europe afford such important
pikkadon.   Fromn the present text we  facilities for the application, transfer,
learn, incidettally, that xvhen a person  and security of property.  Ience, ewhen
denied that lie had received a deposit, a mann is apprehensive of oppression or
and no proof of his having done so could  robbery, or from  another cause, wishes
be adduced, he was ohliged to take an  to secure his property, he has no other
oath to that effect: but ift' he swore alternative than either to hide it in
falsely, and afterwards repented of thav. somne place of concealttent, or to put it
ing done so, tile sin-offering and restitu- in the hands of some irresponsible pertion to the injured party afforded him  son, in whom he thinks he has cause to
anl opportunity of atonement, without rely.  So also, if a tmaan wishes to leave
incurring the extent of punishment to  his place of residence for a tirme, he
which he would have been liable had  must either adlopt tone of tlhese courses,
the crime been judicially proved. The  or else, perhaps at a great sacrifice,
law is too distinctly announced in Exod. turn his property into money or jewels,
22. to requlire enlarged remark; but as anld take it with himn, exposing it to all
an important distinction concerning a  the dangers of the road; which, in the
deposited beast injured, or stolen from. East, are very imminent and  great.
the person with whom it was deposited, Much risk attends all these alternatives.
is liable to escape notice, as stated in  For individuals to prove unfaithful to




B, C. 1490.]                     CHAPTER  Vi.                                 69
fellowship, or in  a  thing  taken  these  that a man doeth, si.nning
awav  by violence, or hath d deceiv-  therein:
ed hiis neighbour;                         4 Then  it shall be, because he
3 Or e htave found that which wvas hath sinned and is guilty, that he
lost, and  lieth  concerning it, and  shall restore that which he took
f sweareth  falsely; in anv of all violently awav, or the thiing wlich
Prov. 54. 28, anl 26. 19.    D Ieut. 2. he hath deceitfully gotten, or that
2,, 3.  E-d. 22. 1 1. ch. 19, 12. ser. 9. which was delivered him  to keep,
CC1,. 4.                                I or the lost thing which he found,
thleir trust,  as to property deposited  that which is delivered to keep, render.witl  themn,  is so very common a cir- ed in the Gr. 7raiccOrlfl, and occurring
v:urrstance, that a large proportion of 2 Tirn. 1. 12,' I ain persuaded that lie is
tihe tales w\itli which the Oriental story- able to keep that which I have conmmittellers amuse or move their auditor:s, in  ted  tanto him  (-,a0(O1l9Kr) against thlat
coffee-houses and elsewhere., as well as day,' So again, 2 Tin,,1 14, 1 That
of those which are written in books, Igood thing which was connitted ento
turnl upon the contrivancles to which the  thee (7rao0narcn), keep.'  1 Tim. 6. 20,
owner of lproperty is obliged to resort in; 0 Timothy, keep that whiich is comordler to recover it front the person to  mitted to thy  trust (-rapaOrs),.' —---
whom it has been intrusted.  Men whio  fr Or in a thing taken by violence.  Le
wolld have remained honest untder the  Clere rightly observes, that this signi.
ordinary circumstances of life are too  fies a case of extortion by force, where
often drawn aside from rectitude by the  there was no witness at hand vho could
temptations of valuable property com- give evidence before the judge for the
mitted to their trust. Continual expe- person robbed.  The laws, therefore,
rienee of this sort has had a very un- Ex. 22. 7, 15, appear to refer to cases
lhappy efsect upon the moral feelings of  where the thing could be proved; but
Orientals. Men fear to confide in each  here to those in which the person inotlher: and, in the case of property  jured could bring no proof against the
whicll persons desire to secure, they  ofifender.- ~r Or hath  deceived his
often prefer the hazards attending the  neighbor. Heb. 71WN dasalc, hath deceit.
other alternative of concealing it under fully or fraudulenlly oppressed. That
ground, or ini strange places, or even to  is, wrongedl him by false accusatiolsn or
build it up in the thick walls of their any unjust means, especially by withl:ouses.'-Pict. Bib..-.     Or infellow-  hlolding  what was due, or extortillg whvat
ship. Heb. 7  qtIlU:nD  bit hsometh yad, was not. Of this sin Zaccheus cleared
iit he putling of the hand. Thle original himlself by a fourfold restitution, Luke
phrase occurring- only here, seems to  19. 8.' Who,' says Maimonides,' is a
denote such a stiputlation as takes place  deceitful oppressor?  He that hath his
in coparinerships, where the hand of  neighbor's goods in his hand, with the
one party is given to the other in pledge  owner's consent, and when they are de.
of upright and honorable dealing. The  manded again, he keeps the goods in his
termn is applicable however to any mat-  own hands by force% and returns them
ter of dealing or traffic accomrpaniedt by Isot't
a joining ol' hands. G. G replt xorvwiva,   4. He shall restore,.c.  It appears
coelcerlinag society or fellowtship. Chal. from  Num. 5. 6, 7, that confession of'Fellowship of the hand.' Some would  the sin was required in this and all sim-.
render it a thing put o? given into the  ilar inlstasnces of trespass.  It is to be
hand, a deposit; but this is expressed  recollected that by a previous law, Ex.
by the preceding word'1,l1! pikkadon, 22. 1  7, 9, when a person was guilty of




60                            LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
5 Or all that about which he hath   7 i And the. priest shall make an
sworn falsely; he shall even g re- atonement for him before the LoRD:
store it in the principal, and shall and it shall be forgiven him for any
add the fifth part more thereto, thing of all that he hath done in
and give it unto him  to whom  it trespassing therein.
appertaineth, in the day of his tres-   8 U And  the LonR  spake unto
pass-offering.                         l,[oses, saying,
6 And he shall bring his trespass-   9 Command Aaron and his sons,
offering   unto  the LORD, ha ram   saying, Thisis the law of the burntwithout blemish out of the flock, offering: it is the burnt-offering,
with thy estimation for a trespass- because of the burning upon the
offering, unto the priest:             altar all night unto the morning,
ch.. 516. Numb. 5. 7. 2 Sam. 12. 6.
Luke 19. 8. h  e 5. 15.. 2.
any of the offences here specified, and  free-will burnt-offering, but by a slow
withholding confession was convicted  fire, that they might continue the longer
of the same by witnesses in a court of burning. With each of the victims was
law, he was required to make a four- offered a bread-offering and a drink.offold restitution, as we have shown in  fering of strong wine (see Num. 28.
the Note on that passage. Here the 5-7.), the latter being poured out befobr
mulet is lessened in consideration of a the Lordi or about the altar, as a liba.
voluntary acknowledgment.  He was tion. The Jewish writers consider that
to restore the principal with an addi- the morning sacrifice made atonement
tional fifth part as a compensation to  for the sins of the preceding night, and
the owner for the wrong sustained by  that of the evening for the sins of the
him.                                   preceding day. It may be regarded as
5. In the day of his trespass-offering. a daily expression of national as Qwell
That is, in  the day wherein  he is as individual repentance, prayer, and
found a trespasser, rendered by the Gr. thanksgiving.-lMoses having hitherto
pcpq eXypa  Oyi, in the day wherein he given instructions directed more espeis convicted or reprehended; or it may  cially to the people, and pointing out
be understood as in our present version, their duties in respect to their sacred.
the day wherein his trespass-offering  oblations, now enters upon these which
was presented. The requisite restitu- had particular reference to the ipriests,
tion was not to be delayed.            who were charged with the oversight
of all the sacrifices and services of
The Law of the Burnt-offering.    their religion. —-IT Because of the burn9. This is the law of the burnt offer- ing; or as it may be rendered,' It is that
ing.  That is, this is the daily burnt- which ascendeth by burning.' It seemns
offering orperpetualsacrifice,consisting  to be designed to give a reason of the
of two lambs offered upon the altar of name, which is in Heb. h}1Y  olah, asburnt-offering, one in the morning and  cension, from  its all being burnt and
the other in the evening. That of the ascending in smoke and flame.  The
morning was offered about sunrise, after words at the same time explain what
the incense was burnt upon the golden  burnt-offering he means, viz. the daily
altar, and before any other sacrifice. sacrifice, which was the principal of
That of the evening was offered in the this kind of offerings, and regulated all
decline of day, before the night began. the rest.-  ~ The fire of the altar shall
They were both wholly consumed on be burning in (on) it.  Heb. ~ll'lt
the altar, after the same manner as the tukad, shall be made to bur-n; as the




B. C. 1490.]                 CHIAPTER  VI.                               61
and  the fire of the altar shall be  and carry forth the ashes without
burning in it.                        the camp n unto a clean plaice.
1Q I And the priest shall put on   12 And *the fire upon the altar
his linen garment, and his linen  shall be burning in it; it shall not
breeches shall he put upon  his  be put out: and  the priest shall
flesh, and take up the ashes which  burn wood  on it every morning,
the fire hath consumed with  the  and lay the burnt-offering in order
burnt-offering on the altar, and he  upon it; and he shall burn thereon
shall put them  I beside the altar.   othe fat of the peace-offerings.
11 And m he shall put off his gar-'  13 The fire shall ever be burning
ments, and put on other garments, upon the altar; it shall never go
out.
k ch. 16. 4. Elxo(L 28. 39, 40, 41, 4:3.
lEzek. 44. 17, 18. 1 ch. 1. 16. ll Ezek. 44. 19.  n ch. 4. 12. o ch. 3. 3, 9, 14.
result of special care; shall be continu- ---- Without the camp unto a clean
ally nourished.                        place. - This indicated that some de.
10. Shall put on his linen garment. gree of holiness attached to the ashes
Iteb. T:''Mh  middo bad, Gr. Xtrova  as the relics of a sacrifice which had
Alvovv, his linen coat.  The original its accomplishment in the sufferings
word ~'1-  middo is a derivative from  and death of Christ..'12 nuidad, to measure, and implies a    12. The fire upon the altar shall be
garment commensurate to the body, and  burning.  Heb.  nay. tukad, shall be
therefore one of considerable size.'lt kindled or made to' burn.  Although
is the coat,' says Sol. Jarchi,'and the  the fire that consumed the sacrifices
scripture calleth it Middo, because it originally came down from heaven, yet
was like his measure (Middatho) that it was to be kept perpetually burning
wore it.' The Heb. word for' linen' by a supply of fuel. This fuel was to
('l  bad) signifies a finer kind of linen  be exclusively of wood, a store of which
than that made of the common flax, for was provided at the expense of the
vwhich another term  is employed, and  whole congregation; and as every thing
therefore the Chal. here renders it by  pertaining to the service of God was to
galrnents of Bysse,' of which see Note  be of the best, so the wood according to
on Ex. 25. 4.-IT Shall put on other the Hebrews, was to be of the choicest
garments. That is, either their corn- quality; that which was worm-eaten
monl garments, or, as some of the Jew- being instantly rejected, as' also that
ish commentators understand, other which was obtained from the timber of
holy garments. The garments which  old demolished buildings, none being
the priests wore in the sanctuary they  admitted but that which was perfectly
were not allowed to wear elsewhere, sound. In imitation of this perpetual
lEzelc 44. 17, 19,' And it shall come to  fire, the ancient Persian Magi, and their
pass that when they shall enter in at descendants the Parsees, kept also a
the gates of the inner court, they shall fire constantly burning; the latter con.
be clothed with linen garments. And  tinue it to the present day. Traces of
when they go forth into the outer court, the same custom are to be found among
even into the outer court of the people, almost all heathen nations. Indeed it
they shall put off their garments where- can scarcely be doubted that the Greek
in they ministered, and lay them in the I Estia'and the Roman' Vesta,' goddess
holy chambers, and they shall put on of fire, owed their origin to a Hebrew
other garments; and they shall not source, in which language EmR esh,
sanctify the people with their garments.  Chal. esha, signifies fire.
6




62                              LEVITI CLUS,                       l3. C. 1490.
14 ~ PAnd this is the law  of the 1 17 tit shall not be balken  with
meat-offering.  The sons of Aaron  leaven.   u I have  given  it unto
shall offer it before the LORD, be-  them for their portion of my offerfore tile altar.                         ings made  by fire.   XIt is most
15 And he shall take  of it his  holy, as is the sin-offering, and as
handful, of the flour of the meat-  the trespass-offering.
offering, and  of the  oil thereof,   18 YAll the  males  among  the
and all the frankincense which is  children of Aaron shall eat of it.
upon the  meat-offering, and shall z It shall be a statute for ever in
burn it upon the altar for a sweet.your generations  concerning  the
savour, even the q memorial of it, offerings of the LORD made by fire:
unto the LoRn.                           a every  one  that toucheth  them
16 And  r the remainder thereof  shall be holy.
shall Aaron  and  his  sons  eat;   19 ~[ And the LORD  spake  unto
s %with unleavened bread shall it be  Moses, saying,
eaten  in the holy  place; in  the   20 b This is the offering of Aaron
court of the tabernacle of the con- and of hlis sons, which  they shall
gregation they shall eat it.
t ch. 2. 11. u Numb. 15, 9 19. x ver, 25
P ch. 2. 3. Numb. 15. 4. q h. 2 2, 9. ch. 2. 3. and 7. 1. Exod. 29. 37. Y ver. 29.
r h2. 3.  Et:ek. 44. 29. a ver. 26. ch. 10. Numb. 18. 10. z ct. 3. 17. a ch. 22. 3, 4, 5
12, 13. Numb. 15. 10.                    6, 7. Exod. 29. 37.   b Exod. 29. 2.
16. frith  u'nleavened bread shall it
The Lawt: of the 3Aeat-offering.    be eaten.  The insertion of the word
14. This is the law of the meat-offer-' with' in this place, which does not
ing.  IHeb. mThFl   minl'hah, of which  occur in the original, obscures the true
see Note on Lev. 2. 1-3.'lThis precept sense.  The meaning is, not that the
respects not the meat-offering which  remainder of the reat-ofifering was to'was to accompany the daily burnt-oI; be eaten by the priests with the addi.
fering, but that which wvas offered alone  tion of unleavened cakes, but that the
as a fi'eewillvofferillg, and in place of a  mneal itself was to be made into unlea.
voluntary burnt-offering of greatcr va- vened cakes, and thus eaten.-~  It
lue, as described Lev. 2. 1-3.  T'he sumn  the holy place. This phrase denotes in
of the directions here given is, that no  this connexion, contrary to its ordinary
leaven should ever be trixed wilh such  import. the.court of the  tabernacle
bread or cakes; that after a small part where all the holy things were boiled,
of it had been burnt upon the altar as  baked, dressed and eaten by the Levit.
God's portion, the priests in waiting  ical order, who ninistered at thle altar.
were to have the remainder, and that   18. Every  one that toucheth  them.
this was to be eaten in the court of thle  Or HIeb. -th'tUL'  }  kol asher yiggra
tabernacle and nowhere else-in  all all that toucheth; implying  things as
which particulars the precept corres- well as persons.  The tneaning is, that
ponds to that given relative to tlhe parts no unclean person or common vessel
of the sin and trespass-offerings that of ministry might touch them.  Gr.
accrued to the priests. —-~r The sons  vrag btr ea   hr-atrxt avrwv   ytaearresrat,
of Aaron shall offer it.  That is, in  whosoever toucheth them shall be sancrotation, one at a time. The phrase  tified.' The meaning is,' says Chlizsons of Aaron' may here be taken in ikuni,' that he shall purify himself' beits literal selse, but in aftertimne this  fore he touch themn; and that any vessel
expression meattt  the  successors of  or implement to be used about them
Aaron. in the holy office, Comp. v.'20.   shall first be sanctified.'  J-uiius, how.




B. C. 1490i]                   CHAPTER  VI.                                  63
ofTer unto  the LoaD  in the day  d that is anointed in his stead shall
when he is anointed; the  tenth  offer it: It is a statute  for ever
part of an c ephah of fine flour for unto the LORD; e it shall be wholly
a neat-offering perpetual, half of  burnt.
it in the morning, and half thereof   23  For every  meat-offering  for
at ni tit.                              the priest shall be wholly burnt:
21 In a pan it shall be made with  it shall not be eaten.
oil; and wvhen it is baken, thou   24 ~[ And  the LORD  spake unto
shalt bring it in; and the baken  lMoses, saying,
pieces of the meat-offering shalt   25 Speak  unto Aaron and to his
thou offerfor a sweet savour unto  sons, saying, fThis is the law  of
the LORmD.                               the  sin-offering:  g In  the  place
22 And  the  priest of  his sons
d ch. 4. 3. e Exod. 29. 25. f ch. 4. 2.
c Exod. 1. 36.              g ch. 1. 3, 5, 11, and 4. 24, 29, 33.
ever, contends that the' touching) that this is' the offering of Aaron and
refers wholly to persons, and not to  his sons, and that they should offer it,'
things, because it comes in as a reason  &c. It is not that he and they should
for the eating of them being confined to  offer it together, but Aaron now, and
Aaron's sons; while Hlesychius ascribes  his sons successively in after timnes, as
the sanctification to the touch. Comp. they were inducted  in turn into the
v. 27.                                   priestly dignity.
23. It shall not be eaten. In this res.
The Offering at the Consecration of a pect it differed from  the other real.
Priest.                  offering. The Priest's offering must be
20. In the day when he is anointed. all burnt because, although he figura.
From the obvious import of the pre- tively bore the sins of the people, yet
cept,, we should naturally understand  there was no one to bear his sins, nor
that this offering, called by the Jews could' he bear them  himself.  There' the mneal-offering  of initiation or con- was, moreover, a general rule (v. 30),
secration, was to be presented only on  against the eating of any sacrifice, the
the day in which any one of the higbh  blood of which was brought within the
priests? line was inducted into office; tabernacle; and such were the offerings
but it is maintained by several of the  of the Priest and the Congregation.
Hebrew commentators that the high  See Note on v. 30.
priest was bound to offer it daily, beginning from the day in which he was          The Law of the Sin-offering.
anointed, annd continuing it through the    25. This is the law of the sin-offer.
whole period of his office; so that, ing.  The directions here given are
according to them,' in the day' is mainly a repetition of those contained
equivalent to'from the day.' Josephus  Lev. 4. 24-31, but with these tladditional
also says, I The high priest sacrificed  circumstances, viz. that none but contwice every day at his own charges, and  secrated persons or things should touch
that this was his sacrifice.' It is, how- any part of it after it was once devoted
ever, doubtful whether such a construce  to God, but especially the blood that was
tion can fairly be put upon the passage. spilled for the atonement of the offerer.
It may be called' a meal-offering per. And with a view to preserve the strict,
petual,' firom its being always statedly  est regard to holy things, if any of its
offered at the High Priests' initiation  blood at the time of the slaughter should
into office. From this we may under- chance to dash upon the robes even of
stand what is intended by its being said  the priest in waiting, it was to be wash.




64                            LEVITICUS.                        [B. 0. 1490.
where the burnt-offering is killed  flesh  thereof shall be holy: and
shall the sin-offering be killed be- when  there  is sprinkled  of the
fore the LORD: h it is most holy.   blood thereof upon any garment,
26 i The. priest that offereth  it thou shalt wash that whereon it
for sin shall eat it: k in the holy  was sprinkled in the holy place.
place shall it be eaten, in the court  28 But the earthen vessel wherein
of the tabernacle of the congrega- it is sodden m shall be broken: and
tion.                                  if it be sodden in a brazen pot, it
27 1vWhatsoever shall touch the  shall be both scoured, and rinsed
in water.
h ver. 17. ch. 21. 22. i ch. 10. 17, 18.
Numb. 18. 9, 10. Ezek. 44. 2S, 29. k ver. 16.
I Exod. 29. 37, and 30. 29.                     m ch. 11. 33, and 15. 12.
ed out; but particularly if it fell upon original word comes from the same root
the clothes of the offerer, it was to be  as nxtI'hataeh, sin or sin-offering.
most carefully cleansed.  If it were  In the Piel form, which here occurs, it
sprinkled upon any earthen vessel into  iS defined by Gesenius, to offer as a sin
which it would sink deep, and not be offering, to make atonement, to expiate,
easily rubbed out, such vessel was to be to cleanse persons or things by a sacred
broken and laid by; and if upon a ves. rite.
sel of brass, which from  its hardness   27. Whatsoever shall touch the blood
would be less apt to imbibe the liquid, thereof, 4-c. That is, the blood of the
it was to be well scoured and rinsed,. sin-offering, whether it were that which
All this went to shadow forth the con- was to be eaten, or that which was to
tagion of sin, and the constant care re. be burnt-a rite peculiar to the sin.
quisite to cleanse ourselves by repent- offering above all the other most holy
ance and faith from its polluting stains. things. As this sacrifice has especial
Of this truth the ancient Hebrew doc- respect to Christ, who was made sin for
tors seem  to have had a clear percep. us, so thlis direction may perhaps point
tion, as R. Menahem  says, in speaking  to the reverential and holy use that is
of this washing of garments, that the to be made of the mystery of our re.
reason of it was,' that it was necessary  demption, of which those that are made
to do away uncleanness by the waters partakers ought to be washed, cleansed,
that are on high.'-.IT In the place  and sanctified; to possess the vessels
where the burnt-offering is killed shall of their bodies in holiness and honor 
the sin-offering be killed.  That was and not to yield their members as in.
on the north side of the altar, Lev. 1. 11. struments of unrighteousness unto in.
Thereby was figured,' says Ainsworth, iquity.'that Christ, our Sin-offering, should be   28. The earthen vessel wherein it was
crucified on Mount Cavalry, which was sodden shall be broken.' This is a very
on the north-west side of Jerusalem; as remarkable instruction. We all know
by the Jews' tradition the  morning  that earthen vessels are broken, and
sacrifice was killed at the north-west others thoroughly scoured, when sup
horn of the altar.'                    posed to be defiled, among the Moharn
26. The priest that offereth it for  niedans and Hindoos, as they were also
sin. Heb. IhM  tii hiMN'  hakkohEn  among the Jews. But the present in.
ham!hatte otho, the priest that expiateth-  stance is of a different character. The
sin-by-it.  Chal.'That maketh atone. earthen vessel was to be broken, and
ment by the  blood  thereof'.  Gr. the copper one scoured and rinsed, not
avawcpwv, that offereth. The phraseolo. because they were defiled, but because
gy is remarkable from the fact that the  the flesh of the sin-offering having been




B. (. 1490.]                CHAPTER  VI.                               65
29 nAll the  males among  the  any of the blood is broughtinto the
priests shall eat thereof: oit is  tabernacle of the congregation to
most holy.                            reconcile withal in the holy place,
30 p And no sin-offering, whereof shall be eaten: it shall be burnt in
I ver. 15. Numb. IS. 10. o ver. 25. a ch. the fire.
4. 7, 11, 12, 19, 21, and 10. 18. and 16. 27.
Heb. 13. 11.
cooked in them, they had thus become blood of the sin-offerings for the high
too sacred for common use. We shall priest and the congregation was brought
elsewhere have occasion to remark on into the tabernacle, and consequently
instances in which earthen utensils they were not to be eaten, but to be
were broken, and others scoured in con- burnt, as we learn was the fact, Lev. 4.
sequence of defilement. At present we  12, 21. As it appears from Lev. 10. 17.
only direct attention to the fact, that at that the eating of the offerings of the
this time the culinary vessels of the people was in a sense typical of the
Hebrews seem to have been exclusively  bearing and expiating their sins, this
of earthenware or copper. Iron, though precept tended to show the intrinsic
known to them, was at this time very inability of the Levitical priesthood to
little in use for any purpose, and even procure a complete reconciliation of
when they became better acquainted  men to God. This will be more evident
with that valuable metal it is doubtful from viewing the passage in its evan
if their culinary or other vessels were gelical connexions. The apostle, Heb
ever made of it. At least, no pot, pan, 13. 10-13, says,'We have an altar,
or other vessel is said in all the Scrip- whereof they have no right to eat which
ture to be of iron. What is translated  serve the tabernacle. For the bodies
4 iron pan,' in Ezek. 4. 3, is properly an of those beasts, whose blood is brought' iron plate,' as the context alone suffi. into the sanctuary by the high priest
ciently indicates. In point of fact, the for sin, are burned without the camp.
culinary and other domestic vessels Wherefore Jesus also; that he might
throughout the East remain to this day, sanctify the people with his own blood,
as we find them thus early in the Mo- suffered without the gate. Let us go
saic history, either of copper, earthen- forth therefore unto him without the
ware, or wood (ch. 11. 38; 14. 12), camp, bearing his reproach.' Now it
although no doubt the quality and man. is to be recollected, that under the law
ufacture have much improved.  The  the blood of such sacrifices as were
writer, in the course of journeys and  eaten by the priests came not into the
residence in different parts of Western  sanctuary; which argued the unworthi.
Asia, does not think that he ever met ness and incompetency of those sacriwith an instance of a cooking vessel of fices to answer the end of a perfect
any other metal than copper: and dishes atonement. But Christ, with his blood
and bowls of the same metal tinned are shed for our sins, entered into the holy
those which most usually make their place, not that which was made with
appearance on the tables of kings and  hands, but into heaven itself, and there.
great men. When luxury desires some- by obtained eternal redemption for us,
thing more rich and costly for the table  Heb. 9. 11, 12, 24. This great sacrifice
than copper, it finds indulgence, not in  therefore does away the availableness
silver and gold, but in china and fine of the Levitical offerings.  As the
earthenware.'-Pict. Bib.              priests of the law were forbidden to eat
30. And no sin-offering whereof,.c. of the propitiatory  sacrifices  whose
We see from  Lev. 4. 5, 16, that the  blood was carried within the vail, but
6*




66                               LEVITICUS.                         [B. C. 1490.
were commanded to burn them entirely  ful, in order to forgiveness, cannot atone
without the camp, what right can they  for sin.
have, while they adhere to ihe legal    (12.) As the priest was to renew the
institution, to partake of Christ's sacri- file upon the altar every morning, and
fice?  If they continue to adhere to the  to guard with the utmost care against
legal services of the tabernacle, they  its going out, so our first work with the
virtually renounce the benefit of the  return of the morning liglht, should be
sacrifice of Christ.  Indeed, the apostle  that the fire of holy love be kindled
would  intimate, that the  Levitical  afresh in our hearts, and through the
priesthood is necessarily abolished, for day our study should be to keep it contilere  is now  nothing on which the  stantly burning.
priests can live, if not upon that altar    (22.)' And the priest shall offer it.'
on which they are to feed by fiaith. The benefits of' Christ's atonement, in
This he proves thus: The bodies of  order to be available, must be personally
those beasts whose blood was brought:a3pprehended.   However intrinsically
into tile sanctuary by the high priest, sufficient for the salvation of all men,
were burnt without the camp.  Conse- none will be the better for it whlo do
quently there was nothing left of them   not for themselves make use of it. The
for their sustenance.  But these sa.cri-  offending priest, or ruler, or cornmoni
fices were a most significant type oflthe  person, must himself bring his sin-offer.
sacrifice of the body and blood of Christ, ilg, must lay his own hands upon its
who has become the substance of the  head, must thus show how  nearly he
legal shadows.  What then shall the  felt himself'to be concerned in the cerepriests eat?  Upon what shall they  Inony; and every sinner now niust inlive, if not by faith upon the great pro- dividually bring this sacrifice of Christ,
pitiation?  What other altar but the  in faith, as the atonement for his owv!
Christian altar remains?   And  what sin.  IBe must not rest in the mere
right can they have to this, if they ad. generality that w' e are all sinners,
here to the Jewisli?                    and' Christ died for all.' He niust feel
and apply all this to himself: lHe must
"REMARKaS —(2.) No sentiment should  in eftect say,' Lord, I ani indeed a sinbe more deeply  engraven  upon  our ner; a great and grievous siinner against
hearts  than that a  sin  against our thee; but here is nmy sin-ofifering; here
neiglibor is a trespass against God. So  is the sacrifice of' tlhine own blessed
David says,'Against thee, thee only  Son; here is the atonement of thine ap.
have I sinned: and done this evil in thy  pointmlent; this I brinlg to thee with my
sight,' thlough his offence was primarily  soul's approval, and nlly heart's desire
comnmitted against Uriah.                 that it may be accepted by thee and
(3.) 1 Or have found that which was  put away all my sin.2
lost.'  The judgment of every honest
Izliild is, that lie who finds any lost pro.         CHAPTER  V1I.
perC1ty, and makes not all due iniquiry to
ascerraill tlle owller,should ill eyuity AdditionaZlRules and.Distinctions rela.
ascertain the owner, should in equity
be treated as a thief.                        tive to the Trespass-ofelrigs.
(5, 6.)' Shall  bring  his trespass-    I. This is the law ofthe trespass-offer.
offiering unto the Lord, a ram  without ing.  In the Heb. simply  =1tt;, t3rn1
blemish.'  By this precept we are again  torath hdisheam, tihe law of the trespass
taughlt that disobedience to God is the  Gr. i vPoyo  reov cpso roV rtept rXvpeXcta;
great evil even of those crimes which  the law of the ram for t-respass.  It is aare injurious to man, and that repent-  law for the direction of the priests in
u.nce, and even restitution, though teed- I the discharge of their office relative to




B. C. 1490.]                    CHAPTER  VII.                                 67
CHAPTER  VII.                  above the liver, with the kidneys,
IKEWISE a this is the law  of it shall he take away:
the  trespass-offering: b it is   5 And the priest shall burn them
most holy.                               upon the altar Jbr an offering made
2 cn I  tle place where they kill by fire unto the LORD: it is a tresthe  burnt-offering shall they kill pass-offering.
the trespass-offering: and the blood   6 e Every male among the priests
thereof shall he  sprinkle  round  shall eat thereof: it shall be eaten
about upon the altar.                   in the holy place: fit is most holy.
3 And he shall offer of it a all the   7 As the sin-offering is, so is g the
fat thereof; the rump, and the fat trespass-offering: there is one law
that covereth the inwards,              for them: the priest that maketh
4 And the two  kidneys, and the  atonement therewith shall have it.
fat that is on them, which is by   8 And  the  priest  that offereth
the flanks, and  the caul that is any man's burnt-offering, even the
priest shall have to  himself the
a h. 5. and 6. 1-7. b ch. 6. 17, 2.5, and  sin of the burnt-ofering which he
21. 22. C ch. 1. 3,.5. 11, and 4 24, 29, 33. hath offered.
d ch. 3. 4, 9, 10, 14, 1.5, 16, and 4. 8. 9. Exod.   e ch. G. 16, 17,. Numb. 18. 9. 10. f ch.
29. 13.                                 2. 3. g ch. 6. 2-5, 26, and 14. 13.
the Trespass-offering.   IT It is most eat thereof. All the fat being offered to
holy. Heb. M:i Eta:jlDl l 1Z   kodesh  God, the flesh became the portion of the
kodoshirm hoo, it is holiness of holinesses. priest, who, with his male children, was
The design is to convey a general sig. to eat it, but only within the precincts
nificant intimation in regard to the na- of the sanctuary.
ture of these offerings. They, as well   7. There is one law for them.  The
as the Sin-offerings,  were to be ranked  import is, that what has been omitted
in their estimation among the'most in the explanation of the Sin-offering
holy things,' and practically  treated  must be learned firom that of the Tres.
accordiigly.  Comp. v. 6.              pass-offering, and vice versa. — T Shall
2. The blood thereof shall he sprinkle  have it.  That is, by syrnecdoche, that
round about upon the altar. The rites  part of it which was by the divine conill regard to the Sin and the Trespass-  stitution allowed to the priest.
offering wvere for the nlost part the    8. The priest shall have to himself
sarme, but there was this difference as to  the sklin. All the flesh of the burnt.
the disposal of the blood, viz. that the  offeriigs being consumed as well as the
blood of the Trespass-offering here men- fat, there could nothing fall to the share
tioned was to be sprinkled round the  of the priest but the skin; which must
altar, whereas that of the Sin-offering  have been very valuable, as they were
was to be put upon the horns of the  tused as mattresses, and probably as car.
altar. Ch. 4. 25, 34. This moreover pets to sit upon in the day, as they are
was to be a male, the other nrght be a  still used by some of the inhabitants
female sacrifice. This was always for aind the dervishes of the East.  See
a single person, but a Sin-offering might Harmer's observations, vol. 1. p. 236.
be for the whole congregation.  Lcv. Bp. Patrick remarks upoll this passage,
4. 13.,                                 that' It is probable that Adam himself
4. The fat that is on them. That is, offered the first sacrifice, and had the
chiefly the fat that was found in a de- skin given him by God, to make gar.
tached state, not mixed with the muscles. ments for him and his wife; in conform.
6. Every male among the priests shall ity to which the priests ever after had




88                            LEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1490.
9 And hall the meat-offering that sacrifice of peace-offerings, which
is baken in the oven, and all that he shall offer unto the LORD.
is dressed in the frying-pan, and in   12 If he offer it for a thanksgivthe pan, shall be the priest's that ing, then he shall offer with the
offereth it.                           sacrifice of thanksgiving unleaven10 And every meat-offering min-  ened cakes mingled with oil, and
gled with oil, and dry, shall all the  unleavened wafers kanointed with
sons of' Aaron have, one as much  oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of
as another.                            fine flour, dried.
11'And ithis is the law  of the   13 Besides the  cakes, he shall
h ch. 2. 3. 10. Numb. 1S. 9. Ezek. 44.29. offer for his offering,    leavened
i ch. 3. 1, and 22. 18. 21.               k ch. 2.4. Numb. 6. 15. 1 Amos 4. 5.
the skin of the whole burnt-offering for enumeration of the different offerings in
their portion: which was a custom  v. 37, the peace-offering is fitly-menamong the Gentiles as well as the Jews, tioned last. —'f Which he shall offer.
who gave the skins of their sacrifices to  The word' he' here has no express
the priests when they were not burnt antecedent.  It should be rendered acwith the sacrifices.'                  cording to the frequent idiom  of the
9, 10. And all the meat-offerings. Hebrew,' which one shall offer,' or
That is, all the baked or fried meat- c which shall be offered.' See Note on
offerings, with the exception of that Lev. 1. 5.
part called the L miemorial,' ch. 2. 4-10
and which was to be burnt upon the    1. The Eucharistic Peace-offering.
altar, was to go to the particular priest   12, 13. If he offer it for a thanksthat offered it; but in the case of the  giving. Heb. n'i7L }. al todah, for a
raw  flour-ofierings of that kind, the  confession. Gr. rspt atvaseow, for praise.
remainder was to be equally shared by  That is, in token of gratitude for special
all the priests in attendance.         mercies and favors received, such as
recovery from sickness, preservation in
Additional Rules respecting the Peace- a journey, deliverance at sea. redemp.
offgerings.              tion from  captivity, all of which are
11. And this is the lau, &c. Direc-  specified in Psalm  107, and foir them
tions had previously been given, ch. 3. men are called upon to offer the sacrito the people, regulating this kind of fice of thanksgiving. In allusion to this
offerings when presented by them; but kind of offering the apostle says, Heb.
in this connexion more specific orders  13. 15,  By him, therefore, let us offler
are given to the priests on the same  the sacrifice of praise to God continu.
subject. The reason of this was, that ally.'  In regard to oblations of this
as there were several sorts of peace- kind, the precept is, that along with
offerings, so there were various rites to  the bullock, goat, or sheep, the offerer
be observed in regard to themn-rites  should present pancakes mixed with
which are here called (the law of the  pure oil, hut unleavened, inasmuch as
peace-offerings.' In the order in which  part of them  was to be offered up to
the different offerings are spoken of in  God with the fat upon the altar, where
clh. 3. the peace-offering occurs the  leaven was entirely prohibited. Still
third; but il that chapter the law of leaven was not excluded from another
peace-offerings is no further stated than  part of the offering, viz. that of the
as it accords with the burnt-offering, bread of the priests, which was not
and the fuller statement is reserved for burnt upon the altar. The occasion of
the passage before us. Hence, in the. the offering, it is to be recolle-ted, was




B3. 0. 1490.]                CHAPTER  VII.                                69
bread, with the sacrifice of thanks-   15 n And the flesh of the sacrifice
giving of his peace-offerings.         of his- peace-offerings for thanks14 And of it lhe shall offer one  giving shall be eaten thesame day
out of the whole oblation for an  that it is offered; he shall not
heave-offering  unto  the  LORD, leave any of it until the morning.
m and it shall be the priest's that   16 But oif the sacrifice  of his
sprinkleth the blood of the peace- offering be a vow, or a voluntary
offerings.
m Numb. 18. 8, 11, 19               ch. 22. 30.      ch. 19. 6, 7, 8.
one of gratitude, praise, and: rejoicing; selves as masters of the feast, for they
and on such an occasion God would  are but ministers of the feast, not maskindly allow  a more palatable species ters or entertainers; that belongs to
of food for his servants, and accept at God himself, whose bounty ought not to
his own table the same bread which  be concealed by preferring sordid par.
they were wont to use at theirs.       simony  before  generous  humanity.'
14. Of it he shall offer one. Heb. His meaning obviously is, that all the
1Z  mimmenu, of it; i. e. of the sacrifice was God'sj who graciously
bread, one of the leavened cakes or granted to him who offered it a part of
loaves before-mentioned, which was to  it with which to entertain his friends
be presented to God as a heave.offering. and the poor, whom he would have to
When this was done, all that remained  be invited forthwith) that no part of it
was the portion  of the priest who  might be perverted to any other than
sprinkled the blood of the peace-offer- the designed use. Add to this, that in
ings on the altar. —--  For an heave- a country like Palestine, it was apt to
fferinzg. Ileb. inh    terumah, from  putrify; and as it was considered to
tlhe root ~t' rRamto lift up; so called  be holy, it would be very improper to
from its being heaved or lifted up on expose that to putrefaction which had
high, in token that it was thereby  been consecrated to:the Divine Being.
directed to the God of heaven, and
tdevoutly proffered to his acceptance. 2. The Votive, or Voluntary Peace.
Gr. and Chal.'A  separation, or sepa.                offering.
rated thinlg.'  For a full account of    16. f the'sacrifice of his offeringbe
this: kind of offering  see Note on. Ex:. a vow. This was the second kind of
29. 24, 28.                            peace.offerings contemplated: in this:
15. Shall be eaten the sameday that itipart of the law. They were such as:
is'offered.  The reason of this injunc- were either simply and unconditionally
tion, which was observed in most of the, devoted without special respect to any
sacred feasts, especially the passover, past or future' favor; or such as were
may be: learned from: the following ap. vowed upon, a condition, as when Jacob
propriate extract from Philo:-' It was pledged himself, Gen. 28. 20-22, saying,
not fit that those holy things should be' If God will be with me, and will keep
put into their cupboards, but immedi- me in this way that I go, and will give
ately set before those: who; were in  me bread to eat and raiment to put on,
need; for they were no longer his who  so that It come again to my father's
offered them, but his to whom  they  house in peace: then shall the Lord be
were offered; who being himself most my God, and this, stone which I have
liberal and bountiful, would have guests set for a pillar shall be God's house;
invited to his table to partake with those and of all that thou shalt give me I will
who offered the sacrifice. And these  surely give the tenth unto thee.' The
lihe would not have to look upon them. principal point in which they differed




70                             LEVITICUS.                       lB. C. 1490.
offering, it shall be eaten the same   18 And if any of the flesh of the
day that he offereth his sacrifice: sacrifice of his peace-offerings be
and on the morrow  also  the re- eaten at all on the third day, it
mainder of it shall be eaten:          shall not be accepted, neither shall
17 But the remainder of the flesh  it be P imputed unto him that offerof the sacrifice on the third day  eth it: it shall be an qabominashall be burnt with fire.                P Numb. 18. 27. q ch. 11. 10, 11, 41, and
19. 7.
Iruom the preceding consisted in this, which precluded the meat from being
Ihat the offerer and his friends.were kept beyond the second day.'-Pict. Bib.
required immediately to begin to feast  - — T  A voluntary offering, or Heb.
upon the sacrifice, that they might, if i'~l   nedabah, a free-uill offering;
possible, eat the whole of it on that i. e. an offering not required by any law,
(lay; but if this were not easily practi. but which a person might be prompted
cable, then they might defer the re- spontaneously to present as the expres.
mainder till the second day. But the sion of a grateful heart.
indulgence was never to be extended    18. Neither shall it be imputed to him
beyond that time.  Should any of it that offereth it. Heb. =Vl'1 ypi'hdsh'b,
remain till the third day it was to be  Gr. ov XoytsOrlrerat avr%,) it shall not be
burnt; and should the offerer presume  placed to his account. He shall not be
to eat the least part of it then, it would accounted as having made any offering
not only disannul the effect of his sacri. at all. The sense of the term  may be
fice, but render him unclean and guilty  more fully learned by its use in a pasto a high degree. Something analogous sage of opposite import, Num. 18.27, 30,
to this obtained in the heathen worship.' And this your heave-offering shall be
Bochart shows from Macrobius, that reckoned (U3N  nehshab) unto you, as
the Romanshad a sacrifice called' Pro. though it were the corn of the threshtervia,' in which it was the custom, if ing-floor, and as the fulness of the wineany thing of the feast remained, to have press. Therefore thou shalt say unto
it consumed in the fire.  (Hierozoic  them, When ye have heaved the best
Sac.:p. 1, c. 50.)-' As the people of the thereof from it, then it shall be counted
East generally eat their meat the same  (=Mln  nehshab) unto tile Levites as the
day on which it is killed, and almost increase of the threshing-floor, and as
never later than the second day, we are  the increase  of the wine-press.'- -
inclined to concur in the view of Harmer 1r It shall be an abomination.  Heb.
(; Observations,' vol. i. p. 457) who  1'nD piggul, a polluted, foul, fetid
thinks that this regulation was intended  thing. The word is peculiar, and of
to preclude any attempt to preserve the rare occurrence. It is met with only
meat, by potting or otherwise, so that it here and Lev. 19. 7, Is. 65. 4, and Ezek
might be taken to different parts of the 4. 14; in all which cases the leading
country, and used superstitiously, per- idea is plainly that of something exhaps, as peculiarly holy food, or applied  ceedingly loathsome and offensive, par.
in some way inconsistent with the in- ticularly to the smell. Probably our
tention of the law. That intention was, English word carrion comes the nearest
that what became the offerer's share of to a true definition. The Gr. here has
the sacrifice he had presented, he should lxavca miasma, though it elsewhere reneat cheerfully before the Lord with his ders it by unsacrificeable and profane.
friends, and that the poor and destitute  In the version of Aquila, one of the
should partake in the benefit.  This exactest of translators, the original in
object was ensured by the regulation  Lev. 19. 7, is rendered aoro[a3rov, Mfiat




B. C. 1490 ]                  CHAPTER  VII.                              71
tion, and the soul that eateth of it  23 Speak  unto the children  of
shall bear his iniquity.              Israel, saying, y Ye shall eat no
].9 And the flesh that touchbeth  manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep,
any unclean tihing shall not be eat- or of goat.
en; it shall be burnt with fire:  24 And the fat of the zbeast that
and  as for the flesh, all that be dieth of itself, and the fat of that
clean shall eat thereof.              which is torn with beasts, may be
20 But the soul that eateth of the  used in any other use: but ye shall
tlesh of the sacrifice of peace-offer- in no wise eat of it.
Itgs that pertain unto the LORnD,  25 For whosoever eateth the fat
laving his uncleanness upon him, of the beast, of which men offer
even that soul sshall be cut off  an offering made by fire unto the
fromr his people.                     LORD, even the soul that eateth it
21 Moreover, the soul that shall shall be cut off from  his people.
touch any unclean thing, as tthe   26 a Moreover, ye shall eat no
uncleanness of man, or any u un- manner of blood, whether it be of
clean beast, or any wabominable  fowl or of beast, in any of your
unclean thing, and eat of the flesh  dwellings.
of the sacrifice of peace-offerings   27 Whatsoever soul it be  that
which pertain unto the LORD, even  eateth any manner of blood, even
that soul x shall be cut off from his that soul shall be cut offfirom  his
people.                               people.
22 ~[ And the LoanRD spake unto   28 ~ And the Lord spake unto
Moses, saying,                        Moses; saying,
rch. 16. 3.' Gen. 17. 1. tch. 12. and 13.   Y ch. 3. 17. z ch. 17. 15. Deut. 14. 21]
and 15. u ch. 11. 24, 28. - Ezek. 4. 14. Ezek. 4. 14, and 44. 31. a Gen. 9. 4. ch. 3.
x ver 20.                           17, and 17. 10-14.
which is to be rejected, and accordantly' The holy flesh;' so called from its
with this the apostle, 1 Tim. 4. 14, being consecrated to holy purposes.
speaking of certain meats which were This polluting contact might happen
not to be rejected, makes use of precise- while the flesh of the peace.offerings
ly the same termn.-:T  Shall bear his was being carried from the altar to the
iniquity. That is, the punishment of place where it was eaten. —— f As for
his iniquity. This law is repeated, and the flesh.  That is, all the flesh that
the sanction enforced, with fearful em. was not defiled by touching any uncleani
phasis, in Lev. 19. 5-8:'And if ye thing.
offer a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto   20. Even that soul shall be cut off
the Lord, ye shall offer it at your own  from  his people.. See this phrase ex.
will. It shall be eaten the same day  plained in the Note on Gen. 17. 14.
ye offer it, and on the morrow: and if Chal.' That man shall be destroyed.'
a.lght remain until the third day, it Gr. aroXetrat, shall perish.
shall be burnt in the fire. And if it be
eaten at all on the third day, it is abomi.: Prohibition of Fat and Blood.
nable; it shall not be accepted. There. 23-27. No manner of fat, of ox, or
fbre every one that eateth it shall bear of sheep, 1c. This explains and limits
his iniquity, because he hath profaned  the precept contained Lev. 3. 17, rethe hallowed thing of the Lord; and  stricting it to the fat of the three kinds
that soul shall be cut off from among  of animals offered in sacrifice.  We
his people.'                          may perhaps recognize some physical
19. Alnd theflesh that toucheth. Chal. as well as moral reasons for this pro.




72                            LEVTIcrut,   N.[...1490.
29 Speak  unto  the children  of 1 32 And g the right shoulder shall
Israel, saying, biHe that offereth  ye giveunto the priestfor a heavethe sacrifice of his peace-offerings offering  of the sacrifices of your
unto the LORD, shall bring his ob- peace-offerings.
atlon unto the LOPD of the sacri-  33 He among the sons of Aaron
flce of his peace-offerings.           that  offereth  the  blood  of the
S0 c His own hands shall bring  peace-offerings, and the fat, shall
the offerings of the LORD made by  have the right shoulder for his part.
ktre;  the fat with  the  breast, it  34 For hthe wave-breast and the
-haill he bring, that d the  breast heave-shoulder have I taken of the
n-ay be waved for a wave-offering  children of Israel from off the sacbleffre the Lora....                   rifices of their peace-offerings, and
31 e And the priest shall burn the have given them  unto Aaron the
fat upon the altar: fbut the breast priest, and unto his sons, by a statshall be Aaron's and his sons'.        ute for ever, from  among the children of Israel.               &
ch. 3. 1. c ch.3. 3,4,9, 14. d Exod. 29.
24, 27. ch. 8. 27, and 9. 21. Numb. 6. 20.   g ver. 34. ch. 9. 21. Numb.6.20. h Exod.
ech. 3. 5, 11, 16.   ver. 34.          29. 28.  ch. 10. 14, 15. Numb. 18. 18. 19.
Deut. 18. 3.
hibition.' Medically considered, fat is
certainly unwholesome, and particularly  Rules regulating the Priests' portion
so in warm climates. Besides this, the        in the Peace-offerings.
eating of the fat pieces in question, and   29. He that offereth, &4c. The drift
the use of fat in the preparationof food, of this verse is not very obvious.
is highly injurious to persons particu- Patrick suggests that it is designed to
larly subject to cutaneous disorders, as convey the intimation that before the
the Israelites seem  to have been. To  offerer and his friends feasted together,
this we may add, that, as it was an  v. 15-18, he was to take care out of the
object of many laws to discourage any sacrifice of his peace-offerings,' to bring
friendly intercourse between the Israel- his oblation unto the Lord;' i. e. to see
ites and the-idolatrous nations, nothing  that God had first his part of the peace.
could be better calculated than the pre- offering, for until that was done, no one
sent and other dietetic regulations, to could lawfully have any thing to do with
prevent them from joining in the festiv- the remainder.  This interpretation we
ities and social entertainments of their have, on the whole, little hesitation in
neighbors.'-Pict. Bib.  The prohibi. adopting.
tion of blood is more general, because    30. His own hands shall bring, 8fc.
the fat was offered to God only by way  That is, it was an act which the offerer
of acknowledgment;  but the  blood himself was to perform; and' yet we
made atonement' for the soul, and so learn elsewhere that this was not to be
typified the sacrifice of Christ much  independently of the  agency of the
more clearly than the burning of fat; priest.  For thle sacrifice being slain
to this, therefore, a greater reverence and duly divided, the priest was to' put
must be paid, till those types had their what belonged to the Lord, viz, the fat
accomplishment in the offering' up of with the breast and the shoulder, into
the body of Christ once for all. The'the offerer's own hands, that he might
Jews rightly expound this law as for.'present it himself to the Divine Ma.
bidding only the blood of the life, as jesty.  This was to be done with a
they express it, not that which we call waving motion upward, in token of his
the gravy, for of that they supposed it devoutly proffering and delivering it
was lawful to eat.                     over to God as Lord of heaven and earth.




B. C. 1490.]                 CHIAPTER  VII.                               73
35 ~ This is the portion of the   37 This is the law k of the burntanointing of Aaron, and  of the  offering, lofthe meat-offering, m-and
anointing of his sons, out of the  of the sin-offering, n and of the tresofferings of the LORD made by fire, pass-offering, o and  of the consein the day wohen he presented them   crations, and P of the sacrifice of the
to minister unto the LoaBD in the  peace-offerings;
priest's office;                        38 W hich the LonD commanded
36 Which the LORD commanded  Moses in mount Sinai, in the day
(o be griven them  of the children  that he commanded  the children
Of Israel, i in the dav that he anoint- of Israel q to offer their oblations
o(d1 them, by a statute  for ever unto the LorD, in the wilderness
throughout their generations.          of Sinai.
I ch. 6. 14. m ch. 6. 29. n ver. 1. o ch.
i lh. S. 12, 30. Exod. 40. 13, 15. k h. 6. 9. 6. 20. Exod. 29. 1, P ver. 11. q ch. 1. 2.
The act implied also an aclwnowledg- present chapterdescribes the ceremonies
ment thait every good thing came down  previously ordained which marked the
from God, and an intimation that all the  induction of Aaron and his sons into
ways of his people shoul d tend upwuard, the priestly office. Most of the rites,
so that their conversation should be in however, peculiar to this occasion, are
heasven.                               the same with those commanded Ex. 29.
35. This is the portion of the anoint- and which are there explained at length.
Cig, f-c.  Heb. NRT1hl y,~T zoth mish- Consequently but brief comments will
hath, this is the anointing of Aaron, &c. be requisite in this connexion. It may
That is, this wvave-breast and heave. suffice simply to remark, that the priestshoulder are the portion or privilege  hood was originally appointed to remain
arising from their being anointed and  in Aaron's family through all succeed.
consecrated to the priesthood.  That ing generations, and no one 0 who was
the allusion is to the' portion,' is evi- not of that lineage might on any acdent from the preceding and succeeding  count intrude into the sacred office.
context; and in v. 36, it is said,; which  Aaron was succeeded by Eleazar, his
the Lord commanded to be given them,' eldest surviving son, after the death of
&c. As for' anointing' being used for Nadab and Abihu, and it continued in'anointed ones,' it is a phraseology  his family through seven generations,
similar to that by which' dreams' is till the time of Eli. On his death it
put for  dreamers:. Jer. 27. 9,' spirits' was removed from that branch for the
Ibr' spiritual gifts,' 1 Cor. 14. 12, wickedness of Eli's sons, and given to'thanksgivings' for' companies  of  the descendants of Ithamar, Aaron's
thanksgivers,' Num. 12. 31,' circumrn- other son. In the time of Solomon it
cision' for'persons circumcised,' Rom. returned again into the line of Eleazar,
2. 26,'divination' for the' rewards of in which it continued till the Babylonish
divination,' Num. 22. 7,'iniquity' for captivity. Jeshua, the first high priest
the' punishment or desert of iniquity,' after the return of the Jews, was of the
Lev. 7. lT'Job 11. 6, and so in numer- same family; but after his time the
ous other instances.                   appointment became very uncertain and
irregular; and after Judea became a
CHAPTER VlII.                Roman province, no regard whatever
The Consecration of Aaron and his was paid to this part of the original
sons to the Priesthood.        divine institution. The office was in
The sacred writer here passes from  fact in process of time so far desecrated
sacred things to sacred persons. The  in the general corruption, that it was
7




74-                           LEVITICOUS.                  CB.  1490.
CHAPTER VIII.                 4 And. Moses did  as the LoRD
AND the LorDn spake unto Mo- commanded him; and the assernses, saying,                     bly was gathered  together unto
2 a Take Aaron and his sons with  the door of the tabernacle of the
him, and b the garments, and c the  congregation.
anointing oil, and a bullock for the   5 And Moses said unto the consin-offering, and two ranms, and a  gregation, d This is the thing which
basket of unleavened bread;           the LORD commanded to be. done.
3 And gather thou all the con-   6 And Moses brought Aaron and
gregation together unto the door bf his sons, e and washed them  with
the tabernacle of the congregation. water.
a Exod. 29. 1, 2, 3.  b Exod. 20. 2, 4.   d Exod. 29. 4. c Exod. 29. 4.
c Exod. 30. 24, 25.
often sold to the highest bidder, whether   5. This is the thing which the Lord
of the family or not; and so things con- commanded to be done. q. d. I am now
tinued, till finally the nation had filled  about to enter upon that work which
up the measure of its iniquities, and the Lord commanded when I was with
priest, altar, and temple were all swept him in the holy mount, Ex. 29. 4. And
away in the abolition of the Jewish  so throughout the remainder of the
economy and the dispersion of the race. present chapter, whatever portions (f
it are left unexplained, they will be
2. Take Aaron and his sons with him, found illustrated in the corresponding
and the garments. That is, the holy  chapter in Exodus.
priestly garments which God had be.   6. Washed them with water. That is,
fore commanded to be made7 and which caused them to wash themselves. See
were now ready.                       upon this ceremony of ablution the Note
3. Gather thou all the congregation. on Ex. 29.4. We may give, however,
That is, the elders and principal men in this connexion the following note
of the congregation, who represented  from  the Pictorial Bible.'Here the
the. body of the people, as the court ceremonies of consecration commence
would hold but few of the many thou. with ablutions, and we have seen that
sands of Israel. This is confirmed by  the priests were required to bathe their
Lev. 9. 1, where Moses is said to have hands and feet whenever they entered
called the elders together instead of tilhe the tabernacle. This, doubtless, was
whole.congregation, as.here.          not merely to ensure physical cleanness,
4. The assembly was gathered together. hut also to symbolize that spiritual
Heb. MIVSi'dah; the same word with  purity with which man should appear.
that rendered'congregation' in v. 2, before God.  The present washing,
and: which ought here also, for uniformro  however, is distinguished from the daily
ity's sake, to have been rendered in the ablution; inasmuch as the whole per.
same way. The. nature and objects of son seems now to have been washed,
the. Levitical priesthood were such as but only the hands and feet on common
to make a large attendance of the heads occasions. The idea of tltf fitness of
of the people proper in itself, and they  such a practice is so obvious, that it
would moreover serve as witnesses that has been more or less in use in most
Aaron and his sons were not intruders religious systems.  We find at the
into the sacred office, but solemnly and heathen temples, lavers of a similar
specially inducted into it, according to use to this at the tabernacle.  The
the express appointment of Jehovah  Egyptian  priests washed themselves
himself.                              with cold water twice every day, and




B;, C.. 1490.]          CH!APTER  VIII.                                 75
twicei at night; the.  Greeks had their of the priests to wash their feet before
sprinklings, the Romans their lustra. entering the tabernacle, and for other
tions and lavations; the ancient Chris- reasons, it has been inferred that they
tians practised ablution before receiving  officiated with bare feet.  It is also ob.
the sacrament, and also bathed their served, that in the enumeration of the
eyes on entering a church.  The Roman  articles of the priestly dress, sandals
Catholic church retains something of  are not mentioned, neither does Jose.
the practice of ablution  before,' and  phus in his account speak of them. It
sometimes after mass; and  Calmet is true that Plutarch represents the
says that the holy.water vessels at the  Hebrew priest as officiating with busentrance of their churches are in imnita. kins; but his authority is of the least
tion of the laver of the tabernacle. The  possible weight on such a subject. We
oriental  Christians  have  also  their believe ourselves that the priests did
solemn washings   on particular occa- officiate barefoot, although our convic.
sions, such as Good Friday. The prac. tion does not proceed from the reasons
tice ol' ablution was adopted by Mahom. thus stated; but rather from the knowl-.
rmed in a very full sense; for his follow. edge that it was in very ancient times,
ers are not only obliged  to perform  as at present, a common mark of respect
their ablutions  before  they enter a  in the East to uncover the feet.  (See
mosque, but before they commence the  Note on Exod. 3. 5.)  Even classical
prayers, wherever offered, which they  heathenism  affords instances  of this
are required to repeat five times each  usage.' Adore and sacrifice with naked
day. This is certainly the most bur. feet,' was a tmaxim  of Pythagoras,
densomne system of ablution which ever which he probably brought, with the
existed  in ancient or modern times. rest of his philosophy, from the East.
The HIindoos also rejoice in the purify. The temple of Diana at Crete might not
ing virtues of their idolized Ganges, and  be entered with covered feet; tile Ro.
wash also in other waters, because they  mlan ladies were obliged to be barefoot
believe that such will be equally effect. in the temple of'Vesta; and the suppli.
ual, if, whilst thy bathe, they say,' O  ants went barefoot to the temrple of
Ganges, purify mie!P'In fact, nothing  Jupiter when-they prayed for rain. The
is or has been more common than ablu. Mohamuledans, and the Asiatic and
tions in the worship which different Abyssinmian Christians, invariably take
nations render to their gods; and there  off their shoes before they enter a place
are few acts connected with their ser. of worship, as, do the Brallmins of India
vice which are not begun or ended with  when they enter their temples.  As to
some rite symbolical of purification. the Jews themselves, it is imi possible to
-In the religion of' classical antiquity, say, unless.by inference, what they did
the priest was obliged to prepare him. in the tabernacle; but it seems fair to
self by ablution- for offering sacrifice; conclude that they did the same as afterfor which purpose- there was usually  wards in the Temiple, and that they
water at the entrance of the telplc;  In  there officiated barefoot we have the
very amcietit times the priests seem  to  concurrent testimony of various writers.
have previously bathed themselves in  Malinionides says. that none were allow.
some river or stream. But- such ablt. ed to enter the Temiple with shoes, or
tions were only necessary in sacrifices  with unclean feetnor with a staff, or in
to the celestial gods, sprinkling being  the dress in which they worked at their
sufficient for the terrestrial and infernal respective callings.  The Talmud  is
deities.  (See Banier's' Mythology of  positive on the same subject, saying
the Ancients,' vol. 1. p. 271.) —We may  that no priest or layman might enter
here observe, that, from the obligation  with shoes; but as this regulation, int




7G                            LEVIT ICUS.                       [.B. C. 1490.
7 f And  ihe put upon  him  the  golden plate, the holy crown; as
gcoat, and  girded  him  with  the  the LoRD kcommanded Moses.
girdle, and clothed him  with the   10 i And Moses took the anointing
robe, and put the enhod upon him, oil, and  anointed  the  tabernacle
and he girded him wita tne curious and all that was therein,and sanco
girdle of the ephod, and bound it tified them.
unto him  therewith.                    11 Arid he sprinkled thereof upon
8 And  he put the breast-plate  the altar seven times, and anointed
upon him: also  he hput in the  the altar and all his vessels, both
breast-plate  the  Urim   and  the  the laver and his foot, to sanctify
Thurnmim.                              them.
9 i And he put the mitre upon his   12 And he m poured of the anointhead; also upon  the  mitre, even  ing oil upon Aaron's head, and
upon his fore-front, did he put the  anointed him, to sanctify him.
k Exod. 28. 37, &c. 1 Exod. 30. 26) 27, 2S,
f Exod. 29. 5. g Exod. 28. 4. h Exod.  9. n ch. 21.10, 12. Exod. 29. 7 and 30. 30,
28. 30. i Exod. 29. 6.                 Ps. 133. 2.
conjunction with their way of life and    12. Poured of the anointing oil cupon
the tlinlness of their official dress, was Aaron's head, and anointed him, to sancinjurious to their health, there was a tify him. That is, to set him apart to
small apartment or closet, called the his office.' From comparing this verse'stove' or'fire-room,' which had a  with v. 30, it is thought that Aaron
heated floor, on which the priests might alone was anointed on the head, his
occasionally warm  their feet.  (See  sons being merely sprinkled; or, as we
Saurin's' Dissertations,' 44. and 45.; should  understand, that Aaron was
CalmeL's' Commentaire  Litt(ralb  on  sprinkled in common with his sons, but
Exod. 3. 5, and 30. 18, &c.)'          that the anointing or pouring out of oil
7. And he put upon him the coat,,4c. upon his head was an addition peculiar
It would seem that Moses on this occa- to him. The custom of setting persons
sioni by an extraordinary commission  apart for particularly dignified or holy
from God, executed himself the office offices, by anointing, seems to have
of IHigh-Priest on this and the six fol. originated in the East, and in most
lowing days.                           cases appears to have symbolized the
8. He put in the breast —plate the Urim  effusion of the gifts and graces which
and Thummim. See Note on Ex. 28. 30. they were presumed to receive from
10. Anointed the tabernacle.  Prob. heaven to qualify them for distinguished
ably by putting his finger in the oil offices.  Hence this sacred anointing
anti then smearing it over the tabernacle  seems to have been considered as invest.
and its utensils.                      ing with a peculiar sanctity the person
11. Anointed the altar and all his ves- on whom it had been conferred. We
sels, to sanctify them. The altar by  see this in the reverence with which
these rites was sanctified, so that'the Lord's anointed' is on all occa.
thenceforward through  the sacrifices sions mentioned in Scripture. The per.
daily offered upon it, atonement might sons set apart to their offices by anoint.
be made for the sins of the people, ing, among the Hebrews, were the
whereas afterwards the altar was to be priests, kings, and prophets; but there
considered as sanctifying the gifts and  is some doubt about the latter, to which
oblations laid upon it, according to we shall have occasion to advert, as
Mat. 23. 19,' Ye fools and blind; for Iwell as to the unction of the kings.
whether is greater, the gift, or the altar The precious oil seems to have been
that sanctifieth the gift.'            more profusely expended on Aaron than




B. C. 1490.]               CHAPTER  VIII.                             77
1 3 n And Moses brought Aaron's pieces; and Moses burnt the head,
sons, and put coats upon them, and  and the pieces, and the fat.
girded them with girdles, and put  21 And he washed the inwards
bonnets upon them; as the LORD and the legs in water; and Moses
commanded Moses.                     burnt the whole ram  upon  the
14 oAnd he brought the bullock  altar: it was a burnt-sacrifice fora
fir the sin-offoring: and Aaron and  sweet savour, and an offering made
hlis sons Plaid their hands upon the  by fire unto  the Loam; u as the
hlead of the bullock for the sin- LORD commanded Moses.
oflterig.                            22 ~[ And w he brought the other
15 And lhe slew it; qand Moses ram, the ram of consecration: and
took the blood, and put it upon the  Aaron and his sons laid their hands
horns of the altar round about with  upon the bead of the ram.
hiss finger, and purified the altar,   23 And he slew it; and Moses
and poured the blood at the bottom  took of the blood of it, and put it
oft' the altar, and sanctified it, to  upon the tip of Aaron's right ear,
make reconciliation upon it.         and upon the thumb of his right
16 rAnd lie took all the fat that hand, and upon the great toe of his
uwas upon the inwards, and the caul right fbot.
above the liver, and the two kid-  24 And he brought Aaron's son's,
novs,  and their fat, and  Moses and Moses put of the blood upon
bulrned it upon the altar.          the tip of their right ear, and upon
[7 But the bullock, and his hide, the thumbs of their right hands,
hi. flesh, and his dung, he burnt and upon the great toes of their
with fire without the camp; as right feet: and' Moses sprinkled
the LorD scommanded Moses.          the blood upon  the altar round
18 ~ t And he brought the ram  about.
lor the burnt-offering: and Aaron   25 xAnd he took the fat, and the
a:od his sons laid their hands upon rump, and all the fat that was upon
the head of the ram.                 the inwards, and the caul above the
19 And he killed it; and Moses liver, and  the two kidneys, and
sprinkled the blood upon the altar their fat, and the right shoulder:
round about.                          26 YAnd out of thie basket of un20 And  he  cut the  ram  into leavened  bread, that was before
n Exod. 09. 8. 9. o Exod. 29. 10. Ezek. the LORD, he took one unleavened
43. 19. P ch.4. 4. q Exod. 29. 12, 36. ch. cake, and a cake of oiled bread, and
4. 7. Ezek. 43. 20, 26. Heb. 9. 22. r Exod.
29. 13. c1,. 4. S. s ch. 4. 11, 12. Exod. 29.   U Exd. 29. 1. - Exod. 29. 19. 31. X Exod.
14. t Exod. 29. 15.                  29. 22. y Exod. 29 23.
in any other application.  We learn  others think that the tiara was not put
from Ps. 132. 2, that being poured on on till after the anointing.'-Pict. Bib.
his head, it ran down on his beard and   15. And he slew it; and Moses took,
to the collar of his coat (the robe of the &-c. Heb. n'i3,h  r]'jrl  t'I cva yisf'/lt
ephod)-not to the skirts of his gar- va-yikka'h  mosh'ih. It would not pernments, as there translated. The Jew- haps be easy to show  that there is
ish writers lhave many fancies about the any thing contrary to the graminmatical
mode in which the oil was applie(, into construction in rendering this passage,
which we need not enter. If the high-' And AMoses slew it, and took,' &c., but
priest was, as some state, ftlly robed | as the versions are all in favor of the
before anointed, the, mitre might have present rendering, we prefer to abide,een taken off for that ceremony: but by it.
7,




78                           LEVITICUS.                      [B. C. 1490.
one wafer, and put them on the fat, and to his sons, d Boil the flesh at
and upon the right shoulder:         the door of the tabernacle of the
27 And he put all z upon Aaron's congregation; and  there  eat it
hands, and upon his sons' hands, with the bread that is in the basket
and waved themnfor a wave-offer- of consecrations, as I commanded,
ing before the LORD.                 saying, Aaron and his sons shall
28 aAnd Moses took them  from  eat it.
off their hands, and burnt them  on   32 eAnd that which remaineth
the altar upon the burnt-offering: of the flesh and of the bread shall
they were consecrations for a sweet ye burn with fire.
savour: it is an offering made by   33 And ye shall not go out of the
fire unto the LORD.                  door of the tabernacle of the con29 And Moses took the breast, gregation in seven days, until the
and waved it for a wave-offering  days of your consecration be at an
before the LORD: for of the ram   end: for fseven days shall he conof consecration  it was  Moses' secrate you.
bpart; as the LORD commanded   34 g As he bath done this day, so
Mioses.                              the LORD hath commanded to do,
30 And  cMoses  took  of  the  to make an atonement for you.
anointing  oil, and  of the blood   35 Therefore shall ye abide  at
which  was upon  the altar, and  the door of the tabernacle of the
sprinkled it upon Aaron, and upon  congregation day and night seven
his garments, and upon his sons, days, and h keep thle charge of the
and upon his sons' garments with  LORD, that ye die not: for so I am
him; and  sanctified Aaron, and  commanded.
his garments, and his sons, and his  36 So Aaron and his sons did all
sons' garments with him.             things which the LORD command31  l1 And Moses said unto Aaron  ed by the hand of Moses.
zExod. 29. 24,&c. aExod. 29.25.  b Exod.   e Exod. 29. 34. f Exod. 29.30, 35. Ezek.
29. 2G. c Exod. 29. 21, and 30. 30. Numb. 43. 25, 26. g Heb. 7. 16. h Num. 3. 7, and
3. 3. d Exkod. 29. 31, 32.           9. 19. Deut. 11.. 1 Kings 2 3.
33. Ye shall not go out of the door of cration implied a full and perfect con.
the tabernacle in seven days. That is, secratiol to the sacerdotal office, and
out of the court of the tabernacle, with correctly intimated, moreover, that
which door of the tabernacle is often their whole lives were to be devoted to
synonimous.  The Heb. has FIt  this solemn service.
mippethah, which might as well be ren-   34. As he hath done this day. That
dered' from the door,' as I out of the is, as hath been done; another instance
door,' for the consecration was not per- of that indefinite phraseology of which
formed within, but at the door of the we have before so frequently spoken.
tabernacle. The Gr. has very properly  See Note on Lev. 1. 5. Thus also 2
aro Ovpas, from the door.-'  For Sam. 15. 31,' And one told David,' i. e.
seven days shall he consecrate you. it was told him. Mark 10. 3,'And
That is, Moses shall consecrate you; they brought,' compared with Mat. 19.
for the command of God is here referred  13,' Then were brought.2
to, and cited according to the sense,
Ex. 29. 35. So v. 34,'as he (Moses)            CHAPTER IX.
hath done.' The number seven among Aaron's entrance on the Priestly Office.
the Hebrews was the number of per-   1. It came to pass on the eighth day.
fection, and the seven days of conse- Not upon the eighth day of the month,




B. C. 1490.]                   CHAPTER  IX.                                 79
CHAPTER  IX.                  peace-offerings, to sacrifice before
IND  ait came to pass on the  the LoaD; and  ea meat-offering
A   eighth day, that Mloses called  mingled with oil: for eto-day the
Aaron and his sons, and the elders  LoRD will appear unto you.
of Israel;                    -          5 T And they broucht that which
2 And he said unto Aaron, b Take  Moses commanded before the tabthee a young calf for a sin-offering, ernlacle of the congregation: and
cand a ram  for a  burnt-offering, all the congre<ration drew near and
without blemish, and  offer them  stood before the LoruD.
before the LoRrD.                        6 And  Moses said, This is the
3 And unto the children of Israel thing which the LoaRD commanded
tiou shalt speak, saying, d Take ye  that ye should do: and g the glory
aI kid of the goats for a sin-offer- of the LORu  shall appear untoyou.
ina; and a calf and a lamb, both   7 And Moses said  unto  Aaron,
of' the first year, without blemish,  Go unto the altar, and hoffer thy
(br a burnt-offering;                   sin-offering, and thy burnt-offeriun,
4 Also a bullock. and a ram  for and make an atonement for thyself,
a D ek. 43. 27. b ch 4. 3, and 5. 14. Eeod.   e ch. 2. 4. f ver. 6. 23.  Eiod. 29. 43.
-29. 1. c ch. S. 3. d eh. 4. 23. Ezra 6. 17, g ver. - 23. Exod. 24. 16. h h. 4. 3. 1 Sam.
and 10. 19.                             3. 14. Heb. 5. 3, and 7. 27, and 9. 7.
but on the first day after their conse- in as much need of an atonement as any
Cration, which  occupied seven days, of the people whom he represented.
and before whiich they were deemed    4. To-day the Lord shall appear unto.,nfit to minister in holy things, being  you. That is, the visible glory of the
considered in a state of imperfection. Lord will appear in the increased effulAll creatures, for the most part, were gence of the cloudy pillar resting over
considered as in a state of uncleanness the tabernacle, and also in sending forth
and imperfection seven days, and per- from the midst of the cloud a fire to
fiected on the eighth.  So here the  consume the offerings upon the altar.
priests were not admitted until the Chal.' The glory of the Lord shall be
eigltth day to minister in their office.  revealed.' Cotlp. v. 6. By reason of
— T And the eldears of Israel.  Gr. this expected appearance, the people
TV,  yspovatava  IpaneX, the eldership or were to prepare and sanctify themselves
senate of Israel. These, together with  by every kind of sacrifice, in allusion to
a large body of the people, were assem- which it is said of a still more glorious
bled in the court, v. 23, 24, where it appearance, of which this wasa shadow,
was the duty of the elders to impose  1 John 2. 3,' We know that when he
their hands upon the sin.offering of the  shall appear we shall be like him, for
conl1gregation.                         we shall see him as he is. And every
2. Take thee a young calf for a sin- man that hath this hope in him purifieth
offering. Heb. )21 I ben bdkrlr, son  himself as he is pure.'
of the herd. Tins offering is supposed    5. All the congregation drew near and
by the Jewish writers to have been  stood before the Lord.  That is, before
appointed for Aaron In person, in refer- the sanctuary, in the court; before the
elice to his sin in the matter of the  dwelling-place of the Lord's glory.
golden calf. But it may be sufficient to   7. Go unto the altar and offer, &c.
hold that this offering respected merely  These further prescribed offerings, so
the general frailties and iniperfections immediately  succeeding those which
of Aaron., as one of a fallen race, who, had been offered at the consecration,
thoughan high-priest by office, yet stood  show very forcibly the consciousness




80                           LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
and for the people: and i offer the burnt with fire without the camp
offering of the peop.le, and make an 12 And he slew the burnt-offeratonement for them; as the LORD ing; and Aaron's sons presented
commanded.                            unto  him  the blood, P which  he
8 11 Aaron  therefore went unto  sprinkled  round about upon  the
the altar, and slew the calf of the altar.
sin-offering, which was for himself.  13 qAnd  they   presented  the
9 It And the sons of Aaron brought burnt-offering unto him, with the
the blood unto him: and he dipped  pieces thereof, and the head: and
his finger in the blood, and Iput it he burnt them upon the altar.
upon the horns of the altar, and   14 r And he did wash the inwards
poured out the blood at the bottom  and the legs, and burnt them upon
of tlie altar:                        the burnt-offering on the altar.
10 m But the fat, and the kidneys,  15 S sAnd he brought the people's
and the caul above the liver of the offering, and took the goat which
sin-offering, he  burnt upon  the was the sin-offering for the people,
altar; n as the LORD commanded  and slew it, and offered it for sin,
Moses.                                as the first.
11 o And the flesh and the hide he
o ch. 4. 11, and S. 17. P ch. 1. 5, and
ch. 4. 16, 20. Heb. 5. I. k ch. 8. i. 5. 19. q ch. 8. 20. r ch. S. 21. s ver. 3.
See ch.7.  4...    6. n ch. 4 8.  Isa. 53. 10. Heb. 2S.17, and 5. 3.
which even the holiest and most ac- ceremonies that followed have been
cepted persons ought to entertain of already described.
their own sinfulness. Those who are   10. He burnt upon the altar. He laid
holy by office are still to know and con. them in order upon the altar, that they
fess that they are sinners by nature, might be consumed,not with ordinary
even as others.                       fire, but with that which was ere long
S. Aaron therefore went unto the to come forth from before the Lord; for
allar. These being the first offerings common fire, it would seem, was no
that were ever offered by the Levitical longer to be used when Aaron's sacripriesthood, according to  the newly fice began, as it had been all along beenacted law of sacrifices, the manner of fore. Still it is possible that the oliraoffering them  is particularly related, culous fire did not issue forth till the
that it might appear how exactly they  holocaust of the people came to be
agreed with the institution. Aaron was be offered, v. 24.
first required to make expiation  for   15. He brought the people's offering
himself, that he might thereby be Having duly presented the requisite
qualified to do it for the people.-    offering for himself, lie was now pre.
Ir And slewz the calf. This often im- pared to officiate in behalf of the people5
plies no more than ordered, procured, which he did according to the mode
or superintended the slayinlg. See Note prescribed, Ex. 29. 39, 40. Lev. cbs.
Cn Lev. 1. 5. But in the present in- 1. 2. and 7., on which see Notes.stance it is not unreasonable to suppose F Took the goat-and offered it for sin
that Aaron performed the slaughter in  Heb.'ilt'n'l ye'hatteihu.  It is the
person.                               same term with that which occurs Lev.
9. The sons of Aaron brought the 8. 15, and which is both here and there
blood uito him.  Having caugiht the rendered by the Gr. haaOaecerv, cleansed.
blood in basins, as it run from the vic- The Heb. word MOr'ht~di, in its radical
tim when killed, they brought it to him  or Kal form, signifies to sin; while in
as he stood waiting at tile altar. The  the Piel form it is used to signify pro'g



BA  C. 1490.]                CtHAPTER  IX.                                81
16 And  he  brought the  burnt- of the ram, the rump, and  that
offering, and offered it taccording  which covereth the inraards, and
to the manner.                          the kidneys, and the caul above the
17 And  lhe brought uthe meat-  liver:
offering, and took an handful there-   20 And they put the fat upon the
of; and  burnt it upon the  altar, breasts, zand he burnt the fat upon
x beside  the burnt-sacrifice of the  the altar:
imorning.                               21 And the breasts and the right
18 He slew also the bullock and  shoulder  Aaron  waved  afor  a
the ram  for ya sacrifice of peace- wave-offering before the LoRD; as
offerings, which was for the people: i VW oses commanded.
and Aaron's sons presented unto   22 And Aaron lifted up his hand
him  the blood, which he sprinkled  toward  the  people, band  blessed
upon the altar round about,            them; and came down from  offer19 And the fat of the bullock, and
z eh. 3. 5. 16. a LExod. 29. 24, 26. ch. 7.
t ch. 1. 3, 10. u ver. 4. cli. 2. 1, 2. x Ex. 30, 31, 32, 33, 34. b Numb. 6. 23. Dent.
29. 38. y ch. 3. 1, &c1 21. 5. Luke 24. 50.
ing auway sin by sacrifice.  (See Note  ancient heathen; and Strabo remarks,
on Lev. 6.20.) Thus Gen. 31. 39,' That that the Persians, in their sacrifices,
which was torn of beasts, I bare the offered nothing else upon the altar.
loss of it (0rt1=   a'hattEna/h, I expiated, Calmet, who gives these instances in his
atoned, made satisfaction for it).' Ps.' Commentaire Litteral,' cites Athenceus
51. 7,' Purge me (=M1LOn te'hatte'ni)  in evidence that the ancients ate the
with  hyssop, and I shall be clean.' liver covered with,.or enfolded- in, the
Lev. 8. 15,' And Moses purified (tkrll caul; and lie thinks it probable that the
ye'hattW) the altar and sanctified it.'    liver of the victim  was, in the sanle
16. According to the manner. Heb. manner, wrapped up in the caul before
_lh:  Z kammishpCit, according to the  it was laid upon the altar; and that this
judgrment or ordinance. See Note on  is what Moses means by the   caul
Lev. 5. 10. Gr. wcos KaOvs., as it uas fit. above' or upon the liver.
The ordinance alluded to is found in the    22. Aaron lifted up his hand toward
general law of the first chapter.      the people, and blessed them.. By im.
17. Beside the burnt sacrifice of the  ploring, and  then  pronouncing  the
morning.  That is, in addition to the  divine blessing upon them.  The so.
daily sacrifice of the lamb, which  as lemrnnity of blessing the people in the
not to be superseded by the extra offer. nane of the Lord appertained especially
ings of this or any other occasion.    to the priestly office; Deut. 10. 8,' The
19. That which covereth, hc.' The  Lord separated the tribe of Levi to
fat that covereth the inwards' is the fat bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord,
thin nlembrane extended over the intes- to stand before the Lord to minister
tines, and attached to the concave part unto him, and to bless in his -nar.me unto
of the liver, called the omentum, or caul. this day.' The form of the benediction
And by' the caul above the liver,' is is given Num. 6. 23, 27. Considered as
commonly understood, after the Septua-. a type, this sas accomplished by our
gint, the great lobe of the liver (major great high.priest, Christ Jesus, when,
lobus hepatis), which, although part of having finished his ministry on earth,
the liver itself, may very properly be' lie lifted up his hands and blessed' his
rendered'the lobe over' or'by the  disciples, at his ascension into heaven,
liver.' As to the caul, it was a com. Luke 24. 50. -           And came down.
mon offering in the sacrifices of the  That is, from  the bank or elevation




82                              LEVITICUS.                         [B. C. 1490.
ing  of the sin-offering, and  the   24 And  dthere came a fire out
burnt-offering, and peace-offerings. from  before the LORD, and consum23 And  Mloses and  Aaron went ed upon tile altar the burnt-offerinto the tabernacle of the congre-  ing and  the fat: which  when  ali
gation, and came out, and blessed  the  people  saw, e they  shouted,
the people: c and the glory of the  and fell on their faces.
LoanD appeared unto all the people.   d Gen. 4. 4. Judg. 6. 21. 1 Kings 18. 38.
2 Chron. 7. 1. Ps. 20. 3. c I Kings 18. 39.
c ver. 6. Numb. 14. 10, and 16. 19, 42. 2 Chron 7, 3. Ezra 3. 11.
which formed tihe ascent to the altar, as previously taught to expect some extra.
steps were forbidden.                    ordinary expressions of the divine re23. Moses and Aaron uwent into the  gard, they would probably have been
tabernacle.  Aaron, the priest, went in  terrified as Gideon and Manoah were;
according to the lawn, Ex. 30. 7, 9, to  but being prepared, they were filled
burn incense on the golden altar; Moses with triumph and exultation, and rent
went in with Aaron, in all likelihood to  the air with their shouts.
instruct him in the manner of the service that was to be performed there,                 CHAPTER X.
such as burning the incense, lighting    We are called,in the present chapter,
the lamps, setting in order the shew. to pass by a melancholy transition from
bread, &c., that he might instruct his a scene of high festive, but holy, re.
sons in it.-   1 The glory of the Lord  joicing, to a scene of awful judgment
appeared unto all the people.  That is, and heart.rending sorrow.  The tuber.
the visible sign of God!s glorious pre. nacle had been finished; Aaron and his
sence, indicated either by the fire mnen. four sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar
tioned in the next verse, or by the more  and Ithalnar, had been consecrated to
luminous appearance of the cloudy pil- the priesthood; the victims had been
lar, as in Ex. 16. 10, and 40. 34, or by  slain; Moses and Aaron had solemnly
both. It was a token of God's gracious blessed the congregation; the divine
acceptance of them  and of their ser-  requirements had  all been complied
vices, as in 1 Kings S. 10-12. The  with; and in attestation of God's ac.
miraculous fire now sent forth from the  ceptance of their services, his glory had
divine presence, was, according to the  appeared to all the people, andl the fire
Hebrews, kept alive upon the altar till of heaven had descended upotn the altar
the time of Solomon. Under the second  and kindled a flamre never' to be quenchtenmple, the Jews confess that the sacred  ed. In the midst of' these halLlowed
fire was wanting.                        solemnities, when all the  assenibled
24. They shouted, &c.  From  the  host were bowing before the Lord, andi
combined effect of wonder and joy; de- giving vent to expressions of profound
voutly and ardently giving thanlks to  but chastened joy, an act of rash, preGod for this mark of his special favor. sumptuous, and sacrilegious daring on
Thus on a similar occasion, 2 Chron. the part of Nadab and Abihu, in a 1mo.
27. 3,' When all the sons of Israel saw  ment turns the scene of worship into
how the fire caine down, and the glory  one of woe, and spreads sackcloth over
of the Lord shone upon the house, they  the tabernacle! Scarcely had the celes.
bowed themselves with their faces to  tial fire come down in mercy to consume
the ground, upon the pavement, and  the sacrifice, when again it descends in
Worshipped and praised the Lord, say. wrath to consume the sacrificers! This
ing, For he is good, for his mercy en- tragical event is thus briefly but diSdureth for ever.' Had they not been  tinctly  recorded  by  Moses, whose




B1 C. 1490.]                  CHAPTER   X.                                   83
characteristic it is neither to extenuate  in the sacred offerings.  They had been
nor set down aught in malice;' And  prominent actors in the solemnities of
N;adah and Abihu, the sonis of Aaron, an occasion -which should above all
loolk either of themi his censer, and put others have filled their souls with rev.
fire therein, and put incense thereon, erence and holy awe. However it might
alnd ofered strange fire before the Lord, I lave been with others in the congrega.
which ll ie commiranded thein not. And  lion, we can scarcely imragine that any
hlere went out fire from the Lord, and  but the devoutest sentiments should
dlevoured them, and they (died before  have penetrated their spirits in view of
tihe Lord.' The words are few, but of the transactions in which they were
featfully solemn import. and the whole  engaged.  Yet in the nlidst of it all
Mlarralive presents a large theme of they sinned a sin, the enormity of which,,alulary practical remark and admoni. is most effectually proclaimed by the,ionl.  Th'e principal reflections sug- tremendous punishtment which it imrme-,este d by the mournful occurrence will diately drew after it. They were struck
be.adduced in the course of our com- dead withl their censers in their hands,
meants on the several verses; but we  without a momenl's warning! What a
tlmay properly pause, at the outset, to  fearful exhibition  of the truth, thlat
zol)sider somewhat particularly  the  God's jealousy burns fiercest about his
nature, circumstances, and grounds of altar!
the offence which drew down such a    But the questton occurs as to the real
terrible  infliction of wvrathi upon  the nature of the offence fbr which they;erpetrators. Whatever may be deter- perished. In what did it consist?-a
minedl as to the precise nature of the  point on which it is not easy to give a
crime, it is clear that it was aggravated  perfectly satisfactory decision.  The
by the character of those by whom it text simply informs us that they' offer.
was committed. Tihese were the sons, ed strange fire before the Lord, which
tlle two eldest sons, of Aaron the high  he commanded them  not.' What this
enriest. They were, from their relation  was we shall shortly endeavor to show;
to Aaron, mlen of name and note in Is- but we may here remark, that in all
rael; and they hadl formerly been hon- probability their crime was of a com.
r)red  witil the  high  distinction  of  plicated  nature.  From  a careful inaccompanying Moses and their father spection of thie context, it would appear,
to the summit of the hallowed mount, that their sin is not to be resolved into
where they were favored with a vision  any one form of disobedience, but that
of God(l such as had never before been  it involved a nuniber. And in the first
accorded to mortal eyes; Ex. 24. 9. place, it would seem  that there was
Then went tip Moses and Aaron, Na. ground for the beliet'suggested by mlost
dab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders  commentators, that they had indulged
of Israel; and they saw the God of  too freely in uwine.  This seems to be
Israel: and there was under his feet as reasonably inferred  from  the solemn
it were a paved work ofa sapphire-stone, prohibition, v. 9, 10,' Do not drink wine
and as it were the body of'heaven in his nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons
clearness.' None of the seventy elders  with thee, when ye go into the taberna.
are named; but Moses and Aaron, Na. cle of the congregation, lest ye die: it
dab and Abihu. from their pre-eminence  shall I e a statute for ever throughout
in  the  congregation, are  expressly  your generations: And that ye may put
designated. Again, they had just been  difference between holy and unholy, and
consecrated, along with their father, to  between unclean and clean.' The con.
the dignity of the priestly office, They  jecture therefore is very plausible, that
had just been assisting him and Moses  they had rendered. themselves incapable




84                            LEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1490.
of the due discharge of their duty by upon the mercy-seat.' Whether this be
intemperance; that they had partaken  the correct inference or not, we have no
of the drink-offerings to a criminal ex- evidence from  any other part of' the
cess; and thus become incapacitated to  ritual that more than one priest was to
put a difference between holy and un- officiate in burning incense at the same
holy, and between clean and unclean. time, and here they are represented as
If there be truth in this supposition, entering together upon a service to
what a commentary does it afford oil which it does not appear that either of
the pernicious effects of stimulating  them was tlow called.
liquors, especially when used by the    But laying aside every thing that is
ministers of the altar! By clouding  uncertain in the affair, we find a definite
the moral perceptions, and inflaming  and aggravated offence laid to their
the passions, they render their willing  charge. They sinned by offering strange
subject capable of any sacrilege or im- fire before the Lord. Instead of filling
piety, and thus expose himn to the aveng- their censers with coals from the altar,
ing, stroke of an outraged Divinity!   where  a supernatural fire had been
At the same time, we should hardly  kindled from  heaven, and which was
infer from the tenor of the sacred story, always to be used in burning incense,
that this, although an element, was the  they contemptuously disregarded this
essence of their crime. There is some ordinance, and filled their vessels with
reason to suppose that, apart from the  common fire. This was the head and
quality of the fire which they brought, front of their offending, whatever minor
there was a rash intrusion, and a reck- accessaries of guilt may have accomless irregularity in their going forward  panied it.
to officiate at the time, and in the man-   But where, it is said, is this act exner they did. The whole transaction, pressly forbidden?  Is it any where
as recorded, has an air of abruptness ordered, in so many words, that only
and precipitancy, as if they rushed upon  one kind of fire should be employed in
the service without waiting for instruc- the services of the sanctuary?  And if
tions, either from Moses or Aaron; and  there was no express precept violated,
as if they were encroaching upon the  wherein consisted the essential crimfunctions of the high-priest. If by the  inality of their conduct?  In reply-to
phrase'offered before the Lord,' be this, we answer (1.) That in the phrase
meant, as some suppose, that they ad. I which he commanded not,' we recogvanced within the most Holy Place, and  nize, according to the idiom  of the
there presumed to offer incense before sacred writers, a clear intimation that
the Shekinah, this certainly was a bold  the thing in question had been expressly
invasion of Aaron's prerogative, and  forbidden. This is the true force of
one that would of course expose them  the expression, as we shall evince in
to be at once cut off for their hardihood. our note on the passage. (2.) In Ex.
This idea receives some countenance 30. 9, it is commanded that no' strange
fror  Lev. 16. 1i 2, where we are told incense' should be presented, and the
that I the Lord spake unto Moses after implication would be inevitable, from
the death of the two sons of Aaron, the nature of the case, that'strange
when they offered before the Lord, and  fire  was equally contrary to the divine
died: and the Lord said unto Moses, will. But not only so. From  Lev. 16.
Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he 12, 13, we learn that on the day of atone.
come not at all times into the holy  ment, the priest was to ( take a censer
place within the vail, before the mercy. full of burning coals offire from off the
seat, which is upon the arlk; that he altar before the Lord, and his hands full.die not: for I will appear in the cloud  of sweet incense beaten  small, and




1B. C. 1490,]                  CHAPTER  X.                                85
CHAPTER  X.                  them his censer, and put fire thereND  a Nadab  and  Abihu, the  in, and put incense thereon, and
sons of Aaron, b toolk either of offered  c strange  fire before  the
LoRD, which he commanded them
a ch. 16. 1, and 22. 9. Numb. 3. 3, 4, and not.
26. 61. 1 Chron. 24.  b ch. 16.. 12 Numt.
16. 1S.                                             c Exod. 30. 9.
bring it within the vail: And he shall with impunity presume, in its setting
put the incense upon the fire before the  out, to dispense with ally of its fixed
Lord, that the cloud of the incense may  regulations,  As, then, tile deed was
cover tihe mercy-seat that is upon the  daring and high-handed in the extreme,
testimony, that he die not.' The order so the expiation was proportionably
contained in this passage was indeed  fearful; and the whole transaction most
given subsequent to the event we are  forcibly impresses upon us the apposite
now considering, hut the presumption  admonition of the apostle,' Let us have
obviously is, that this was the standing  grace -whereby we may serve God ac.
usage which had been ordained from  ceptably, with reverence and godly
the first institution of the legal rites, fear; for our God is a consuming fire.'
and as to which it is not conceivable
that Aaron's sons should have been  The Sin and  Death of Nadab and
ignorant. And as the fire miraculously                 Abihu.
kindled on the altar was to be kept per-   1. Took either of them his censer.
petually alive, what other inference  Or,' fire-pan;' a vessel in which coals
could have been drawn, than that from  of fire were put, to be sprinkled over
this source was all the fire to be derived  with frankincense, in order to create an
which was employed in the sacred rites? agreeable odor in the sanctuary. The
The fact that we do not meet with any  event here mentioned probably occurred
such injunction in express terms, does at the time of the evening sacrifice,
not at all abate the force of the proba- when the lamps were lighted, and inbility that they were perfectly aware  cense burned, unless, as some suppose,
that such was the will of God in regard  one part of their offence was doing that
to this matter.                        at another time of day which was ap- The penalty which was inflicted upon  pointed to be done in the morning or
the transgressors was indeed severe. evening.- ff Offered  strange  fire.
But the case called for severity. The That is, other fire than that which the
rank and station of the offenders was a  Lord had commanded. The Lord had
high aggravation of their crime.  It sent a supernatural fire to consunme the
was their duty to set an example of first victims offered to him. This was
scrupulous regard to the known will of to be kept perpetually alive, and from
God. They had been admitted to more  it only were the coals to be taken for
intimate communion  with God than  the burning of incense. Such, at least,
others, and had seen more of the terrors might have been gathered to be the will
of his power, more of the wonders of  of God, although the injunction, in so
his grace. Moreover, the Levitical in- many words, is not expressly recorded
stitute had been just established, and  in any part of the preceding narrative.
was now for the first time going into  It is probable, however, that an explicit
operation. It behoved, therefore, that command to this effect had been preevery thing should be done in exact con. viously given by Moses, though not
formity to the divine prescription. The  mentioned. The command was aftersanctity of the whole system would be  wards expressly recorded, Lev. 16. 12,
gone at once, if the ministry of it might in allusion to which it is said, Rev. 8.5,
8




86                             LEVITICUS.                         [3. C. 1490.
2 And there d went out fire from   This is it that the LORD  spake,
the LonD, and devoured them, and  saying, I will be sanctified in them
they died before the LORD,               e that come nigh me, and before all
3'Then   lMoses  said unto Aaron,   e Exod. 19. 22, and 29. 43. ch. 21. 6, 17, 21.
dclh 9. 24. Numb. 16. 3.5. 2 Sam, 6.7.  Isai. 52. 11. Ezek. 20. 41, and 42. 13,'The angel took the censer and filled it the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my
with fire of the altar.'-~  Which he  glory.'  The w}ords might have been
comrnanded tlhen not. This, by a figure  previously  spoken, but not written.
of speech called meiosis, is probably  Perhaps, howeter, all that is intended
equivalent to saying, I which the Lord  is, that this,.was tie spirit and purport
had pointedly forbidden.'  The follow- I of what God had saidt, ot on any par.
intg are instances of a similar usage: ticular occasion, but in the general tenor.
Ps. 78. 50.'He spared not their soul of his instructions to the priests.fromr  death;' i. e. he destroyed them  ff I will be sanctified in them that conice
wiLli desolating judgments. Prov. 12. 3. nigh me.  Heb. ~       "i=    bikrobai'A  man shall not be established by  ekkddc2 sh, in my near ones will I be
wickedness;* i. e. Ihe shall he over- asanctifted. That is, those who approach
thrown. Prov. 17. 21. C The father of near to God in the duties of a holy Imiin.
a fool hath no joy;' i. e. hath grief and  istration.  Thus the Priests and Levites
sorrow. In these cases under a nega. were such as are described Ezek. 42. 13,
tive form  of expression, the contirary  as'approaching unto the Lord.'  So
affirmative is epliphatically implied.    also, Ex. 19. 22,  Let the priests also,
2. Ther-e weint out fire from  before  which come  tear- to the Lord, sanctify
the Lord.  That is, from the Shekinahi, themselves;' i. e. those whose office it
the symibol of the diviiie presence, be. is to comne near to the Lord. So in
fore which they had presumied to offer  I Pet. 4. 17, jtidgment is said to begin
the strange fire upon the altar of in-'at the house of God;' and in Ezek. 9. 6,
cense.  This stood in front of the mrost   at the sanctuary.'  God is said in the
holy place, just without the vtil.-    language of Scripture to be I sanctified'
~T And devoiured them. The action of  by his 1people, when they demnean them.
the fire in this instanice was peculiar, as selves holily and uprightly before him,
nieither their bodies nor their clotltes  duly regarding and reverencing every
twere consumed by it.  Targ. Jon.  It thing  by'which  lie makes himself
burned their souls, but not their bodies.' known; 1 Pet. 3. 15.' Sanctify the
It was a flash of preternatural fire flom  Lord God in your hearts,' &c. So also
tlhe cloud of glory that rested over the  lie is'sanctified' when lie righteously
itercy-seat.- ~  Died before the Lord. punishes those who transgress. Ezek.
That, is, before the vail that covered  27.22, Behold, I am  against thee,.O
tihe nercy-seat.                         Zidon, and I will be glorified in the
3. This is it that the Lord spake.  It midst of thee; and they shall know
does not appear fiomn the record that that I am the Lord, when I shall have
these precise words were anywhere pre. executed judgments in her, and shall be
viously spoken, although some suppose  sanctified in her.' So also Ezek. 38.
that reference is had to Ex. 19.22,' Let 16. 23,' I shall bring thee against my
the priests which come near the Lord  land, that the heathen may ktlow me
sanctify themselves, lest the Lord break  when I shall be sanctified in thee, 0
forth  upon them.' Others again con. Gog, before their eyes. Then will I
ceive that the words alludled to are  magnify Inyself, and sanctify myself;
found, Ex. 29. 43, And there will I and I will be known in the eyes of
meet with the children of Israel, and  many nations.'  God will either be




B. C. 1490.j                 CHAPTER  X.                                  87
the people I will be  fglorified.  6 And Moses said unto Aaron, and
g And Aaron held his peace.            unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his
4 And Moses called MIVisliael and  sons, kUncover not your heads,
Elzaphan, the sons of h Uzziel the neither rend your clothes; lest ye
uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, die, and lest lwrath come upon all
Come near, i carry your brethren  the people: but let your brelhren,
from  befbre the sanctuary out of  the whole house of Israel, bewail
the camp.                              the burning which the LoRD hatl
5 So they went near, and carried  kindled.
them in their coats out of the camp;   7 m And ye shall not go out from
as Moses had said.                     the door of' the tabernacle of the
f Isai. 49. 3. Ezek. 2S. 22. John 13. 31,   k Exod. 33 5. ch. 13. 45, and 21. 1. 10.
32, and 14 13. 2 Thess. 1. 10. g Ps. 39. 9. Numb. 6. 6, 7. Ieut. 33. 9. Ezek. 24 16, 17.
h Exod. 6. 15, 22. Numb 3. 19. 30. i Luke I Numb 16. 22. 46. Josh. 7. 1, and 22. 18. 20.
7. 12. Acts 5. 6, 9, 10, and,. 12    2 Sam. 24. 1. m ch. 21. 12.
sanctified by all his creatures in a way service, whereas in ordinary cases the
of active reverence, obedience, and cast-offdresses of the priests were con.
praise, or upon them in a way of ven. verted into wick for the lamps of the
geance and wrath.- -- And Aaron held sanctuary.
his peace.  Heb. t'll yiddom, uas   6. Unscover not youri heads.  Heb.
hushed, silent, quiescent.  The original 1-V17I ~R al tiphri2u. Gr. ove arotuda.
word is that which occurs Josh. 10. 13, pcTerce, put not off the mitres. The
in reference to the standing still of the original word for uncover, which pri.
sun and moon at the command of marily sig-nifies to make free, and which
Joshua, on which see Note. The mean. is more lully explained in the Note on
ing is that Ise yielded in quiet submis-  Jud. 5. 2, would seem also to imply a
sion, without a rurmur, to the just prohibition against letting the hair be.
judgmnent of heaven in bereaving him  come disarrayed or dishevelled, as was
of hIis sons. So the Psalnist, Ps. 34. 9. customary in bewailing the dead. The
I was dumb. T opened not my mouth, meaning we suppose to be,' Let none
because thou didst it.'                of the usual signs of grief or mourning
4. Carry your7 brethren from before, be seen upon you;' for the reason, pro.
4-c. That is, your kinsmen. This order bably, that the crime of their brethren
was given to the cousins of Nada;b and  was so highly provoking to God, and so
Abilhu, rather than to thleir immediate  fully merited the punishment which he
brethren, both that their feelings might had inflicted, that their mourning might
be consulted, and that they might not be considered as a reflection upon  the
be called off from their ministrations at divine justice towards the offenders.
the altar. Yet as these sons of Uzziel The rending of the clothes was another
were merely Levites, and not priests, it sign of sorrow, as appears from Lev.
would have been unlawful for them to  13. 45, and 21. 10; 2 Sam. 13. 21.enter into the sanctuary except in con. I~ Let your brethren, 4-c. While Aaron
sequence of a special command of and his sons, for official reasons, were
Moses.                                forbidden to assume the badges of
5. Carried them in their coats out of mourning, the congregation at large
the camp.  That is, in the tunics or were permitted and conmmnanded to do
linen garments in which they minister- it.  They must lament not only the
ed, and in which they were doubtless loss of their priests, but especially the
buried, as they would be considered as displeasure of God which had occa.
henceforth unfit for any kind of sacred  sioned it.




88                             LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
congregation, lest ye die: n for the   9 o Do not drink wine nor strong
anointing oil of the LORD is upon  drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee,
you.  And they did according to  when ye go into the tabernacle of
the word of Moses.                     the congregation, lest ye die: it
8 ~ And the  LORD  spake unto  shlall be a statute for ever throughAaron, saying,                         out your generations:
o Etek. 44. 21. Luke 1. 1. 1 Tim. 3. 3.
n Exod. 28. 41. ch. 8. 30.     Tit. 1. 7.
7. The anointing oil of the Lord is tion. The spirit of the precept requires
upon you. That is, ye are devoted by  of Gospel ministers that they be'sober,
a solemrn unction to the service of God, not given to wine,' 1 Tim. 3. 2. 3.' Lest
which is not to be omitted out of respect they drink and forget the law, and perto any earthly relation; whereas, should  vert judgment,' Prov. 31. 5 j lest they
you leave your official station before its' err through wine, and through strong
duties are fully performed, it would be drink are out of the way,' Is. 28. 7. By
no other than showing greater affection  its being forbidden to be used, however,
and respect to a dead friend than to the  on a particular occasion, it is implied
living God. The injunction contained  that at other times it was not prohibited
in these two verses seems to have be- to them, as it was not expected that
come a standing law for the priests ever every priest should be a Nazarite. So
after.  This is evident from Lev. 21. under the Gospel, I Tim. 5. 23,  Drink
10, 12,'And he that is high priest no longer water, but use a little wine
among his brethren, upon whose head  for thy stomach's sake, and thine often
the anointing oil was poured, and that infirmities;' where, however, it will be
is consecrated to put on the garmenlts, noted that the precept is specially
shall not uncover his head, nor rend his guarded, both in respect to the quantity
clothes. Neither shall he go out of the and the  occasion.-~r Nor strong
sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of driink. Heb.'n13 shElkcar, from  Ampl
his God; for the. irown of the anointing  shdkar, to inebriate, signifying any
oil of his God is upon him.'           kind of intoxicating  drinlk, whether
8. And the Lord spake unto Aaron. made of corn, apples, honey, dates, or
Hitherto, the Lord on all such occasions otherfruits. One of the four prohibited
had spoken to Moses; but now seeing  drinks among the Mohamimedans in
that Aaron had been very observant of  India is called I Sakar,' which signifies
every thing commanded him, and per. intoxicating drink in general, but espehaps with a design to afford him some cially date wine. The ancient EgypF
consolation under his heavy affliction, tians, as we learn from  Herodotus,
he does himn the honor to speak imme- B. II. c. 77, made use of a liquor fer.
diately to him, especially as the pre. mented from  barley.  Diod. Sicultus,
cept uttered had primary respect to the  Lib. I. de Osir. observes that' where
priests, of whom Aaron was head.       any region did not admit the growth of
9. Do not drink wine. It is the gen-. the vine, a drink was prepared fiom
eral opinion of the Jewish conmmenta-. barley, not much inferior in flavor and
tors, and not improbable in itself, that efficacy to wine.'  From  the original
Nadab and Abihu had drank wine to  word,' Sheker,' preserved in the Gr.
excess on the occasion which resulted  and Lat. in the form of' Sikera,' and
in their death, and that the present pro. I Sicera/' is probably derived the English
hibition was grounded upon the circuni-' cider,' a term  applied -exclusively to
stance of their attempting to celebrate  the fermented juice of apples, and so
the divine service in a state of inebria- also probably the word' sugar,' from




B. C. 1490.1                 CHAPTER  X.                                 89.10 And that ye may Pput differ-   14  And  u the  wave-breast and
ence between holyand unholy,and  heave-shoulder shall ye eat in a
between unclean and clean;            clean place; thou, and thy sons,
11 q And that ye may teach the  and thy daughters with thee: for
children of Israel all the statutes  they be thy due, and thy sons' due,
which the LORD hath spoken unto  which are given out of the sacrifices
tlem by the hand of Moses.            of peace-offerings of the children
12 ~  And  Moses  spake  unto  of Israel.
Aaron, and unto Eleazar, and unto   15 x The heave-shoulder and the
Ithamar, his sons that were left, wave-breast shall they bring, with
rake r the meat-offering that re- the offerings made by fire of the
maineth  of the offerings of the  fat, to wave itfor a wave-offering
LoRtD made by fire, and eat it with- before the LORD; and it -shall be
out leaven beside the altar: for sit thine, and thy sons' with thee, by
is most holy:                         a statute for ever; as the LORD
13 And ye shall eat it in the holy  hath commanded.
place, because it is thy due, and   16 ~ And Moses diligently sought
thy sons' due, of the sacrifices of y the goat of the sin-offering, and
the LORD made by fire: for tso I behold, it was burnt: and he was
am commanded.                         angry with Eleazar and Ithamnar,
the sons of Aaron which were left
p ch. 11.47, and 20. 25. Jer. 15. 19. Ezek.
n2. 26, and 44. 23. q Deut. 24. S. Neh. 8. alive, saying,
2, 8, 9, 13. Jer. 18. 19. Mal. 2. 7. r Exod.   uExod. 29. 24, 26, 27.  ch. 7. 31, 34.
29.2. ch. 6. 16. Numb. 1. 9, 10. s ch.'21. Numb. 1. 11. x ch. 7.29, 30, 34. Y ch. 9.
22. t chli. 2. 3, and 6. 16.          3, 15.
Fr.'sucre.' —Tf When ye go into the are thus charged, Ezek. 22. 26,' Her
tabernacle. That is, into the court of priests have violated my law and have
the tabernacle.- IT~r Lest ye die. Lest profaned my holy things; they have
ye do that which shall make you liable put no difference between the holy and
to le cut off by the vindictive hand of the profane, neither have they showed
God, as in the melancholy instance be. difference (taught the people the differ.
fore you.                             ence) between the unclean and the
10. That ye may put difference, ~c. clean.'
That is, that you may not by strong    12. And Moses spake unto Aaron, &ec.
drink so cloud and darken your under- The directions here given are repeated
standings, as to disqualify yourselves from  those that were formerly deliver.
from distinguishing in your ministra- ed, both because they were as yet but
tions between that which is sacred and  little practised in the sacred ceremotihat which is common; or firont; sepa- nies, and therefore needed fuller instrucrating between the precious and the tion, and because, from the pressure of
vile.' As the word, however, in the  their grief, they might possibly forget
original has the causative form, it im- or neglect some part of the divine ordiplies also that they were not to incapa- nances.
citate themselves from  teaching the    16. Moses diligently sought.  Intipeople to make the due discrimination. mating that he suspected some deviaThus Ezek. 44. 23,'And they shall tion from  the prescribed rule. That
teach my people (the difference, or, rule was, that if the blood of the sin.
how to distinguish) between the holy  offering of the people was brought into
and the profane, and cause them to dis- the holy place, as was that of the sin.
cern between the unclean and the clean.' offering for the priest, then the flesh
Withi neglecting to do this, the priests was to be burned without the camp;




90                             LEVITICUS.                          [B. C. 1490.
17 z Wherefore have ye not eaten   19 And Aaron said unto lMoses,
the sin-offering in the holy place, Behold, c this day have they offered
seeing it is most holy, and  God  their sin-offering, and their burnthath given it you to bear the in- offering before the LORD; and such
iquity of the congregation, to make  tlhinrs have befallen me: and if  I
atonement for them   before  the  had eaten the sin-offering  to-day,
LoaRD?                                  d should it have been accepted in
18 Behold, a the blood of it was  the sight of the LORD?
not brought in within  the holy   20 And when Moses heard that,
place:  ye  should  indeed  have  he was content.
eaten it in the holy place, bas I
commanded.                                C ch. 9. 8, 12. d Jer. 6. 20, and 14. 12. Hos
z ch. 6. 26, 29. a ch. 6. 30. b ch. 6. 26.   9. 4. Ma]. 1. 10, 13.
otherwise it was to be eaten by the  notwithout foundation.  When the h;al
priest in the holy place. Now in the  lowed thlings were brought according to
present instance, the blood of the goat the precept, Deut. 26. 14, the offeire
was not brought into the holy place, was required to say,  I have not eaten
and yet, it seems, it was burned without thereof in my mourning.2  And when
the catmp, whereas it ought to have  God would refuse the sacrifice of' the
been eaten..             wicked, he says, Hos. 9.4,' They shal
17. God hath given it to you to bea? be into them as the bread of mourners,
the iniquity of the congregation.  Gr. all that eat thereof shall be polluted.',Ja a0cXNre, that ye may take away. Moses accordingly admitted the thforee
The phrase' to bear iniquity,' often  of his plea, and acquiesced in it with.signifies to  suffer punishment with- out hesitation.-.T Such thin gsn have
out forgiveness, as Ex. 28. 43, Lev. befallen me. Chal.' Such tribulations
20. 19; but in the present instance its have befallen me.' Jerus. Targ.' Great
meaning is the reverse of this.  It sig.- sorrow hath this day befallen me, for
Iifies to bear away, to procure the re. that noy two sotns are dead, and I mnolurn
mission of) the sins of the people.. for them.'-~- Should it have been ac.
These sins were in some sense to be  cepted in the sight of the Lord?  Heb.
transferred to the priests as types of  ill~n m:, =          hayitab be~Lin  YeChrist, who' bore our sins in his own  hovah, should it have been good in the
body on the tree,' and of whom it is eyes of Jehovah?  Jerus. Targ.' Lo,
said,' Behold the Lamb of God, that if I had eaten the sin-offering to-day,
taketh away the sins of the world.'      were it possible that it could be accept.
19. And Aaron said unto Vl~oses, &c. able and right before the Lord?'
Mioses charged the fault upon Eleazar   20.ie uascontent. Heb.1lni5:t;i1
andl It;iantar, but it is probable they  yitab be'nauv, it was good in his eyes.
acted by Aaron's direction, and there. Gr. npoesv aVur;, it pleased him. So in
fore he apologized for it. In this he  other cases the letter of the law was
makes his affliction his excuse.  He  dispensed with from  the pressure of
Sul)posed  that as fasting  before the  circumstances, as when David ate the
Lord required a joyful frame of heart, show.bread, atnd  Hezekiah admitted
his being at this time overwhelmed  some that were not duly cleansed, to
with sorrow, would render hirn unfit to  eat of the passover. 2 Chron. 30. 18-20.
eat of t.lhe holy things; that lie could
not (do it without polluting them. And    REM:.Ras.-(l.)  The  most joyful
from  the folloiving passages it would  and festive  scenes may be suddenly
appear that such an imnlression  was clouded and turned to gloom  by the




B. 0. 1490.]                 CHAPTER  Xl.                                 91
unexpected inroad of divine judgments. Jews, is the subject mainly treated in
Let us therefore rejoice with trembling.  the present chapter. As this is a sub(l.)' Which lie commanded  not.' jectofgreat importance in the Mosaical
How dangerous to innovate upon, or institutes, we shall consider it at some
tamper with, the institutions of Heaven! length, particularly in reference to the
God is peculiarly jealous of the purity  design of the distinctions here estabof his ordinances, and watches with  lished, and the principles involved in
avenging vigilance around the worship  them. And we remark, in the outset,
of his altar.  He will accept of no  that the distinction of the animal tribes' strange fire,' either in the matter or into clean and unclean, is founded not
motives of the offerings presented to  so much upon any thing in the nature
himn.                                  of their habits, as more or less cleanly,
(2.) Nadab and Abihu sinned by  but upon the circumstance, that one
strange fire, and  were punished by  class of them was to be eaten for food,
strage fire.  Men's punishments are  and the other not. This appears very
often marked by a striking analogy  plainly from vv. 46, 47, of this chapter,
with their sins.                       where the whole is summed up:' This
(3.) The mind and will of God is is the law of the beasts, and of the fowl,
sometimnes to be learned by inference and of'every living creature that moveth
from the general scope and tenor of his in the waters, and of every creature
wor:d, instead of express revelation; that creepeth upon the earth; to make
and we are not to suppose that an act a difference between the unclean and
or a practice may be lawfully indulged  the clean, and between (i. e. even bein, because it is not, in so many words, tween) the beast that may be eaten and
forbidden in the Scriptures.  The ques- the beast that may not be eaten.' The
tion is, does the genteral spirit of' the  latter clause explains the former, showBible forbid it?   Of this, every man  ing, that to say a beast may be eaten
must judge as in the sight of God, and  or not eaten, is equivalent to saying it
act accordingly.                       is clean or unclean.  These epithets
(3.) It is of infinitely more conse. are undoubtedly tantamount to usual, or
quence that the Most hiigh should be not usual, for food; and consequently
sanctified, and his name glorified, than  the distinction is not one with which we
that the lives of our children, however are entirely unacquainted; for by using
dear to us, should be preserved.       some species of flesh.meat on our tables
(3.) The most comforting considera. and rejecting others, we do iin effect
tions under affliction, are those which  make this very distinction, though we
are drawn from the word of God. There  do not express it in the same form  of
is no such source of consolation to  words. Indeed it does not appear that
mourners as his own precious truth.    any animal is forbidden for food in this
(6.)' Uncover not your heads.' The  chapter, which Abraham  or his depublic concerns of God's glory should  scendants in any previous period were
lie nearer our hearts than any private  probably in the habit of eating; so that
griefs, pl.easures, or pursuits.  The these precepts, like many others in the'sorrow of the world' is often a great Pentateuch, merely convert national
hindrance to the performance of re- custom  into positive law, with perhaps
igious duties.                        some slight exclusions on the one hand
and admissions on the other.
CHAPTER XI.                   If, then, to declare an animal clean
The distinction of living creatures or unclean, was merely to pronounce it
into clean and unclean,' forming the  fit or unfit to be eaten, it follows that
basis of the dietetical system of the  there was nothing contemptuous or de.




92                            LEVITICUS.                      LB. C. 1490
grading in the use of the epithet unclean  be mine.' And in a subsequent part of
in this connexion. Nor is there any the sacred  narrative, we learn  the
greater mistake than to suppose that actual effect that followed from  the
the Jews were forbidden to keep un. overleaping of this separating wall,
clean animals in their houses or stalls, Num  25. 2. 2 3:' And they called the
or to have any thing to do with them. people unto the sacrifices of their gods:
On the contrary, the camel, and the and the people did eat, and bowed down
ass, and, in later times, the horse, were to their gods. And Israel joined himtheir common beasts of burden, though  self unto Baal-peor: and the anger of;ll the three species were unclean. In- the Lord was kindled against Israel.'
(deed, as Michaelis observes, in this   To compass the object of separation,
sense man himself was the most unclean  therefore, nothing could be better adapt.
of all creatures, for he was lacking in ed than the enactment of laws interdictthe physical conditions of a clean ani- ing the use of certain articles of food
inal, and none but a cannibal would ever common among other tribes, which the
think of such a horrid profanation as rites of hospitality would naturally be
eating human flesh,.                 sure to urge upon them. They were
In considering the design of the enact- regulations, therefore, tending directly
ments contained in this chapter, con- to break up all social intercourse be.
verting ancient customs into immutable  tween them  and their idolatrous neighlaws, we may safely admit that it was bors.' Intimate friendships,' says Mi
mainly to keep the Hebrews more per-  chaelis,' are in most cases formed at.f/ctly separate from all other nations. table; aind with the man with whom I
lThey were to continue a distinct people can neither eat nor driinkl, let our inter
by themselves, dwelling all together in  course in business be what it may, I
Palestine,  and having as little inter- shall seldom  become so familiar: as
course as possible with the neighboring  with him whose guest I am, and he mine.
nations.  There was, indeed, an end If we have, besides, from education, an
ulterior to this to be answered by their abhorrence of the food which others eat,
isolation from the rest of the world. this forms a new obstacle to closer inGod intended by this arrangement that timacy.'
they should be preserved from idolatry,   The editor of the Pictorial Bible
and the concomitant vices then so fear. (Mr. Kitto) confirms this remark by
fully rife among the Canaanitish tribes. the results of his own experience:' The
This is clearly intimated Lev. 20.25, 26, truth of this observation rmust be obvious
in immediate connexion with the warn- to every person acquainted with the
illg, I Ye shall not walk in the manners East, where, on account of the natives
of the nations which I cast out before regarding as unclean many articles of
you: for they committed all these  food and modes of preparation in which
tlhinegs and therefore I abhorred them.' Europeans indule, travelers or residlents
Ile then proceeds to say,' Ye shall find it impossible to associate intimate.
therefore put difference between clean  ly with conscientious Mohanimme dans or
beasts and unclean, and between unclean  Hindoos. Nothing more effectual could
fowls and clean: and ye shall not make be devised to keep one people distinct
your souls abominable by beast or by from another. It causes the difference
fowl, or by any Imanner of living thing  between them to be ever present to the
that creepeth on the ground, which I mind, touching, as it does, upon so
have separated from  you as unclean. many points of social and every.day
And ye shall be holy unto me: for I contact; and it is therefore far more
the Lord am  holy, and have severed  efficient in its results as a rule of dis.
you tfrom other people, that ye should tinction than any difference in doctrine,




B. 0. 1490.]                   CHAPTER  XI.                                93
worship, or morals, which men could  not only those meats prohibited  by
entertain. While the writer of this Moses, which we usually eat, but also
note was in Asia, he had almost daily  others, of which the flesh of dogs was
occasion to be convinced of the incalcu. one. With regard to the Arabs, they
lable efficacy of such distinctions in  were nearly related to the Israelites,
keeping men apart from strangers. A  and their practices were less corrupt
Mlohanlredan, for instance, might be  than those of the Egyptians and Ca.
kiud, liberal, indulgent; but the recur. naanites, whence the difference of food,caice of a meal or any eating, threw  is not so strongly marked; but still it
hiirrn back upon his own distinctive prac- was quite enough to hinder the intimacy
tices and habits, reminding him that of the two nations.  The camel not
you were an unclean person fromn  your only constitutes the principal wealth
h;abits of indulgenice in foods and drinks of the Arabs, but its flesh is a prin.
forbidden to him, and that his own cipal animal food; besides which they
purity was endangered by communica- eat the hare, and the jerboa —all these
titn with you. Your own perception  are forbidden in this chapter, the last
of thtis feeling in him is not to you less under the name of' mouse.' If even at
painful and discouraging to intercourse, this distance of time we can discover
than its existence is to him who enter- such differences between the diet of the
tains it. It is a mutual repulsion con. Hebrews and that of their neighbors,
tinually operating; and its effect may  we may easily conceive that a more
be estimated from  the fact, that no intimate acquaintance with the diet of
nation, in which a distinction of meats the latter would exhibit more important
was rigidly enforced as part of a re- and numerous distinctions.'
ligious system, has ever changed its   Subordinate to the above was another
reliion.  Oriental legislators  have  end to be answered by the prohibition
been generally aware of the effect of of the unclean class of animals, viz.,
sucell regulations; and hence through the furnishing of the covenant people
most parts of Asia we find a religious with a code of wholesome dietetics.
distinction of meats in very active ope- Not, however, that this reason holds in
ration, and so arranged as to prevent regard to all the prohibitions relative to
social intercourse with people of a dif-  unclean beasts; for it cannot be quesferent faith. In' the chapter before us tioned that amlong the animals denom.
it is not difficult to discover, that the inated unclean, there were many which
israelites, in attending to its injunc- might safely and salubriously be used
lions, must be precluded from  social for food, ald which are so used by
intercourse with any of their neighbors. different people at the present day. It
As to the Egyptians, they had them- is also to be observed that diet connects
selves a system of national laws on this itself with climate, temperament, and
point, which restrained them  from in. general habit, in such a manner, that
tercourse with strangers. They could  what is innocent or salutary in one re.
not eat with the Israelites, even in the gion, or one state of society, would be
time of' Jacob. Some of the animals decidedly noxious in another. Yet that
which the Israelites were allowed to dietetical considerations did actually
eat, the cow, for instance, were never enter into the reasons of these appoint.
slaughtered by the Egyptians, being ments, is the unanimous opinion of the
sacred to some god; while, on the other ancient Jews, and is a point which
hand, the Israelites were interdicted  Maimonides especially labors to prove.
some animals which the Egyptians ate  (Mor. Nevoch. p. 3, ch. 48.)  There
fireely. Then as to the Canaanites or can be no question, at any rate, that we
Phoenicians, they seem  to have eaten  are thus to account for the prohibition




-0A                           LEVITICUS.                        [B.. 1490.
of swine's flesh. It has long been con. the ravages of fatal epidemics among
ceded that the use of this food favors them.
the spread of cutaneous diseases, par-   In addition to the above considera.
ticularly where any circumstances of tions, some have been disposed to repredisposition from climate or tempera- cognize another, in the alleged fact that
ment exist. So also there is good rea- the eating of certain animals exercises
son to believe that the use of pork tended  a specific influence on the moral temrnto produce the leprosy, a disease which  perament; as if, for instance, the use
is presently to come before us in a of camels' flesh-an animal said to be
different connexion, and which was of of a revengeful temper-tended to imso shocking a nature, that too severe part a vindictive propensity to the eater,
precautions could not well be taken to and of that of the swine to render one
prevent it. Indeed, we think it would  gross and sensual.  But of this fact
be found, on a thorough investigation, there is too little positive proof to make
that the nutriment afforded by the flesh  it of much account in this connexion.
of the interdicted animals in general That such an influence may be exerted
was less wholesome, and more favorable  to a certain degree, and in certain
to the production of scrofulous and  forms, need not perhaps be denied; but
scorbutic disorders, than that of almost. is probably too slight to come within
any included in the list of permitted  the range of reasons which dictated the
meats.  That the Divine Legislator present discriminations.
should have regard to the well-being of   But in seeking for the designs.of Inhis people in this respect, and should  finite Wisdom in the regulations before
enact such la.ws as would tend to guard  us, we do not feel restrained from taking
them from the inroads of epidemic and  into view certain moral and typical con.
contagious disease, will appear reason- siderations which we doubt not wveighable to the slightest reflection, espe- ed, in their measure, with the Most
cially when we consider that his care High in the establishment of these dis.
extended, in other matters, to the mi. tinctionis. It is a remark of Ainswortlb,
nutest points that related to their per. that' by beasts are spiritually signified
sonal safety and comfort; as, for in. peoples of sundry sorts; and by eating
stance, to the articles of their apparel or not eating, is meant comtmunion with
and the style of their building. Nor is or abstainling from  thein, as by the
it to be forgotten that the situation of vision showed unto Peter the Holy
the people under the Levitical code Ghost expounded this law.'  In this
created a peculiar exigency in this re. vision, it will be recollected, the apostle
spect. Through the whole period of saw a great white sheet let down to the
their wanderings in the wilderness, the  earth, containing all manner of four.
encampment was very much in  the footed  beasts, creeping  things, and
condition of a crowded garrison, and  fowls of the air, and heard at the sanme
the breaking out of a violent epidemic  time a voice commanding him, not.
am!iong thern would have been equally  withstanding his scruples, to rise, kill,
easy and destructive. Every tendency, and eat, for that that which God had
therefore, to such at occurrence was to  cleansed was no longer to be accounted
be guarded against with the most vig-  common or unclean. Immediately after
ilant care. And even when settled in  this supernatural exhibhtion, the apostle
Canaan, the Jews were still to be avery  went, under the direction of the Spirit,
compact population, inhabiting a terri- to the house of Cornelius, a devout
tory small in proportion to their num.-  Rornan, whom  God had chosen into
bers, and therefore equally needing a that Christian  church, of which the
rigid health police as a security against visionary sheet was a figure, from Its




B.- C. 1490.1               CHAPTER  XI.                                95
comprehending people of all nations, preternaturalreconciliation between the
gathered from the four winds or quar- clean and the unclean species. of aniters of the earth, and symbolically in. mals. Is. 11. 6-9,' The wolf also shall
closed in white linen, to signify the dwell with the lamb, and the leopard
Christian purity and rectitude. Having  shall lie down with the kid; and the
entered the house of Cornelius, he ob-. calf and the young lion and the fatling
served to those present,' Ye know how  together; and a little child shall lead
that it is an unlawfhl thing for a man them. And the cow and the bear shall
that is a Jew to keep company or to feed; their young ones shall lie down
r:ome unto one of another nation; but together: and the lion shall eat straw
God hath showed me that I should not like the ox. And the sucking child
call any man common or unclean.' shall play on the hole of the asp, and
Iltre we have an apostolical comment the weaned child shall put his hand on
upon  the purport of this vision. God the cockatrice's den. They shall not
had showed him that he should call no hurt nor destroy in all my holy mounliving creatures unclean; but by these tain: for the earth shall be full of the
beasts of all kinds- he understands men knowledge of the Lord, as the waters
of all nations-and in this his interpre- cover the sea.'
tatiton no doubt accorded with the drift   But why ore certain animals select(of the Holy Spirit in prompting the ed as fitting types of heathen tribes,
vision. We are conducted then at once and accordingly denominated unclean?
to the inference, if the liberty was now  Nothing is more certain than that the
granted to Peter of feeding upon the uncleanness attributed to brute creaflesh of unclean animals, as the sign of tures is not actual and inherent; for
a newly opened intercourse between the they innocently follow  their several
Jews and the Gentiles, that it was the instincts-the wolf when it devours the
original intention of the contrary pro- lamb, and the swine when it wallows
hibition to forbid the Hebrews holding in the mire. The instinct of the wolf
fellowship with heathen and idolaters. is not cruelty, but appetite; and the
For a permission in one of these cases foulness of the swine is as blameless as
would not imply a permission in the the scent of the dunghill. Yet on these
other, unless it had been well under- very accounts they. serve as striking
stood that a restraint in the one had symbols of bad men, who by imitating
always implied a restraint in the other. the vicious or loathsome, propensities
To say that animals formerly prohibited of certain brutes, sink, themselves from
as unclean might now be eaten, was in the dignity of men and Christians, to-a
effect to. say that the heathen might level with'the beasts that perish.'
now  be  safely conversed with and We see, then, an.intrinsic aptitude in
preached to. Consequently the contrary certain animals to-shadow forth certain
injunction, that these creatures should classes. of men; and if the unclean
not be eaten, was equivalent to a verbal beasts represented. thus symbolically
command that the people of God should  the depraved Gentiles, the clean ones,
abstain from  all familiar intercourse on the same principle, would stand as
with the heathen world.              the appropriate type of the upright and
All this is doubtless very obvious. obedient Israelites; and  hence the
Under the Jewish economy this rigid peculiar pertinency and force of our
interdict of fellowship with the Gentiles Savior's direction to his disciples,' Go
obtained. Under the gospel dispensa- not into the way of the Gentiles, but go
tion it is done away; and accordingly, rather to the lost sheep of the house of
when this event is predicted by Isaiah, Israel.'
he represents it under the image of a   But let us descend to a closer survey




~6                             LEVITICUS.                        B.  0. 1490.
of the particulars of this institution, and  tribes of wild beasts whose paws are
see what animals are assigned to the  armed with sharp claws to seize their
respective classes, and how their quali- prey, or than the horse, whose feet are
ties, symbolically understood, corres- such formidable weapons of offence;
pond with the character of the different or the dog, who, though not armed
persons whom  they are intended to  with claws, like the bear or tiger, is
replesent. The chapter before us pre- yet furnished with feet of great swift.
seuts on the good and peaceable side, ness, fitting him  to pursue and destroy
amrongst the clean creatures, the ox, the  such creatures as are gentle and de.
isheep, the goat, the.lamb; all fishes fenceless.
with fins ad( scales, and of the fowls,  Again, another peculiar characteristhe dove, the pigeon, the lark, &c., tic of clean beasts, is that of chewing
whose habits are agreeable, and their the cud-a faculty so expressive of that
flesh grateful. On the other side we act of the mind by which it revolves,
find arrayed the dog, the swine, the meditates, and reasons upon what it
wolf, the fox, the lion, the tiger; of receives within it, that the word rumibirds, the vulture, the kite, the raven, nate, from rumen, the stomach, distinc.
the owl, the bat; of reptiles, the whole  tive of this class of animals, has be.
serpent tribe, with the eel and the  come an established metaphorical term
water-snake;'and finally all insects and  in our language, by which to express
wornis, and the various species of tes- the act of the mind in studious meditatacea.                                 tion or pondering.  An animal thus
In regard to all these, and many other employed has remarkably an air of
creatures of kindred species, it is evi.- abstraction in its countenance, as if
dent, upon the bare recital, that their engaged in some deep meditation; so
properties and instincts render them  that we cannot well conceive of a more
most striking representatives of the  fitting symbol of that attribute of a
several classes of men intended to be good man which disposes him  to the
set forth by them; and yet we have in devout contemplation of sacred things,
the outset of this chapter a still more and which the Psalmist so graphically
compendious mode of distinguishing  portrays, Ps.. 2,' His delight is in the
the quadrupeds, by certain external law of the Lord, and in his law doth he
characteristics, strikingly indicative of meditate day and night.' The word of
their internal natures and dispositions. God is the true pabulum  of the pious
Here we see that those only were ad- soul; and when John in vision took the
mitted into the clean class of animals little prophetical book from the angel's
which divide the hoof and chew the cud. hand, and ate it, we see by the effects
Creatures of this class, it is well known, produced, that the profound study of
are generally marked bya harmless and  its contents, as laden with announce.
tractable disposition,'besides being of ments of woe, could embitter to the
the utmost service to man for domestic stomach what was exquisitely grateful
purposes; and it might be sufficient to  to the palate; thus teaching us that the
insist upon these properties alone as a pleasure of knowing is sometimes counground for the distinction in their favor. terbalanced by the pain of the things
But we see no reason to doubt that the known.
distinguishing traits of these animals   It would doubtless be easy to extend
are expressive also of the moral endow- the application of these remarks to the
ments which are prominent in the sub- several orders of terrestrial, aerial, and
jects represented. Certain it is, that aquatic creatures which come into the
an animal with a cloven hoof is more enumeration before us; but as our
inoffensive with its feet than the several preface to the  present chapter has




B. C. 14930.]               CHAPTER XL                                    97
CHAPTER  XI                  beasts which  ye shall eat among
Aq ND the LORD spaRke unto Mo- all the beasts that are on the:earth,
ses and to Aaron, saying unto   3 -Whatsoever parteth the hoof,
them,                                  and is cloven-footed, and chewetb
2 Speak  unto  the children  of  the cud  among  the beasts, that
Israel, saying, a These  are  the  shall-ye eat. 
a Deut. 14. 4, Acts 10. 12, 14.
unready far exceeded our usual limits, hbwever, in order to bring them within,.e content ourselves with what has the specified class, must be perfect, as'readyhcenoffered. The illustrations is intimated by the additional epithet
given afford but another evidence of the'cloven-footed,' or as the Heb. has it,
{c onsummate  wisdom  and  benignity'that cleaveth asunder (i. e. entirely
which shine through the appointments asunder) the cleft of the hoofs.'  A
of the Levitical code.                 division of hoof contrary to that which
is here required is to be seen in the foot
The Distinction of Clean asnd Unclean  of the dog, the cat, and the lion, where,
Animals.                though there arc several distinct toes
i. The Lord spaoke unto FMoses and to  or claws on the upper side, yet they are
nAaron. As joint representatives of the  united by a membrane on the lower
nIcagisterial and priestly power. The  side.  The parting, therefore, is not
co gizance of the following injunctions perfect. Whereas in the foot of the ox,
belonged to both. The Priest was to  the sheep, and the goat, the cleaving
direct the people where any doubt oc- extends quite through the foot1 and as
curred as to things forbidden or allowed, far below as above. Animals of hoofs.lfnd the Magistrate was to see that the  wholly solid, and unparted, as the horse,'tirection was followed. Comp. Nume. were of course unclean. —~i Cheweth
9. 6, 2 Chron. 29. 5,-30. 18, Ezek. 44.23. the cud.  Heb. I'3-  l57;2 maiilath
2, 3. These are the beasts which ye gl'rah,makig the cudtoascend. That
shall eat among all the beasts, &c. The  is, such animals as bring up. again the
Ileb. has here two distinct words for cud from the stomach to the mouth, to
beasts,' Jint'haycdh, and ntn: behe- be more thoroughly masticated, as is
mah, a distinction which is wholly  the case with the ox, and the other
lost sight of in our version, and the ruminating  animals.  The  original
samne is the case in the Septuagint. word,'I'l ge'rah, comes from a root''he first properly implies living crea.- signifying to draum irom  the chewed
tures in general, whether beasts,fishes, mass being again drawn up into the
fowls, or creeping things; the second  mouth to be remasticated; and the Gr.
denotes quadrupeds only, especially  pnPiwopoe is equivalent, being derived
those of the domestic kind, usually  from p7pvs, to revolve, to turn, to toss
dleiominated  cattle. -IT Whatsoever over, expressive of the action of the
parteth the hoof, &c. The first grand  animal's organs upon the cud. Indeed,
rule of distinction laid down has respect the word'ruminate' is derived from
to quadrupeds, and is this-that all rumen, the name of the first stomach in
beasts that have their feet completely  the ox or camel, into which the food is
cloven, above as well as below, and at the first received, and thence cast up into
same time chew the cud, were to be ac- the mouth.  The word' cud' is supcounted clean. Those which had nei. posed to be derived either from  the
ther, or indeed were wanting in one of  Canbro-British chuyd, a vomit, as it is
these distinguishing marks, were to be  the ball of food vomited or thrown up
held unclean.  The parting of the hoof, into the mouth from the stomach; or a
9




98                             LLEVITICU JS.                     [-B. C. 149'.
4 Nevertheless, these shall ye not cud, but divideth not the hoof; he
eat, of them  that clew the cud, or is unclean unto you.
of them  that divide the hoof: as   5 And  the  coney, because  he
the camel, because he cheweth the  cheweth the cud, but divideth noit
the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
contraction of chewed, from the verb to settled; and so while the camel rumin
chew.-c The reader will not fail to ob- nates, the requisite parting of the hoof
serve, that the beautifully simple and  might be a matter subject to considerao
scientific division of quadrilpeds here  ble doubt. In point of fact, the foot of
stated on divine authority at so early a  the camel is divided into two toes, and
period, is one which has never yet, after the division below is comnplete, so that
all the improvements in natural history, the animal might be accounted clean
become obsolete; but, on the contrary, but then it does not extend the whole
is one which the greatest masters of length oft' the foot, but only to the fore
the science have continued to consider part; for behind it is not pasted, and(
useful. Michaelis says this is I won-  we find besides under it, and connected
derlul.' But it is not wonderful when  with it, a kind of cushion or elastic
we recollect who was its author-n-lot pad, on which the camel goes. Now
Moses, bhut God. It would have been  in this dubious state of circumstanceS,
wonderful if, as Michaelis seems to  Moses authoritatively decides that the
think,  it evinced the progress which  camel has not the hoof fully divided 
men had then made in the science of and so of the other animals mentioned
natural history; but it is in iact very  in the sequel.  The  accompanying
doubtful whether the Israelites, or even  figure will give a tolerably correct idea
Moses himself, understood the princti. of the form of this animal's foot.
ples on which the distinction was
established. After stating the general
principle, a few examples are given to
illustrate its application.'-Pict. Bib.
4. Nevertheless these shall ye not eat,
&c. Having stated the general princi.
ple, the writer goes on to illustrate its
application. When either of the speci.
fled conditions were wanting, whether
in whole or in part, viz., if a beast
chewed the cud, but had not its hoof
perfectly parted in two, as the camel,
the coney, and the hare, or if its hoof
were parted, and yet it did not chew the
cud, as the swine; then they were pos. 
itively interdicted, and the- touching
their dead carcasses caused such a de.
filement as legally disqualified one
from  engaging in the worship of the            THE CADIEL'S FOOT.
tabernacle till he were ceremonially    5 The coney. Heb. 111:  l hashshia.
cleansed. But in the case of certain  phan. In reference to this animal we
quadrupeds, a doubt might arise whei-  give the note of Mr. Kitto on Prov. 30.
ther they do fully divide the hoof or 26, i The conies are but a feeble folk,
ruminate. Whether the hare, for ex- yet make they their houses in the rocks.'
ample, ruminates, is a point not easily  -' It is on the sole authority of the




B.: C. 1490.]                 CHAPTER  XI.                                   99.6 And the hare, because he chew-  eth the cud, but divideth not the
hoof; he is unclean unto you.
Rabbinical writers that the Heb. FUIS  not stand upright in walking, but seem
shalphan has been identified with the  to steal along, as in fear, with the belly
coney, or rabbit.  That this conclusion  near the ground, advancing a few steps
cannot be correct is very evident.  The  at a time, and then pausing.' They
rabbit is not an Asiatic animal, and it have something very mild, tfeble-like,
is very far from  being solicitous of a  and timid in their deportment; are
rocky habitation, wLhich is the distin- gentle and easily tamed, though when
guihing characteristic by which the  roughly handled at first, they will bite.'
slpha ni is here mentioned. Some there- Possibly it is to this that Agur refers
fore, who reject this explanation, sup-  in calling them' a feeble folk: although
pose the Jerboa  to he intended; and  perhaps this may rather allude to their
this oliuion has the sanction of Bochart, feet, which are described as being soft
probably from  his being unacquaintedl and tender, very liable to he hurt and
with the Daman, or Hyrax Syriacus, excoriated, and which do not enable tile
which corresponds far better than any  animal to dig its own habitation, as
other animal that has been found to the  the rabbit does; and in this sense, the
brief intlimations which the Scriptures  text would mean that the shazphan, be.
convey.  Danaon is the Syrian name of  ing disqualified by the feebleness of its
Ile animnal: the Arabs call it Nabr, and  feet from scooping out itseown habitathe Abyssinians Ashkoko. The same  tion in the plain, has tile sagacity to
species is found in Lebanon, among the  seek in the mountain, habitations ready
inountains and rocks of Syria and Pal. formed or completed with ease, notestine, in those of Arabia and Abyssinia, withstanding that the sharp asperities
and probably extends to Southern Afri-  of the rocks among which it is thus led
ca.  Under its Abyssinian name of  to dwell, might be supposed hurtful to
Ashltoko, a;ery full description of the  its feet. However this be explained,
animal thas been given by Bruce, andl it is certain that they are called'exthe general accuracy of his account has ceeding wvise/, with reference to their
beett attested by more recent observa-  choice of habitations peculiarly suited
tions.  He strongly advocates its iden-  to their condition: and they might be
tity with the shap/han; and shows how  particularly mentioned in this view fromn
ilapplicable the Scriptural intimations  the fact that animals of the class to
are to the rabbit. Its size corresponds  which they belong, are usually inhabit.
nearly to that of the hare; and its gene-  ants of the plains.  The flesh of the
ral color is gray mixed with a reddish  shaphan vwas forbidden to the IIebrewa;
brow.i, but white under the belly, and  and, in like manner, the Mohammedans
hlackish about the fore feet. It is so much  and Christians of the East equally aban animal of the rock, that Bruce says he  stain from the flesh of the daman.  Cunever saw one upon the ground, or from   vier has some interesting observations,
among the large stones at the mouth of  showing the resemblance, on a small
the caves, holes, and clefts of the rock, scale, of this animal's skeleton to that
in which it resides. They are grega.  of the rhinoceros; and says there is no
rious animals, living in families; they  animal which more clearly proves the
appear to subsist on grain, fruits, and  necessityofanatomy fordetermining the
roots; and certainly chew  the cud, as  true conformities of animals.'-Pict. Bib.
the shaphlan is said to do in Levit. 11. 5.   6. The hare. Heb. t)=2i  aornebeth,
Bruce says that they do not appear to  supposed to be compounded of shn
have any cry; and adds, that they do alrh, to crop, and':Z nib, the p2rodgice




100                            LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
7 And the swine, though he divide  he cheweth not the cud; c he is
the hoof, and be cloven-footed, yet unclean to you.
c Isai. 65. 4, and 66. 3, 17.
of the ground.' The propriety of this entire, without any preparation; being'denormination will appear from the de. baked in a hole dug in the ground for
vastations which in various times and  the purpose: and thus cooked are re.
countries hares are recorded to have  lished by all nomades.'-Pict. Bib.
committed. The reason given for their   7. The swine.  Ileb. "lIrl haxzir.
rejection is, that, though they chew the' The prohibition of the hog is by no
cud, they do not divide the hoof-that means peculiar to the Hebrews. All
is, that their foot has too many divi. their neighbors, the Egyptians, the
sions-an unrdivided hoof and a foot Arabs, and the Phoenicians, concurredl
with more than a complete division into  in disliking the hog, and interdicting its
two parts being equally rejected. The  use    The  prinicipal reason  for the
statement that the hare does chew the prohibition  was probably  dietetical.
cud has been disputed by naturalists. It was a remark  made by the an.
Michaelis, who says that no two sports. cient physicians, and confirmed by the
inen concur in giving the same answer modern, that persons who indulged
on the subject, considers it one of those in pork were peculiarly liable to le.
doubtful cases, which, as in the case of prosy and other cutaneous disorders.
the camel's foot, the legislator was Michaelis observes on this  subject,
obliged to decide authoritatively. But' Whoever is afflicted with any cutanethe poet Cowper, who domesticated  ous diseases must carefully abstain
tihree tame hares, and studied their hab- from swine's flesh if lie wishes to reits with great attention, affirms that cover. It has likewise been long ago'they chewed the cud all day till even- observed, that the eating of swine's
ing,' thus confirming the decision of the flesh produces a peculiar susceptibility
IIebrew legislator. The use of the hare  of itchy disorders. Now, in the whole
for food is not forbidden to Mohamrned- tract of country in which Palestine lies,
ans in their Koran, and is distinctly al- something more to the south, and some.
lowed, by the example of Mohammed  thing more to the north, the leprosy is
himself, in the' Mischat-ul.Masabi),' an endemic disease: in Egypt it is
but the Moslem doctors have classed its peculiarly common, and the Israelites
flesh among meats which, although not left that country so far infected with it,
legally forbidden, are abominable. Dr. that Moses was obliged to mrake many
-Russell, who does not seem to be aware regulations on the  subject, that the
of this fact, in his' Natural History of contagion might be weakened, and the
Aleppo,' attributes the abstinence of people tolerably guarded against its
the Turks from the hare merely to dis- infiuence.' He adds,' every physician
like. It is however remarkable, that will interdict a person laboring under
the Bedouin Arabs, the Eelauts of Per. any cutaneous disease from eating pork;
sia, and other Mohammedan nomades, and it has been remarked in Germany,
who in general pay little attention to  that such diseases are in a peculiar
religion, pursue hares with great eager. manner to be met with in those places
ness, and eat them  openly without the  where a great deal of pork is eaten.'
least scruple. The animals are found  Michaelis also observes, that, although
in considerable numbers in the deserts pork was forbidden as food, the Hebrews
of Western Asia, which these nomades  were not forbidden to keep swine as
inhabit, or through  which they fre- articles of trade. We agree that they
oaiently pass. They are usually dressed  might do so, but that they actually did




B. C. 1490.]                    CHAPTER  XI.                                101
8 Of their flesh shall ye not eat, of any living thing which is in the
and theircarcass shall ye not touch; waters, they shall be an fabominad they are unclean to you.               tion unto you:
9 ET e These shall ye eat, of all  1l  They shall be even an abomi.
that are in the waters: whatsoever  nation unto you: ye shall not eat
hath fins and scales in the waters,  of their flesh, but ye shall lhave
in the seas, and in the rivers, them   their carcasses in abomination.
shall ve eat.                             12 Whatsoever hath no fins nor
1 O And all that have not fins nor scales in the waters, that shall be
scales in the seas, and in the rivers, an abomination unto you.
of all that move in the waters, and   13 ~[ g And these are  they which,l Isai. 52. 11. See Matt. 15. 11, 20. Mark  ye shall have in abomination among
7. 2, 15, 13. Acts 10. 14, 15, and 15. 29. the fowls; they shall not be eaten,
1lom. 14. 14, 17. 1 Cor. 8. 8. Col. 2. 16, 21.
treb. 9. 10. c Deut. 14. 9.               f ch. 7. 13. Deut. 14. 3. g Deut. 14. 12.
is not very likely, when the neighboring  -a  distinction equally clear, simple,
nations were equally averse to pork  and systematic. Even to this day fish
with themselves.  But we think the  with fins and scales are generally re.
extent of this aversion has been exag. garded as wholesome and often deli.
gerated.  The Mohammedans detest cious, while others that differ in these
tihe hog quite as much as it was possi. particulars are looked upon with disgust,
lie fOr the Jews to do, and none are  and occasionally with horror, under a
kept for lany purpose by them; but if belief that they are sometimes poison.
they encounter a wild hog, they will ous. It is interesting to remark how
captture it alive or dead, and carry it, the sentiments of mankind do generally,
even in their arms, to Christians, either in this matter, coincide with the divine
for sale, or as an acceptable present. precept.
The only pork we ever tasted, while
residing  in Mohammedan Asia, was                Distinction of Fowls.
Irocuretl  in this mlanner from Moslems.   13. These are they which ye shall'I'There is nothling in the law to prevent have in abomination amn-ong the fowls.
Iie Jew\s f'rom doing the same, if they  Heb. Ili   Vt man haoph, of the foul,
hlnew persons by whom pork might be collect. singular.  The ordinance ree.tten. It is true, that if they they touched specting birds differs from the others in
an animal not allowed for food, they  the absence of any particular distinc.
became unclean till the evelning; but tion of clean and unclean. It merely
this was equally the case if they touched  specifies, for the sake of prohibiting,
a human corpse, or even the carcass of certain species of known birds, leaving
an aniltal fit for food, unless it had been it to be understood that all others were
slaughtered in the usual way. There  allowed.  But even in regard to the
was nothing  to  prevent them  from  permitted species, it is now so difficult
handling hogs or any other unclean ani- to ascertain them, that we cannot rernals while alive.' —Pict. Bib.         sist the inference that the Law itself
must be considered as abrogated; for
Distinction of Fishes.          there is probably not a Jew in existence
9-12. These shall ye eat, of all that who is able to identify the different
are in the waters. In these verses the  classes here mentioned.  And the same
sacred writer lays down the distinction  remark holds good in respect to many
that was to be made in regard to fishes. of the animals and insects designated
All that have scales and fins were to be ill this chapter.  They must find thenm.
accounted clean, and all others unclean I selves therefore in the predicament of
9*




102                            LEVITICUS.                         [B. C. 1490.
they ar}e an abomination: the eagle,   14 And the vulture, and the kite
and the ossifrage, and the ospray, after his kind;
being bound to abstain from eating the  seizes by darting down with incredible
flesh and coming in contact with the  velocity upon them. Some think the
carcasses of various orders of animals black eagle is here intended; but the
and birds, and yet perfectly ignorant probabilities are at least equally in
what they are, and not knowing but favor of our version.
they are continually breaking the law      14. The vulture.  Heb. 1rII dc-ih,
every day! —f The eagle. Heb. 11   with the import of flying, or rather of
n'sher, from  the obsolete  root'lMl   sailing with expanded wings through
nishar, to lacerate, to tea? in pieces, as the air, and in Deut. 14. 13, Ir    rdaiih,
the eagle with its talons and  beak. with that of seeing; but whether from
The Heb. term, however, has a broader its remarkable powers of vision, or by
acceptation, and comprehends also a an easy interchange of the similar letspecies of vulture, especially in those  ters' d and  1 r, is uncertain. The
passages where the "Uz=  nesher is said  Chal. here follows the Heb. giving nR1T
to be bald, Mic. 1. 16, and to feed on  daitha, but in Deut. 14. 13, it renders by
carcasses, Job. 39. 27, Prov. 30. 17  ND1: D2t bath kanpha, daughter of the
(Comp. as-ros, Mat. 24. 28.)  As the  wing.  The Gr. renders it by yv7p, and
character and habits of the eagle, the  the Lat. Vulg. by' Milvus,' a kite,
king of birds, may be learned in detail which, from its signification when used
from the comrmon works on natural his. as a verb, seems to be very appropriate.
tory, the reader is referred to them  for This verb, when taken in its full appli.
all the further information he may de. cation, denotes that kind of flight which
sire.  Comp. Note on Deut. 32. 11.-   is at once swift, varied, and majestic.
IT The ossifragge. Heb. ~.~ peres, from  Hence the term  agrees well with the
D, pras, to crush. or break, equiva. kite, or glede, which is characterized
lent to which is' ossifrage,' bone-brealc- by the easy and sweeping motion with
er, in our version, from  the Lat'os,'  which it glides through the air. The
bone, and' frango,' to break. This is kite (Milvus ictinus), though it preys
one of the most difficult to be identified  upon the lesser animals, does not scru.
of all the birds in the list. The Tar- ple to feed upon garbage, and therefore,
gum of Onkelos, and the Sept. and Vulg. in Egypt, it is often seen in company
versions read it' vulture,' in which the  with the vultures when at their necesmajority of versions concur.  Others sary and useful task of devourieg the
thinir it denotes the' black eagle,' and  carrion and offal of meat, that they
some the i falcon.' Mr. Kitto decides may not pollute the air by (lecomposiin favor of the' great sea-eagle,' a bird  tion.-I r The kite. HIeb. nor ayyah,
about the size of the golden eagle, and  rendered in Job, 28. 7,' vulture,' and
inhabiting the cliffs and promontories that very properly.'This isa splendid
aloni the sea-shore.  It is spread over bird, diffused over the south of Europe,
the northern parts of Europe and Asia. Turkey, Persia, and Africa.  It feeds
-IT  The ospray.  Heb.,.iY;  oz- on putrid flesh, like the rest of the fam.?niy~yh.   The  ospray, or fisll.haak  ily; and makes its nest in the clefts of
(Paendion  hali'tt~us,) is a native of the rock, from whence it call survey the
both contitents.  The upper parts of its distant plains, and mark the fallen prey.
body are of a rich glossy brown; the  In length it is about three feet six inches,
tail barred  with brown of different with an expanse ol' wings reaching to
shades, while the under parts are white. (ight or nine. The color of the full.
It subsists entirely upon fish, which it grown bird is a deep rufous gray, be.




B. C. 1490.1                  CHAPTER  XL                                   103
15 Every raven after his kind;     hawk, and  the  cuckoo, and  the
16 And the owl, and the nirght-  hawk after his ]ind,
comling black on the quill-feathers and  bability a species of owl (Lat. Vulg.
tail. Th'le head and neck are not entirely  ~ noctua,7) so called from  its ravenous
bare, but are covered with a short close  and predatory habits. Its scientific de.
down, and lthe beautiful ruff is of a pure  signation is the' Strix Orientalisl thus
white. Travelers, astonished at the ex. described by Hasselquist:' It is of the
tiraordinary distance from  which these  size of the common owl, and lodges in
birds can descry a carcass, have debated  the large buildings or ruins of Egypt
whether they were guided by sight or by  and Syria, and sometimes even in the
seenti; but the beautiful and picturesque  dwelling-houses.  The Arabs il Egypt
accuracy of the Book of Job, oil many  call it' Masasa,' and the Syrians 1 Bana.1
poimnts of natural history, seem here to  It is extremely voracious in Syria, to
afford us its hilh authority in ascribing  such a degree that if the windows be
it to the eye.'-Pict. Bib.-.f After  left open in the evenings, it flies into
his lkind.  This expression is doubtless  the houses, and even kills infiults, unused here for the purpose of including  less they are carefully watched; wherewhatever different varieties there riay  fore the women are much afraid of him.
Ihance to be under the same species. -- IF The cuckoo.  Heb. t~rI   sha
rind so in the subsequent verses.       ha/aph. As the Greek version renders
15. The  raven7. fieb.::1Y   oreb, this ternm by Xapor, and the Vulgate by
which, from its etymology, we might larus, we are led to suppose that some
translate' the bird of night,' an appel- of the lesser kinds of sea-fowl are
lation which it owed to the tincture of meant; and from  the nature of the
its plumage, which was dark, like the  original word, which denotes slenderlivery of night, or'"j. ereb. A word  ness and wasti2g, one would feel inof' the same origin is extended by the  clined to think that the terns must be
Arabian writers to the rook, crow, and  here alluded to. The terns (Sterna)
jackldaw, as well as to the raven: in  are slender birds, and resemble, with
fact it seems to include all those spe. their long wings and forked tail, the
cies which are by Cuvier ranged under common  swallow; whence they are
tlhe genus Corvus.  The predominant called, in French and English,' seacolor of tliese is black, hence Ereb (the  swallows.'  Some  vriters thinklll  the
origlin of the classic Erebus), imp)lying  sea-mew is intended; but Dr. Shaw ina sable hue, is a very proper word as a  clines to the saf-saf —the namle of which
geineric appellation  corresponding  to  is not unlike the Hebrew  of tile text.
Corvuss.                                 This is a graminivorous and gregarious
16. The owl.  Heb. nt'1   >Z bath  1.ird; of which there are two species
hayyonah daughter of the yonal. This  described by the Doctor in his' Travels,'
bird is generally agreed to be the' os- p. 252. —    The hawk. Heb.'r: nitz,
t-ich,' and to be so called from vocifera. from M==-=-Rz  ndtzah, to fy, supplsed
tion, or the screeching, mournful noise  to be the common sparrowuhaowk, which
which it makes., and whiclh is implied  abounds over the old continent, and has
in the original word'1'l yonah.  The  long been noted for the celerity of its,omrnparativelylittle knowledge ofnatu-  flight, and the activity with which it
ral history enjoyed by the translators, pursues its prey.
must account for their rendering it   17. The little owl. I-eb.': kas, Gr.
owl.' —-   The nigiht-hawlk.   Heb. vvKTrKoipat.  This was perhaps the com-:rnnm tahmi2s, from  a root implying  mon barn-owl, well knowvn in nearly all,a-pine aad violence. It was in all pro- countries.   Our version  gives three




104                            LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
17 And the  little owl, and the   18 Andthe swan, and the pelican,
cormorant, and the great owl,          and the gier-eagle,
owls in two verses; but this appears to  that the modern Jews transgress their
be the only real one. Some writers,  law in using goose-fat, in lieu of other
however, think that the list of water-  fat or of butter, in their culinary prefowl begins here, and that the sea-gull parations.-TR The pelican.  Heb.
is intended.-'The  Cormo? ant. rtuc  hkaath. As the root Mnjr kddh
Heb. J1iU shalalk, from *a root signify- signifies to vomit, the name is supposed
ing to throw, cast, or' dart down, and  very probably to designate the'pelican,'
thence well applied to birds which dart which receives its food into the pouch,
down with great velocity upon their under the lower mandible or jaw, and
prey. Hence'the Gr. KarappoaKrr7s' the bypressing it on its breast with its bill,
cataract, or the bird which precipitates throws it up for the nourishment of its
itself upon its prey. Chal.  1]52  sha- young. Hence the fable which reprelenona, fish-hunter. —--     The gr'eat sents the pelican as wounding her breast
owl.  Heb..q11'=   yansuph; Gr. tilts. with her bill, that she may feed her
The sacred ibis, so celebrated in ancient young with her own blood; a fiction
story, seems to be the bird intended-  which has no foundation but in the
the Ibis religiosa of Cuvier. This bird  above circumstance. — We have often
was embalmed by the Egyptians; and  seen one of the species sitting on the
specimens have been preserved in a ledge of a rocks a foot or two above the
state of such perfection that not only  surface of the water, in pensive silence
the skeleton but the feathers might be during the whole day; the continuity
studied, in order to ascertain its iden- of its proceeding being only interrupted
tity with the living animal. It is about at distant intervals by the near approach
the size of a common fowl.  While  of some unlucky fish, upon which it
young, the neck is partially covered  darted with unerring certainty, and then
with down, or minute feathers, which  resumedits wonted stillness. At other
fall off when the plumage is complete. times we have observed them  urging
The major part of its feathers are of a  their way, with rapid flight, thirty or
clear and spotless white. The head, forty miles into the country, after a
bill, neck, and legs are of a deep black; day's fishing, to feast in the lonely wilas are also the tips of the quill-feathers, derness upon the contents of their wellwith a violet reflection. The last four stored pouches: and were then reminded
secondaries are of the same tincture, of the words,' I am like a pelican in the
and by their length and silky nature  wilderness.'-Pict. Bib.-   Ir The gier.
form an elegant plume, mantling over eagle.  HIeb. t:M'l  ralham.  By this
the hinder parts of the body.          term  the Sept. understands the avxvos,
18. The swan. Heb. rtZ2l   tinshe- the swan; but as the root signifies ten.
meth.  The  Sept. renders this by  derness and affection, it is obviously
ropbvptova, the purple bird, a bird very  intended to point out some bird noted
famous among the ancients for the beau. for its attachment to its young. This
ty of its plumage, which is indigo min. applies very well to the'swan,' which,
gled with red. It inhabits marshy sit- notwithstanding its meek and inoffen.
nations in the neighborhood of rivers sive disposition will, in defence of its
and lakes, and is found universally in  young, give battle to the larger animals,
the Levant and the islands of the Medit- and even to man himself.
erranean. Michaelis, with whom Park-    19. The stork. Heb. n'C'hasidah,
hurst is disposed to concur, thinks the  from,i'hasad, which signifies to be
goose is intended; and hence infers.fuall, abundant, elxuberQnt in goodn.ess,




B. C. 1490.1                 CIHAPTER  XI.                                105
19 And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the
bat.
kindness, affection.-' The bird is an  made it highly penal to kill a stork.
inhabitant of the warmer regions, but It often appeared to us as if the Orien.
often migrates to higher latitudes to lay  tals in general regarded the stork as a
its eggs and hatch its young. It is par. sort of household god, whose presence
ticularly abundant in Egypt and the  brought a blessing upon the house on
western parts of Asia, and is also well which it established its nest. They
known in different parts of Europe; also do not overlook the importance of
and, wherever found, its amiable and Iits services in clearing the land of serconfiding disposition has secured it the  pents and other noxious reptiles, which
protection and esteem of man. No bird  form part of its food. Whether the law
is more tfhmous for its attachment to its of Moses prohibited the stork as food,
young; anti, which is more rare among  in order to protect its existenee, or be.
birds, for its kinidness to the old and  cause the nature of its food rendered'it
feeble of its own race.  It has also  unclean, it is impossible to determine:
acquired a sort of sanctity in different perhaps both reasons operated.' —P. Bib.
countries, not less perhaps from  its -11  The heron. Heb. iDR andlphlih.
grave and  contemplative appearance' This bird is only mentioned here and
than for its predilection for churches, in Dent. 14. 18; and as in both places it
mosques, and temples, on the roofs or is only named without the mention of
towers of which-perhaps because they  any characterizing circumstance, very
are in general the loftiest buildings-it ample latitude has been allowed to conusually prefers to establish  its large  jecture in all attempts to determine
and well-compacted nest. It also builds  the species.  The crane, the curlew,
on the roofs of private houses; anld, in  the woodcock, the peacock, the kite,
the East, on the wind-chimneys by  the parrot, and the mountain falconD
which apartments are ventilated. This have had their several claims advocated.
habit brings it into  close connexion  The root anaph signifies to breathe
with man in Turkey and Persia; in  short through the nostrils, to snort as
most parts of which countries people  in anger, and hence, to be  angry; and
sleep at night on the flat roofs of their this has led to the conclusion that a
houses, aInd sometimes sit and amuse  bird of angry dispositions must be inthemselves there in the cool of the even- tended. It seems to us so hopeless to
ing. The storks, although then full in  identify the bird in this way, that we
view, and themselves observant of all have no desire to disturb the common
that passes, do not on any occasion ex- reading which has as much and as little
hibit alarm or apprehension. This may  probability as any other. The disposias well be a consequence as a cause of  tions of the heron are sufficiently irrithe peculiar favor with which they are  table to satisfy those who rest upon the
regarded. But certain it is, that in  etymology of the name. The bird is
Turkey, Persia, Egypt, or indeed in  allied' to the stork, and, like it, feeds
any place, even in Europe: to which  on fish and reptiles, and is noted for its
these birds resort, a man would be uni. voracious appetite. The heron is found
versally execrated who should molest a  in most countries: in England it was
stork, or even disturb its nest during its fbormerly held in high estimation, its
absence.  In some cases the law  ex. flesh being counted a great delicacy,
pressly provides for its protection. It and bore a price equal to that of the
was exactly the same among ancient pheasant and curlew. Heronhawking
nations, the laws in some of which  was also a favorite amusement of kings




1o6                           LEVITICUS.                         [BL  C, 1490.
20 All fowls that creep, going 1 22 Even these of' them  ye may
upon all four, shall be an abomina-  eat; h the locust after his kind, and
tion unto you.                          the bald locust after his kind, and
2t Yet these may ye eat, of every  the beetle after his kind, and the
flying creeping thing  that goeth  grasshopper after his kind.
upon  all four, which  have legs   23 But all other flying creeping
above  their feet, to leap withal
upon the earth;                                 11 Matt. 3. 4. Mark 1. 6.
and nobles; on which account laws ses begins his cataldgue with the Eagle,
were enacted for the preservation of the  the highest and noblest of the feathered
species. A person destroying their eggs race, so he ends with the Bat, which is
was liable to the then heavy fine of the lowest, and forms the connecting
twenty shillings for each egg.  These  link between the quadruped and vola.
birds are gregarious in the breeding  tile species.
season, and make their nests very neareach other. T'hey may be tamed when            Distinction of Insects.
taken young: the ancient Egyptians    20. All Jbfouls that creep.  That in.
used to keep them  tame-apparently  sects are here meant is plain from  the
to assist in fishing; and MElian reports, following verse, and therefore the sense
that they so well understood the human  is, all those creatures which fly and
voice as to become exceedingly angry  also creep,  going upon all four,' i. e.
when any person abused them or charg-  creeping along upon their feet ill the
ed them with laziness. If this was true  manner of quadrupeds, such as flies,
at the time of the exodus, the bird must wasps, bees, &c., together with  all
have been familiarly known to the Is- leaping insects; these are to be avoided
raelites, and the probability  is thus as unclean, with the exceptions in the
strengthened that the heron is really  two next verses.
intended.'-Pict. Bib.-   f The lap.   21. Which have legs above their feet
winfl. CHeb.  -jX " dzkiphath.  Gr. to leap uithal upon the earth. Insects,
erobp, upipa. We may conclude this reptiles, and worms, are generally pro.
to be the hoopoe, which is often melt hibited; but a previous exception  is
with in the writings of antiquity; it is here made in favor of those insects,
an elegant and animated bird, its head  which besides four walking legs, have
being surmounted with a beautiful crest also two longer springing legs (pedes
of plumes, which by their varying mo. saltatorii) and which, under the natne
tion seein to express the feelings of the  of' locusts,' are declared clean. Those
wearer. Itisspread over all the warmer particularly enumerated seem  to inldi
regions of the bld continents and occa- cate the four leading genera  of the
sionally visits this country. It is about locust family, of which the domestic
twelve inches long, with a fawn.colored  cricket,  the mole-cricket, the green
plumage, barred with black and white  grasshopper, and the locust may be
on the wings and lower parts of the  taken as representatives.
back. Tail black, with a crescent of   22. The beetle. Heb.'Aim  sol/rla.
white at the base. Its food consists of As this insect is never eaten, a sort of
insects, worms, and snails, and it was grasshopper or locust is prosbably in.
perhaps on this account forbidden as tended; as it is likely that either four
an article of diet.- I The bat. Heb. species, or four dififerent stages of the,t]k    atalllph, so called according to  same insect., are intended by the four
most lexicographers from  two words names in this verse, In Palestinle, Ara.
implyingfliers in darkness. As Mo. bia, and the adjoiniing countries, locusts




B. C. 1490.]                   CHAPTER  XI.                               107
things, which lhave four feet, sha7l his clothes, and be unclean until
be an abomination unto you.             the even.
24 And for these ye shall Dbe un-   26 The carcasses of every beast
cleanl: whosoever  touchetll  the  which divideth the hoof and is not
carcass of then shtall be unclean  cloven-footed, nor cheweth the cud,
tmil thle even. Iare unclean unto you: every one
2.5 And whosoever beareth aught                    an  1     Numb..,,
of the carcass of them  ishall wash  and 31. 24.
are onle of the common articles of food, qualities, bear a greater resemblance
and the people would be very ill off if than to any other article of food to
precluded from eatitng them. When a which we are accustomed. —The Israel.
swarm  of thel desolates the fields, they  ites being in the peninsula of Sinai
jaove, in some imeasure, themselves an  when they received this law, it is a
antidote to the famine which they occa- rather remarkable fact that Burckhardt
sion; so mutch so, indeed, that the poor describes the present inihabitants of
people look forward with anxiety to the  that peninsula as the only Bedouins
arrival of a swarm of locusts, as yield- known to him who do not use the locust
ing them sustenance without any trouble. as an article of food.'-Pict. Bib.
l'lThey collect them in great quantities,   23. Shall be an abomination to you.
inot only dir their own eating, but for A thing to be loathed and abominated
sale in the bazaars-for these insects as being unclean by the ceremonial law.
are highly relished by all classes of All insects appear to be included-in this
people. In some towns there are shops prohibition except the locuste. With
exclusively for the sale  of locusts. the exception of these, few, if any, of
riley are so prepared as to be kept for the tribe of insects, properly so called,
use a considerable time.  There are  have ever constituted an article of hu.
different processes; but the most usual manl food.
in Western Asia is to throw themn alive
into a pot of boiling water, mixed with    Defilementfrom unclean Carcasses.
a good quantity of salt. After boiling    24. For these ye shall be unclean.
a few minutes they are talken out, and  That is, those which follow, says Ains.
the heads, feet, and wings being pluck-  worth; and so Michaelis and most
ed off, the trunks are thoroughly dried  others understand it; confining the un.
in the sun, and then stowed away inI cleanness to the dead bodies only of the
sacks. They are usually sold in this beasts and reptiles after mentioned
condition, and are either eaten without Indeed if it were extended to the insect
flurther preparation, or else are broiled, tribes mentioned v. 20-23, it would
or stewed, or fried in butter. They are  scarcely seemi possible to have remained
very commonly mixed with butter, and  clean a single hour. But whoever ate
so spread on thin cakes of bread, and  any of the interdicted animals, or of tlhe
thus ea'ten, particularly at breakfast. forbidden fowls or fishes, or came in
Europeans have usually an aversion  to  contact with their dead carcasses, con.
the eatilg of these insects, from being  tracted thereby a legal uncleanness for
unaccustomed to them; and we must that day; nor was he to be admitted
confess that we did not ourselves re- to the worship of the sanctuary, nor to
ceive tlhemrn at first without somenic repug- have intercourse with those who were,
nance: but, separately from the ques. till lie had purified himself by washing
tion of usage, they are not more repul-  his clothes and his body, which he was
sive tllai shrimps or prawnsv  to which  to do forthwith.
they do, indeed, in taste and  other   27. Whatsoever goeth upon his pawus.




o08                           LEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1490
that toucheth  them  shall be un- and be unclean  until the even
clean.                                  they are unclean unto vou.
27 And whatsoever goeth upon   29 ~r These also shall be unclean
his paws, among  all manner of unto you among the creeping things
beasts that go on all four, those  that creep  upon  the earth; the
are  unclean  unto  you:  whoso  weasel, and k the mouse, and the
toucheth their carcass shall be un- tortoise after his kind,
clean until the even.                    30 And the ferret, and the c-hame28 And he that beareth the car- leon, and the lizard, and the snail,
cass of them shall wash his clothes, and the moie.
i Isai. 66. 17.
Heb.'1q1   >m al kappauv, upon his expansion of the ears impress them with
palms; referring  to those animals some resemblance to the rabbit. They
whose feet have a kind of resemblance' are very abundant in Egypt, Syria, and
to the human hand, such as lionsbears,  the north of Africa, and burrow in the
dogs, cats, apes, monkeys, &c.         sand or among ruins.  Their flesh,
though eaten by the natives of the East,
Distinction of the creeping things.   is unsavory, and hence the interdiction,
29. Among the creeping things that which forbade them as food, did not lay
creep upon the earth. That is, those the necessity of much sell:denial upon
which have legs so short that they  the Israelites. As this animial feeds
creep,as it were, with their bellies upon  exclusively  oil vegetable produce, a
the ground, as the mole, the field-mouse, multiplication of its numbers could not
and the lizard tribe.-  r The weasel. fail to be highly injurious to cultivaHeb.'Tr'holed, from the Syriac Tr  tion.'-Pic-t. Bib.-ST   The tortoise.'haled, to creep in.  The Septuagint Heb. =Z tzab. Gr. KpOKO&sXaO, Xecatos,
and the Vulgate agree in rendering this crocodilus.  Some member of the farnword by I weasel,' though it is difficult ily of lizards is undoubtedly intended
to see on what grounds they should  by this term, but the precise variety it
Ihave classified the weasel among rep. is difficult to determine. Jarchi says
tiles.  The opinion of Boclart is far it is a creature I rike a frog,' and nearer
preferable, who understands by the 1'M1 to the truth we have no means of coming.'holed, the mole, whose property of dig- -.. After his kind. Gr. ra ibPowa avrp,o
ging into the earth, and burrowing  things like unto it.
under its surface is well known.-        30. Thie ferret. Heb. t1UR andkclh,
~ The mouse. Heb. "1Z  akbdr.  Gr. from aFO a2nak, to groan, to cry out;.vs.' There seems good reason to sup- a species of lizard, deriving its name
pose that the mouse of Scripture was from its piercing, doleful cry.  Such a
the Dipus sagitta or Jerboa, an animal description of this animal is found in
about the size of a large rat, and char-. countries bordering on the Mediterraacterized by the disproportionate short- nean, of a reddish gray color, spotted
ness of the fore-feet. Its color is a pale  with brown. It is thoughlt at Cairo to
tawny-.yellow, lighter on  the under poison the victuals over which it passes,
parts; the long tail is terminated by a and especially salt provisions, of which
tuft of black hair. The brevity of their it is very fond. It has a voice somefore-feet is compensated by the size and  what resembling that of a frog, as is
strength of the tail, by which, as il the, intimated by its  Hebrew  name.case of the kangaroo, they are enabled  ~' The chameleon. Heb. MIT1  koa'h. Gr.
to balance themselves in an upright po- %lpatXcwv. HIere again we are at a loss
sition. The form of the head and the  to identify the creature called a'cha.




B1. C. 1490.]                CHAPTER  XI.                                109
31 These are unclean to you fall, it shall be unclean; whether
among all that creep: whosoever it be any vessel of wood, or raiment,
doth touch  them, when they be  or sklin, or sack, whatsoever vessel
dead, shall be unclean until the  it be, wherein any work is done,
even.                                  lit must be put into water, and it
32 And upon whatsoever any of  shall be unclean until the even;
them, when they  are dead, doth  so it shall be cleansed.
1 ch. 15. 12.
roeleon;' and as we are not likely to  face must tend to give a color more or
obtain ally thing more certain, we may  less vivid to the skin. Tile chameleon,
state the opinion of Kitto, who con- or Lacerta Africana, is a native of
siders it a species of lizard, found in  Egypt, Barbary, and of the south of
Arabia, Nubia, and Abyssinia, remark- Spain.
able for the readiness with which it   32. Upon whatsoever any of them,
forces its way into the sand when pur- when they are dead, doth fall, it shall
sued-an evidence of the strength and  be unclean. That is, it might not be
activity implied in its Hebrew name, used till it was cleansed. This, how.
which  signifies force, prowess. —--  ever was to hold only in regard to cer~ The lizard.   Ifeb. j6t7=    let2ah. tain kinds of vessels specified in this
The original word signifies to adhere, verse, viz. either such as were very
and therefore may apply to a frightfthl  solid, and would not imbibe a scent so
and venomous species of lizard, well as to retain it for a long time, or such
known in the East, covered with tuber- as were of' great value, and could not
cles, and of a grey color. It lives in  easily be replaced.  Others of a differ.
holes of the walls, and under stones, ent description, such, for instance, as
and covers itself with dirt, which is  were very porous, or earthen vessels of
perhaps alluded to  by the sense of  little value, were to be broken to pieces,
adhering conveyed  in the name.-  and thrown away.'The great inconIv The snail. IHeb. ttnl'homet. This veniences which the law connected with
word in Chaldee signifies to bow down. this and other defilements, necessarily
It therefore suggests the Lacerta stellio, obliged the Israelites to pay great atwhich is noted for bowing its head, in- tention to cleanliness: and this was
somuch that the followers of Moham- probably what the laws on this subject
tined kill it, because they say it mimics  had principally in view. The import.
thetm in the mode of repeating their ance of regulations on such points are
prayers. It is about a foot in length, not so fully appreciated in this country
and of an olive color shaded with black. as in the East, where all kinds of rep.
- ~I The mole. Heb. tVZ.:=  tinshe. tiles, many of them poisonous, find their
meth, from duc  nasham, to breathe. way into the most private apartments
We rnay therefore with much proba- and conceal themselves in recesses,
bility adopt the opinion of Bochart, and  crevices, vessels, and boxes. Experiapply it to the chameleon, which has ence taught the writer of this note,
lungs of such vast dimensions  that, while in the East, to observe the great.
when filled, the body is so much dilated  est caution in examining a box or yes.
as to appear transparent. The varying.- sel, which had not very recently been
capacity of their lungs enables them, disturbed, lest a scorpion, or other noxby exposing a greater or less portion of  ious reptile, might be concealed within
blood to the influence of the air, to alter it. On this subject, Michaelis observes
the tincture of the circulating fluid at that this law was well calculated to
pleasure, which when sent to the sur-  prevent accidents from poisoning:' Of
10




110                            LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
33 And  every  earthen  vessel, shall be unclean; whether it be
whereinto  any  of them rn  falleth, oven, or ranges for pots, they shall
whatsoever is in  it shall be un- be broken down: Jbr they are unclean; and m ye shall break it.        clean, and shall be unclean unto
34 Of all meat which  may be  you.
eaten, that on  which stc/ch water   36 Nevertheless, a fountain or pit,
cometh shall be unclean: and all wherein there is plenty of water,
drink that may  be drunk in every  shall be clean: but that which
such vesssel, sliall be unclean.       toucheth their carcass shall be un35 And  every  thing whereupon  clean.
angy part of their carcass falleth,   37 And if any part of their carmchl. 6. 28, anld 1. 12.      cass fall upon  any  sowing-seed
the poisoning of liquors by toads creep. be clean. H-eb. Vt'I i'3 j "t1'121'1'7
ing into casks we often read; and Has-  7rta.aunl u.bur nilcv'th mayim, a fttunselquist relates an instance where the  tain or a pit, a gathering of u'aters.
poison of a Gecko in a cheese hIad  It is uncertain whether the:gathering
nearly proved featal.  Mice and rats  of waters' is intended to be understood
likewise sometimes poison meat that is of somsething distinct froml the fountain
uncovered, by means of the poison laid  or pit mentioned( before, or whether it
for themselves being vomited upon it. is merely exegetical of those termls.
I remember the case of a brewing of To us it seems more probable that it
beer, vwhich, to all the people of a to.wn  refers to pools, ponds, or lakes, and
who Ihad drunk it, occasioned most vio. such like collections of \waters. Ac.
lent agonies; and in regard to which, cordingly the Gr. renders it with an in.
although it was most peremptorily de. terjected' and' before' gathering.'
nied by the magistrates and the brewvers, This will perhaps be more obvious when
there appeared perfectly good reason  we consider the kintl and mercilul drift
for believing that arsenic had in this of the provision. This was to afford
manner got among the malt.' — P. Bib. the means of the speediest possible
34. Of all meat which may be eaten, cleansing from the pollutions which any
&c. The meaning undoubtedly is, that one might have contracted. For this
any meat which might othlerwise be  end they were allowed to have recourse
lawfully eaten, was made unclean if  to any collection of waters, whether in
water poured out of any of the vessels pools, cisterns, or ponds, even although
named above was to come upon it. For ant unclean carcass might have fallen
the water coming out of a defiled vessel into it, or an unclean person may have
was thereby itself defiled, adtl comrmu- just washed himnselfin it. Considering
nicated defilement to the ulteat on which  the scarcity of water in thlat country,
it fell. Ou tile same principle, all drink  if it had not been for such an allowance
that might be drunk from any such ves- as this, it might have been extremely
sel was also unclean and defiling.     difficult for thenr to have performed the
35. Whether it be oven, or ranges for requisite ablutions after their defile.
pots. Heb. V>l  kirayim.  By this ments. --             But that which toucheth
is probably meant a kind of hearth made  their carcass.  Rather,' whosoever
of stones, whlere fires were made for toucheth,' referring  to persons who
boilinll  their pots or kettles. The ovens, drew out the carcass, instead of the in.
on the other hand, were the contrivances strument employed for that purpose,
for baking bread.                      as others understand it.  So the Gr.
36. Nevertheless, a fountain or pit,    a7-rrortvos, he that toucheth.
wherein there is plenty of water, shall   37. Fall upon any sowin.g-seed. The




B. C. 4I90,o                 CHAPTER  XI.                                111
wlhich is to be sown, it shall be   41 And every creeping thing that
clean.                                 creepeth  upon tIle earth shall be
38 But if any water be put upon  an abomination; it shall not be
the seed, and anypart of their car- eaten.
cass fi:ll thereon, it shall be unclean   42 Whatsoever goet'A upon  the
unto you.                              belly, and whatsoever goeth upon
39 And if any beast, of which ye  all four, or whatsoever hath  more
rmay  eat, die; lie that toucheth the Ifet amongf all creeping things that
carcass thereof shall be  unclean  creep  upon  the  earth, them   ye'
until the even.                        shall not eat;  for they  are an
40 And n he that eateth of the  abomination.
carcass of it shall wash his clothes,  43 o Ye shall not make yourselves
and be unclean until the even; he  abominable  with   any  creeping
also that beareth the carcass of it thing that creepeth, neither shall
shlall wNrash his clothes, and be un- ye make yourselves unclean with
clean until the even.                  them, that ye should be defiled
thereby.
n chl. 17. I1, and 22. 8. Deut. 14. 21. thereby.
Ezek. 4. 14, and 44. 31.                            o ch. 20. 25.
same exception extended to the grain  not only to be eaten, but to be touched;
prepared lbr sowing. If a mouse, for the carcasses of unclean animals, whe.
instance, were found dead amiong a  ther they died by disease or were killed;
quantity of wheat, designed for sowing, but those of clean animals had thiseffect
it inight still be used for that purpose. only when they (tied of themselves.
Buat othler wheat, not intentded for sow.   40. He that eateth of the carcass of it
ing, ttius made unclean, might not be That is, ignorantly; for if lie did it
used, till it was cleansed by washing. knowingly and presumptuously, against
In the case of the seed to be sown, it the positive command, it constituted
would of course pass through so many  the high-handed offence against which
changes of state before it could become the doom of excision, the mlost fearful
ibod, that the pollution might be sup. penalty of the law, was threatened.
posed to be taken away of course.      Num. 15. 30, Deut. 14. 21.
38. But if any waler be put upon the   41, 42. Every creeping thing. This
seed. Wet seed might be supposed to  rule is of course to be understood with
have received some tincture from  the the exceptions stated above, inl vv. 21-294,
carcass whiich   dry did not; and not and all creatures of the creeping kind
being in a fit condition to be sown till that m.aly be ranged under the three
it was dry, it was in the mean time to  following classes; (1.) Those which
be cleansed. Others, however,suppose  move by the aid of the under part of
the allusion here is not to seed.corn, but the stomach and belly, as serpents.
to such as was prepared for present (2.) Those which, though they have
food; and this sense is perhaps counte. four leCs, nevertheless move like rep.
nanced by the original, which has I seed' tiles, as lizards, moles. &c. (3.) Those
in general, instead of' the seed,' as in  which move by short and almost imper.
our version, which seems to restrict it ceptible feet, as caterpillars, centipedes,
to seed intended for sowing.           millepedes, &c. The 42d verse seems
39. If any beast of which ye may eat, to be merely explanatory of v. 41.
die.  That is, which either dies of    43. Ye shall not make yourselves
itself', or is torn by wild beasts, or is abominable. Heb. t:itml/3  12j1ll ~5
suffocated, so that the blood remains in al teshakketzu naphthoshl'kem, ye shall:the veins. Such meat became unlawful not make abomninable your souls. They




112                            LEVITICUS.                      [B. C. 1-10.
44 For I am the LonD your God; to be your God: rye shall thereye  shall therefore sanctify  your- fore be holy, for I am holy.
selves, and ir ye shall be holy'; for  46 This is the law of the beasts,
I am holy: neither shall ye defile  and of the fowl, and of every living
yourselves  with  any  manner of creature that moveth in the waters,
creeping thing that creepeth upon  and of every creature that creepeth
the earth.                             upon the earth:
45 q For I am the LoRD that bring-   47 s To make a difference between
eth you up out of the land of Egypt, the unclean and the clean, and between the beast that may be eaten
P Exod. 19. 6. ch. 19. 2, and 20. 7, 26. and the beast that may not be eaten.
1 Thess. 4. 7. 1 Pet. 1. 15, 16. q Exod. 6. 7.  r ver. 44.   S ch, 10. 10.
would make themselves abominable if. them as a nation, that it is again and
they ate them, and unclean if they did  again appealed to with a view to imr
but touch them.                        press a sense of their obligations on
44. For I ant the Lord your God,,-c. their hearts.  There could not be a
See Note on Ex. 3. 15, 18. We have greater aggravation of their guilt than
here the spiritual drift of all these car- to be unmindful of what God had
nal and ceremonial ordinances; for wrought for them  in their deliverance'meat commendeth us not to God,' nor by a stretched-out arm frost the house
is' any thing unclean of itself,' nor is of bondage.
there' any thing from without a man    46. This is the law of beasts, 4c
which entering in can defile him.' A  That is, this collection of' laws in the
grand moral purport was couched under present chapter constitutes that code
all these legal rites, and from  the de- which is to regulate the distinction of
claration in these verses we cannot fail living creatures into clean and unclean.
to discern what it is. As God himself  and thereby to afford you a rule by
is a being of infinite purity and perfee. which to distinguish between the dif.
tionunutterably surpassing all the false  ferent kinds of meat which may and
gods of the heathen, so it was his pur- which may not be eaten.
pose that his own covenant people should   47. To make a difference between the
be signally separated and distinguished  unclean and the clean. Heb. ~'1:*nn
in their mode of life from  all the sur- lehavdil, to separate, to divide. It is
rounding  nations, and thus by being de- the same word which occurs v. 10 of
barred from intercourse with them, be the preceding chapter, where the priests
secured also from participation in their are commanded to be always sober, that
corruptions and idolatries. -i Nei. they may be able' to put a difference
ther shall ye defile yourselves. Heb. (5'li   lehavdil) between holy and
t=)n1::,=  naphshothE'kem, your souls; unholy, between  unclean and clean,'
as in the preceding verse. On the pe- which they were to do not only for
culiar use of this term  in Hebrew, see  themselves, but also for others, for' the
Note on Gen. 34.29. In this connexion it priest's lips should keel) knowledge.,
evidently has relation rather to the body  Accordingly it is said, Ezek. 44. 23,
than the mind, as is often the case else-  I And they shall teach my people the
where.                                 difference between the holy and profane,
45. I am the Lord that bringeth you  and cause them  to discern between the
up out of the land of Egypt, q4c. This unclean and the clean.' And so also
was an act of favor signal and illustri- Jer. 15. 19,'Therefore thus saith the
ous, and- lying so essentially at the  Lord, If thou return, then will I bring
foundation of all other mercies towards  thee again, and thou shalt stand before




B. C. 1490.]                  CHAPTER  XII.                            113
me: and if thou take forth the precious    With respect to birds, it is singular
from  the vile, thou shalt be as my  that no general definition is given of
mouth: let them  return unto thee; but the clean or unclean; but certain spe.
return not thou unto them.' Whereas cies or genera are enumerated and deo
the opposite is expressively set forth, clared unclean, leaving it to be inferred
Ezek. 22. 26,' Her priests have violated  that all the rest might be eaten.
my law, and have profaned mine holy    According to the view taken above,
things: they have put no difference be. all vultures, eagles, falcons, hawks,
tween the holy and profane, neither crows, ostriches, sea-gulls, owls, pelihave they showed difference between the cans, ibises, storks, herons, and hoopoes
unclean and the clean, and have hid  were declared unclean.  Linnmus ditheir eyes fromn my sabbaths, and I am  vided the aves (birds) into 78 genera:
profaned among them.'                 not more than eleven of these are pro.
hibited by the laws of Moses. The 67
GENERAL RESULTS.-On a retrospect remaining genera include among them
of this chapter, it will be seen that the the whole of the anseres, or goose and
legal restrictions imposed upon the duck tribe; the whole of the gallina, or
Hebrews by the laws of Moses, as to  grain-eating tribe, as peacocks, pheas.
animal food, were, in their general re- ants, partridges, quails, and common
sults, as follows:-                 fowls. The whole of the passeres, in.
With the exception of locusts, the cluding doves, pigeons, and numerous
whole of the invertebrate classes are genera of small fruit and seed-eating
prohibited.                           birds. These, and various other genera
Of the vertebrate animals, the whole of birds, seem  to have been deemed
of the order of reptiles are prohibited.  clean; from whence, perhaps, it may
Of the orders nmammalia and Pisces, be inferred, that the flesh of birds was
i. e. quadrupeds and fishes, a classifica- considered in that early age peculiarly
tion is made, restricting the clean-quad- wholesome and nutritious food. It is
rupeds to such as parted the hoof, and  well known also, that geese, ducks,
were cloven-footed, and chewed the quails, pigeons, and birds of that kind,
cud; and the clean fishes, to such as abound in Egypt and Palestine.
had fins and scales. These definitions
are so precise and comprehensive, that   C- APTER X
there could not be much difficulty in
determiniilg what was excluded  by Laws relative to the Purification of
them. They permitted the eating only        Women after Child-birth.
a few of the graminivorous quadrupeds,   The ordinances contained in this
such as oxen, sheep, and deer; and chapter having, like most of the code to
such fishes (whether from  salt or fresh  which they belong, been abolished under
water) as had the clear and obvious the gospel, can have little practical recharacter of fins and scales; most, if lation to us; yet the perusal of them
not all, of which afford a palatable and cannot but be interesting to the Christian
nutritious diet.                     reader from. their connexion with some
To prevent the possibility, however, of the incidents of the gospel history.
of mistake, a few of the prohibited  We learn from one of the evangelists,
quadrupeds are specified; viz. the camel, that when the mother of our Lord went
the jerboa, (a common animal in the up to the Temple with her offering in
East) the hare, the mole, the mouse, obedience to this law, she was not able
and the bat; the ape and monkey tribe  to offer a lamb, but was obliged to acare excluded, by the apt definition of cept the alternative allowed to the poor,
animals going upon their paws or fingers. of offering two turtle doves, or two
10*




114                            LEVITICUS.                         [B. C. 1490.
CHAPTER  XII.                   3 And in the d eighth day the flesh
AND the LORD spake unto Mo- of his foreskin shall be circumcised..L    ses, saying,                        4 And she shall then continue in
2 Speak unto the children of Is- the blood of her purifying three and
rael, saying, If a  a woman  have  thirty  days: she  shall touch  no
conceived  seed, and  borne a man- hallowed thing, nor come into the
child, then  bshe shall be unclean  sanctuary, until the days of her
seven days: caccording to the days purifying be fulfilled.
of the separation for her infirmity
s:lhall she be unclean.                   d Gen. 17. 12. Luke 1. 69, and 2. 22.
alc. 15. 19. b Luke 2.22. c ch. 15. 19.   John 7. 22, 23.:',uag  pigeons.  Thus an interesting  dered in the Chal. and other versions,
-v.idence is furnished of the low circum.- though the usual word to express this
stailnces of the family into which the idea is InV'hhrd-h, and not.W'f zcira.
Savior was born. While the Israelites The prescribed period of uncleanness
remained in the wilderness, it is proba. on the birth of a male child was to be
hbe that the women brought their oflfer- seven days; on that of a female fourteen.
ings immediately after the period of  The reason of the distinction is not ohb
thieir separation had expired. But when  vious. Perlhaps the most probable sug.
l'hey were settled  in  Palestine, and  gestion is, that it was intended to con.
many families lived at a distance foirom  ciliate greater respect toward the mo.
th'e Temple, it may be presumed that ther of a male child, having reference
they were allowed to consult their con- to that studied recognition of' the supe.
venlience on this point.  It is at least riority of this sex wlhich pervades the
certain that after the birth of Samuel, Mosaic institutions.-1r According to
I Sarm. 1. 21, his mother Hannah did the days of the separation'fo- he,- in.
not go to the tobernacle until the child  firmity.  Heb.,      rl'f1'l1'7_~ kimE
wvas weaned.                            niddath devothah, according to the days
1. The Lord spakce un2to Moses, say- of the separation'of her sickness.  On
ing, &c. The directionsin this chapter this point the reader may consult ch.
are given to Moses alone,whereas those  15. 19-25. Throughout this first period
in the preceding were delivered to him  of her legal uncleanness she neither
and Aaron  conjointly, as are those  pa:rtook of-any thing that was holy,nor
wlhich follow, ch. 13, respecting the  enjoyed intercourse with any person.
Leprosy.  The reason of this was, that Even her husband did itot eat or drinik
it peculiarly devolved upon Aaron and  with her, and those who attended upon
hiis sons to discriminate in this matter her becamre  thereby unclean.  After
letween the clean and unclean; and as seven days the rigor of titis separation
it was a matter attended with some  was relaxed, as we shall see below.
di-fculty, they are especially charged  As to the rite of circumcision which
bly God in respect to it. But as the  was to follow  on thle eighth day, see
ligal purification of a womant was a Note on Gen. 17. 12.
ceremony of very obvious import and    4. She shall then  continue.  Iteb.
easy execution, it was sufficient that _lDl t'sh'tb, slhall sit; a common term
they received their instructions respect-  to express abidivg or continUzing in a
ing it lroinl Moses.                     particular place or state. This' con2. If a woman hate conceived seed  tinuance' in the blootl of her purifying
and bor?-e a m.an-child.  I-eb. ~"IT~  was to be reckoned fromlu the end of the
tazria, hath seeded, or yielded seed, seven days a;bove-lrentioned, so that
equivalent to conception, as it is ten- the whole time amounted to forty days.




B. C. 1490.]               CHAPTER  XIII.                                115
5 But if she bear a maid-child,   7 Who shall offer it before the
then she shall be unclean two LORD, and make an atonement for
weeks, as in her separation: and  her; and she shall be cleansed from
she shall continue in the blood of the issue of her blood.  This is the
her purifying three-score and six  law  for her that hath borne a male
days.                                  or a female.
6 And e when the days of her pu-   8 fAnd if she be not able to bring
rifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a lamb, then she shall bring two
a daughter, she shall bring a lamb  turtles, or two young pigeons; the
of the first year for a burnt-offering, one fobr the burnt-offering, and the
and a young pigeon, or a turtle-  other for a sin-offering: g and the
dove, for a sin-offering, unto the  priest shall make an atonement
door of the tabernacle of the con- for her, and she shall be clean.
gregation, unto the priest:
Luke 2. 22.                f ch. 5. 7. Luke 2. 24. g ch. 4. 26.
During this latter portion of the time, tabernacle, with the present of a twothough she was by no means doomed to  fold offering, by way of testimony to
an utter separation from  all society, her grateful sense of the mercies vouchyet she was to be debarred from the  safed to her;-the one a burnt-offering
sanctuary, and from  all participation  of' a lamb of the first year, and the
in the sacrifices of the Passover and the  other a sin-offering of a young pigeon
Peace-offerialgs, of which she would  or a turtle-dove. We notice, however,
otherwise be permitted to eat.        in the connexion a kindly provision in,5. But if she have a maid-child. In  behalf of those who were not able,
the case of the birth of a daughter, the  from extreme poverty, to bring a lamb
time of strict separation was just dou- on this occasion.  They might comble that prescribed at the birth of a mute the offering by doubling the oblason, and so also was the time of their tion of birds; and this we learn from
subsequent purification, it being sixty- the Evangelist, Luke 2. 24, was done
six days before she was admitted to the  by the mother of our Lord. What a
sanctuary. During this time she was striking view does this afford us of the
said to' continue in the blood of her circumstances in which Hie was ushered
purifying,' by which it is not to be un- into life, who was not only heir to the
derstood that there was any thing phy- throne of David, but appointed also to
sically impure in the state o' the blood be I Lord of lords and King of kings 1'
at this time.  On the contrary, the
blood is perfectly pure as to its quality,       CHAPTER XIII.
though soimewhat excessive in quantity.   Among the various diseases to which
for reasons well known to physiologists. the Israelites were subject, none was so
The purification enjoined was wholly  odious, so formidable, so incurable as
of a ceremonial, and not at all of a the Leprosy, which forms the subject
physical, indl.                        of the present chapter. Althotugh this
6. And trhen the days of her purifica- disease was not peculiar to the Jews,
tion are fulflled,  &c.  We have  here  as it prevailed in Egypt, Syria, and the
the divine ordinance as to the manner northern part of upper Asia, yet it was
in which the close of this period of regarded by the chosen people as pro.
purification should be celebrated. On  ceedinrg immediately from the hand of
the bforty-first day from the birth of tihe God, ind was always considered as a
child, if a male, or the eighty-first, if a punishment for sin.  Accordingly it
female, the mother was to appear at the  was usually denominated by them ~;1




116                           LEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1490.
CHAPTER  XIII.                 or bright spot, and it be in the
AND the LORD spake unto Mo- skin of his flesh, like the plague of
ses, saying,                      leprosy; b then he shall be brought
2 When a man shall have in the  unto Aaron the priest, or unto one
skin of his flesh a rising, a a scab, of his sons the priests:
a Deut. 28. 27. Isai. 3. 17.      b Deut. 17. S, 9, and 24. S. Luke 17. 14.
hannEga, t72J= mu n'ga tzdraath, the  mitted  of no doubt, but those only
stroke or wound, i. e. by supplying the  which might be the subject of conten.
ellipsis, the stroke or wound of the  tion, and left it to the priests to distin.
Lord. The disease, though not unknown  guish between the really leprous, and
in modern times, is yet comparatively  those who had only the appearance of
rare, especially in European countries,, being such.
and in our own, is scarcely known at all.
Its leading characteristic, as outwardly  Rules for distinguishing the Leprosy.
visible, is a spotted skin. These spots   2. When a man shall have in the skin
In the outset are commonly small, re- of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright
sembling  the pustules made by the  spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh
prick of a pin, but they gradually in-  like the plague of leprosy. Heb. 1'1,'
crease in size, and often for a number 57)"IY   VX?  vehi2ydh lenega tzdrtiath,
of years, till they become as large as a and it become to a stroke of leprosy.
coffee-bean, covering the whole body, That is, so as to assume the appearance
and finally terminating in ulcers, which  and excite' the suspicion of leprosy.
penetrate inwardly till they have pro- The term' leprosy,' is derived firom the
duced a complete caries of the bones, Gr.  7repa, lepra, from AXert, a scale, be.
and the whole  body  becomes little  cause in this disease the body was often
better than a mass of corruption. But covered with thin white scales, so as to
spots upon the body resembling these  give it the appearance of snow. Thus
were not always the effect of leprosy; it is said of the hand ofMoses, Ex. 4. 6,
t therefore became important to lay  that it was' leprous as snow;' and of
down rules for distinguishing between  Miriam, Num. 12. 10, that' she became
leprous spots and those which are harm. leprous, white as snow;' so also of
less, and result frotn  other causes. Gehazi, 2 Kings, 5. 27, that' he went
This is the object of the present chap. from  his (Elisha's) presence, a leper
ter; and no part of the Levitical code as white as snow.' This peculiarity of
will appear more worthy of its divine  the disease is thus accounted for in the
author than this, when we consider that' Medica Sacra' of Mead.' The seeds
it was designed, not wantonly to fix the  of leprous contagion are mixed with an
charge of being a leper upon an inno- acrid and salt humor, derived from the
cent person, and thus to impose upon  blood, which, as it naturally ought part.
him  a load of grievous restraints and  ly to have turned.into nutriment, and
inconveniences, but to ascertain in the partly to have perspired through the
fairest and most satisfactory manner skin, it now lodges and corrodes the
the real subjects of the scourge, and to  little scales of the cuticle, and these
separate  them  from  all intercourse  becoming dry and white, sometimes
with their fellow-men. As this was the  even as white as snow, are separated
prominent aim of the laws on this sub- from  the skin, atnd fall off like bran.'
ject, viz. to secure a fair and impartial The Heb. term is D"i1  tzdraah, from
decision of the main question, of the a root signifying to strike, or smite as
fact of the disease, Moses has not men- with some venomous or infectious mattioned those signs of leprosy which ad. ter.  Hence, the true import of the




8. C. 1490.]               (CHAPTER  XIIT.                               117
3 And the priest shall look on the  and the priest shall look  on him,
plague in the skin of the flesh: and  and pronounce him  unclean.
when  the hair in  the plague is   4 If the bright spot be white in
turned white, and the plague in  the skin of his flesh, and in sight
sight be deeper than  the skin of  be not deeper than  the skin, and
his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy:  the  hair thereof  be  not turned
original is a fretting soreness, or a observes, after giving the symptoms
piercin-n infectious scabbiness, denomi- as above mentioned, that' as the disease
nated  also  in  the  scriptures, I the  advances, the upper part of the nose
plague,' i. e. the' stroke,' or the  swells, the nostrils beconle enlarged,'m ound' of leprosy, as the Jews regarded  and the nose itself soft. Tumors apit as a disease sent directly from God  pear on the jaws; the eyebrows swell;
ats a punishmnent of sin, Moses having  the ears become thick; the points of
prescribed no natural remedy for the  the fingers, as also the feet and toes,
cure of it. In the Chal. it is termed  swell; the nails become scaly; the
n1l'?~  segiruth, shutting up, because  joints of the hands and feet separate
it caused men to be secluded from so- and.drop off. On the palms of the
citty,  This dreadful disease which  hands, and on the soles of the feet, ap.
prevails in Egypt and Syria, generally  pear deep dry ulcers, which increase
nmanilests itself at first, in the manner rapidly and then disappear again. In
described in tile text. Its commence. short, in the last stage of' the disease
ment is scarcely perceptible X there  the patient becomes a hideous spectacle,
appearing only a few reddish spots on  and falls in pieces. These symptoms
thle skin which are not attended with  supervene by very slow and successive
pain or any other symptom, but which  steps, requiring often many years be.
cannot be removed. It increases'im. fore they all occur. The patient suffers
perceptibly, and continues for some Ino violent pain, but feels a sort of numb.
years to be more and more manifest. ness in his hands and feet. During the
The spots become larger, spreading  whole period'of the disorder, those
over the skin, till at length they cover afflicted with it experience no obstructhe whole body with a leprous scurf. tion in what are called the Naturalia.
The disease affects at the same time  They eat and drink as-usual; and even
the marrow and the bones; so much so, when their fingers and toes mortify, the
that the farthest joints in the system  loss of the mortified parts is the only
gradually lose their powers, and the  consequence that ensues; for the wound
members fall together in such a man. heals of itself without any medical
ner, as to give the body a mutilated and  treatment or application. When, how.
dreadful appearance. In its final stages, ever, the unfortunate wretches come to
the whole mass of the patient's flesh  the last period of the disease, they are
and blood seems to turn to corruption, hideously disfigured, and objects of the
and he may be said almost literally to  greatest compassion.'
fall to pieces. This disease, though    3, 4. Pronounce him unclean. Heb.
very infrequent in Europe, indeed, al-'r CR ht. timmE otho, shall make him
most extinct, made its appearance about unclean, or shall pollute him; a phrase.
the year 1730 in the western continent, ology of not unfrequent occurrence, by
and spread its ravages in the sugar which one is said to do that which he
islands of the West Indies particularly  merely. in a ministerial capacity, pro.
Gua daloupe. M. Peysonnel, who was nounces, predicts, or declares to be done.
sent to that island in order to acquaint Thus Ezek. 43. 3, is said to' destroy
himself with the nature of the disease, the city,' when he simply pronounced




'118                            LEVITICUS.. C..1490.
white; then the priest shall shut behold, if the plague be somewhat
up him that hath the plague seven  dark, and the plague spread not in
days:                                  the skin, the priest shall pronounce
5 And  the priest shall look on  him  clean: it is but a scab: and
him  the seventh day: and behold, he c shall wash his clothes, and be
if the plague in his sight be at a  clean.
stay, and the plague spread not in   7 But if the scab spread  much
the skin; then the priest shall shut abroad in the skin, after that he
him  up seven days more:               hath been seen of the priest for his
6 And the priest shall look on  cleansing, he shall be seen of the
him again  the seventh day: and  priest again:
c ch. 1. 25, and 14. S.
or prophecied its destruction. In like  swhich the true rendering is,' Shall shut
manner the apostles, as ministers of up the plague.'  Gr. aoopieL  rriv dSTv,
Christ, are said to have been empowered  sh/all separate the plague.  This is a
to bind and to loose, to remit men's usage of the sacred writers, by which
sins, and to retain themn when all that the abstract is put for the concrete,
is intended is, that they were simply to  often met with, as' captivity' for' cap.
declare them to be so bound or loosed, tives,' Ps. 68. 19;' the hoary head fbor
remitted or retained, accordling to the' hoary headed person,' Lev. 19. 32;
tenor of God's word. It is to be observ-  rebellion X   for' the rebellious,' Ezek.
ed, that there are three signs of a 44. 6;   a charge' for'those having
leprosy stated in the first verse; (1) a  charge,' Ezelk. 44. 11;' pride' for
tutnor or swelling; (2) a scab; (3) a' proud man,' Jer. 50. 31;' circumcision
bright spot. Of these indications, the for' those circumcised,' Rom. 2. 26.
sacred writer begins with the last, iz.   5. If t/he plague in his sight be at a
the bright spot, in which, if the hair stay. Heb. A7Im.:1 nega dmad, the
were turned white, and it was not a  plague stand.  If the priest, at the
superficial whiteness merely, but the  week's end, saw no alteration in the
spot seemed to have eaten deeper, even  symptoms, as the case remained dubi.
into the very flesh, then it was beyond  ous, he was to prolong the period of
doubt that it was a true leprosy. But separation another seven days, and if at
if upon inspection there merely appear- the end of that time the appearance of
ed a white spot in the skin, which had  the affected part continued the same,
not affected the color of the hair, then  except that the white spot began to as.
it could not be positively determined  sumne a somewhat darkish hue, then he
that the disease was leprosy. But it was to pronounce him  clean, i. e. free
had some of the symptoms of leprosy, from the plague of leprosy. Still as
and might prove to be such; at any  the very cause that had led to his being
rate appearances were so far against the  suspected showed that there was some
person that it was proper he should be degree of impurity in his blood,a slight
separated fromn others long enough to  purification was prescribed, the moral
afford time for an accurate judgment of effect of which would naturally be to
the nature of the affection. The priest teach that the very appearance of evil
therefore was to shut him up for seven  is an adequate around of humiliation to
days, during which time it would be apt any one that fears God.
to develope  its true  character.-        7. If the scab spread much.  The real
It Shall shut up him that hath the plague. leprosy might after all lurk in the sys.
The words' him  that hath,' it will be tem, notwithstanding the rigid exami.
noticed, are not found in the text, of nation and the probationary seclusion




B.-C. 1490.]                 CHAPTER  XT.L                                1s
8 And if the priest see that be- of his flesh, and the priest shall
hold, the  scab  spreadeth  in  the  pronounce him  unclean, and shall
skiln, then  the priest shall pro- not shut himup: for he isunclean.
nounce him unclean: it is a leprosy.   12 And  if a leprosy  break  out
9 ~ When the plague of leprosy  abroad in the skin, and the leprosy
is in  a man, then  he shall be  cover all the skin of him  that hat/h
b),ou-ght unto the priest:             the plague from  his head even to
10 d And the priest shall see hir: his foot, wheresoever the  priest
a1ntd behold, if the rising be white  looketh;
in the skin, and it have turned the   13 Then the priest shall consider:
hair white, and there be quick raw   and behold, if  the leprosy  have
flesh in the rising:                   covered all his flesh, he shall pro11 It is an old leprosy in the skin  nounce him  clean  that hath  the
plague; it is all turned white: he
dNumb. 12.10, 12. 2 Kings 5.27 2 hron. iS clean.
20. 20.
to which the person had been subjected. son totally covered with the disease
If the scab spread subsequently in the  was to be pronounced clean?  The true
skin, the symptom  was decisive, and  answer perhaps is, that it was owing to
the priest was to give his verdict of a different species or a different stage' unclean' accordingly; and MAaimoni- of tlle-disease; the partial being infecr
des tells us, that if any one were so  tious, the total not. The fact moreover
proflne as to neglect his case under that the disease was driven out to the
these circumstances, and  to forbear surface argued a sound and healthy
going to the priest for his judgment, state of the system in general. Yet it
the penalty was, to have his leprosy  is but proper to remark, that Patrick
cleave to him through life.            takes entirely a different view of the
10. If the rising be white in the skin, drift of this passage. He supposes that
&c. These symptoms were peculiar to  that which is here called' leprosy' was
the first form  of leprosy mentioned, not truly such, but another disease hayv. 2, viz. that of the tumor or swelling. ing so strong a resemblance to the lep.
If in addition to the whiteness on the  rosy, as to prompt the writer to give it
skin, and the hair turning white, there  the same denomination. But the differ.
was also the presence of quick raw  ence lay in the fact, that in this quatsi
flesh in the swelling, it was an indubita- leprosy the skin was entirely covered
ble sign of an old or inveterate leprosy, by one continuous scurf, whereas in the
which had been long seated in the sys-. true leprosy, the spots or scabs did not
tem, and the priest was at once to pro. run together in the manner here intinounce him unclean, without the cere. mated, but gave a sort of  scaly
mony of a previous shutting up, which  appearance to the body. This univer.
was ordered in doubtful cases only. sal eruption from head to foot,however
Here the case was too plain to admit loathsome to the eye, might still be
of doubt.                              harmless in itself, and perhaps a relief
to the morbid internal condition of the
Distinction of Leprosy from  a Cuta- body, as in the case of measles and
neous Eruption very much resem- small-pox.  The man, therefore, under
bling it.                           these circumstances was to be pronounc —
12, 13. Ifa leprosy break out abroad, ed clean.-   I Shall pronounce him
&c. The precept in this case appears clean that hath the plague. Heb. m'Ibt
singular. Why should the partial leper Y3tiN Nt tOhar eth hanndga, shall clean
be pronounced unclean, while the per. the plague; i. e. shall pronounce clean




120                          LEVITICUS.                      lB. C. 1490.
14 But when raw flesh appeareth   20 And if, when the priest seeth
in him, he shall be unclean.          it, behold, it be in sight lower tihan
15 And the priest shall see the  the skin, and the hair thereof be
raw  flesh, and pronounce him  to  turned white; the priest shall probe unclean: for the raw  flesh is nounce him unclean: it is a plague
unclean: it is a leprosy.            of leprosy broken out of the bile.
163 Or if the raw flesh turn again,  21 But if the priest look on it, and
sintd be changed into white, he shall behold, there be no white  hairs
c.Jme unto the priest;               therein, and if it be not lower than
17 And the priest shall see him: the skin, but be somewhat dark;
and blehold, if the plague be turned  then the priest shall shut him  up
inito white; then the priest shall seven days:
plronounce him clean that hath the   22 And if it spread much abroad
pIa;lgue: he is clean.               in the skin, then the priest shall
I8 iT The flesh also, in- which, pronounce him  unclean: it is a
even in the skin thereof, was a plague.
e boil, and is healed,                23 But if the bright spot stay in
19 And in the place of the bile  his place, and spread not, it is a
there be a white rising, or a bright burning boil; and the priest shall
spot, white, and somewhat reddish, pronounce him clean.
and it be showed to the priest;        24 IT Or if there be any flesh, in
eExod. 9. 9.             the skin, whereof there is a hot
him  that bath the plague, as rightly  sores might break out afresh and prove
rendered in the English translation. See a real leprosy.  A person with any
above the Note on v. 3.              sore or disposition to contagion, was
14-17. But when raw flesh appeareth  more likely to catch the infection from
in him, &c. That is, sound flesh, Gr. contact with the diseased person, than
woes twv, living flesh. If patches of he was whose skin was whole and
sound or natural flesh appeared inter-  sound, and his habits good. The requiiningled with the white scurf or scales, site rules of discrimination in such
the presumption was, that the genuine cases, are here given. —-- In the place
leprosy was upon him, which was to of the boil. In the place where the boil
be thus distinguished from that cuta. formerly broke out, bhut seemed afterneous eruption mentioned above. Still wards to be healed. The original word
even this sign might be fallacious, as for' boil' is B'rlzsi she'hin, the expla.
the sound parts of the skin, or the' raw  nation of which see in the Note on Ex.
flesh,' might ere long become white like 9. 9.
tle rest, and then the proof would be
decisive that it was not leprosy, and Distinction of Leprosy, when occasionthe priest was to pronounce him clean.      ed by aformer Burning.
24-28. In the skin whereof there is
Distinction of Leprosy, when occasion. a hot burning. Heb. =rM Mn= mikvath
ed by a former Sore or Ulcer.    Esh, burning of fire. The case alluded
18-23. The flesh also in which, even to is probably one where a burning coal,
in the skin thereof, was a boil, &c. or hot iron, or something of that nature
Chal.'The man also in whose skin,' had fallen upon the flesh and caused an
&c. In this and the following verses, inflammation that might easily give
the writer treats of those cases of lep. rise to leprosy if a predisposition to it
rosy that rose from old ulcers that had already existed.  Horsley, however,
once been healed.  Such cicatrized  supposes the' hot burning' was an




B. -. 1490.J               CHAPTER  XIII.                            121
burning, and the qumci. flesh that  31 And if the priest look on the
burneth have a white bright spot, plague of the scall, and behold, it
somewhat reddish, or white;          be not in sight deeper than the skin,
25 Then  the  priest shall look  and that there is no black hair in':spn it: and behold, if the hair in  it; then the priest shall shut up
b:e bright spot be turned white, him  that hath the plague  of the
aoid it be in sight deeper than the  scall seven days:,:;it; it is a leprosy broken out of   32 And in the seventh day the
i:+  burning: wherefore the priest priest shall look on the plague:
-!J.il pronounce him  unclean: it and behold, if the scall spread not,
d. itle plaque of leprosy.           and there be in it no yellow hair,:-_  B3ut if the priest look on it, and  and the scall be not in sight deeper
ii.i.old, there be no white hair in  than the skin.qi-( bright spot, and it be no lower  33 He shall be shaven, but the:1i  the other skin, but be some- scall shall he not shave; and the
"at dark; then the priest shall priest shall shut up him that hath.:i:ut himn up seven days:           the scall seven days more::7 And the priest shall look upon   34 And in the seventh day the
Hint the seventh day: and if it be priest shall look on the scall: and
~:pread much abroad in the skin, behold, if the scall be not spread,~jea  the priest shall pronounce in the skin, nor be in sight deeper
oion unclean: it is the plague of than the skin; then the priest shall
p,~,rosy.                          pronouncehim clean: and he shall
S And if the bright spot stay in wash his clothes, and be clean.!is place, and spread not in the   35 But if the scall spread much:.&in, but it be somewhat dark; it in the skin after his cleansing;.;  rising of the burning, and the  36 Then the priest shall look on
I:;icst shall pronounce him clean: him: and behold, if the scall be
ir it is an inflammation of the spread in the skin, the priest shall
I rni0ng.                      not seek for yellow  hair; he is..' qr Ifa man or woman have a unclean.!I, {;irue upon the head or the beard;  37 But if the scall be in his sight
030'then the priest shall see the at a stay, and that there is black
pia;tgue: and behold, if it bein sight hair grown up therein; the scall
C:eper than the skin, and there be is healed, he is clean: and the'n it a yellow thin hair; then the priest shall pronounce him clean.
pariest shall pronounce him unclean:  38 ~ If a man also or a woman
it is a dry scall, even a leprosy have in'the skin of their flesh'bright.)tla the head or beard.             spots, even bright white spots;
er.~sipela.s or St.Anthony's fire. What  where it broke out, and leaving a morx ver it were, the case was to be deter- bid baldness in its stead. The Hebrews,lhiled by the rules here given.     describe it thus:'The plague of the
~-Usfinction of Leprosyfirom Dry-scell. head or beard, is when the hair that is
on them  falleth off by the roots, and
39-37. It is a dry-iscall.  Heb. b e  the place of the hairremaineth bare; and
r:thek.  Gr. Opavalru Ecs,~ it is a brokAen  this is that which is called' nethek2.
sore.  The original comes front the
root pn nCithak, to pluckc, tear, or draw.Distinction of Leprosy from the' Bo.
off. and is the name of a disease pecu-     hak' or Freckled Spot.
liar to the head or beard, so called firom    38. If a man also or a woman. The
tihe hairs being drawun off from the place species of leprosy here defined is dis1*1




122                          LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1400.
39 Then  the priest shall look:   43 Then the priest shall look upand behold, if the blright spots in  on it: and behold, if the rising of
the skin of their flesh be darkish  the sore be white reddish in his
white; it is a freckled spot that bald head, or in his bald forehead,
groweth in the slain; he is clean. as the leprosy appeareth  in  the
40 And the mnan whose hair is  skin of the flesh;
fallen off his head, he is bald; yet  44 He is a leprous man, he is unis he clean.                          clean: the priest shall pronounce
41  And he that hath  his hair him  utterly unclean; hisplague is
fallen off from  the part of his head  in his head.
toward  his face, he is forehead-   45 And  the leper in whom  the
bald; yet is lie clean.               plague is, his clothes shall be rent,
42 And if there be in the bald  and his head bare, and he shall
head, or bald forehead, a white  fput a covering  upon his upper
reddish sore; it is a leprosy sprung  lip, and shall cry, gUnclean, unup in his bald head, or his bald  clean.
forehead.                               f Ezek. 24. 17. 22. Mic. 3. 7. g Lam. 4. 15,
tinguished from  others by the term  of persons, for whose exemption from
n:1 bohak, from the Syriac   bohak,' to  the charge and hardships of' leprosy
be while or shining.  The word is used  Moses took care to provide, were those
to denote a cutaneous eruption, of which  whose heards became bald. Among us,
Niebuhr says,' I myself saw a case of and indeed in any country where leprosy
the Bohak leprosy in a Jew at Mocha. is not extremely prevalent, such persons
The spots in this disease are of unequal require no such attention; fobr nobody
size.  They have no shining  appear  would think ofaccounting a man leprous
ance; nor are they perceptibly elevated  because his head happened to become
above the skinf; and they do not change  prematurely bald, were it even in the
thle color of the hair. Their color is an days of his youth. As, however, tilhe
obscure white, or somewhat reddish. falling of the hair is sometimes, and in
The rest of the skin of this patient was connection with  other symptoms, a
blacker than that of the people of the  strong criterion of leprosy, and as there
country is in general; but the spots actually is a particular kind of leprosy,
were not so white as the skin of an  which might, perhaps, even then, have
European, when riot sun-burnt.  The  been observed to have the peculiarity
spots, in this species of leprosy, do not of being limited either to the fore or
appear on the hands, nor about the  hind part of the head, it was not strange
navel, but on the neck and face; not, that a person who became bald, and
however, on that part of the head where more especially if not very far advanced
the hair grows very thick. They gra- in years, should incur the suspicion of
dually spread, and continue sometimes being leprous. Now in such cases, we
only about two months; but in some find Moses giving an explanation, viz.
cases, indeed, as long as two years, and  that if no farther symptoms were found
then disappear, by degrees, of them- than mere baldness, the person was not
selves. This disorder is neither infec. to lie under the suspicion of leprosy, but
tious nor hereditary, nor does it occa- to be considered as clean.' —Iic haelis
sion any inconvenience.'
Conduct to be observed by Lepers.
Distinction of Leprosy from Baldness.   45. The leper in whom the plague is,
40-44. The man whose hairisfallen  his clothes shall be rent. The leprous
o9 his head, &c.' Another description  person was required to be as one that




B. C. 1490.]                 CHAPTER  XIII.                                 123
46  All the  days  wherein  the  plague of leprosy is in, whether it
plague shall be in him  he shall be  be a woollen garment, or a linen
defiled; he is unclean: he shall garment;
dwell alone, h without the camp   48 Whether it he in the warp, or
shall his habitation be.                woof, of linen, or of woollen: whe47 ~[ The garment also that the  ther in a  skin, or in  any  thing
made of skin:
h Numb. 5. 2, and 12. 14, 2 Kings 7. 3   49 And if the plague be greenish
and 15. 5. 2 Chron. 26. 21. Luke 17. 12.
mourned for the dead, or for some great every thing in his condition calculated
and public calamity. He was to have  to admonish him  of his moral defilehis clothes rent in token of extreme  ment, and prompt him to seek for an
sorrow; his head was to be made bare; effectual cleansing of that inner malady
the  ordinary bonnet or turban being  which was so strikingly set forth by the
omiitted, and to have a covering upon  loathsome  leprosy  that covered  his
the upper lip; or rather, as the original body. The law here enacted seems to
word I upper lip' is with equal proba- have been strictly observed. So early
bility interpreted of the whole chin, he as the second year of the Exodus, lepers
was to have the lower part of his face were obliged to reside without the camp,
bound around witll  a bandage, leaving  Numb. 5. 1-4; and so strictly was this
the mouth just freedom enough to make  law enforced, that the sister of Moses
the declaration, unclean! unclean! himself becoming leprous, was expelled
which uttered from lips thus muffled up, from it, Numb. 12. 14-16.  When the
must have been sounded forth  in  a Israelites came into  their own land,
peculiarly doleful accent. The reason  and lived in cities, the spirit of the law
of uttering this cry was to prevent any  thus far operated, that lepers were
person from  coining near him, lest de- obliged to reside in a separate place,
filetment might be incurred by contact. which  was called rh'=ln  n'  beth
~ Therefore the Chal. renders it,' Be ye'hophshith, the house of uncleanness;
not made unclean! be ye not made un. and from this seclusion, not even kings,
vlean'!' and Tar. Jon.'Avoid! avoid  when they became leprous, were ex.
-tite unclean!' In allusion to this it is empted, 2 Kings 15. 5.
said, Lamn. 4. 15,'They cried unto
them, depart ye; (I am) unclean; de.           The Leprosy of Garments.
part, depart, touch not.' In the East   47. The garment also that the polague
lepers are not at this day absolutely in. of leprosy is in.  This leprosy in gar.
terdicted from going abroad, for they  meents appears so strange to us, that it
xre  not, considered  as  pestilential. has induced some to consider it as an
Niebeuhr says,' I might have seen num. extraordinary punishment inflicted by
bers of them; hut whenever I observed  God upon the Israelites, as a sign of
any of them meeting me in the streets, hisdispleasure against sin  while others
I deemed it prudent to avoid them.      consider the leprosy in clothes, as also
46. He shall dwell alone; without the  in houses, as having no relation to the
camp shall his habitation  be.  Heb. leprosy in man. Indeed, the probability
-2' A'=tZ blidad yEsheb, he shall sit is that the term' leprosy,' in this con.
alone.  Gr. KEXWPtVl9PVO  KaOrltsrat, he nexion, is not intended to be used in the
shall sit separated. This was a salutary  same sense in which it is applied to de.
precaution for the sake of the sound, note a disease affecting the human sys.
and  the  temporary  seclusion might tem, but has rather a figurative import,
-easily be turned to a useful account just as' cancer' is used by agricultur.
-to the leper himself; for there was  ists in reference to a disease of trees.




124'                         LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
or reddish in the garment, or in   50 And the priest shall look upon
the skin, either in the warp, or in  the plague, and shut up it that hath
the woof, or in any thing of skin; the plague seven days:
it is a plague of leprosy, and shall  51  And he  shall look  on the
be showed unto the priest:            plague on the seventh day: if the
and as, inversely, the word I rot' is Hebrew text, in a passage which might
applied to a disease of sheep, though  have its difficulties to a man of learning,
primitively used of the decomposition  if he knew nothing of the manufacture
of tilber. The language was no doubt of woollen. These symptoms, too, of
intended to intimate that the garment leprosy, are said to be found sometimes
was fretted by a process similar to that only in the warp, and at other times
which takes place in the skin in a case only in the woof. To a person who has
of real leprosy, occasioned in all likeli- nothing to do with the manufactures of
hood, by a species of animalcula or ver- woollen, linen, or leather, but with
main, which by breeding in the gprments books only, this must doubtless be ob.
must necessarily multiply their kind, scure; or, at most, he will be led to
and fret the threads, i. e. corrode apor. think of specks of rottenness, but still
tion of the finer parts after the manner without being rightly satisfied. I have
of moths, for their nourishment. It is not been able to obtain complete infor.
thus that the human skin is affected in mation on this subject; but in regard to
the itch, a disease caused by the psora, wool, and woolen stuffs, I have consult.
or itch animal, which is often commu- ed the greatest manufacturer in the
nicated from  garments. This plague electorate of Hanover; and he informs
of vestments is termed, v. 51, a' fret- me, that what he has read in my Gerting  (or rankling) leprosy,' a word man Bible, at this passage, will be
which is applied in Ezek. 28. 24, to a found to hold good, at any rate with'pricking'  or' rankling brier,' and is regard to woollen articles; and that it
strikingly expressive of the sensation  proceeds from what is called dead wool,
produced by the irritating effect of the  that is, the wool of sheep that have died
itch in the human subject. We may  by disease, not by the knife: that such
suppose, moreover, that the metaphori. wool, if the disease has been but of
cal term' leprosy' was used in this short duration,is not altogether useless,
connexion on account of the disgusting  but in a sheep that has teen long disideas which, by association with the eased, becomes extremely bad, and
human disease, the view of a blemish in  loses the points; and that, according
clothing, called also' leprosy,' would  to the established usage of honest manu.
excite in the mind. So much in respect facturers, it is unfair to manufacture
to the term. As to the fact indicated  dead wool into any article worn by
by it, the inquiries of Michaelis on the man; because vermin are so apt to
subjfect have brought out the following establish themselves in it, particularly
results, which are well worth trans- when it is worn close to the body and
cribing in his own words.' The leprosy  warmed thereby. When I told him,
of clothes is described as consisting of that in the countries, with a view to
green or reddish spots, that remain in  which I questioned himthe people, for
spite of washing, and still spread; and want of linen and from poverty, had
by which the cloth becomes bald or always worn, and still wear, woollen
bare, sometimes on the one side, some- stuffs next the skin, he stated it as his
times on the other. This Moses terms opinion that there the  disagreeable
dropping or losing thle hair; that is, if effect just mentioned, must take place
we are to give the literal truth of the in a still higher degree than in countries




B. C. 1490.]                 CHAPTER  XIII.                              i25
plague be spread in the garment, inward, whether it be bare within
either in the warp, or in the woof, or without.
or in a skin, or in any work  that   56 And if the priest look, and beis made of skin: the plague is i a  hold, the plague be somewhat dark
fretting leprosy; it is unclean.        after the washing of it; then  he
52 He shall therefore burn that shall send it out of the garment,
garment, whether warp or woof; or out of the skin, or out of the
in woollen or in linen, or any thing  warp, or out of the woof:
of skin, wherein the plague is: for   57 And if it appear still in the
it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be  garment, either in the warp, or in
burnt in the fire.                     the woof, or in any thing of skin;
53 And if the priest shall look, it is a spreading  plague:  thou
and  behold, the  plague  be not shalt burn that wherein the plague
slpread in the garment, either in  is with fire.
atle warp or in the woof, or in any   58 And the garment, either warp,
thing of skin;                         or woof, or whatsoever thing of
54 Then the priest shall command  skin it be, which thou shalt wash,
that tlhey wash the tiang wherein  if the  plague  be departed  from
tie plague is, and lie shall shut it them, then it shall be washed the
up seven days more:                    second time, and shall be clean.
65  And the priest shall look on   59 This is the law of the plague
tlhe plague after that it is washed: of leprosy in a garment of woollen
and behold, if the plague have not or linen, either in  the  warp  or
changed his colour, and the plague  woof, or any thing of skins, to probe not spread; it is unclean; thou  nounce it clean, or to pronounce it
shalt burn it in tile fire; it is fret unclean.
i ch. 14. 44.
where, according to our German fashion, we are now considering, was more rewhich would there be a luxury, a linen  markably fraught with symbolical imshirt is worn  between  the woollen port than the portion concerning the
cloitles and the body. He added, that treatment of the leper. Other parts of
dead wool was usually manufactured  the ritual taught impressively thefearinto sacks and horse-cloths; and he  ful effects of sin; this taught its defilexpressed his wish for a statute, in the  ing natu re.  No conceivable affliction
style of Moses, which should discourage  or disease could form so striking a rethle use of dead wool, or inflict a pun-  presentation of that moral malady wiich
ishirent on those who either sold it, or has befallen our nature. We see in the
knowingly manuf;actured it into human  leprosy a lively embleim of that universal
clothiug.-I amn likewise informed by  depravity wihich has corrupted our souls.
itamburghers, that in their neighbor. The effects of this deadly spiritual deliood, many frauds are committed with  filement are typically set forth in lively
dead wool, frorn its being sold for good  colors in the enactmietnts before us. He
wool; in consequence of which, the upon whom it appeared was put out of
stuffs made of it not only become very  the camp or city in which lihe dwelt,
soon bare, but full first of little depres- and was forced to live alone, cut off
sions, and then of holes.'-Comment. from  all social intercourse.  So with
on L. M. Art. 211.                     sin. It does not indeed literally shut
us out firoml the society of our fellow.
REI:MARIS. —(2.) Nothing that el-  creatures, but it renders us odious to
tered into the Levitical system, which  the sight of God, separates between us
11*




126                            LEVITICUS.                       lB. C. 1490.
CHAPTER  XIV.                  2 This shall be the law  of the
AND the LORD spake unto Mo- leper in the day of his cleansing:
ses, saying,
and him, precludes us from all cordial (i. e. against myself); yet am I not
fellowship withhis people, and unless hereby justified, but he that justifieth
we be cleansed from it in the appointed  me is the Lord.'
way, it will effectually forbid our en-   (6.)' The priest shall pronounce him
trance into his heavenly temple. The  clean.'  But why not pronounce him
unpurified and unrenewed sinner is mor- cured?  The fact is, there was nothing
ally unclearl,and has no spiritual health  prescribed, nor any thing to be attemptin him; lie is without God and without ed by way of cure for this disease.
Christ in the world; and fiom the very  Hence the removal of it is generally
necessity of his corrupt nature, he is expressed by the word cleansing. And
excluded from the privileges and bless- certain it is, in like manner, that none
ings of God's people.  When king  but God can deliver us from sin. No
Uzziah was smitten with the leprosy in  self-righteous works, no superstitious
the temple, all the priests with one devices, no human efforts, have ever
accord rose upon him, and' thrust him  been able to expel it out of the soil of
out' of the temple; yea, he himself the depraved heart.  The  blood of
also' hasted to go out.' And thus it Christ alone can avail to this; and then
would be in heaven, if by any means an  it is not in this life eradicated, but forunrenewed sinner were admitted there; given, just as the Jewish leper is not
he would be' thrust out,' as unworthy  said to have been cured, but cleansed,
of a place in that pure abode; and he as though the idea of the defilement were
would no doubt haste to fee out, from  more prominent in the mind of the law.
a consciousness of the same fact.      giver than that of the disease,
(2.) Upon the smallest appearance of    (45.)' Shall cry, Unclean, unclean P
the leprosy, the subject of it was to Who does not see in this the manner in
subject hinmiself to instant examination.  which we are to acknowledge and be.
He must not trust to his own judgment, wail the corruption  of our nature?
but mrust apply to those whom God had  Who does not recognize the fitting exauthorized to determine the point, ac- pression of a gospel penitent, convinced
cording to the rules prescribed. If this of sin? Does he not feel the profound.
could not be done at once, more time  est grief and shame.?  Does he not acwas taken, till the fact became evident. knowledge himself a miserable and pol.
What does this show to us, but that we luted sinner? So if we are rmade truly
must take every means of discovering  sensible of our own sinful condition, we
the plague-spot of our own hearts? shall rend our hearts, and not our gar.'e must not be afraid of' knowing the  ments; we shall lay our souls bare
worst. We must have recourse to the  before the heart-searching  God; our
word and to the ministers of the word, mouths will be stopped, for we shall
that by their help we may know the  know ourselves to be guilty; we shall
evil that is in us. Above all, we must smite each one upon our breast, and cry,
go to God, who searcheth the heart,' God be rmerciful to mle a sinner!'
arid trieth the reins, and say,' Search
mne, 0 God, and know my heart; try                CHAPTER XIV.
me, and know my thoughts.' However The Law  of the Purification of the
clear we may he in our own eyes, we                    Leper.
must say with Paul, I I judge not minel  2. This shall be the law of the leper,
own self; for I know nothing by myself &c. That is, this is the mode which




B. C. 1490.1                CHAPTER  XIV.                                 127
He a shall be brought unto  the  shall look, and behold, if the plague
priest:                                of leprosy be healed in the leper;
3 And the priest shall go forth   4 Then shall the priest command
outof the camp: and the priest to take for him that is to be cleansed
a BIatt. 8. 2. 4. Mark 1. 40, 44. Luke  two  birds alive  and  clean, and
5. 12, 14, and 17. 14.
God hath ordained for cleansing a leper, port of each particular rite. Yet it may
or qualifying him  to be Ipronounced  not be amiss to give the explanation of
clean, and tlius restored to the commu- R. Abarbanel who imagines that these
nion of God's people. —--    He shall be four things had reference by contrast to
brought unto the priest. He was to be  the four evils under which he had laconducted from his' several (separate) bored, and from which by his cure lie
house,' to the borders of the camp, was delivered. The living bird denoted,
whither the priest was to go forth to  according to him, that the dead flesh
meet him, and to perform  the requisite  was restored to its wonted life and
exaniination.  As this comiiig to the vigor; the cedar wood, which is not
priest was required of the leper in every  easily corrupted, that the rottenness
instance, however thoroughaly lie might anld corruption produced by tile leprosy
have been healed, therefore, our Savior was cured, and his flesh become sound
said to the leper whom lie had healed, and healthy; the scarlet wool, that his
Matt. 8. 4, 6 Go show thyself to the  blood, by being cleansed of its impuripriest, and offer the gift that Moses ties, had again sssurned its florid hue,
commanded.'                            and given new freshness and bloom to
4. Then shall the priest command to  the complexion; and the hyssop, a
take for him, &c. Heb. t1' )       ti Z I'M Z strongly odoriferous plant, that the ill
tzivvch hakkohE'n  ve-lakah,  and the savor and every other species of offen.
priest shall command, and lie shall take; siveness pertaining to the disease, had
i. e. tile leper shall take. It was pro- passed away.-Ir Two birds alive.
bably in order to avoid ambiguity as to  Heb. t     "I'=.   tzipporim, rendered in
tie person, that our translators adopted  the margin sparrows, as it is also by
the mode of rendering which appears in Jerome and many other interpreters.
the text. Of thle cedar wood, hyssop, But it is evident from an attentive peclean bird, and scarlet wool, were made rusal of the verse, that it signifies birds
an iustrumnent to sprinkle with.  The  in general; for if the sparrow was a
cedar served for the handle, the hyssop  clean bird, there could be no use in
and living, bird were attached to it, by  comnmanding a clean otne to be taken,
means of the scarlet wool or crimnson sinlce every one of the species was cere.
fillet. The bird was so bound to this  monially clean; but if it was unclean
handle, as that its tail should be down- by law, then it could not be called clean,
wards, in order to be dipt into the blood  The term  here must therefore signify
of the bird that had been killed. By  birds in general, of which some were
this means the blood was sprinkled, and ceremonially clean, and some unclean;
when this was done, the living bird was which rendered the specification in the
let loose and permitted to go whither. command proper and necessary. From
soever it would. The general purport the terms of the law it appears, that
of the ceremonies here prescribed, was any species of clean birds might be taken
to point out the purification of the soul on such occasions, domestic or wild;
through the atonement and spirit of provided only they were clean, and the
Christ, but it is vain to attempt to fix  use of them  conceded by the laws of
with any positiveness the spiritual ima- Moses to the people. Accordingly the




128                           LEVITICUS.                      [B. C. 1490.
b cedar-wood, and  e scarlet, and  and after that he shall come into
d hyssop.                             the camp, and i shall tarry abroad
5 And the priest shall command  out of his tent seven days.
that one of the birds be killed in   9 But it shall be on the seventh
an  earthen vessel, over running  day, that he shall shave all his hair
water.                                off his head, and his beard, and his
6 As for the living bird, he shall eye-brows, even  all his hair he
take it, and the cedar-wood, and  shallshave off; and he shall wash
the scarlet, and the hyssop, and  his clothes, also he shall wash his
shall dip them, and the living bird, flesh in water, and he shall be clean.
in the blood of the bird that was   10 And on the eighth day k he
killed over the running water.        shall take two he-lambs without
7 And he shall e sprinkle upon  blemish, and one ewe-lamb of the
him  that is to be cleansed from  first year without blemish, and
the leprosy fseven times, and shall three tenth-deals of fine flour for
pronounce him  clean, and  shall la meat-offering, mingled with oil,
let the living bird loose into the  and one log of oil.
open field.                            11 And the priest that maketh
8 And he that is to be cleansed  him  clean, shall present the man
g shall wash his clothes, and shave  that is to be made clean, and those
off all his hair, hand wash himself  things, before the LORD, at the
in water, that he may be clean: door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
b Numb. 19. 6. c Heb. 9. 19. d Ps. 51. 7.
e Heb. 9.13. f 2 Kings 5, 10, 14. g ch. 13. 6.   i Numb. 12. 15. k Matt. 8. 4. Mark 1. 44.
h ch. 11. 25.                         Luke 5. 14. 1 cll. 2. 1. Numb. 15. 4. 15.
Gr. renders it very properly yvo opvsOta,  cally, that the leper was now released
two little birds.- I rAnd scarlet.' That from his confinement, and restored to
is, a lock of wool which had been dyed  free intercourse with society, as the
in purple or scarlet dye. -I   Hyssop. scape-bird was to the rest of its kind.
See Note on Ex. 12. 22.
5. Killed in an earthen vessel, over  The Offering required to be brought
running water.  The question will           for his further cleansing.
here very naturally occur, how the bird   10. And on the eighth day he shall
could properly be said to be killed over take two he-lambs, &c. After having
running' water, when it was to be at submitted to the seven days' restriction,
the same time in an   earthen vessel.' or quarantine, in the manner prescribed
But the apparent discrepancy is removed  above, the recovered leper was required,
at once when we remark, that the phrase on the day immediately succeeding, to
in the original is vnin tv7" mayim  bring, in order to complete his purificahnyian, living water, and that nothing  tion, a trespass, a sin, and a burnt.offer.
mnore is meant than that the bird was to  ing — a male lamb for each of the for.
be killed over an earthen vessel partly  mer, and a femnale for the latter. An.
filled with fresh, spring, or living water, nexed to each he was to present a meal.
in opposition to that which had been  offering, consisting of an omer of flour
employed for any other purpose, or was with oil to make it into bread or cakes,
stale from  long standing.  And so and another log, or half pint of oil, by
wherever the same epithet occurs else- itself, for another purpose. v. 15. 16.
where in the present chapter.- fIf Shall As the accompanying ceremonies were
let the living bird loose into the open  substantially the same with those al.
field.  Perhaps to intimate symboli. ready detailed in preceding chapters, it




B. C. 1490.]                CHAPTER  XIV.                              129
12 And the priest shall take one  upon the great toeof hisrightfoot,
he-lamb, and  m offer him  for a upon the blood of the trespass-oftrespass-offering, and the log of fering.
oil, and a wave them for a wave-   18 And the remnant of the oil
offering before the LORD.             that is in the priest's hand he shall
1:3 And he shall slay the lamb  pour upon the head of him  that is
o in the place where he shall kill to be cleansed: sand  the priest
the sin-offering and the burnt-offer- shall make an atonement for him
ing, in the holy place: for p as the  before the LORD.
sin-offering is the priest's, so is the   19 And the priest shall offer t the
trespass-offering: q it is most holy. sin-offering, and make an atone14 And the priest shall take some ment for him that is to be cleansed
of the blood of the trespass-offer- from  his uncleanness; and aftering, and  the priest shall put it ward  he  shall kill the  burntr upon the tip of the right ear of offering.
him  that is to be cleansed, and   20 And the priest shall offer the
upon the thumb of his right hand, burnt-offering, and the meat-offerand upon the great toe of his right ing upon the altar: and the priest
foot.                                 shall make an atonement for him,
15 And the priest shall take some and he shall be clean.
of the log of oil, and pour it into   21 And uifhe be poor, and cannot
the palm of his own left hand:       get so muchh; then he shall take
16 And the priest shall dip his one lambfor a trespass-offering to
right finger in the oil that is in his  be waved, to make an atonement
left hand, and shall sprinkle of the  for him, and one tenth-deal of fine
oil with his finger seven times be- flour mingled with oil for a meatfore the LoRI).                       offering, and a log of oil;
17 And of the rest of the oil that  22 w And two turtle-doves, or two
is in his hand, shall the priest put young pigeons, such as he is able
upon the tip of the right ear of him  to get; and the one shall be a sinthat is to be cleansed, and upon  offering, and the other a burntthe thumb of his right hand, and  offering.
m clu. 5. 2, 18, and 6. 6, 7. n Exod.:29. 24.  23 x And he shall bring them on
o Exod. 29. 11. cl. 1. 5, 11, and 4 4, 24.   S ch. 4. 26. t ch. 5. 1, 6, and 12. 7. u ch.
P ch. 7. 7. q ch. 2. 3, and 7. 6, and 21. 22. 5. 7, and 12. 8. w- ch. 12. S, and 15. 14, 15.: Exod. 29.20. ch S.. 23.               ver. 11.
will be unnecessary to dwell upon the
various particulars.  For these  the  Commutation of Offerings appointed
reader can consult Ainsworth or Patrick.          for the Poor.
14. The priest shall put it upon the   21, 22. If he be poor, and cannot get
tip of his right ear, &c. Probably to so much.  Heb. MW    ~IT7  )'In  ain
denote, by this significant act, that now  yado massegeth, his hand attain it not;
his sill being graciously remitted, and an idiom occasionally elsewhere occur.
he received again into communion with  ring, and indicating uant of ability, as
his people, he was laid under fresh obh- below, v. 22, 30, 31. Lev. 27. 8. On
ligation to hearken heedfully to the  the provision itself see the remarks in
divine commands, and to render a more  the Note on Lev. 5. 7.
active and strenuous service to his   23-32. And he shall bring them, &c.
heavenly Benefactor. See Note on Ex. The same circumstances and ceremonies
29. 20, where this ceremony in refer- were to mark the offering of the poor
ence to the priests is fully explained.   leper as of the rich. His lamb was to




130                         LEVITICUS.                      [B. C. 1490.
the eighth day for his cleansing  great toe of his right foot, upon the
unto the priest, unto the door of place of the blood of the trespassthe tabernacle of the congregation, offering.
before the LORD.                       29 And the rest of the oil that is
24 y And the priest shall take the in the priest's hand, hie shall put
lamb of the trespass-offering, and  upon the head of himn that is to be
the log of oil, and the priest shall cleansed, to make an atonement
wave them  for a wave-oftering  for him  before the LORD.
before the LoaD.                      30 And he shall offer tile one of
25 And lie shall kill the lamb of a the turtle-doves, or of the young
the  trespass-offering,  z and  the pigeons, such as he can get;
priest shall take some of the blood   31 Even such as he is able to get,
of the trespass-offering, and put it the one for a sin-offering, and the
upon the tip of the right ear of him  otherfor a burnt-offering, with the
that is to be cleansed, and upon  meat-offering. And the priest shall
the thumb of his right hand, and  malke an atonement for him that
upon the great toe of his right foot. is to be cleansed, before the LORD.
26 And the priest shall pour of   32 This is the law  of him  in
the oil into the palm of his own  whom  is the plague of leprosy,
left hand.'                whose hand is not able to get b that
27 And the priest shall sprinkle  which perlaineth to his cleansing
with his right finger some of the oil  33 ~ And the LORD spake unto
that is in his left hand seven times Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
before the LORD:                      34 c When ye be come into the
28 And the priest shall put of the land of Canaan, which I give to
oil that is in his hand, upon the tip  you for a possession, and I put the
of the right ear of him  that is to  plague of leprosy in a house of the
be cleansed, and upon the thumb  land of your possession;
of his right hand, and upon the
a ver. 22. ch. 15. 15. b ver. 10. c Gen.
Y ver. 12. z ver. 14.      17. 18. Numb. 32. 22. Deut. 7. 1, and 32.49 
be waved; its blood smeared upon his to inquirers; and the difficulty has proear, thumb, and toe; which were also bably arisen from being led by the Laine
to be anointed with the oil out of the to look upon this' leprosy,' as well as
log; and his turtle and pigeon offered that in clothes, as something akin to
to the same effect, and with like avail- the human disease so called.  Men,
ableness as in the foregoing cases.  clothes, and stones have not the sanme
diseases, but from some analogous cirThe Detection and Cleansing of Lepro- curmstances, real or fanciful, the dissy in Houses.            eases of men may be, and have been, by
34. When-Iput the plague of lepro-  a figure of speech, applied to diseases
syinahouse,&c. This language would in other things. Indeed, to this d(lay,
appear at first blush to countenance the there are certain disorders of trees in
idea generally entertained by the Jews, Egypt and Palestine to which the name
that the leprosy was a supernlatural dis-  of'leprosy' is given. In Switzerland,
ease, inflicted immediately by  God also, they speak of a cancer in buildhimself. But in the Hebrew idiom God ings on the same principle; and why
is often said to do what, in the course should we not understand the lepi'osy in
of his providence, he merely permits to buildings of the present text as somebe done.' The house-leprosy here de- thing of a similar description? If we
scribed has occasioned much perplexity  believe that the house-leprosy was any




B. C. 1490.]                CHAPTER  XIV..                              131
thing related to the disorder of the  thing that corrodes and consumes them,
same name in man, it is extremely diffi- and which is called by the Germans
cult to account for the symptoms and  I saltpetre,' but which we will call
mode of treatment, antd we cannot per- I mural salt.' This mural incrustation,
haps do better than agree with the Rab- or efflorescence, chiefly appears in damp
bins and some of the early Christian  situations, in cellars and ground-floors,
fathers, who believed that this leprosy  seldom extending to the upper stories
was not natural, but was sent by God as of a house; and its effects are in many
-n extraordinary punishmrent upon evil- respects so injurious as to justify, and
doers, to compel thlern to the public  indeed to require, in some climates, the
acknowledgmlent and atonement of some  attention of a legislator.  The appear.
undetected crime, whereby others had  ances which such walls exhibit corresbeen injured. Calmret, however, seems pond very well with the description
to think that tiis disorder was caused  given in this chapter: the spots, inby animnalcula, which eroded the stone  deed, are not often of a greenish or redlike mites in'a  cheese, and might then  dish hue, though they are sometimes
be called leprosy, because, according to  met with  of the latter color.  The
htis theory, the disorder of that natne in  analogy is indeed in general so clear,
man and in clothes was produced in  that Michaelis says hle had known more
much the same manner.  (See the Dis. than  one example of children who,
sertation prefixed to his Commentary  shortly after reading the account here
on Leviticus.)  There is another way  given of the house-leprosy, have come
of accounting for its connexion with  with terror to relate that they had dis.
human leprosy, which is, by supposing  covered it on the walls of the cellar.
that the walls had taken a leprous con- They' described it distinctly or figura.
tagion from  man, and were in a condi- tively totheirparents, and were laughed
tioa, when really infected, to transmit  at for their pains. Laughed at they
it to mnen. In this case, the difficulty  certainly ought not to have been, but inremains of understanding the details structed. Their acute vision had shown
which are given of the appearances them what many a learned man has in
which the walls presented.  There is vain sought to find out.'  The detri.
also not a word said which can be con- menital effects of this efflorescence are
strned to intimate that the house-leprosy  fully detailed by the saame author ('Com.
was infectious to manl; on tile contrary, mentaries,' vol. iii. pp. 298-305).  The
the direction to remove the furniture  followitng is tile substance of his state.
before the priest entered to inspect the  ment. The walls become mouldy, and
house, lest it should partake in the sen- tlat to such a degree, as, in consequence
tence of uncleanness which he mnight of the corrosion spreading farther and
see occasion to pronounce, is the very  firther, at last to occasion their turn.
way best calculated to have propagated  bling  down. The plaster also requires
the leprous contagion, if anly capable  frequent repairing, as it blisters, as it
of being commulnicated to man had ex- is called, that is, detaches itself from
isted. Michlaelis gives an explanation  the wall, swells, and then fimlls off.
which seems more clearly to elucidate  The things that lie near the walls thus
the subject than any other which has affected become damaged, and in the
fallen under our notice, and the rejec. end spoiled. Books and other articles
tion of which seems to leave no other that cannot bear dampness and acids
alternative than the acceptance of the  are often ruined from  this cause. If
rabbinical interpretation which we have  this' saltpetre  be strong in the occu.
mentioned.  lie observes that walls and  pied apartments, it is very injurious to
houses are often attacked with some. health, particularly where people sleep




13S2                           LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
35 And he that owneth the house  ward the priest shall go in to see
shall come and tell the priest, say- the house:
ing, It seemeth to me there is as it   37  And  he  shall look  on  the
were d a plague in the house:          plague, and behold, if the plague
36 Then the priest shall command  be in the walls of the house, with
that they empty the house before  hollow  streaks, greenish, or redthe  priest go into  it to see the  dish, which in sight are lower than
plague, that all that is in the house the wall;
be not.made unclean; and after-  35 Then the priest shall go out
of the house to the door of the
d Ps. 91. 10. Prov. 3. 33. Zech. 5. 4.
near the wall. If such effects be expe- that everything which remained in it
rienced in modern  Europe, there is became unclean also.
rooni to conclude that they were more  36. And the priest shall command that
strongly exhibited at the early period  they empty  the house.  Heb.'1=1
under notice, and in countries where  u-pinnu, and they shall prepare; i.e.
domestic architecture  never attained  by removing all articles of furniture,
much perfection, and where people gen- and every thing that would prevent or
erally live in houses having but one  impede  the due examination of the
story. Taking this to be the'house. premises.
leprosy' of the Scriptures, the object  37. With hollow streaks.  This was in
of the Mosaic ordinance is sufficiently  effect the same kind of criterion that
intelligible.'-Pict. Bib.              was established for detecting the leprosy
35. He that owneth the' house shall in the human body. Ifa spot was deeper
comne and tell the priest, saying, It than the skin of the flesh it was decid.
seemeth to me there is as it were a plague  edly a bad symptom; so when these
in the house. That is, the plague of hollow streaks or rather depressed cavi-.
leprosy. The owner, it seems, was to  ties appeared in the wall of a house,
speak in a qualified and dubious man- showing that corrosion had  already
ner, it being the office of the priest to  taken place, it was a clear sign that it
pronounce a positive sentence on the  was a house-leprosy. The original word
subject.' Although he be a wise man,''l jI7D shekaaruroth, is a compound
says Maimonides,' and knoweth cer- word with the import of sunk or louw
tainly that it is the plague, he may not lying, and( here doubtless implies an
determine and say, The plague appear. effect on the stones which we should
eth to me in the house; but he shall describe by the word pitted. The Gr.
say, It seemeth to me there is as it has KoXadcs, little hollous, and the VuIg.
were the plague,' &c. The serious ul- I valliculas,' little vallies. But the idea
tinmate loss he might sustain rendered  of long streaks or creases, conveyed by
it the interest of the owner to give the  our translation, does not seem  to be
earliest intimation on the subject, and  warranted  by the original, nor does
to be attentive to the first indications  there appear to be any evidence that
of infection. If it gained ground, he  this kind of caries or gangrene in stones
not only lost his house, but probably  corroded them in streaks. It was rahis filrniture, which we have no reason  ther, we may suppose, in spots.to conclude to have been removed pre- IT Which in sight are lower than the
vious to inspection, unless when early  wall. That is, which are deeper than
information came from the owner hinm. the surface of the wall.
self; and if the priest, on inspection,   38. Then the priest shall go out of
declared the house unclean, it is obvious the house, &c. The particularity with




3. C'. 1490.]              CHAPTER  XIV.                              133
house, and shut up the house seven   43 And if the plague come again,
days:                                and break out in the house, after
39 Andthepriestshallcomeagain  that he  hath  taken  away  the
the seventh day, and shall look; stones, and after he hath scraped
and behold, if the plague be spread  the house, and after it is plastered;
in the walls of the house;             44 Then thepriest shallcome and
40 Then the priest shall command  look; and behold, if the plague be
that they take away the stones in  spread in the house, it is ea fret.
which the plague is, and they shall ting leprosy in the house: it is uncast them  into an unclean place  clean.
without the city:                     45 And he shall break down the
41 And he shall cause the house  house, the stones of it, and the
to be scraped within round about, timber thereof, and all the mortar
and they shall pour out the dust of the house: and he shall carry
that they scrape off without the  them  forth out of the city into an
city into an unclean place:          unclean place.
42 And  they  shall take other  46 Moreover, he that goeth into
stones, and put them  in the place  the house all the while that it is
of those stones; and he shall take  shut up, shall be unclean until the
other mortar, and shall plaster the  even.
house.                                        e ch. 13. 51. Zech. 5. 4.
which these circumstances are men. It was possible that notwithstanding all
tioned, doubtless implies that there the precautions thus ordered  to be
was someting very formal in the manner taken, their efforts might still be una.
of his pausing at the door, and ordering vailing, and the taint of leprosy disclose
it to be effectually closed, that after the itself in the walls of the house. Where
prescribed interval he might return and  this was the case, the only remaining
pronounce a more definite judgment. alternative was utterly to demolish the
The plague would sooner appear in a building, and cast away the materials
vacant than in an occupied house.     as abhorred and polluted rubbish, into
40, 41. That they take away the stones rome place equally unclean and abom.
in  which the plague is. That is, as far inable. A leprous house was not to be
ias the leprous infection had extended in permitted to stand. The injury which
the walls. It is remarkable that the such houses might do to the health of
very same steps are requisite when a the inhabitants, or to the articles they
house in modern times is infected with  contained, was of more consequence in
the nitrous incrustration. The spot or the estimation of Moses than the buildstone which produces it must be abso. ings themselves. Those to whom this
lutely removed; and the scraping and  appears strange, land who lament the
fresh plastering  is also  necessary. fate of a house pulled down by legal
When any part of the walls impregnated  authority, probably think of large and
wTithl this substance is suffered to renain, magnificent houses like ours, of many
it always effloresces anew, and beomes stories high, which cost a great deal of
as bad as before. In large European  money, and in the second storyof which
buildin-gs it is not indeed necessary to  the people are generally secure from all
replaster the whole house, and the dif. danger of the saltpetre; but the houses
terence in this respect may be accounted  of those days were low, and of very
for by the apparent smallness of the little value.
Hebrew houses.                          46, 47. He that gocth into the house,
43-45. If the plague come again, &c. &c. The bare entering within the door
12




134                          tLEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1490.
47 And he that lieth in the house   51 And he shall take the cedarshall wash  his clothes: and  he  wood, and  the  hyssop, and  Ithe
that eateth in the house shall wash  scarlet, and the living bird, and dip
his clothes.                           them  in the blood of the slain bird,
48 And if the priest shall come  and  in  the running  water, and
in, and look upon it, and behold, sprinkle the house seven times:
the plague hath not spread in the   52 And he shall cleanse the house
house, after the house was plas- with the blood of the bird, and with
tered: then  the priest shall pro- the running water, and with the
nounce the house clean, because  living bird, and with  the cedarthe plague is healed.                  wood, and with  the hyssop, and
49 And fhe shall take to cleanse  with the scarlet:
the house two birds, and cedar-   53 But he shall let go the living
wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:         bird out of the city into  the open
50 And he shall kill the one of fields, and  g make an  atonement
the birds in an earthen vessel, over for the house:  and  it shall be
running water:                         clean.
f ver. 4.                             g ver. 20.
of a suspected house, without making  might be entertained concerning the
any stay there, incurred defilement, and  spread of the house-leprosy, and at the
imposed separation during the rest of same time to exonerate the proprietor
the day.  But one  that ventured to  fromr  any inconvenience to which lie
lodfe or eat in the house under these  might have been exposed from the un.
circumstances, as he was in more dan- ascertained suspicion that the infection
ger of' briging away the infection, was was in his house. Michaelis extols the
required to wash his clothes before he whole of this law concerning' house.
could enjoy his usual intercourse with  leprosy' exceedingly, under the view
the people.  This was an ordinance  twhich lie was led to take of it, and in
well calculated to convey a moral ad- which we have chiefly obllowed him;
monition in respect to the duty of  and although it is probably attended
avoiding all suspected  persons  and  with less evil in Europe than in the
places, or as the apostle terms it, of East, he inclines to wish that some'abstaining from  the least appearance  similar regulations operated in newly.
of evil.'                              built cities. It is, however, a remark.
48-53. The priest shall pronounce  able fact that, so far from this being the
the house clean. Heb. C1OX tihar, shall case, the sovereigns of Germany. and
makle clean. Gr. KaoaatLP, shall purify.  probably also in other countries, did all
That is, shall do this declaratively, as in their power to encourage the mural
explaiuied above, chl. 13. 3. The verdict incrustation  when  salipetre  became
thus pronounced was to be accompanied  necessary in the manufacture of gunwith the same offerings and rites of powder. They established their right
purification as in the case of leprous to the product of the incrustation, even
persons pronounced clean.  C The se. in private houses, as a sovereign regale;
rious investigation which the matter and the collectors took care, in scraping
had undergone, and this final and so]. it off periodically, to leave the roots (if
etnr declaration, that the house lwas  we may so express it), to form  the
clean, together with the offering,ade source of a future crop; and the inhab.
on the occasion, was well calculated to  itants dared nlt extirpate it altogether.
make the fact known, and to relieve the The collection came, in the end, to be
public mind from  any anxiety which  farmed out by the sovereign  amnd the




B. C. 1490,]                CHAPTER. XIV.                                   135
54 This is the law for all manner   56 And I for a rising, and for a
of plague of leprosy, and h scall,    scab, and for a bright spot:
55 And for the i leprosy of a gar-   57 To m teach when it is unclean,
ment, It and of an house,               and when  it is clean: this is the
law of leprosy.
h c,,. 13. 30. 1 ch. 13. 47. k ver. 34.  I ch. 13. 2. mlDeut. 24. 8. Ezek. 44. 23.
saltpetre regale altogether formed a  his cleansing, and thus restore him
most odious oppression, more bitterly  again to society and to the privileges of
complained of by the people than al-. God's house.  But the Lord Jesus heals
most tny other.  On this point see  the leper.' Lord, if thou wilt thou
Beckmann's  l Hist. of Inventions,' vol. canst inake me clean; and Jesus put
it. pp. 476-478; and Michaelis, vol. forth his hand, and touched him, atld
iii. p. 304.'-Pict. Bib.                said, I will, be thou clean; and imme57. To teach when it is unclean and  diately his leprosy departed from him
when it is clean.  That is, to teach  and he was cleansed.' To this great
the priest when to pronounce a person  Physician, then, let us resort, to obtain
or house clean or unclean. Heb. hq7   that moral cleansing for which there is
1     1t), tD111 Wt41 trq'= lehoroth be. neither cure nor relief in any other
yont haltam' u-beyom hatthhor, to teach  quarter. Let us cry to him as did the
in the day of the unclean and in the day  leper, in the day of his flesh,' Jesus,
of the clean.'Day' appears here to be master, have mercy on us!' and God
used of the things or transactions that himself shall acknowledge and  pro.
should occur in it. I To teach in the nounce us clean. The hyssop is even
day' of any thing, is to teach respect. now ready wherewith to sprinkle our
ing the works or duties appropriated to  souls. Let us use it by faith, and we
that day or season. It is a Heb. idiom  shall experience with David its unfail.
of vlwhich the full force cannot be very  ing efficacy;' Purge me with hyssop,
well expressed in any other language.   and I shall be clean; wash me, and I
shall be whiter than snow.' But let us
REMAtics.-(2, 3.)  ~ He shall be  be sprinkled not once or twice only, but
brought unto the priest; and the priest' seven times,' then shall we be' washed
shall go forth out of the camp,' &c. thoroughly from  our iniquity, and be
The ministers of righlteousness are to be cleansed from our sin.'
always ready to meet the returning pen.   (9.) The leper did not come at once
itent, who would fain be cleansed from  into the camp, after he had been pro.
the defilement of sin, or who hopes lie nounced clean, and sprinkled according
has been, and welcome him bacl to the  to the ordinance. He was not adumitted
fold of Ctlrist.                        to his tent, or restored to society, till
(4.)' Then shall the priest command  after living  ill some place alone for
to take for him,' &c. A very remark. seven days more; and then after again
able difference  larlks the vast superi-  washing his body and his clothes, and
ority of otr- great  Hig-h Priest over the slaving off all his hair. even to his eye.
high priest of the Jews.  The latter, brows, lie vas reinstated in all his for.
being a mere man, and himself com-  mier privileges and comforts.  This was
passed with infirmity, could not heal designed to remind us, that the infecthe leper; lie could only discover by  tion of nature, the defiling effects of sin,
inspection when he was already healed  still retnain, even in those who are re.
by God, and then hy his office declare  generate, and force upon us the necessity
this to the people.  He was tlhen to  of a daily washing in Christ, in orderto
perform the ceremonies appoitlted fdri our perfect cleansing.  It is only in




MI3;                           LEVITICUS.                      [B. C. 1490.
CHAPTER  XV.                  rael, and say unto them, a When
ND the LORD spake unto Mo- any man hath a running issue out
ses and to Aaron, saying,         of his flesh, because of his issue he
2 Speak unto the children of Is., is unclean.
a cb. 22. 4. Numb. 5. 2. 2 Sam. 3. 29   3 And this shall be has uncleanMatt. 9. 20. Mark 5.25.  Luke 8. 43.    ness, in  his issue: whether his
heaven that we can be pronounced fully  sanctification.  This is the more care.
delivered from  our remaining corrup- fully to be observed, inasnuch as men
tions. But there is, as it were, the short are very prone to reverse this estab.
period of a single week before that lished order.  We seek s.aknctification
event arrives, when we shall be intro, first, and then make our attainments a
duced to our Father's house, to our eter- ground of justification. But our plea
nal home. The intervening time must on this score will be rejected. We are
indeed be spent in humiliating  and'justifiedfireely through. grace.'
painful exercises. but those exercises
are only preparing us for the richer enCHAPTER XV.
joyment of the promised bliss.
(14.) The application of the blood  Of various Personal Uncleannesses and
and oil to the ear, the thumb, and the              Purifications.
toe of the leper, seems to intimate that   2. When any man hath a running
every member of the body, and every  out of his flesh.  Heb. 21 T' T  1  E n
faculty of the soul, needs a special puri-. "11?h  ki yihy'h zab mibbes2ro, when
fication froin guilt and corruption, and  he shall be flowing from his flesh. Gr.
a special consecration in the renewed  c) say yevrlrat pvalr ec roV o'WOPmro0 avroV)
man to the service of God.  The lan- to whomsoever there shall be an issue or
gulage of the solemn rite was virtually  flux from his body. The term' flesh'
this:'Now you are made clean, let all is undoubtedly here an euphemism, it
your faculties and powers be devoted to  being used in the same sense in which
tlie service of God. Let your ears be it occurs Gen. 17. 13, Ezek. 16. 26. As
open to the commands of God. Let the  to the disease itself which is here men.
work of your hands be bestowed upon  tioned, though usually expressed by the
the business of your high calling, and  Gr. termn  yovoppela, gonorrhea, which
the accomplishment of the divine will. has become familiar in English nosoloLet your footsteps be ordered in his gy, yet it is not certain that it was inword.'                                  tended to designate the bad infection
(15.) Neither the blood nor the oil known by it in modern times.  If it
were on any account to be omitted in  were, the disease probably existed in a
the purification of the leper; nor can  much milder form  than the virulent
either of them be omitted in the restora- complaint so denominated among us,
tion of our souls to God. The oil sig. and which a retributive providence has
nificantly  shadowed  forth the Holy  made in general the inseparable conse.
Ghost as a spirit of sanctification.  By  quent of' guilty indulgence. But it is
the blood we are justified, and by the  for the most part understood by the
oil we are sanctified. And it is worthy  Jews of the natural seed-flux, which
of remark, that the order to the leper arises from  debility of the spermatic
was, that the oil should be put upon  organs.
the blood of the trespass-offering, hintlt    3. This shall be his uncleanness in
ing that the blood of Christ must first his issue.  That is, in these things,
be applied for our justification, and that which he goes on to specify, shall con.
ihen the Spirit will be given for our sist the uncleanness of the man who is




B. C. 1490.]               CHAPTER  XV.                                137
flesh run with his issue, or his flesh  he shall wash his clothes, and bathe
be stopped from his issue, it is his himself in water, and be unclean
uncleanness.                          until the even.
4 Every bed whereon he lieth that  9 And what saddle soever he ridhath  the issue, is unclean: and  eth upon that hath the issue, shall
every thing whereon  he sitteth, be unclean.
shall be unclean.                      10 And whosoever toucheth any
5 And whosoever toucheth  his thing that was under him, shall be
bed, shall wash his clothes, b and  unclean until the even: and he that
bathe himself in water, and be un- beareth any of those theings, shall
clean until the even.                 wash his clothes, and bathe him6 And he that sitteth on any thing  self in water, and be unclean until
whereon he sat that hath the issue, the even.
shall wash his clothes, and bathe   11 And whomsoever he toucheth
himself in water, and be unclean  that hath  the issue (and hath not
until the even.                       rinsed his hands in water) he shall
7 And he that toucheth the flesh  wash his clothes, and bathe himself
of him  that hath the issue; shall in water, and be unclean until the
wash his clothes, and bathe him- even.
self in water, and be unclean until  12 And the c vessel of earth that
the even.                            he toucheth which bath the issue,
8 And if he that hath the issue  shall be broken: and every vessel
spit upon him  that is clean; then  of wood shall be rinsed in water.
b ch. 11. 25, and 17. 15.            c ch. 6. 28, and 11. 32, 33.
affected by gonorrhea. — ff Or his directed to be broken were not glazed.
flesh be stopped from his issue. That It is evident that glazed vessels may be
is, clogged, obstructed, so as to prevent, as well or better cleansed from every
by its thickening, a free and easy emis- impurity, by washing, than hard wood,
sion. III either of the cases mentioned  or even copper; whereas unglazed yes.
the man was made unclean, and comrn. sels, from their porous nature, would
municated his defilement to the beds, receive a more permanent taint fronm
benches, &c., with which he came in any accidental defilement than either.
contact, and through them to any one Indeed, we would venture to be more
who.nightchancetositorlieuponthem, definite, and point to a sort of pottery,
so that he was required to bathe him. which escaped the notice of Michaelis,
self in water and wash his clothes, and as most probably that to which the
be considered unclean till evening.  direction ray be understood with pecu12. The vessel of earth —shall be bro. liar propriety to apply. In Egypt and
ken; and every vessel of wood shall be Western Asia, the inhabitants have, in
rinsed in water. A similar command common use, vessels of porous clay,
as to earthen vessels, is given ch. 6. 38, lightly baked, and rather thin in pro.
where it is also directed that vessels of portion to the size of the vessel. They
brass should be scoured.  Michaelis are exclusively used for the purifying
askls why earthen vessels could not be and cooling of water. The water conas well cleansed +by washing as those stantly oozes through the minute pores
of wood or copper. In reply to this, of the vessel. forming a thick dew or
Mr. Kitto says: —' Without entering into  moisture on the outer surface, the rapid
the question as to the art of glazing  evaporation of which reduces the temearthenware, it is our strong impression  perature of the vessel, and of the water
that the earthen vessels which Moses it contains, mnuch below that of the at.
l2-t     -       




138                             LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
13  And when he that hath  an;  15 And the priest shall offer them,
issue is cleansed of his issue; then  f the one for a sin-offering, and the
d he shall number to himself seven  other for a burnt-offering; g and
days for his cleansing, and wash  the priest shall maie an atonement
his clothes, and bathe his flesh in  for himn  before the LORD for his
running water, and shall be clean. issue.
14 And on the eighth day he shall   16 And hif any man's seed  of
take to himn  e two turtle-doves, or copulation go out from  him, then
two young pigeons, and  come be-  he shall wash all his flesh in water,
fore the LORD, unto the door of the  and be unclean until the even.
tabernacle of the congregation, and   17 And every garment, and every
give them  unto the priest:
f ch. 14.30, 31. g c. 14.19, 31. h clh.22.
d ver. 25. ch. 14. 8. e ch. 14. 22, 23  4. Deut. 23. 10.
mosphere; by which means the inhab. which are so liable to be broken in their
itants are enabled to obtain, in the  retnovals. Assuiing, theln, that such
warmest weather, water perfectly cool were their vessels,-the direction  to
for drink.  The water, as it passes  break them when defiled is easy to be
through, is filtered to the most perfect understood, because, from their remark.
clearness; and, for family use, there  ably porous nature, whateverspot, stain,
are large vessels of this sort, proppedi or other impurity they receive, is at
upon firames of' wood, with other vessels once absorbed into their mass, either
of similar clay, but different form, immediately or through thle agency of
placed underneath to receive the filtered  the water, and it becomes impossible to
water that drops from the outer surface  cleanse them  entirely by any commrron
of the other.  Thus a supply of water, process.  In fact, we have with our own
perfectly clear and refreshingly cool, hands broken nmany jugs and drinking.
is at once secured.  Jugs of various cups of this description, when they re.
sizes, and elegant but fragile drinkling- ceived some accidental contamniuntion,
cups, of the same clay, are also em. from the spontaueous feeling that they
ployed to keep the filtered water cool hiad become wholly defiled, and could
while at hand for occasional use, and  not be cleansed.  It seemiis to us that
while being actually used. Now  the  the explanatidn we have here given will
manulfacture of these percolating vessels  account miore satisfactorily than any
originated  in Egypt in very ancient other for thle distincltionl hich has Oc
timles, ann  they are still made there in  casioned so much perplexity to Mi.
great perfection.  If the invention as. chaelisand other commnentators.  Simi.
cenitds to the time of Moses, there can  lar usages to  those  whlich the text,e no question that the Israelites were  inculcates, as to the treatmrlent of defiled,:qttainted with the art of making them, vessels, prevailed among the ancient:,o.d vould questionless use thein for Egyptians, and still do so amn-ong thle
tit!e purplose of purifying and refiigerat- Molharmmedans and Hindoos.'-P. Bib.
i!ng  the generally bad water of' the    13. Then shall he  unumber to himself
deserts through which they wandered; seven days, &c. During this time lihe
atd ias they hald vessels of wood and  was to keep himself secluded by way
copper foir other purposes, it is ntot too  of testing the completenhess of his cure;
rmuch to suppose that their earthen yes- and if t.le issue ceased erntirely for that
sels were allmost exclusively of this  whole week, lie;was tlhen to considler
description; for to this day a wandering  himrnself so fir clean as to be entitled( to
ipeol)le (do nlot like to eicuiriber treir. offer thle follown1in sacrifitces as an atone.
selves with lunuerous earthen vessels, I meet for having   been legally unclean.




B. C. 1490.]              CHAPTER  XV.                             139
skin whereon is the seed of copu- issue of her blood many days out
lation, shall be washed with wa- of the time of her separation, or if
ter, and be unclean until the even. it run beyond the time of her sepa18 The woman also with wlhonm  ration; all the days of the issue
man shall lie with seed of copula- of her uncleanness shall be as the
tion, they shall both bathe them- days of her separation; she shall
selves in water, and i be unclean  be unclean.
until the even.                      26 Every bed whereon she lieth
19 ~T And k if a woman have an all the days of her issue shall be
issue, and her issue in her flesh be unto her as the bed of her separablood, she shall be put apart seven  tion: and whatsoever she sitteth
days: and whosoever toucheth her upon shall be unclean, as the unshall be unclean until the even.    cleanness of her separation.
20 And every thing that she lieth  27 And whosoever toucheth those
upon in her separation shall be un- things shall be unclean, and shall
clean; every thing also that she wash his clothes, and bathe himsitteth upon shall be unclean.      self in water, and be unclean until
21 And whosoever toucheth her the even.
bed shall wash his clothes, and   28 But nif she be cleansed of her
bathe himselfin water, and be un- issue, then she shall number to
clean until the even.               herself seven days, and after that
22 And whosoever toucheth any she shall be clean.
thing that she sat upon shall wash   29 And on the eighth day she
his clothes, and bathe himself in shall talke unto her two turtles, or
water, and be unclean until the two young pigeons, and bring them
even.                              unto the priest, to the door of the
23 And if it be on her bed, or on tabernacle of the congregation.
any thing whereon  she sitteth,  30 And the priest shall offer the
when he toucheth it he shall be one fora sin-offering, and the other
unclean until the even.             for a burnt-offering; and the priest
24 And lif any man lie with her shall make an atonement for her
at all, and her flowers be upon him, before the LoRD for the issue of
he shall be unclean seven days: her uncleanness.
and all the bed whereon he lieth   31 Thus shall ye o separate the
shall be unclean.                   children of Israel from  their un25 And if m a woman have an   m Matt. 9. 20. Mark 5. 25. Luke q. 43.
nver. 13. 0 ch. 11. 47. Deut. 24. S. Ezek.
i 1 Sam. 21. 4. k ch. 1. 2.. See ch. 20. 18. 44. 23.
18. The woman also with whomr  man   25. And if a woman have an issue of
shall lie, &c. The sense of this verse is her blood, &c. This refers not to any
somewhat doubtful, but, as it should thing natural or ordinary, but to a
seem, it refers to the preceding verses, chronic, morbid issue, constituting the
viz. the wife, also, in case that should disease of which mention is made in the
happen which is mentioned v. 16, 17, gospel, Mat. 9. 20, where a woman
shall bathe and be unclean till evening.' which was diseased with an issue of
24. And if any man lie with, her, &c. blood twelve years,' is said to hlave
That is, without knowing her to be in come behind the Savior and touched the
that condlition; for if it was (lone know.- hem of his garment, and was imade
ingly, btoth were liable to the punish. whole.
ment of death.  Lev. 20. 8. Comp.   31. Thus shall ye separate the child.
I.ov. 18. 19. See also Ezek. 22. 10.    ren of Israel fioom their uncleanness.




140                           LEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1490.
cleanness:  that they  die not in  seed goeth from him, and is defiled
their uncleanness, when they P de- therewith;
file my tabernacle  that is among   33 s And of her that is sick of her
them.                                  flowers, and of him  that hath an
32 q This is the law of him  that  issue, of the man, tand of the wohath an issue, r and of him whose  man, u and of him  that lieth with
her that is unclean.
P Numb. 5. 3, and 19. 13, 20. Ezek. 5. 11,
and 23. 38. q ver. 2. r ver.6.               sver.19.  t ver.25. uver.24.
Ileb. thIlfl hizzartem, from the root the slightest degree comparable to this,
Tl~  ndrzar, to separate, from  which  which is indeed scarcely equalled by
comes'Nazarite,' applied to one who  the regulations of the best European
was peculiarly separated and sanctified  lazarettos. We have been eye-witnesses
to the Lord.  The use of the term  of the fearful consequences which proplainly implies that the people of Is. ceed in Asiatic countries from the ab.
rael, by their abstinence from  every  sence of any measures to prevent the
thing forbidden, and by their rigid ob- spread  of contagious disorders.  In
servance of-all these ordinances, were Mohammedan Asia this may be partly
to demean themselves before God as a owing to the medical doctrine of' Monation of Nazarites.  The Gr. has hamrned, who, in his ignorant selfvXzELS / OCTt 7raeirs, ye shall make devoutly  sufficiency, undertook, accordiig to one
wary.-   IT lVhen they defile my taber.- of the received traditions, to declare
vtacle that is among them. Heb.'tXn    that diseases were  not contagious.
betammeinm, in their defiling.  It is This dictum had its weight, although it
clear from this, that one special design  was contrary to the received opinions
of these enactments was to secure a of his time, for' as the Arabian corn.
becoming degree of reverence for the  mentator remaris,' It was a belief of
Tabernacle.  This was the seat and  the people of ignorance, that any one
throne of the divine glory, and nothing  sittiig near a diseased person, or eating
was to be allowed within its precincts with one, would take  his disease.'
which would go to lower the general (Mischat.ul.-Masabih.  Calcutta, 1810.)
estimate of tile purity and sanctity  It is true that lie seems to direct the
which God would have attached to the avoidance of intercourse with a person
]place of his peculiar residence. Comp. laboring under the elephantiasis.-but
J3er. 2. 23, and 7. 30; Ezek. 5. 11,-1  this is a solitary exception to his gen14. 11,-22. 3, 4, —37. 23.             eral rule.  Mohammed  has adopted
o2. This is the law of him that hath  from the chapter before us, and other
on. issue.' We may conclude our re- parts of the Pentateuch, the laws re.
marks upon these chapters relating to  lating to ceremonial uncleanness, and
contagious disorders, and acts causing  has added many others of his own. But
ceremonial uncleanness, by directing  there is this difference in the result,
attention to the admirable regulations that uncleanness under his law does not
for preventing contagion. The subject generally extend beyond the time when
is now almost entirely overlooked in  the unclean persons bathe and wash
the East, except so far as regards some  any defiling stain from  their clothes.
regulations concerning. lepers, which  There are some exceptions, chiefly rela.
appear to have been derived from those  tive to females, in which the consenow before us. We are unacquainted  quences of defilement more nearly coinwith any Oriental nations, ancient or cide with those of the Levitical law.'modern, which had a sanatory code in Pict. Bib.




B. C. 1490.]                 CHAPTER  XVI.                              141
the observances of the day may be pro.
CHAPTER XVI.                per in this connexion.
THE DAY OF ATONEMENT.             Of so much sacredness was this so.
The proper place of this chapter, as lemnity regarded, that the people began
appears from v. 1 would have been imr. their preparation.for it seven days be.
mediately after the tenth; but the death  fore, by removing the high priest from
of Aaron's two sons, for their profane his own house to a chamber in the temn.
conduct in the discharge of their office ple, (after the temple was built). lest
as priests, gave occasion to the enact- he should contract such a pollution from
meit of the above cited laws respecting  ally of his family, as might incur a seven
the various uncleannesses which dis- days' uncleanness, and thereby unfit him
qualified an Israelite for approaching  for performing his pontifical duties.
the sanctuary. Those ordinances hav- On the third and seventh of these days,
ing been dispatched in the five preceding  he was besprinkled with the ashes of
chapters, the regular thread  of the the red heifer, lest he might inadvert.
sacred  record  is now resumed, and ently have been defiled by a dead body.
Moses goes on to give directions con- On the morning of the day before that
cerning the great national festival of of the atonement, they brought him to
atonement in its various details.     the east gate of the court of the Gen,
This is called by the sacred writer tiles, where they made bullocks, and
711 t"' II 1' ayor Ihakkcippurim, day  rams, and lambs to pass before him,
of expiations or atonements, and by the  that he might be the better able to make
modern Jews 1'1=  kippur. It was so  the proper selection; and on every day
called from its having been instituted  of the seven they caused him to sprinkle
for the expiation of all the sins, irrev. the bloodlof the daily sacrifice, to burn
erences, and pollutions of all the Israel. the parts of it upon the altar, to offer
ites, from the highest priest to the low- the incense, and to trim the lamps, that
est people, committed by them through. he might be the more familiar with
out the year. It was observed on the these offices, when called to perform
tenth day of the seventh month, or them.  He was moreover committed,
Tisri, corresponding to a part of our for a part of each of the.days, to some
September. It was oneof the most im- of the elders of the Sanhedrim, who
portant and  interesting days in the read to him the rites.of the day in order
whole Jewish calendar; an-d though to makesure of his going rightly through
called occasionally the C feast of expia. the rubric. He:was then conducted into
tion,' yet its genuine character was the chamber of incense that he might
rather that of a fast-a day for' afflict. learn to handle the incense, and to take
ing their souls,'-and is only called an oath as to the mode of burning it' feast' in the sense of a set solemnity. when he entered into the holiest of all.
It is the day alluded to, Acts 27. 9: Their words on the occasion were as
Now when much time was spent, and  follows-:-' High priest, we are the
when sailing was now dangerous, be- messengers of the Sanhedrim, and thou
cause the fast was now already past, art our messenger, and that of the San.
Paul admonished theme &c. It was in hedrimn; we adjure thee by IIim  that
all its services and ceremonies-the full. caused his name to dwell in this house,
est representation, the most perfect that thou alter not any thing of what
shadow, of the great work of redemp. we have spoken unto thee.' The reason
tion; the high priest prefiguring, in all of this solemn adjuration was, that a
he did, that which Christ, in the fullness Sadducee, in contempt of the written.
of times, was ordained to do. On this word, and of their traditions, at one
accotunt a somewhat minute notice of time had dared to kindle the incense




142                           LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
without the vail, and to carry it smok. laid both his hands on the head of the
ing within; whereas he ought not to animal, and solemnly pronounced the
have kindled it till within the vail. following words:'0 Lord, I have sinl)uring the night that preceded  the ned, done perversely, and transgressed
grand solemnity,he was required to eat before thee, I and my.house. I beseech
but sparingly, though he was to fast the  thee, 0 Lord, expiate the sins, perverwhole of the next (lay, for fear that he sities, and transgressions whereby I
might become drowsy, and thus dese- have sinned, done perversely, and trans.
crate in some measure the services of gressed, I and my house, as it is written
the day. This entire night was spent in the law of Moses, thy servant, say.
in his expounding. or hearing expounded  ing, For in this day he Awill expiate for
to him, the written law.               you, to purge you from all your sins be.
The day having at length arrived, the  fore the Lord, that ye may be clean;'
high priest laid aside his ordinary dress  referring to v. 30, where these words
bathed himself the first time, and put are to be found.
on the rich garments peculiar to his   Havilng made this confession, he went
office. Habited with these, he instantly  to the north-east corner of the court,
went into the court of the priests, went wviere the two kids of the goats, intend.
to the laver according to priestly usage, ed for the congregation, were ordained
to wash his hands and his feet for the to stantd. There lie cast lots for the
first time; proceeded  thence to the  two goats, by means of two pieces of
north side of' the altar, to kill the morn. gold, put into a box called  x' j kelphi,
ing sacrifice; ascended the altar with on one of which was written n'ln'1
the several pieces, and laid them on the laihovahe,fo? the Lord, and on the other
fire; went into the holy place to trim  j3)'fW leeazazel, for Azazel, rendered
the lamp and offer the incense; blessed  in our version,' for the scape-goat,' in
the people on the top of the steps of relation to which an extenided discus.
the porchl; and in short did all that be- sion will be found in tile ensuing notes
longed to the ordinary morning service. He then proceeded to slay the bullock
Having finished this part of his duty, for his own sins, and the goat upon
the next thing was to solemnize his  which the lot had fallen to be sacrificed
own mind and the people's by sonie to the Lord; after which he filled a
previous sacrifices.  These, in Num. censer with burning coals from the altar,
29. 8-11, are said to be as follows: —a  andl putting two handfuls of incense
bullock, a ram, and seven lainbs for a into a vase, he bore them into the holy
burnt-offering, with their appropriate  of holies. Having here poured the in.
meal.offerings; and a kid of the goats cense upon the coals, he returned, took
for a sin-offering. When he had finish- the blood of the bullock and the goat,
ed these, he washed his hands and feet and went again into the most holy
a second time at the laver. He then  place. With his finger he first sprinkled
retired to a particular chamber of the the blood of the bullock, and afterwards
temple, and proceeded to strip himself  of the goat, upon the lid of tile ark of
of his rich liabilimnents, to bathe himself  the covenant, and seven times also he
in water a second time, and to put on sprinkled it upon the floor before the
his plain white linen vestments, the  ark. He then returned from  the most
same dress as that worn by the common  holy into the holy place, and besmeared
priests, except that he had the sacer- the horns of the golden altar with the
dotal mitre on his head. Thus attired, blood of the bullock and the goat, and
he proceeded to the work of sacrifice. jetted the blood seven times over the
Going up to the bullock, and standing  surface of the altar.
with his face towards the temple, he    The next duty of the high priest was




B. C. 1490.]                CHAPTER  XVI.                                1-43
CHAPTER  XVI.                  Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that
A  ND  the LORD spake unto Mo- he b come not at all times into. the
A    ses after a the death of the  holy place within the vail, before
two sons of Aaron, when they of- the mercy-seat, which is upon the
fared before the LORD, and died:   arlk; that he die not: fiqr c I will
2 And the LORD Said unto Mloses,
2 And the LORD said  Exod. 30. 10.  ch. 23. 27. Heb. 9. 7, and
10. 19. c Exod. 25. 22, and 40. 34. 1 Kings
a ell. 10. 1, 2.          S. 10, 11, 12.
to nmake an atonement for the holy  proceeded afterwards to wash his hands
place, for the tabernacle, and for the  and feet at the laver, after which he
altar. This was done by sprinkling the  went to the dressing-chamber, that he
blood of thle bullock and the blood of might lay aside his linen suit, bathe
the goat, each right before the vail, himself for the last time, and resume
and then by mingling them  together his rich official dress, in which to offer
and sprinkliig the horns and the body  the eveniilg incense and trim the lamps
of the goldeni altar of incense.       on the golden candlestick.  All this
We are now come, in the order of the  done, lie washed his hands and feet at
cererrionies, to the scape-goat, which  the laver for the last time; went to the
was to be sent away into the wilder- dressing-chamber; laid aside his rich
ness. To this animal as he stood in  attire; resumed his ordinary wearing
the court of the priests, the high-priest apparel; and retired to his own house
approached, and laying both hands upon  accompanied by the multitude, rejoicing
its head. which was bound around with  that God had not mingled his blood
a scarlet thread, nade over it a solemn  with his sacrifice.
confession of' the sins of the people of
Israel, after which it was consigned to Directions to the High Priest as to en.
the hands of a person especially ap.         tering into the Holy Plece.
pointed to conduct it to some desert   2. Speak unto Aaron thy brother that
and desolate region, where it was al. he come not at. all times into the holh
lowed all unmolested  escape.  The  place within the vail. That is, within
mystical or typical design of this trans. the vail separating the holy from the
action will be found fully considered in  most holy place, of which see an ac.
a subsequent note. The Jewislh writers count, Ex. 26. 33. Into the holy place
detail a multitude of additional cere. without the vail, the officiating priests
monies connected with the dismission  were to enter every day, morning and
of the scape-goat, bhut as they are obvi- evening, in the performance of their
ously of a fabulous cast, we waive en- functions; but they were to know that
tirely the recital of them.            the greatest possible sanctity attached
After the sending away of the elnis.- to the inner room, and as none of tile
sary goat, the high priest put off his common priests were ever to enter this
white vestments, and assuming -his apartment at all, so neither was the
splendid robes, sacrificed a holocaust high priest to do it at all times, but only
for himself and the people, and then  on the particular occasion here specified.
offered another sin-offering. The Jews It is generally supposed, however, that
assert that he then went a third time  this rule did not preclude his entrance
into the holy of holies for the purpose  into the holy of holies to consult the
of bringing away the censer; but this is oracle on extraordinary and pressing
not certain, as he might have taken it occasions, which concerned the national
when he returned the second time for welfare, as for instance in the case men.
the blood. However this may be, he  tioned, Judg. 1. 1,-20. i8.  Comp.




144                           LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
appear  in  the  cloud' upon  the  coat, and he shall have the linen
mercy-seat.                            breeches upon his flesh, and shall
3 Thus shall Aaron d come into  be girded with a linen girdle, and
the holy place: ewith  a young  with the linen mitre shall he be
bullock for a sin-offering, and a ram  attired: these are holy garments;
for a burnt-offering.                  therefore g shall he wash his flesh
4 He shall put on f the holy linen  in water, and so put them  on.
d Heb. 9. 7, 12, 24, 25. c ch. 4. 3. f Exod.
23. 39, 42, 43. ch. 6. 10. Ezek. 44. 17, 18.    Exod. 30. 20.  ch. 8. 6, 7.
Num. 27. 21. This order was given to   3. Thus shall Aaron come into the
Aaron, not merely in his personal ca- holy place, &c. Heb. SL1U    5X bar
pacity, but as the representative of all ydbo el Icodesh, which may be rendered,
those who should sustain in after ages approach to the holy, i. e. enter upon or
the same office.-i-  For r will appear engage in the performance of his holy
in the cloud upon the mercy seat. Targ. duties. At the same time, as the ofi.
Jon.' The glory of my Shekinah shall ginal word is in many instances applied
be revealed.'  The allusion is to the  to the tabernacle or temple,it may here
bright luminous cloud which took its have that sense, as it was at the taberstation over the mercy-seat, and between  nacle that these rites were to be per.
the cherubims, and  constituted  the formed. But we are not to understand
standing symbol of the divine presence. that these offerings were to be brought
Others, however, understand it of the into the holy place, which might pos.
cloud of incense mentioned v. 13. But sibly be inferred from  the use of this
this is less likely, for in that case we preposition.' To' would be a prefera.
might properly ask, what then was to be ble rendering of the Heb. 9. el. The
seen?   It is plainly a promise that bullock was to be presented as a sin.
something should be made visible on offering for himself; his family, and the
the occasion referred to; and though  whole Levitical priesthood. The rant
we admit there was a cloud of incense for a burnt.offering, to signify that lie
-filling the inner sanctuary, yet it is de. and his associates were wholly conseclared that something should be seen  crated to, and to be wholly employed in,
over the mercy-seat, and what was this the work of the ministry. The cere.
but the luminous symbol of the divine monies with which these two sacrifices
presence?  The cloud of incense would  were accompanied, are detailed in the
no doubt serve to soften the splendor of following verses.
the Shekinah, and make the view toler-   4. He shall put on the holy linen coat,
able to the eyes of the high priest; and  &c. Heb. SPU'M rt7 f:  ketoneth bad
it will be observed throughout the kodesh, the linen tunic of holiness. Gr.
Scriptures, that the accompaniment of  Xrwva Xtvovv miymaryevos, the sanctified
a cloud is generally spoken of in con- linen coat. See this described in the
nexion with the manifestation of the Note on Ex. 28. 39. There were eight
visible divine glory. In like manner,. different garments belonging to the altar
when the future comning of Christ, the  of the high priest, four of which, called
substance ofthe Shekinah,is announced,. by the Jews' the white garments,' and
it is said that he shall come' in clouds,'  made wholly of linen, are here men.'in the clouds of heaven,' &c. Dan. 7. 13, tioned as to be worn on this day. The
Rev. 1. 7. The note of Rosenmuller on remaining four which are mentioned
the passage before us will be found very Ex. 28. 4, were called' the golden gar.
important. See also Vitringa's Observ. ments,' from there being a mixture of
Sac. 1. 1., c. 11.      -  gold in them. Inasmuch as the day of




B.: C. 1490.]              CHAPTER  XVI.                                 145
5 And he shall take of h the con- for himself, and i make an atone.
gregation of the children of Israel ment for himself, and for his house.
two kids of the goats for a sin-of-   7 And he shall take the two goats,
fering, and one ram  for a burnt- and present them  before the LORD
offering.                              at the door of the tabernacle of the
6 And Aaron shall offer his bul- congregation.
lock of the sin-offering, which  is   8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon
h See ch. 4. 14. Numb.'19. 11. 2 Chron. the two goats; one lot for the:9. 21. Ezra 6. 17. Ezek. 45. 2'2, 23. i ch. LORD, and the other lot for the'9. -. Heb. 5. *2, and 7. 27, 28, and 9. 7.  scape-goat.
atonnement was a (lay of sorrow, hu- present them, &c.  Heb. jnh"s           hemliliation, and repentance, the high  emid, make to stand. Gr. arC7ea, shall
priest was not to be clad in his rich  station. These goats, the Rabbins say,
pvontifical rol)es, but in the simple sa  were to be taken from  the same flock,
ve:rdotal vestments which were thought to be of equal stature, of the same color,
to he more appropriate to this occasion. and of the same value; in a word, comBoth the priest and the people were to plete counterparts of each other as far
tbe reminded, that when he appeared to  as practicable.-'T At the door of the
confess and to expiate their sins and  tabernacle. Within the court-yard, as
his own, he ought to be clothed in the  we have previously shown. See Note
garments of humility, for in the charac- on Lev. S. 3.
t, r of sinners, the highest and the low-   8. Anld Aar.on slhall cast lots upon the.st were upon a level before God. These  tiwo goats. According to the Jews, the
iartlents, however, were to be put off  two lots might be either of wood, stone,
in the after part of the day, and the or- or metal. On1 one was written for Jeloinary attire of his office resumed, vv. hovah, and on the other for the scape.
23, 24.                                goat. They were then put into a vessel,
5. He shall take of the congregation  while the goats stood with their faces
two kids of the goats. As the former to the west.  The vessel was then
sacrifices were for himself, so these  shaken, and the priest putting in both
were for the congregation at large, who  his hands, brought out a lot in each.
were hereby significantly taught to re- Being stationed between the two goats,
gard themselves as sinners having equal the lot which was on his right hand he
need of the benefits of the blood of atone. laid upon the goat that was on his
ment to give them  acceptance before  right; and that which was in his left
God.                                   hand he laid upon the goat that was on.
6. And Aaron shall offer his bullock, his left; and thus according to what
&c. That is, shall present with a view  was written on the lots, the scape goat
to its being offered, for the actual obla. and the goat for sacrifice were deter.
tion is described v. 11. This presenta. mined.
tion of the victim was accompanied
with a solemn supplicatory prayer, the     AZAZEL, OR THE SCAPE-GOAT.
form of which is given in our prelimi-   If there- be any thing calculated to
nary remarks. —s And for his house. diminish the pleasure or damp the ardor
Chal.' For the men of his house.' By  of the Biblical expositor in his research.
this we are probably to understand not es, it is the stern necessity under which
me:ely the private household of the  he sometimes finds himself placed, of
priest, but also the whole body of infe- putting new interpretations upon fa.
rior priests and Levites.              miliar texts. The deeper he penetrates
7. And he shall take the two goats and  into the mine of Scriptural wealth, and
13




146                            LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
the wider the excavation which  he ing to obtrude a n'ovel exposition upon
makes on either hand, the greater is the  the mind of the Christian community,
probability of his here and tliere under- but to the stern behests of the spirit of
mining the adjacent surface and caIsing  homage to truth, which will not let
it occasionally to fall in. But this will theln  forbear to utter what they sinbe little to be regretted if the chasms cerely and solemnly believe to be the
thus made only open new avenues to sense-of revelation.
treasures below vastly more precious    These remarks will no doubt be per~
than any which had lain above. Still it ceived to have a direct and prominentis always more or less painful to an in  bearing upon the task which we have
genuous mind to dtisturb, in any degree, imposed upon ourselves, in the somrea c throned opinion,' even though that what elaborate investigation of the subopinion be founded in error, andd he be ject which now  conmes before us,able to substitute in place of it an The typical institution of the Scapeirrefragable truth. Knowing with what goat is one of the most striking features
fond tenacity men cling to their ancient of the Levitical system, antI its irnmport
and accredlited forms of belief, he does as a symbol has been so long rested in
not like rtdely to assail theni, and it is as shadowing forth the grand doctrine
only a very rampant spirit of innova- of the economical transfer of sin and
tion that can take delight in breaking  guilt from believers to Christ, that one
up the time-hallowed associations with  would almost as soon think of doubting
which certain phrases and sentences of the fact of such a ceremony, as of callholy writ unfornmly come before the ing in question. the established sense
mind. Yet it is certain that this result which commnon theological consent has
is in many cases absolutely inevitable. attached to it. Indeed, it has been reIt is the invariable law of human pro- marked, that while other types receive
gress, whether in the department of light from  their accomplishment in
nature or revelation, that as the light Christ, this is intrinsically so apt, so
breaks forth upon our previous dark- felicitous, so obvious, that it reflects
ness) new modifications should come light upon the gospel itself. The imover established ideas. It would there. position of hands and the confession of
fore be the height of injustice to ascribe, sins on the head of the emissary goat,
in all cases, to a rage of novelty in  and his subsequent discharge and escape
those who suggest themn  the new inter-  into the wilderness, seem  to afford so
pretations which an advanced state of fit an emblem of the bearing and carryscience orphilologyy or a more extended  ing away of the sins.of believers by the
and critical inter-collation of passages, substituted divine victim, that it would
may force upon their convictions. It is appear to be no less a violence done to
to be remembered that they too have the pious sentiments, than to the pon.
known what it is to be wedded to favor-  dering reason, of the Christian, to at.
ite interpretations, and can tell of the tempt to divert the spiritual application
struggle which it cost them  to give of the symbol to any other subject. But
them up. But they yielded to the force  fealtyto truth must predominate over
of evidence, and embraced the views every other sentiment in the bosom of
which, it may be, they at first strenu- the humble disciple of revelation., Unously withstood. If then they become  der its guidance we are to shrink from
the patrons of these views, and with all no results to which we are legitimately
the requisite array of learning and logic, brought. And in this spirit of supreme
endeavor to make good their access to  deference to the dictates of truth, we
other minds, let it be presumed it is would enter upon the critical exposition
not owing merely to a prurient prompt. of the passage before us.




BC. I.1-490.]                CHAPTER  XVI.                               147
The following is the correct rendering  groan of' locus vexatissimus V! and
oof the verse:-' And Aaron shall cast some are disposed to give it up in de.
lots upon the two goats; one lot nfi-'>  spair. Bochart, whose stupendous eru.
lai-hovah,for Jehovah, and the other lot dition is seldom  baffled by the most
VraL   la-azel, for Azazel.' The  formidable difficulties, is here forced to
goat on which the lot of Jehovah f;ell the humble confession —' Me de hac
was to be brought and offered up for a  voce ~~Xt,?  Azazel nihil habere satis
silloffering, but the goat on which the  certum, Ihave nothing certain to offer
lot of Azazel fell was to be' presented  in regard to this word;' and moreover
alive before Jehovah to make an atone. that —' prudentiores vocem  Hebracam
ment with him  ('L>  aleauv, upon or relinquunt dvcptesr,sov,' the more pru.
over him), to let it go for Azazel into  dent leave the HIebret word uninter.
the wilderness.'  Of the former, the  preted. Under these circurlstances it
blood was to be carried within the vail, can be little discredit for one to fail of
and to be sprinkled upon the mercy. entire success in his attempts to illuseat, antd befbre the mercy-seat, in order trate the genuine import of the term.
hat atonement might be made for the  The failure of our predecessors affords
holy place because of the uncleanness  us a kind of testudinal panoply against
of the children of Israel. When on the  the shame of a like result.
otherJiand the live goat was brought,   We shall first state the principal exthe high priest was to lay both his planations which have been given of the
hands upon its head and to confess over term.
it all the iniquities of the children of   I. Several of the Rabbinical writers,
Israel, putting them  upon the head of including the Targumrists, understand
the goat; after which he was to send it by 7I;7Rt Azazel, the name of the place
by the hand of a'fit man' I(ar  lZ —i   to which the scape-goat was conducted.
ish itti) that it imight bear upon it all Thus Jonathan, in his Targum on v. 10
their iniquities into a land not inhabited. of this chapter, renders the last clause
Such was the ceremony, and we are -' to send him away to death ina rough
now to endeavor to ascertain its typical and rocky place in the desert of Tsitk.'
or symbolical scope, and especially  Here it was supposed by the Talmud.
what is to be understood by the differ. ists, that the goat was thrown down a
ent treatment of the two goats. But in  steep precipice of the mountain called
order to do this, we must in the outset Azazel, and dashed to pieces. (Lightinstitute a careful inquiry  into.the  foot Terrp. Ser. p. 177, vol. IX. Pitman's
meaning of the remarkable term'Aza. E d.)  This is favored by the Arabic
zel,' which occurs in this connexion for versions which have for the Hebrew
the first and last time, and on the true   5fRYT  to Azazel, every where ~n~
sense of which it is evident that every  1RbY ~R legebel al-azaz, to the Mount
thing depends.                         Azaz, or to the rough mountain,  as
azaz properly signifies. -And to give
Etymology and Meaning of the term  still more color to this interpretation,
Azazel.                R. Saadias Gaon supposes the word to
To the eye of the Hebrevw scholar, be compounded of  nR Rl and DtOS azaz,
this word presents itself at once as a so that the mountain.TRiY Azazel, is
compound, but its constituent elements, by transposition equivalent to';t;.
and consequently its true significancy, Azzael, i. e. rough mountain of God,
have long been the theme of learned  just as David, Ps. 36. 7, speaks of lofty
debate.  Nearly every critical com. tountains, as'mountains of God.' But
mentator opens his peculiar scholium  to say nothing of the license of altera.
upon the text, with a kind of preliminary  tion wvhich appears in these readings.




148                           LEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1490.
we find no intimation of any mountain  for its own direct and positive testimony
thus denominated, either in Palestine or to the meaning of the Hebrew original.
out of it, to which the scape-goat was    The terms, however, above quoted
led.  We are simply informed that the  are freely used by the ancient Greek
animal was to be conveyed into the  writers, Theodoret, Cyril of Alexandria,
wilderness, without any specification  and others, in reference to the same
of the place. Besides, had Moses in- subject, and the Latin vulgate accords
tended to have designated a particular with them by adopting the rendering,
rol;ntain, he would doubtless have emr.    hircus emissarius,' the emissary goat.
i-loyed the common adjection'Mount,' Guided by the same authorities, our,id we should have had   Mount Aza- translators have rendered the original
z-I' just as we now have' Mount Horeb,' by  scape.goat.' But to this view  of
I _Mount Ebal,''Mount Gerizim,' &c. the origin and import of the Hebrew
Rfjecting this interpretation therefore  term, it must be admitted that there are
as untenable, we come upon another serious objections,among which are the
which unites the sufifrages of a large  following.
class of the more modern commentators.   (1.) It does not appear why such a
It. This supposes that the term S>tlY   singular and anomalous term  should
Azazel is the name, not of a mountain  have been employed to express an idea
or place, but of the scape-goat itself. so simple as that of a goat sent away.
This, it is contended, is obvious fiom  The Hebrew has an appropriate wored
the structure of the word, taken in con- for the subject, viz., Yl. Ez, or 1'2)t
nexion with the structure of the sen- sdir, goat, and another  A'SH      meshulence:-' Aaron shall cast lots upon the  la'lh, from ]t1IV2 shdla'h, to dismiss, or
two goats, one lot for the Lord,' i. e. send away, for the predicate.  Why
for the goat which was to be sacrificed  then. should such a strange compound
to the Lord:'and the other lot for word be introduced in this connexion,
Azazel,' i. e. for the goat which was to especially when it is well known, that
be sent away into the wilderness. The  although, in Hebrew, proper names are
word itself, it is maintained, is easily  often compounded, yet appellatives very
and legitimately resolved into t) U'z, a  seldom  are?  The presumption, from
goat, and  ThR d2zal, to go auay, to de- the genius of the language, is most un.
part, which gives us the exact idea of questionably in favor of' Azazel's'
the ceremonial use of the scape-goat, being a proper name.  The force of
viz., that of being formally sent away  this objection is greatly enhanced by
into the wilderness. The rendering of' the fact, that neither Onkelos, Jonaseveral of the ancient versions gives, it than, nor the Samaritan, have attempt.
is said, not a little confirmation to this ed to translate or paraphrase the term,
sense of the term. Symmachus has for which they undoubtedly would have
Azazel,' rpayog arepXipevos, the depart. done, had they considered it merely as
ing goat; Aquila rpayos d7roXeuvpivoS, the an appellative.
goat set free or let loose; and the Sept.   (2.) It is objected to this explication
b di7rrospraZso, which Theodoret and by Bochart, that it involves a gramma.
some other of the Greek fathers inter- tical anomaly. Each of the goats was
pret as equivalent to dirtsreorcin'voe, sent obviously required to be a male; but
away. But as we shall show in the se.  3Y Ez, in the sense of goat, more appro.
quel that there is great reason to ques- priately signifies a female; and yet it
tion the correctness of this interpreta- is here represented as compounded with
tmon, the rendering of the Lxx must be  the masculine 5TR azal. We do not
taken here as important rather for the  indeed consider this objection as mnsusense which has been put upon it, than  perable, as there is some reason to rank




EB. C. 1490.]               CHAPTER  XVI.                                 149::. ez among the epicene or hermaphro. being, but an evil demon, real or ima.
dite nouns; but we may still say that ginary, is signified by this unique and.
we should more naturally have expected, anomalous term.
that for the purpose intended, the unam-, In presenting our purposed array of
biguous ~5'       Seirazel would have  authorities in support of this opinion,
been elmployed, especially. as ~"lZ7 we begin with  the translation of the
Seirim, is used in speaking  of the two  Seventy.  The words of our English
goats in the words immediately pre- version,' One lot for the Lord and the
ceding.                                other lot for thd scape-goat,' they have
(3.) But a far more serious difficulty  thus rendered: —KAXipov  Eva 7 t,  Klvp
incumbers the proposed interpretation, Ktc KX)rpov Iva 7rJ  drc7rooraai,, one lot to
from the structure of the sentence. The  the Lord, and one lot to the Apopomdirection in the text is thus worded:-  peus, or sender-away. The Greek word
Olle lot shall be'1i~s  for Jehovah, d7r!o7rlcpralo, though rendered passively
andl the other lot  TNgRVL  for Azazel.' in our translation, and so understood
Now the obvious impression on readitlg  and interpreted by several of the early
this would be, that a personal antithesis  fathers, yet according to the analogy of
wvas intended.  Jehovah certainly, the  the language, and doubtless according
first party, is a person; and as precisely  to the intention of the versionists, is
the same formula of expression occurs properly a term  of active signification.
it regard to the other, why should we The reader has only to turn to the learnnot consider that also as a person? But ed pages of Bochart to see this point
according  to the present rendering, the  established beyond a doubt.  (Hieroz,
preposition 5for, in the two successive  P.. L. II. c. 54. T. I. p. 745-7.)  In
clauses, is made to Lear two entirely  this sense it is held by many critics of
different significations. In the former distinguished name to import one of
it denotes to, in the sense of appropria. that class of demons or deities who
tion —in the latter it dtenotesfor, in the  were called by the Latins Dii Averrun.
sense of designation to a particular  ci, or the deities who send awlay or avert
purpose. Is this probable?  Indeed, evils from their votaries, which was
we see not why, if' Azazel' is to be  done through the propitiating agency
understood as the name of one goat, of prayers, sacrifices, and other offer.
Jehovah   is not as properly to be un. ings. This is confirmed by Gesenius,
derstood as the name of the other. But from  whose Hebrew Lexicon we exfront this alternative the mind instinc- tract, in this connexion, what he says
tively shrinks back.                   on the word ~TWY    Azazel:'I render
As then the objection to this theory  it without hesitation the averter, ex.
of the derivation and meaning of the  piator, averruncus, dXErsKaKos, i. e. for
word appears to be sufficiently valid to  COYTEV Azalzel, from the root gY azal,
warrant its rejection; and as we seem  to remove, to separate.  By this name I
forced, at the same time, to adopt only  suppose is to be understood originally
sltch an exposition as shall assume the  some idol that was appeased with sacripersonality of the' Azazel' of the text, fices, as Saturn and Mars; but after.
the question at once arises, what person  wards, as the names of idols were often
can we suppose to be intended by the  transferred to demnons, it seems to de.
appellatiot?  This is indeed a question  note ant evil denmon dwelling in the
of' very grave import, and we feel a  desert, and to be placated with victims,
strong necessity laid upon us ofnmaking  in accordance with this very ancient
peace with the pre-possessions of our and also Gentile rite. The name Azareaders, when we announce our firm  zel is also used by the Arabs for an evil
conviction, that not only a personal demon. (See Reland de Relig. Moham.
13'




150                           LEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1490.
p. 189. Meninski,h. v.)  The etymol- the Christian church that'Azazel' in
ogy which we have above proposed, was the Pentateuch was the name of an evil
expressed of old by the Sept. translator, demon. That this belief is to be traced
although neglected or misunderstoodby  to the demonology of the Jews, we
most interpreters. Thus he renders it v. think there can be no doubt. Rabbi
8, re,' Arnroporap ai?, i. e.' Arorstpnra?. Menahemn in his commentary on Leviti.'AXsicaK?,, averrunco; v. 10, eis Tri  cus, says that Azazel was one of the
droropo'iv ad averruncundumn; v. 16, four principal demons whose names he
c~; aeatcv.  The ecclesiastical fathers writes together as follows: Sanllmael,
have referred this' Ar7ororauos to the  Azazel, Azael, and Mahazael. In like
goat itself, q. d. scape-goat, although  manner the apocryphal book of Enoch
obviously in v. 8 the antithesis lies be. makes mention of Azalel, or as it %was
tween    T>S~RI.   and  n'i].'     That afterwards written, Azael, among the
deo7roTratos  is indeed of the active in. fallen angels. The same is affirmed in
stead of passive signification, not only  the Rabbinical work entitled  Zohar.
has Bochart clearly proved by a long Mercer in his cotnmentary on Genesis
list of classic citations, but the words relates as a traditional dognma of the
of Josephus in reference to this rite  Cabalists, that demons and all kinds of
throw a strong light on this sense of malignant spirits were prone to dwell
the Sept. rendering:' The goat is sent iln burial places and solitudes, and that
away into a remote desert as an averter Azazel was the name of one of this
of ills (rorTpoirtnalap,), and a satisfac- class of beings. Nor are we tmo forget
tion for the sins of the people.' (An- that the New Testament allusions make
tiq. Jud. L. III. c. 10.)              it evident, that in the popular belief of
It is clear then, we think, both that the Jews tile deserts and desolate places
the Lxx esteemed the   Azazel' a per. were the chosen haunts of these fobul
son, and that they supposed that person  fiends. Our Lord underwent his tempt.
to be a demon, or deity of the order of ation from  the devil in the wilderness,'Averrunci,' or averters.  That the and it was hither that the legion of evil
same opinion was held by the early  demons is said to have driven the posChristians, we seem to have clear proof sessed man ere they were ejected from
fronm the words of Origen, who, in at. him by the word of Christ. It is, more.
tempting to show that the devil was over, through dry and desert places that
known in the times of Moses, says the unclean spirit is represented by the
among other things,' He who is called  Savior as walking after he had quilted
in Leviticus d7rorolpraos, and whom the  the body of the demoniac. It goes also
Hebrew Scriptures cali Azazel, was no strikingly to confirm  this view of the
other than the deviC.' The saine con. sulject, that those desert-deities were
clusion was drawn from this language  generally conceived of as having the
by the apostate emperor Julian, who  semblance of goats, or rough, hairy,
maintained that since Moses speaks of shaggy creatures, corresponding with
the devotemnentofa goat toa deity called  the Satyrs of the Greek and Roman
daroopra?, o in contradistinction  from  mythology, which were sylvan deities
Jehovah, he in ef'ect taught the very  or demigods, represented as monsters.
same doctrine as that inculcated by the  half man and half goat, hIaving horns os1
heathen theologists respecting the Dii their heads, hairy bodies, with the fees
Averrunci. He was answered at length  and tail of the goat. Thus the prophet
by Cyril of Alexandria, but we are not Isaiah in predicting the ruin of Babylon,
concerned with the artguments of either,  says, ch. 13. 21,' Wild beasts of the
any farther than as they serve as testi- desert shall lie there, and their houses
monies to the fact of an early belief in shall be full of doleful creatures, and




B. C. 1490.]               CHAPTER  XVL                                  15.
owls shall dwell there, and satyrs away, but still ia such terms as assure
(f7W?   Searim,  goats) shall dance  us of the fact:-' Our intention when
there;' wllere the Gr. has Zatpovia, de.- we let loose the goat, is not to present
mons; the Vulg.' Pilosi,' shaggy or him as an oblation to Samr;ael. God
hairy animals; and the Chal.' Demons.' forbid!-but our desire is to do the will
The popular ideas of the external form  of our Creator, who has delivered to us
andt;ppearance of the devil amrong the such a commandment.,  What is yet
rude and ignorant of nearly all nations, stranger, some of the more ancient
both ancient and modern, easily connect Christians, who used the Greek transla,,
themselves with these early traditions, tion of the Seventy, were thence led to
and the language of holy writ in the imagine that' of the two goats, one was
foillowisg passage goes clearly to evince sacrificed to God, and the other was sent
the origin of the vulgar associations. into the desert to propitiate an evil and
Lev. 17. 7,'And they shall no more impure demon, thus venerated as ana
offer their sacrifices unlto devils (e'n'u 1.   apopompean spirit.' For this impiety
lit. goats) after wholl,' &c. 2 Chron. they are deservedly.censured by Cyril
1. 15,' And lie ordained him  priests and Procopius; and it is well remarked
for the hligh places, and for the devils by f.oulensis, that'the goat was not
(~'L~'2 goats) and for the calves which  sacrificed to the demon Azazel, for it is
lie had made.' On the peculiar usage  only said that it was conveyed into the
of the original term, Kimchi in his Lex. desert; for it were a great disgrace to
icon (voc. "'N' SA'ir) remarks,' They  the God of the Hebrews, if he could not
(deimons) are called goats, because they  deliver his worshippers from demons,
appear in the shape of goats to their anid if they were compelled to propitiate
votaries.'  It would seem  then that the devil lest he should hurt them.'
there are good grounds for recognizing  And in this connexion we may advert
-in this term adesigned allusion to some  to the opinion of Spencer, (De Legib.
hind of desert-demllon to whom the sec. Heb. L. iii. Dissert. viii. p. 1040), who
ond goat was in a manner dedicated, talces the name; Azazel) as compoundo
devo.ted, orconsigned, but not sacrificed, ed of tP az, strong, and "rq azat, to
as this would be a direct contravention  depart; implying the strong receder,
of the precept just quoted from  Lev. or pouweful apostate, an appropriate
17. 7, t They shall ino more offer their denomination, lie supposes, of the devil
sacrifices unto devils.'               as the anch rebel and revolter; to which
Still the grand question remains to  may be added, that lie and other beings
be solved, why the goat was consigned  of his class were prone, according to
or devoted at all to Azazel?  Tle Rab- popular estimation, to  cihdraw them.
bins, who for the most part understand  selves from all fiequented places, and
Azazel to mean the evil spirit, have  hover about dreary solitudes, tombs,
advanced some singular notions on this ruins, and deserts. The reasons which
subject.  Substituting the name Sam-  lhe assigns for the extraordinary rite of
nmael for Azazel, R. Eliezer scruples  the consignment of the goat to Azazel,
not to say, that they offer a gift to  are the three following: (1.) That the
Satnmrlael, or Satan,on the day of atone- animal thus laden with the sins of thle
ment, lest he should make their obla- people and delivered up to the demon,
tions frtlitless.  Indeed, we are told  might denote the wretched lot of' all
that it becante a current proverb among  sinners. (2.) That the dedication of
the Ilebrews, I A gift to Samomael on  this goat thus circumstanced to an evil
the day of atonement.' The idolatrous  demon imight serve to show the Israel.
characler of this offerinlg, Moses Gerun-  ites tihe impurity of apostate spirits, and
dilensis endeavors, indeed, to explain  so divert and take them off, and others




152                            LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
also, from all proneness to hold inter- victim, and to whom  the load of our
course with such beings.  (3.) That iniquities was transferred by imputa.
since their sins were sufficiently ex- tion.  But Christ is contemplated in
piated by the piacular goat sent out to  this type in a two-fold aspect, one as
Azazel, they might more willingly ab- dying for our sins, the other as rising
stain from all application to the apo-  again for our justification. But to this
pompean gods of the Gentiles.          two-fold phasis of the mediatorial work
These reasons, though free from the of Christ, no single offering could suitabsurd impiety of the Rabbinical super. ably correspond. A double oblation, it
stition, strike the sober mind as at once is supposed, was made necessary by the
far-fetched and fanciful, and we are shut very nature of the case. One goat slain
up to the necessity of seeking for a could only show us a sacrificed Savior;
more satisfactory solution of the prob. it could not show  us a living Savior.
lem. In attempting this, let us recur One could not exhibit him' who liveth
again to the incidents mentioned itl the and was dead, and is alive forevermore.'
text as connected with this singular There must be two to convey the great
transaction.  V. 9, 10:   And Aaron  truth, that Christ was'put to death in
shall bring the goat upon which the the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit;'
Lord's lot fell, and offer him for a sin- that' hlie was delivered for our offences,
offering. But the goat on which the lot and raised again for our justification;'
fell for Azazel, shall be presented alive  that' he was crucified through weakbefore the Lord, to make an atonement ness, and yet liveth by the power of
with him (1Sy        t lekappkr alauv, God.' All this, it is held, is significantly
to expiate or atone over or upon him,) taught by the two-fold symbol of the
to let him  go for Azazel into the wil- slain and the emissary goat, the one
derness.2  And then again, after de. designed as a vicarious sacrificefor sin,
scribing the ceremonies of the slain- the other as a living memorial of its
goat, he adds, v. 21, 22, 1 He shall bring benign effects.  In the latter we see the
the live goat, and Aaron shall lay both sins of believers carried away, and re.
his hands upon the head of the live goat, moved from them as far as the east is
and confess over him all the iniquities from the west; in a word, as lost, blotof the children of Israel, and all their ted out, extinguished forever from the
transgressions in all their sins, putting  divine remembrance.
them upon the head of the goat, and    This view of the typical purport of
shall send him away by the hand of a the rite before us is very ancient, hayfit man into the wilderness: and the  ing been held by Theodoret, Cyril, Angoat shall bear upon him  all their in. gustin, and Procopius, and while ingeiquities unto a land not inhabited: and  niouis and plausible in itself, it does not,
he shall let go the goat into the wilder- that we are aware, go counter to the
ness.'                                 general genius of the Mosaic economy,
distinguished, as it was, by a vast and
Typical Import of the Scape-Goat.   unspeakable  richness  of symbolical
The common interpretation given by  iimagery. At the same time, we cannot
divines of this typical rite-an interpre- but suggest, that this explanation labors
tation built for the most part on the under a liability to two objections of
presumption  that' Azazel I was the  considerable weight.  (1.) The sins of
name of the scape-goat, is substantially  Israel, in the typical ceremony, Dwere
this:-The two goats constituted in fact laid upon the head of the live goat,
but one offering, having a direct typical which was then, as a figure of the risen,
reference to Christ, who laid down his justified, and justifying Savior, to be
life for us in the character of a sacrificial sent away into the wilderness.  But




B. C. 1490.]               CHAPTER  XVI.                                153
how does ilis correspond with the facts that, although the promised seed of the
in regard to the Antitype. Christ bore  woman shall fin'ally bruise the head of
the sins of niehl, not as rising, but as the serpent, yet the serpent should first
dying. He rose from the dead, and en- bruise his heel or Inortal part. If then
tered into glory' without sin;' nor do  the serpent was to bruise his mortal
we any where learn that he continues part, that mortal part mnust needs be
after his death to sustain the same ex. delivered over to the power of the serpiatory office that he did at his death. pent; for of himself, he could possess
On the contrary, we are assured that he no such superiority, even during a single
was' once offered to bear the sins of  moment.  Hence it will follow, that
many;' and that'by this one offering  Satan, bent only on satiating his own
he hath forever perfected them that be- malice, and unconscious that he was
lieve.' (2.) We learn fromn v. 26, that actually subserving the divine purposes
he that let go the goat for Azazel was of mnercy, was the agent who, through
to wash his clothes and bathe his flesh  his earthly tools effected the death of
in water, and afterwards come into the the Messiah...... Such being the
camp.1 From this it appears, that con- Scriptural character of our Lord, it is
tact with the goat made the person who  evident that no single type can perfectly
hanldled him, even for the purpose of exhibit it in both its parts. The various
sending him away, unclean. This was bloody sacrifices of the Law prefigured
in consequence of the sins with which  it in one part, viz., that uwhich respected
the scape-.goat was putatively charged  the atonement made with God fobr the
and loaded previous to his dismission. sins of man; but they spoke nothing
But as no uncleanness can be supposed  concerning its other part, viz., that
to attach to Christ subsequent to hIis which respected the delivering up of
resurrection, it is difficult to conceive  the Messiah to the infernal serpent,
how any ceremonial taint should cleave  witzh the permissive power of bruising
to his representing symbol.            his mortal frame. On this second part
Influenced by these and other consid. they were silent; and if it were at all
eratiots, and dissenting moreover, from  to be shadowed out under the ceremo.
the opinion that' Azazel' was the name nial law, such a purpose could only be
of the goat, Faber, following the foot. effected by the introduction of a new
steps of Witsius, has propounded the  type, connected indeed with the usual
following solution of the spiritual pur- sacrificial type, but kept nevertheless
port of the rite. (Hor. Mos. vol. ii. p. studiously distinct from it. A double
259, Coinp. Witsius on the Covenants, type, in short, must be employed, if the
vol. ii. p. 230.)' Christ,' he remarks, character of Christ under its two.fold'laid down his life for us that we might aspect was to be completely prefigured.
go free; and this sacrifice of himself   Now the two goats, which are jointly
upon the cross, was typified by every  denominated  a  sin-offering,  (Lev.
bloody sacrifice under the Law, and  16. 5,) constitute a type of this identherefore, among others, by the piacular tical description.  The two together
devotement of that goat, which fell by  present us with a perfect symbolical
lot to Jehovah. Here we have the great delineation of our Lord's official char.
mystery of the gospel, so well described  acter, while he was accomplishing the
by the apostle, as that which could  great work of our redemption.  The
alone exhibit God both just and yet the  goat which fell to the lot of Jehovah
justifier of them that believe in Christ was devoted as a sin-offering, after the
Jesus. But this is not the whole of our manner of any other sin-offering, by its
Lord's character.  At the very com. being piacularly slain. This type re.
mencement of the Bible, it was foretold  presented the Messiah in the act pf




154                            LEVITICUS.                       [3. C. 1490.
satisfying the strict justice of God, by  Conrad Pellican, whose own work we
consenting to lay down his life sacri- have never seen, contains the germ of
ficially in our stead, and on our behalf. the exposition, which we have expanded
But the goat which fell to the lot of  to imuch fuller dimensions, and sustainAzazel was first imputatively loaded  ed by a new array of evidence, in the
with the sins- of the whole people, and remarks that follow.
was then symbolically given up to the    It is evident, that in making out the
rage of the evil spirit, by being turned  proof that' Azazel' signifies something
loose into the wilderness, which was else than the scape-goat itself, a new
deemed his favorite terrestrial hautt. complexion is given at once to  the
This second type represented the Mes. whole passage. If the falling of the
siah burdened with the transgressions lot to Azazel indicated the consignment
of all mankind, deserted for a season by  of the emissary goat to some real or
his heavenly Father, and delivered into  inaginary spirit of evil, then it is palthe hand of the prince of darkness, with  pable that a typical or syimbolical scope
a full permission granted to the apos-  entirely different from the commilon one
tate angel, of mortally bruising his heel must be recognized in the ceremony.
or hunan nature. Such I conceive to  We do not perceive in what sense, or
be the plain and obvious interpretation  with what propriety, an animal could
of the ceremonial which was observed  be dedicated to Satan, and still be con.
in the great day of atonement. Yet sidered as a type of' Christ.' Satan
from a part ol' the ordinance respecting  cometh. and hatlt nothing in me,; said
the live goat, I think it inot improbable  the Savior himself when on earth, and
that a special previsionary regard may  we cannot but ask, on what ground a
have been mysteriously had to a very  typical rite is to be referred to Hin,
remarkable part of our Savior's history. the direct and promninent import of
When the goat was delivered up to the  which expressed a peculiar approplriamalice of Satan, it was turned loose tion to Satan, as of something to which
into the wilderness.  In a similar man. he had an acknowledged and paramount
ner,'Jesus was led up of the Spirit right. Surely no one can be insensible
into the wilderness, to be tempted of  to the incongruity which reigns through.
the devil' (Matt. 4. 1); and here, when  out the whole transaction, viewed in
lie had fasted forty days, and was after- this light. However plausible the argu.
wards an hungered, the fiend commenced  ments in favor of such an interpretation,
upon him that series of attacks which  we shrink instinctively from it as de.
terminated only with his death upon  rogatory to the pure and sinless nature,
the cross. Thus perfect throughout is and the holy designation  of Jesus.
the similitude between the type and the  Whatever else might have been shadowantitype.'                             ed forth by this institute of the Jewish
This view we submit to the reader law, we are sure that we are not to look
for what he may deem it worth. If we  for a prefiguration of Him  who was
had not what we esteem  a still better dedicated as a divine Deodand to God,
solution to propose, we should be in. in a goat set apart by mystic ceremno.
dined to adopt it, at least in preference  nies to the devil.
to the common and accredited mode of    What, then, are we to understand by
explication.  But we think we can point this significant item  in the ordinances
out'a more excellent way' of solving  of the great day of atonement?  Some.
the mystery of the scape-goat, and to  thing of a symbolical character all will
this we now invite attention, simply  admit in the dismission of the goat,
premising that a hint contained in a loaded with sin, into the wilderness.
quotation firom the old commentator, Whatever the implication may be, the




B. C. 1490.]                CHAPTER  XVI.                                155
ceremony itself cannot, we think, im- vi ictim, should make his soul an offering
ply that the animnal, considered in its for sin; and we well know that it was
emblematic character, was regarded by  in putting the Messiahl to death on that
God as acceptable, or looked upon with  occasion, that that wvicked nation were
a complacent eye, but rather tile reverse. so to concentrate and consummreate their
It was somletl ing which was putt away  guilt as to necessitate, to the divine
as from a feeling of aversion, while on counsels, their exclusion fronl the pale
iie contrary, the other goat was retain- of the covenant, at least for a long lapse
ed, and, when turned into a sacrificial of centuries.  We may indeed adinit
ofering, camne up before the Lord as a that such a typical intimation would be
sweet-scenited savor. This utterly di- very apt to be in its own nature obscure.'erse treatment and disposal of the two  It would be one of peculiarly latent
animals, compels us to recognize int  meaning for the time then being, for the
each an antitypical substance, which people would be slow to read the senwas to meet with corresponding enter- tence of their own rejection in any of
tainment at the. hands of Jehovah.  The  the national rites, and in order that it
one victim pointed to a substance which  might not be read, it was doubtless dewas to be pre-eminently well pleasing  signedly shrouded in a veil not easily
to him; the other, one from which he penetrated, and couched in an action so
would turn away with displacency and  closely connected with another of difloathing.  The former plainly received  ferent import, that it was in itself easily
its realization in Christ, the beloved  susceptible ofa construction apparently
Son, in whorn his soul delighted; the  sound, yet really fallacious and false.
latter must be accomrplished in somte-    We are well aware that it may be
thing which, in comparison, he abhors. objected to this mode of viewing the
In looking around for an object which  transaction, that the sins of the con.
shall answer these conditions, we know  gregation were, by putative transfer,
of none that so fully and so fairly meets laid upon the head of the emissary goat,
the demand as the Jewish people them- as their appointed substitute, in whose
selves. It is here, if we mistake not, in dismission they were to find remission.
the apostate, derelict, and reprobate  The language, moreover, would seem
race of Israel, rejected (not irrevocably)  to be peculiarly express to this effect,
for their rejection of the Messiah, that when it is said that the scape-goat should
we behold the substantiated truth of the  be' presented alive before the Lord, to
shadow before us.                      make an atonement with him, to let
Certain it is that this signal event of him go for Azazel into the wilderness.'
the judicial rejection of the covenant How then does this comport with the
people, was in the prescience of Jeho- idea of the Jewish people being the
vah ages before it occurred, and we see  substance of tlle type in question?
nothing incongruous in the idea, that it Does it not follow that they were them.
might have been mystically fore-shown  selves the victim of expiation for their
by some appropriate rite in the ancient own sins, insLead. of their sins being
economy. And if this be granted, what laid upon Christ, the grand propitiation
occasion more suitable for the exhibition  for the sinls of the world? We answer,
of this rite, than that of the great na. undoubtedly it does. This, in fact, we
tional festival of expiation, in wvhich  conceive to be the very aim and drift of
the atoning death of the divine substi-  the ceremony before us, viz., to intimate
tute fr r sinners was most significantly  that the guilty race were to' bear their
set forth?  This day was replete withl  iniquity,' that they were, upon their
solemn prognostics of that still more  rejection of the Messiall, to be sent
momentous day when Christ, the true  forth into the wilderness of the world,




L56                           LEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1490.
scattered over the broad surface of the  instances of the usus loquendi, which
earth, and after being loaded with the  might be indefinitely  multiplied, it
guilt of that blood which they impre- would seem to be indisputable that the
cated upon their own and the heads of goat was not viewed in this connexion
their children, to be delivered over to  as the instrument, but as the object of
the dominion of darkness, of which Sa- the expiation, and a reference to the
tan, under the mystic denomination of  Concordance we believe will show that
Azazel, was the reputed prince and po- the preposition    al otis never used in a
tentate. This we are certain was the  similar connexion with  ~   kaphar,
fact in regard to the great body of the  but as denoting the person or thing
outcast nation of Israel' according to  which is the object of the atonement.
the flesh, and as before remarked, we  Our English translation therefore is un.
see no grounds to question that an event questionably wrong in rendering it in
of so much moment should have been  this place' with him,' instead of' over,
darkly, yet significantly, shadowed  upon, or for him.'
forth in the typical ordinances of that   But still it may be asked how an
solemn day which celebrated prospect- atonement or reconciliation was made
ively the events of the atonement. Nor for, over, or on account- of, the scapedo we read any insuperable objection  goat, seeing that all the action men.
to this in the language of the institute  tioned was confined to the animal itself?
itself;   to make an atonement with  We refer for answer to the passage
him, and to let him go for a scape-goat under consideration, and beg that its
(to or for Azazel) into the wilderness.' phraseology may be carefully scanned;
We have already intimated that the' to make an atonement for him, to let
original 1'1~2) "19    lekappEr  ilauv, him go to Azazel into the wilderness.2
properly imports, to make an atonement Our translators have here gratuitously
over, upon, or for him, instead of with  inserted the word'and' before' to let
or by him, instrumentally, as rendered  him go,' which is wanting in the origi.
in our translation. The goat in this nal, and the absence of which affords,
act was plainly considered as the sub. we believe, the true clue to the inter.
ject, and not the medium, of atonemnent pretation.  The latter clause is exeor reconciliation. The interposition of getical of the former.  The atonement
the particle,Y  is extremely common  was made by the letting go of the goat
after the verb "IB  kaphar, to denote  to Azazel. He was consigned over, by
the object of expiation or pacification, way of judgment and punishment, to the
expressed by that Hebrew term. Thus, jurisdiction of Satan, as the type of a
Lev. 4. 20,' And the priest shall make  similar allotment towards the recreant
an atonement for them (~Nr    >,~: kip. and rejected Jews. It was thus, and
per alehem), and it shall be forgiven  thus only, that the Most High was to
them,' i. e. the congregation. So also  be propitiated for their offences, and
in v. 18 of this chapter:-' And he shall we have only to appeal to the truth of
go out unto the altar that is before the  history to learn how accurately the fact
Lord, and make an atonement for it, has corresponded with the typical pre.
(1hi,tt  kipper 1lauv).' So again, diction.
v. 30-' For on that day shall the priest   But this is to be shown more fully by
make an atonement for you  (0_1 reference to the evangelical narrative,
~Z.>Y  yekapper algkem).'  In v. 33, where, in the details of the crucifixion.
the same usage repeatedly occurs:-scene? we may expect to recognize tile'And he shall make an atonement for fulfilment of the OldTestament earnests.
(.Y) the priests, and for (.j) all the  Thlere we behold the elect and accepted
people of the congregation.' From these I victim meekly spbmitting to the fearful




B. C. 1490.]                CHAPTER  XVI.                                157
death which the body of the nation cla- between the items of the adumbration
morously demanded, and by demanding  and of the accomplishment, that we bewhich they sealed their own doom of holl in Pilate the fore-shadowed'fit
dereliction.  And as if on purpose to  man' by whom the discharged goat was
make the coincidences nmore remarka-  led forth into the wilderness.  I fIe
ble, the controlling providence of God  shall send him away by the hand of a
so orders it that almost by the decision  fit man into the wilderness.  The origof a lot Barabbas is released and Jesus inal is peculiar:'1l  O'R T1: beyad
retained for execution. In this incident ish itti, by the hand of a man timely,
we are furnished with a striking coun- opportune, seasonable.   The  proper
terpart to the ceremonies of the expia- Greek rendering, as Bochart remarks, is
tioll-day. In the release of the robber Kapiac,  or svKaip&,), well-timed; and the
Barabbas we see the lot coming up with  evangelist, in his account of Pilate's
the inscription,' for Azazel,' while in  time-serving agency in the events of the
the condemnation of Christ, we read the  crucifixion, presents us with the very
opposite allotment,' for Jehovah.' We man for the nonce, who is so significant.
cannot refrain from regarding Barabbas ly designated by the epithet before us.
in this transaction as an impersonation, Matt. 27. 20-26:' But the chief priests
a representative type, of the whole  and elders persuaded the multitude that
people to whom hlie belonged, and in the  they should ask Barabbas and destroy
words of Peter on the day of Pentecost, Jesus.  The  governor answered  and
we more than imagine that we see de- said unto themrn, Whether of the twain
scribed the very process of selection and  will ye that I release unto you? They
r?'ejection which stands forth before us said, Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them,
in the prescribed ceremonies of the Jew- What shall I do then with Jesus, which
ish Law; Acts 3. 13-15:'The God of is called Christ?  They all say unto
Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, him, Let him  be crucified. And the
the God of our father has glorified his governor said, Why? what evil hath he
Son Jesus, whom ye delivered up, and  done?  But they cried out the'mhore,
denied him  in the presence of Pilate, saying, Let him  be crucified. When
when he was determined to let him go. Pilate saw that he could prevailnothing,
B3ut ye denied the Holy One and the  but that rather a tumult was made, he
Just, and desired a murderer to be took water, and washed hiis hands begranted unto you; and killed the Prince  fore the multitude, saying, I.am inno.
of life, whom God hath raised from the  cent of the blood of this just person;
dead.' Here we have the typical scene  see ye to it. Then answered all the
of the wilderness vividly enacted before  people, and said, His blood be on us,
us in its substantiated realities of a far and our children. Then released he
different place and a far distant age. Barabbas unto them: and when he had
In Barabbas released, with  all his scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be
crimes upon his head, in accordance  crucified.'
with the emission of the goat loaded    We here leave the subject, commendwith the sins of the congregation, we ed to the calm  consideration of our
see a lively, and we doubt not, a de. readers, to whom we say, in the lansigned, emblematic presentation of the  guage of Spencer, proposing his views
fact of the judicial thrusting forth of of the same subject,-; Si quis lumine
that covenant race, with the weight of perspicaciore donatus, hIujus irnstitutl
the imprecated curse of God abiding  rationes  solidiores  assignaverit, me
upon them from one generation to ano- minime pertinacem  experietur;' If any.ther. Nay, so precise is the accordance  one possessed of clearer discernment
14




158              ~LEVITICUS.                                    [B. C. 1490.
9 And Aaron shall bring the goat of the sin-offering  which  is for
upon which'the Lon-D's lot fell, and  himself:
otter himn- for a sin-offering.          12 And he shall take  1 a censer
10 But the goat on which the lot full of burning coals of fire from
fell to be the scape-goat, shall be  off the altar before the LORD, and
presented  alive before the LORD, his hands full of m sweet incense
to make k an atonement with him, beaten  small, and bring it within
and to let him  go for a scape-goat the vail:
into the wilderness.                     13,a And he shall put the incense
11 And Aaron  shall bring  the  upon the fire befbre the LoI), that
bullock of the sin-offering, whicch  the cloud of the incense may cover
is for himself, and shall make an  the o mercy-seat that is upon the
atonement for himself, and for his  testimony, that he die not.
lhouse, and shall kill the bullock
I ch. 10. 1. Numb. 16. 158, 4. Rev. 8. 5.
m Ex 230 mExo S4.  34 Exod; 30. 1, 7, S. Numb.
k I Jobn 2. 2.        16. 7, 18, 46. Rev. 8, 3, 4. 0 Exod. "5. 21.
shall assign better reasonsfor this ordi-  This service of burning incense, it will
nance, he will find me far from being  be noticed, comes in betwueen the slay.
obstinate in adheringto my own solution.  ing of the bullock and the sprinkling
of the blood in the holy of holies. The
The Sin-offering for Aaron himself.  way into the inner sanctuary was to be
11. And Aaron shall bring the bul- prepared as it were, and the Most High
lock, &c. Upon comparing this verse  made still more placable, by this prewith v. 6 above, it is quite evident that lilninary act of raising a cloud of in.
the term I offer' there implies no more cense about the mercy-seat. That it
than briinging the bullock to be offered,  had a typical purport there can be little
and not the actual oblation, which did doubt. Christ, before he entered with
not take place till after the lots were his own blood into heaven, the true
cast upon the goats. — ST For his house. holy of holies, prepared and sanctified
That is, says Sol. Jarchi,' for his breth- himself and his entrance thither by his
ren the priestsI; for they all are called  earnest prayer as recorded John 17, the
his house, as it is written, Ps. 135. 19, whole of which chapter viewed in this'0 house of Aaron, bless ye the Lord.' connexion seems to resolve itself into a
And all their atonement was not, save  fragrant cloud of' incense coming up be.
for the uncleanness of the sanctuary, fore the Father's throne prior to the
and the holy things thereof.'           effusion of his blood in its atoning effi12. And he shall take a censer full of cacy. That this incense-offering was
burning coals from off the altar-, &c. symbolical of prayer will be obvious
This censer or fire-pan is called in the upon reference to Rev. 8. 3, 4,'And
Gr. of the LXX. 7rpEiov, fire-vessel, but another angel came and stood at the
in the New Testament this term never altar, having a golden censer; and there
occurs; instead of it we have Xi[3avrorug, was given unto him much incense, that
incense-vessel or censer, as Rev. 8. 3, 5, he should offer it with the prayers of
where mention is made of a' golden all saints upon the golden altar which
censer.' And it is worthy of remark  was before the throne. And the smoke
that the Hebrew writers say,  Every  of' the incense, which caime with the
(other) day, he whose duty it is to use prayers of the saints, ascended up be.
the censer, putteth coals on a censer of fore God, out of the angel's haitd.2  See
silver, &c, but on this day the high  Note on Ex. 30. 3,
priest putteth coals on a censer of gold.'   13. The tercy-seat that is upon the




B. C. 1490.]                 CHAPTER  XVI.                                159
14 And P he shall take of the blood  he did with  the blood of the bulof the bullock, and  q sprinkle  it lock, and  sprinkle  it  upon  the
with  his finger upon the mercy- mercy-seat, and before the mercyseat eastward:  anid  before  the  seat:
mercy-seat shall lie sprinkle of tile   16 And he shall tmake an atoneblood with his finger seven times. ment for the holy place, because of
15 T r' Then shall he kill the goat the uncleanness of the children of
of the sin-offering, that is for the  Israel, and because of their transpeople, and bring his blood s within  gressions in all their sins; and so
the vail, and do with that blood as shall he do for the tabernacle of
the congregation that remaineth
-P ch. 4. 5. Heb. 9.13, 25, and 10. 4. q ch.
4. 6. r Heb.'!. 17, and 5. 2, and 9. 7, 25.   t See Exod. 29. 36. Ezek. 45. 15. Heb.
s ver. 2. Heb. 6. 19, and 9. 3, 7, 12.  9. 22, 23.
testimony. That is, upon or over the  tered into the holy of holies, yet it
tables of the law whlich were in the ark, thereby became defiled, and must be
often called the testimony.            purified from the uncleanness contracted
14. And he shall take of the blood, &c. by its contact with his person, even
It is to be understood that he had iu the  while engaged in the most sacred du.
mean time come out of the most holy  ties. So also with the tabernacle and
place, aid now taking the blood lie re- the altar. The defiling power of the
turned thither, and sprinkled it, as the collective iniquities of the people sub.
Jews naintain, not so properly upon as  jected those structures also to the ihe
towards the ark; for it is thus that they  cessity  of a  similar purgation.understand the original' 1D i.Y al pen', I The tabernacle of the constregation
over against or towards. The Gr. how. that remaineth among them in the midst
ever  has sirt ro iXaLrnpiOsV, T upon the of their uncleanness. Heb. =Zti   hash.
mercy-seat; and in v. 15 it is clear that shoken, that abideth.  The root of' the
this must be the sense.                original word is )    shdckan, from
which comes shekinah, and it would
The Sin-offering commanded for the scarcely be out of the way to render it
People.                here,-' that shekinizeth amtong them.'
51. Then shall he kill the goat of the  The Gr. however has e-IKrtEU7v, builded,
sin-offering, &c. After he had sprin-  contstructed, formed; and to this word
kled the bullock's blood for himtself, he  the apostle doubtless had reference in
left it, says Maimaonides, in the temple, Heb. 9. 11,' through a greater and tmore
upon a vase of gold that was there, and  perfect tabernacle, not made with hands,
afterwards went out of the tenmple and  that is, not of this building (oV rautrig
killed the goat for the people.  The  rY1 Krct'os)).'The temple of his body
blood of this victim  he dealt with as and the veil of his flesh, John 2. 21,
with that of the bullock, as described  Heb. 10. 20, were by imputation of our
in the preceding verse.                sins mlade as unclean, and sprinkled
16. And he shall make an atonement with his own precious blood, that he
for the holy place, &c. That is, by the  might reconcile us to God. Heb. 23.
ceremonies foregofng, which  he has It was necessary that (Moses' taberjust described. It was not a separate  nacle and Solomon's temple) the patproceeding by which this expiation was terns ol things in the heavens should be
made.  But the ordinance itself is a purified with these (the sacrifices before
nmost striking  commentary upon the  mentioned), but the heavenly things
innate and actual depravity of fallen  themselves with better sacrifices thaq
man. Though the high priest alone en- these.'-Ainsworth.




160                          LEVITICUS.                      [. [B. 1490.
among them  in the midst of their  19 And he shall sprinkle of the
uncleanness.                         blood upon it with his finger seven
17 u And there shall be no man  times, and cleanse it, arld y hallow
in the tabernacle of the congrega- it from  the  uncleanness of the
tion when he goeth in to make an  children of Israel.
atonement in the holy place, until  20 ~T And when he hath made an
lie come out, and have made an  end of zreconciling the holy place,
atonement for himself, and for his and the tabernacle of the congrehousehold, and for all the congre- gation, and the altar, he shall bring
gation of Israel.                    the live goat:
18 And he shall go out unto the   21 And Aaron shall lay both his
altar that is befbre the LORD, and  hands upon the head of the live
x make an atonement for it; and  goat, and confess over him  all the
shall take of the blood of the bul- iniquities of the children of Israel,
lock, and of the blood of the goat, and all their transgressions in all
and put it upon the horns of the  their sins, a putting them upon the
altar round about.
y Ezek. 43. 20. z ver. 16. Ezek. 45. 20.
u See Exod. 34. 3. Luke 1. 10. x Exod      ek. 3. 20.   ver.. Eek. 4
30. 10. ch. 4. 7, 18. -Ieb. 9. 22, 23.
17. And there shall be nzo man in the ever, contends that the altar of sacrifice
tabernatle, &c.  None either of the is meant which stood in the outer court,
people, or the priests who might ordi- and that tile high priest's' coming out,'
narily be in attendance upon the servi. v. 17, and his'going out,' v. 18, was
ces of the tabernacle. Throughout this his coming out from  the tabernacle.
miost important part of the ceremony  There is some reason to think this the
the high priest officiated alone.  In  correct interpretation, as otherwise we
this fact the typical character of his have no account whatever of the outer
sacred ftinctions appears very conspic- altar's being cleansed. The inference,
uous. The whole work of atonement however, is still uncertain.-~r Shall
for our sins was performed by Christ take of the blood of the bullock and the
alone. No one aided him; no one par- goat. The blood of each animnal was
ticipated with him; he bore all our to be put into a basin, and thoroughly
sufferings; to him all the glory is due. mingled together in order to its being
He trod the wine-press alone, and of smeared and sprinkled upon the altar.
the people there was none with him.
His own arm brought salvation. I By  The Disposal of the Live or Scope-goat.
himself he purged our sins.'' His oun   20. And when he hath made an end
self bare our sins in his own body on of reconciling the holy place.  Heb.
the tree.'                           Ce:, -5'1  vekillah mikka.pp'r-, and
18. Shall go out unto the alta". that is when he hath finished atoning, or makbefore the Lord. The words  before ing atonementfor. In like manner the
the Lord'  would seem to indicate that original word for atone (at-one) is often
the golden altar of incense in the holy  rendered to reconcile; and on the other
place is intended; and so it is generally  hand the Gr. caraXXayrl, reconciliation,
understood by the Jewish and Christian  is rendered Rom. 5. 11, by atonement.
commentators. In this case, the I comn- As we have gone so fully into the (te.
ing out' mentioned v. 17, must be re- tails of the ceremony of the dismission
ferred to his coming out of the holy of of the scape-goat in our introductory
holies into the outer room, where the remarks, little need be said by way of
altar of incense stood. — Patrick, how- comment on the remaining particulars.




B. C. 1490.]                CHAPTER  XVI.                                161
head of the goat, and shall send  him  all their iniquities unto a land
him away by the hand of a fit man  not inhabited: and he shall let go
into the wilderness:                   the goat in the wilderness.
22 And the goat shall b bear upon    b Isai. 53. 11, 12. John 1.'29. Heb. 9.28.
1 Pet. 2. 24.
22. And the goat shall bear upon him  the projections, was generally dashed
all thine iniquities unto a land not in-  to pieces before it had half reached the
habited. Heb. MnV'l'a'nI  G  el eretz  bottom. It is added that the result of
gezr-ah, unto a land of separation. this execution was promptly communiAs the Rabbinical traditions respecting  cated, by signals, raised at proper disthis ordinance are well condensed by  tances, to the people who were anxiously
Mr. Kitto, we give his note from  the  awaiting the event at the Temple.  It
Pictorial Bible.'The Rabbins inform  is also said, that at the same time a
us, that after the lot had been taken, scarlet ribbon, fastened at the entrance
the high-priest fastened a long fillet, or of the Temple, turned red at this instant
narrow piece of scarlet to the head of  of time, in token of the divine accept.
the scape-goat; and that after he had  ance of the expiation; and that this
confessed his own sins and those of the - miracle ceased forty years before the
people over his head, or (for we are not destruction of the second Temple. We
quite certain about the point of time) do not very well understand whether
when the goat was finally dismissed, this fillet is a variation of the account
this fillet cianged color to white if the  which places one on the head of the
atonement was accepted by God, but goat, or whether there were two fillets,
else retained its natural color. It is to  one for the goat and the other for the
this that they understand Isaiah to al- Temple. If the latter, we may conclude
lude when he says:-' Though your that the change took place simultanesins be as scarlet, they shall be white  ously in both. However understood, it
as snow; though they be red like crim-  is very remarkable that the Rabbins,
son, they shall be as wool.' (Isai. 1.18.) who give this account of the fillets, as.
After the confession had been made  sign the cessation of the miracle by
over the head of the scape.goat, it was which the divine acceptance of this ex.
conmmitted to the charge of some per. piation was notified, to a period pre.
son or persons, previously chosen for cisely corresponding with the death of
the purpose, and carried away into the  Christ-an event which most Christians
wilderness; wvhere, as we should under-  understand to have been prefigured by
stand, v. 22, it was set at liberty; but atoning sacrifices, which they believe
the Rabbins give a somewhat different to have been done away by that final
account.  They inform  us, (speaking  consummation of all sacrificial institu.
with a particular reference to Jerusa. tions.  The assertion of the Apostle,
lem and the Temple service), that the  that without the shedding of blood there
goat was taken to a place about twelve  is no remission of sin (Heb. 9. 22), renmiles from Jerusalem where there was ders the account of the Rabbins that the
a formidable rocky precipice; and they  goat was finally immolated, rather than
add, that for this occasion a sort of left free in the wilderness, far from im.
causeway was miade between Jerusalem  probable, were it not discountenanced
atnd this place, and that ten tents with  by verse 22. It is however possible
relays were stationed at equal distances that the Jews may have adopted the
between them. On arriving at the pre- usage described when they settled in
cipice the goat was thrown down from  Canaan, and could not so conveniently
its summit, and by knocking against as in the wilderness carry the goat to
14*




162                            LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
23 And Aaron shall come into the   24 And he shall wash his flesh
tabernacle  of  the  congregation, with water in the holy place, and
cand shall put off the linen gar- put on  his garments, and  come
ments which  he put on when he lbrth, d and offer his burnt-offering,
went into the holy place, and shall and the burnt-offering of the peoleave them  there:                      pie, and make an atonement for
himself, and for the people.
c Ezek. 42. 14, and 44. 19.                   d rer. 3. 5.' a land not inhabited.' But they allow  reads standing the 16th, and part of the
that it sometimes escaped alive into the | 23d, chapters of Leviticus, reading and
desert, and was usually taken and eaten  blessing God both before and after.
by the Arabs, who, ofcourse, were little  After this, he puts off his white gar;
aware of' what they did. See Calmet, ments, and washes limnself, and puts on
Arts.' Azazel,' and'Expiation;'  Jen- hlis golden garments, and sanctifies lhis
nings'' Jewish Antiquities,' &c.2     hands and his feet, and offers the goat
whvlich is for the general addition to this
Thie Change of VFestments and the Sub. day's service (Num. 29. 11), and offers
sequent Offering.            ihis own ram, and the people's ralrl, as
23. And Aaron shall come into the  it is said, Lev. 16. 24. He then burns
tabernacle of the congregation, and  (on the altar) the fat of the bullock
shall put off the linen garments, &c. and of the goat, that were burnt with.
The ceremonies that followed the dis- out the camp; and he offers the daily
mission of the goat into the wilderness, evening  sacrifice  (the  lamb,   tnum.
are thus detailed by Maimonides:' After 28. 3), and trims the lamnps as on other
he has sent away the goat by thle hland days.  After this he sanctifies his hands
of him that led him, he returns to the  and feet, and puts off the golden gar.
bullock and goat whose blood lie had  ments, and puts on his own common
sprinkled within  the satictuary, and garments, and goes to his house, whi.
Opens them and takes out the ftlt, which  ther all the people accompany him;
he puts in a vesseli to burn them  upon  and he keeps a feast, for that lie is come
the altar. And he cuts the rest of their out of the sanctuary.'-Ainsu'orth.flesh into large pieces, but one cleaving  ~S And shall leave them there. Never
to another and not parted asunder; and  more to be worn again,eilher by hirn or
tthese he sends by thle hands of others any one else, as they were required to
to be carried out to the place of burning  be renewed every year. Thiis is the
(wuvithout the camrp, Lev. 16.27). When  uniform traditioin of' the Jews.
the goat is come into the wilderness,   24. He shall wash his flesh wi/h water
the high priest goes out into the wo- &c. Heb. Y'I" ra'hatz, usually render.
mren's court to readl the law. While he  ed uash. thoug}h sometimes bathe, as in
is reading, they burn the bullock and  vv. 26, 2S.. How much of an ablution is
the goat inl the place of the ashes (withl  properly implied by the term, it is diffi.
out the city), therefore lihe that sees thle  cult to say. That it does not indicate
priest wheni he reads, sees not the bul. a complete immersion of the body in
lock and the goat burnt.  When he water, would seemll evident ftrom  the
reads, all the people stand before him;  fact, that we read of lto provision being
and tile minister of' the conlgregation  mnade for such a rite, either in tile holy
takes tp the book of the law, and gives place or in the court of the tabernacle.
it to the chief of the congregation, and  At the same tiite, we cannot well doubt
he to the sagan (or second chiief priest), that it signifies somlrething more than
and the sagan gives it to the high priest, the mere washing of the hands and feet.
who stands up when he receives it, and j On the whole, the idea of a copious




B. C. 1490.]                CHAPTER  XVI.                               163
25 And e the fat of the sin-offer- the camp; and they shall burn in
ing shall he burn upon the altar. the fire their skins, and their flesh,
26 And lie that let go the goat and their dung.
for the scape-goat shall wash his   28 And  he that burneth  them
clothes, fand  bathe  his flesh  in  shall wash his clothes, and bathe
water, and afterward  come into  his flesh in water, and afterward
the camp.                              he shall come into the camp.
27 g And the bullockfor the sin-  29 ~[ And this shall be a statute
offering, and the goat for the sin- for ever unto you: that Ilin the
of'ering, whose blood was brought seventh month, on the tenth day
in to make atonement in the holy  of the month, ye shall afflict your
place, shall one carry forth without souls, and do no work at all, whee ch. 4. 10. f ch 15. 5. g ch. 4. 12, 21,   h Exod. 30. 10. ch. 23. 27. Numb. 29. 7.
and 6. 30. Heb. 13. 11.               Isai. 58. 3, 5. Dan. 10. 3, 12.
affusion seems to come nearest to the    27. Shall one carryforth without the
genuine import of the term.            camp. For the evangelical import of
25. And the fat of the sin-offering  this part of the ceremony, as explained
shall he burn upon the altar.  Heb. by the apostle, Heb. 13. 11, see Note on'~L%9l   yaktir, shall fume or burn as Lev. 6. 30.
incense, according to the explanation
given in the Note on Lev. 1. 9, Ex.29. 13.        Recapitulation.
The burning of the fat upon the altar,   29. This shall be a statute for ever
and the burning of the body without the  unto you. Heb. 1t:)]  rtT~  lehuk.
calmp, is expressed by Moses by two ikath olim, for a statute of eternity.
different words. The altar upon which  That is, through the whole period of
the fat vras to be burnt, was of course  that economy till Christ, the substance
the brazen altar in the court yard, for of the Levitical shadows, should come.
upon the golden altar nothing of the  See Note on Ex. 21. 6, where this phrakind was permitted. Ex. 30. 9.         seology is more fully illustrated.26. And he that let go the goat for the  IT Ye shall afflict your souls.  Heb.
scape-goat.  Heb.        rim nrlr hn= =rtrbiu         hi   1:7n   taanu eth naph.:5~2KT     hammeshallgah eth hassai? la- shothi'kem.  Gr. rarctwcoars  ra o vXae
azazel, he that sent or led auay the samcov, ye shall humble souls. Our Eng.
goat to Azazel.  The reading of the  lish sense of the word soul does not
original decidedly confirms our previous come up to the full import either of the
view of the true purport of Azazel. It Hebrew or Greek. As we have already
is wholly at variance with the genius shown in the Note on Gen. 12. 5, and
of the Hebrew  to express such an idea  elsewhere, the term  ZIt=  nephesh is
as' a goat for a scape-goat,' by such a used as equivalent to person, and there.
phraseology as we here find. The force  fore includes the body as well as the
of the preposition 5 to, has another soul,-and as fasting was one of the
bearing altogether. It denotes devote. duties of the day, it is evidently to be
mnent to a particular purpose or object. understood in that latitude here. Thus
The' fit mian' who was the agent in  also Ps. 35.13,' 1 humbled (tleb. afflictthis transaction, was considered as hav. ed) my soul with f:asting.' Is. 58. 5,
ing contracted so much defilement by'Is it such a fast that I have chosen?
the office he performed, that lie was not a day for a man to afflict hissoul?' In
permitted to re-enter the camp without the Hebrew idiom an abstinence from
having undergone a previous lustration  all corporeal delights, and a voluntary
of his person.                         subjecting ones' self to penances and




164                           LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490,
ther it be one of your own country, ment for the holy sanctuary, and
or a stranger that sojourneth among  he shall make all atonement for
you:                                   the tabernacle of the congregation,
30 For on that day shall the priest and  for the altar: and  he shall
make  an  atonement for you, to  make an atonement for the priests,
i cleanse you, that ye may be clean  and for all the people of the confrom all your sins before the LORD. gregation.
31 1k It shall be a sabbath of rest  34 PAnd this shall be an everunto you, and ye shall afflict your lasting statute unto you, to make
souls by a statute for ever.          an atonement for the children of
32 ] And the priest whom he shall Israel for all their sins q once a
anoint, and whom  he shall mcon- year.  And  he did as the LoRD
secrate to minister in the priest's commanded Moses.
office in his father's stead, shall
make the atonement, and nshall                 CHAPTER  XVII.
put on the linen clothes, even the         ND the LORD spake unto Mloholy garments:                        A    ses, saying,
33 And o he shall make an atone-   2 Speak unto Aaron, and unto his
i Ps. 51. 2. Jer. 33. 8. Eph. 5. 26. Heb. sons, and unto all the children of
9. 13, 14, and 10. 1, 2. 1 John 1. 7, 9  k ch. Israel, and say unto them, This is
23. 32. 1 ch. 4 3, 5, 16. m Exod. 29. 29, 30.
Numb 2(0,:26, 28. n ver. 4. ~ver. 6, 16,   P ch. 23. 31. Numb. 29. 7. q Exod. 30.
i1, 19, 24.                           10. Heb. 9. 7, 25.
mortifications. is termed' afflicting the Atonement. The idea of the institution
soul.'-   rDono work at all. It being seems to have been, that inasmuch as
in fact regarded as a solemn Sabbath, the incidlental and occasional sin-offeras we learn from v. 31. It was to be a ings had, from  their very nature, left
day wholly devoted to religious ser. much sin for which no expiation had
vices of the most severe and engrossing  been made, there should be a day in
character.                            which all omissions of this sort should
30. For on that day, shall the priest he supplied, by one general expiation,
make an atonement for you. The ex. so that at the end of the year no sin or
pression in the original is impersonal, pollution might remain for which the
anti consequently equivalent to c atone. blood of atonement had not been shed.
ment shall be made for you.' The Gr.
has correctly e4tAaaerat Urept VpetoV, it shall  CHAPTER XVIT,
be atoned for you. So also in like man-   The preceding ordinances relative to
ner in v. 31,' the priest whiom he shall the ministration of the High Priest in
anoint' is but another form of saying, the Holy of Holies, ale here followed'the priest who shall be anointed,' as is by others of a miscellaneous nature,
clearly intimated by the Gr. rendering; having respect to the whole nation in
whom they shaIll anoint.'            the nmatter of sacrificial offeriug, and
34. For all their sins once a year. therefore addressed to them conjointly
Many expiatory ceremonies have alrea- with Aaron and his sons.
dy passed under our notice, as required
in various circuimstances;   hut this w;ls  Precept in regard to the killing sof
tile grand and general expiation in which             Cattle.
atoning sacritices were made for all the    1, 2. Speak unto Aaron, and unto his
sit and all the defilement of the pre-. sons. That is, unto the priests; who
ceding year.  Hence it was pre-erni. were called'the solns of Aaron,' by a
nently distinguished as the Day of usage of perpetual occurrence. As they




B. C. 1490.]               CHAPTER  XVII.':-15:the thing  which the LORD hath  an ox, or lamb, or goat in tne camp,
commanded, saying,                     or that killeth it out pf the camp,
3 What man soever there be of   4 b And bringeth it not unto the
the house of Israel, a that killeth  door of the tabernacle of the cona See Deut. 12. 5, 15, 21.             b Deut. 12. 5, 6, 13, 14.,vere the appointed sacrificers for the  idols.' Considering the propensity to,~eople, the precepts before us were to  idolatry which the people brought with
)e first addressed to them, and then  them from  Egypt, it was necessary to.hrou-gh them  to the whole collective  take care lest, when any one killed
)eople.                               such animals as were usual for sacri3. What man soever there be of the fices, lie should be guilty of superstihouse of Israel.  Heb. n'1"=   2',R arJ'  tiously offering theni to an idol. This
d'M7' ish ish mibbaith Yisrael, man, precaution was the more reasonable,
nain, of the house of Israel; to which  because, in ancient times, it was so
the Gr. adds,' or of the proselytes that very common to make an offering of the
ire adjoined unto you;' which is vir- flesh which a person intended to eat,.ually warranted by the language of and because the Israelites could but
Moses in v. 8.-~f That killeth an ox. rarely enjoy that sort of food in the
Heb. aFlr1   yish'hat, a word properly  wilderness.  And hence arose a sus.
sinifying to slaughter in general, and  picion not very unreasonable, that who.
not peculiarly limited to the slaying of ever killed animals usually devoted to
animals by way of sacrifice, although  the altar, offered them  of course; and
very frequently employed in that sense. therefort Moses enjoined the Israelites
At the' same time, considerable doubt not to kill such animals otherwise than
hangs over its genuine import in this in public, and to offer them all to the
connexion.  Commentators are by no  true God, that so it might be out of their
means agreed as to the true-meant de- power to make them offerings to idols,
sign of the precept. Michaelis, Rosen. by slaughtering them  privately, and
muller, and others contend that the  under the pretence of using them for
point of the enactment is, that the  food.'
Israelites shotild bring the animals they    But to this view of the subject there
intended to kill for food to the taberna. are two objections, apparently formida.
cle, to be dealt with aspeace-offerings, ble, which Michaelis feels  himself
the blood being applied and the fat con. called upon to answer. (I.) It is asked
sumed as in such sacrifices, the rest whether it be credible that God would
being eaten by the ufferer, as in the  have imposed such a hardship upon his
regular sacrifices of this class.  In  people as not to concede to them the
proof of this, Michaelis insists on the  use of animal food, unless it were first
import of the original word  If112 sha. presented before the tabernacle, and'hat, to kill in general, and its distinc. then virtually converted into a religious
tion from Nt'T zaba'h, to kill for sacri-  offering?   (2.) How  is the precept,
fice. But the use of these terms by the  when thus viewed, to be reconciled with
sacred writers is too indiscriminate to  Deut. 12. 13-15, where, after command.
allow of any definite conclusion being  ing that all the burnt-offerings should
built upon it. Still it is possible that be offered in one place, it is added,
what Michaelis affirms may be the gen.' Notwithstanding, thou mayest kill and
nine import of the passage, and the  eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever
additional reason that he suggests for it thy soul lusteth after, according to the
is not without considerable weight, viz. blessing of the LoaD thy God which he
the prevention of secret sacrifices to  hath given thee: the unclean and the.....i......




1-66                         LEVITICUS.. C.' 490.
gregation, to offer an offering unto  unto that man, he hath shed blood;
the Loi-D before the tabernacle of and that man d shall be cut off
the LORD: blood shall be c imputed  from among his people:
c Rom. 5. 13.                        d Gen. 17. 14.
clean may eat thereof, as of the roe- statute would seem decidedly;to favor
buck, and as of the hart.'           this construction, for the amount of it
To the first of these objections our is (v. 8, 9), that they were not to do in
author replies, that the Israelites, like  Palestine every thing which they were
most of the modern Orientals, particu- then in the practice of doing in the
larly the nomade tribes, were but little  desert, every one at his pleasure, not
addicted to the use of flesh-meat; that being yet come to their permanent inthey seldom killed beasts but for sacri- heritance. It is contended, accordingly,
fice; and that among them seasons of that the reasons for the repeal are
sacrifice were for the most part the only  nearly as obvious as those for the origiseasons of feasting, so that what was nal law. A new and more instructed
enjoined by this law, was what would generation would have arisen than that
ordinarily be done, whether the animals which had been so deeply imbued with
were formally offered or not. This then the idolatries of Egypt, and the occa.
would have been no particular hardship. sion for the restriction would therefore
Nor miust we forget that while the Is- not have been strong. And besides, the
raelites continued in the wilderness, observance of the original law would
and without any appropriated lands, have been scarcely practicable when
they could but very seldom have in- the Hebrews became settled in Pales.
dulged in a flesh diet, without being in  tine.  They would naturally then be
danger of extirpating their herds. In- disposed to consume more animal food,
deed, properly speaking, only the two as settled people usually do even in the
tribes of Reuben and Gad, with the halfl' East, than when nomades; and yet this
tribe of Manasseh, had herds (Num. law would nearly have operated as all
32); the other tribes being in general interdiction to a great part of the popuo
but poorly provided in this respect. In  lation, who, residing at a distance irom
these circumstances, the Israelitescould the tabernacle or temple, would have
easily bear a law which contributed to  been obliged to take a long journey with
the preservation and increase of their their oxen, sheep. or goats, to offer
herds; especially when we consider them  at the altar before they could
that during their sojourn in the wilder- taste their meat.
ness, their cattle could not be multiplied    On the whole, although Ainsworth,
as when they hlad ceased to be a noimade Patrick, and some others understand
people.                               this law as having reference solely to
As to the second objection, founded  animals killedfor sacrifice, yet we are
upon the grant so expressly recorded  more inclined to adopt the view stated
Deut. 12. 13-15, his solution is equally  above, which is adopted also by Scott
plausible. He thinks thelaw contained  and other expositors of high repute in
in the chapter before us was only in. modern times.  For farther remarks
tended to operate temporarily during upon the scope of the law itself, and
the wandering in the wilderness, and  some apparent exceptions, see Note on
that the law in Deuteronomy, delivered  Dent. 12. 13-15.
just before the entrance of the Hebrews   4. Blood shall be imputed unto that
into Canaan, was intended expressly to man. That is, that man shall be acrepeal that now under consideration. counted a murderer. In shedding the
Indeed the language of that second blood of the animal he shall be deemed




B. C. 1490.]                 CHAPTER  XVII.                                 167
5 To the  end  that the children    6 And the priest fshall sprinkle
of Israel may bring their sacrifices  the  blood  upon  the altar of the
e which they offer in the open field, LORD at the door of the tabernacle
even  that they  may bring  them   of the congregation, and g burn the
unto  the LORD, unto the door of  fat for a sweet savour unto  the
the tabernacle of the congregation, LORD.
unto the priest, and offer them for   7 And they shall no more offer
peace-offerings unto the LoaD.          their sacrifices h unto devils, after
fch. 3. 2. g Exod. 29. 13..ch 3. 5, 11, 16,
e Gen. 21. 33, and 22. 2, and 31. 54. Deut. and 4. 31. Ntmb. 18. 17. hl Deut. 32. 17.
12. 2. 1 Kings 14. 23. 2 Kings 16. 4, and 17. 2 Chron. 11. 15. Ps. 106. 37. 1 Cor. 10. 20.
10. 2 Chron. 28. 4. Ezek. 20. 2S, and 22. 9. Rev. 9. 20.
to have shed the blood of a human being, tices of an idolatrous tendency, by re.
and guilt shall rest upon him  accord- quiring them to bring the flesh of slain
ingly.  So in a case where a similar animals which they would otherwise be
profanation of a divine ordinance, by  in danger of sacrificing to demons in
disregarding its spirit, is spoken of, it the open fields, to the precincts of the
is said, Is. 66. 3,' He that Iilleth ant ox  tabernacle, and there converting them
is as if lie slew a man.'.-T That man  to' p'eace-offerings to the Lord' before
s/all be cut off.  eb. V1iHeb.' l r:1 they were eaten. So if we would have
nikrath hdish hahu, which the Gr. ren. our daily food most signally blessed to
ders  oeOPEcvOh7gsraT bi' Obv:ciw,e, that us, let us first consecrate it to the boun.
soul shall be destroyed, where it will be  teous Giver, and vow to him  all the
observed that' that soul  in the version  strength and refreshment that we may
answers to' that man' in the original. derive from  the use of it.-~ST Which
On the import of this phrase, see Note  they offer in the openfield.  Heb.'11DR
on Gen. 17. 14. The intimation here'iEL''tD 5)  th1ZI i- I asher hem go.
undoubtedly is, either that the sentence  be'hin  al pene hassadeh, which they
of death should be passed upon the of- (are) sacrificing on the face of thefield,
fender by the magistrate, or that God  i. e. which they. were heretofore in the
would directly interfere and cut him off habit of offering, or which they might
from among the living, though not, we now be inclined to offer, after a heathen
presume, in a miraculous manner, but fashion, in the open fields and high
by so ordering his providence, as to en- places. The Jewish writers say,' Be
sure that result. The latter sense will fore the tabernacle was set up, the high
perhaps appear the most probable by  places were lawful; and the service
comparing the present with v. 10, where  was by the first-born; after the taber.
he threatens to execute vengeance with  nacle was erected, the high places were
his own hand against him who should  unlawful, and the service was performed
be guilty of'eating blood.'  If the  by the priests.' This limitation as to
punishment should seem severe, we are  the place of worship is graciously done
to retnJSmber that the law was intended  away under the gospel, Mal. 1. 11,' My
to be a preventative to idolatry, and the name shall be great among the Gentiles,
penalties enacted for this crime were and in every place incense shall be of.
necessarily very severe, for the reasons fered unto my name, and a pure of.
mentioned in the Introduction to the  fering.'
Notes on the second volume of Exodus,   7. They shall offer no more their sa.
to which the reader is referred.        crifices unto devils.  Heb. ~t'V"IZ~
5. To the end, &c. Expressive of lassei'rim, to goats; Chal. V1W1 shadim,
the general scope of the present statute, wasting or destroying creatures; Gr.
which is to call them off from all prac- roaz  paraioc, to vain things.  Vulg.




168                          LLEVITICUS.                        (B. C. 1495(.
whom they i have gone a whoring: I even that man shall be cut off from
this shall be a statute for ever among his people.
unto them  throughout their gene-   10 ~ m And whatsoever man there
rations.                               be of the house of Israel, or of the
8 ~T And thou shalt say unto them, strangers that sojourn amlongr you,
Whatsoever man  there be of the  that eateth any manner of blood;
house of Israel, or of the strangers  n I will even set my face against
which sojourn among you, k that that soul that eateth  blood, and
offereth a burnt-offering or sacrifice, will cut him  off from  among his
9 And l bringeth it not unto the  people.
door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer it unto the LORD;   m Gen. 4. o: ch. 3. 17, and 7. 26, 27, and
X19 26. Deut. 12. 16,.23, and 15. 23. l Sam.
i Exod. 34. 15.  ch. 20. 5. Deut. 31. 16. 14. 33. Ezek. 44. 7. n ch. 20. 3, 5, 6, and
Ezek. 23. 8. k ch. 1. 2, 3. 1 ver. 4.  26. 17. Jer. 44. 11. Ezek. 14. 8, and 15. 7.
Demronibus,' to demons. The original cause that was a violation of the coveHebrew term here rendered' devils,' nant between God and his people, which
properly signifies hairy ones, or crea- is repeatedly denominated a marriage
tures rough, rugged, and shaggy in as- covenant.  Comp. Ex. 34. 15, Dent.
pect; and hence is applied not only to 31. 16, Judg. 8. 33.
h.e-goats, but to certain fabulous beings   8, 9. And thou shalt say unto them,
or sylvan gods, who were popularly  &c.  The law enacted in these two
supposed to appear inthe form of goats. verses we conceive to differ from the
Herodotus says that all goats were foregoing, by having respect exclusively
worshipped in Egypt, particularly the to beasts slain for sacrifice, and not for
he-goat, and from  these sprung Pan, food.  It is an emphatic declaration
Silenus, and the innumerable herd of of the divine will as to the place where
imaginary beings, satyrs, dryads,fauns, all sacrificial offerings should be made.
&c. all woodland gods, and held in ven. As God designed there should be one
eration among the Egyptians, Greeks, altar, one high-priest, one sanctuary,
and Romans. From this source too it and one commonwealth of Israel, this
is not unlikely that the popular repre- unity of the nation and the religion
sentations of the devil in Christian  would be destroyed if various altars and
countries, in which he is represented as priests, and various places of offerings,
having a goat-like form, with a tail, were allowed. Besides, a plurality of
horns, and cloven feet, are borrowed. priests, altars, and sanctuaries, would
Such representations certainly bear a very naturally lead to a plurality of
strong resemblance to what was fan. gods, and thus all the evils of idolatry
cied of the appearance of the ancient would be gradually introduced into the
heathen Pan, whose name, from  his worship of the chosen people.  The
striking terror into the popular mind, statute before us, requiring all their
has given rise to our English word sacrifices to be presented at one place,
panic. The language would seem evi- was happily adapted to prevent these
dently to imply that the Israelites had consequences.
been formerly, or during their residence
in Egypt, addicted to the worship of       The Eating of Bloodforbidden.
these fictitious deities. —-~ After whom    10. That eateth any manner of blood.
they have gone a whoring. Chal.' With  This prohibition  is met with  twice
whom  they have erred or comrnitted elsewhere in the Levitical law, Lev.
idolatry.' This term is often employed  3. 17,-7. 26, besides its being found in
in the Scriptures to denote idolatry, be. the precepts of Noah, Gen. 9. 4. It is




B. C. 1490.]                 CHAPTER  XVII.                                 169
11 o For the life of the flesh is in  atonement for your souls: for q it
the blood; and  I have given it to  is the blood that maketh an atoneyou upon the altar, Pto make an  nlent for the soul.
0 ver. 14. p Matt. 26. 28. Mark 14. 24. 20. Heb. 13. 12. 1 Pet. 1, 2. 1 John 1, 7,
Rom. 3. 25, and 5. 9. Ephes. 1.7. Col. 1. 14, Rev. 1. 5. q Heb. 9. 22.
repeated again and again, and much  strated by the following aniong other
stress laid upon it as a law that has  facts.  If blood be taken from  the arm!nore in it than would at first appear. in the most intense cold that the human
Thlie reason here annexed to it is con- body can suffer, it will raise the thersidered below, ill the note on the ensu- momreter to the same height, as blood
iag verse. It is to be remarked, how- taken in the most sultry heat. Now it
ever, that the blood of clean fishes, of  is known that living bodies alone have
locusts, and of creep)ing things, is un-  the power of resisting great degrees of
derstood by the Jews to be excepted  heat and cold, and of maintaining in al.
irom this prohibition. —I I  iUll even  most every situation, while in health,
set my face against that soul, &c. Heb. that temperature which we distinguish
~93',tn   ndtthatti penai, I,will give  by the name of animal heat. But it is
mry face. Gr. rearrlwo ro 7rapororv pov.  by no means necessary to insist on this
Chal.' I will set mine anger against the  as implied in the words of our text.!maln.?  The original word for' face  is The sacred scriptures have little to do
uoten usedl by the sacred writers for  with the absolute verities of natural sci* anger, as may be seen by the follow. ence.  These we are to ascertain from
ing passages: Gen. 33. 20,' I will ap. other sources, and establish by other
pease him' (tIeb.' I will appease his evidence. See Note on Gen. 9. 4.face')' Lam. 4. 15,' The anger (Heb. ~r It is the blood that maketh an atoneface) of the Lord hath divided them.' ment for the soul. By transgression a
Jer. 3. 12,' And I will not cause mine  man forfeits his life to divine justice,
anger (Heb. face) to fall upon you.2 and he must die did not mercy provide
1 Pet. 3. 12,' The face (i. e. anger) of  him a substitute. The life of a beast'he Lord is against them that do evil.' is appointed and accepted by God as a
1. For the life of the flesh is in the  substitute for the sinner's life; but as
blood. Heb.  IM' tl71 517t)    TM'   this life is in the blood, and as the blood
kci nephesh habbdsirz baddom hi, for the  is the grand principle of vitality, there.
life or soul of the flesh it is in the blood. fore the blood is to be poured out upon
Grt. i/ yip bJXi  nrieu  eoapis Japa asarov' the altar, and thus the life of the beast
s(rTl, for the life or soul of all flesh is becomes a substitute for the life of
the blood thereof. This was not per- the man. But this was a typical ordi.
lhaps intended to be affirmed as a strictly  nance, having direct reference to the
physiological  fact, but simply to ex. atonement of Christ. Christ not only
press what appears to be the truth, and  died for sinners, but our redemption is
what was popularly regarded as such. ever ascribed to his blood: for in order
The seat of vitality was ostensibly in  to make a satisfactory atonement, he
the blood,because if the blood was shed  not only bowed his head upon the cross
life became extinct. Yet it is not a  and gave up the ghost, but his side was
little remarkable that the researches of  opened, the pericardium  and the heart
mnodern anatomnists and physiologists  evidently pierced, that the vital fluid
have brought them in the main to the  might be poured out from the very seat
same conclusion, namely, that the blood  of life, and that thus the blood which is
is actually possessed of a principle of  the life should be shed to make expia.
vitality.  This, it is said, is demon-  tion for the life of the soul. The forbid.
15




170                          LEVITICUS.                       EBT c. 1490
12 Therefore  I said  unto  the  the blood of it is for the life there~
children of Israel, No soul of you  of: therefore I said unto the- childshall eat blood, neither shall any  renr of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood
stranger that  sojourneth  among  of no manner of flesh; for the life
you eat blood.                        of all flesh is the blood thereof:
13 And whatsoever man therebe whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.
of the children of Israel, or of the   15'And every soul that eateth
strangers that sojourn among you, that which died of itself, or that
which rhunteth and catcheth any  which was torn with beasts, (whebeast or fowl that may be eaten; ther it be one of your own country,
he shall even s pour out the blood  or a stranger) yhe shall both wash
thereof, and tcover it with dust.    his clothes, zand bathe himself in
14 u For it is the life of all flesh,   x Exod. 22. 31. ch. 22. 8. Deut. 14. 21.
r ch. 7. 26. s Deut. 12. 16, 24, and 15. 23. Ezek. 4. 14, and 44. 31. y ch. 11. 25. z ch.
t Ezek. 24. 7. u ver. 11, 12. Gen. 9. 4. 15. 5.
Deut. 12. 23.
ding the eating of blood therefore would  the blood also conveyed the intimation
naturally tend to beget a devout and  that it should not be imputed as a matreverent regard for that precious fluid  ter of guilt to the shedder, as appears
which was visibly represented in the from the contrary, Job 16. 18,' O earth,
blood of the victims slain upon the Jew- cover not thou my blood, and let my
ish altar.                            cry have no place.' Ezek. 24. 72 8,
12. Therefore Isaid unto the children' For her blood is in the midst of her;
of Israel, &c. Whatever other reasons she sets it upon the top of a rock; she
might previously have existed for this poured it not upon the ground, to cover
prohibition (Gen. 9. 4), yet this is the it with dust; that it might cause fury
reason why it is to be forbidden to the  to come up to take vengeance; I have
children of Israel, and to all that saw  set her blood upon the top of a rock that
fit to adjoin themselves to the holy  it should not be covered;' where the
people.                               blood not covered, signifies a crying to
God for vengeance. The Jews regard
Additional Precepts in regard to Blood  this as a very weighty precept, and
and the Carcasses of Beasts.     appoint that the blood should be cover13. And whatsoever man there be) &c. ed with these words:' Blessed is he
In this and the subsequent verses the  that hath sanctified us by his precepts,
law given above respecting the use of and commanded us to cover blood.'
blood of sacrificed beasts is extended to   15. That which died of itself, or that
that of all other creatures common for which was torn with beasts. This is
food, whether wild or tame, but espe. still but the application of the main law
cially such as were taken in hunting. in regard to blood; for in both cases,
The blood was to be carefully drained  the blood was retained in the body;
from the body, and decorously covered  hence the council at Jerusalem forbade
over with earth.-~ o He shall even  things strangled, as well as blood;
pour out the blood thereof and cover it because in such beasts, the blood was
with dust. Lest it should be licked up by  coagulated in the veins and arteries.
any other animal, which he would have  - r He shall wash his clothes. In this
them  avoid, either because the taste  case it is supposed that the person
of blood might generate a destructive  sinned ignorantly or through inadvert.
thirst for it, or because he would not ency, not of deliberation or set purpose;
have any thing so sacred as blood ex. for any presumptuous sin was to be fol.
posed to profanation. The covering of lowed by exemplary judgments




B. C. 1490.]              CHAPTER  XVIII.                              171
water, and be unclean until the  bathe his flesh, then a shall he bear
even: then shall he be clean.         his iniquity.
16 But if he wash them not, nor
a ch. 5. 1, and 7. 1s, and 19. 8. Numb.
19. 20.
those connexions which were lawful
CHAPTER XVIII.               and those which were forbidden, the
As the chosen and covenant tribes of Most High proceeds in the present and
Israel were soon to take up their jour- in the 20Oh chapter to lay down a numney to the land of Canaan, the inhabit- ber of specific prohibitions on this subants of which were to be exterminated  ject, so framed, as not only to include
for their nultif:arious iniquities in the  the extra-nuptial pollutions, which had
sight of God, a recital is here made of prevailed among the heathen, but also
some of those aggravated forms of all those incestuous unions which were
wickedness which were rife among  inconsistent with the purity and sancthemn, and which God had determined  tity of the marriage relation.  Both
signally to punish. This is done not classes of crimes we think are in fact
only to illustrate  the justice of the  included; so that it is doing no violence
divine proceedings in their excision, hut to the spirit of the text to regard it as
also with a view to put the peculiar containing a system  of marriage-laws
people themselves on their guard against by which the peculiar people were ever
yielding to the contagion of their per- after to be governed.
nicious example, and thus becoming    As this is the only passage in the
obnoxious to the same fearful retribu- compass of the whole Bible where any
tions which were now about to be visit- formal enactments are given on this
ed upon the Canaanites. The particu- subject, this and the connected chapters
lar class of abominations more espe- treating of this theme have always been
cially pointed out in this chapter, and  deemed of peculiar importance in their
to which the brand-mark of the divine relations to the question of the lawful
reprobation is so conspicuously affixed, degrees, within which the marriage conis that of incestuous connexions. Not nexion may now be formed by those who
only had that abandoned race been  make the law of God the great standard
guilty of a total apostacy from the wor. ofmoral duty. But itis more especially
ship of the true God, substituting in his with reference to the lawfulness of marroom the sun, and moon, and host of riage with a deceased wife's sister that
heaven, and bowing down to stocks and  the bearings of this chapter become
Stones and creeping things, but they had  important to us under the gospel, and
nmingled with their idolatry every vice  at the present time; as it is well known
that could degrade'human nature and that the occurrence of cases of that kind
pollute society. In the black catalogue  has often greatly agitated the religious
of these, the abominations of lust stand  communions to which the parties be:
pre.eminent; and whether in the form  longed, and even at the present day, the
of adultery, fornication, incest, sodomy, difficulty of effecting an entire unanimor bestiality, they had now risen to a ity of sentiment among Christians appitch of enormity which the forbearance  pears as great as ever. We can scarcely
of heaven could tolerate no longer, and  expect, indeed, within the limits which
of which a shuddering dread was to be the nature of the present work will
begotten in the minds of the people of allow, to bring the matter to a decisive
the.covenant.  And in order that no issue, even if we were entirely confipossible plea' of ignorance or uncer- dent on which side the truth lay, which
tainty might be left in their minds as to we are forced to acknowledge we are




172                            LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
not. The just decision of the question  find it subsequently transferred to relanecessarily involves the establishment tionship in the Arabic language; in
of several great preliminary principles which, though with a slight orthogra.
of interpretation, besides a display of phical variation, that nearest relation
the idiomatic usages of the Hebrew  is called Tadir or Thsiiir, whom  the
philologically exhibited, which cannot Hebrews denominate Go'l.  In  this
well be made satisfactory in a small way, Sheer, even by itself, would sig.
compass. But as the subject is one on nify a relation. BIasar, commonly renwhich the truth is perhaps to be reached  dered flesh, is among the  Hebrews
only by the gradual accumulation of equivalent to body; and may thence
evidence, we venture with others to have been applied to signify relationcontribute our small quota of sugges. ship. Thus, thou art myflesh, or body,
tion towards the solution of a very im-. (Gen. 29. 14), means thou art my near
portant point, not of criticism only, but kinsman. When both words are put
also of casuistry.                     together, Sheer.basar, they nlay be renIt will probably be seen that our dered literally corporeal relation, or by
leanings are to the side of the unlaw-  a half Hebrew phrase, kinsman ajfer
fulness of the connexion; but recent the flesh.  In their derivation, there
discussions have brought forth so strong  are no farther mysteries concealed, nor
all array of arguments in support of the any thing that can, bring the point in
opposite theory, that it seems, on the question to a decision; and what mar.
whole, no more than is due to the pre. riages Moses has permitted or comsentation of evidence on both sides, that manded, we cannot ascertain froni Sheer.
we shouldat present hold our judgment basar, frequent and extensive as is its
in suspense, simply giving to the reader use in his marriage-laws: but must de.
a succinct but faithful view of the prin. termine, from  his own ordinances, in
cipal reasonings relied upon by the ad- which he  distinctly  mentions what
vocates of each.                      fSheer-basar, that is, what relations, are
forbidden to marry.' That the ideal con.
1. The Meaning of the Phrase ( Near nexion of the term:iX  shei'r, withflesh
of Kin.'               is somewhat close is evident from  the
In the general enunciation of the law, following instances; Ps. 73. 26,' My
v. 6, it is said,' None of you shall ap. flesh ('i1W   shei'ri) and my heart fail.
proach to any that is near of kin to him  eth.' Ps. 78.20,' Can he give bread also?
to uncover their nakedness.' The orig- Canll he provideflesh ('ClUI sheer) for his
inal phrase is IV=  "=,  sheer besdro, people? Prov. 5. 11,' And thou mourn
remainder of his flesh, whereas in other at the last when thy flesh and thy body
cases, though not numerous, the term  (teR.7MI Z 77=t besdrka u-sher&ika) are
employed to signify kindred is Z'17l  consumed,' where however the original
kdrob, from ~D~ kdrab, to draw nigh. for' flesh' is'1=' buesdr, and "IR1I she&r
Michaelis' remarks on the terms in is rendered by' body.' In a few in.
question (Comment. L. of M. Art. 102), stances, out of the present connexion, it
are as follows:-' If the reader wishes is rendered, as here, by'kin' or' kinsto know what these words etymologi- man,' as Lev. 21. 2, (But for his kin
cally signify, I shall here just state to  that is near unto him  (t'1't 1l ~lC
him my opinion, but without repeating'1'5  lish'ro hakkdrob  Ilauv), for his
the ground on which it rests. Shegr mother,' &c. Num. 27. 11,' And if his
means, (1.) a remnant; (2.) the rem- father have no brethren, then ye shall
nant of a meal; (3.) a piece of any  give his inheritance unto his kinsman
thing eatable, such as flesh; (4.) a piece  that is next to him (l5''r 
of any thing in general. Hence we lish&Ero hakkdrob Elauv), of his family,'




B. C. 1490.]                CHAPTER  XVIII.                              173
&c.  The peculiar combination  I1D    But we return to the import of ihe
L'ZJ1 sheer bCisir, remainder of flesh, expression before us,' remainder of
occurs only in v. 16 of this chapter, and  flesh.' The phraseology is somewhat
Lev. 25. 49,' Either his uncle or his peculiar, as conveying  the idea of
uncle's son may redeem him, or. any  nearness of kin. The use of it in this
that is nigh of kin unto him  (12r7  sense probably arose from the fact that
1;=  mishshe&r besaro, any of his re- in the original institution of marriage,
mnainder of flesh).' The usage of the  the parties were pronounced to be' one
Greek in these cases is peculiar. It flesh.'  In this case, therefore, one
seems to be founded on the assumption, might be said to be in relation to the
that the kindred here specified were in  other, the' remainder of his or her'Me /habit of living together, as the term  flesh;' and nothing could give a more
i iinvariably some form of oLKeto; do. impressive idea of the sacred nearness
7CesfLic, including those of the same  and oneness constituted between the
h;osehold. Thus v. 6,' None of you  parties by the marriage compact. So a.9a.1ll approach to any that is near of child born of such a union is a'remainkin to him.' Gr. rpos nravra oLKeta (oth. der of flesh' in respect to his parents,
copl). oretav) nUpxos avrov, to any domes- and his parents to him. Thus too a
tic ('elation) of his own flesh. V. 12, brother and sister, the offspring of the' Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness same parents, are the' remainder of
of' thy father's sister; for she is thy  flesh' to each other; and this sense of
father's iear kinswoman.' Gr. otKera  the phrase is illustrated in the present
VY7o 0arpl:S sov eart, for she is the domes- connexion, vv. 12, 13, where the extic (relation) of thy father.  So also  pression' father's near kinswoman,'
v. 13, where mention is made of the and'mother's near kinswoman,' is in
mother's sister.  And again, v. 17, the original'father's remainder,' and' For they are her near kinsuomen.' Gr.' mother's remainder;' (Heb Ih1k sheer,
o;Kstat yap aov taerv, for they are thy remainder). So again,v. 17,' They are
domestic (relations).' The tacit refer. her near kinswomen (S~MIR  sheerah, her
ence is probably to the nomade mode  remainder).' It wouldseem, therefore,
of life, in which the tents of near rela. that the established version is not only
tives were pitched in the close vicinity  true to the sense of the original, but
of each other, and their inmates were  also that the expression includes all
in habits of the most unrestrained inter- the prohibited degrees which follow.
course.  Indeed Maimonides lays it They were all'remainder of fleshy to
down as the general ground and reason  each other, and no language could con.
of the following prohibitions, that the  vey the idea of closer relationship. The
parties here debarred from marriage are  distinction, therefore, often much in.
such as were so bound together in do- sisted on in the construction of this
mestic intimacy, that unless marriage  law, between consanguinity and affinity,
were strictly forbidden between them, seems not to be recognized at all by
a door would have been opened for the Holy Spirit. To the same concluscenes of the grossest corruption in the  sion we shall probably be brought by
circle of families and kindred. This a correct view of the intrinsic nature of
fact in regard to the different modes of the tmarriage relation, as instituted by
social life prevailing among the ancient God himself.' By  marriage,' says
Hebrews and with us, is undoubtedly to  Blackstone (Com. B. 1. ch. 15, and note),
be taken into account in the present' the husband and wife are one person
discussion, and should be set down to  in law, Upon this principle of an union
the advantage of those who maintainthat of person in husband and wife, depend
the present laws are not binding upon us. almrrost all fhe legal rights, duties, and
15'




174                           LEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1490.
disabilities that either of them acquire  sults from the omission of the particle
by marriage.  The same degrees by -' he hearkened not unto her to lie by
affinity are prohibited. Affinity always her, to be with her'-and the import of
arises by the marriage of one of the I being with her' unquestionably  is,
parties so related. As a husband is re. being united, and as it- were identified
lated by affinity to all the consanguinei with her, so as in a sense to co-exist
of his wife, and vice versa, the wife to  with her by a constructive reciprocation
all the husband's consanguinei; for the  of' being. This sense is clearly develhusband and wife being considered one  oped by the words of the Apostle, 1 Cor.
flesh, those who are related to the one 6. 16, 17,' What? know ye not that he
by blood are related to the other by  which is joined to an harlot isone body?
affinity.  Therefore a man, after his for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
wife's death, cannot marry her sister, But he that is joined to the Lord is one
aunt, or niece.'  By pronouncing the  spirit.' To be with one, therefore, in this
parties that enter that connexion'one  sense, is, in the eye of the Scriptures,
flesh,' it would seem  to have been the  to have a community of being. This is
divine intention that marriage should  the nature of the conjugal union, which
be regarded, in the highest sense con. is trenched upon and invaded by every
sistent with the distinct personality of act of unlawful commerce, such as that
the married, as constituting a construc- meditated by Potiphar's wife.'
tive unity of being in man and wife. In    If this be a well-founded view of the
confirmation of this we beg leave to in- subject, we see not how  to resist the
troduce a note from  a previous volume  inference, that a woman's father, moof this series of commentaries, on the  ther, brother, and sister, become by
words of the historian, Gen. 39. 10, rela- marriage, in the divine estimations the
tive to the solicitations of Potipher's  father, mother, brother, and sister of
wife to Joseph;'And it came to pass, the man whom she marries, and so vice
as she spake to Joseph day by day, that versa. It may indeed be objected to
he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, this, as Nicodemus objected to the docor to be with her.'' This passage  trine of regeneration, that it is impossi.
affords an instance of a very important ble to see how it can be. But the ques.
shade of meaning being lost to the Eng. tion is, does not God say so?  And may
lish reader by the translators' not havy. he not, in the exercise of his sovereign
ing adverted to, perhaps not being ac- authority, declare that such and such
quainted with? the genuine force of the  relations of a moral or covenant kind
original. WVhen we read that Joseph  shall exist among his creatures, al.
refused to hearken to his mistress's soli- though they might seem  to our short.
citations, or' to be with her,' we natu- sighted reason to contravene the laws
rally understand  the meaning to be, of physical being?  It will scarcely be
that he declined being in her company, denied, that notwithstanding the dis.
that he shunned her presence, anid es. tinct personality of each individual of
pecially that he avoided, as much as the human race, there yet exists some
possible, being alone with her. All this kind of economical or federal union be.
may indeed have been so; we think it tween them  and Adam, in consequence
very probable that it was; still this  of which their relations to law  and
does not by any means represent the  destiny are very materially affected.
true sense of the original phrase. The  We see no necessity that such a rela.'or' is not found inl the Hebrew, and its tion should be a matter of personal con.
insertion in our translation prevents the  sciousness. It is sufficient that it is a
precise drift of the writer froin being  matter of divine testimony, and the
apprehended.  The true relidering re- truth or the fallacy of the position is to




B. C. 1493.]               CHAPTER  XVIII.,                              175
be determined by a fair and legitimate  less sentiments in regard to that insti.
construction of thle record on the true  tution, which are unhappily at all times
sense of' which the whole matter rests. too prevalent among men, and which
So again it is clearly affirmed by the generate a dangerous facility ill the pro.
Apostle, Romn. 4. 11, 12, that there is a  curemrent of divorces. The convictions
sense in which, to all that believe, upon which the sacredness and stability
Abraham becomes a father, though they  of' marriage rest, need to be reinforced
he not of thetcircumcision, like his de- by every legitimate collateral influence';cendant. after the flesh.  This also is which can be brought to bear upon
lot a fact of personal consciousness, but them; and what can tend more to this
of divine testimony, which we receive  than the consideration, that though the
because, although the idea is one of:ra- connexion itself might cease at death,
ther a subtle nataLe, we cannot set aside  yet the kindred created by it would surtlhe evidence oa which it rests. In like vive and live on undisturbed?-But we
manner may it not be possible that pass on to another department of our
within certain limits defined by God, preliminary discussions.
the relations formed by affinity shall
be just as near and as sacred as those  What is meant by the Phrase'to Unresulting from consanguinity?                   cover Nakedness?'
For ourselves' we know of no more    This expression is evidently of the
interesting view of the marriage union, utmost importance in this connexion, as
than that it creates to each of the par- defining the criminal intercourse which
ties a new circle of endeared relatives, is here forbidden. It is true, Indeed,
boind together by ties which are never that the phraseology is occasionally
henceforth to be sundered. What a field  varied in other parts of the law, as we
is here opened for the extension of the  find'to approach to,' to lie with,' used
tenderest charities and the sweetest as equivalents to the form of speech besympathies of his life l What a multi. fore us. The first of these,' to approach
plication of the cords which, by binding  to,' occurs only in v. 6 and 14 of the
firmly together, strengthen the great present chapter, in both which cases it
brotherhood of maan! This end is no  is obviously tantamount to having car.
doubt answered to a certain extent on  nae  connexion with a woman.  The
the opposite theory, that the relation.- second,' to lie with, in like manner,
ship with a wife's or husband's family  when employed without any thing to
ceases as soon as the one or the otheris qualify or limit its meaning, has ob.
removed by death. But the tie will viously the generic sense of sexual innaturally be regarded of far slighter tercourse, whether within or without
force when it is looked upon as merely  the pale of matrimony. It can scarcely
temporary in its duration, and.though  be necessary to show, by an array of
a mutual friendly intercourse and inter- particular citations, that the import of
est may subsequently be kept up be. these phrases fairly includes the sexual
tween the families, yet it is nothing  intercourse supposed in the very idea of
compared with thecemented fellowship  marriage, as well as the illicit comrn.
that subsists between those who regard  merce to which the terms fornication
each other in the light of permanent and adultery are applied.
kindred.                                 The question returns, then, whether
It is also to be remarked, that the  the expression before us,' to uncover
view now suggested of the nearness and  nakedness,' is not used with equal latisanctity of the marriage relation, would  tude, includig.the conjugal intercourse
tend more powerfully perhaps than any  of married parties, as well as the sexual
other to counteract those lax and law- connexion forbidden under the name of




176                          LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
incestuous fornication and adultery, for ring in Ezekiel. Ch. 16. 36,' Because thy
which many contend as the only object filthiness was poured out, and thy naof prohibition in the laws now under kedness discovered (uncovered) through
consideration.  For ourselves, we are thy whoredoms with thy lovers,' &c.
ready to admit that something more is Here it is evident, from  the context,
prohibitedin these chapters than merely  that the allusion is to extra-conjugal
incestuous marriages.  Not only the licentiousness, of the grossest character.
import of the terms, but the obvious Thus again, v. 37,' Behold, therefore, I
drift of the law, as indicated by the cir- will gather all thy lovers, with whom
cumstances under which it was promul- thou hast taken pleasure, and all them
gated, convince us that it was intended  that thou hast loved, with all them that
to interdict in general the various kinds thou hast hated; I will even gather
of promiscuous sexual commerce which  them round about against thee, and will
had prevailed among the abandoned  discover (uncover) thy nakedness unto
heathen, and at the same time to em. them, that they may see all thy nakedbrace those incestuous marriage con- ness.' This, of course, is not the unnexions to which many suppose thelaw  covering that belongs  to  marriage.
has exclusive reference.  But having Ezek. 22. 10,'In thee have they dismade this admission, we again remark, covered (uncovered) their fathers' nathat there is nothing in the form of the kedness: in thee have they humbled
expression itself which precludes the her that was set apa!t for pollution.'
sense of marriage connexions. What- This is entirely parallel to the use of
ever else may be included in it, it is the phrase in the chapter before us, and
obvious that the sense of connubial in- advances usno further towards a definite
tercourse is not necessarily shut out of result.  Ch. 23. 10,' These discovered
its import. It is evidently a euphemis- (uncovered) her nakedness: they took
tic mode of expression, to convey the her sons and her daughters, and slew
idea of an act which the instinctive sen- her with the sword.' There is no room
timents of delicacy among all people to question the application of this lanagree to shroud in language that shall guage to the pollutions of illicit love.
rather hint than declare.  But let us It is not a nuptial nakedness of which
refer to the actual usage. In the pre- the prophet here speaks.  Thus too
sent chapter the phrase occurs thirteen  again, ch. 23. 18,' So she discovered
times; these instances it will not be  (uncovered) her whoredoms, and discov.
necessary to cite.  In the twentieth  ered (uncovered) her nakedness: then
chapter, comprising, for the most part, my  mind was alienated from  her.'
a repetition of the precepts of this, with  Once more, ch. 23. 29,' And they shall
the annexed penalties, it occurs six deal with thee hatefully, and shall talke
times, but with no different shade of away all thy labor, and shall leave thee
meaning.- The next instance in which naked and bare; and the nakedness of
it' occurs is found Is. 47. 2, 3, in an thy whoredorms shall be discovered (unaddress to the'virgin daughter of Ba- covered), both thy lewdness and thy
bylon,' to whom it is said,'Take the whoredoms.' The nakedness here unmillstones and grind meal, &c.; thy  covered, is expressly said to be that of
nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy' whoredoms,' and consequently cannot
shame shall be seen.'  Here is barely  be that of marriage.
the implication of unseemly exposure,   These are all the cases in which the
without any thing to aid us in deter. phrase occurs in the Bible, and the genmining the question of its drift in the eral result will doubtless be admitted
connexion before us. The only remain. to be, that although it is incontestably
ing cases are the following, all occur-  applied in several of the cited cases to




B. C. 1490.]               CHAPTEPL   XVIII.                              177
forbidden sexual intercourse, yet it is i statute with regard to any other crime;
not equally indubitable that it is used  for example, that of' horse-stealing:to denote tile lawful intercourse of wed.' He who steals the horse of any person
lock. At the same time, as there is shall be imprisoned three years. He
nothing  in the native import of the  who steals his father's horse, shall be
terms employed, which should necessa. imprisoned three years. le xwho steals
rily forbid its being thus used, and as his brother's horse, shall be imprisoned
nothing can be pointed out in the cir. three years. He whlio steals the horse
cumstances of its occurrence in the  of his father's brother, shall be itmprisother cases which absolutely shuts us oned three years,'-and so on through
up to that as the only sense, we see not a succession of thirty-three relations.'
that any conclusive argumnent  can be  Again, it is not to be forgotten thtat the
drawn from the terms of the law to re- established punishment for adultery was
strict its prohibitions simply to acts of death. ftow comes it then, if adultery
adultery and fornication. At any rate, is the grand offence interdicted in this
it will scarcely be questioned, that in  law, that the penalty, in several inv. 18, the expression,' Thou shalt not stances, is merely dying childless?  On
take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to  the whole, as any adequate reason for
uncover her nakedness,' implies taking  understanding solely the prohibition of
her in marriage, whether it be under- adultery and fornication  is wanting,
stood as before the death of the first and as the great mass of the Jewish
wife or after. We observe moreover and Christian world have agreed in
that the meaning of the terms is un. interpreting these laws of incestuous
doubtedly to be viewed in connexion  marriages, it would seem that there are
with the scope of the law, and in pro. very strong grounds for this as the
portion to the strength of evidence that most  legitimate  construction.   But
the law before us does not contemplate  though this be granted, still another
merely the general enormities of adul. question arises as to
terous intercourse, but the specific sin
of incest in its several forms, in the  The Sense of the word' Wife' in this
same proportion is the certainty that in             Connexion.
these passages the phrase in question    The position, as is well known, has
conveys the idea of marriage.          been vigorously maintained, that as the
What then is the ground for believing  word' wife' and not' widow' is the
that no other than the crimes that came  word uniformly employed in these laws,
under the category of general lewdness they must therefore be understood as
are here forbidden? Can any sufficient referring  to  women uwhose husbands
reason be assigned, why the crime of were still living. But to this it may be
adultery should here be forbidden with  replied, that Hebrew  usage in respect
all this minute specification of cases, to terms expressive of these relations
when it had been previously so expressly  must be regarded. The original word
and so solemnly denounced by the terms rendered' wife' is srlZDR ishah, which
of the seventh commandmtent? As all is also the only term that the language
are necessarily included in the scope of affords for' woman.' In like manner,
that prohibition, why does the lawgiver the Gr. word yvv,7 signifies both' wo.
here forbid only those cases of adultery  man' and   wife.' - In the Hebrew dicwhich may take place with a mother, tion a man's'wife' is uniformly his
step-mother, sister, half-sister, sister.' woman,' and nothing would be more
in-law, &c.' What would be thought,' natural, from the force of correct ideas
says MIr. Dwight,' of the wisdom of a on the subject of the marriage relation,
legislature which should enact a similar than to speak of the surviving partner




178                            LEVITICUS.                       [3. C.. 490.
of a man deceased as his' woman' or to be recollected, that according to th('wife.'  That this was actually the  original idiom,' widow-wife' is al
usage is obvious from numerous exam-  equally proper rendering. We cannot
pies. Thus Gen. 3. 8,' And Judah  doubt, therefore, that while the term
said unto Onilan, Go in unto thy brother's I wife' in this connexion is really used
wife, and marry her.'  Deut. 25. 5, with such an extension of its import as'The wife of the dead shall not marry  to embrace the idea of' widow,' it would
without unto a stranger.' Ruth 4. 5, at the same time have been entirely'Buy it of Ruth, the wife of the dead.' contrary to the prevailing idiom of the
2 Sam. 12. 10,' Thou hast taken the  language to have employed that term.
wife of Uriah.'  Matt. 22. 25,' The  The truth is, if we mistake not, the
first died and left his wife.' Acts 5. 7,  term C wife' in the different specificaL Ananias' wife, not knowing that her tions of the law before us, is so used as
husband was dead,' &c.                 to express the continuity of the relation,
Such was the common usage among  without any regard to the fact of the
the Hebrews, the Greeks, and the Ro- husband's  death.  Whether lie were
mans; and such is that of the French, living or dead, it mattered not; the
the Germans, the  Spanish, and  the  prohibition continued in full force; and
Italians, as well as of the English. In  that not only from the common usage
none of the versions of the Scripturesin of speech, but from  the nature of the
these languages, is the word widow in- propinquity alreadyestablished between
troduced in such cases. The Hebrew  the barred parties. Wedo do not mlean
has indeed the word j-I7R;I almoeah, by this that the relation so continued
signifying widow, but it is never used, after the death of either of the parties,
as with us, jin such a connexion as'the  as to make it unlawful for the survivor
widow of such an one',-' the widow of  to marry:again; for in this particular,
a father, brother, son,' &c. Instead of  a dispensation was kindly granted, and
this, the fixed phraseology in such cases  the words of the apostle, Rom. 7. 22 3,
is always' wife.' Its use is most pre- apply in all their force;  For the wovalent in cases where the writer's object man which hath an husband is bound
is to make the state of widowhood, as a  by the lawlto her husband as long as
state of desolation and weakness, pecu- he liveth; but if the husband be dead,
liarly prominent.  Thus Ex. 22. 22, she is loosed from  the law of her hus-' Ye shall not afflict any widow or child.' band-so that she is no adulteress,
Deut. 14. 29,' The stranger, the father- thoughashe be married.to another man.'
less, and the widow shall come and eat But we do not perceive that this annuls
and be satisfied.'  Job. 24. 3,' They  the relationships previously existing
take the widow's ox for a pledge.? Such  between those who are brought together
is the more common usus loquendi. by affinity, nor is there any fairness in
Indeed, it is remarkable, that in several quoting the apostle's words to such a
instances the word 1WltZR woman or wife, purpose, as his drift was entirely differis subjoined to   75~R almonah,wtidow, ent. Take for instance the case of the
equivalent.to'  widow-woman or'widow. step.mother, the father's wife. What
wife'in our language. Both terms are  originally constituted the propinquity
in these cases generally translated in  between her and her step-son, that renour version, though occasionally the  dered it unlawful for him to marry her?
latter is omitted. Thus, 1 Kings 7. 14, Plainly the fact, that the father had'He was a widow's son (,  7    11 Em P   consummated marriage with her. In
b'n ishah almonah, son of a widou.-wife)  the language of the law she then:be
ofthetribeof Naphtali.1 But wherever came' one.flesh' with him. As soon
the.phrase "widow-woman' —occurs,. i t is as this became -a tfact, the:propinquity




B. C. 1490.]                CHAPTER  XVIII.                               179
became complete. How could the death  cattle. That code, as a code, has be.
of the father undo this pre-existent fact, come to us antiquated, and if we receive
and cause the constituted relation be- certain of its moral precepts, it is not
tween the step-mother and the step-son  because we admit the authority of the
to cease? So as to a sister; she does Levitical law; but because of their own
not lose the propinquity wvhich she has intrinsic equity or wisdonl.
inl common with me, either at my fa-   Again, it is affirmed, thllat if these
tier's deatlh or at her marriage; be- enactments are birlditng upoin us at this
cause her propinquity is founded on a day, it Imust be because the connexiolns
pre-existent fa:cCt, which can never cease  forbidden involve an essential immoralto be a fact. How tihen can we resist ity. But in this case, God never would
the inference, thiat the sister of a wife  have sanctioned them  under any cir.
continues to be a sister, after the death  cumstances.  Yet we perceive as a
of thle wife, just as she was before, and  omatter of fact, that the first marriages
consequently is never to be approached  in the family of Adam must necessarily
in the nuptial relation?   Does the  have been between brother and sister,
mlaxinm admit of controversy, that any  so far at least as regards Cain and Abel,
person, with  whomI, at any time, it and probably Adam's other children.
would have been incest to cohabit, will It was, moreover, an express statute,
forever remain forbidden?  The ques- that in case that a brother died childtion seems unequivocally determined  less, the surviving brother was not only
by the principle of affinity arising out permitted, but required to mnarry his
of the nature of the marriage union.    widow. If such connexions then are
intrinsically wrong, how  could they
Are these Laws stillt binding upon Chris. have been allowed in the instances
tinans at the present Day?      cited?
This of course is a question of the    To this it is replied, on the other
utmost moment, in the present connex. hand, that there is nothing of a ceremoion. It is comparatively a'matter of nial nature in the law regulating mar.
little consequence to ascertain whether  riage connexions.  The institution of
the marriage in question was forbidden  marriage was intended, not for the Jews
to the Jews, provided the statute re  but for the whole world. As such, the
specting it was among those portions  laws by which its Author has seen fit
of the law which have been abolished  to qualify, guard, and govern it, are
iunder the gospel. This latter position  binding alike upon all nations and in all
is of course most strenuously maintained  times. These laws are contained in the
by those who hold to the lawfulness of chapters before us; and if they are not
the marriage in question. By them it now obligatory, then it follows that we
is contended that these laws are purely  haye nothing in the compass of the
ceremonial, forming a part of that code  whole Bible regulating the subject of
which is abrogated by Christ.  They  marriage alliances-nothing to forbid a
occur, it is said, in the midst of enact. man marrying his own mother, sister.
mnents which are confessedly Levitical, or daughter!  They occur, indeed, in
and accompanied by no notes of dis. the midst of a multitude of enactments,
crimination which mark them out as peculiar to the Levitical economy. But
having amoral and permanent authority.'this is no more than holds good of a
For aught that appears, they are no  vast variety of other moral precepts,
more binding on us than the precepts  the universally binding nature of which
relative to wearing linisey-woolsey gar- no one questions. The moral law is
merits, or sowing diverse seeds in the  indeed summarily comprised  in  the
same field or raising a mlixed breed of 1 decalogue, yet the letter:and spirit -of




180                          LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
this divine code are illustrated and con- but it left many questions undecided
firmed by subsequent explanatory pre- respecting the parties who might lawcepts, which are intermingled often in fully enter wedlock. It was extremely
the same chapter, and sometimes in the important to be made known whether
same paragraph with the purely ritual the ordinance was left ftee, without any
or ecclesiastical laws.  One has only restl'aint or lirmits, or whether there
to turn his eye over the three or four were any prohibitions on the score of
connected chapters in this book, to find degrees of kindred. There must be a
the repeated occurrence of such pre- law somewhere in the Mosaic code to
cepts as the following: —' Thou shalt ascertain who may and who may not be
love the Lord thy God with all thine  united in marriage. Where shall that
heart, and with all thy soul, and with  law be found, if not in, the chapters be.
all thy mighlt.'-' Thou shalt fear the fore us; and if found there, what reason
Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, can be urged for its having become obh
and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear solete?  Are we to be driven to the
by his name.'-' Thou shalt do that alternative of admitting that we are left
which is right and good in the sight of without a single passage or paragraph
the Lord.'-' Thou shalt worship no in the whole compass of revelation
other God.'-' Ye shall keep my Sab- bearing upon the degrees of relationship
bath, and reverence my sanctuary.'- within which marriage may or may not' Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy  be contracted?
heart.'-' Thou shalt love thy neighbor   Again, the connexions forbidden in
as thyself.'-' Ye shall not afflict any  these statutes are those which are prowidow  or fatherless  child.'-' Thou  nounced abominable in the depraved
shalt not arrest judgment, thou shalt Canaanites and Egyptians. But what
not respect persons, neither take a gift.' could have rendered incest a crime
-' That which is altogether just shalt among these abandoned heathen? They
thou follow.'-' Thou shalt have a per- had not the written law, and where there
fect and just weight, a perfect and just is no law there is no transgression. If
measure shalt thou have.'-' Thou shalt the prohibitory code was peculiar only
keep the commandments of the Lord  to the Jews, what binding power could
thy qod, to walk in his ways and to  it have upon the Gentiles, who were
fear himt.'                           strangers to the Jews? What was the
No one can imagine for a moment law which, in this matter, they had
that these precepts are ceremonial and  transgressed? There surely must have
binding on the Jews only. Many of been some flagrant infraction of the
them are expressly cited and applied in  mandates of heaven, to draw down such
the New Testament. But if they were dire denunciations, and such wasting
not, still their authority remains una- judgments as are spoken of in this conbated. The books of the Old Testa- nexion. Vv. 24,25,' Defile not ye yourment are received by all Christians as selves in any of these things: for in all
inspired volumes, and they hesitate not these the nations are defiled which I
to accept its moral and ethical code as cast out before you: and the land is deequally binding with that of the New. filed: therebfore I do visit the iniquity
As every other command of the deca- thereof upon it, and the land itself vom.
logue is recognized and fortified by par. iteth out her inhabitants.' What can
ticular precepts here and there inter- account for the severity of this judgspersed, the same may be expected, ment but the fact, that in perpetrating
a priori, in regard to the seventh. That these enormities, they were transgress.
command preserved the honor of the ing a moral code-.a law which, as it
marriage' union  tfter it  was formed;'was in force beforg the existence of the




B. C. 1,190.]              CHAPTER  XVIII.                               181
Mosaic dispensation, so it is equally in  omit it altogether, it was of course his
lorce after it, even in our own land and  duty to comply. It was forbidden to
a ll future tiune. That there has been  the Hebrews to.labor on the Sabbath,!t1 repeal of the law under the New  hut in many cases, labor on that day
l'estalneut, is plain from the two in- was aduty. These are cases of positive
stla;ces which are mentioned but to be commands.  But further than this, it
c, ticllled. When John reproved Herod  is sinful to take the property of others
{itr taking his brother's Philip's wife, without their consent, but if God com-;:!ld tlst his life for his fidelity, his de. manded the Israelites to take the pro.:tiiciauitiot was but an echo of' the di- perty of the Egyptians, it was right for,ocut tlnguage of the word of God as them to do so.  It is a sin to kill a huo-!:hre recorded; and  the horror ex-. man being, yet God commanded the;prsse(l by Paul at a man's taking his Hebrews to extirpate the Canaanites.
a;llher's wife, an offence not so much as We all admit that bigamy is a sin, but
filned anmong the Gentiles, goes une- if any man will produce a command of
quivocally to lrove that he knew nothing  God to marry two wives, no one will
of any abrogation of the law of incest.  deny his right to do so. It is a sin for
As to the objection brought from the  a brother to marry his sister, but if recase of marriages in Adam's family, quired by a divine command, it is a sin
and fionom that of the brother's widow  no longer. Thus, also, if any one can
who was childless, we adopt the reply  produce a divine command to marry his
given by Prof. Hodge (Bib. Rep. July, sister-in-law, the lawfulness of the mar.
1842).'It is obvious the argument. riage will be readily admitted.  All
proves too much. If the command that these commands belong to the same
one brother should  take the child. class; they all express the will of God
less widow of another brother as his as to the duties of men in the permanent
wife, proves that it is not wrong for a relations of society, and are therefore
man to marry his sister-in-law, then the of permanent obligation; yet any one
command  to the immediate sons of or all of them may be set aside by him
Adam  to marry their sisters,'proves in whose hands are all his creatures,
that it is right now for brothers to marry  and whose nature and relations, and the
their sisters. Thisobjection is founded  resulting duties, may be modified at
upon the confusion of two very different will. That an Israelite, therefore, unthings.  There are things which are  der peculiar circumstances and for speinherently and essentially wrong, and  cified reasons was commanded to marry
c;an in no possible case be right; as his brother's wife, no more proves that
hatred of God and malevolence towards  the general law on this subject is not
men. The prohibitions of such things binding, than the command to Abraham
arise out of the very nature of God, and  to sacrifice Isaac proves that the comare as immutable as that nature. But mand, thou shalt not kill, is not moral
there are other things which aie wrong  and permanent.  That the Levitical
only in virtue of a divine prohibition; law of marriage is still binding upon
and this prohibition may be founded  us, we think is proved by what'has
either on temporary considerations, or already been said. It is the expression
such as are permanent. But in either of the will of God in reference to rela.
case, whenever the prohibition is re- tionships which still exist among men.
moved or the opposite commanded, the  It tells us what is-the dutyof near rela.guilt of the action ceases. It was a sin  tives. It tells us that brothers and sisters
in any Israelite not to circumcise his must not intermarry, not because they
child on the eighth day; but if God  were Je;vs, but because of their relacommanded any one to defer the rite or tionship. It extends the prohibition to
16




18:2                          -tLEITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
all who are near of kin, because they  tions is nearness of relationship. The
are near of kin. It is as much a law  question, therefore, is, Are these marfor us therefore as any other expression  riages to be or not to be considered as
of -the will of God. The binding au- prohibited by just inference from the
thority of this law is recognized in the letter of his laws?
New Testamirent, just as the continued' I my opinion they are not.
obligation of' the original law of mar-' My reasons for denying and protestriage is recognized. We find no express ing against the conclusions are the folassertion that marriage must be between  lowing:
one man and one woman, but the ex-    1. Moses does not appear to have
pression of the will of God at the crea- framed or given his marriage-laws with
tion, is held to bind all ages and  a-. any view  to our deducing, or acting
tions.  Thus, though there is no ex- upon conclusions which we might think
press declaration that near relatives fit to deduce from them: for if this was
must not marry, it is plain from  the  his view, he has made several repetilanguage of the apostle to the Corin- tions in them  which are really very
thians, that he considered,the original useless. What reason had he, for exrevelation on this subject as still our ainple, after forbidding marriage with a;
-rule of duty.'                        father's sister, to forbid it also with a
mother's, if this second prohibition was
Do these Laus include Degrees not ex- included in the first, and if he meant,
pressly.Specified?         without saying a word on the subject,
The consideration of this question  to be understood as speaking, not of
we may introduce in the  words of particular marriages, but of degrees?
-Michaelis, subjoining his own opinion'2. Moses has given his marriage.
on it.                                 laws in two different places of the Pen.'There arises the question, Whether tateuch, viz.: in both the 18th and 20th
Moses only prohibits the marriages chapters of Leviticus; but in the latter
which ihe expressly mentions,- or others of these passages we find only the very
beside not mentioned, where the degree same cases specified which had been
of relationship is the same.?  This specified in the former. Noxw-had they
question, which is of so great impor- been meant merely as examples of detance in the marriage-laws of Christian  grees of relationship, it would have
nations, and which from  an imperfect been more rational to have varied them;
knowledge of oriental customs has been  and if it had been said, for instance, on
the subject of so much controversy, pro- the first occasion, Thou shalt not marry
perly regards the following marriages, thyfather's sister, to have introduced,
viz.: —                                on the second, the converse case, and
i. With a brother's daughter.        said, Thou.shalt not marry thy brother's
2. With a sister's daughter.         daughter.  This, however, is not done
3. With a maternal uncle's widow.   by Moses, who in the second enactment
4. VWith a brother's son's widow.    just specifies the father's sister as be.
5. With a sister's-son's widow.      fore, and seems, therefore, to have in6. With a deceased wife's sister     tended that:he should be understood as: These marriages we may, perhaps, having in his view no other marriages
for brevity's sake, be allowed to denom- than those which he expressly names;
inate the six marriages, or the conse. unless we choose to interpret his laws
quential marriages. They are as near in a manner to his own meaning and
as those which are prohibited. Moses design.'
never mentions them  in his marriage    It can scarcely be maintained that
statUtes,: yet the ground of his prohibi. there is any thing conclusive in either




B  QC. 1490.1              CHAPTER  XVIII.                               183
of these remarks. As to the repetitions, trary to the mind of God-?  Shall God
we need to know more respecting the  say that two brothers shall not marry
actual condition and social usages of the same woman, because it is an un.
the peculiar people before we can pro- clean and wicked thing for such near
nounce them to be useless. So also as kindred as a brother-in law and asisterto varying the specifications in the 18th  in-law to marry; and shall we say this
and 20th chapters. We are not com- law allows two sisters to marry the
petent to say, a priori, what method of  same man, although thereby a brother.
laying down these statutes was the  in-law  and sister-in-law  intermarry?
mnost proper; and we are always upon  Are not two sisters as'near of kin' to
dubious ground in holding it to be' ra- each other as two brothers are?  And
tional to expect' that the word of God  is not a sister-in-law just as near of
should be constructed in any different kin to her brother-in-law in the one case
manner from what it is.                as in the other? And is not nearness
The fact is, that certain express pro- of kin the entire ground of all the pro.
hibitions are contained in these chap- hibitionsl?
ters, and the question is, whether, on    Besides, the principle that no one
legitimate principles of interpretation, is bound by any thing which is not
certain.other prohibitions touching de- expressly affirmed-that no construcgrees of kindred precisely similar are tive or inferential duties are taught in
not also involved. As to the marriage  the Scriptures-would seem  to be one
with a deceased wife's sister, it is ad- that leads to the most dangerous results.
mitted that we do not find it in so many  If the principle of inference or impli.
words forbidden. But we find the par. cation is not to be employed in the inallel.case of the brother's widow for- terpretation, then it follows that a man
bidden, and as the relation is the same, may lawfully marry his own daughter,
it is contended that by parity of rea- for this is nowhere expressly forbidden.
soning the former also must be under-  If inferences are not binding in the instood.to be forbidden. The inference  terpretation of the divine law, then we
is held to be unimpeachable for the  would ask for the express command
reason that,the degree of relationship  which  was violated  by Nadab and
is the very ground of the prohibitions. Abihu in offering strange fire, and which
A man must not marry his half-sister, cost them their lives?  Any prohibition
because she is his sister,;.a man must in set terms on that subject will be
not marry his aunt, because she is the sought for in vain. So again, did not
near relative of his father or mother; a our Saviour tell the Sadducees that they
nian must not nmarry his brother's wife, ought to have iniferred that the doctrine
because she is so nearly related to his of the resurrection was true, from what
brother; a man must not marry the  God said toMoses atthe bush?  When
daughter or grand-daughter of his wife, it is expressly declared, moreover, that'because they are her near kinswomen;' whosoever stealeth a man and selleth
it is wickedness.' Relationship to his him shall surely be put to death,' is it
wife is the very ground of the prohibi- an unfair inference that he that stole a
tion. The law itself, therefore, both in  woman or a child was to be subjected
its general statement, and in its partic- tothe same punishment?  On the whole
ular specifications, gives the rule of its it seems necessary to admit, that as the
own interpretation. It is the degree of  law makes nearness of kin the sole crikindred which the law itself teaches us terion by which to determine whether.-a.is to be considered. Shall we say then  given marriage be lawful or not, therethat a marriage coming within the scope  fore if it declares a degree of nearness
of.any.of these.prohibitions, is not con- Iof,kin in any one ease.o,great Iastto




184                          LEVITICUS.                      [B. C. 1490.
CHAPTER  XVIII.                3 bAfter the doings of the land
A ND the LORD spake unto Mo- of Egypt wherein ye dwelt, shall
ses, saying,                    ye not do: and c after the doings
2 Speak unto the children of Is- of the land of Canaan whither I
rael, and say unto them, a I am the  bring you, shall ye not do: neither
LORD your God.                        shall ye walk in their ordinances.
a ver. 4. lExod. 6. 7. ch. 11. 44, and 19.4,   b Ezek. 20. 7, S, and 23. 8. c Exod. 23. 24.
10, 34, and 20.7. Ezek. 20. 5, 7, 19, 20.    ch. 20. 23. Deut. 12. 4, 30, 31.
render marriage unlawful, it virtually  published in the New York Observer of
declares an equal degree of propinquity  Aug. 6, 1842, the other a series of six
ia, another case to be an effectual bar to letters published in the New England
imarriage.                            Puritan, in the months of July and
As the ensuing notes will resume the August, 1842. The report also of the
consideration of various details con. discussions in the General Assembly
nected with the subject, it will be un. of the Presbyterian  Church of 1842,
necessary to prolong our introductory  contained in the New York Observer of
remarks. To those who would extend  June 1i, and in the Princeton Biblical
their inquiries more minutely into the Repertory  of July, 1842, embody a
essential merits of the question, the large mass of valuable argument on the
following authorities may be indicated  general subject, the substance of all of
as covering  very  nearly the whole  which is well worthy of being preground.  Selden de Uxore Hebraica.- served in more permanent form.'The Cases of Marriages between Near
Kindred, particularly considered with  General Preface to the Marriage Laws.
respect to the Doctrine of Scripture, the    1. Say unto them, Iam the Lord your
Law of' Nature, and the Laws of Eng- God. These words constitute the grand
land. By John Fry.: Loend. 1756 (a authoritative sanction of allthe ensuing
work of rare occurrence).-Pres. Ed. laws, implying that they respect a matward's (the Younger) Works, vol. 2. ter of the utmost importance, one in
Sermn. 7.-Rev. Dr. B. Trumbull's Ap- which the honor and glory of the great
peal to the Public relative to the Un. God were most deeply involved. Allawfulness of Marrying a Wife's Sister. though the God of all, he was in a spe-Rev. Dr. J. H. Livingsion's Disserta- cial and emphatic sense the God of the
tion on the Marriage of a Man with his nation of Israel, with whom they were
Sister-in.law.-Christian Magazine,vol. in covenant, whom  they professed to
4. p. 80, &c. A Brief Inquiry into.the  serve, and to whom  they were under
Lawfulness of Marrying a deceased  the greatest obligations imaginable.
Wife's Sister.-Rev. S. E. Dwight's The phrase occurs six times in the pre.
Hebrew Wife; or the Law of Marriage  sent chapter, and still oftener in the
examined in relation to the Lawfulness next.
of Polygamy, and to the Extent of the    3. After the doings of the land of
Law of Incest.-Marshall's Review of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not
the preceding work of Dwight.-Rev. do. Heb. i'i=2VY=  kemaiish, according
C. M'Ivers's Essay concerning the Un- to the doing or practising. Gr. Kara ra
lawfulness of a Man's Marriage with eircrlv7evpara, according to the customs,
*his Sister by Affinity.-To the above usages, institutes. To what extent the
we may add two very able discussions crimes here forbidden prevailed among
of the subject in a more ephemeral these heathen nations, may be learned
form, both advocating the lawfulness from various intimations scattered here
of the marriage in question, the one and there through the Scriptures) and




B. C. 1490.]              CHAPTER  XVIII.                             185
4 d Ye shall do my judgments, tutes and my judgments: e which
and keep mine ordinances, to walk  if a man do, he shall live in them:
therein; I am the LORD your God. fI am the LORD.
5 Ye shall therefore keep my sta-  6 ~ None of you shall approach
d Deut. 4. 1, 2, and 6. 1. Ezek. 20. 19. to any that is near of kin to him,
e Ezek. 20. 11, 13, 21. Luke 10. 28. Rom.
10. 5. Gal. 3. 12.                         f Exod. 6. 2, 6, 29. Mal. 3. 6.
from the records of profane history. cept to the Israelites is,'Do ye not
Upon these we cannot afford the space after the manner of these nations, alto dwell at any length; especially as it though their conduct may be allowed
is mlore important for our present pur- by the settled laws of their country; for
pose to call attention to the fact, that ye are not to regard their practices any
these nations, in  committing  these the more justifiable on that account;'
abominations, sinned.  But against thus teaching us, that neither common
what law?  Where there is no law  usage nor statute law can sanctify that
there is no transgression; and as neither which is in itself wrong.
the Egyptians nor the Canaanites were   4. Ye shall do my judgments, &c.:
in possession of the Mosaical code, it Peculiar emphasis is here to be put
would seem to follow of necessity, that upon the word'my,' which is equiva —
the practices here forbidden were vio-. lent to' mine only;' as the phrase
lations of some more primitive law than I Him shalt thou serve,' Deut. 6. 13, is
the ceremonial institute of the Jews; expounded by our Savior,' Him only
and consequently that they, in being shalt thou serve,' Mat. 4. 10.
guilty of them, would be transgressing    5. Which if a man do he shall live in
not merely a set of positive precepts them.  Rather,' shall live by them.'
delivered by the hand of Moses, but This the ancient versions and commenalso that moral constitution which had tators generally understood as equivabeen in force from the earliest ages of lent to: Shall have eternal life.' Thus
the world;-in a word, that the mar. the Chal.' Shall live by them to life
riages here forbidden were always re- eternal.' So also Solom. Jarchi,' Shall
garded as incestuous, and are therefore live in the world that is to come.'
always unlawful.-   F Neither shall But as the term' life,''living,' or' to
ye walk in their ordinances.   Heb. live,' is frequently used in the Scrip.
Ztn1Vln   behukkothghem; that is, their tures to denote living happily, prosper.
laws, statutes, or institutions; for so ously, and free from calamity, the prob.
are their iniquitous customs called, ability is, that it is to be so taken in the
which by general prevalence and coun- passage before us. He shall in conse.
tenance had become so inveterate, and quence of this his obedience be favored
so deeply rooted and grounded in the to enjoy a long and happy life, whereas
corrupt affections of all classes, that by disobedience he shall be exposed to
they had come to be regarded in the be judicially cut off. The apostle con.
light, and to possess all the force, of so trasts this legal promise made to works,
many laws and solemn institutions. with the gospel promise made to faith,
This laid their abettors open to the woe Gal. 3. 11, 12. Rom. 10. 5-9.
denounced against those who' decreed
unrighteous decrees, and who'framed         General Law ofIncest.
mischief by a law.'  Indeed, it is pos.   6. None of you shall approach, &c.
sible that the word may have respect to  Heb. 1   Rbjt l5 t'Z11  OOR ish ish lo
positive enactments; yet whatever they  tikrebu, man, man, ye shall not ap.
may have been, the purport of the pre- proach; i. e. none of you. The phrase
16*




186                           LEVITICUS.                         [B. C. 1490.
to uncover their nakedness:- I am   or the nakedness of thy mother,
the LORD.                               shalt thou not uncover: she is thy
7 g The nakedness of thy father, mother, thou shalt not uncover her
g ch. 20. 11.            nakedness.
is taken in a wide sense by the' Tal-  IZR ishah, woman, or used absolutely,
mudists, as equivalent to neither Jew  is the appropriate term for to marry a
nor Gentile; for all mankind, they  wife._- ~r  To any that is near of kin
affirm, are comprehended under these to him. Heb. C'1=U:  itIV  5I. 5  el kol
laws of incest.  Indeed the Klaraite sheir besaro, to all (any) remainder of
Jews, the most strenuous advocates for his flesh, implying that in the relations
a strict interpetation, and the most about to be specified the parties were,
decided opponents to Talmudical com- in the economy of heaven's institution,
ments, insist upon  this as the true so intimately united or rather identified,
sense. The original term is' approach,' that the one was, as it were, the remainfrequently used by way of euphemism, der of the other.  In this case, thereto convey the idea of sexual intercourse, for, the Most High lays down this
as in Gen. 20. 4,'Abimelech had not nearness of kin as the foundation of all
come near (:'7   l5 lo karab) unto her.' the following  prohibitions, and  then
Is. 8. 3,' And I went in unto (:'t proceeds to state and determine, by his
ekrab) the prophetess, and she con- own sovereign authority, between whom
ceived,' &c. Comp. Ezek. 18. 6.  In  that nearness of kin subsists. In the
the particular precepts following in this interpretation of what follows it is imchapter and in the twentieth chapter, portant to bear in mind, that although
this prohibited intercourse is pointed  these prohibitions are principally ad.
out by the phrases' to uncover the na. dressed to the man, yet they are equally
keriness,''to take,' and'to lie with.' binding upon the woman, who stands in
The first phrase therefore has the same  the same degree of relationship.
meaning with each of the other three;
and they of course with each other. In  Incest forbidden with one's own Mother.
Lev. 18. 14, the phrase'to uncover the    7. The nakedness of thy father, or
nakedness' is explained by the phrase  the nakedness of thy mother.  Heb.'to approach to;' in Lev. 20. 11; by the  1lN7 ervah, from.tl  draih, to be made
phrase I to lie with,' and in Lev. 20. 21, naked. Gr. aoX7ptoavvr, shame, uncomeby the phrase' to take.' These four liness.  The particle or in this verse
phrases then, as used in this law, have should undoubtedly be rendered I even,'
precisely the same meaning. And if it as these words are designed to express
be asked how far that meaning extends, a principle which lies at the foundation
we answer, to every kind of sexual in- of this whole system of marriage laws:
tercourse, but especially that of mar. viz., that husband and wife are put.for
i(age.  There is nothing in either of one and the. same thing, are completely
the above phrases which limits its ap- identified; I they being no more twain
plication to fornication and adultery  but one flesh.' This is clear from what
rather than to marriage; and the gene- follows,'she is thy mother;' showing
ral usage, as to the above phrases in the  that the mother's nakedness only is
Scriptures abundantly confirms this po. meant, though it is called the father's,
sition. I To uncover the nakedness' is as in Deut. 27. 20, 1 Cursed be he that
used in several instances (Lev. 18. 18, lieth with his father's wife; because he
I Sarm. 20. 30, Is. 57. 8), to denote con- uncovereth his father's skirt,' i. e. his
jugal intercourse, and the Heb. JFIt  jmother's. The nakedness of the one
ltika'h, to take, when connected with  therefore is the nakedness of the other;




B. C. 1490.]               CHAPTER  XVIII.                               187
8 h The nakedness of thy father's  wife shalt thou not uncover: it is
h Gen. 49. 4. ch. 20. 11. Deut. 22. 30, thy father's nakedness.
and 27. 20. Ezek. 22.10. Amos 2. 7. 1 Cor.
6. 1.
and he that marries his wife's brother's specification, preclude the possibility
daughter does the same thing as if he of mistake in regard to the meaning of
married his own brother's daughter. a statute aimed against such a horrid
The crime of Lot's daughters was a impiety as a man's having illicit con.
transgression of the precept contained  nexion with his mother. It was the
in this verse. The parallel passage in  incest here forbidden in this precept, of
zh. 20. 11, is,' The man that lieth with  which Reuben was guilty with Bilhah,
his father's wife hath uncovered his fa- Gen. 35. 22, and Absalom with thile
ther's nakedness; both of them shall wives of his father David, 2 Sam. 16.
surely be put to death.' The Hebrew  21, 22. We learn also from the apostle,
canonists say on this precept,' He that 1 Cor. 5. 1, that this was a sin held in.
lieth with his mother, and she his fa- famous by the very heathen. The He.
ther's wife, is doubly guilty, whether it brew writers speak thus on this subject:
be while his father is living or after his' A man's father's wife, and his son's
death; first, for that she is his mother, wife, and his brother's wife, and his
and secondly, that she is his father's  father's brother's wife, are unlawful for
wife.' —Maimonides in Ainsworth.  It himn for ever; whether they be of the
is to be remarked also that the Targum  betrothed  or the married, whether
of Jonathan supposes the parallel case divorced or not divorced, whether their
of the kwoman with her father to be im. husbands be alive or dead; except in
plied;-' The woman shall not lie with  the case of the brother's wife who hath
her father, and the man shall not lie  left no child, Dent. 25. 5. If he lie
with his mother.' This is important, with any of them while her husband is
as indicating that the Jews considered  alive, he is doubly guilty; first, in re.
the relations of the same degree as vir. spect that she is of his near kin, and,
tually included in each of these pre. secondly, that she is another man's
cepts.  What is forbidden to men is wife.'-Maimonides.-~r It is his
forbidden also to women standing in the  father's nakedness.  That is, on the
same relation, though the former only principle of constituted identity between
are mentioned.                        the parties, as explained in the note on
Accordtlintg to the above,          the preceding verse. This principle is
A Man may not marry his           recognized again in like manner in v. 14,
Mother,                   \where the uncovering of an. uncle's na.
Daughter:*               kedness is explained as the' approach.
Nor a TW-oman her                 ing to his wife.'
Son,                                     Results.
Father.                         A Man may not marry his
With a Step.mother.       -             Step.mother,
8. The nakedness of thy father's wife          Step daughter,
shall thou not uncover. This case dif-           Daughter-inlaw,
fers from the preceding only in its being        Mother-in-law:
designed to embrace one's step-mother,      Nor a Woman her
as well as his own mother. The divine             Step-son,
lawgiver would, by the most minute                Step.father,
Father-in.law,
k The implied cases are italicized.          Son-in-law.




188                          LEVITICUS.                       [B. 0. 1490.
9 i The nakedness of thy sister, daughter, or  of thy  daughter's
the  daughter of thy  father, or daughter, even their nakedness thou
daughter of thy mother, whether shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine
she be born at home, or born abroad, own nakedness.
even their nakedness thou shalt not  11 The nakedness of thy father's
uncover.                              wife's daughter, begotten  of thy
10 T'he nakedness of thy  son's father, (she is thy sister) thou shalt
i ch. 20. 17. 2 Sam. 13. 12. Ezek. 2a. 11. not uncover her nakedness.
getteth a daughter of her, that daughter
Withl  a Sister.          is forbidden to him in the name of his
9. The nakedness of thy sister, &c.-  daughter. And though it be not said in.whether she be born at home, or born  the law, Thou shalt not uncover thy
abroad.  Heb. thl7I  fI no   n~11t   daughter's nakedness, yet this is be71Ih moledeth bayith o moledeth hutz, cause it forbiddeth the daughter's daughthe birth or offspring of the house, or the ter; therefore it keepeth silence conbirth or offspring (from) abroad. Chal. cerning the daughter, which yet is for.' Which is begotten by- the father, of bidden by the law (i. e. by the spirit of
another woman, or by the mother, of the law), and not by the scribes only.'
another man.' So Targ. Jon.' Whom  Other Rabbinical writers hold the same
thy father hath  begotten of another language. They say that incest with a,voman or of thy mother; or whom thy  man's own daughter is not prohibited,
riother hath borne by thy father or by  because it would be irresistibly inferred.
~mother Ilan.' The scope of the pre- If a grand-daughter, standing in a decept undoubtedly is to forbid connexion gree more remote from him, is forbidbetween a brother and sister, whether den to his approach, surely his own
such sister were born in lawful wedlock  daughter must in the nature of the case
or out of it. The penalty annexed to be prohibited. And if it could be. said
this particular form of incest is thus of a son's or daughter's daughter,'Her's
stated, ch. 20. 17:' And if a man shall is thine own nakedtess,' how much
take his sister, his father's daughter, or more emphatically could it be said of
his mother's dauglter, and see her na- an own daughter?
kedness, and she see his nakedness: it               Results.
is a wicked thing; and they shall be       A Aan may not marry his
cut off in the sight of their people: he           Grand-daughter,
hath uncovered his sister's nakedness;             Grand-mother:
he shall bear his iniquity.'               Nor  Woman her
Nor a Woman her
Results.                            Grand-father,
A Man may not marry his                       Grand-son.
Sister:
Nor a Woman her                  WIith a Half-sister by the Father's side.
Brother.                  11. The nakedness of thy father's
wife's daughter, begotten of thy father.
With a Grand-daughter.         Heb. lams 11517  moledeth abika, the
10. The nakedness of thy son's daugh- birth, generation, or offspring of thy
ter, &c.  The connexion forbidden is father, the same word as that rendered
too express to need any particular ex-' born,' in v. 9. It is by no means an
planation.  We may quote, however, easy matter to determine the precise
the remark of Maimonides in respect to point of difference between the prohi
it;-' Whoso companieth with a woman bition in this verse and that in v. 9
(even) by way of fornication, and be- Perhaps we can hit upon no construction




B. C. 1490.]              CHAPTER  XVIII.                                189
i2 k Thou shalt not uncover the for she is thy mother's near kins.
nakedness of thy father's sister: woman.
she is thy father's near kinswoman.   14 1 Thou shalt not uncover the
13 Thou  shalt not uncover the  nakedness of thy father's brother,
nakedness of thy mother's sister:  thou shalt not approach to his wife:
she is thine aunt.
g ch. 20. 19.                           c. 20. 20.
1 ch. 20. 20.
ne.arer the trulth than the following:-  they were at least occasionally practised
The 9thl verse contains a general pre- by the Hebrew nation, for it is generally
cept forbidding a Inan to marry his sis. admitted that Moses himself was the
ter, either'the daughter of his father offspring of this very connexion between
butlr at horne,' i. e. his sister-geriman, or his father Amram and his aunt Joche.
fuil] sister, by father or mother; or  the  bed, Ex. 6. 20.-~-   She is thyfather's
d;:ughter of his mother, born abroad;' near kinswoman. Heb. and 11CM IAd
i. e. his halul-sister by the mother's side, shes;r abika hi, she is thy father's rearrd by another father.  In the 11th mainder. Gr. oKEra yap 7rarpos aov Ecar,
verse a mlan is forbidden to marry a she is the domestic (relation) of thy
halfs ister  by his father's side.  The  father. So near, that as he could not
Gr. urnderstands by the sister here men. be permitted to marry her, so the like
tioned, a&XApr b:.orrarpta, a sister by the interdict was laid upon his son also,
scene father, and with this the Chal. who was but little further removed.
agrees. After all we must leave the And for the same reason that a man
matter involved in a considerable de- could not lawfully marry his aunt, it
gree of obscurity, as does Michaelis, seems also to follow that he could not
who suggests that it may perhaps be marry his niece-a principle of interintended as an illustration of v. 9, and pretation on the justness of which we
that it was inserted with a view to de. have already remarked.
scribe the marriage in which Abraham                  Results.
lived in different words, and to prohibit  A Man may not marry his
it a second time, lest, by reference to               Aunt,
Abraham's example, the first statute                  Niece:
should have  been falsely explained.       Nor a Woman her
For the Results see under v. 9.  The                  Nephew,
two passages together forbid marriage                 Uncle.
between a brother and a sister, both of
V/ith a Maternal Aunt.
the whole and the half-blood.
13. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister. For this
12 Thou shalt not uncover the naked-  the reason is the same as for the former
ness of thy father's sister.  Whether prohibition; the aunt by the mother's
we are to understand here the full sis. side being as near as the aunt by the
ter only or the half sister also, is a father's. -     She is thy mother's near
matter left undecided. By the Jewish kinswoman. Heb. *1h1-            11M IRM sheer
commentators, both are held to be in. immeka hi, she is thy mother's remain.
eluded, and they maintain also that it der. Gr. orKrta yap tyr-po; aot cart, she
made no difference whether she were is thedomestic(relation)ofthymother.
legitimately or illegitimately begotten               Results.
by his grandfather. Selden informs us      Same as under preceding verse.
that such marriages were prohibited by
the ancient Romans, although it would      With a Paternal Uncle's Wife.
seem that, previous to the Mosaic law,   14. Thou shalt not uncover the na.




190                           LEVITICUS.              lB. C. 1490.
15 m Thou shalt not uncover the   16 n Thou shalt not uncover the
nakedness of thy daughter.in-law: nakedness of thy brother's wife:
she is thy son's wife, thou shalt not it is thy brother's nakedness.
uncover her nakedness.                    n h. 20. 21. Matt. 14. 4. See Deut. 25. 5.
mGen. 38. 18. 26. ch. 20, 12. Ezek. 2211. ll. Matt. 22. 24. Mark 12. 19.
kedness of thy father's brother. That with the penalty is thus repeated, Lev.
is, as appears from what follows, of thy 20. 12,' And if a man lie with his daugh.
father's brother's wuife; called his na. ter.in.law, both of them shall surely be
keduess, because man and wife are con- put to death: they have wrought con.
sidered and termed' one flesh.' See fusion; their blood shall be upon them.'
Note on v. 8. By parity of' reasoning,               Results.
it is to be inferred, that the uncle was          See under v. 8.
precluded from marrying his brother's
daughter. The Hebrew canonists also           With a Brother's Wife.
maintain that although the father's   16. Thou shalt not uncover the nabrother's wife only is mentioned, yet kedness of thy brother's wife.  This
the prohibition ftairly embraces the mo- prohibition is repeated ch. 20. 21, with
ther's brother's wife in like manner. the annexed penalty as follows,'And
-~  Thou shalt not approach. Heb. if a man shall take his brother's wife,
I n- to tilcd b. Gr. ouK EctcXEcVaOP  it is an unclean thing: he hath uncov.
thou shalt not go in unto; i. e. have  ered his brother's nakedness; they shall
carnal connexion with.                 be childless.' This law is of course to
Results.                be understood with the exception, that
A M2an may not marry his          if the deceased brother died childless,
Uncle's Wife,                  it was not only lauful for the surviving
Wife's Niece,                 brother to marrry the widow, but he
Nephew's Wife,                 was obliged to do it, or incur the penalty
Wife's Aunt.                  of being publicly disgraced in the eyes
Nor a Woman her                    of all Israel, Deut. 25. 5-10.
Husband's Nephew,                The consideration of the present preAunt's Husband,                cept becomes, as is well known, exHusband's Uncle,              treniely important, from  its connexion
Niece's Husband.              with the question respecting the lawfulness of marriage with a deceased wife's
With a Daughter-in-law.         sister. The leading principles involved
15. Thou shalt not uncover the na. in the discussion of this subject have
kedness of thy daughter.in-law. The been already adverted to in our-prefatory
Ileb. rt  kalladh is in several instances remarks, and  the general result to
elsewhere used to signify a spouse or which we have been brought stated.
bride, and it is here rendered by the Gr. The parallel marriage, it is certain, is
yvvu0r, of the same signification. But not forbidden inso many terms; neither
the next clause makes it clear that is it expressly forbidden that a man shall' son's wife I is meant, on which relation  marry his own daughter or his grand.
see Note on v. 8. It mattered not, ac. mother. But who will deny that a man
cording to the Rabbins, whether she in doing this would be sinning against
had been fully married to the son, or God, or, in other words, acting contrary
only espoused; or whether she had  to the divine will?  The decision of
been married, and been afterwards di. the question evidently rests on the truth
vorced. Under any circumstances, she or falsity of the position, that the pre.
was unlawful to him. The prohibition  cept expressly naming and prohibiting




B. C. 1490.]               CHAPTER  XVIII.                                191
17 o Thou shalt not uncover the  nakedness of a woman and  her
o ch.20. 14.             daughter, neither shalt thou take
any particular degree of relation must ocracy. It was enacted for the express
be understood to comprise all relations purpose of preserving families and in.
within the saine degree. In the present heritances unbroken until the Messiah
case the prohibition, v. 16, against mar- came. Whatever, then, might be the
rying a brother's wife, is fouiided solely  scope or operation of the exception, it
on the relation existing between the  must necessarily expire with the the.
parties; and as the relation in the Sup. ocracy, leaving the moral part of the
pos,:d case is precisely the same, with  precept in its full force. But the Le.
the exception only of the change of the  vitical code has long since answered its
sex) it is not easy to conceive what rea-  ends, and is abolished. This particular
son shall be assigned why the one is feature of the law is therefore no longer
not equally forbidden with the other.    binding; nor is a similar case at all
It is indeed affirmed, that as this law  possible under the New  Testament.
is subject to the exception mentioned  Consequently it does not appear that
Deut. 25. 5-10,' If brethren dwell to. any sanction can be adduced from this
gether, and one of them die, and have  law for the marriage in question. Chris.
no child, the wife of the dead shall not tians would seem  to be imperatively
marry  without unto a stranger; her barred from  marrying a sister-in-law,
husband's brother shall go in unto her, who has been the wife of a deceased broand take her to him to wife,' &c.; there- ther, and still more a sister-in-law who
fore this enactment virtually rescinds is the sister of a deceased wife, to whom
the whole precept against marrying a  the exception in Deut. never did, and in
sister-in-law. But to this it may be re. the nature of things never could apply.
plield, that an exception to a general The conclusion, therefore, would seem
law, or a proviso in a particular case, is to be unavoidable, that there is nothing
never considered as a repeal of the law, in the law  of Dent. 25. which invalibut a confirmation of it in all other dates the moral nature and perpetual
cases in which there is no exception nor obligation of the law forbidding marproviso. They are only a suspension  riage with a deceased wife's sisterof the law in the particular cases spe- nothing which in any form. or degree
cified, and cannot extend to other cases, can be binding upon Christians under
much less to the whole law to which  the New Testament dispensation-and
they relate. The statute in Dent. 25, nothing in the letter or spirit of that
is not intended to ascertain the degrees precept which has the least reference to
of kindred within which marriages are the question before us.
prohibited; this is unequivocally done                Results.
in the chapter before us. The only            A Man may not marry his
object of the exception  is expressly             Brother's wife,
mentioned. A  brother is directed to              Wife's sister:
marry the widow of his deceased bro.          Nor a Woman her
ther in a certain emergency. The bro             Husband's brother,
ther must have died without male issue.           Sister's husband.
Had the deceased left a son, the general law of incest would have rendered a  With a Step-Daughter or a Grandmarriage with his widow as incestuous                 daughter.
as with any other woman near of kin.    17. Thou shalt not uncover the naThe exception was evidently local in  kedness of a woman and her daughter.
its nature, and restricted to the the. Heb.  h.'1 lm   M'1':S  -errath ishah




192                           LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
her son's daughter, or her daugh- 1 18 Neither shalt thou take a wife
ter's daughter, to uncover her na- to her sister, P to vex her, to unkedness: for they  are her near cover her nakedness, besides the
kinswomen: it is wickedness.           other, in her life-time.
P 1 Sam. 1. 6, 8.
nbittth. The phraseology here is pe. nify thought or pur-poses but the import
culiar, and would seem at first blush to  is that of thought or counsel of an atrojbrlid a particular form of polygamy, cious character involving some signal,;r perhaps some single incestuous act. enormity. The Gr. has for it afagpua,
t'ndeed we are not prepared to say that an impiety, an act of gross ungodliness,
this may not be intended. It may pos- from which God would have his people
sibly have been designed to inspire a shrink back with horror.
horror of conjoint cohabitation with                 Results.
mother and daughter at the same time.        A Man may not marry his
But anlequally just sense undoubtedly          Step-daughter,
is, that one was not at liberty, upon the      Wile's grand-daughter:
death of his wife, to marry her daugh-       Nor a Woman her
ter (not his own), and- as a mother and        Step-son,
daughter are'remainder of flesh' to          Husband's grand-son.
each other, the marrying of the daughter, even after the death of the mother,       With a Wife's Sister.
was a species of marrying both at once,   18. Neither shall thou take a wife to
and therefore the copulative' and  is her sister, to vex her, &c. A passage
employed-' a woman and her daugh- of great difficulty, and yet of great imter.' Upon this class of connexions, portance in its bearing on the question
Maimonides writes thus;-' When a of marriage with a deceased wife's sisman marrieth a woman, there are six  ter, which we have made so prominent
-women of her kin unlawful to him for. in our previous annotations. It is well
ever, whether his wife live with him or known that the advocates of such mar.
be divorced; whether she be alive or riages contend that this verse, by nedead: and they are these-her mother, cessary implication (which in this case
and her mother's mother, and her fh- it seems they readily admit, though rether's mother, and her daughter, and her jecting it in every other), contains an
daughter's  daughter, and  her son's unequivocal intimation of their lawful.
daughter. And if he lie with any of ness, as they construe the precept thus:
these while his wife liveth both of them' Thou shall not take another wife, who
are to be burned.'-Ainsworth.  The is the sister of thy first wife, to vex her,
punishment of burning in such a case is to uncover her nakedness beside the
expressly enacted, ch. 20. 14, where it other, in her life time; although thou
will be observed that the original word  mayest take such a sister for a wife
here rendered'woman,' is there ren. after the death of thy first wife.'  As
dered' wife.''And if a man take a this construction completely overthrows
wife and her mother, it is wickedness: the force of all the reasonings adduced
they shall be burnt with fire, both he on the other side, it demands a very
and they: that there be no wickedness rigid examination; and upon this we
among you2: r1 It is wickedness. enter by adverting to the form of exHeb. RTI  M   zinmmndh hi. The origi. pression in the original.  A  hint of
nal word is highly emphatic, denoting  this is given to the English reader by
properly nefarious wickedness. It is the marginal rendering-' one wife to
h deed defined in the Lexicons to sig. another, for which many contend as




B. C. 1490.]               CHAPTER  XVIII.                                193
tile only true version. The Heb. has one another; *'lRZ l WhR ish kedi'hiv,
rnon R~ -I'n'LI  is       ishah el a'hothtih a man as his brother, i. e. one man as
lo tilcka'h, a wife, or woman, to her sis- another; ~n1rX' UA   ish veii'hiv, a man
ler thou shalt not take.  As to the and his brother, i. e. one man with
tneaning of the separate terms there is another; lt'l13    OD3O  ish me'hiv, a
no doubt. It is admitted on all sides man from  his-brother, i. e. one man
that M1tZ7t ishah means' woman' or from another; l~iiR UlM   ish Ci'hiv, a' wife,' R el, to, and r717Rt  a'hothiih, man his brother, i. e. one man another;
sister. But it is not clear what the  1n'N VI h /t. 21   ish meal ii'hiv, a man
wor(ds import when taken altogether, from his brother, i.e. one from another
aits we fintl the phrase i'rn' n     tis n   l' ln'l     VIN ish lec'hiv, a man to his
fs lah el a'hotthlh usedl idiomatically to brother, i.e. one to another. The usage:,I,iy the additn  of one thing to ano- in these cases is too obvious to need
f er,:;s is also the corresponding phrase  remark; but we are more especially
n5  7 tn ish el a'hiv, a mane to his concerned  with  the feminine form,
orothe?. Of these phrases the former-  which we now proceed to illustrate.'a nian to his brother'-occurs twentyfive tirtes in the Hebrew scriptures,.) j'onen      1Mt
llnd the latter-' a woman to her sister 
-ten  times. Neither of the phrases    Ex. 26. 3,' The five curtains shall
nare confined to persons; they are both  be coupled  together one to another
frequently, and in fact generally, spoken,nn r    I:7  a woman to her sister),
of inanimate substances as will appear and other five curtains shall be coupled
from  the citations which we give, in. one to another (grinsX be  Ony a wo.
cluding all the important instances.    man to her sister).2
Ex. 26. 5,' That the loops may take
(1.) i~h~   5t1 H iO hold one of another (intI RX imp   a
A man to his brother.           woman to her sister).2
Gen. 37. 19,' And they said one to   Ex. 26. 6.' And couple the curtains
another, (l'nr  5t  VIe  a man to his together (,hiMit     >S.'WZI  a woman to
brother).'                             her sister).'
Ex. 25. 20, C And the faces of the    Ex. 26. 17.' Two tenons shall be set
cherubim  shall look one to another oneagainst another (Min             i1x Ori  a
(1nql  is anR a man to his brother.)' woman to her sister).'
Ex. 37. 9,' The cherubim stood with    Ezek. 1. 9, and 11.  Their wings were
their faces one to another (Rl   I  joined one to another (I M Xj thw
plvits a man to his brother).'         a woman to her sister).'
Jer. 13. 14,'And I will dash them    Ezek. 1. 23,'And their wings were
one against another (InyM    = -l   a  straight one towards another'(jj2D
man to his brother).'                  Mn  -5  a woman to her sister).'
Jer. 25 26,' And all the kings of the    Ezek. 3. 10,' The wings of the living
north one with another (q'"R i X 7     creatures touched one another (2itZn
a man to his brother).'                 illn    he a woman to her sister).'
Ezek. 24.23,' And mourn one towards    These are all the instances, except
another (lOhIM    X  W'XI    a man to his  the present, where the phrase sIwb
brother).'                             1nn1f    is a wife to her sister occurs,
In addition to the above we find, in  and it will be observed that in every
the masculine form, several equivalent one, except the case before us, the renmodes of expression slightly varying  dering in our translation is one to ano.
from that now given; as  I'l 1tR VR S  ther, together, or some phraseology
ish eth a'hiv, a man his brother, i. e. wholly equivalent.  In no other in17




194                           LEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1490.
stance do we meet with the literal ver- relation. It is simply taking one obsion, a wife or uoman to her sister. So  ject in addition to another, and leaving
in the twenty-five instances of the mas- the whole phraseology utterly imperfect
culine form, tile rendering of our trals-  as compared with the Hebrew usage.
lators is uniform, one to another, whe.   We cannot but think, therefore, that
ther spoken of persons or things. In' a wife to her sister  is the appropriate
no case do we find any reference to  rendering in this place; and it is not a
relationship by blood.  The question  matter ofsnmall weight in confirmation,
therefore arises whether tle literal ver- that all the ancient versions, as the
sion in this place, involving, as it does, Chal. Targ. of Onkelos, the Samaritan,
a departure from  commont usage, is the Syriac, and the Arabic, adhere to
warranted.  It is admitted  that the  the literal construction.  The Greek
thirty-four indisputable cases in which  of the Seventy also, which elsewhere
this mode of speech occurs in an idio- renders the Heb. phrase by one to anomatic sense go very far to establish this  ther, here has yvralKa tr' a&Xby ov Arn a7,
as in all cases the genuine signifiea- a woman to her sister thou shalt not
lion of the phrase. It would seem, at take. At the same time, the advocate
first view, that such an overwhelming  for the idiomatic interpretation has a
majority of instances would be corn- right to demand a probable reason for
pletely decisive of the point in dispute; the change of diction observable in this
and yet we cannot but concede that verse, when compared with the precedthere is in this one case very great rea- ing. Why does it not commence with the
son to doubt. For it will be observed  formula,>1n  l~  lnnNIl MIr    mI"
that in every other instance, not only  ervath eshah vea'hothah lo tegalleh, the
are the things which are to be added to  nakedness of a wife and her sister thou
each other inanimate objects of the shalt not uncover?  To this it is perfeminine gender, but the subject of dis- haps a satisfactory answer, that the
course is first mentioned, and by that writer wished to introduce the terms for
is the import of the phrase governed.' uncovering nakedness' in a little difIf. we take the expression here accord- ferent relation in the subsequent part
ing to its import in every other case in  of the verse, and so to connect them
which it occurs, we shall be obliged to  with other words as to form a strong
render the verse,' Thou shalt not take  dissuasive against the union forbidden.
one to another to vex,' &c. One what?  On reading the verse entire we should
-it might properly be asked. If it be doubtless find it extremely difficult to
said, one woman, this is immediately hit upon any mode of expression so
giving a new latitude to the phrase be- well adapted to convey the sense inyond  what it idiomatically  implies; tended as that which actually occurs,
and yet its force as an idiom is all that and this is what necessitated a departIs relied upon in proof of its referring  ure from the fixed phraseology that runs
not to a sister, but to any other woman. through the other precepts, because we
The principles then of a fair exegesis have here not the precept only, but an
would seem  to compel us, if we under- argument to enforce it-an' argurnent
stand woman or wife by ~nui  ishah, to  drawn from the effects of such a marunderstand sister by h1, R  a'hothah. riage upon domestic happiness. The
Again, it appears that In every other lawgiver, in the other verses, speaks for
case the phrase has a reciprocal import; the most part the language of simple
that is, a number of things are said to be absolute authority; in this he hints at a
so and so one to another. But here we reason for his command. We mtght
perceive nothing of this. There is no  expect, therefore, a slight change in the
trace of mutual, reciprocal action or form of speech.




B. C. 1490.]               CHAPTER  XVIII.                                195
But although we feel constrained to  my?  To this we are for ourselves con.
give up the argument drawn from the  strained to answer, No. Although po.
H-ebrew idiom,and usually applied in this lygamy was essentially contrary to the
connexion to convert the passage before  genius of the marriage institution, and
us into a direct prohibition of polygamy, never truly sanctioned by the Most
and therefore as having nothing to do  High, yet it was evidently tolerated,
with the question of the disputed mar- and the divine legislation not only re.
riage; and though we cannot in fair- cognized its existence, but provided
nes avoidl admnitting that the connexion  against its abuses. If the text in ques.
here forbidden is marriage with a wife's tion contains a positive prohibition of
sister; yet we (do not for that reason feel that sin, the good men of Israel must
l;ild tnder any necessity of admittinii  have known it. Whatever ambiguity
tile inllerence which is so commlonly  it may have to us, it could have none
drawn lroin the final clause of the verse. to them; and can it be supposed that'Neither shalt thou take a wife to her David, for instance, knezw  there was
vister, to vex her, to uncover her naked- such a law, and yet spent his life in
iess. besides the other in her life-time.'  open violation of it?'  Again,' says
From this. it is saidl, the implication is the author of an able series of articles
palp)alle, that the obligation of the law  on this subject in the N. E. Puritan,
is limited by the life time of the first' we show that polygamy is not prohibwife; and that upon her decease there is ited in this text by a plain reductio ad
no bar to the husband's marrying her absurdum. For in the first place,if that
sister. This we must regard as a gross  be the sin forbidden, it is a sin whose
non sequitur. The expression I in her penalty is death. For after completing
life time' is too slight to be allowed to  the series, the lawgiver says, I Whosovacate the force of all the considerations ever shall commit any of these abomniwhich we have before adduced in proof nations, even the souls that commit
of the implied prohibitions contained  them, shall be cut off from among the
in the preceding verses. If the infer-  people.' That these terms import pun.
eiice which we have shown to be dedu- ishment by death is indisputable. Now
cible from v. 16 be intrinsically sound, suppose the crime thus threatened, to
it cannot be set aside by any expression  have been that of marrying two wives.
in the verse before us; for there is no- Then we have the absurdity of an ex.
thing here more certain than-we have  press law  against bigamy, declaring
found above. At the very utmost it is that bigamists shall be punished with
merely setting one inference against death; and then afterwards a law re.
another. The genuine import of the  quiring all bigamists to make a fair dis.
phrase I in her life time I in this con. posal of their estates among the children
nexion undoubtedly is, as long as she  of their two wives. For in Deut. 21. 15,
lives, without the least implication of  we read;  If a man have two wives,
any thing that is to follow, or that may  one beloved and the other hated, and
follow. - You are not to take a step  they have borne him children, both the
which will be sure to embitter the lot beloved and the hated; and if the first.
of the first wife during the whole pe- born be hers that was hated, then it
riod of her life. The consequence of shall be, when he maketh his sons to
your rashness, or indiscretion, or ma-  inherit that which he hath, that he may
levolence, will be, that she will know  not make the son of the beloved first.
peace-no more as long as she lives.    born before the son of the hated.' Now
But what, it may be asked, is the real this is a strange law to come in after a
scope of the precept?  Is it a direct law that had denounced death on any
and categorical prohibition of polyga. one that should have two wives. For




196                            LEVITICUS.                        LB. C. 1490.
if the first law were executed, the sec- sister, a marriage which was forbidden
ond would be superfluous. The second  before, are wholly gratuitous.  Such
supposes men to he living quietly and  an implication cannot be shown to have
rearing families, and making wills at entered at all into the drift of the prethe close of a peaceful life, when the  cept. Its genuine purport was to intiprevious law supposes them  to have  mate that the vexation created by such
(ied malefactors.  It involves the ab- a step to the first wife would last as., Utlity (of one law made on the suppo- long as she lived-that there would he.     h- i,:l that the other would be trampled'no discharge in that (domestic) war.'.And with a very malicious or evil.
I', 1 tien, polygamy is not forbidden in  minded man, this fact might of itself
this tassage,  what is?  We answer, be in some cases a prompting'motive ta
t;at it was designed to discountenance  such a union.  But upon all such con
the practice which is implied in the  siderate cruelty as this, the divine pre
laiii and literal terms of the text-the  cept would frown in advance.
tailing simultaneously of two sisters to    On the whole, therefore, we are unawyife. Tiis vas a practice which, as a ble to perceive that the precept we are,general fact, would be attended with  now considering has any, even the most
ilnlappy consequences to the domestic  remote, relation to the subject of incesrelations of all the parties concerned. tuous marriages treated of in the preReference is undoubtedly to be had all ceding context. The whole law  conalong to the prevalent sentiments and  cerning  incest closes with the  17th
tsages of the Oriental nations. It is verse. The prohibition in the 18th re.
well known that among them the cus- spects altogether aniother subject, and
tomi of having more than one wife in a is as distinct from incest as any of the
single household is very apt to engender other crimes mentioned and forbidden
rivalries, jealousies, and feuds between  in the remaining parts of the chapter.
those who share the divided marital It might indeed appear, from  the use
favors and affections of their common  of the word' neither' at the commence.
lord. In such a state of things, there  ment of the verse, that it was intimately
was something peculiarly repulsive in  connected with the foregoing. But this
the spectacle of two natural sisters, rendering is not borne out by the origi.
who ought to be tenderly bound to each  nal. It is the simple particle 1 ve, and,
other by the ties of blood, and studious  which we find in the Hebrew text, and
of each other's happiness, thrown as a is precisely the same word which in the
matter of course into a species of hos. three subsequent verses is translated
tile attitude one towards the other, and  respectively,' also,' moreover,' and
thus proving each to each a source of' and;' and the usual paragraph discontinual irritation and vexation. Thus tinction might very properly have been
wve see it was in the family of Jacob; introduced here.
and it is highly probable that as in one    But we proceed with the exposition.
of the foregoing precepts there was a - -. IT To vex her. Heb. "7t1 litzror,
latent allusion to the case of Abraham, to vex; i. e. to produce vexation in the
so here was a designed, though im- family, to the first wife mainly, no
plicit, reference to that of Jacob.  The  doubt, but not to her alone, as the ap.
Most High would so frame the precept popriate word for'her  is wanting in
as to counteract the plea of patriarchal the original. Still it is properly enough
example for its violation.              inserted in our translation. The origiBut all inferences, drawn from the  nal is happily expressive of the mutual
phrase' in her life  time,' as if that broils and bickerings which are so prone
legitimated, after the death of the one  to arise under a system of polygamy, and




B. C. 1490.]                CHAPTER  XVIII.                               197
of which we have an example in the  as she lives. The next verse affords
case of Hannah and Penninah, in the  a phraseology  strikingly  equivalent.
family of Elkanah.  1 Satn. 1. 6, 7,' Thou shalt not approach unto a woAnd her adversary (Rm'Y tzdrdettheh, man —as long as she is set apart,' &c.
her vexer) also provoked her sore, for This is expressed in the Hebrew by the
to make her fret, because the Lord had  single word r      beniddath, in her
shut up her womb. And as she did so separation, i. e. during the continuance
year by year, when she went up to the  of her state of separation. We give in
house of the Lord, so she provoked her i this connexion the note of Bishop Pa.
therefore she wept and did not eat.' If trick on this phrase.'From  hence
this was a state of things to be depre- some infer that a man was permitted
c:teld between women who were not to manrry the sister of his former wife,
relatel before marriage, how  much  when she was dead. So the Talmud(,lre between sisters!-   f To uncover ists; but the Karaites thought it abso.
her nakled-ness besides the other. Heb. lutely unlawful,as Mr. Selden observes,, E     rs fnl'nl     legalloth ervathaih  (De Uxore Hebr. Lib. 1, cap. 4). For
/;:{hid, to uncover her nakedness upon  it is directly against the scope of all
hes'.  Tihe phraseology is somewhat these laws, which prohibit men to marry
altbiguous, as it does not at once appear at all with such persons as are here
to which of the sisters the suffix'her' mentioned, either in their wives' life.
itllers.  Is it the one who is vexed  time or after. And there being a prowhose nakedness is uncovered, or the  hibition v. 16, to marry a brother's wife,
other?  It is to be observed  that it is unreasonable to think Moses gave
in the original there is no word strictly  them leave to marry their wives' sister.
answering to'the other.' That which  These words, therefore,'in her life.
our version renders' besides the other,' time,' are to be referred, not to the first
is it the Heob. ~.~ upon or by her, words,  neither shalt thou take,' but to
and the  feminine suffix ~ hll, her, un-' the next,  to vex her,' as long as she
doubtedly refers to the same person as lives. In this the ancient Christians
tlhe, hAf, her, in,nT"Y  ervathdh, na- were so strict that if a man, after his
kedness. The true reading then is-   wife died, married her sister, he was,'to uncover her (the first wife's) na- by the tenth canon of the Council of
kedness upon her (the first wife) in her Eliberis, to be kept from the commulife-tine.' This appears to be the ne. nion for five years.'
cessary grammatical construction, but   We have thus given what, on the
how does this vex the first wife, to un- whole, we are constrained to regard as
cover her own nakedness upon or by  the genuine sense of this-important part
herself?  The solution of the difficulty  of the Penteteuch, both in its general
we believe is to be found in the fact scope and in its minuter details. We
clearly intimated in v. 7, that the na. may possibly have erred by adopting
kedness of the husband is the nakedness false principles of interpretation, or by
of the wife, and that what is here term. a wrong application of those which are
ed the 6 uncovering of her nakedness' is right. But as we have candidly stated
really the uncovering of'the nakedness the grounds and evidence of every posiof the husband, and exposing it to the  tion assumed, the reader will be able to
second wife, which is of course done  judge for himself how far the premises
by, upon, beside the first, and therefore  sustain the conclusion, and how far a
to her grievance and vexation.-   T In  sound exegesis sustains the premises.
her life-time.  Ieb. tI~2 behaylhui, To our minds the evidence decidedly
in her life. That is, as intimated above, preponderates in favor of the opinion
during tlte period of her life, as long  that the laws contained in the present
17




198                           LEVITICUS.                        [1B. C. 1490.
19 q Also thou shalt not approach  carnally with thy neighbour's wife,
unto a woman to uncover her na- to defile thyself with her.
kedness, as long as she is put apart   21 And thou shalt not let any of
for her uncleanness.                   thy seed s pass through the fire to
20 Moreover, r thou shalt not lie  t Mlolech, neither shalt thou u proS ch. 20. 2. 2 Kings 16. 3, and 21. 6, and
qch. 20. 18. Ezek. 18.6, and 22. 10. rch. 23. 10. Jer. 19. 5. Ezek. 20. 31, and 23. 37,
20. 10. Exod. 20. 14. Deut. 5. 1S, and 22. 22. 39. t 1 Kings 11.7, 33. Acts 7.43. u ch. 19.
Prov. 6. 29, 32. Mal. 3. 5. Matt. 5. 27. 12, and 20. 3, and l. 6, and 22. 2,32. Ezek.
Rom. 2. 22. 1 Cor. 6. 9. Heb. 13. 4.   36. 20, &c. MIal. 1. 12.
chapter (v. 6-17), have  respect not bency) to seed; i. e. to the effusion of
merely to lewdness in general, but to  seed; a form of expression sufficiently
incest-that they are in their nature  well represented by our version. Lemoral and not ceremonial, and therefore  clerc suggests that it may be intended
universally and perpetually binding-  to distinguish a sinful cohabitation from
that the implied prohibitions are equally  that accidental but innocent lying toauthoritative  with. the  express-and  gether which might happen from  some
consequently the marriage with a de. extraordinary accident in a flight or
ceased wife's sister is clearly contrary  journey.
to the revealed word of God. At the    21. Thou shalt not let any of thly seed
same time, we entertain unfeigned re-  pass through the fire to M1olech. The
spect for the logical and philological name of this idol, which was especially
reasonings of those who, under the  worshipped by the Ammonites, is depromptings of an equally sincere desire  rived from 75t mulaec, to reign, the
to ascertain the truth, have been brought root of ~5' melek, icing, and is sup.
to a different conclusion.  Many of posed to have represented the sun, the
their arguments are entitled to very  great fountain of fire and of light. In
great weight, and we cannot fully as-  the inhuman worship of this idol, little
sure ourselves that they have been fairly  children  were  either actually  burnt
and successfully met in the foregoing  alive in the way of consecration to him,
series of remarks. But wherever the  or were made to pass between two rows
truth may lie, we still indulge a strong  of burning fires, from which they barely
confidence that it will eventually be escaped with life, and probably not
reached; and the present awakened  always with that. The words' the fire'
state of the Christian mind in this land  do not here occur in the original, but
gives a happy presage that this result they are supplied in Deut. 18. 10, and
will ere long be realized.             2 Kings 11. 3, which are elsewhere explained as apparently  equivalent to
Other forms of Sexual Commerce, and' burn in the fire,' 2 Chron. 28. 3. Lestill grosser Crimes, forbidden.    clerc supposes very ingeniously that the
19. Also thou shalt not approach unto  term'pass through,' omitting' the fire,'
a woman, &c. Heb. MINX=   5  el isha, was invented by the priests of Molech
to a woman, or wife. Consequently not or Moloch, that the horrid  sacrifice
to one's own wife. The penalty annexed  might be expressed by the mildest posto this precept is stated ch. 20. 18. The  sible phrase.  This formr of idolatry is
transgression of it is reckoned among  mentioned and forbidden in the present
the crying sins of Israel, Ezek. 22. 10. connexion, in the midst of laws relative
20. Moreover, thou shalt nlot lie car- to incest and lewdness, fiorn  its being
nally, &c. Heb.  151 ~  tl: I1ti R5 )  esteemed a kind of spiritual adultery
lo tittEn shekobteka lezdra, thou shalt - I Neither shalt thou profane the
not give thy cohabitation (or concum- name of thy God. Heb.   nte'hllhal




B. C. 1490.]               CHAPTER  XVIIL                               199
fane the name of thy God: I am  stand before a beast to lie down
thle LORD.                            thereto: it is z confusion.
22 x Thou shalt not lie with man-   24 -a Defile not ye yourselves in
kind, as with  womankind. it is any of these things: b for in all
abomination,                          these the nations are defiled which
23 y Neither shalt thou lie with  I cast out before you:
any beast to defile thyself there-   25  And  c the  land  is defiled:
with:  neither shall any woman    Z ch. 20. 12. a ver. 30. Matt. 15. 18,
19, 20. Mark 7. 21, 22, 23. 1 Cor. 3. 17.
x ch. 20. 13  Rom. 1. 27. 1 Cor. 6. 9. b h. 20. *23. Deut. 18. 12. c Numb. 35.
I Tim.. 10. Y ch. 20. 15, 16. Exod. 22. 19. 34. Jer. 2, 7, and 16. 18. Ezek. 36. 17.
pollute; the contrary of hallowing or Canaanites being divided into several
sanctifying. The holy name of God is clans or tribes, are spoken of in the
polluted or profaned not only by irrev- plural, as' nations;' and they, it appears,
erent and blasphemous speech, but by  were so completely overrun with these
such conduct as tends to give that honor foul abominations, that a righteous God
and allegiance, which is due to him  could bear with them  no longer; and
alone, to another.                     as they were now lying under his curse,
22. Thou shalt not lie with mankind  so they were shortly, by his sword,
as with womankind. Heb.   ~ tM  e'th  wielded by the hands of the chosen
zdikrlr, with a male. The characteristic  people, to  be completely destroyed.
sin of Sodoin, and thence deriving the  By the coming doom of the Canaanites,
name by which it is known in the crim- therefore, he would have them to take
inal codes of modern times.  Cornmp. warning, and not to imagine that any
Deut. 23. 17. It is enumerated by the  peculiar favoritism  would save them
apostle, Rom. 1. 27, among the preva- from  a similar destruction, provided
lent abominations of heathenism; and  they were guilty of similar crimes. On
the best authorities assure us that under the other hand, they might reasonably
the name of pederasty, or boy.love, it anticipate a more aggravated and fearwas practised not only by several of the  ful judgment, according to the declared
Roman emperors, but by some of the  principle of the divine administration,
Greek philosophers. The penalty an.' Because you only have I known of all
nexed to this law is stated as follows, the nations of the earth, therefore will
ch. 20.13:' If a man also lie with man. I punish your iniquities.'
kind, as he lieth with a woman, both of   25. Therefore I do visit the iniquity
tllenm have comllitted an abomination: thereof upon it, &c.  Heb. ~7~1,DR
they shall surely be put to death; their vtiephkod, properly I have visited; i. e.
blood shall be upon them.' The pen- have punished; and in the next clause
alties enacted by modern  legislators hath vomited, instead of vomiteth; the
against this and the crime of bestiality, praterite being used for greater em.
evince it as the general sense of en- phasis. The certainty of the result was
lightened and Christian nations, that such, that it is spoken of as if already
those who thus shockingly  degrade. accomplished.-   1 The land  itself
human nature are not worthy to live  vomiteth out her inhabitants. A bold
among men.                             rhetorical figure, intimating that the
sins of the inhabitants were so unutterGeneral Dissuasives.          ably vile and loathsome, that the very
24. For in these all the nations are land itself nauseated and abhorred them,
defiled which I cast out before you. and threw  them  out, as the stomach
Heb. MT>Dh   %]'~R. asher ani meshal- does the food that offends it.
Ta'h, which I am  casting out.  Th.e    30. Therefore shall ye keep mine




200                          LEVITICUS.                      [B. C. 1490.
therefore I do d visit the iniquity the souls that commit them shall
thereof upon it, and the land itself be cut off from among their people.
e vomiteth out her inhabitants.        30 Therefore shall ye keep mine
26 f Ye shall therefore keep my  ordinance, h that ye commit not any
statutes and my judgments, and  one of these abominable customs,
shall not commit any  of these  which were committed before you,
abominations; neither any of your and that ye i defile not yourselves
own nation, nor any stranger that therein: k I am the LORD your God.
soj.ourneth among you:                        CHAPTE
27 (For all these abominations               CH        R XIX.
have the men of the land done,  AND the LORD spake unto Mowhich were before you, and the           Sses, saying
land is defiled;)                     2 Speak unto all the congregation
28 That g the land spue not you  of the children of Israel, and say
out also, when ye defile it, as it unto them, aYe shall be holy: for
spued out the nations that were  I the LoRD your God am holy.
before you.                           3 ~ b Ye shall fear every man his
29 For whosoever shall commit mother and his father, and c keep
any of these abominations, even   dsabbaths  I amthe GLo     your
dPs...32. Isai. 26. 21. Jer. 5. 9, 29, and
9. 9, and 14. 10, and 23. 2. Hos. 2. 13, and   h ver. 3, 26. ch. 20. 23. Deut. 15. 9.
S. 13, and 9. 9. e ver. 28. f ver. 5, 30. ch. i ver. 24. k ver. 2, 4. a ch. 11. 44, and 20.
20. 22, 23. g ch. 20. 22. Jer. 9. 19. Ezek. 7, 26. 1 Pet. 1. 16. b Exod. 20. 13. cExod.
36. 13, 17.                          20. 8, and 31. 13.
ordinance, &c.  Heb. 3 tihn      2   enforced on the simple supreme authorn'17;W t shemartem eth mishmarti, ye ity of Him  who enacts them;' I am
shall keep my keepings; i. e. my charge; the Lord your God'-a  declaration
that which I have delivered you to which in this connexion is, as it were, a
keep; implying that the only way to royal signature to a solemn edict.
be preserved from all false worship, is   2. Say unto them, Ye shall be holy:
seriously to consider and devoutly to  for Ithe Lord your God am holy. The
observe the ordinances of the true re- same sanction had been given before,
ligion.                              ch. 11. 44, in connexion with the precepts respecting  the distinction of
CHAPTER XIX,                meats,by which they were to be severed
The present chapter is devoted, for and set apart from all other nations;
the most part, to the repetition of cer- and so here when they are again com.
tain laws which had been before given, nanded to be distinguished from all
but which from their intrinsic import- other people by a peculiar system of
ance, the divine wisdom saw fit to insist moral laws and usages, the same inupon with special emphasis.  It will junction is repeated. Indeed one grand
be seen that they have in the main more leading sense involved in the term'holy'
reference to moral than to positive du. is separated, sequestered, set apart from
ties, and brief as it is, it may be confi- that which is common and secular.
dently affirmed that no merely human
code was ever devised so well calculated    Enjoining Reverence of Parents.
in its observance to promote the well.   3. Ye shall fear every man his mother
being of the race.  Except in one and his father. The'fear' here re.
single case we find no special penalty quired, is virtually the same with the
annexed to the transgression of these honor commanded by the fifth comr
precepts, but they are delivered as self. nandment. It includes inward rever.




B. C. 1490.j                 CHAPTER  XIX.                                201
4 ~ d Turn ye not unto idols, e nor   5  T And fif ye offer a sacrifice of
make to yourselves molten gods:  peace-offerings unto the LORD, ye
I am the LoraD your God.                shall offer it at your own will.
d Exod. 20. 4. ch. 26. 1. 1 Cor. 10. 14.  6 It shall be eaten the same day
1 John 5. 21. e Exod. 34. 17. Deut. 27. 15.           f ch. 7. 16.
ence and esteein, outward expression of  follow  not idols. The import of the
respect, obedience to the lawful com. original is things of nought, nolhings,
mautnds of parents, care and endeavor to  vanities, in allusion to which the apos.
please and render them  comfortable, tile says, 1 Cor. 8. 4,' WVe know that an
and to avoid any thing that may offend  idol is nothing in the world.'  Tile
and grieve them, or incur their displea- word occurs also in Job 13. 4,' Ye are
sure. It will be noticed also that in forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of
this connexion the'mother' is men-  no value (5~  N           t 1 rophie elil,phytioned before the' father,' which is con- sicians of nought),' which gives still
trary to prevailing usage.  The two  farther light upon the meaning of the
precepts,'  Honor thy father and thy  term. To such idols they were not to
umother,I and'Fear thy mother and thy' turn  in a way of heed, affection, con.
father,' when taken together plainly  sultation, or worship. They were not
evince that both father and mother are  to regard them but with the utmost abto be regarded as entitled to equal to. horrence, and as the chief of all abomi.
kens of honor, respect, and reverence. nations. They could not turn to them,
If the'father'   had been uniformly  without turning away from  God, and
placed first, it might have impercepti- this would be downright apostacy.bly begotten the impression that the  ~ Nor make to yourselves molten gods.
mother's claims to veneration were but Heb. nl!Z'h  eloh' massEkah, gods
of a secondary nature. — ~ Keep my  of molting, such, for instance, as was
sabbaths, i. e. not only the seventh day, the molten calf fabricated by Aaron at
but all other appointed days, which  the instigation of the people, Ex. 32. 4.
were also called sabbaths. Chal.  Keep  The spirit of the precept prohibits, of
my  sabbath-days.'  This precept is course, every species of image, whether
joined with that requiring filial rever- molten or graven, designed as a repreo
ence, inasmuch as it is supposed that sentative of any  object of worship.
if God provides by law for the preserv- Habak. 2. 18,' What profiteth the gra.
ing of the honor of parents, parents will ven image that the maker thereof hath
use their authority for keeping up in graven it; the molten image, and (even)
the niinds and conduct of their child- a teacher of lies, that the maker of his
ren a due regard for the divine institu- work trusteth therein, to make dumb
tions, particularly the one in question. idols?'
The contempt of parents, and the profa.
nation of the sabbath usually go toge-.      Concerning Peace-offerings.
ther, and begin the ruin of the young.   5-8. If ye offer a sacrifice of peaceThe prospects of those children are the  offerings, &c. As they were to avoid
brightest who make conscience of hon- all idolatry, so they were to be careful
oring their parents and keeping holy  to perform the service due to God in
the sabbath day.                       the prescribed manner. Peace-offerings
are here mentioned as perhaps the most
Idolatry forbidden.           common, but the spirit of the precept
4. Turn ye not unto idols.  Heb. doubtless applies to all others. The
&'1ej bk  5fb el hdelilim, to non-enti. various rites and ceremonies connected
ties.  Gr. osv  cEraKoXovOve0tcr ri e6XOt, with this offering have been already




202                          LEVITICUS.                      [B. C. 1490.
ye offer it, and on the morrow: and  shall be cut off from  among his
if aught remain until the third day, people.
it shall be burnt in the fire.         9 ~ And g when ye reap the bar.
7 And if it be eaten at all on the vest of your land, thou shalt not
third day, it is abominable; it shall wholly reap the corners of thy field,
not be accepted.                      neither shalt thou gather the glean8 Therefore every one that eateth  ings of thy harvest.
it shall bear his iniquity, because   10 And thou shalt not glean thy
hle hath  profaned  the hallowed
hige bath e profaned  the  hallowed   g ch. 23. 22. Deut. 24. 19, 20, 21. Ruth
thing of the LORD; and that soul 2. 15. 16.
detailed, ch. 3. 7, 16.-   f Ye shalloffer allowed the liberty of gleaning, the
it at your own will. Or rather, accord. Israelitish proprietors were not obliged
ing to the I-eb. =D='I%  lirtzonekem, to admit them  immediately into the'to your favorable acceptation,' i. e. in field, as soon as the reapers had cut
such a manner as may secure the divine down the corn, and bound it up in
favor and acceptance, which it would sheaves, but when it was carried off;
not do if it were offered otherwise than  they might choose also among the
in exact accordance with the prescribed poor, whom they thought most deserv.
mode. See Note on Lev. 1. 3.          ing or most necessitous. These opinions receive some countenance from the
Gleanings to be left for the Poor.    request which Ruth presented to the
9. When ye reap the harvest of your servant of Boaz, to permit her to glean
land, thou shalt not wholly reap, &c.'among the sheaves;' and fromt the
Heb. 11U 71V 3 n rn`r=  X7 lo telalleh charge of Boaz to his young men,'let
peath sddeka, thou shalt not finish, con. her glean even among the sheaves;' a
summate, make a full end of, the corner mode of speaking which seems to insin.
of thy field; thou shalt not make a uate, that though they could not legally
clean riddance of it. On this precept hinder Ruth finom gleaning in the field,
the Jewish canons remark,' He that they had a right, if they chose to exerreapeth his field must not reap all the else it, to prohibit her from gleaning
field wholly; but must leave a little among the sheaves, or immediately
standing corn for the poor in the end of after the reapers.'-Paxton.-ff Neithe field, whether he cut it or pluck it ther shalt thou gather the gleanings of
up: and that which is left is called the the harvest. That is, if a few ears of
corner (nr,  peah). And as he must corn, as they were cutting or binding it.eave of the field, so of the trees, when up, fell out of the sheaves or from under
he gathereth their fruit, he must leave a the sickle, they were not to gather them
little for the poor.' The Jewish writers up from the ground, but to leave them
say that a sixtieth part was left. How. for the poor. And so also in respect to
ever this may be, the precept is full of the scattered grape-.clusters of the vin.
interest, as exhibiting a very amiable tage. The rule thus given was intended
feature of the Levitical law, which in for the benefit not only of the poor, but
many of its provisions breathed a spirit also of the stranger; for as strangers
of humane and benevolent consideration, and foreigners could not hold their pos.
for which we look in vain to any other sessions on the same advantageous
code, either of ancient or modern times. terms as native Israelites, they were' The right of the poor in Israel to glean  very liable to be oppressed by poverty.
after the reapers, was thus secured by a It is easy to perceive that the natural
positive law. It is the opinion of some tendency of this law was to inculcate a
writers, that although the poor were kindly, liberal, generous spirit, the




B. 0. 1490.]                CHAPTER  XIX.                                 203
vineyard, neither shalt thou gather my  name falsely, 1 neither shalt
ecery grape of thy vineyard; thou  thou profane the nanle of thy God:
shalt leave themn for the poor and  I ant the LORD.
stranger: I am the LORD your God.   13   a m Thou shalt not defraud thy
11 ~I h Ye shall not steal, neither neighbour, neither rob him: n the
deal falsely, i neither lie  one to  wanes of him  that is hired shall
another.                               not abide with thee all night until;2 ~1' And ye shall not k swear by  the morning.
h Exod. 20. 15, and 22. 1, 7, 10. Deut. 5.  14 ~ Thou  shalt not curse  the
1.). i ch. 6. 2. Eph. 4. 25.  Col. 3. 9.
Exeod. 20.7. eh. 6. 3  Dent. 5. 1i. Matt.   I ch. 18. 21. mMark 10. 19.  1 Thess. 4
5. 33. Jamn 5.  12.                   16. n Deut. 24. 14, 15.  ial. 3. 5.
direct reverse of a disposition covetous tent with your wages.' These sins of
and griping, and which would prompt a  fraudulent oppression and robbery are
mtan vigorously to insist on his right in  often charged by the prophets upon the
inatLers small and trivial. It is ales- nation of Israel. See Is. 3. 14. Jer.
son which the selfish nature of man 22. 2.-fS  The wages of him that is
needs to have powerfully enforced upon  hired shall not abide, &c. Inasmuch as
hil, th that that is not necessarily lost or the wages of the hireling, a day-laborer,
wasted, which goes to relieve the wants were the support of himself and family,
or diminish the woes of' our comnon  and they would necessarily be forced to
tumtanity.                             expend it as fast as it could be earned.
There are few sins marked in the Scrip.
gainst Stealing,  Lying, False SweDar- tures more with the emphatic reproba.
ing, and Dt~efrauding.         tion of heaven than the withholding of
11-13. Ye shall not steal, &c. A num. wages from  those to whom  they are
yber of moral precepts, important to the due. James 5. 1, 4,  Go to now, ye rich
-upholding of truth and justice in society, men, weep and howl for your miseries
are here inserted. The drift of them is  that shall come upon you.,  Behold,
to inculcate a rigid adherence to truth  the hire of the laborers who have reaped
in our communications, and to honesty  down your fields, which is of you kept
in our dealings with our fellow  men. back by fraud, crieth; and the cries of
Stealing had been before forbidden in  them  which have reaped are entered
the eighth commandmnent, and lying in  into the ears of the Lord of' Sabaoth.'
the ninth; but they are here repeated  If the Scriptures had approved the sys.
and put together, because theygenerally  tem  of'credit' in doing business, it
go together. He that will steal will lie  would scarcely have been so strenuous
to hide it; and he that will lie shows in the requisition for prompt payment.
that the first moral barrier is broken
downi which  stands in the way  of  the Against taking adantage ofthe Infirm.
c.ommission of any and all crimes.             ity of the Deaf or Blind.
I Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbor    14. Thou  shalt not curse.  Heb.
nor rob him. Heb. )lawvs   taas'ok and't>1 R~ lo tekallet, thou shalt not vili.
g1tl tigzol. The first of these terms  fy, defame, contemptuously disparage.
signifies in the original to oppress by  Gr. OVK KCaKwCS  petE, thou shalt not speak
Sfraud, the second, to oppress by vio. evil of.  Not being able to hear, he
lence.  Against both these  offences could not, of course, vindicate his own
John tlie Baptist warned the soldiers character.  In cursing one who could
who came to him, Luke 3. 14,' And he  hear there was no doubt a wicked ma.
said unto them, Do violence to no man, lignity; but in cursing the deaf there
neither accuse any falsely; and be con-  was, moreover, an inexpressible means




204                            LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
deaf, o nor put a stumbling-block  but in  righteousness shalt  thou
before the blind, but shalt P fear  judge thy neighbour.
thy God: I am the LORD.                  16 ~ r Thou shalt not go up and
15 ~ q Ye shall do no unrighteous- down as a tale-bearer among thy
ness in judgment; thou shalt not people; neither shalt thou a stand
respect the person of the poor, nor against the blood of thy neighbour;
honour the person of the mighty: I am the LORD.
o Deut 27. 1S. Rom. 14. 13.  P ver. 32.
ch. 25. 17. Gen. 42. 18. Eccles. 5. 7. 1 Pet.   r Ex. 23.. Ps.15.3, ad 50.0. Prov
2. 17. q Exod. S2. 2, 3. Deut. 1. 17, and 16. 11. 13, and 20. 19. Ezek. 22. 9. s Exod. 23.
19, ald 27. 19. 1 P. 3s2. 2. PrOV. 24. 23, 7.  1 Kings 21, 13. Matt. 26. 60, 61, and
James 2. 9.                            27. 4.
ness. The case of the absent, who are pervert the cause of justice. See the
out of hearing of the curse, is obviously  phrase explained Gen. 19. 21. Though
the same as that of the deaf, and we see the poverty of the poor might plead
no reason why the prohibition does not strongly in their favor, yet this was not
include both. -IT  Nor put a stum-. to influence the decisions of the judge.
bling block before the blind.  Gr. ov
7rposa.2a0et eUraviaAov, thou shalt not put    Against Tale-bearing.
a scanLdal (a cause of stumbling or   16. Thou shalt not go up and down
offence).   This precept the  gospel as atale.bea-reramong thypeople. Heb.
makes universal.  Rom. 14. 13,' Let 5"1  5h M) lo telek rdlcil.  The orig.
no man put a stumbling-block  (Gr. inal I'Z`t rakil properly signifies a.axavaxuov, a scandal), in his brother's trader, a pedlar, and is here applied to
way.' Again, Matt. 18. 7,' Woe unto  one who travels up and down dealing in
the world  because of offences (Gr. slanders and detractions, as a merchant
eCavdaca scandals, or stumbling-blocks).' does in wares, possessing himself ofhthe
The spirit of these precepts is to forbid  secrets of individuals and of families,
not onuly the ridiculing the bodily infir. and then blazing them  abroad, usually
mities, but the taking advantage, in  with a false coloring as to motives, and
any case, of the ignorance, simplicity, a distortion of facts. In the Septuagint
or- inexperience of others, particularly  the Heb. is rendered, Prov. 11. 13, and
the giving bad counsel to those that are  20. 192 by a word signifying' doublesimple and easily imposed upon, by  tongued;' and in the New Testament
which they may be led to do something  the term seems to be &afsoXos diabolos,
to their own injury. On the contrary, false accuser, slanderer, calumniator.
we are always to do to our neighbor as The Chal. renders the present passage
we would, upon a change of circum.-   Thou shalt not divulge accusations, or
stances, that he should do to us.-  detractions, among the people.' In this
vT Shalt fear thy God. Though thou  sense the word is employed Dan. 6. 24,
mayest not fear the deaf and the blind, in reference to' the men which had
who cannot call thee to an account, yet accused (tai3oXavrae slandered) Daniel/'
remember that God both sees and hears, and analogous to this the common name
and he will avenge thy wickedness.      applied to the Devil in Greek is da/lAosa diabolos, from his character of
Against respectofPersonsin Judgmenlt. calumniator and' accuser of the breth15. Thou shalt not respect the person  ren,' denominated in the Syriac, Matt.
of the poor. Heb. DODD RMt/   Mo lot 4. 1, 5, 8, &c., a'divulger of accusatisse pi2nim, thou shalt not lift up or tions.' —tf Neither shalt thou stand
acceptthe face. That isshalt not show  against the blood, &c. That is, thou
favor from private regards, and thus shalt neither be a flSep witness to the




13. C. 1490.]                CHAPTER  XIX..             S5
17 ~ t Thou shalt not hate  thy  in any wise rebuke thy neighbour,
brother in thine heart: u thou shalt and not suffer sin upon him.
t I1 John 2. 9, 11 and 3. 15. u Matt. 15. 15. 25. 0. 2 Tim. 4. 2. Tit. 1. 13, and 2. 15,
Luke 17.:-. Gal. 6.   Epdes.  11 5  i. See Rom. 1. 32. 1Cor. 5. 2. 1Tim. 5. 22.
Ephes. 5.    1Tim..
end;lanering  of a man's life, nor shalt ever, that the word'hate,' may here
ithOi stand by' and see thy neighbor in- be intended to be used rather in the
Ji,.ld,d crushed, ruined, and perhaps his sense of virtual or constructive hatred,
lii;t_ taken, without an effort to save him. as when it is said that the parent who
This precept is joined with the preced- withholds the rod hates the child; by
ilnl,  because tale.bearing, by  sowing  which it is evidently implied, that one
discord and breeding broils in society  who fails to evince the proper tokens
often led to the shedding of blood. of love, is considered as indulging the
Thus Eizek. 22. 9,  In thee are men that sentiments of hate. God in his word so
carry tales to shed blood.' The case of regards and speaks of it. Thus, in the
Doeg, I Sam. 22. 9, 18, is one singularly  present instance, the man who saw his
in point in the present instance,' Then  brother, i. e. his neighbor, yielding to
answered Doeg the Edomite, which was or living in sin, and forbore faithfully
set over the servants of Saul, and said, to rebuke him on account of it, was to
I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, be considered as acting the part of an
to Abimelech the son of Ahitub, &c. enemy instead of a friend; and the con.
And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou  duct of an enemy is naturally supposed
anid fall upon the priests. And Doeg  to be prompted by hatred instead of
the Edomite turned, and fell upon the  love. —— T Thou shalt in any wise repriests, and slew in that day fourscore  buke thy neighbor. Heb. hq:I: I"'ln 
and five persons that did wear a linen'hok&a'h tokia'h, rebuking thou shalt
ephod.'                                rebuke; i. e. thou shalt by all means
rebuke, or, thou shalt freely, plainly,
Against Hatred and Uncharitableness. soundly rebuke. The true force of the
17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in  original is to convince, or rather to conthine heart.  That is, thou shalt not vict, of wrong by reasoning and arguconceal thy hatred against him for any  ment.  Gr. EvEyLmS  Troy 7XcLOV'covJ
wrong that he has done thee; but shall thou shalt convincingly or demonstra.
mildly yet faithfully rebuke him, en. tively reprove thy neighbor. —--       And
deavoring to convince him of the wrong, not suffer sin  upon him.  1Heb. b.
and to bring him both to acknowledge  tfn T.= Mll1 lo tissd 21auv he't, which
his sin before God, and to make the  may  perhaps be correctly rendered,
adequate reparation. The Jews explain; Thou shalt not bear sin (or punish.
the precept thus:' When any man sin- ment) for him;' i.e. thou shalt not, on
neth against another, he must not in- his account, for his sake, by reason of
wardly hate him  and keep silence; as neglecting to do your duty to him, conit is said of the wicked, And Absalom  tract guilt to your own soul. This is
spake unto his brother Arnmon neither the usual and appropriate meaning of
good nor badf for Absalom hated Am. the phrase, as appears from Lev. 22. 9,
non, 2 Sam. 13. 22; but he is command-' They shall therefore keep mine ordied to make it known unto him, and to  nance, lest they bear sin for it.2  Num.
say, Why hast thou done thus unto  18. 32,' And ye shall bear no sin by
me?' This is confirmed by the Gospel reason of it;' where the original is the
rule, Luke 17. 3,'If thy brother sin  same as in the present case. And in
against thee, rebuke him; and if he re- this sense both the Greek and the Chaloent, forgive him.  It is possible, how. daic tnderstand it.  The import is, that
18




206                            LEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1490.
18 [ x Thou shalt not avenge, nor   19 ~ Ye shall keep my statutes.
bear any grudge against the child-  Thou shalt not let thy cattle genren of thy people, y but thou shalt der with  a diverse  kind: z thou
love thy neighbour as thyself: I shalt not sow  thy field with minam the LORD.                            gled seed: a neither shall a garx 2 Sam. 13. 22. Prov. 20. 22. Rom. 12. ment mingled of linen and woollen
17, 19. Gal. 5. 20. Eph. 4.31. 1 Pet. 2. 1. come upon thee.
Jiam.. 9. Y Matt. 5. 43, and 22. 39. Rom.
13. 9. Gal. 6. 14. Jam. 2. 8.                z Deut. 22. 9, 10, a Deut. 22. 11.
a man who failed to reprove sin in ano- Lord thy God. We have here in the
ther rendered himself obnoxious to the  midst of the Jewish code the grand
sarne punishment as the original offend. moral law of the gospel, and that which
er.  The phrase, however, may bear our Savior himself gives as comprising
the sense given it in our version, which  the sum of the second table of the Deca.
is equivalent to saying,' Thou shalt not logue, or all the duties which we owe
suffer him to go on in sin by neglecting  to our fellow-men.  And this law  is
to inform of it; shalt not leave him un- enforced *by the solemn sanction con.
der the guilt of sin unreproved.' The  tained in the words,  I am  the Lord
saying of one of the Jewish rabbins was your God;' q. d. I am he who searches
long current as a proverb among the  and perfectly knows your hearts, and
nation,  That Jerusalem  had not been  the dispositions which you cherish, and
destroyed, but because one neighbor did  who will reward and punish you accord.
not reprove another.'                  ingly.  Nothing shows more conclusively how false and groundless are the
Against Revenge.             charges sometimes brought against the
18. Thou shalt notavenge, &c. That Mosaic code as not only stern, cruel,
is, thou shalt not take into thine own  and barbarous, but as insisting solely
hands the business of redressing thy  on certain outward rites and duties
wrongs, nor shalt thou refuse to do a  without any respect to inward disposi
kindness from  the remembrance of in- tions and motives.
juries past. Gr. Osv eicLKarat Cos  a Xkep,
let not thine hand avenge. —--   Nor Against Mixtures in Cattle, Seed, and
bear any grudge.  Heb. rta Rn lo tit-                 Garments.
tor, thou shalt not watch, mark, or    19. Ye shall keep my statutes. These
insidiously observe, the sins of thy peo- words are here inserted lest the ensuing
ple; i. e. thou shalt not harbor resent- ordinance should be deemed of' little
ment, and covertly watch an opportunity  moment and so be neglected.-~fl Thou
to' feed fat an ancient grudge.'  Gr. shalt not let thy cattle gender with a
ov prvtLciS, thou shalt not bear inveterate  diverse kind.  This might perhaps
anger.  Chal.' Thou shalt not keep  have been forbidden in order to impress
(harbor) enmity.'  So God is said, the Israelites with a greater abhorrence
Nah. 1. 2,' to take vengeance on his of the crime of bestiality, or at least to
adversaries, and to keep (watch) for afford them among the brute creation
his enemies.' But not so towards his no example of those unnatural com,
people, Jer. 3. 12,' For I am merciful, mixtures which were prohibited in the
saith the Lord, and I will not keep  foregoing chapter, v. 22, 23. Yet it
(anger) for ever.' Ps. 103. 9,' He will would seem  that it was not forbidden
not always chide; nor keep (his anger) them to use animals produced from suoh
for ever;' in all which cases the origi. mixtures, as we find mules very fre.
nal word is the same. —--    Thou shalt quently mentioned in the sacred history,
love thy neighbor as thyself:. I am the  which it is well known are gendered in




1B.  i. 14904.              CHAPTER  XIX.                             207
20 T And whosoever lieth  car-  21 And bhe shall bring his tresnally with a woman that is a bond- pass-offering unto the LORD, unto
maid betrothed to an husband, and  the door of the tabernacle of the
not at all redeemed, nor freedom   congregation, even a ram for a tresgiven her; she shall be scourged: pass-offering.
they shall not be put to death, be-  22 And the priest shall make an
cause she was not free.                         b ch. 5. 15, and 6. 6
this manner. See Note on Gen. 36. 24. while perbectly a slave; so, although
As to seeds, it would in many cases, be he might espouse her when partly free,
very improper to sow different kinds in and the espousals be valid, -yet they
the same spot of ground, as many spe-  could not be of full force till her enfrancies of vegetables are disposed to mix chisement was complete. Of a bond.
and thus produce a very degenerate woman in these circumstances the He.
crop.  Thus if oats and wheat were brew doctors understand Moses in this
sown together, the latter would be in- passage to speak, as Maimonides says
jured, the former ruined. The turnip  expressly,' The bond-woman betrothed
and carrot would not succeed.conjointly, spoken of in the law, is one that is half a
when either of them separately would  bond-woman and half a free-woman, and
prosper and yield a good crop; and if' betrothed to an Hebrew servant.' Gr.
this be all that is intended, the precept avrrl oeNKErS     dL a7arevXaytpvCl aUvOpf7r(,
here given is agreeable to the soundest she shall be reserved a household-setr
agricultural maxims. As to garments, vant for a man.-   f Not at all rethe prohibition might have been merely  deemed, nor freedom  given her. Ra.
intended to keep them  aloof from the  ther, not fully, not entirely redeemed,
superstitious customs of the heathen, or but only in part; and therefore her
to intimate how careful they should be freedom not absolutely granted to her.
not to mingle themselves with the ----    She shall be scourged.  Heb.
Gentiles, nor to weave any profane       h n%>! bikkoreth tihych, there
usages into God's ordinances.        shall be a scourging.  The original
n')P= bikkoreth from the root 7'2 bUt.
Relative to the Bond-maid betrothed.  kar, to search, to inquire into, to ex.
20. Wrhosoever lieth carnally with a amine diligently, to talce note of any
woman that is a bond-maid. The exact person or thing, and thence in the derendering of the Hebrew is,'And a man  rivative  inquisition, animadversion,
when he lieth with a woman (with) the  punishment, the frequent effect of a
lying of seed,' to which our version  rigid examination, of a close and pry.
conies sufficiently near. In order fully  ing scrutiny. Gr. evrat  E,oreoq, there
to understand the drift of the precept,it shall be visitation.  If she had been
must be borne in mind, that Gentile perfectly free both parties would have
servants were often found among the been put to death by virtue of the law,
Hebrews, and these, ifproselyted, were  Dett. 22. 23, 25. But not being fully
baptized, and that either with a reser- free, and consequently not fully the
vation of their servitude, or with a full wife of her betrothed, it was hot counted
anid lree discharge. But it appears that adultery-; and therefore punished only
there were some in a kind of interne- with scourging. From the literal ren.
diute or half-way condition, partly free dering,' there shall be scourging,' It
and partly servile, viz., when part only  would doubtless seem that both parties
of their redelnption-money had been  were to share in it alike; but the Hepaid, a balance yet remaining. Now as brew canons and the current of rabbintlo Israelite might marry such a woman ical authority favor rather the rendering




208                          LEVITICBUS.                      B. C. 1490.
atonement for him with the ram   then ye shall count the fruit thereof
of the trespass-offering before the  as uncircumcised: three years shall
LoRD for his sin which he hath  it be as uncircumcised unto you:
done; and the sin which he hath  it shall not be eaten of.
done shall be forgiven him.            24 But in the fourth year all the
23 ~ And when  ye shall come  fruit thereof shall be holy c to praise
into the land, and shall have plant-  the LORD withal.
ed all manner of trees for food;           c Deut. 12. 17, 18. Prov. 3. 9.
of the English text-' She shall be this law is very striking. Every gar.
scourged.'  Maimonides  says,' The dener will teach us not to let fruit-trees
lying with this bond-woman differeth  bear in their earliest years, but to pluck
from all other unlawful connexions; for off the blossoms; and for this reason.
lo, she is to be beaten, and he is bound that they will thus thrive the better,
to bring a trespass-offering.' So in the and bear more abundantly afterwards.
Talmud (Cheret. c. 2.) it is said,' in  Now, if we may not taste the fruit the
all unlawful connexions, whether it be first three years, we shall be the more
man or woman, they are alike in stripes disposed to pinch off the blossoms; and
and in sacrifice: but in the case of the the son will learn to do this from his
bond-woman, the man is not like to the father. The very expression, to regard
woman in stripes, nor the woman to the them as uncircumcised, suggests the
man in sacrifice.'                    propriety of pinching them offl; I do not
say cutting them off, because it is gen.
Relative to the Fruit of Trees.  erally the hand, and not a knife, that is
23. And when ye shall have come into  employed in this operation' Although,
the land. That is, into the promised however, the use of the fruit was only
land, to which alone it would seem this interdicted for three years, the produce
precept had reference.  That it was did not become available to the propri.
based upon any thing beyond natural etor till the fifth year, the first-fruits,
reasons, we see no grounds for believ. that is those of that year, being in this,
ing; though Spencer and others have as in other instances, one of the dues
suggested that as the trees which they  from which the priests derived their
would find growing on their entrance subsistence. Perhaps a moral intima.
into the land were planted by idolaters, tion to the effect that men were to reand probably with superstitious cere- strain their appetites, and not to indulge
monies, their fruit being considered by in premature gratifications, was dethe Israelites as for a time unclean, signed at the same time to be conveyed
would tend to impress their minds with in this precept. Thus this wondrous
an idea of the impurity and abominable code taught its subjects to find'sernature of idolatry. But it is evident mons in trees,' as well as'good in
from  the text, that the precept has every thing.'
reference to such trees as they should   24. All the fruit thereof shall be holy
themselves plant, and that it was to be to praise the Lord. Heb. M'-151;  WlsI
of like permanent authority with the YIM'1  kodesh hillulim  laihovah, holiother enactments of the Levitical code. ness of praises to the Lord. That is,
Nor do we doubt that an adequate  shall be consecrated to the Lord, and
knowledge  of vegetable physiology  eaten with demonstrations of joy and
would disclose the utmost propriety in praise, as Judg. 9. 27,' they made
the direction. Indeed Michaelis says, praise;' that is, they expressed their
Comment. on Laws of Moses, vol. 3. joyful emotions by songs of praises,
p. 367-8,' The economical object of and probably by dancing, as the Gr. ren.




B. C. 1490.]               CHAPTER  XIX.                               209
25 And in the fifth year shall ye   26 ~ d Ye shall not eat any thing
eat of the fruit thereof, that it may  with the blood: e neither shall ye
yield unto you the increase there- use  enchantment,  nor  observe
of; I am the LORD your God.           times.
18. 10, 11, 14. 1 Sam. 15. 23. 2 Kings 17.
d ch. 17. 10, &c. Deut. 12. 23. e Deut. 17, and21.6. 2 Chron. 33. 6. Ma. 3. 5.
ders it. The phrase points to some- they told Saul, saying, Behold, the peo.
what of more than usual festivity.    ple sin against the Lord, in that they
25. In the fifth year shall ye eat of  eat wuith the blood (t:in gf at haddm,
the fruit thereof, that it may yield unto  upon the blood).' What is meant by
you the increase thereof. Heb. t61tn    this we infer from v. 32, of the same
viWr'l~  b    lehosiph lMikem tebueitho, chapter;'And the people flew upon
to add increasingly to you its product. the spoil, and took sheep and oxen, and
The intimation clearly is, that they  calves, and slew them upon the ground,
would be no losers by waiting to the and the people did eatthem  with the
fifth year for the fruit of their trees. blood (t'e  Yf al hadddm, upon the
The forbearance would be rewarded by blood).'  From  this it would appear
the far more abundant fruitfulness of that the phrase to eat any thing upon
the trees themselves.                 the blood, means to eat the flesh of the
animal before it is fully dead. and the
Against the eating of Blood, and va- blood thoroughly drained fiom it. Thus
~ rious Superstitious Observances.    Maimonides;' It is unlawful to eat of
26. Ye shall not eat any thing with a slain beast so long as it trembleth;
the blood. Heb.  U;   f q51 Rr Rbk lo and he that eateth thereof before the
tokelu at hadddm, ye shall not eat upon soul (life) of it be gone out, transgress.
the blood. Gr. ls Ec0eers E7rL opswv eat eth against a prohibition, Ye shall not
not upon the mountains, i. e. after the eat upon the blood.'-~ Neither shall
manner of idolaters; an erroneous ren- ye use enchantments. Heb. lI3rl: lf
dering, arising from  the translators lo tena'hashu, ye shall not practice auhaving mistaken  71M hadddm, blood, gury or divination. It is the root with
for VtS hdrim, mountains,' (r) for which Ir=  na'lhash, a serpent, is so
7 (d), as they have done in numerous intimately connected, and the true force
other instances. The sense is intrinsi- of which is elucidated in the Note on
cally good and warranted by Ezek. Gen. 3. 1. It refers to the superstitious
18. 6, but is not the meaning here in- observance  of omens, and  perhaps
tended; although it is not perfectly  mainly such ceremonies as were underobvious what the true meaning really is. stood by the term ophiontancy, or divi.
The Rabbinical commentators for the nation by serpents, similar to which
most part, understand it, especially from  was the art of ornithomancy, or augury
its connexion with what follows, as a by birds.  This is Bochart's opinion,
prohibition of certain idolatrous rites who has gone into the subject, as usual,
practised in the religion of the heathen, at great length. —r Nor observe times.
in which they entered into communion  Heb. q1=q= M) lo teonEnu. The doubtwith demons by gathering the blood of ful origin of the word makes the sense
their sacrifices into a vessel, or a little  doubtful. Aben.Ezra and many others
hole dug in the earth, and then sitting  consider the verb as a denominative
round it, feeding upon the flesh of the from  the root ~y. dnfin, a cloud, and
victims. But a more probable interpre- understand it here to be equivalent to
tation is that suggested by the usage of talcing omens from  the aspect of the
the same phrase, 1 Sam. 14. 33, 1 Then  clouds, and other celestial phenomena18*




9210                           LEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1490.
27 fYe shall not round the cor-  28 Ye shall not g make any cutners of your heads, neither shalt tings in your flesh for the dead, nor
thou mar the corners of thy beard. print any marks upon you: I am
the LORD.
f ch. 21. 5. Jer. 9. 26, and 48. 37. Isai.   g ch. 21. 5. Deut. 14. 1. Jer. 16. 6, and
15.'2.                                 45. 37.
a species of divination to which respect was in opposition to the usages of the
seems to be had, Jer. 10. 2, where the  heathen. The precept in the following
prophet forbids the people to be' dis- clause relative to the beard is of equivmnayed at the signs of heaven, at which  alent import.  They were to let it
the heathen are dismayed.'  To this grow equally over all the lower part of
interpretation Rosenmuller gives the  of the face.
preference. Jarchi, on the other hand,   28. Ye shall not make any cuttings
who is followed by Fuller (Miscel. in yourfleshfor the dead. Heb.=2l
Sacr. 1. 1. c. 16) gives the noun hI'Yr  lenephesh, for a soul; but this is the
onMh as the etymon which is defined  sense of the Heb. term  in repeated ina set, fixed, or prescribed time. The  stances, as Lev. 21, Num. 6. 6, Hag.
phrase, therefore,' to observe times' is 2. 13. They were not to maim or lacesupposed to imply the noting of certain  rate their persons in any manner in
days as more lucky than others, and  their mourning ceremonies, as with the
selecting such as the days on which to vain idea of pacifying or propitiating
commence a journey, or undertake any  the infernal spirits in behalf of the dead,
particular business or enterprise. This a notion  very prevalent among  the
is probably the true sense, whether the  heathen  idolaters.  Mourning habits
etymology above suggested be correct they might put on, if they dhose, and,
or not. about which there is considerable  with the exception of the high-priest,
doubt. We may remark that the Gr. has rend their garments in token of grief;
opvtOoCsoTvreseOc, signifying augury by  but they were not to disfigure their
birds; while the Syriac employs a term  bodies.  This would be utterly unbeimplying fascination by the eye, as if coming a people who were instructed to
)'I  ayin, eye, were the root. It seems a better knowledge of a future state and
impossible to decide with confidence  of the invisible world than the ignorant
the exact import. But while we are  heathen could be supposed to possess.
left in doubt about the precise meaning  -- I Nor print any marks upon you.
of a term, we are at no loss to discover' This is understood to forbid tile pria.
the general scope and ground of the  tice of tattooing, that is, by means of
precept. The giving heed to vain signs colors rubbed over minute  punctures
and prognostics, the turning to the de- made in the skin, to impress certain
lusive arts of astrology, or fortune-tell- figures and characters on different parts
ing, would naturally beget a disregard  of the body, and which in general re.
and a practical denial of the doctrine  main indelible throughout life.  The
of an over-ruling Providence, which was figures thus impressed on the arms and
ever to be an object of cordial belief  breasts of our sailors will serve in some
and unreserved trust to the pious mind. degree to indicate the sort of ornament
27. Ye shall not round the corners intended. It is well known to be coni.
of your head. That is, shall not so  mon among savages and barbarians in
shave off the hair of the head around  alomost all clinmates and countries-the
the temples and behind the ears as to  aboriginal inhabitants of our own counleave the head wholly bald, except a  try not excepted, who, from  having
dish-like tuft upon the crown.  This  their naked bodies profusely ornament



B. C. 1490.1               CHAPTER  XIX.                              211
29  ~ h Do  not  prostitute  thy  whore: lestthe land fall to whoredaughter to cause  her to be a  dom, and the land become full of
h Deut. 23. 17.           wickedness.
ed, apparently in this style, were de. doos have a black spot, or some other
scribed by the Romans as painted savy- mark, upon their foreheads.  It was
ages. It seems in England to be more probably the perversion of such figures
commonly regarded as a custom of sav- to superstitious purposes, or being worn
age islanders than as any thing more. in honor of some idol, which occasioned
Yet it is also an Oriental custom; and them to be interdicted in the text before
that too among lpeople whose proximity  us-if such tattooing is really that
to the Hebrews affords a reason for the which is here intended. As the marks
interdiction. The Bedouin Arabs, and are indelible, we of course, in taking
those inhabitants of towns who are in this view, consider that a permanent
any way allied to them, are scarcely  fashion rather than a temporary mourn.less fond of such decorations than any  ing usage is here prohibited.' —P. Bib.
islanders of the Pacific Ocean. This is
particularly the case among the females,      Against Prostitution.
who in general have their legs and arms,   29. Do not prostitute thy daughter,
their front from the neck to the waist, &c. Heb.,l'ln >R al te'hall'l, do not
and even their chins, noses, lips, and makeabominable orprofane. Gr. ovsfle,other prominent parts of the face dis- XWOaEc thou shalt notprofane, desecrate,
figured with blue stains in the form of or pollute. This alludes to the abom-.
flowers, circles, bands, stars, and various inable custom of the heathen, among
fanciful figures. They have no figures whom  the women prostituted themof living objects, such being forbidden selves in their temples as an act of re.
by their religion: neither do they asso. ligion. At Babylon this was done, acciate any superstitions with them, so cording to Herodotus, by women of all
far as we were able to ascertain. They  ranks, before -they were married; and
probably did both before the Mohar-. from  the following remarks of Mr.
medan era, as their descendants in the Roberts (Orient. Illust.) it appears that
island of Malta do at present.  The  the same depraved practice is still kept
men there generally go about without up in India.-' Parents, in consequence
theirjackets,and with theirshirt sleeves of a vow or some other circumstance,
tucked up above their elbows, and we often dedicate their daughters to the
scarcely recollect ever to have seen an gods. They are sent to the temple, at
arm thus bare which was not covered  the age of eight or ten years, to be in.
with religious emblems and figures of itiated into the art of dancing before
the Virgili, or of some saint under the deities, and of singing songs in
whose immediate protection the person  honor of their exploits.  From  that
thus marked conceived himself to be. period these dancing girls remain in
Thus also, persons who visit the holy  some sacred building near the temple;
sepulchre and other sacred places in and when they arrive at maturity (the
Palestine, have commonly a mark im- parents being made acquainted with the
pressed upon the arm in testimony of fact), a feast is made, and the poor girl
their  meritorious pilgrimage.  The  is given into the embraces of some in.
Hindoos also puncture upon their per. fluential man of the establishmentsons representations of birds, trees, and  Practices of the most disgusting nature
the gods they serve. Amriong them tie then take place, and the young victim
representations are sometimes of a becomes a prostitute for life.2 From
highly offensive description. All Hin. all such horrid abominations the sane



212                            LEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1490.
30 ~ i Ye shall keep my sabbaths, familiar spirits, neither seek after
and kreverence my sanctuary: I wizards, to be defiled by them: I
am the LORD.                            am  the LORD your God.
31 ~ l Reg ard not them that have    1 Exod. 22.18. ch. 20. 6, 27. Deut. 18.10.
1 Sam. 28. 7. 1 Chron. 10. 13. Isai. 8. 19.
iver. 3. ch. 26. 2. k Eccles5.      Act5.  16. 16.
tuary of God was to be kept free, and  oboth. Go not after them  to consult
all licentiousness among the people at them, nor follow their directions. Gr.
large to be discouraged to the utmost. oeov  E7rasKoXov0tC0o, follow  not.  We
It can hardly be supposed that any  give the term oboth without translating,
parent would be so far lost to all the  because we have no English word that
instincts of natural affection, as know. precisely answers to it.  Its literal
ingly and of set design to surrender a sense is that of leathern bottles or
beloved daughter to a life of infamy, water-skins, which would of course be
degradation, and sin; but he might do  in a state of distension or swelling when
this indirectly, by not restraining her filled with water. This circumstance
from such customs and associations as seems to have been the ground of the
would tend to lead to it; and it is the  application of the term  to sorcerers,
usual idiom  of the Scriptures to speak  necromancers, or ventriloquists, (Gr.
of that as actually done by a person  reyyeacrppivOo, speakers out of the belly),
which he does not prevent when it was who, in the practice of their pretended
in the power of his hand to do it. magical rites and incantations, and
Whether the prohibition  is pointed  while- under the alleged influence of
against the exposing of daughters to  the. inspiring demon, became greatly
prostitution as a part'of religion, is, inflated, and in that state uttered their
we  think, considerably doubtful, al- oracles, as if the spirit himself spoke
though it may have been so. But there  from within them. The Chal. has ~I'tl
is no room to question that the explana- biddin, pythons, to which we have a
tion above given is true at any rate. distinct allusion Acts 16. 16,'And it
Parents were not to prostitute  their came to pass as we went to prayer, a
daughters by suffering them to be ex- certain damsel possessed with a spirit
posed to the danger of prostitution.   of divination (Gr. vrvpva 7rvOuworv, spirit
of python), met us,' &c. Python was
Enjoining Reverence  of the Sabbath  a name of Apollo, and this damsel was
and the Sanctuary,            actuated as his priests or priestesses
30. Ye shall keep' my sabbaths and  were supposed to be in delivering orareverence my sanctuary.  These pre- cles at Delphos.  She was doubtless
cepts are doubtless here conjoined from  of the class of persons denounced in
the intimate relation which the observ- this passage. Grammatically, we sup.
ance of the one has to that of the other. pose, III'M  oboth in this place requires
Neglect or profanation of the Sabbath  the supply  of the word it:  baal,
not only accompanies, but in great mea. or n1ea  baalath, master or mistress of
sure consists in, the habitual disregard  Ob, as it is expressed 1 Sam. 28. 7, in
of the worship of the sanctuary.       respect to the witch of Endor, who is
called Z'nU h5Yt baalath ob, mistress
Against consulting Wizards and them  of Ob, but translated in our version one
which have Familiar Spirits.       that' had a familiar spirit.' So by a
31. Regard not them  that have fa. like figure of speech'spirits' is used
miliar spirits. Heb. M itFl    1'=l'F n ar for'spiritual gifts,' and for those who
al tiphnu el hdoboth, turn not to te exercise them, 1  or. 14, 12,32.-1  John




B3. 0. 1490.]               CHAPTER  XIX.                                 213
32 ~ m Thou shalt rise up before   33 1~ And o if a stranger sojourn
the hoary head, and honour the with thee in your land, ye shall
face of the old man, and n fear thy  not vex him.
God: I am the LORD.
Prov. 20. 29. 1 Tim. 5. 1. n ver. 14.        0 Exod. 22. 21, and 23.9.
4. 1. -    Neither seek after wizards. ing reverence to be paid to the aged, he
Il b. t':ZY'I yiddeonim, knouzing ones. in fact ordains it to that which is a feeble
The terim in its radical meaning implies image of his own eternity. He is deknowltedge (from.ce yvdda, to know), nominated the' Ancient of days,' and
and is here applied to nmen as the pre- when he is represented as having' the:cediilg is to women. It is agreed that hair of his head like the pure wool,' he
the word denotes generally those who, is pleased to represent himself as hav.
by means of magical and cabalistic ing the distinguishing characteristic of
arts, professedl to become acquainted  old age. There is probably no object
with future events, to know the good or in creation so fitted to inspire reverence
evil that awaited human life. They  as the sight of' the snowy locks of the
are joined with the masters or possess. old man, and consequently the duty here
ors of' familiar spirits I above.men- enjoined has been recognized in all civitioned, as like them  in sin, and both  lized nations, as one the violation of
were to be put to death by the magis- which is deserving of the severest pun.
trate, according to ch. 20. 27, which  ishment. Even a heathen Juvenal (Sat.
contains the penalty of this crime.' A  13.) could say-' Hoc grande nefas, et
man also or a woman that hath a fa. morte piandum, si juvenis vetulo non
mriliar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall assurrexerat. —'~ And fear thy God.
surely be put to death: they shall stone Heb. ",? nrlm' yiirkthd mgelohEkkd,
them with stones: their blood shall be fear from (before) thy gods. That is,
upon them.' The reason for this pre. as many of the Jewish writers under.
cept's coming in juxta-position with the stand it, reverence thy judges or magis.
former enjoining reverence of the sanc- trates, who are repeatedly called W-11n5
tuary is thus intimated in the paraphrase  Elohim, gods, in the sacred writings.
of R. Chazkuni: —I Ye shall reverence They  suppose accordingly that there
my sanctuary; therefore turn not to are three degrees or ranks of men imthem that have familiar spirits, nor to plied in this verse towards each of
wizards; for what have you to do with  which becoming tokens of honor and
such?  Behold, you have a sanctuary  reverence are here expressly enjoined;
wherein is Urim and Thummim.'          (1.) the aged in general; (2.) the wise
and learned; (3.) judges and magis.
Respect to be shown to the Aged.    trates.  But if taken as read in our
32. Thoue shalt rise up before the translation, it clearly shows how intihoary head. Heb. tome    fsht mippene  mate is the connexion in God's sight,
shk'bdh, before the greyness or hoari. between a devout fear of himself and a
ness; the abstract for the concrete, as becoming reverence of those who are
in numerous other instances.  Chal. his most natural representatives to the'Him that is skilful in the law.' How  eyes of mortals.
much praise have the Spartan institu.
tionsjustly obtained for cherishing this    The Stranger not to be oppressed.
principle, yet how much more energetic   33. If a stranger sojourn with thee in
and authoritative is the language of the  your land ye shall not vex him. Heb.
Jewish code, coming as it does directly'Int n']In N  lo tonu otho, ye shall not
from Jehovah himself! In command. afflict, oppress him. Gr. ov OXtsre avrow




2144                           LEVITICUS.                     tB. C. 1490.
34 p Biut the stranger that dwell- a just ephah, and a just hin shall
eth with you, shall be unto you as ye have: I am the LORD your God,
one born among you, and q thou  which brought you out of the land
shalt love him  as thyself; for ye  of Egypt.
were  strangers in  the  land  of   37 t Therefore shall ye observe ail
Egypt: I am the LORD your God. my statutes, and all my judgments,
03  ~[ r Ye shall do no unrighteous- and do them: I am the LORD.
ness in judgment, in mete-yard, in
weight, or in measure.                          CHAPTER  XX.
36 sJust balances, just weights,  A ND the LORD spake unto MoP Exod. 12. 48, 49. q Deut. 10. 19. r ver. 15. ses, saying,
s Deut. 25. 13, 15. Prov. 11. 1, and 16. 11,   t ch. 15. 4, 5. Deut. 4. 5, 6, and 5. 1, and
and 20. 10.                           6. 25.
ye shall not afflict him. By the Targum  abominable in a very high degree.of Jonathan and by Sol. Jarchi, it is r' In mete-yard. Heb. n7]h.  bammidunderstood of vexations of words, such  ddh; a measure of length or surface,
as saying to him,' Yesterday thou wast such as the yard, cubit, foot, span, &c.
an idolater, and now  thou comest to  --        In weight.  Heb. ~1pw=     barnlearn the law which was given from the mishkol; such as the talent, shekel,
mouthof God.' It is supposed that the  &c.-   r In measure. Heb. jJ1j 2"=
stranger was not an idolater, but a bammesurdh;  by which is denoted
worshipper of the God of Israel, though  measures of capacity, such as the ho.
not circumcised; a proselyte of right. mrer, ephah, seah, bin, &c. In all these
eousness.  If such an one sojourned  articles, as well as in the balances or
among them, they must not vex him, scales, weight.stones, &c., mentioned
nor oppress, nor overreach him  in a in the next verse, they were to observe
bargain, taking advantage of his igno- the most honest exactness, and never
rance of their laws and customs; they  allow  themselves to practise any spe.
must reckon it as great a sin to cheat a cies of fraud in their dealings and comstranger, as to cheat an Israelite. As mrrerce, because they might not think it
all men are children of one common  of easy detection.
father, it argues a generous disposition    In view of the general contents of
and a pious regard to God to show kind- this chapter, who can but feel how adness to strangers.                    mirable are such language and senti
ments, ancd how suited to the sacred
Enjoining just Measures, Weights, and  original from which they flow! How
Balances.               strongly do they attest the divine be.
35. Ye shall do no unrighteousness nevolence which dictated the Jewish
in judgment. The word  judgment' in  law, and the divine authority which
this connexion is very plausibly referred  alone could enforce such precepts by
by the Hebrew writers to all the par- adequate sanctions, and impress such
ticulars that follow. On this construc-  sentiments upon the human heart with
tion it is held, that Moses uses the word  practical conviction
here in order to intimate of what solemn moment he would have the law                 CHAPTER XX,
considered, which relates to true mea-   The principal scope of the present
sures and weights. The man that falsi-. chapter is to specify the punishments
fled either was to be regarded as a which it pleased God to annex to the
corrupter of judgment, an emphatic transgression of the laws contained in
designation, equivalent to vile, wicked, the two preceding chapters.  As we




B. -C. 1490.]                CHAPTER  XX.'215
2 a Again thou shalt say to the  death: the people of the land shall
children of Israel, b Whosoever he  stone him  with stones.
be s'f the children of Israel, or of   3 And c I will set my face against
the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that man, and will cut him  off
that giveth any of his seed unto  from  among his people; because
MIolech, he shall surely be put to  he hath  given of his seed  unto
t2Molech, to' defile my sanctuary,
a ch. 1. 21. b cl. S. 21. Dent. 12..31, and e to profane my holy name.
and 18. 10. 2 Kings 17. 17, and 23. 10. 2
Chron. 33. 6. Jer. 7. 31, and 32. 35. Ezek.   c ch. 17. 10. d Ezek. 5. 11, and 23. 38, 39
20. 26, 31                             e ch. 18. 21.
have already had occasion to consider but if not, the other witness took a great
most of them  in connexion with the stone and dashed it on his breast as he
parallel precepts in ch. 18, there remains lay upon his back; and then, if he was
little to be said by way of additional not despatched, all the people that stood
comment.                               by, threw stones at him till he died.
3. I will set my face against that man.
Against the giving of Seed to Molech. Heb. ItI  elttn, will give; i. e. will op.
2. Whosoever he be, &c. Heb. VDn  pose, will fix firmly my face; for which
Vlti a man, a man. The law had res. we have in v. 5 another and more appropect as much to proselytes who had  priate original word for set (.~lIh
embraced the Hebrew faith, as to native samti). It might reasonably be asked,
Israelites. -i That giveth any of his in what sense God here threatens the
seed unto Molech. That is, any of his cutting off an offender, who is at the
children. On the name and character same time represented as having been
of this idol, see note on Lev. 18. 21.-   stoned to death in the preceding verse.
Ir He shall be surely put to death. Heb. To this it is answered by the Jewish'hItn 1nq2 moth yumdth, dying he shall critics, that the meaning is, that where
be made to die. So afterwards, in vv. the sin was not known, or there was
9, 10, 11,12, &c. —fS The people of the not a sufficient amount of proof to conland. That is, the inhabitants of that vict the offender of the crime, there
region in which he dwells. Chal.' The  God would interpose, and by his own
people of the  house of Israel./-      act'cut him off,' by some extraordinary
IT Shall stone him with stones. This judgment, from among his people. But
was the principal capital punishment in as this case would seem rather to be inuse among the Jews, and the mode of it eluded in that mentioned vv. 4, 5, we
was as follows:-When the criminal prefer to consider the punishment de.
arrived within four cubits of the place  nounced in this passage as identical
of execution, he was stripped naked, ex- with the' stoning' of v. 2. The Most
cept a slight covering about the loins, High  declares that in this way his
and his hands being bound, he was led  judicial purpose shall be executed. The
up to the fatal spot, which was an emi- threatening is of fearful import. That
nence about twice the height of a man. infliction must be awful indeed, in which
The first executioners of the sentence  the sufferer sees the human agents
were the witnesses,who generally pulled  imerely carrying into effect a divine
off their clothes for that purpose. One sentence which decrees his destruction.
of them  threw him  down with great ----  To defile my sanctuary;-which
violence upon his loins; if he rolled  which was defiled when God was pro.
upon his breast, he was turned upon his fessedly worshipped in any other place
loins again; and if he died by the fall, or in any other manner than he had
tbe sentence of the law was executed; commanded; or when sacrifices were




216                           LEVITICUS.                       [B, C. 1490.
4 And if the people of the land   6 ~ And k the soul that turneth,lo any ways hide their eyes from  after such as have familiar spirits,
the man, when he giveth of his seed  and after wizards, to go a whoring
unto Molech, and f kill him not;    after them, I will even set my face
5 Then g I will set my face against  against that soul, and will cut hirn
that man, and h against his family, off from  among his people.
and will cut him  off, and all that   7  [ l Sanctify yourselves therei go a whoring after him, to com- fore and be ye holy: for I am  the
minit whoredom with Molech, from  LoRD your God.
among their people.                     8 m And ye shall keep my statutes,
f Deut. 17. 2, 3, 5. g ch. 17. 10. 1h Exod.   k cl. 19. 31. 1 ch. 11. 44, and 19. 2. 1 Pet.
20. 5. i ch. 17. 7.                   1. 16. m ch. 19. 37.
offered by his people to false gods; in- Chal.' All who err after him;' the usual
asinuch as the temple of God hath no  term for expressing idolatrous apostacy
agreement with idols.-f.T   And to  in that version. Gr. radras To  btt oYoprofane my holy name.  Heb. 53n5  ovvras avrq,,, all who consent with hint.
le'hallSl, the same word as that employ- The language is founded upon the peed Lev. 19. 29,' Do not prostitute  culiarly near and intimate relation,
(5)i17   te'hallWl) thy daughter,' &c. amounting in fact to a kind of conjugal
The name of God is profaned, dese- union, between God and his covenant
crated, made abominable, when the people, an infraction of which on their
honor and reverence due to him alone is part was a virtual act of adultery.
lavished upon idols. See Note on Lev.
18. 21.                                      Of consulting Wizards.
4. If the people of the land do any    6. The soul that turneth after such
ways hide their eyes.  Heb. t5Yij  as have familiar spirits, &c. The na..'1i"5.  ha'lem ya'lim, hiding do hide. ture of' the sin here alluded to has been
Gr. vp7rsobar v7rsptmdwlv, with winking  already explained, Lev. 19, 31. The
shall wink at; i. e. shall overlook, dis. punishment denounced is the same juregard, neglect to, punish.  The Gr. dicial' cutting off' which we have beword is the same with that occurring, fore had frequent occasion to consider,
Acts 17. 30,' And the times of this ig- and of which a fuller exposition will be
norance God winked at (vwrptwlv), but found in the Note on Gen. 17. 14. The
now commandeth,' &c.                  case of Saul affords a melancholy in5. Then I will set my face, &c. Chal. stance of the execution of this fearful'I will set mine anger against that man sentence; 1 Chron. 10. 13, 14,'And
and his helpers.' Because others might Saul died for his transgression which
wickedly connive at his offence, let him  he committed against the Lord, even
not therefore promise himself impunity. against the word of the Lord, which he
The eye of Omniscience would still be kept not, and also for asking counsel of
upon him, and the hand which no power one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire
could stay or elude would single him  of it; and inquired not of the Lord;
out for its stroke; and not him only, therefore he slew him, and turned the
but the judgment, according to the usual kingdom unto David.' As the act foranalogy of Providence, would embrace  bidden was in its own na'ture idolatrous,
the circle of his family, and involve it is characterized by the same opproothers in its desolating effects.  See brious term as that which is applied in
Note on Joshua, 7. 15. — Ir His family. the preceding verse to the service of
Gr. Tiv avyyevelav avrov, his kindred. Molech.
----  All that go a whoring after him.   7. Sanctify yourselves therefore. &c.




B. C. 1490.]                 CHAPTER  XX.                                 217
and  do them:  n I am  the LORD  teth adultery with another man's
which sanctify you.                    wife, even  he  that  committeth
9 ~ o For every one that curseth  adultery with his neighbour's wife,
his father or his mother, shall be  the adulterer and  the adulteress
surely put to death: he hath cursed  shall surely be put to death.
his father or his mother: phis   11 r And the man that lieth with
blood shall be upon him.               his father's wife, hath  uncovered
10 ~ And q the man that commit-  his father's nakedness: both  of
them  shall surely be put to death:
n Exod. 31. 13. ch. 21. 8. Ezek. 37. 28. their blood shall be upon them.
Exod. 21. 17. Det. 27. 16. Prov. 20.      12 sAnd if a man lie with his
JMIatt. 15. 4. P ver. 11, 12, 13, 16, 27. 2 Sam.
I. 16. q ch. 15. 20. Deut. 22. U2. John 8. daughter-in-law, both of them shall
4, 5.                                    r ch. 18. 8. Deut. 27. 23. s ch. 18. 15.
This is not properly to be regarded as is introduced by the illative'for' as
a separate and independent precept, but indicative of its close connexion with
rather as an appendix to the preceding. the precept contained in the preceding
The sanctity especially enjoined upon  verse;'Be ye holy, and keep all my
the chosen people consisted in great statutes, or otherwise my judgments
mieasure in their separation from  the  will fall upon you, for every one that
corrupt and idolatrous practices of the curseth, &c., shall be surely put to
surrounding heathen; and nothing was death;' or as the Heb. has it, MrhlI' D']
more natural than that such an injunc. moth yumath, dying shall be made to
tion should follow in close connexion a die. The precise mode of execution is
precept expressly denouncing a particu- not specified, but it is understoobl to be
lar form of idolatrous usage. It is as by stoning. This form of capital pun.
if he had said,' Instead of conforming ishment is uniformly to be understood
to these abominable and wicked rites, where no other is stated.-       i He hath
and thus contaminating yourselves with  cursed his father or his mother. This
the guilt of necromancy and other ma-  is repeated as by a kind of note of exgical arts, sanctify yourselves, i. e. Ikeep  clamation, to aggravate the enormity
yourselves aloof from  all fellowship  of the crime. He shall be put to death,
with these works of iniquity; remember for, with utter amazement be it said,
that ye are called to be a chosen and he hath cursed his father or his moholy and peculiar people, for the Lord  ther!! such a monster must surely die.
your God, whose ye are, is a holy God, - T His blood shall be upon him.
infinitely separated from all these lying  That is, he shall be put to death as a
vanities which the heathen worship as malefactor justly condemned to die;
gods.'                                 one who has brought his guilt upon his
own head, and who can blame none but
Of cursing Parents.           himself for the consequences.  Chal.
9. For every one that curseth his I He is guilty of death,' i. e. worthy to
father or his mother, &c. Heb. ~iDj' be killed. Gr. eioXoS Esrat, he shall be
yekallel; of the genuine force of this guilty.  The death in this and all such
word which radically signifies to make cases was stoning.' Every place where
light of, and refers to any kind of speech  it is said in the law,' they shall be put
which has a tendency to lessen our pa- to death; their blood (be) upon them,'
rents in the eyes of others, or in any  it is meant, by stoning.'-Maimonidea
way to bring contempt upon them. See in Ainsworth.
what is said in the Note on the fifth   10. See on Lev. 18. 20.
commandmnent, Ex. 20. 12. The verse    11. See on Lev. 18. 8.
19




218                          LEVITICUS.                      [B3. C. 1490
surely be put to death: t they have  it is a wicked thing; and they shall
wrought confusion;  their blood  be cut off in the sight of their peoshall be upon them.                  pie: he hath uncovered his sister's
13 u If a man also lie with man- nakedness; he shall bear his inkind, as he lieth with a woman, iquity.
both of them have committed an   18 a And if a man shall lie with
abomination: they shall surely be  a woman having her sickness, and
put to death; their blood shall be shall uncover her nakedness; he
upon them.                           hath discovered her fountain, and
14 x And if a man take a wife and  she hath uncovered the fountain
her mother, it is wickedness: they  of her blood: and both of them
shall be burnt with fire, both he shall be cut off from among their
and they: that there be no wick- people.
edness among you.                     19 b And thou shalt not uncover
15 YAnd if a man lie with  a  the nakedness of thy mother's sisbeast, he shall surely be put to  ter, nor of thy father's sister: c for
death: and ye shall slay the beast. he uncovereth his near kin: they
16 And if a woman approach unto  shall bear their iniquity.
any beast, and lie down thereto,  20 d And if a man shall lie with
thou shalt kill the woman and the  his uncle's wife, he hath uncovbeast; they shall surely be put to  ered his uncle's nakedness:-. they
death;: their blood shall be upon  shall bear their sin: they shall die
them.                                childless.
17 zAnd if a man shall take his  21 e And if a man shall take his
sister, his father's daughter, or his brother's wife, it is an  unclean
mother's daughter, and see her na- thing: he hath uncovered his brokedness, and she see his nakedness: ther's nakedness; they shall be
childless.
t eh. 18. 23.   ch. 18. 22i.Dent. 23. 17.  22  Ye shall therefore keep all
See Gen. 19. 5. Judg. 19. 22. x ch. 18. 17.
Deut. 27. 23. Y ch. 1. 23. Deut. 27. 21.   a ch. 18. 19. See eh. 15. 24. b ch. IS, 12,
z ch. 18. 9. Deut. 27. 22. See Gen. 20. 12. 13. c h. 18. 6. d ch. 18. 14. e ch. 18. 16.
12. See on Lev. 18. 15.            would be childless.  The Heb. word
13. See on Lev. 18. 22.            ~'q~  ariri, unfruitful, has this mean14. See on Lev. 18. 17. —I They  ing, and is applied to the case of a man
shall be burnt withfire. That is, after who has children, but will not be heired
being stoned. See Note on Josh. 7. 15. by them. Thus in Jer. 22. 30, it is said
15, 16. See on Lev. 18. 23.        of a king who certainly had children,
17. See on Lev. 18. 9.             though they did not receive his inherit18. See on Lev. 18. 19.            ance, I Inscribe this man as childless;
19. See on Lev. 18. 12.            for of his posterity none shall prosper,
20. See on Lev. 18. 14.            nor any sit upon the throne of David.'
21. See on Lev. 18. 16. —--     They For the children of such a marriage
shall be childless.' This does not would be ascribed to the deceased bromean,' says Michaelis,' that God would  ther; and that, among the Israelites,
miraculously prevent the procreation of where a man made so much of the honor
children from such a marriage; for God of being called father, was a very sen.
no where promises any continual mira- sible punishment.  TIhe Lxx, Auguscle of this nature; but only that the tine, and Aben-Ezra, understood. our
children proceeding from it should not text in this manner.'-Comment on L.
be put to their account in the' public of AT. ~ 116. It must be admitted to
registers; so that in-a civil sense they be not a little remarkable, that God;




B. C. 149G.]                CHAPTER  XXI.                                219
my  fstatutes, and all my judo-  ference between clean beasts and
meats, and do them: that the land  unclean,  and  between   unclean
whither I bring you to dwell there- fowls and clean: n and ye shall not
in, g spue you not out.                make your souls abominable by
23 hAnd ye  shall not walk  in  beast or by fowl, or by any manthe manners of the nations which  ner of living thing that creepeth
I cast out before you: for they  on the ground, which I have sepacommitted  all these things, and  rated from you as unclean.
i therefore I abhorred them.            26 And ye shall be holy un to me:
24 But kI have said unto you, o for I the  LoaD  am  holy, and
Ye shall inherit their land, and  I p have severed you from  other peowill give it unto you  to possess  ple, that ye should be mine.
it, a land that floweth with  milk   27 ~ q A man also or a woman
and honey: I am  the LORD your that hath a familiar spirit, or that
God, 1 which have separated you  is a wizard, shall surely be put to
from  other people.                    death: they shall stone them with
25, m Ye shall therefore put dif- stones: r their blood shall be upon
f:h. IS. 26, and 19. 37. g ch. 18. 25, 28. them.
1 ch 18. 3,'24, 30. i ch. IS. 27. Deut. 9. 5.   n ch. 11. 43. 0 ver. 7. ch. 19. 2. 1 Pet.
k Exod. 3. 17, and 6.. I ver. 26. Exod. 19. I. 16. P ver. 24. Tit..2. 14. q ch. 19. 31.
5, and 33. 16. Dent. 7. 6, and 14. 2. 1 Kings Exod 22. 18. Deut. 18. 10, 11. 1 Sam. 28.
8. 53. mch. 11. 47. Deunt. 14. 4.      7, 8. r ver. 9.
should here threaten a punishment to  when the emotion in the divine mind is
be inflicted by his own special interpo. abhorrence, what must be the action of
sition, when in every other case men-  thedivinejudgments? Itwillbeseenthat
tioned he ordered it to be done by the  the great argument by which the pecu.
agency of the magistrate. This gives liar people are urge'l to obedience is
considerable plausibility to the sugges. the fact that they had been separated
tion above quoted; viz. that their child. by a kind of holy external sequestraren should be bastardized; at the same  tion from  all other people, andt they'
time, we cannot perceive that the case  were consequently in like manner to be
allows of so much positiveness of tone separated by a pre-eminent sanctity of
as is evident in the language of Mi. life, spirit, and demeanor. Their conchaelis.                               duct was to correspond with their dis.
e tinction, and if God says by the prophet
Exhortations to Obedience.       (Is. 49. 2),  Thou art my servant, 0
23. They committed all these things, Israel, I will be glorious in thee,' they
and therefore I abhorred them. Ieb. were so to govern their deportment as
Z 7' Rql vci-.kutz bam, and I was to verify the declaration.  Asnd surely
vexed with them. Ainsworth;' I am  when the Most High makes his people
irked with them.' Chal.' My Word  the depositaries of his glory, they have
abhorreth them.'  The language em-. a motive to obedience than which it is
ployed has a fearful emphasis of import. impossible to conceive any stronger.
It is much for the infinite Jehovah to.
say that he will punish men for their            CHAPTER XXI.
transgressions; but for him to say that
lie abhors them, that they are an offence Rulesregulating the Priests' Mourning.
and an abomination to hims is calculated    As the two or three previous chapters
not only to give us a most affecting idea contain a mass of general rules enjoin.
of the hatefulness of their sin, but also of iSig sanctity upon the people at large,
the degree of their punishment.  For we have here a special law pertaining




220                          LEVITICUS.                      [B. C. 1490.
CHAPTER  XXI.                 2 But for his kin, that is near unto
A   ND the LORD said unto Mo- him, that is, for his mother, and for
ses, Speak unto  the priests his father, and for his son, and for
the sons of Aaron, and say unto  his daughter, and for his brother,
them, a There shall none be defiled   3 And fbr his sister a virgin, that
for the dead among his people:    is nigh unto him, which hath had
a Ezek. 44. 25.
to the priests. As it was their office to that defilement was contracted front the
make atonement, and see to the general same source.
purity of the people, it was important   2. But for his kin that is near unto
that they should study the greatest de. him. Heb. f'I5  =,1lh1'FqxR   lishk'ro
gree of personal purity themselves. hakkarob Elauv,his remainder (offlesh)
The special ministers of the Most High that is near unto him, See the import
were to keep themselves at a distance of this term explained in the Note on,from every thing that savored in the Lev. 18. 6. Compare also Ezek. 44.25.
least of uncleanness in the estimation  The rule here laid down constitutes, of
of the people, lest they should counte- course, an exception to  the general
nance that which they were set apart to statute) founded upon a kind regard teo
prevent.                             the natural sympathies which grow out
1. There shall none be defiled for the of the various tender relationships of
dead. Ileb. = D)n lenephesh; a tern  life. It would have been an extreme
mn repeated instances applied to a dead privation for one of' the priestly order
body.  Gr. Ev rats  zevXal5, for souls. to have been prohibited from paying the
The spirit of the passage forbids that last offices of affection to a parent, a
any priest should assist at laying out a child, a brother, orsister. It is a beaut
dead body, or preparing it for interment. tiful exemplification of the great prinThis defilement was contracted not only ciple that God would' have mercy and
by touching a dead body, but by coming not sacrifice,' where the claims of both
into a tent or house where a dead body came in competition. The wife, it will
lay, by touching the grave, or by bear- be seen, is not expressly mentioned in
ing the dead. In such a case they be. this catalogue of kindred, hut that she
came legally polluted for the space of was included by implication, no one
seven days, Num. 19. 11, 14, and conse. can doubt.  And this, by the way,
quently disqualified fobr the service of affords a strong confirmation of the prinGod, and interdicted from converse with  ciple we have before insisted upon in
their fellow Israelites. According to  the interpretation of the marriage-laws,
the Heb. canons, this effect followed if in Lev. 18., that the implied cases are
one came within four cubits, orsix feet, equally  forbidden with the express.
of the dead. Of the reasons of this pro. The case of the prophet Ezekiel, ch.
hibition, it may not be possible to speak 24. 16-18, is here directly in point. It
with  assurance.  Leclerc  observes, was no doubt in virtue of an express'Perhaps the chief reason why a human  command, suspending for the time being
corpse was adjudged to be unclean was, the operation of this law, that he
because it speedily becomes putrid, was forbidden to exhibit the usual sigespecially in a hot climate; whence nals of mourning for his deceased wife,
those who aspired to a special clean- which would otherwise have been lawness above others, abstained from any  ful for him.
contact with it.' Bochart has collected   3. Which  hath had  no husband.
a large mass of evidence to prove that Whereas, had she been  married, it
the anclent Greeks and Romans held  would have been the duty of the sur.




B. C. 1490.]                 CHAPTER  XXI.                                221
no husband: for her may he be upon their head, neither shall they
defiled.                               shave off the corner of their beard,
4 But he shall not defile himself, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.
being a chief man among his peo-   6 They shall be holy unto their
ple, to profane hirnself.              God, and c not profane the name of
5 b They shall not make baldness  their God: for the offerings of the
b ch. 19. 27, 29. Deut. 14. 1. Ezek. 44. 20.   c ch. 18. 21, and 19. 12,
viving husband to see to the perform- discussion. We on the whole prefer the
once of all the requisite rites at her interpretation suggested by Willet, and
burial, so that the priest her brother confirmed by Luther.
would have been excused.                 6. They shall not make baldness on
4. He shall not defile himself being a their heads, &c. This was enacted that
chief man among his people.  Heb. they might!lot adopt the customs of
1,P-am Aft baal beammauv, which (by  the heathen, of whom it is said in the
supplying the probable ellipsis of 5  apocryphal book of Baruch, 6. 31, that
fo/r), mlay be rendered' for a chief man.' I their priests sit in their temples, with
Chal. l_': rabba, a master. That is, their clothes rent, and their heads, and
he shall not thus defile himself fir any  beards shaven, and having nothing upon
one that is not near of kin to him, their heads; and they roar and cry be.
though the dead person were a chief or fore their gods, as men do at the feast
the chiefest man among hispeople, even  where is dead.'  See Note on Lev.
the high priest himself. This is the  19. 27, 28.' In ch. 19. 28, this is made a
version of the Vulg. Syr. and Arab., and  general law, not peculiar to the priests.
is a(dopted by Ainsworth, Gill, Patrick, They are here forbidden to do that
Dathe, Scott, A. Clarke, and others. which had already been prohibited to
The Gr. has strangely eSa7rva, suddenly, the people in general. There is a difwhich has probably arisen from some  ference of opinion as to the interpreta.
blunder iln the reading of the original. tion of the text. Some think that it is
As Z.Y: baal signifies in general a lord, to be understood generally, as interdictnaster, possessor, and is sometimes ing the shaving of the beard. If thus
applied to' master of a house,' the idea  understood, there seems an adequate
of Willet is  not improbable, who  reason for it in the contrary practice of
thinks the meaning to be, that the priest, the Egyptians, who did shave their
the master of the house, should mourn  beards; and its repetition to the priests
for none of the inmates except those  may have been to show them that they
mentioned above. Accordingly Luther were not exempted from  the general
renders it,' He shall not defile himself  law, as they might have been led to
for any one who belongs to him. The  conclude from having observed the pe.
marginal reading which  Rosenmuller culiar scrupulosity  of the Egyptian
after Leclerc adopts, gives entirely ano. priests on this point, who, as we are
ther complexion to the passage;-' Be- informed by Herodotus, were particu.
ing a husband among his people, he  larly careful to shave all the hair off
shall not defile himself (for his wife),' their bodies every third day. The other
&c. This makes it an express prohibi- alternative is that which has the sanction of mourning for a wife, for which  tion of our translation, and by which it
construction we can perceive no ade- appears we are to understand the whisquate grounds either in the nature of the  kers, or upper extremities of the beard.
case or the structure of the passage. The object would then appear to be to
But the matter is not of sufficient mo. keep them  a distinct people from  the
mrent to warrant an extended critical Arabs, who either shaved their whis.
19'




222                         LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
LORD made by fire, and d the bread  that is a whore, or profane; neither
of their God they do offer: there- shall they take a woman fput away
fore they shall be holy.             from her husband: for he is holy
7 e They shall not take a wife  unto his God.
d See ch. 3. 11. e Ezek. 44.22.          f See Deut. 24. 1, 2.
hers or cropped them short. We must people to the Most High, so the priests
not forget that it was one great object and Levites were in a manner separated
of many of the Mosaic laws to keep the from  the rest of the Israelites with a
Israelites separate from all the neigh- like intent.
boring nations; and, whether the Egyptians or the Arabs were in view, it is Restrictions in respect to a Priest's
certain that a different fashion of the            marrying.
beard would have a more marked effect   7. They shall not take a wife, &c.
in assisting such a distinction than can  The two words in the original are fna
be readily calculated by those who hold zonah, and 155'M halldldh. of which the
that appendage in light esteem. That latter, rendered profane, signifies, acsuch a distinction as we have mentioned cording to the Jews, not so much one
did exist, is not only manifested by that had been profaned or dishonored,
existing usages, but by ancient accounts. in which case it would not differ essenMohammed perceived the effect of this tially from  the preceding, as one who
distinction-for many Jews resided in was born of such a marriage as was forArabia in his time —and strictly en- bidden to the priests. For as it apjoined that it should be kept up. Ac- pears from v. 9, that a daughter might
cording to the traditions, he used to clip profane her father, so a parent, on the
his own whiskers; and frequently said, other hand, might profane a daughter,'He who does not lessen his whiskers and so disqualify her from marrying a
is not our ways:' and he expressly said priest. The daughter of a widow by a
that he inculcated this practice in oppo- high priest, for example, would come
sition to the Jews, who were not accus- under this denomination (v. 14) and so
torned to clip either their beards or also the daughter of a divorced woman,
whiskers. In these counter regulations by the present verse. As the Gr., how.
we seem here to perceive the object of ever, has e8 werwpPe7v) profaned, a sense
the apparently trivial injunction of the quite as probable is, one that has been
Hebrew legislator.'-Pict. Bib.       violated against her will, and that is not
6. The offerinrg s of the Lord made by a voluntary prostitute, like the ~31 zo.
fire and the bread of their God, do they  nah.  The use of the epithet carries
offer.  Heb. V,1ilR  r 1;5  l- l  -    with it the striking implication that
ishe Yehovuh lehem eloheihem, the fire- chastity invests the person with a pe(offerings) of Jehovah, (even) the food  culiar sacredness, and that it cannot be
of their God. Thus by a bold figure lost without the desecration and profaof speech are the sacrificial offerings nation of that which is in a sense holy,
denominated, which were devoured by like a consecrated temple. — 1 A weofire to the honor of God, and nothing man put away.  Heb. InIV'1l  lUD:
could well be said tending to give a ish2lh gerushcih, a woman driven away.
higher idea of their office, or conse- Gr. EKcflcel)XrEnv, cast out.  The Heb.
quently to impose upon them more sol — term is stronger than that (M5t7t2;   meemnly the duty of an exemplary sanc- shala'h) which is usually applied to
tity in all their deportment. As the the simple dismission involved in di.
Israelites in general were separated  vorce. Yet there is no doubt that the
from all other nations to be an holy  I putting away' here mentioned, was by




B. C. 1490.]                CHAPTER XXI.                               223
8 Thou shalt sanctify him  there-   9 I hAnd the daughter of any
fore, for he offereth the bread of  priest, if she profane herself by
thy God: he shall be holy unto  playing the whore, she profaneth
thee: g for I the LoRD which sanc- her father:  she shall be  burnt
tify you, am holy.                    with fire.
g ch. 20.7, 8.                        h Gen. 38. 24.
means of a divorce. The presumption  re:ovota  rov rarpog avrks avrrl tleort)ot,
always was that a woman repudiated  she profaneth herfather's name. Chal.
amonlg the Israelites, was put away from'She profaneth her father's holiness.'
her husband for somle fault. It was not By Sol. Jarchi it is thus explained:
decorous, therefore, for a priest to blem-' She profaneth and contemneth his hon.
ish his good name by marrying a wo- or, for that men will say of him, Cursed
man who lay und(er a suspicion of some- is he that begat this woman; Cursed is
thing bad.-   r He is holy unto his he that brought her up.'-  T She shall
God. Set apart and consecrated in a be burnt uwithfire.' It seems, upon the
peculiar manner to the service of God, whole, very doubtful whether this and
and therefore not allowed to bring dis- other texts of the same import in the
credit upon his office by doing any thing  early books of the Old Testament, exof dubious character.                 press the punishment of burning alive,
8. Thou shalt sanctify him therefore. or of the ignominious burning of the
That is, thou, Israel, shalt, one and all, body after execution. It is certain we
hold and repute him as holy, and shalt have no instance of the former punishdo all in thy power to keep up the sa- ment; but we have of the latter, as recred estimation in which, for his office's  suiting from  such a law as that ex.
sake, he is held. It is possible, how-  pressedin the text. Thus in Josh 7. 15,
ever, that the address may be intended it is declared that the unknown person
to be made to Moses, who was to sanc. who had taken of the accursed thing
tify the priest by commanding him to should be' burnt with fire;' and when
be sanctified, according to a very fre. the man was discovered, we filnd that
quent idiom.                          this intention was executed not by burn.
ing him alive, but by stoning him first
Of the Priest's Daughter who profanes and then burning his remains (v. 15).
herself.                We therefore lean to the opinion, that
9. The daughter of any priest. Heb. stoning, being the common and well.
1]   Z C'Ir ish kohiyn, a nan a priest. known punishment, is understood itl
There is great unanimity among the these texts, and that only the additional
Jewish commentators in understanding punishment of burning the body is ex.
this of a-woman who was married, or pressed.  Michaelis thinks that burn.
at least espoused.' Our rabbins,' say  ing alive was not sanctioned by the
Xben Ezra and Sol. Jarchi,'confess Mosaic law; but Iorne, who generally
with one mouth that one not espoused  follows him, seems to consider that
is not concerned in this law.' But as both burning alive and burning after
tLe letter of the law contains no such death are among the punishments Tmenlimitation, it is doubtless safe to take it tioned by Moses; and it is rather odd
in its widest import. She is said by  that he cites the same texts in proof of
such conduct to pollute her father's both-namely, the one before us and
nanme e; whereas if she were married, the that in the next chapter. The testimo.
wrong would be rather done to her bus-  ny of the Rabbins is worth very little
band. —-     She profaneth her father, in this matter, as many capital punish.
that is; brings disgrace upon him. Gr. ments were in later times introduced, of




224                            LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490
10 i And he that is the high priest   11 Neither shall he mgo in to any
among his brethren, upon whose  dead body, nor defile himself for
head the anointing oil was poured, his father or his mother;
and k that is consecrated to put on   12 n Neither shall he go out of
the garments,  shall not uncover  the  sanctuary, nor profane  the
his head, nor rend his clothes;         sanctuary  of his God; for o the
i Exod. 29. 29, 30. ch. 8. 12, and 16. 32.
Numb. 35. 25. k Exod. 28. 2. ch. 16. 32.   m Numb. 19. 14. See ver. 1, 2. n ch. 10
1 ch. 10. 6.                           7. o Exod. 29. 36. ch. 8. 9, 12, 30.
which the law of Moses takes no notice. Ex. 28. The Heb. phrase for' conseThey say, that because the bodies of crated'is'whose hand is filled,' i. e
Nadab and Abihu were not consumed  with sacrifices for offering, as the Chal
by the fire which slew them, it was explains it, which the Gr. expresses by
thought unlawful to burn a criminal the word TeXslOC, to perfect. See the
alive; but that he was put to death by  true import illustrated in the note on
melted lead  being poured down his Ex. 29. 9.-ff Shall not uncover his
throat. We may accept this so far as head. Heb. C'he'R'Il   rosho al
to show that persons were not consumed  yiphrd, shall not make free his head;
alive in the fire; but we are bound to  i. e. shall not suffer his hair to go disreject the other part, as wholly unsanc. hevelled and neglected, without trimtioned by the law of Moses. It is pos. ming, in token of mourning. See the
sible that they may had this punish- true force of the original term elucidatment in after times, when the meaning  ed, Judg. 5. 2. Chal.'Let not his locks
of the law had been greatly perverted  grow.' Gr. OVK aroKtiapWooact, let him not
by absurd glosses and inferences.'-  put off his mitre. See Note on Lev.
Pict. Bib.                             10. 6.
11. Neither shall he go in to any dead
Rules regulating the Conduct of the body.  Heb.  lh tIII             Y 5 al kol
High Priest.               naphshoth mMth, to any souls of the
10. He that is the high priest among  dead. Gr. EcrtI 7r5a  rvXf,1 rereCXEvr-KIvaI
his brethren.   Heb.     1     71 1t  to any soul that has died. Another in.
TrRh t haklckohln haggddol me'ehauv, stance in which the usual Heb. and Gr.
the priest (that is) great among his terms for'soul' are used to signify
brethren, or, greater than his breth-.  body.' See Note on Lev. 21. 1. The
ren.  Gr. bI IepEV b oeyas, the great interdict here was very rigorous. He
priest; from which the apostle, Heb. was not permitted to go into the house
4. 14, applies the same title to Christ, where his father or mother lay dead,
of whom the Jewish high priest was a though this was allowed to the inferior
distinguished type. Sustaining, there. priests.
fore, this high character, the Hebrew    12. Neither shall he go out of the
pontiff was to be more especially stu-. sanctuary, &c.  That is, during the
dious of his sanctity, both in avoiding  time that he was officially engaged in
defilement by the dead, and in his mar- the services of the sanctuary. It matriage. This, by the way, is the first tered not who of his family died; he was
time the title occurs in this form in the  not to leave his post till his ministra.
Scriptures.-  11 That is consecrated to tions were finished.  It is intimated
put on the garments.  That is, the  that by so doing he would'profane the
golden garments, as they were called, sanctuary of his God,' i. e. would conwhich were peculiar to the high priest,, structively profane it by showing that
and of which a full account is given, he thought more of earthly relation



B. C. 1490.1               CHAPTER  XXI.                                225
crown of the anointing oil of his seed among his people: for qI the
God is upon him: I am the LORD. LORD do sanctify him.
13 And P he shall take a wife in   16 ~i And the LORD spake unto
her virginity.                        Moses, saying,
14 A widow, or a divorced  wo-   17  Speak  unto  Aaron, saying,
man, or profane, or an harlot, these  Whosoever he be of thy seed in
shall he not take: but he shall their generations  that hath any
take a virgin of his own people to  blemish, let him  not rapproach to
wife.                                 offer the bread of his God:
15 Neither shall he profane his   q ver. 8. r ch. 10. 3. Numb. 16. 5. Ps.
P ver. 7. Ezek, 44. 22.      64. 4. ch. 3. 11.
ships than of his sacred functions; that but not among those with whom the
he postponed his duty as a priest to common priest is forbidden to contract
his promptings as a man. The Gr. has alliance. It would therefore seem that
sK trw  tyiov from  the holy things. —   the common priest was allowed to mar~9 For the crown of the anointing oil of ry a widow, as Josephus declares. Gro.
his God is upon him. Heb. JCV'It  tius and others, however, think that a
n't~M    nezer shemen mish'hath, which  priest could not marry any widow, but
may be understood in two ways; either one whose deceased husband had also
of the golden plate which is called't~  been a priest. This is inferred from
nEzer, a crown,  Ex. 29. 6, and the Ezek. 44. 22. The high priest, being
anointing oil; or the latter may be precluded from marrying a widow, was
simply exegetical of the former, and of course exempt from  marrying the
oil may be called nEzer, a crown or widow of a brother who died without
separation, because it was by it that he children. The Mohammedans have no
was separated from other men and other regulations on this subject, being, in
priests.  So the Gr. evidently under- fact, without any distinct priestly order.
stands it, which has nothing answering  But in India it is not lawful for the
to'crown' separate from  the' oil,' priests to marry any but virgins.  As
aiyoav AAaov ro XptLroa  rv Taov the holy  the high priest was a type of Christ,
oil, the chrism  (or anointing) of his his wife, who was to be a virgin, was
God. Adam Clarke very well remarks a type of the church; wherefore the
upon this,' By his office the (high) apostle says, 2 Cor. 11. 2,' I have espriest represented Christ in his sacri- poused you to one husband, that I may
ficial character; by his anointing, the present you a chaste virgin to Christ.'
prophetic influence; and by the crown    15. Neither shall he profane his seed
the regal dignity of our Lord.'       among the people. That is, he shall
13. He shall take a wife in her vir- not render his sons unfit for the priest.
ginity.  Heb. M'T'1hI'=  bibthulEhd in  hood by marrying contrary to the rules
her virginity, a term derived from  ~=   above laid down, vv. 13, 14.-IT For
bdthal, to separate, set apart, seclude; I the Lord do sanctify him. That is,
and applied to a virgin from her being  have separated him to my service.
separated and secluded from intercourse
with men, which is eminently the case  Rules in regard to personal Blemishes.
in the East. Compare this and the fol-   17. Whosoever he be of thy seed in
lowing verse with verse 7, where the their generations. That is, of thy sons
prohibited marriages of common priests in any generation of thy posterity. The
are mentioned. The difference is, that address is made to Aaron, and by the
widows are mentioned among those  sons of Aaron is always to be under.
whom the high priest might not marry, stoo4 his successors in the priestly q
itmhs successo        r inteprety,~f




226'                          LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
18 For whatsoever man he be that God, both of the x most holy, and
hath a blemish, he shall not ap- of the Y holy.
proach: a blind man,or a lame, or   23 Only he shall not go in unto
he that hath a flat nose, or any  the vail, nor come nigh unto the
thing ssuperfluous.                   altar, because he hath a blemish;
19 Or a man that is broken-footed, that zhe profane not my sanctuor broken-handed.                     aries: for I the LORD do sanctify
20 Or crook-backed, or a dwarf, them.
or that hath a blemish in his eye,  24 And Moses told it unto Aaron,
or be scurvy, or scabbed, or thath  and to his sons, and unto all the
his stones broken;                    children of Israel.
21 No man that-hath a-blemish
of the seed of Aaron the priest shall          CHAPTER  XXII.
come nigh to u offer the offerings of  AND the LORD spake unto Mothe LORD made by fire; he hath a            ses, saying,
blemish, he shall not come nigh to   2 Speak unto Aaron and to his
offer the bread of his God.
22 He shall eat the bread of his  24. ch. 2.3, 10, and 6. 17, 29, and 7. 1, and
22 He shall eat the bread of his 24. 9. Nmb. 18. 9. y oh. 22. 10, 11, 12.
s ch. 22. 23. t Deut. 23. 1. u ver. 6.    Numb. 15. 19. z ver. 12.
flee. The directions therefore concern- both in their persons and their work,
ed the priests. It is made a standing  were types of Him who was the' Lamb
law that no man whose person was any  without blemish and  without spot,'
way disfigured by a blemish  should  holy,.harmless, undefiled, and separate
minister at the altar. No individualof firom sinners. As the particular defects
Aaron's line who was marked by pro- -mentioned are sufficiently plain to preminent blemishes, defects, or superflu- elude the necessity of comment, we
ities; by unseemly or ill-favored fea- barely remark, that although these de.
tures; by deformity in any part of his fects disqualified the priests for the sabody, whether natural or accidental; cred functions, they did not exclude
or had any permanent distemper upon  them  from  their prescribed maintehtim, as scurvy itch, scurf, scab, &c., nance, as is evident from v. 22, CHe
was admitted to the exercise of the shall eat the bread of his God, both of
priestly prerogative. This requirerment the most holy and the holy.'
is undoubtedly founded upon a just
view of human nature, as men are prone          CHAPTER XXII.
to judge by the outward appearance, Further Directions respecting the Minand to think meanly of any service,          istrations of the Priests.
however honorable, which is performed    The same general subject is contin.
by agents distinguished by personal de- ned in the present chapter as in the pre.
fects. It was greatly for the credit of ceding, -iz. the specification of the vathe sanctuary, therefore, that none rious causes which were to operate as
should appear there, whi6'were any way impediments in the way of the priests2
disfigured by nature or by accident, as discharging their appropriate functions.
it would be regarded as an indignity to  Of these the principal were the ceremothe Deity to consecrate a blemished or nial uncleanness to which they might
imperfect man to his service.  But be subject. In the subsequent part of
whatever considerations of a subordi- the chapter the scope of the lawgiver is
nate nature may be urged for this stat- to teach, that the sacrifices, as well as
ute, the grand reason is undoubtedly to  the offerers must be free from blemi'sh
be found in the fact, that.the priests, in order to be acceptable.




B. C. 1490.1                CHAPTER  XXII.'227
sons, that they  a separate  them-  And g whoso toucheth any thing
selves from  the holy things of the  that is unclean by the dead, or ha
children of Israel, and that they  man whose seed goeth from  him;
b profane not my holy name in those   5 Or iwhosoever toucheth  any
things which  they c hllallow  unto  creeping'thing, whereby he may be
me: I am the Lonr.                     made unclean, or k a man of whom
3 Say unto them, Whosoever he  he may take uncleanness, whatsobe of all your seed among your ever uncleanness he hath:
generations, that goeth unto  the   6 The soul which hath touched
holy things, which the children of  any such shall be unclean  until
Israel halltow unto the LORD, dhav- even, and shall not eat of the holy
ing his uncleanness upon. him, that things, unless he I wash his flesh
soul siall be cut off from my pres- with water.
ence: I am. the LORD.                   7 And when the sun is down, he
4 What man soever of the seed  shall be clean, and shall afterward
of Aaron is~a leper, or hath e a run- eat of the holy things, because m it
ning issue; he shall not eat of the  is his food.
hply  things, funtil he be clean.
f ch. 14. 2, and 15. 13. g Numb. 19. 11, 22.
a Numb. 6. 3.  b ch. 18. 21. c Exod. 28. h ch. 15. 16. i ch. 11. 24, 43, 44. k ch. 15.
3S. Numb. 18. 32. Deut. 15. 19. d ch. 7. 7, 19. 1 ch. 15. 5. Heb. 10. 22. m ch. 21.
20. e ci. 15. 2.                       22. Numb. 18. 11, 13.
2. Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, That is, for the purpose of eating, as is
that they separate themselves from the to be inferred from  vv. 4, 62 12.holy things, &c. Heb. tlnF;n yinnazersu, ~ Shall be cut off from  my presence.
that they be separated.  The root of the  Heb.   ODD mippene', from my face or
verb is:Y1  ndtzar, to separate, from  presence; with a latent allusion to the
which comes' Nazarite,' one religious- visible signal of the divine presence in
iy separated from all secular relations. the Shekinah of the tabernacle. The
Gr. rpozsxercoa""v acro TWV aytwv, let them  offender would be cut off before that, as
take heed of the holy things. The pre- were Nadab and Abihu.
cept has respect to such of the priests   4. Unclean by the dead. Heb. b27k
as were ceremonially unclean. During  12tO tem' nepheshunclean (by) a soul.
the time that this uncleanness was upon  Gr. pvX7, soul. For parallel usage see
them they were to abstain from eating  on Lev. 19. 28, and 21. 1, and of the na.
the holy things which ordinarily belong-  ture of the uncleanness see Numb.
ed to the priests.- ~  That they profane 19. 11, 14, 22. The uncleannesses ad.
not my holy name. Heb. m1'7il  ~1 shem  verted to tn the next chapter are such
kodshi, the name of say holiness. But as were contracted by leprosy, running
the equivalent rendering of our version  of the reins, involuntary  seed-flux;
is confirmed by the Gr. ro ovopa ro ayt- touching the carcase of any forbidden
ov pov, my holy name. The sanctuary  creature; -eating of any animal that
would of course be profaned when -its died of itself, or was torn to pieces by
holy things were defiled, which they  a ravenous beast or bird; or by coming
would be when offered or eaten by per- in contact with any person who was at
sons unclean, contrary to the express the time legally unclean; with similar
commandment of God. Compare vv. instances, which have been considered.15, 32.                              ill the previous chapters.
3. Among your generations.  That   6-9. Shall be unclean until even, &c.
is, either now or at any time hereafter. The priest thus rendered unclean was
-- r That goeth eunto the tholy things. to remain like other Israelites, in.4




228                           LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
8 n That which dieth of itself, or   11 But if the priest buy any soul
is torn with beasts, he shall not eat with his money, he shall eat of it,
to defile himself therewith: I am  and he that is born in his house:
the LORD.                             q they shall eat of his meat.
9 They shall therefore keep mine   12 If the priest's daughter also be
ordinance, olest they bear sin for married unto a stranger, she may
it, and die therefore, if they profane  not eat of an offering of the holy
it: I the LORD do sanctify them.   things.
10 p There shall no stranger eat  13 But if the priest's daughter be
of the holy thing: a sojourner of  a widow, or divorced,.ad have no
the  priest, or an  hired  servant, child, and is rreturned  unto her
shall not eat of the holy thing.    father's house, s as in her youth, she
En xod. 22. 31, ch. 17. 15. Ezek. 44. 31.   q Numb. 18. 11, 13. r Gen. 38. 11. s e.
o Exod. 2S. 43. Numb. 18. 22. 32. P See 1    14. Numb. 18. 11, 19.
Sam. 21. 6.
state of separation for a day, i. e. till money.  At the same time it by no
sunset, and be incapable of' all priestly  means follows, that the slavery which
offices and privileges till he had washed  existed among them  was of a nature
his clothes and his body, and this under similar to that which is unhappily es.
the penalty of' bearing sin,' or suffer- tablished among us, or which can be
ing condign punishment by being cut justly pleaded as a precedent to waroff by the immediate hand of God, as rant it. Those who were thus' pur.
a bold profaner of his service.       chased,' and held in this servile rela.
tion, were generally those of their own
Strangers, Sojourners, and Hired Ser- nation, who from  being reduced to a
vants interdicted from  eating, the state of poverty, had sold their own
Holy Things.                        services, or those whose services had
10. There shall no stranger eat of become forfeited by a breach of the
the holy thing.  That is, not one of laws, or lastly, those who were obtained
another nation, a foreigner, but one that fiom  the surrounding heathen in the
is not of the seed of Aaron, of the family manner which will be considered in the
of some priest, is not to be maintained  Notes on Lev. 25. It is certain, howby him out of his share of the sacrifices. ever; that from  whatever source they
---    Sojourner.  Heb. =thl toshEb, were obtained, they were treated like
from l' yiishab, to dwell. Gr. rapot0os, the rest of the family to which they
a stranger-resident.  By a ( sojourner belonged, and had privileges entirely
of the priest' is to b6 understood one unknown to modern servitude.  See
that should be a boarder or lodger with  Note on Gen. 15. 3.-~  He that is
him, a transient inmpte of his house. born in his house. The children of his
Such an one was not to eat of the con- slave.
secrated things, but was to live upon    12, 13. If a priest's daughter be marwhat accrued to the priest from  his ried to a stranger.  That is, to one
common tithes. So also with the hired  who was not of the stock or family of
servant.                              the priests, in relation to whom othei
II. If the priest buy any soul with  Israelites were counted as' strangers.'
his money. Heb. ~] 1/Z3~ =t ]'_"  By nmarryiqg out of' the priestly line
qtt ki yikneh nephesh kinyan kispho, she of course lost the right which she
when he shall buy a soul the purchase  had to her share pf the Levitical mainof his money. It is evident from this tenance while she remained at home in
that there were among the ancient He- her father's house. A, exception tc
brews persons who were bought with  this rule is stated in th- next verse,




B. C. 1490.3               CHAPTER  XXII.                                229
shall eat of her father's meat; but their holy things: for I the LORD
there shall no stranger eat thereof. do sanctify them.
14 XT tAnd if a man eat of the   17  T[ And the LORD spake unto
holy thing unwittingly, then  he  Moses, saying,
shall put the fifth part thereof unto   18 Speak unto Aaron, and to his
it, and shall give it unto the priest, sons, and unto all the children of
with the holy thing.                  Israel, and say unto them, y What15 And u they shall not profane  soever he be of the house of Israel,
h!ie holy things of the children of  or of the strangers in Israel, that
Israel which  they  offer unto the  will offer his oblation for all his
LoR[D:                                vows, and for all his free-will-offer16 Or suffer them  x to bear the  ings, which  they  will offer unto
iniquity of trespass, when they eat the LORD for a burnt-offering:
t h. 5. 15, 16. u Numb. 18. 32. x ver. 9.  Y ch. 1. 2, 3, 10. Numb, 15. 14.
when a priest's daughter so married  Gr. whichhas reracovUo E' tavrov; avopLav,
was left a widow, or had been divorced, bring upon them iniquity. But after
without children. In this case, she was all it is scarcely possible to determine
permitted to return and become a mem- whether the priests or the people are
ber of her father's family as before, and intended.
ate of his food, like the rest of his
~~fa;3~mily.  ~Free-uwill and  Thank-offerings  for
fVows to be without Blemish.
The case of one who ate of the Holy   18. Speak unto Aaron, and to his
Things unwittingly.          sons, and unto all the children of Israel.
14. If a man eat of the holy thing  As the enactments that follow had reunwittingly. Heb.   2t bishgagdh, spect to the quality of the sacrifices
through unadvised error. Though the  which were to be offered by the congre.
act were done ignorantly and uninten- gation, the congregation had, of course,
tionally, yet in order to inspire the ut. as much concern in them as the priests,
most caution in respect to holy things, and therefore they are addressed to the
the priest was to affi.x a value to the whole people collectively. They conthing eaten, which the offender was stitute a strict injunction that all sacriobliged to pay, together with a fifth  fies by way of present, or free-will
part of the value in addition; all which  offering to God, made either by Israelite
went to the priest.                    or proselyte, for thanksgiving for former
15, 16. They shall not profane, &c. mercies, or by way of vow for procur.
That is, the priests should not profane  ing blessings desired, should be perfect
the holy things by suffering them to be in their kind. No beast that was markeaten by strangers. The phrase in the  ed by any apparent defect, superfluity,
next verse,  suffer them to bear the ini. excrescence, deformity, or disease, was
quity,' may be rendered' cause them to  permitted to come upon the altar. For
bear,' meaning that they shall not by  the reason of this statute, see Note on
their negligence cause the people to fall Lev. 1., prefatory remarks. —~ Or of
under the punishment which God would  the strangers in Israel. Heb. "'2a'7t
inflict for such a trespass. Otherwise  min haggir, from the stranger, collect.
it may be understood of the priests sing. Gr. ro,v 7rpoarXvrTo r-ov 7rpoCKEsthemselves, which appears to be inti- psvov vrpos avrovg Ev IaparX, of the prosmated by the marginal reading,'lade  elytes joined unto them in Israel; i. e.
themselves with the iniquity of trespass such of the surrounding heathen na.
In their eating.' This is favored by the  tions as had renounced idolatry and be20




230                            LEVITICUS.                       B13. C. 1490.
19 z Ye shall offer at your own  bed, ye shall not offer these unto
wvill a male without blemish of the  the LORD, nor make e an offering
beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats. by fire of them upon the altar unto
20 aBut whatsoeverhath a blem- the LoRD.
ish, that shall ye not offer: for it  23 Either a bullock, br a lamb
shall not be acceptable for you.       that hath  any thing f superfluous
21 And  b whosoever  offereth  a  or lacking in his parts, that mayest
sacrifice of peace-offerings unto the  thou offer for a free-will-offering;
LORD c to accomplish his vow, or a  but for a vow it shall not be acfree-will-offering   in  beeves, or cepted.
sheep, it shall be perfect to be ac-  24 Ye shall not offer unto the
cepted: there shall be no blemish  LORD  that which  is bruised, or
therein.                               crushed, or broken, or cut; neither
22 d Blind, or broken, or maimed, shall ye make any offering thereof
or having a wen, or scurvy, or scab- in your land.
z ch. 1.3. a Deut. 15.21, and 17. 1. Mal.  25  Neither gfrom  a  stranger's
i. 8, 14.  Eph. 5. 27. Heb. 9, 14. 1 Pet. 1. hand shall ye offer I the bread of
19. b ch. 3. 1, 6. c ch. 7. 16. Numb. 15.
3, 8. Deut. 23. -21, 23. Ps. 61. 8, and 6.5.   e ch. 1. 9, 13, and 3. 3, 5. f ch. 21. 18.
1. Eccles. 5. 4, 5.   ver.20.  Mal. 1. 8.   g Numb. 15. 15, 16. h ch. 21. 6, 17.
come converts to the faith of Israel, but a blemished beast under no circumhad not been circumcised. These were stances was allowed, but for the mainusually called proselytes of the gate, tenance of the priests, or for sacred
and differed entirely from the strangers uses in general; as, for instance, to be
alluded to, v. 25, as will be seen by the sold for the reparation of the temple,
Note in loc.                           &c.
19. At your own will. Rather, ac-   24. Ye shall not offer unto the Lord
cording to the Heb.' for your favorable that which is bruised, or crushed, or
acceptance.' See Note on Lev. 1. 3. broken, or cut. That is, castrated; of
Gr. 6eKra, acceptable. Thus too, Sol. which there were four modes, expressed
Jarchi,' Bring the thing that is meet to  by these four tertms.-~ir Neither shall
make you acceptable before me, that it ye make any offering thereof in your
may be to your favorable acceptation.' land. Heb. l; qzrn Ni =Y')M' beartzeSo in the next verse, the leading word  kemrn lo taasu, in you? land ye shall not
in the clause,' it shall not be acceptable  make or do (it). That is, as the He.
for you,' is in the original precisely the  brews understand it, ye shall not do this
same (1'2 X rditzon).                 thing, ye shall not be in the practice of
23. That hath any thing superfluous castrating your animnals in any part of
or lacking. That is, deformed by any  your lantd. Otherwise it may be under.
peculiar elongation or contraction of its stood as in our version, which is sustain.
lirnbs.-~r That mayest thou offer for ed by the Greek. See Note on Deut.23. 1.
a free-u'ill offering. The most obvi-   25. Neither from  a stranger's hand
ous construction oft his passage is, that shall ye offer.   Heb. "11   Il'h~
the two kinds of defect just mentioned, miyad ben ndkdr, from the hand of the
though they prevented the acceptance  son of an alien. That is, a Gentile, a
of an animal for a vow, did not for foreigner, one not of the seed of Israel.
a free-will offering; which would seem  Gr. aXXoycvs;, of another stock.  The
to have been considered of less value. Hebrew writers for the most part exBut the Hebrew writers understand by  pound this of blemished beasts, brought
free.will offering, in this case, not an  by Gentiles to be offered to the Lord,
offering for sacrifice ont the altar, where  which was sometimes the case with




B. C. 1490.1               CHAPTER  XXII.                              21
your God of any of these; because   29 And when ve will m offer a
thleir icorruption is in them, and  sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the
blemishes be in them: they shall LORD, offer it at your own will.
not be accepted for you.               30 On the same day it shall be
26 ~ And the LORD spake unto  eaten up, ye shall leave n none of it
Moses, saying,                        until the morrow: I am the LORD.
27 k When a bullock, or a sheep,  31 o Therefore shall ye keep my
or a goat is brought forth, then it commandments, and do them: I
shall be seven days under the dam; am the LORD.
and from the eighth day and thence-  32 p Neither shall ye profane my
forth it shall be accepted for an of- holy name; but qI will be hallowed
fering made by fire unto the LORD. among the children of Israel: I
28 And whether it be cow, or ewe, am  the LORD which r hallow  you,
ye shall not kill it l and her young         ch. 7.12. Ps. 107. 2, and 116. 17. Amos
both in one day.                      4. 5. n ch. 7. 15. 0 ch. 19. 37. Numb. 15. 40.
Dent. 4. 40. P ch. 1S. 21. q ch. 10. 3.
i Mal. 1. 14. k Exod. 22. 30. 1 Deut. 22. 6. Matt. 6. 9. Luke 11. 2. r eh. 20. S.
those who were convinced of the folly  dam. Before the eighth day they werd
of idolatry, and felt.the prompting of a not fit for food, and therefore not for
better service towards God.  This is sacrifice, which was the bread or food
recognized by Maimonides:' If the of God, as it is frequently termed. See
heathen (Gentile) bringeth peace-offer- Note on Ex. 22. 30.
ings, he offereth them for burnt-offerings,   28. Ye -shall not kill it and her young
for the heathen's heart is towards both in one day. This precept seems
heaven;' they are often prompted to to be confined to sacrifices, which were
worship.  We see something of this to be devoid of all appearance ofcruelty.
kind inll the case of Cyrus, Ezra 6. 8-10. The Jews in general understand it as
But though their sacrifices were allow- inculcating mercy.  Maimonides ex.
ed, yet the victims were required to be pressly remarks, that it was designed
no less perfect than those of the Israel- to prevent the slaughter of the young
ites. As they were to bring no blem.' in the presence of the darn, because
ished offering, so they were to take  this occasions to animals extreme grief;
none such fromn the hand of a stranger. nor is there, in this respect, a difference
Such offerers were obliged to adhere to  between the distress of man and that of
the rites of the country observed by the  the irrational creation.' The Targum
priests.  Thus Alexander the Great, of Jonathan beautifully introduces the
when he was at Jerusalem, offered sac- verse with this paraphrase:-.' And my
rifice to God according to the directions people, the children of Israel, as our
of the high priest. Josephus, Lib. 11., Father is merciful in heaven, so be ye
at the end.-~U Because their corrup. merciful on earth.'
tion is in them. That is, their faults
are in them, the faults above mentioned;       CHAPTER XXIII.
which might as a general rule be pre.
sunmed, coming from  the source they
did. It would be natural that the ideas   The present chapter partakes in great
of the heathen on these matters would  measure of the character of the nine.
be very loose.                        teenth, containing a republication of
certain laws. The inspired historian
The Age at which different Animals having previously given full'details of
were to be offered to God.     the statutes relative to holy persons,
27. It shall be seven days under the holy things, and holy places, now enters




232                         LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
33, That brought you out of the  land of Egypt, to be your God: I
s Ex. 6. 7. ch. 11. 45, and 19. 36, and 25. am the LORD..
38. Numb. 15. 41.
upon the consideration of holy times. ing together in one place for the purpos.
The laws relative to the annual fast, es of religion and sociality, had a ten.
the feast of trumpets, and the three dency to prevent their being completely
great annual festivals, are here all alienated, and forming themselves into
brought together in one view, in their two or more unconnected states; and
chronological order, along with the law  even though this had at any time hapof the Sabbath; and additions to the pened, it gave them an opportunity of
ceremonies, as before prescribed, are again cementing their differences, and
interspersed.  These festivals consti. re-uniting. This is so correctly true,
tuted a very peculiar feature of the that the separation of the ten tribes
Hebrew polity.  Their influence, in- from the tribe of Judah,. under Reho.
volving as they did the meeting of the boam and Jeroboam, could never have
mass of the male population in one been permanent, had not the latter ab.
place three times every year, cannot be rogated one part of the Law of Moses
too highly estimated.  The journey  relative to festivals.
itself, taking place at the finest season    Another effect of these meetings rt,of the year, would naturally be deemed garded the internal commerce of the
rather a recreative excursion than a Israelites.  From  the annual convenhardship, in a country so small as that tions of the whole people of any country
which the Hebrews were destined to for religious purposes, there generally
occupy.  One grand design of these arise, without any direct intention on
re-unions appears to have been to coun-. their part, annual fairs, and internal
teract the dividing tendency of the sepa- commerce. Such festivals have always
ration into clans or tribes. By being been attended with this effect. The
thus brought into contact on an equal famous old fair near Hebron arose from
footing, they were reminded of their the congregation of' pilgrims to the ter.
common origin, and of their common ebinth-tree of Abraham. The yearly
objects. The fact was brought home fairs among the Germans had a similar
vividly to their thoughts that they were origin.  Among  the  Mohammiedans
the sons of the same father, worship. similar festivals have always had the
pers of the same God, and heirs of the same results. Witness the annual pilsame promises. The beginnings also grimage to Mecca, which, in spite of
of idolatry were likely to be checked many adverse circumstances, has given
by the frequent renewal of these acts birth to one of the greatest markets in
of worship and homage. Persons of the world. Now the very same effects
distant towns and different tribes met and to a still higher degree, must, even
together on terms of brotherhood and  without any intention on the part of the
fellowship; and old relations were re- legislator, have resulted from the high
newed, and new ones formed.          festivals of the Hebrews, to which the
Several sections are devoted by Mi- whole people were bound to assemble;
chaelis to the statement of the political and more particularly as far as regards
and other advantages resulting from  internal trade. Let us only figure to
these festivals. Among other conside- ourselves what would necessarily folrations, he observes, that if any of the low from such festivals being establish.
tribes happened to be jealous of each  ed. Every man would bring along with
other, or, as was sometimes the case, him  every portable article which he
involved in civil war, still their nmeet- could spare, and which he wished to turn




B. C. 1490.]               CHAPTER  XXIII.                               233
CHAPTER  XXIII.                ye shall b proclaim  to be holy conAND  the LORD spake unto Mo- vocations, even these are my feasts
a    ses, saying,                      3 c Six days shall work be done;
2 Speak unto the children of Is- but the seventh day is the sabbath
rael, and say unro them, Concern-  of rest, an holy convocation: ye
ing a the feasts of the LORD, which    b Exod. 32. 5. 2 Kings 10. 20. Ps. 81. 3
C Exod. 20. 9, and 23. 12, and 31. 15, and 34
va er. 4. 37.           21. ch. 19. 3. Deut. 5. 13. Luke 13. 14.
into money; and as several individuals to) thefeasts of Jehovah. The orig;na.
would go from  the same place, they  word "IY5.h mo'd, from'    p/ yLad, to
would contrive various expedients to  fix by appointment, literally implies
render their goods portable; and this. merely a set time, a stated season, for
would be the more readily suggested  any purpose whatever, but is applied
by the habit of taking things, some of here and often elsewhere to the solemn
them needing carriage, to Jerusalem, as feasts of the Israelites, which were ap.
dues and offerings. Nor are means of  pointed by God, and fixed to certain
conveyance expensive in the East, as seasons of the year. It is sometimes
they consist not, as with us, of wagons rendered in the Gr. by EosPra, afeast, and
and horses, but of asses and camels-  sometimes by 7rav7yvest, a general asbeasts which are highly serviceable in sembly, of which the former occurs, Col.
pronmoting the internal traffic of Syria 2. 16,' Let no man judge you in meat,
and Arabia. There could never be any  or in drink, or in respect of an holy day
want of buyers, where the whole people  (gopre), or of the new moon, or of the
were convened; and the wholesale mer- sabbath.days;' and the other Heb. 12.23,
chants would soon find it for their ad-, But ye are come — to the general
vantace to attend, and purchase the assembly (srasvyvptg) and church of the
colmmrodities offered for sale by private  first-born.'  Perhaps a more suitable
individuals, especially  manufactured  rendering of the term would be' solem-.
goods. Whoever wished to purchase  nities.' -1    Which ye shall proclaim
any particular articles would await the  to be holy convocations. The Hebrew
festivals in order to have a choice; may be rendered more literally, I which
and this, too, would lead great mer- ye shall call (as) callings of holiness;'
chants to attend with all manner of i. e. assemblages of the people which
goods for sale, for which they could  should be convened for holy or sacred
hope to find purchasers.   However, purposes at set times by public procla.
therefore, Moses may have desired to  mation, and generally by the sound of
discourage the Israelites from engaging  a trumpet, Num. 10. 8-10.-IT These
inforeign commerce,his measures were, are my feasts. Or, my assemblies, ap.
in this instance at least, and whether pointed in honor of my name, and to be
intended or not, highly favorable to the observed in obedience to my command;
internal intercourse and traffic of the viz. the sabbath, the passover, pentecountry.                              cost, the beginning of the new year, the
For a more extended view  of the day of atonement, and the feast of tab.
happy effects, political, social, and eco- ernacles; all which are embraced under
nomical, of these festivals, see Mi- the general name IYVIt modd, and none
chaelis  Comment. on Laws of Moses, besides.
vol. III ~ 197-201.
The Sabbath.
General Introduction.           3. Six days shall work be done; but
2. Concerning the feasts of the Lord. the seventh day is a sabbath of rest, &c,.
Heob, mn2'.'Ti ul  mo'de Yehovah, (as Heb. )''11D naoV shabbath shabbathon,
20*




234                            LEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1490.
shall do no work therein, it is the 1 6 And on the fifteenth day of the
sabbath  of the LORD  in all your same month is the feast of unleavdwellings.                              ened bread unto the LORD: seven
4 ~ d These are the feasts of the  days ye must eat unleavened bread.
LORD,  even  holy  convocations,   7 fIn the first day ye shall have
which ye shall proclaim  in their an holy convocation: ye shall do
seasons,                                no servile work therein.
5 e In the fourteenth day of the   8 But ye shall offer an offering
first month  at even is the LORD's made by fire unto the LORD seven
passover.                               days; in the seventh day is an holy
dver. 2. 37. Exod. 23. 14. e Exod. 12. 6, convocation, ye shall do no servile
14, 18, and 13. 3, 10, and 23. 15, and 34. 18. work. therein.
Numb. 9. 2, 3, and 28. 16, 17. Deut. 16. 1-8.
Josh. 5. 10.                                  Exod. 12. 16. Numb. 2S. 18. 25.
a sabbath of sabbatism; a highly em- all over tile land wherever they dwelt,
phatic phrase denoting the greatest de. particularly in the synagogues in every
gree of consecration to purposes of rest. city, Acts 15, 21.
Although the main scope of the chap.
ter has relation to other sacred seasons,         1. The Passover.
yet as the Sabbath was ever to he es.   5-8. On the fourteenth day of the
teemed the grand solemnity, which was first month at even is the Lord's Passnever to be supplanted or eclipsed by  over. Although moons, which began
any other, therefore it is introduced here  with the new moon, cannot, with perby way of preface to the others. See  feet accuracy, be accommodated to our
Note on Gen. 2. 3. —' An holy convo. months, the first month of the Hebrew
cation.  That is, a time of holy convo. year trust always have fallen within
cation; fiom  which  it appears that the month of April.
meetings for public worship are an es-   The Passover, it is well known, was
sential part of the due observance of kept in  remembrance of the exodus
the day, and that they cannot be ne- from  Egypt.  The etymology of the
gleeted or omitted without going con- term, and the occasion  and circutr.
trary to one main design of the insti. stances of the institution have already
tution.-  I Ye shall do no work there-. been dwelt upon in our Notes on Ex.
in.  On other holy days they  were  12. We shall consequently be spared
forbidden to do any servile work, v. 7, the necessity of any tiling more than a
but on the sabbath, and the day of atone- general sketch of the observance of this
merit, (which is also called a sabbath,)  feast. On the eve of the 14th day of
they were to do no work at all, not even  the month (Abib or Nisan) all leaven
the dressing of meat. —ff In all your was removed firom their dwellings, so
duellings. Heb. l_'=Z'il2= 53Zt bekol that nothing might be seen of it during
mnesh2ubotiekem, in all your dwelling- the week; a circumstance respecting
places; by which is meant not so much  which the Jews are very scrupulous
in their private habitations as in the va. even at this day.  Previously to the
rious places of their residence over the  commencement of the feast, on the tentl,
country.  Gr. Ev,rarT  KarotOta  1 pOV, the master of a family set apart a ram
in all your inhabiting, i. e. in every  or a goat of a year old, usually the forplace that you may inhabit. The great mer, which he slew on the fourteenth,
feasts were to be kept in one place    between the two evenings,' before the
where the sanctuary was established; altar; but in Egypt, where the event
but the sabbatllhs in this respect differed occurred which the Passover celebrat.
fi'on them. They were to be observed  ed, the blood was sprinkled on the post




B. C. 1490.]                CHAPTER  XXIII.                              235
9 IT And  the LORD  spake unto  rael, and  say unto them, gWhen
Mf[oses, saying,                         g Exod. 23. 16. 19, and 34. 22, 26. Numb.
10 Speak unto the children of Is- 15. 2, 1s, and 28. 26. Deut. 16. 9. Josh.
3. 15.
of the door. The ram or kid was roast- each was at liberty to dip it, before eat.
ed whole, with two spits thrust through  ing, into a vessel of sauce. There were
it. the one lengthwise, the other trans. four cups of wine ordinarily drank at
versely, crossing the longitudinal one  this supper, two before and two after
near the fore:legs, so that the animial meat. With the second, the two first
was, in a manner, crucified. The oven  hymns of what was called the lesser
in which it was roasted was the circular Hallel, being Psalms 113. and 114., were
pit in the floor [ground], which is still sung or chanted. The third cup, being
commonly used in the East. The re-  the first after supper, was called the
strictiou that it was to be roasted, not cup of blessing, because over it they
boiled or eaten raw, is thought to be blessed God, or said grace after meat.
levelled at some idolatrous forms of  This was followed by a fourth and last
sacrifice-feasting.  Thus roasted, the  cup, over which they completed the
Paschal Lamb was served up with a hymn of praise, formed by the remainsalad of wild and bitter herbs, and with  der of' the lesser Hallel, and thus the
the flesh of other sacrifices (peace- feast concluded. But it is said that a
offerings), which  are mentioned in  fifth cup of wine might be drunk by
Deut. 16. 2-6. Not fewer than ten, nor those who wished to repeat the great
more than twenty persons were admit- Hallel, which is generally understood
ted to these sacred feasts, which were, to be Psalm  136. The wine was red,
at first, eaten in Egypt with loins girt mixed with water.
about, with sandals on the feet, and    The Passover was immediately folwith all the preparations for an imme- lowed by the  Feast of Unleavened
diate journey. But this does not ap- Bread, which lasted seven days, so that
pear to have been the case at any sub. the two together seemed to make one
sequent period.  The command, how- feast of eight days, and were, in fact,
ever, not to break a bone of the offering, popularly so considered, the names be.
which was given in consequence of the  ing often interchanged, so that the Passpeople going in such haste (as they  over day was sometimes considered as
might otherwise have been delayed), the first day of the feast of unleavened
was ever after observed among the Jews, bread, and, on the other hand, the whole
In later times the celebration became  was often called the Passover Feast.
encumbered with a number of involved  The first and last days of these seven
ceremonies, very different from the sim-  were to be kept as Sabbaths, save that
plicity and haste of the original institu. only  servile  labor was  interdicted,
tion. Ans these derive no authority from  which allowed food to be cooked. But
the law, we shall only state such of no suspension of labor was required on
them as serve to illustrate the account the intermediate five days, which were
of that celebration of the Passover by  distinguished chiefly by the abstinence
Jesus Christ, which to the Christian is from leavened bread, and by the unusual
not less interesting than the original in- number of offerings at the tabernacle or
stitution was to the Jew. The master temple, and of sacrifices for sin. The
of the family, after the Paschal supper sixteenth of Abib, or the second day of
was prepared, broke the bread, having  Unleavened Bread, was distinguished
first blessed it, and distributed it to all by the offering of a barley sheaf. as
who were seated around him, so tha.t an introduction to the barley-harvest
each one might receive a part; and  which was ripe about this time, accom




236                           LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
ye be come into the land which I made by fire unto the LORD for a
give unto you, and shall reap the  sweet savour: and the drink-offerharvest thereof, then ye shall bring  ing thereof shall be of wine, the
a sheaf of h the first-fruits of your fourth part of an hin.
harvest unto the priest:                14 And ye shall eat neither bread,
11 And he shall i wave the sheaf  nor parched corn, nor green ears,
before the LORD, to be accepted for until the  self-same day that ye
you: on the morrow after the sab- have brought an offering unto your
bath the priest shall wave it.        God: it shall be a statute for ever
-12 And ye shall offer that day  throughout your generations in all
when ye wave the sheaf, an he- your dwellings.
lamb without blemish of the first  15 If And lye shall count unto
year for a burnt-offering unto the  you from  the morrow  after the
LORD.                                 sabbath, from   the day  that ye
13 k And the meat-offering there- brought the sheaf of the wave-ofof shall be two tenth-deals of fine fering; seven  sabbaths  shall be
flour mingled with oil, an offering  complete:
h Rom. 11. 16. 1 Cor. 15.20. Jam. 1. 18.
Rev. 14.4. iExod. 29.24. k ch.2.14-16.    cb.25. 8. Exod. 34. 22. Deut, 16:'9.
panied  by a particular sacrifice, de- source from whence the crowning blessscribed in v. 9-14.                   ings of life proceeded. As God'was the
bountiful donor of the blessings of the
The Sheaf of First Fruits.        harvest, it was an ordinance which
10. WTrhen ye be come into the land, would find a response in every right
&c. The actual observance of this law  heart, that he should first be honored
was to be deferred till they had arrived with its fruits before his creatures should
In the land of Canaan, and had become  have appropriated any part of them to
permanently fixed in their settlements I their own use. This universal dictate
for during their sojourn in the wilder- of a grateful bosom found a fitting exness they could neither sow nor reap. pression in the customs of the ancient
-~f Ye shall bring a sheaf of the Romans, of whom Pliny says,' Ne gus.
first fruits. A sheaf of the new corn  tabant quidem  novas fruges, ant vina,
was brought to the priest who was to  antequam  sacerdotes primitias libasheave it up, in token of his presenting  sent,f they did not so much as taste of
it to the God of heaven, and to wave it their corn or uwine, till the priests had
to and fro before the Lord, as the Lord  offered thefirstfruits.
of the whole earth, and the bountiful
giver of all its fruits and favors. This       2. Feast of Pentecost.
offering of the sheaf of the first fruits   15. Ye shall count unto you, &c.
did as it were sanctify to him  all the From the day of waving the sheaf they
rest of the harvest. Besides, it served  were to count seven sabbaths or weeks
as a type of Christ, who, as risen fron  complete, or forty-nine days, and then
the dead, is the' first fruits of them that was to be celebrated the second or great
slept.' 1 Cor. 15. 20.                harvest-festival, called Pentecost, from
14. Ye shall eat neither bread, &c. the Gr. 7rEvr7Kor17tl, fifty, from its beginThis is a precept which would naturally  ningfifty days after the waving of the
commend itself to the better feelings sheaf of the first fruits.
of every pious and reflecting mind.   The Feast of Pentecost, here instiNothing could be more appropriate than  tuted, is called by various names in the
thus to testify a grateful sense of the sacred writings, as' the feast of weeks,'




B. C. 1490.)              CHAPTER  XXIII.                               237
16 Even unto the morrow  after and their drink-offerings, even an
the seventh sabbath shall ye num-  offering made by fire of sweet saber m fifty days; and ye shall offer your unto the LORD.,a  new  meat-offering  unto  the   19 Then ye shall sacrifice Pone
LORD.                                 kid of the goats for a sin-offering,
17 Ye shall bring  out of your and two lambs of the first year for
habitations two wave-loaves of two  a sacrifice of q peace-offerings.
tenth-deals: they shall be of fine   20 And the priest shall wave then
flour, they  shall be baken  with  with  the bread of the first-fruits
leaven, they are o the first-fruits for  a wave-offering  before the
unto the LORD.                        LORD, with the two lambs: r they
18 And ye shall offer with the  shall be holy to the LORD for the
bread seven lambs without blemish  priest.
of the first year, and one young   21 And ye shall proclaim  on the
bullock, and two rams: they shall self-same day, that it may be an
be for a burnt-offering unto the  holy convocation  unto you: ye
LORD, with  their meat-offering, shall do no servile work therein:
it shall be a statute for ever in all
m Acts 2. 1. n Numb. 28. 26. o Exod. 23.
16, 19, and 22. 29, and 34. 22, 26. Numb. 15.   P ch. 4. 23, 28. Numb. 28. 30. q ch. 3. 1.
17, and 28. 26. Deut. 26. 1.          r Numb. 18. 12. Deut. 18. 4.
Ex. 34. 22; Dent. 16. 10, 16, because of which was fifty days after the depart.
its being celebrated a week of weeks, ure from Egypt, and consequently after
or seven-weeks, after the feast of un- the first Passover. Hence, by degrees,
leavened bread; the' feast of harvest,' instead of resting on the ground on
Ex. 23. 16; and also the I day of first which Moses placed it, the festival was
fruits,'.Num. 16. 26; for this was pro- turned into a commemoration of that
perly the harvest-festival at which the great event.
Israelites were to offer thanksgivings    17. Ye shall bring out of your habitato God for the bounties of the harvest, ations. That is, not out of their houses,
and to present to him  the first fruits but out of some one or more of the
thereof in bread baked of the new corn. several places or regions where they
It seemns, in fact, that the barley har- abode, as explained above, in the Note
vest commenced about the Passover, on v. 3. It cannot be supposed to mean
and the wheat harvest ended at the  that each locality where Israelites rePentecost in Palestine, where, as in sided furnished two wave loaves, for
Egypt, the barley is ripe considerably  there were to be but two for the whole
earlier than the wheat. This festival nation; but the leading idea is, that the
lasted for seven days, during which  flour was to be supplied from  some
mnany holocausts and offerings for sin  place in the country, and was then ofwere sacrificed. In later times many  fered in the name of the whole congre.
Jews from foreign countries came to  gation, together with the seven lambs,
Jerusalem  on this joyful occasion. the young bullock, the two rams, the
Even at that time, and still more since kid, and the two lambs; all which were
then, a greater degree of relative im- no doubt furnished at the  common
portance seems to have been attached  charges of the whole people. As the
to this festival than appears to have  loaves were not to be burnt on the altar,
been designed by the law. It was dis- they were allowed to be made of leaven,
covered that the date, fifty days after without contradicting ch. 2. 1l, 12.
the Passover, coincided with the deliv-   21. Ye shall do no servile work thereery of the law  from  Mount Sinai, in. This the Jews understood of every




23S8                          LEVITICUS.                       B. C. 1490.
your dwellings  throughout your and to the stranger: I am theLoRD
generations.                          your God.
22 ~ And swhen  ye  reap  the   23 ~ And the LORD  spake unto
harvest of your land, thou shalt Moses, saying,
not make clean riddance of the   24 Speak unto the children of Is.
corners of thy field when  thou  rael, saying, In the u seventh month
reapest, tneither shalt thou gather in the first day of the month, shall
any gleaning of thy harvest: thou  ye have a sabbath, xa memorial of
shalt leave them  unto the poor, blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.
s ch. 19. 9. t Deut. 24. 19.          u Numb. 29. 1. x eh. 25. 9.
hind of' labor except that which per- dignified was this conduct throughout
tained to the preparation of food. It the land of Judea, when compared with
properly denotes that more laborious the general practice of other nations!
kind of service which we understand by For, instead of making the new year a
drudgery, such as ploughing, sowing, day of devotion, it is commonly a day
reapiln, threshing, gathering the vint- of idleness and dissipation.  At the
age, &c.                              present day, as we are told by Calmet,
22. When ye reap the harvest, &c. Leo of Modena, Buxtorf, and Basnage,
See Note on Lev. 19. 9. Comp. Deut. the Jews are accustomed on this even.
24. 19.                               ing to wish one another a good year, to
make better cheer than ordinary, and
3. The Feast of Trumpets.       to sound the trumpet thirty times suc24. A memorial of blowing of trum. cessively.  During this feast, which
pets.  Heb. lrr t 1'1mZt zikron te- lasts, it seems, the first two days of the
ruadi, which the Chal. renders a memo. year, business is suspended, and they
rial of shouting. As the word in the hold, by tradition, that on this day God
original for memorial has the sense of particularly judges the actions of the
celebrating  or commemorating with  foregoing year, and disposes the events
praise, the import of the language un- of the year following. Wherefore, on
doubtedly is,'A festival for commem- the first days of the foregoing month, or
orating or praising God with the sound eight days at least before the ieast of
of trumpets.'  It was observed with  trumpets, they generally apply them.
great solemnity, the trumpets sounding  selves to works of penitence, and the
from  sun-rise to sun-set. The priest evening before the feast many of them
who sounded the first trumpet, began  receive 39 lashes by way of discipline.
with the usual prayer,' Blessed be God  On the first evening of the year, and
who hath sanctified us by his precepts,' which precedes the first day of Tizri
&c., subjoining,' Blessed be God who  (for their evening precedes their mornbath hitherto preserved us: in life, and  ing,) as they return from the synagogue
brought us unto this time.' After this they say to one another,' May you be
the people repeated with a loud voice  written in a good year;' to which the
the following words from Ps. 88. 15: other answers,'And you also.'  On'Blessed is the people who know the their return home, they serve up at tajoyful sound,' &c. As the feast of new  ble honey and unleavened bread, and
moons was the sanctifying  of each  whatever may signify a plentiful and
month, so the feast of trumpets was the happy year.  Some of them, on the
sanctifying of each year, and a remind-  morning of these two feasts, go to the
ing of the Israelites that all their times synagogue clothed in white, in token of
were in God's hand. IHow rational and  purity and penitence. Among the G r



B. C:. 1490.]             CHAPTER  XXIII.                             239
25 Ye shall do no servile work  convocation unto you, and ye shall,
therein; but ye shall offer an offer- afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.   ing made by fire unto the LORD.
26 ~ And the LoRD spake unto   28 And ye shall do no work in
Moses, saying,                       that same day; for it is a day of
27 y Also on the tenth day of this atonement to make an atonement
seventh month there shall be a day  for you before the LoRD your God.
of atonement; it shall be an holy   29 For whatsoever soul it be that
Y ch. 16. 30. Numb. 29. 7.    shall not be afflicted in that satme
man Jews, some wear the habit which one for this life, and the other for the
they have appointed for their burial, next; for it often happens that the
and this is done as a mortification.  wicked are not punished in this life
On this day they repeat in the syna- accordling to their demerits, whereas
gogues several appropriate prayers and the just suffer severely, as if they had
benedictions.  They take the Penta- incurred the displeasure of God. This
teuch very solemnly from its chest, and conduct of the Almighty is the reason
call upon five persons to read the por- why no one can be sure of his state,
tion which describes the sacrifice that but is uncertain whether he be worthy
vas appointed for that day; then they to be loved or hated. With respect to
twenty times sound a horn, sometimes the middle class, they think that they
very slowly, and at other times quickly, are not written down any where, for
to remind them, as they explain it, of God delays it till the day of annual ex.
the judgments of God, to intimidate piation, which is the tenth day after,
sinners, and induce them  to repent. to see if they will reform; and then
After prayers they return to  their their sentence is fixed either for life or
houses, to take some refreshment, and death. Such are the ceremonies with
spend the rest of the day in hearing ser. which the modern Jews are said to ob.
mons, and in other exercises of devo- serve the feast of trumpets; but it
tion. The two days of the feast being should ever be recollected, that these
observed exactly in the same manner, a ceremonies are far from being universal;
more particular description of the lat. for in -countries where superstition pre.
ter would be unnecessary.  It may, vails, they insensibly become tinctured
however, be remarked, with respect to with it, and in countries where a more
their preparation for the feast, that rational mode of thinking is general,
many of the Jews plunge themselves in they as naturally adopt a more rational
cold water, confessing, as they descend ritual.
into it,.their numerous sins, and beating
their breasts; and they plunge them-       4. The Day of Atonement.
selves over the head, that they may   27-32. On the tenth day of this sev.
appear entirely clean before God, for enth month, there shall be a day of
they think that, on this day, God as- atonement. This was properly an an.
sembles his council, or his angels, and nual fast, and the only one prescribed
that he opens his book to judge all men. by the law, however fasts may abound
Three sorts of books, they imagine, are in the present calendar of the Jews. It
opened; viz. the book of life for the occurred on the filth day before the
just; the book of death for the wicked; Feast of Tabernacles, or on the tenth
and the book of a middle state, for such of the seventh month, Tisri (October).
as are neither very good nor very bad. On this day they were to abstain from
In the two books of life and death they all servile work, to take no food' from
conceive there are: two kinds of pages, evening to evening,' during which they




240                          LEVITICUS.                      [B. C. 1490.
day, she shall be cut off  from  souls:intheninthdayofthemonth
among his people.                    at even, from even unto even, shall
30 And whatsoever soul it be that ye celebrate your sabbath.
doeth any work in that sameday,  33 ~ And the LORD spake unto
a the same soul will I destroy from  Moses, saying,
among his people.                      34 Speak unto the  children of'
31 Ye shall do no manner of  Israel, saying, b The fifteenth day
work: it shall be a statute for ever of this seventh month shall be the
throughout your generations in all feast of tahernaclesfor seven days
your dwellings.                      unto the LORD.
32 It shall be unto you a sabbath
of rest, and ye shall afflict your   b Exod. 23. 16. Numb. 29. 12. Deut. 16.
13. Ezra 3. 4. Neh. S. 14. Zech. 14. 16.
z Gen. 17. 14. a ch. 20. 3, 5, 6.  John 7. 2.
were to'afflict their souls.' The sa. were confounded and interchanged, as
crificial services of this day were the in the analogous case of the Passover
most solemn in all the year, but as we and Feast of Unleavened Bread. Inhave more fully considered the details stead, therefore, of regarding.this as
orf the festival in our Notes on the 16th one festival of eight (lays, with two
chapter, it will be unnecessary to re. names and two objects, it seems best to
peat them here.                      regard it as a union of two festivals
with different names and objects, the
5. The Feast of Tabernacles.     one of seven days, and the other of one
34. The fifteenth day of the seventh  day.
month shall be the feast of tabernacles.   As in the other festivals of a week's
This festival is termed in Hebrew  Nr  duration, the first and last days were to
111='1hag hdssukoth, feast of tents, be observed as Sabbaths, with the exor booths, but by the Chal. is called' the ception that only servile labor was inmshade of clouds,' in allusion to the sha- terdicted. On the other five days any
dow of the divine protection in the pil- kind of work might be executed. Dur.
lar of cloud that attended the Israelites ing all the seven the people were to live
in their journey through the wilderness.  in booths made of branches of several
The Feast of Tabernacles was insti- sorts of trees, which, as mentioned in
tuted in memoryof the journey through  Lev. 23. 40, are the palm, the willow,
the Arabian wilderness, and therefore and two others, which seem to denote
the people, during  its continuance,'beautiful trees,' and any' thick or
dwelt in booths.  This lasted seven bushy wood,' rather than any particu.
days, from the 15th to the 22d of the lar species. Those named in Nehem.
seventh month, Tisri (October).  It 8. 15, are different, and it seems reasonis usual to state that another object of able to conclude that it was not the
this feast was as a Feast of In.gather- intention of the law to compel the use
ing, to return thanks, and to rejoice for of any particular species, but only such
the completed vintage and gathering in as were suitable for the purpose and
of the fruits. But a close examination  could be easily procured. It is not ex.
will make it probable that this was the pressly said in the law that the booths
separate object of the eighth  day, were to be made with those branches,
which was added to the seven: for it though the language of the text with
was only during the seven days that the  the context, obviously leads to that conpeople were to dwell in booths. Being  clusion. It was so understood in the
thus closely connected, they got to be time of Nehemiah. But the Sadducees
regarded as one festival, and the names and Pharisees, in later days, split on




B. C. 1490.]                CHAPTER  XXIII.                               241
35 On the first day shall be a holy   37 e These are the feasts of the
convocation: ye shall do no servile  LORD, which ye shall proclaim  to
work therein.                          be holy convocations, to offer an'36 Seven days ye shall offer an  offering made by fire unto the LORD,
offering  made  by fire  unto  the  a burnt-offering, and a meat-offerLoRD; e on  the eighth day shall ing, a sacrifice, and drink-offerings,
be a holy convocation unto you, every thing upon his day:
and ye shall offer an offering made   38 f Besides the sabbaths of the
by fire unto the LORD: it is a dsol- LORD, and  besides your gifts, and
emn assembly; and ye shall do no  besides all your vows, and besides
servile work therein.                   all your free-wilt-offerings, which
c Numb. 29. 35. Neh. 8. 18. John 7. 37. ye give unto the LORD.
d Deut. 16. S. 2 Chron. 7. 9. Neh. 8. 18.
Joel. 1. 14, and 2. 15.                        e vr. 2. 4. f Numb. 29 39.
this point; the former understanding  than those of any of the preceding
that the booths were to be made of seven days,
the boughs, while the latter contended    36. It is a solemn assembly.  Heb.
that they were to be borne rejoicingly  Rin tni7Y atzereth hi, rendered in the
in the hands. The latter practice pre- margin a day of restraint.  This is a
vailed in the time of Christ, as it does new  term, which does not occur preto this day.  The Karaites,  however, viously in reference to any of the feasts
follow the interpretation of the Saddu- here mrentioned, and is of somewhat
cees, which seems to be the right one, difficult interpretation. As the verbal
although it must be confessed that the  root'3Y  dztzar signifies to shut up, to
Israelites did not, in the Arabian wil- close, Theodoret renders it ro rcXo rTov
<terness dwell in green booths, but in EoQprcvw, the conclusion of the feast. So
tents. It seems that the people often  also the Gr. of the LXX. has eso&iov,
made their booths on the flat roofs of outgoing, or close. The term is applied
their houses.  More public sacrifies to the last or concluding day of the
wuere to be offered on this festival than  feast of unleavened bread, Dent. 16. 8,
on any of the others, as may be seen in and Josephus remarks, that the feast of
Num. 29. 12-39. This feast was cele. Pentecost, which was kept at the end
brated with more of outward glee than  of seven computed weeks, was called
any others, though without intemper. aoapOa, asartha, evidently from the Heb.
atcc, to which the Hebrews asa nation, original.  This, therefore, as it was the
do not appear to have been ever much  last, so it was the great day of the feast,
addicted. The ceremonies of parading in  as it is termed by the Evangelist, John
ilrocession with branches, chanting ho- 7. 37. From  this it would seem  that
slsnnas, and of drawing water from the  any great solemnity or assemblage is
Pool of Siloam, to pour out, mixed with  called by this name of n'lt atzereth,,vine, on the sacrifice as it lay on the  as 2 Kings 10. 20, Joel 1. 14; although
altar, existed in the time of Christ, and  Gesenius maintains that the noun debefore; but they rest rather upon tra- rives the meaning of assemblage from
dition than upont any express law of that sense of the root which he renders
Mloses. The eighth day, which we re- to stay, restrain, constrain; which is
gard as the proper Feast of In-gather- equivalent to the explication of the
i7ng, was kept as a Sabbath (and some- Jewish doctors, who make it as imply.
tithres muist actually have been one) ing restraint or detention, inasmuch as
like tihe first of the tabernacle feasts. they were detained at Jerusalem  one
Notwithstanding its being a distinct day longer than on any other festival,
fitslivaj, the sacrifices for it were less none of which lasted more than seven
21




242                            LEVITICUS.                       (B. 0. 1490.
39 Also in the fifteenth day of the   40 And h ye shall take you on the
seventh  month, when  ye  have  first day the boughs of goodly trees,
ggathered in the fruit of the land, branches of palm-trees, and  the
ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD  boughs of thick trees, and willows
seven days: on the first day shall of the brook; i and ye shall rejoice
be a sabbath, and on the eighth day  before the LORD your God seven
shall be a sabbath.                    days.
g Exod. 23, 16. Deut. 16. 13.         hNeh.S. 15. i Deut. 16. 14, 15.
days. It is one of the cases where the  They tie together one branch of' palm,
import of the original is unavoidably  three branches of myrtle, and one of
left doubtful.                         willow. This they carry in their right
39. Also in the fifteenth day, &c. hands, and in their left they have a
There is here no new injunction, but branch of citron with its fruit, whenever
merely a reiteration and enforcement they can procure it. With these they
of what was said before. It is simply  make a procession in their synagogues
an amplification of the particulars of the  every day of the feast, that is, for seven
feast of tabernacles. The particle'also' days, around their reading desks, as
therefore should be rendered' surely,' their ancestors did around the walls of
truly,' or something equivalent.      Jericho, in token of the expected down.
40. Ye shall take you on the first day  fall of their enemies. While making
the boughs of goodly trees. Heb.'n  this procession, they sing' Hosannah,'.i, VY peri Utz hdddr, the fruit of whence the feast itself is sometimes
the tree of goodliness, or honor; im- called by the Rabbins; the Hosannah;'
plying probably that branches were and sometimes the branches are called
taken with the friuit as well as the leaves by the same name. On the last great
upon them, wherever such could be day, which they call'Hosannah Rabo
conveniently obtained. Otherwise comrn. bah,? or:" the great Hosannah,' they
mon fruitless boughs were doubtless to make the procession seven times togebe made use of. Their booths were a  ther, in memory of the siege of Jericho.
kind of arbors. Maimonides, the ora- The form of the Hosannah in their ritcle of the Jews, following the Jerusalem  ual, which they sing on this occasion,
Targum, contends that the citron or is remarkable;pome-citron, is the particular tree whose
toughs were taken on this occasion    For thy sake, 0 our Creator, Hosaunah.
and so firm in this persuasion are even   For thy sake, O our Seeker, Hosannah.
For thy sake, O our Seeker, Hosannah.
the modern Jews, that they fancy the
feast cannot be duly celebrated without This would seem to be a virtual calling
such branches. Numbers, therefore, of upon the blessed Trinity to save them
the German Jews send annually into  and send them help.
Spain, to procure a quantity of branches   Another distinguishing ceremony on
with the citrons upon them; and when  this occasion was the pouring out of
the feast is over they distribute them  water, the manner of which was as fol.
as a gift of great value to their friends. lows:-One of the priests, with a golden
-— r Branches of palm-trees. These  flagon, went to the pool of Siloam or
iranches, as also the others mentioned  Bethesda, where, filling it with water,
in this connexion, the Sadducees under- he returned to the court of the priests
stood to be for making their booths, but by the gate on the south side of the
the Pharisees contend that they were to  court of Israel, thence called the Water
be carried in their hands; which is the Gate; and no sooner did he appear,
practice of the modern Jews to this day. than the silver trumpets sounded to




B. C, 1490.]                CHAPTER  XXIV.                                243
41 k And ye shall keep it a feast   43 m That your generations may
unto the LORD  seven days in the  know that I made the children of
year: it shall be a statute for ever Israel to dwell in booths, when I
in -your generations; ve shall cele- brought them  out of the land of
brate it in the seventh month.         Egypt: I am  the LORD your God.
42 lYe  shall  dwell in  booths   44 And  Moses  ndeclared  unto
seven days; all that are Israelites  the children of Israel the feasts of
born shall dwell in booths:            the LORD.
k Numb. 29 12. Neh. 8. 1S. I Neh. 8.
14 umb 1. 91. Ne,. 15., N.   m Deut. 31. 13. Ps. 78., 6..   ver. 2.
14, 15, 16.
announce his arrival. He continued to  v. 15, and the Hebrew canons affirm
advance and went directly to the top of  that they were not to be covered with
the altar, to the two basons that stood, any kind of cloth, or any thing that had
the one with the wine for the ordinary  not grown out of the earth, or with
drink-offering, the other for the water aught that was faded or withered, or
which he had brought; where, pouring  that had an ill savor, or that was in any
the water into the empty bason, he  way  unclean.  Maimonides observes
mixed the wine and water together, and  that this feast was fixed to that season
afterwards poured out both together by  when the people could dwell in booths
way of libation. There is nothing said  with the least inconvenience, as the
about this part of the ceremonies in the  weather was then moderate, and they
law of Moses, but the Jews pretend to  were not wont to be troubled either
find authority for it in Is. 12. 3,' With  with heat or with rain.
joy shall ye draw water out of the wells
of salvation.'  The conjecture of Patrick is far more probable, that it was         CHAPTER XXIV.
in memory of the water which followed    In the series of the foregoing chaptheirt during all the time of their so- ters we have seen that, after the setting
journing in the wilderness. It is sup. up of the tabernacle, directions were
posed that our Savior alludes to this given as to the several kinds of sacricustom, where it is said, John 7. 37, 38, fices that should be offered, and the'In the last day, that great day of the  personal qualifications of those that
feast, Jesus stood and cried, If any man  should offer them. Aaron and his sons
thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. having been duly consecrated, care is
I-e that believeth on me, as the Scrip- taken that none of their posterity should
ture hath said, out of his belly shall miniister before God but such as were
flow rivers of living water.' This was every way perfect; nor were any blema season of so much rejoicing, that it ished animals ever to be allowed to
passed into a common proverb, that come upon the sacred altar. The order'he that never saw  the rejoicing of of the several anniversary  festivals
drawing water, never saw rejoicing in  having been also determined in the pre.
his life.'                             ceding chapter, the writer comes in the
42. Ye shall dwell in booths. Heb. present to treat of the daily service of
11ntl htI     besukkoth tgshebu, ye shall God in the sanctuary, which was not
sit (abide) in  booths.  These  were  fully settled in all its details till the
afterwards, in Jerusalem, constructed  princes had made their offerings, Num.
on the tops of their houses, in their 7. 1,2, &c. Its contents, however, are
court-yards, and in the streets. Neh. somewhat of a varied character, several
S. 16. They were made of the branches items of an incidental nature being inof various trees, as before remarked, troduced in the course of it.




244                           LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
CHAPTER  XXIV.                  4 He shall order the lamps upon
A ND the LORD spake unto Mo-b the pure candlestick  before the
ses, saying,                     LORD continually.
2 a Command the children of Is-   5 T And thou shalt take fine flour,
rael, that they bring unto thee pure  and bake twelve c cakes thereof:
oil-olive beaten for the  light, to  two tenth-deals shallbe in one cake.
cause  the  lamps  to  burn  con-   6 And thou shalt set them  in two
tinually.                              rows, six on a row, d upon the pure
3 Without the vail of the testi- table before the LURD.
mony, in the tabernacle of the con-   7 And thou shall put pure frankgregation, shall Aaron order it from  incense upon each row, that it may
the evening unto the morning be- be on the bread for a memorial,
fore the LORD continually: it shall
he a statute for ever in your gene-   b Exod. 31. 8, and 39. 37. c Exod. 25. 30.
rations.                               d 1 Kings 7. 48. 2 Chron. 4. 19, and 13. 11.
a Exod. 27. 20, 21.        Heb 9. 2.
between the holy and most holy place.
The Oil for the Lamps.          T'he ark of the covenant is here called
2. To cause the lamps toburn.  Heb.' the testimony,' because it contained'in htY    lehaaloth nr, to cause the the tables of the testimony, as they are
lamp to ascend; i. e. the light or flame  called, Ex. 25. 21. — T From the eveof the lamp. Our version gives' lamps,' ning unto the morning. The Hebrew
in the plural, although the Heb. has word't:  boker, properly signifies that' lamp.' Yet in v. 4, the original has portion of the morning which inter-'lamps,' plural. It is doubtless used venes between the break of day and
here as a collective, all the seven  sunrise. The other word, =~.V ereb)
lamps being considered as forming but implies the time from  sunset to dark.
one. In like manner, and in direct al- The priests, therefore, were to look
lusion to this, the Holy Spirit, though  after the lamps from very early in the
one, is represented by' seven lamps of  morning to late at night.
fire before the throne,' Rev. 4. 5; for
there are' diversities of gifts, but one  The Ordering of the Table of Shewspirit.' Comp. Ex. 27. 20, Num. 8. 2,                  bread.
I SamI. 3. 3.-~-  Continually.  Heb.   6. Thou shalt set them in two rows'7]    tamid. That is, from night to six in a row, upon the pure table before
night; not without intermission., So the Lord.  These loaves are called
the' continual burnt-offering' means elsewhere the {bread of the presence,'
thlat which was regularly offered at the  the mystical import of which we have
appointed season.  So Mephibosheth  fully considered in the Notes on Ex. 20.
was to eat bread at David's table con- 30. They were prepared by the Levites,
tinually, i. e. at the stated hours of and were twelve in number, to corres.
meals, 2 Sam. 9. 7 13. In like manner pond with the twelve tribes of Israel.
when the Apostle says, I Thess. 3. 17, The table is called: the pure table,'
IPray without ceasing,' his meaning just as the candlestick is called, v. 4,
undoubtedly is, that they were to pray' the pure candlestick,' from  the pure
constantly, morning and evening, at the  gold with which it was- overlaid, and
stated hours of prayer.                which was doubtless always kept clean
3. Without the vail of the testimony. and bright.
That is,' without the second vail,' as it   7. That it may be on the bread for a
is termed, Heb. 9. 3, which separated  memorial. That is, that the frankin,




B. C. 1490.]               CHAPTER XXIV.                                245
even an offering made by fire unto sons'; g and they shall eat it in the
the LORD.                             holy place: for it is most holy unto
8 eEvery sabbath he shall set it him of the offerings of the LORD
in order before the LonD continu- made by fire by a perpetual statute.
ally, being taken from the children   10 ~T And the son of an Israelitish
of Israel by an everlasting covenant. woman, whose father was an Egyp9 And fit shall be Aaron's and his  tian, went out among the children
e Numb. 4. 7. 1 Chron. 9. 32. 2 Chron. of Israel; and this son of the Israel2. 4. f I Sam. 21. 6. Matt. 12. 4. Mark 2. itish woman and a man of Israel
26. Lulie 6. 4. s Exod. 29. 33. ch. 8. 3, strove together in the camp;
and 21. 2-2.
cense may be burnt upon the altar of am the Lord your God.' As the writer
incense, instead of the bread; as the is treating in the present chapter of
handful of the meal-offering with its oil several particulars of the criminal laws,
and incense, Lev. 2. 2, was to be a me- the question would naturally arise wheimorial of the whole.  The frankin- ther and how far those laws were to
cense stood in a golden saucer upon the bear upon foreigners, dwelling among
bread duriig the whole week: on the them  as proselytes.  The answer to
Sabbath the bread was taken away to be this question  is not only expressly
eaten, and the frankincense was burnt stated in v. 22, but the pertinent case
in lieu of it. As incense is a symbol of the Egyptian Israelite is also brought
of prayer, there Inay have been an inti- in by way of illustration. The original
mation in this appointment, that our Hebrew, as rendered  literally, runs
spiritual food is to be received and  thus:-4 And there went out a son of
sanctified with prayer. Indeed, when an Israelitess, and he the son of an
a good nman sits down at his table and Egyptian  man, in the midst of, or
invokes the divine blessing upon his among the children of Israel,' &c.,
daily food, we seem to see the realized  which the Jewish writers generally unsubstance of the vessels of incense upon derstand as implying that the father
the Levitical loaves.                 was a proselyte to the Hebrew faith, as
S. Being taken from the children of  Aben-ezra in particular says.,'he was
Israel. It was taken fromn the children  received into' the number of the Jews.'
of Israel, inasmuch as it was bought This is not, perhaps, improbable in
with the money which they contributed. itself, for as it was now little more than
The yearly half.shekel tribute, ordain- a year since they came out of Egypt,
ed Ex. 30. 13, 16, was doubtless devoted  and yet his son was old enough to strive
to defraying the expenses of the service  with a man of Israel, he had no doubt
of the sanctuary.                     married the Israelitish woman at least
some fifteen or twenty years before the
Of the Blaspheming Son of Shelomith. exodus; and if so, the presumption
10. The son of an Israelitish woman would no doubt be, that he had embraced
whose father was an Egyptian, went out the religion of her whom he had chosen
among the children of Israel, &c. The for a wife. Still there is evidently no
insertion of this historical narrative in certainty in the intimationand we must
this connexion, in the midst of a body  take it for what it is worth. It is im.
of ceremonial and moral laws, has sonie- possible to feel much respect for the
what ofa siingular air, but may perhaps judgment of men who are constantly
be satisfactorily explained from  the prone to give a tongue to the silence of
hint afforded v. 22,' Ye shall have one scripture, and supply its omissions with
manner of law, as well for the stranger, the extravagant and silly fictions of
as for one of your own country; for I their own teeming fancies; a specimen
21'




246                            LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1490.
11 And the Israelitish woman's  kbrought him  unto Moses: (and
son h blasphemed the name of the  his mother's name was Shelomith,
LORD, and  i cursed; and  they  the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe
h ver. 16. i Job 1. 65, 11, 2-2, and 2. 5, 9, of Dan:)
10. Isai. 8. 21.                                   k ]Exod. 18. 22. 26.
of which is to be seen in the asserted  25, Job. 3. 8,-5.3. So, also, the Arabic
genealogy which they have ascribed to  renders it by a word signifying prima.
this son of Shelomith, making his father rily to cut or perforate, and thence used
to be no other than the man whom  figuratively for cursing or malediction.
Moses killed in Egypt. But we know  Yet it is certain that the Hebrew term
nothing more, for we are told nothing  is employed by way of secondary usage
more, respecting this bold transgressor, in the sense of declaring or expressing
than that he was now enumerated in the  distinctly, specifying, calling by name,
congregation of Israel, and that he was as Gen. 30. 28, Num. 1. 17, Is. 62. 3, and
guilty of the high-handed crime here  hence, the Jews, from  a very early pe.
recited. As to the' going out' spoken  riod, considered themselves as prohibitof in the text, it is not clear what is to ed from uttering the name' Jehovah,'
be understood by the expression; whe- except on the most sacred occasions, as
ther it refers to his coming out ofEgypt, it is well known that in reading their
or simply to his going out of his tent, Scriptures they universally substituted
and engaging in strife abroad. We in- sIC'  adonai, Lord, for q11'  Yehovah,
dine to the former opinion.            wherever it occurs, and in their writings
11. And the lsraelitish woman's son  employ t=7 hashshem, the name, the
blasphemed the name of the Lord, and  very word in the passage before us. It
cursed.  Heb. j53''1  lV   nw P    is also to to be remarked, that the Gr. has
yiklkob eth hashshem va-yekall'l, blas. e7rovolpaas ro ovopa, having named the
phemed the name, and cursed. The  name, while Onkelos and the Syrian
words,' of the Lord,' it will- be per- have, distinctly expressed, and the Arab.
ceived, are supplied, not being found in  of Erpenius, pronounced. The proba.
the original. Nor does any one of the  bility, we think is, that this idea is act.
ancient versions, the Chal., the Sam., ually included in the meaning of the
the Syr., the Arab., the Sept., or the  term; that there was a distinct and at
Vulg., attempt to supply the  sacred  the same time opprobrious and profane
name. There can be no doubt, however, utterance of that name which is above
that the words are properly supplied, every name, the holy designation of the
and that his crime was a bold and irnm- infinite and eternal God, which ought
pious profaning the august name of never to be uttered without a trembling
Jehovah, which name is perhaps omit- awe upon the spirit. Houbigant, indeed,
ted by the writer in order to evince a  and some others, suppose that the blasreverence strikingly in contrast with  phemer did not use the name of the
the daring hardihood of the offender. true God at all, but had been swearing
The original word::j yikkob, from  by one of the gods of his country, and
~   ncikab, to pierce, bore, or strike  that his crime  was mentioning  the
through, is probably used in this con- name of a strange god in the camp of
nexion to imply that blasphemy is a  Israel. But upon reference to the law,
kind of striking through or wounding  enacted v. 16, there seems no good reawith the tongue, as it is said in Pro. son to consider this a sound interpretaverbs,' There is that spealteth the  tion; for we find that'MZUn  hashshEm, the
piercings of a sword.' It is elsewhere  name, in the latter part of the verse
used in the same sense as Num. 23.13, answers to  lmmo V4  shEm  Yehovah,




B. C. 1490.3              CHAPTER  XXIV.                                247
12 And they iput him  in ward,   14 Bring  forth  him  that hath
m that the mind of the LoaRD might cursed without the camp; and let
be shewed them.                       all that heard him n lay their hands
13  And  the LORD  spake  unto  upon his head, and let all the conMoses, saying,                        gregation stone him.
Numb. 15. 34. m Exod. 18. 15, 16. Num.
27. 5, and 36. 5, 6.                                    9, and 17.
the name of Jehovah, in the former As a precedent was now to be set for
part.  The Jews also frequently use future ages, it became them to proceed
~,;  hashshem, for JEHOVAH; and that with due deliberation.
it was an ancient custom  thus to al-   14. Bring forth him that hath cursed
lade to the Deity, without mentioning  without the camp.  As the camp of
his name, appears from  inscriptions Israel was holy, the execution of one
among  the Palmyrenians, on whose who had rendered himself so abominamarbles we find,' To the blessed NAME ble and accursed would bring a defilebe fear for ever —to the blessed NAME, ment upon it which was not to be tol.
for ever good, and merciful, be fear-    erated. —fr Lay their hands upon his
to the blessed wAm.E for ever be fear,' head..  By this testimony the people
&c.-    And cursed.  It is not un- who heard him curse bore their public
likely that being arraigned before the testimony in order to his being fully
magistrates, and sentence being given  convicted; and it was moreover a sig.
against him, he in a fit of exasperation  nificant mode of saying to the man,
spoke blasphemous words against God,' Thy blood be upon thine own head;
renouncing his worship, and cursing the we hereby clear ourselves of all particijudges who had condemned him.-   pation in thy guilt.' We find no other
~rAnd they brought him unto Moses, instance of this ceremony of the impo&c. The case was new and unprece- sition of hands in the case of a con.
dented, and as there was no law  by  demned malefactor, and the Jews hold
which the amount of guilt could be de- it to be peculiar to the sil of blasphemy.
termined, nor, consequently, the de-' Of all that are killed,' says Maimonigree of punishment, it was necessary  des,' by the Sanhedrin, there is none
to consult the Great Lawgiver on the upon whom they impose hands save the
occasion.  Moses, no doubt, had re- blasphemer only.' These remarks will
course to the tabernacle, and received  be found to illustrate the account given
the directions afterwards mentioned, in the New Testament of the deaths of
from  the Shekinah dwelling between  our Lord and of St. Stephen, who were
the cherubim. The answer was proba- both murdered under a false charge of
bly by the Urim and Thummim.          blasphemy. The crime of the judges
12. And they put him inl uward, that and witnesses in these cases was in de.
the mind of the Lord might be shewed claring them guilty of blasphemy, not
them. Chal.'Until. it was expounded in pronouncing blasphemy to deserve
unto them by the decree of the Word death.  The criminal codes of most
of the Lord.'  Gr. itaKplvat aurvov  da  Christian countries  have  denounced
rpocravyliarog Kovpov, to judge him  by death as the ultimate punishment of
the commandment of the Lord.  Im. blasphemy, in imitation of the law in
prisonment is no where mentioned in  this chapter: but these codes differ
the books of Moses, or in the early his. very much in the definition of blas.
torical books, as a punishment, but phemy; and it is perhaps owing to this
only as a means of keeping a criminal that the capital penalty is at present
in safe custody till the time of trial. I nowhere enforced even where it retains




248                           LEVITICUS.                       EB. C. 1490.
15 And thou shalt speak unto the  as well the stranger, as he that is
children of Israel, saying, Whoso- born in the land, when he blasever curseth his God o shall bear phemeth the name of the LORD,
his sin.                               shall be put to death.
16 And he that Pblasphemeth the   17  s[ qAnd he that killeth  any
name of the LORD, he shall surely  man shall surely be put to death.
be put to death, and all the con-   18 rAnd he that killeth a beast
gregation shall certainly stone him: shall make it good; beast for beast.
19 And if a man cause a blemish
o el, 5. 1, and 20. 17. Numb. 9. 13.
P 1 Kings 21. 10, 13. Ps. 74. 10, 18. Matt.      Exod. 21. 12. Numb. 35. 31. Deut. 19.
12. 31. Mark 3. 28, Jam. 2. 7.        11, 12. r ver. 21.
its place in the statute-books. In esti- death save for the name'Jehovah.'
mating the enormity of the offence, we Yet I say, for' Adonai' also he is to be
must not overlook the circumstance  stoned.' It was from this passage esof aggravation, that the act of bias- pecially that the rabbinical restraint
phemy against Jehovah was both a re. arose as to uttering the name' Jeho.
ligious and political crime, he being  vah,' either in reading the Scriptures or
not only the God, but the king of the otherwise, except in the sanctuary,
Hebrew nation.                        when the priest blessed the people, ac15. And thou shalt speak, &c. The  cording to the law,Num. 6. 23-27. And
present transaction, as might be ex- so long  was this practice in vogue
pected, gave rise to a standing law on among them that the true pronunciation
the subject.  Whoever spake disre. of the word has become lost; the curspectfully or reproachingly of God, un- rent pronunciation depending upon vowder any of his titles, was to be put to els that do not belong to it. -But there
death.                                is no question that this is merely a su16. He that blasphemeth the name of  perstitious scruple, for' which nothing
the Lord, &c. Heb. AIdI  1l1.Zj no. more than a forced traditionary interk'ib shEim Yehovah, the blasphemer of the pretation can be pleaded.
name of Jehovah. Chal.' He that expresseth.'  Gr. oroepacov ro ooa              The Lw of ovurder.
he that nameth the name of the Lord.   17. He that killeth any man. Heb.
The original is the same word that oc- ~'01  U=ID    Z -in" yakkeh kol nephesh
curs v. 1, and here, as there, implies a cdddm, that smiteth the life, or soul, of
blasphemous, distinct uttering. Whe- a man. As this statute has been before
ther the clause is intended to express a explained, Ex.21. 12, the only question
higher degree of the sin mentioned in here, is respecting the reasons of its inthe preceding verse, or whether it is sertion in this connexion. The true an
only a repetition of the same sentence, swer is perhaps to be gathered from the
with a more express designation of the context. The subsequent verses evince
punishment, is uncertain. The Jews, that both native-born  Israelites and
for the most part, understand it of him  sojourning proselytes were to be subonly who expressed the name, i.e. the ject to the same penal laws.  Inasmost holy name of God, or Jehovah, as much, then,as a stranger was to be put
the Targ. Jerus. says, on Deut. 32., to death for killing a man, let no one' Woe unto those that in their execra- deem it hard that he should be punishtions use the holy name, which it is not ed for blasphemy with equal severity
lawful for the highest angel to express.' with the son of Israel. It seems to be
But Maimonides says,' There be some  introduced by way of obviating a query
that expound it, that he is not guilty of  that might arise as to punishing blas.




B. C. 1490.]               CHAPTER  XXIV.                               249
in his neighbour; as s he hath done,  22 Ye shall have x one manner of
so shall it be done unto him:         law, as well for the stranger, as
20 Breach for breach, eye for eye, for one of your own country: for I
tooth for tooth: as he hath caused  am the LoRD your God.
a blemish in a man, so shall it be   23 ~ And  Moses spake  to  the
done to him again.                    children of Israel, y that they should
21 tAnd he that killeth a beast, bring forth him that had cursed out
he shall restore it: uand he that of the camp, and stone him  with
killeth a man, he shall be put to  stones: and the children of Israel
death.                                did as the LoRD commanded Moses.
s Exod. 21. 24. Deut. 19. 21. Matt. 5. 38,   x Exod. 12. 49. ch. 19. 34. Numb. 15.16.
and 7. 2. t Exod. 21. 33. ver. 18. u ver. 17. Y ver. 14.
phemy in a foreigner, in so exemplary  or contemptuous reflections thrown out
a manner.                             against the power or grace of God
As to the remaining precepts in this comes into the same category in the
chapter, the marginal references will estimation of the Scriptures.  Thus
point to the places where they are mi- Rabshakeh is charged with blasphemy
nutely explained.                     for asserting that the God of Israel had
no more power than the gods of the
REMARaKS.-(10-16.) The prominent heathen. And thus the Psalmist pleads,
reflection suggested by the present nar.' 0 God, how long shall the adversary
rative is, the greatness and grievous- reproach, shall the many blaspheme thy
ness of the sin of blasphemy. If we name for ever?' Thus, moreover, Paul
are assured that for every idle word says of himself that he was before his
which men shall speak they shall give conversion a blasphemer, because he
an account thereof in the day of judg- had spoken against and opposed the
ment, how much more for every profane grace of Christ; and doubtless it is for
and impious one! If even neglect of the same reason that James says of the
God be a high offence against him, in rich men of his day,' Do they not blaswhom we live, and move, and have our pheme that worthy name by which ye
being, and who has given his son to die are called?  And while opposition to
for our sins, how much deeper in enor. Christ is thus looked upon in Scripture,
mity and blacker in dye must be such  how dreadful is the denunciation against
contempt and defiance of his majesty!  this sin when committed against the
How fearful to give way to the evil pas. Holy Ghost. From all this we cannot
sions which prompt the lips to break  but be reminded how careful it behoves
forth in irreverent and blasphemous ex- us to be not to reproach the Lord in his
clamations! Although the man who is word, or works, or ways; not to object
guilty of this iniquity may not now  against the Gospel, or to endeavor to
come under an express statute that con- hinder its progress, and not to detract
demns him to death, yet let him not from those glorious operations of power
forget that there is an ear which hears, or grace wrought by the Holy Spirit in
and a book of remembrance that con. the souls of men, lest we incur the guilt
tains all his' ungodly speeches,' and  of this fearful sin.
will assuredly mete out to him  the    And lastly, let us beware of causing
due reward of his guilt.              others to blaspheme.  We may lead
It is moreover to be remembered that men to curse by irritating their passions,
blasphemy is not confined to the mere and we may cause them to speak evil
profane use of the name or titles of the of the Lord by the commission of sins
Most High. Any kind of disparaging  which shall bring discredit upon relit




250                           LEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1491.
CHAPTER  XXV.                 come into the land which I give
AND  the LORD spake unto Mo- you, then shall the land keep a a
ses in Mount Sinai, saying,    sabbath unto the LORD.
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye   a Exod36. 3. 10. See. 2.. 2 Cron
gion. See a melancholy instance of this lowed mount, from whence they did not
in the history of David, and the heavy  remove till the twentieth day of the
charge brought against him on this very  second month of the second year after
account;'Because by this deed thou  their coming out of Egypt, Nurn. 10.
hast given great occasion to the ene- 11, 12. All that is here related was
mies of the Lord to blaspheme.' Hear undoubtedly delivered to Moses in the
the strong reproof of the apostle Paul first month of the second year after the
to the Jews who lived not according to  exodus, immediately subsequent to the
the principles and precepts of their law, setting up of the tabernacle, Ex. 40. 17.' The name of God,' says he,' is blas-   2. Then shall the land keep a sabbath
phemed among the Gentiles through  unto the Lord. Heb. ri=  Tnn;r1
you.' And alas, it is chargeable upon  t~  shfibethfih eretz shabbdth laihomany nominal Christians,to their great vah, shall the land sabbatize a sabbath
reproach and shame, that while residing  unto the Lord. Gr. avaravvcrat m1  y/7
in foreign lands among heathens, Ma. the land shall rest. Chal.' The land
hometans, and other rejecters of the Gos- shall be remitted a remission,' which,
pel, they live in a manner so negligent though a barbarism  in our language,
of religion, and so dissolute as to bring  still conveys an intelligible idea. This
the greatest disgrace upon the sacred  year of rest to the land is a very promicause of Christianity. The sameeffiects nent feature of the sabbatic system,
may be produced by those who live at which formed so prominent and distinhomle. It is to be feared that many a one guishing a part of the Hebrew polity.
has been encouraged in sin, hardened in  As man was commanded and privileged
heart, and driven to the grossest enor- on the seventh day to abstain from that
inities in prolhane swearing and cursing, labor to which he had subjected himself
and every breach of the divine law, by  by sin, so, on the seventh year, the
the irreligious and immoral lives of  earth was also to rest, and enjoy, as it
persons, and by the scoffing and con- were, a respite from  the effects of the
temp)tuous speech of those professing  curse.  The prominent circumstances
the religion of Christ. God forbid that which distinguished the sabbatical year
we should thus dishonor the truth, and  from common years may be thus enuruin our souls m! erated.  (1.) All agricultural operations were to be suspended, and the
land was to lie fallow. The whole
CHAPTER XXV.                 country must, in fact, have been thrown
The Law of the Sabbatical Year.    into one vast common, free to the poor
I. And the Lord spake unto Afoses in  and the stranger, to the domestic cattle
AMount Sinai. That is, in the wilder. and the game; for the proprietor of the
ness or region of Sinai, in the vicinity  land not only ceased to cultivate it, but
of the mount, where the people were had no exclusive right to its spontanenow encamped.'Mounts is often used  ous produce, although he might share
in the Scriptures for' mountainous re- in it.  (2.) The produce of every sixth
gion!.  The congregation remained for year was promised to be such as would
a year in the neighborhood of the hal- support them  till the harvest of the




B. C. 1491.]                CHAPTER  XXV.                                 251
3 Six years thou  shalt sow  thy   4 But in the seventh  year shall
field, and six years thou shalt prune be a sabbatlh of rest unto the latd,
thy  vineya.rd, and gather in the  a sabbath for the LORD: thou shalt
fruit thereof;
tiith  year;  a  circumstance  which  their earthly possessions upon certain
would clearly demonstrate a particular prescribed conditions, with which they
providence in respect to the institution. could  not safely  dispense.  Closely
(3.) It was a season of' release from  connected with this, was the influence
debts due from one Israelite to another; which the Sabbatic year would have in
but not those due from  foreigners to  cherishing appropriate sentiments of
Israelites.  (4.) Every Hebrew slave  piety, and leading them to a practical
had the option of being released this trust  in  an overruling  providence.
year front his servitude.  At least this When they saw  the Sabbatic year at
is often inferred from  Ex. 21. 2; but hand, how forcibly would they be im.
it will be seen by reference to the Note pressed with the goodness of God in
on that passage to be quite doub'tlul Inaking provision for it! They would
whether the seventh year there men- have three years to live on the produce
tioned was not the seventh year of his of one single year. And.when they
actual service, rather than the sabbat. beheld their barns overflowing with the
ical year.  (5.) In the sabbatical year, produce of the earth, and their presses
at the feast of tabernacles, they were  bursting out with new wine, could they
enjoined to read the law in the hearing  refrain from saying,' This is the hand
of all the people. This was called by  of the Lord; how can we but feel deep.
the Rabbinical writers' the reading of ly sensible to his love and kindness?
the king,' because tradition made the  How can we refuse to love, serve, and
lking himself the reader on this occasion. trust forever so gracious a benefactor? 
It is not to be supposed that this year The observance of this season was, in
of rest to the  land was necessarily  fact, a test of their belief in the imme.
spent by the  Hebrews in idleness. diate superintendiug providence of God,
They could fish, hunt, take care of their and grieved we are to be obliged to
bees and flocks, repair their buildings  say, that under this test the Israelites
and furniture, mnanuflcture clothes, and  failed; and their failure was a na.
carry on their usual traffic.          tional sin, which constituted one of
In adverting to the various political the grand procuring causes of their
and moral designs of this institution, subsequent long captivity in Babylon.
we may observe, in the first place, that This fact seems to be anticipated, Lev.
the land itself would experience the 26. 33-35, as not unlikely to happen,
happy effects of lying fallow one year, and when the captivity actually came,
in itself. Incessant culture tends to ex- the years of its continuance correspond.
haust the strength of the soil, although  ed with the number of the neglected
this is in great measure counteracted in  sabbatic years; and as these were sev.
modern times by the expedient of a  enty, this would carry us back about 500
reotation of crops. But there is no doubt years to  the commencement of the
that among the Israelites the land re- kingly government, as the time at which
maining one year untilled, would re- the observance was discontinued. After
creit itself for a more vigorous fertility  the captivity it was more scrupulously
afterwards. Again, the institution was observed.
calculated to remind the chosen people   4. A sabbath of rest unto the land.
that God was the great Proprietor of all, Heb. Il=12 l Zl=  shabbath shabbathons
and that they were mere tenants,holding  a sabbath of sabbatism; a phrase of




252                         LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1491.
neither sow  thy field, nor prune  maid, and for thy hired servant,
thy vineyard.                        and for thy stranger that sojourn5 b That which groweth of its eth with thee,
own accord of thy harvest, thou   7 And for thy cattle, and for the
shalt not reap, neither gather the  beast that are in thy land, shall all
grapes of thy vine undressed: for the increase thereof be meat.
it is a year of rest unto the land.  8  f And thou shalt number seven
6 And the sabbath of the land  sabbaths of years unto thee, seven
shall be meat for you; for thee, times seven years; and the space
and for thy servant, and for thy  of the seven sabbaths of years shall
b 2 Kings 19. 29          he unto thee forty and nine years.
great intensity of import, which we   6. The sabbath of the land shall be
have previously explained. In its typi- meat for you.' Sabbath of' the land'
cal scope the ordinance no doubt pointed is here used by a figure of speech for the
forward to the great sabbatical period  fruit of the sabbath, i. e. of the sabbatof the world,which according to a very  ical year. In like manner the word
ancient Jewish tradition, is to succeed' sabbaths' is used ch. 23. 38, for the
the previous six thousand years. These, sacrifices of the sabbath.  It would
according to the Rabbins, are distributed  seem from this that the prohibition of
as follows;-Two thousand before the gathering corn and fruits in this year
law; two thousand under the law; and  was not absolute, for the products of
two thousand under the Messiah. Then  the vine and olive, and the milk and
comes the grand period of bliss and honey would continue as usual.
glory to the world. -:r Thou shalt
neither sow thy field nor prune thy               The Jubilee.
vineyard.  That is, the superfluous   8. Thou shalt number seven sabbaths
shoots and branches which the husband- of years. The term'sabbath' here is
man cuts to make the trees more fruitful. used in the sense of'week,' as before
5. Neither gather the grapes of thy  explained, so that as a literal week
vine undressed. Heb. q~;]  =.YV in- consisted of seven days, a sabbath of
nebg nezirEka, the grapes of thy separa- weeks consisted of seven years. It is
lion. Gr. ryv orarvX)tv roev aytaoparog aov, not, however, to be understood that the
the gropes of the sanctification. Chal. jubilee was to be celebrated on the'the vine of thy leaving;' i. e. which  forty-ninth, but on the fiftieth year,
thou art to leave uncultivated.' The  as is evident from v. 11. The fortyoriginal word q)m'I  nezirlka, is de. ninth was the ordinary seventh or sabrived from 13~ nazar, to separate, from  batical year, so that, in fact, two holy
which comes'Nazarite,' one separated, years came together.  Thus writes
one devoted to God for a season by spe. Maimonides:' The year of jubilee
cial consecration. One requisite in this cometh not into the count of the years
case, was that the hair should be suf- of the seven; but the nine and fortieth
fered to grow without being shaven; year is the release, and the fiftieth year
and in like manner the vineyard of the the jubilee.'  The jubilee, therefore,
Israelites being in a sense consecrated  was proclaimed on the forty-ninth and
to Qod for the space of the sabbatical celebrated on the fiftieth year.
year, it was to be left in the condition    The institution here described is one
of the Nazarite's head, untouched by of the most interesting and important
knife or pruning-hook. This is the rea- of all the appointments which charac.
son of its being rendered in our transla, terized the Jewish economy. It comrn
tion' undressed.'                   menced on the first day of the month




B. C. 1491.]               CHAPTER  XXV.                                 253
T'isri, that is, the civil new yearns day. time by their relatives or themselves 
Its dtistinguishing features were the fol. but, if not redeemed, were to obtain
lowing                                 their liberty at the jubilee.
(t.) As in the sabbatical year, so ill  (6.) As the Jewish kings had comrn
this, the people were neither to sow nor monly much in their power, they were
to reap, and the spontaneous products expressly forbidden, on the one hand,
of,1 the earth were to be accounted corn. to seize the possession of any Israelite:non property. Thus there were two  as a provision for their family, or on
years at every jubilee, when the Jews the other to squander the royal domains
neiller sowed nor reaped; namely, the on favorites. as that would have lessenjubilee and the year before, which was ed the patrimony of the crown   and if
always a sabbatical year; and hence any such grants were at any time made,
we see the reason why the promise of they reverted, of course, to the original
support, given in Lev. 25. 20-22, was proprietors in the year of jubilee.
frorn the sixth till the harvest of the    Such was the nature of the Jewish
ninth year. We have only two pas- jubilee; but lwe do not find that any
sages of Scripture where this promise particular sacrifices were appointed,
is alluded to, viz., 2 Kings 19. 29, and nor even that reading of the law which
Is. 37. 30.                            was enjoined in the sabbatical year;
(2.) The second thing remarkable in neither is it clear at what hour of the
the year of' jubilee was, that all the day of annual expiation the silver trumlands which had been sold by one He. pets sounded to announce its commence.
brew to another, had a reference to this, ment. It is probable, however, that it
being valued according to its proximity  was in the evening, after the high priest
or remoteness, in order to their being had entered the most holy place, the
restored in that year; or might be re. scape goat had been sent into the wil.
deemed sooner by giving to the owner derness, and the people, in full concert
a proper compensation.                 in the temple, had been praising the
(3.) All sales of houses in the coun. Lord for his goodness, and because his
try, were returned likewise at that time, mercy endureth for ever. Imagination
or could have been redeemed sooner; may conceive, but it is beyond the
but all dwelling houses in walled cities, power of language to describe, the gen-.
unless redeemed witiin a year, re- eral burst of joy that would pervade the
mained for ever with the possessor, ex- land, when the poor Israelites tasted
cept in the case of houses belonging to again the sweets of liberty, and returned
the Levites, which might have been  to their possessions, their families, and
redeemed at any time, although in wall, friends.  In vain would sleep invite
ed cities; and if not redeemed, returned them to repose-their hearts would be
to them again as a matter of course in too full to feel the lassitude of nature;
the year of jubilee.                   and the night would be spent in grati.
(4.) All Israelites who on account of tude and praise. What a lively em.
poverty had sold themselves, that is to blem of the gospel of Christ! which is
say their services, to Israelites, were peculiarly addressed to the poor, which
not to be reckoned as bond, but as hired  is fitted to heal the broken hearted, to
servants, and were to return unto their give deliverance to the captives, the
families and fathers' possessions in the opening of the prison doors to them
year of jubilee.                       that are bound, and to preach unto all
(5.) All poor Israelites who on ac- the acceptable year of the Lord.
count of poverty had sold themselves to    The true origin of the term I Jubilee
proselytes, were to be accounted hired  is somewhat doubtful. We trace it in.
servants, and might be redeemed at any  deed to the Ileb.  e'1~ yobh'l, but the
22




254                             LEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1491
genuine sense of this word is the great instruments employed, it is held by all
matter of debate.  Some derive it from  the Jewish writers that trumpets were
Jubal, the inventor of musical instru-  sounded extensively all over the lanld,
rments, Gen. 4.21, and suppose that this  in the mountains, in the streets, and at
year was named  after him  from  its nearly every door. It was intended as
heing a year of mirth and joy, on whiclh  a universal %waking up of all the popu.
music is a common attendant.  Our lation td the occurrence of this joyous
nlglish word jovial is traced to the  festival.  It was not enough that the
stame origin.  Others, particularly D. year and the day should be fixed, and
Kiimchi, contend that jobel (yobel) sig.- come round in silence.  The spirits
nifies a ram  in Arabic, and that this  which lhad been depressed by great re.
year was so called because it was pro- verses of fortune were to be exlilarate'
claimed with trumpets made of rams' by the cheering annunciation, and all
howrns. This is somewhat countenanced  indifference and torpor to be shaken off.
by the Chal. Targ. which occasionally  The Jubilee in fact began on the first
renders yobel by'3t'~1' dikra, a ram. day of the month Tisri, but the real ob.
Bochart and  others, however, doubt jects of the institution did not develope
whether ranrs' horns were ever employed  themselves till the tenth which was the
as trumpets, but think that the' horns,' great day of atonetrent.  But the pre.'     cornets,' &c. of the Scripture were  vious nine days were spent in great feseither the horns of oxen, or brazen  tivity  and joy, resembling  in some
trumpets in the form of rams' horns. respects the Roman Saturnalia.  The
Hlottinger is of opinion that yobel is a  slaves did no workl for their masters,
word designed to denote rather the pe- but crowned themselves with garlands,
culiar kind of sound made by the instru. and ate, and drank, and made merry.
mlent, than theinstrument itself. Bishop  On the tenth day, the proper authoriPatrick espouses this etymology, and  ties, called' the house ofjudgment,' or
conceives the year to have been called  the great Sanhedrim, directed thte trumyobel fiom the sound every where made, pets to be sounded; and at that instant
just as the feast of the Passover was the bondmen became free, and lands
called r;t  pesa'h, from  the angel's reverted to their original owners.
passing over the Israelites when he    The two grand distinguishing charac.
slew the Egyptians. Another, and per- teristics of the.bilee were evidently
haps as probable an opinion as any of  manumission of servants and the resti.
the preceding is, that t1'> yobel comes tution of estates.  If any of the Israel.
fiom the verb      OMd yibal, which in Hi- ites had been reduced to a state of sla.
phil is j       hobil, and signifies to  very, whether he had sold  himself
recall, restore, bring back; because this  voluntarily, or had been sold for debts
year restored liberty to the slaves, and  or theft, or any other cause, by the
brought back alienated estates to their sentence of the judge, now  was the
original possessors. This would seem  season of his release. The day dawned;
to be the view which the Sept. takes of  the trumpet-peal was heard, and the
the word by rendering it aooac,~  a remis- chains of bondage fell from the exulting
sion, and also Josephus, who renders it slave. With his wife and children, and
EEcv7ptcav, liberty.  From  this variety  all that he had, he set forth from  the
of interpretations the reader is neces. house of his bondage, and felt himself
sarily left by the commentator to choose  possessed of liberty which no hand of
that which he deems most plausible. power or of fraud might invade. Even
Absolute certainty is unattainable.     those who had not seen fit to avail
Whatever may be the meaning of the  themselves of the emancipation afforded
-term, and whatever the nature of the  by the law at the end of six years' ser.




B. C. 1491.]               CHAPTER  XXV.                               25,5
9 Then shalt thou cause the trum-  tenth day of the seventh  month,
pet of the jubilee to sound, on the
vitude, but had expressed their deter. blish a permanent monopoly of wealth.
mination, by having their ears bored The man of avarice, who had gone on
with an awl, and fastened to the door adding house to house and field to field,
of their muster's house, were now to go gained no permanent advantage over his
out perfectly free under the general less fortunate neighbor.  The fiftieth
proclamation of liberty to the captive. year, beyond which no lease could run,
fHow stri king a type of the release from  was always approaching with silent but
spiritual thraldorl as annoinced at the sure speed, to relax his tenacious grasp.
Gospel Jubilee, wvhen our Saviour in the However alienated, however unworthily
synagogue read from the prophet Isaiah, or unthriftily sold, however strongly
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, conveyed to the purchaseror the usurper
because he hath anointed me to preach an estate might be, this long.expected
the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me day annulled the whole transaction, and
to heal the broken-hearted, to preach  placed the debtor in the condition which
deliverance to the captives, and recov- either himself or his ancestor had enering of sight to the blind, to set at lib. joyed.  In virtue, moreover, of this
erty them  that are bruised, to preach  gracious ordinance forbidding the per.
the acceptable year of the Lord;' and  petual alienation of the land, a regular
then added,' This day is this Scripture  genealogy of every particular tribe and
fulfilled in your ears.'  The Gospel family would be preserved, and thus
dispensatioil is the sinner's jubilee, and  evidence afforded of the exact fulfil.
as the word'jubilee' implies a joyful ment of the prophecies respecting the
sound, so the word' Gospel  signifies Messiah, and the stock from which he
glad tidings; and blessed are they who should spring.
hear and welcome the sound of joy    So marked was the wisdom, so manwhich it sends forth.                 ifold the blessings of this divine institu.
No less benign and gracious was the tion! That its typical import conducts
other feature of this remarkable insti- us onward to the heart of the gospel
tution.  If any of the Israelites, through economy, as ushered in by Christ, we
misfortune, imprudence, or misconduct, have already remarked.  But that it
had been obliged to sell his patrimonial has a reach still more extended, and,
lands, or any part of them, they were like the sabbatical year, shadows out a
returned to him free of incumbrance at state of permanent prosperity, happi.
the year of Jubilee, if he could not re. ness, joy, and glory, in the latter periods
deetm them  sooner.  No matter how  of this world's history, we have no
often the property had changed hands, doubt. Like many other features of the
it was now restored to the original Levitical economy, its substance has
owner or to his heirs. The Israelite never yet been realized. That is re.
-whom calamity or improvidence -had  served for that blissful era announced
driven abroad, needed no longer to wan. by the seventh, or jubilee trumpet of
der for want of a home of his own to  the Apocalypse, when the grand con6
welcome him. A home there always summation of all prophetic blessedness
was, would he but choose to reclaim it. shall take place.
How wise and merciful this appoint-   9. Thou shalt cause the trumpet of
ment! How admirably adapted topre. the jubilee to sound.  Heb. Ft'"iT
serve a wholesome equality of condi. l~.Yin'1,U!    haabarta shophEr teruah,
tion among all classes! The rich could  shalt cause to pass through the trumpet
cot accumulate all the lands, nor esta- oIf loud sound. That is, shalt cause it




256                           LEVITICUS.                      [13. C. 1491.
e in the day of atonement shall ye  sow, neither reap that which growmake the trumpet sound through- eth of itself in it, nor gather the
out all your land.                    grapes in it of thy vine undressed,
10 And ye shall hallow the fifti-  12 For it is the jubilee; it shall
eth  year, and  d proclaim  liberty  be holy unto you: g ye shall eat the
throughout all the land unto all the  increase thereof out of the field.
inhabitants thereof: it shall be a   13 h In the year of this jubilee ye
jubilee unto you; eand ye shall shall return every man unto his
return every man unto his posses- possession.
sion, and ye shall return every man   14 And if thou sell aught unto
unto his family.                      thy neighbour, or buyest aughl of
11 A  jubilee shall that fiftieth  thy neighbour's hand, iye shall
year be unto you: fye shall not not oppress one another:
c ch. 23. 24, 27. d Isai. 61. 2, and 63. 4. g ver. 6, 7. h ver. 10. ch. 27. 24. Numb.
Jer. 34. 8, 15, 17. Luke 4. 19. e ver. 13. 36. 4. iver. 17. ch. 19. 13. 1 Sam. 12. 3,
Numb. 36. 4. f ver. 5.                4. Mic. 2. 2. 1 Cor. 6. 8.
to be sounded all over the land from one service of their masters; particularly
end to the other, that the most general such as had not availed themselves of
proclamation might be made. Thus in the privilege granted, Ex. 21. 2, 6, of
Ezra 1. 1,' The Lord stirred up the going out of servitude on the seventh
spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia, that he year, but had their ears bored as a sigmade a proclamation throughout all his nal of serving' for ever,' or until the
kingdom.' Heb.' He made a voice to year of jubilee arrived. But now that
pass through all his kingdom.' The year having arrived, their'ever' was at
Hebrew word answering to'jubilee' i il an end, and they went out of course.
the next verse does not occur here, and -- T Ye shall return every man unto
the utmost accuracy would  perhaps his possession. To his house or land,
have led to the adoption of another which he may have been compelled to
mode of rendering. In Num. 10. 5, the sell, and to his family, from which he
word for' loud sound' is rendered  may have been estranged by the loss of'alarm'-' when ye blow an alarm.'-   his liberty. The Israelites had a por.
~ In the day of atonement. This was tion of land divided to each family by
the general fast-day, in which, with  lot. This portion of the promised land
every returning year, the whole con. they held of God, and were not to disgregation  humbled  themselves and pose of it as their property in fee.simafflicted their souls before God, and the pie.  Hence no  Israelite could part
high.priest made atonement for them in with his landed estate but for a term of
the holy place. The annunciation of years only. When the jubilee arrived
the jubilee was very wisely fixed to it again reverted to the original owners.
this period) as it might be considered    12. Ye shall eat the increase thereof
that they would be better disposed to outt of the field. That is, the spontaforgive their brethren their debts when  neous increase or produce.
they had so recently been receiving the    14. If thou sell aught, &c. As the
pardon of their own trespasses. The divine lawgiver took care that the
Jubilee was a festival of joy, and a wealth of some should not oppress the
sanctified joy can be preceded by no. poverty of others, by the law of jubilee
thing more suitable than deep humilia-  that a poor man should not lose his land
tion and godly sorrow for sin.        for ever; so in buying the land of the
10. Proclaim liberty.  That is, lib. poor he would not have the rich give
erty for Hebrew servants to leave the less for it than it was worth, any more




B. C. 1491.]                CHAPTER XXV.                                 257
15 k According to the number of fruit, and Pye shall eat your fill,
years after the jubilee, thou shalt and dwell therein in safety.
buy of thy neighbour, and accord-   20 And if ye shall say, qWhat
ing  unto the number of years of  shall we  eat the  seventh year?
the fruits he shall sell unto thee: behold, rwe shall not sow nor
16 According to the multitude of  gather in our increase:
years thou shalt increase the price   21 Then  I will scommand  my
thereof, and according to the few- blessing upon you in the sixth year,
ness of vears thou shalt diminish  and it shall bring forth  fruit for
the price of it: for according  to  three years.
the number of the years of the   22 tAnd ye shall sow  the eighth
fruits doth he sell unto thee.         year, and eat yet of u old fruit until
17  lYe shall not therefore op- the ninth  year; until her fruits
press  one  another;  in but  thou  come in ye shall eat of the old
shalt fear thy God: for I am  the  store.
LORD your God.                           23 ~ The land shall not be sold
18  t n Wherefore ye shall do my  for ever; for x the land is mine, for
statutes, and keep my judgments, ye are Y strangers and sojourners
and do them; o and ye shall dwell with me.
in the land in safety.
in the land in safety.         P ch. 26 5. Ezek. 34. 25, 27, 28. q Matt.
19 And the land shall yield her 6..25, 31. r er. 4, 5. s Deut. 2S. 8. See
Exod. 16. 29. t 2 Kings 19. 29. u Josh. 5.
k ch. 27. 18, 23. 1 ver. 14. m ver. 43. ch. 11, 12. x Deut. 32. 43. 2 Chron. 7. 20. Ps.
19. 14, 32. n ch. 19. 37. o.h. 26. 5. Deut. 85. 1. Joel 2. 18, and 3. 2. y 1 Chron. 29.
12. 10. Ps. 4. 8. Prov. 1. 33. Jer. 23. 6.   15. Ps. 39. 12, and 119. 19. 1 Pet. 2. 11.
than he would have the poor man re-   17. Thou shalt fear thy God. This
quire more for it than its just value, would be the great guaranty for the
computing to the time of the next jubi. strict observance of the foregoing pre.
lee. It seems to be a general injunction cepts, as' by the fear of the Lord men
of equity, the particular application of depart from iniquity.'
which is shown in the verses immediately followving.                            Promises to Obedience.
15. According to the number of years,   18. Ye shall dwell in the land tn
&c. The purchases that were to be safety. Heb. 1n=~  labeta'h, in confimade of lands were to be regulated by  dent-safety. The Heb. word expresses
the number of years which remained to  both the boldness and confidence with
the next jubilee. This was something  which men that fear and obey God trust
like buying the unexpired term ofalease  in him, and the safety and security
among us; the purchase being always which they feel in his protection in
regulated by the number of years be- times of doubt or danger.
tween the time of purchase and the expiration of the term. It is easy to         Law of Redemption of Land.
perceive that the nearer the jubilee was1   23. The land shall not be sold for
the less would be the value of the land; ever. As the root of the original word
therefore it is said;' According to the here rendered' for ever,' signifies to cut
fewness of the years thou shalt diminish  entirely off, the meaning in this case
the price.'-~. According to the hum- probably is that the land should not be
ber of the years of the fruits.  They  sold in such a manner as to be entirely
were to reckon only the productive  cut off from  redemption; i. e. wholly
years, and therefore must discount for and absolutely alienated from the hand
the sabbatical years.                  of the proprietor. This was forbidden
22*




258                           LEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1491.
24 And in all the land of your 27 Then b let him count the years
possession ye shall grant a redemp- of the sale thereof, and restore the
tion for the land.                     overplus unto the man  to whom
25 ~ zIf thy brother be waxen  he sold it;  that he  may  return
poor, and hath sold away some of  unto his possession.
his possession, and if a any of his   28 But if he be not able to restore
kin come to redeem  it, then  shall it to him, then that which is sold
he redeem  that which his brother shall remain in the hand of hir
sold.                                   that hath bought it until the year
26 And if the man have none to  of jubilee: cand in the jubilee it
redeem  it, and himself be able to  shall go out, and he shall return
redeem  it.                            unto his possession.
z Ruth 2. 20, and 4. 4, 6. a See Ruth 3. 2,
9. 12. Jer. 32. 7, 8.                         b ver. 50, 51, 5S. c ver. 13.
because as God, in a miraculous manner, of Christ, who, assumed our nature that
gave them possession of this land, they  he might become our kinsman-redeemer,
were to consider themselves merely as bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh,
tenants to him; and, therefore, he as and in reference to whom it is said, Is.
the great landholder or lord of the soil, 59. 20,' The redeemer shall come out
prescribes to them  the conditions on  of Zion.  He has by his sufferings and
which they shall hold it.              death bought back to man that inherit24. Grant a redemption for the land. ance which had been forfeited by sin.
That is, the privilege of redemption; -~1  That which his brother sold.
so that lihe who sold it. if he became  Heb.'1n'r    ~~l  mimkar a'hiv, the
able, or his kinsman or relations in case sale of his brother.
he died, might redeem it in the interim    26. And himself be able to redeem it.
before the next jubilee; but if it was Heb.' His hand hath attained unto, and
not done before the year of jubilee, it he hath found the sufficiency of the re
was not then redeemed, but was re- demption; i. e. the requisite means of
stored gratis in virtue of the jubilee-law. making the redemption. This is con.
25. If thy brother be weaxen poor, &c. strued, however, by the Rabbinical wriWe learn from Maiinonides that it was ters to imply that he must have grown
seldom that houses or lands were sold  able from his own means to re-purchase
amonig the Jews till the year of jubilee, the property, and that he was not to do
excelpt from the pressure of poverty.  it by borrowing.
For purposes of gainful traffic it was    27. Then let him count, &c. That
almost never done.  When want and  is, let hiun count the years from the
distress were the prompting cause, pro. time the sale was made unto the next
vision was kindly made for their re-  ensuing jubilee; computing the income
demption.-~f If any of his kin come for the years that remtailn, and paying
to redeem  it.  Heb.' The redeemer for them at the original rate agreed
thereof; he that is near unto him, shall upon at the time of sale. If, for in.
comire and shall redeem.'  The Heb. stance, one sold a field to another ten
word for redeem (*ji  goal), is the term  years before a jubilee, and at the end
applied to the kinsman to whom per. of' five years wished to redeem  it, he
tained the right, according to a very  paid the purchaser half the price at
ancient usage,   of redeeming  lands, which he bought it; and so on in that
houses, or persons, and also of avenging  proportion, according to the time. A
the blood of one slain.  The person  liiir estimate was to be made of the
sustaining this office was a lively figure  probable proceeds of the land during




B. C. 1491.]                CHAPTER  XXV.                               259
29 And if a man sell a dwelling- the cities of their possession, may
house in a walled city, then he  the Levites redeem  at any time.
may redeem it within a whole 33 And if a man purchase of the
year after it is sold: within a full Levites, then  the house that was
year may he redeem it.                sold, and the city of his possession
30 And  if it be not redeemed  e shall go out in the year ofjubilee;
within  the space of a full year, for the houses of the cities of the
then the house that is in the walled  Levites are their possession among
city shall be established for ever the children of Israel.
to him that bought it, throughout  34 But f the field of the suburbs
his generations: it shall not go out of their cities may not be sold, for
in the jubilee.                       it is their perpetual possession.
31 But the houses of the villages   35 ~ And if thy brother be waxen
which have no walls round about poor, and fallen in decay with thee;
them, shall be counted as the fields then thou shalt g relieve him: yea,
of the country: they may be re- though he be a stranger, or a sodeemed, and they shall go out in  journer; that lie may live with
the jubilee.                          thee.
32 Notwithstanding  dthe cities   e ver. 28. f See Acts 4. 36, 37. g Deut.
of the Levites, and the houses of  715.   Ps. 37,..    6, and 41. 1, and 112. 5, 9.
Prov. 14. 31. Luke 6. 35. Acts 11. 29.
d See Numb. 35. 2. Josh. 21. 2, &c.    Rom. 12. 1S. 1 John 3. 17.
the interval to the jubilee, and this was    Exception in favor of the Levites.
to be allowed to thile buyer. This is
32. Notwithstanding the cities of the
termed' restoring the overplus.'     Levites, &c. This was doubtless beThe Difference in the terms of Redemp- cause the Levites had no other possestion in respect to City and Country  sions than the forty-eight cities with.H1ouses.                           their suburbs which were  assigned
29. If a man sell a duelling.-house in  them, and God would show that the
a walled city.  Heb. it2rl'iP  ir Levites were his peculiar care; and it'homah, a city of wall. Houses in wall- was for the interest of the public that
ed cities were more the fruit of their they should not be impoverished or deown industry than land in the country, prived of their possessions. Therefore
which was the immediate gift of God; as their houses in these cities were the
and, therefore, if a mats sold a house in whole of what they could call their own,
a city, lie might redeem it any time they could not be utterly alienated.
within a year after the date, but otherwise it was confirmed to the purchaser              to be had of the Poor.
for ever, and should no more return to   35. Fallen in decay. Heb. 1lI  unM
the original proprietor, not even in the mateh yddo, his hand wavereth. Gr.
year ot'f jubilee.  This provision was aevvarTrlp rase XpsLV awroe, is weak in
made to encourage strangers and prose- his hands. That is, disabled from helplytes to come and settle among them. ing himself; one who was unable to
Though they could not purchase land help himself, as if his hand were shaklt.
in Canaan for themselves and their ing with the palsy. —--   Thou shalt
heirs, yet they might purchase houses relievehim. Heb.l Z'Tfl] he'hezakta
in walled cities, which would be most bo, thou shalt strengthen him. That is,
convenient for them  who were  sup- thou shalt extend to him relief, which is
posed to live by trade. But country  otherwise  expressed  by holding or
villages could be disposed of no other- strengthening the hands of the weak
vise than as lands might,             and needy.-~-  That he may live with




260                            LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1491.
36 h Take thou no usury of him, dwelleth by thee be waxen poor,
or increase; but ifear thy  God; and be sold unto thee; thou shalt
that thy brother may live with thee. not compel him to serve as a bond37 Thou shalt not give him  thy  servant:
money upon usury, nor lend him    40 But as an hired servant, and
thy victuals for increase.             as a sojourne' he shall be with
38 k I am  the LORD your God, thee, and shall serve thee unto the
which brought you forth out of the  year of jubilee:
land of Egypt, to give you the land   41 And then shall he depart from
of Canaan, and to be your God.    thee, both  he  and  his  children
39 ~ And  I if thy brother that mwith him, and shall return unto
hExod. 22. 25. Deut. 23. 19. Neh. 5. 7. his own  family, and  nunto  the
Vs. 1i. 5. Prov. 218. s. Ezek. 18. 8, 13, 17, possession of his fathers shall he
and 2'2. 12. i ver. 17. Neh. 5. 9. k ch. 22. return.
32, 33. 1 Exod. 21. 2. Deut. 15. 12. 1
tKings 9.'2:. 2 Kings 4. 1. Neh. 5. 5. Jer.
Z!, -4.                                     m Exod. 21. 3. n ver. 28.
34. 14.
thee; i. e. that he may be enabled to  lation of simple interest. See Note on
recover himself out of his calamities Ex. 22. 25.
and  live  prosperously  amnong  you.
Life' in the Scriptures is often used in An Israelite not to be obliged to serve as
opposition to sickness, distress, calam-a Slave.
ity, as Isai. 38. 9,' The writing of Hez-   39. And be sold unto thee. Persons
ekiah king of Judah, when he had been  were sometimes sold among the Jews
sick, and was recovered, (Heb. was byjudicial process when they had been
lmade alive) of his sickness.' Neh. 4. guilty of theft, and were not able to
2,' Will they revive (Heb. make alive) make satisfaction, Ex. 21. 2.  Some
the stones out of the heaps of the rub. were sold by their parents; i. e. they
bish which are burned?'   Chron. 11. 8, disposed of their right of service for a' And Joab repaired (Heb. made alive) stipulated sunm, and for a number of
the rest of the city.' Gen. 45. 27,' And  years. Others, again, when reduced to
the spirit of Jacob their father revived, extreme want, sold themselves, as we
(Heb. was made alive).'               have explained more at large, Ex. 21. 2.
36. Take thou s2o usury of him. The The Jewish writers inform us that this
original term  I=] neshekc comes from  was not considered lawful except in
the verb'lM  nashak, to bite, mostly  extreme cases.'A man might not sell
applied to the bite of a serpent, and  himself to lay up the money which was
properly signifies  biting  uesury, so given for him; nor to buy goods; nor
called perhaps because it resembles the  to pay his debts, but merely that he
bite of a serpent; for as this is often  might get bread to eat. Neither was it
so small as to be scarcely perceptible  lawful for him to sell himself as long
at first, but the venom soon spreads and  as he had so much as a garment left.'diffuses itself, till it reaches the vitals, Maimonides. —— I   Thou shalt not comrn
so the increase of usury, which at first pel him to serve as a bond servant. That
is not perceived, at length grows so is, it must not be supposed that his
much as to devour a man's substance. master that bought him had as absolute
As this law was ordained merely to a property in him as in a captive taken
prevent cruel exactions, it cannot be in war, who might be used, sold, and
considered as applying to that reason. bequeathed, at pleasure, as much as a
able compensation for the use of money  man's cattle; but he shall serve thee
which is known among us by the appel. I merely as a hired servant whose ser.




B. C. 1491.]               CHAPTER  XXV.                                261
42 For they are omy  servants   45 Moreover, of s the children of
which I brought forth out of the  the strangers that do sojourn among
land of Egypt; they shall not be  you, of them  shall ye buy, and of
sold as bond-men.                      their families that are with  you,
43  i, Thou  shalt not rule over which  they begat in your land:
hial q with rigour, but rshalt fear and they shall be your possession.
thy God.                               46 And tye shall take them  as
44 Both  thv bond-men and  thy  an inheritance for your children
bond-maids, which thou shalt have, after you, to- inherit them for a
shall be of the heathen that are  possession, they shall be your bondround about you; of them shall ye  men for ever: but over your brethbuy bond-men and bond-maids.          ren the children of Israel, u ye shall
over. 55.  Rom. 6. 22.  1 Cor. 7. 23. not rule one over another with:) Ephes. 6. 9. Col. 4. 1. q ver. 46. Exod. rigour.
1. 13. r ver. 17. Exod. 1. 17, 21. Deut.
25. 18. Mal. 3. 5.                      s Isai. 56. 3, 6. t Isai. 14. 2. u ver. 43.
vices the master may command, with.-  Labor beyond the person's strength,
out pretending to a despotic power over or labor too long continued, or in un.
his person.                            healthy or uncomfortable places and
42. They shall not be sold as bond- circumstances, or without sufficient
men. That is, not in the open public  food, &c. is labor exacted with rigor,
manner that other servants or slaves and consequently inhuman, and so at
were sold; not, as it were, in the mar- variance not only with the spirit of the
Iket place; but privately and in a more  Mosaic dispensation, but with the maxhonorable way. But the spirit of the ims of right conduct among every peo.
passage, as connected with the next ple under heaven.'-A. Clarke.
verse, seems to be, that he should not   44. Shall be of the heathen that are
be taken as a mere slave, but as a hired round: about you. That is, of the heaservant, or as a brother fallen into ad- then  inhabiting the  countries round
versity, and treated as an Israelite fear. about the Holy Land, but not of the
ing God would desire a brother Israel- Canaanites, whom  they were required
ite to treat himself in the, same circum. to destroy. —-    Of them shall ye buy
stances.                              bond-men and bond-maids. Heb. fl"n
43. Thou shalt not rule over hint with  ticknu, shall ye obtain, acquire, whether
rigor.  Heb. T'1=   bepharek, with  by purchase or otherwise. We have
fierceness. See the term explained in  already observed, in the full explanathe Note on. Ex. 1. 13, where it is ap- tion of this term, Ex. 21. 2, that its
plied to the cruelty of Pharaoh's task  general import is that of acquisition,
masters. Gr.' Thou shalt not rack nor without specifying the mode. It is not
afflict them with labors.' But though  improbable that heathen bond-men were
forbidden thus to tyrannise over their occasionally bought by the Israelites,
own countrymen, were they permitted  but the precept has doubtless a primary
to treat their heathen bondmen with  reference to such as were taken cap.
rigor. On this the Hebrewwriters.say; tives in war; whence the Latin name'It is lawful to make a Canaanitish  mancipia is supposed to be equivalent
servant serve with rigor, but notwith- to manu capti, captured by the hand,
standing this right, it is the property  and servus, slave, to be applied to one
of mercy and way of wisdom  that a  who was preserved alive when he might
man should be compassionate, and fol. otherwise have been killed. The rule
low justice, and not make his yoke  permitted them  also to obtain by pur.
heavy upon his servant nor afflict him.' chase the children of resident foreign




262                         -LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1491.
47 ~f And if a, sojourner or a  ily may redeem him; or if zhe be
stranger wax  rich  by thee, and  able, he may redeem himself.
x thy brother that dwellethl by him   50 And he shall reckon with him
wax poor, and sell himself unto  that bought him,from the year that
the stranger or sojourner by thee, he was sold to him, unto the year
or to the stock of the stranger's  of jubilee: and the price of his
family:                               sale shall be according unto the
48 After that he is sold he may  number of years, aaccording to the
be  redeemed again; one of his time of an hired servant shall it
brethren may y redeem him:            be with him.
49 Either his uncle, or his uncle's  51 If there be yet many years beson may redeem him, or any that hind, according unto them he shall
is nigh of kin unto him  of his fain- give again the price of his redempxver. 25. 35. y Neh. 5. 5. z ver. 26.  a Job 7; 1. Isai. 16. 14, and 21. 16.
ers among them, who, though they  than they are at present in the same or
might be proselytes of the gate, yet any Mohammedan country.  We see
were not circumcised; and whom the that a resident foreigner is allowed to
Chal. therefore  denominates I uncir. purchase any Hebrew whose distressed
cumcised sojourners.'                 circumstances make him wish to sell
his liberty. At present no Christian or
Of the Redemption of the Israelitish  Jew in a Mohammedan country is al.
Bond-man from the hand of the So- lowed to have as a slave, we will not
journer.                            say any native, but any Mohammedan
47. Sell himself unto the stranger. of any country-nor, indeed, any other
It will be well, in reference to the laws than Mohammedans, except negroesconcerning slavery in this chapter, to  who are the only description of slaves
recollect that Moses is not originating  they may possess.' —Pict. Bib.
laws to give a sanction to slavery, but   50. And he shall reckon, &c. In or.
is interposing, under the divine com. der that no injustice might be done to
mand, to regulate for the better a sys. the master, they were to compute how
tem already in operation. We discover long the bond.man had served hinm, how
the existence of slavery in the book of long he had still to serve, and what
Genesis, and are aware of its early pre. price was paid for him; and then, ac.
valence in all countries. Those who  cording to the number of years elapsed,
are acquainted with the condition of and the number to come, the right sum
slaves in ancient nations will not fail was made out. The Jews held, that
to recognise the wisdom and mercy of the kindred of such a person were bound,
the various regulations on the subject if in their power, to redeem  him, lest
which are given here and elsewhere, he should be swallowed up among the
and which, when carefully considered, heathen; and we find from  Neh. 5. 8,
will be found in all instances to have that this was done by the Jews on their
an obvious tendency to protect a bond. return from the Babylonish captivity;
man, and to ameliorate his condition,' We, after our ability, have redeemed
whether a native or a foreigner. The  our brethren the Jews, who were sold
law of the present chapter is so clearly  unto the heathen.'-  ff According to
announced as to require no particular the time of a hired servant shall it be
exposition. On the above-cited verse with him. That is, according to the
we may however observe, that foreign- rate of wages ordinarily allowed to a
ers among the Jews seem to have been hired servant for the like period of time
in a much more privileged condition  shall the sum paid for him be estimated.




B. C. 1491.]               CHAPTER  XXV1.                               s63:.ion out of the money that he was  in the year of jubilee, both he, and
oought for.                           his children with him.
52 And if there remain but few    55 For c unto me the children of
years unto the year of jubilee, then  Israel are servants, they are my
he shall count with him, and ac- servants whom  I brought forth out
cording  unto his years' shall he  of the land of Egypt: I am  the
give him  again the price of his LORD your God.
redemption.                                   CHAPTER  XXVI.
53 And as a yearly hired servant         E shall make you a no idols nor
shall lie be with him: and the A graven image, neither rear
other shall not rule with rigour you up a standing image, neither
over him in thy sight.
shall ye set up any image of stone
54 And if he be not redeemed in  in your land, to bow down unto it:
these years, then b he shall go out for I am the LORD your God.
b ver. 41. Exod. 21. 2, 3.      Cver. 42. a Exod. 20. 4, 5. Deut. 5. 8,
and 16. 22, and 27. 15. Ps. 97. 7.
53. Shalt not rule with rigor over of obedience on the one hand, and
him in thy sight. That is, with thy  threatenings of punishment in case of
connivance. Thou, an Israelite, shalt disobedience on the other.
not knowingly suffer a stranger to maltreat or abuse one of their own brethren.      Idolatry forbidden.
It shall be the duty of the magistrates,   1. Ye shall make you no idols. Heb.
upon information, to call such an one btel'   elelim, nothings, vanities. Gr.
to account.                           XtporoLn7ra, things made with hands.
54. If he be not redeemed in those  It is a term expressive of the utmost
years.  Heb. MneR  beelleh, in or by possible contempt towards the objects
these. As there is no substantive in the intended, and the prohibition comes in
original, it is somewhat doubtful what very properly in this place, at the head
word is to be supplied. The Gr. has of these solemn injunctions, idolatry
Kar   y Tavra, by these things or means, being the grand crowning sin which they
i. e. neither by himself or others before  were most studiously to avoid. For a
the jubilee.                          farther explication of the word, see on
55. For unto methe children of Israel Lev. 19. 4. — T~ Nor graven image.
are servants. The original term is the  Heb. ~,n pesel, i. e. any thing hewed
same that has hitherto all along been  or sculptured out of wood or stone.
rendered C bond-men;' and the force of See Note on on Ex. 20. 4. - ~T Stand.
the intended contrast would have been ing image. Heb. jT'.t matzebdh,pil.
stronger, had that word been retained. lar or statue; i. e. either a single stone,
Let the children of Israel be dealt with  or a pile of stones reared and conse.
as I have commanded, for they are my  crated to religious purposes. Probably
bond-men in a far higher sense than  the stones or pillars which were at
they are or can be those of any other.  first set up and anointed by holy men
in commemoration of signal interpositions of God in their behalf, were afterCHAPTER XXVI.                wards abused to idolatrous and superThe present chapter may be said to  stitious purposes, and therefore are for.
be a solemn practical conclusion to the  bidden.-Ir Image of stone.  Heb
main body of the Levitical law, con- hZ3 21S   eben maskith, stone of
taining a general enforcement of all its imagery, or stone of picture or figure,
precepts by promises of reward in case i. e. stones curiously wrought and




;264                         LEVITICUS.                      [B. C. 1491.
2 ~ b Ye shall keep my sabbaths,  3 ~ c If ye walk in my statutes
and reverence my sanctuary: I am    b ch. 19. 30. c Deut. 11. 13, 14, 15, and
the LORD.                             28. 1-14.
carved with figures in relief, which  expressed his abhorrence of a practice
were often made use of as objects of which locked up knowledge to the peo.
adoration among the ancient heathen. ple for the purpose of enabling the privChal.' Stone of worship.'  In Ezek. 8. ileged few, by virtue of that power
8-11, there is a description of a subter- which knowledge gives, to hold in enraneous vault, the walls of which were tire thraldom their minds, bodies, and
covered with images of quadrupeds and  estates? Michaelis, whose view of this
creeping things, exactly like those of text we have followed, well observes,
Egypt which are covered with hiero- I Had Moses been only a wise and beglyphic figures. In the 12th verse this nevolent impostor; had he given himivault is calledt 3Z2,1n t'Iat hades mas- self out for a divine messenger, without
kith, wnicn our translation excellently  being so, and merely from love to an
renders' chambers of imagery.' Now  oppressed people; and had his miracles
the same word being used in two places been nothing more than human devices;
with an analogous context, it is fair to it is scarcely conceivable how he could
infer, that if an hieroglyphic cave is ever have gone the length of abolishing
intended in Ezekiel, an hieroglyphic  an expedient so artfully contrived, and
stone is intended here; which is the so favorable to the views of priestcraft,
more probable when we recollect that for the concealment of the sciences.
the Israelites were at this time fresh  The legislator, therefore, who relin.
from Egypt, and deeply infected with quished such an expedient, and at the
the rank idolatries of that country-  same time founded his polity on the
insomuch that whenever Moses inter. commandments of a Deity, could be no
dicts, at this early period, a particular impostor, but must have been an honest
form of idolatry, we should invariably  man.''-Pict. Bib.
feel disposed to look to Egypt, in the
first instance, for the example. It is             Sanctified.
well known that the Egyptian priests,   2       Sa
2. Ye shall keep my sabbaths.  That
in order to preserve the treasures of
is, my different days of sabbatical rest;
knowledge   and their discoveries in J v
natural science, and at the same time to                    day  but other
stated solemnities, which were to be disrender them inscrutable to any but the
tinguished by holy convocations. Next
initiated few, made use not of common in importance to the carge concerning
writing  but of hierogyphics, with idolatryn importance to     the charg due onerning
which they inscribed obelisks, wallsj servance of thae  abbrthi; and we ac.
and even subterraneous chambers and
cordingly find in the prophets, that. next to that of idolatry, there is no sin
These monuments were deified. by the for which the Jews are more frequently
multitude,'who worshipped in them  reproved and threatened, than the pro.
Thoth, the Egyptian god of learning.  fanation  of God's holy sabbaths. The
This was a sufficient reason for their
interdiction by Moses. But had he no.         
tjoined is connected with the keeping of
further reason? As this law, if it be the Sabbath by a tie of intimacy too
thus rightly understood, would operate  obvious to need remark.
to the exclusion of hieroglyphics, are
we not at liberty to infer that Moses-      Promises to Obedience.
or rather his Divine instructor-thus    3. If ye walk in my statutes, &c.




B3. C. 1491.]               CHAPTER  XXVI.                               265
and keep my commandments, and   6 And i I will give peace in the
dlo them;                              land, and k ye shall lie:down, and
4 d Then I will give you rain in  none shall make you afraid: and I
due season, e and the land shall will rid l evil beasts out of the land,
yield her increase, and the trees  neither  shall  m the  sword  go
of the field shall yield their fruit: through your land.
5 And fyour threshingshall reach   7 And ye shall chase your eneunto the vintage, and the vintage  mies, and they shall fall before you
shall reach unto the sowing-time; by the sword.
and g ye shall eat your bread to   8 And n five of you shall chase an
the full, and h dwell in your land  hundred, and an hundred of you
safely.                               shall put ten thousand to flight:
and your enemies shall fall before
d Isai. 30. 23. Ezek. 34. 26. Joel 2. 23, 24. yOU by the sword.
Ps. 67. 6, and 85, 12. Ezek. 34. 27, and 36.
30. Zech. S. 12. fAmoo 9. 13. g ch. 25. 19.   k Job ll. 19. Ps. 3. 5, and4.. Isai. 35,
Deut. 11. 15,. Joel 2. 19, 26. h ch. 25. 18. 9. Jer. 30. 10. Ezek. 34.'25. Hos. 2. 18.
Job 11. 18. EzeL. 34. 25, 27, 28. i  Chron. Zeph. 3. 13. 1 2 Kings 17.25. E2.  zek, 5. 17,
22. 9. Ps. 29. 11, and 147. 14. Isai. 45. 7. and 14. I5. m Ezek. 14. 17. n Deut. 32. 30.
Hag. 2.9.                             Josh. 23. 10.
The promises and threatenings which  the reaper, and the treader of grapes
follow are of a temporal nature; and it him who soweth seed.'
has been questioned whether they ex-   6. I will give peace in your land.
tend to individuals, or are to be limited  Freedom  from  intestine commotions
to the Israelites as a nation. But the and insurrections, which often arise
happiness and prosperity of a nation  from poverty and discontent. The lannecessarily involves that of individuals; guage seems rather to refer to peace
and though individuals might not be among themselves, while the' sword
uniformly rewarded or punished accord. in the latter clause of the verse points
ing to their obedience or disobedience, rather to the ravages of war from foryet the temporal retribution announced eign invasion.  The blessings here
was sufficiently uniform  to evince the promised, it will be noticed, are set in
particular providence which guided the contrast with the main judgments which
people of Isracl.                      are elsewhere denounced against the
4. Then will I give you rain. Heb. Israelites, Ezek. 14. 21, to wit, famine,
tb:hV'hVR  nanthatti gishnlekem, will war, and evil beasts. See also. Note
give your rains. So certain should be on v. 21. 
their showers in their seasons, so infal-   7. Ye shall chase your enemies, &c.
libly secured by promise, that they  That is, a few, a mere handful, shall be
should be entitled to consider and call more than a match for a great multi.
them  theirs;' I will give your rains.' tude, as it proved- in the conquest of
5. Your threshing shall reach unto  Canaan; insomuch that Joshua says,
the vintage. That is, so abundant shall enlarginguponthispromise,Josh.23. 10,
be your corn.crops that the business of 4 One man of you shall chase a thou.
threshing shall not be completed before sand.' This was signally fulfilled in
the vintage; and again, so plentiful the days of Gideon who with three men
shall be the produce of the vine, that ye put to flight a vast army, Judg. 7. 22.
shall not be able to finish the gathering  So also in the case of David's worthies,
and pressing of your grapes till sowing  of whom one lifted his spear against
time again arrives. We meet with a eight hundred, and slew three hundred
similar sentiment in the prophet Amos, at one time, 2 Sam. 23. 8 18, I Chron.
ch. 9. 13,' The plowman shall overtake  11.11. Three men also broke through
23




266                          LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 149a.
9 For I will o have respect unto   12 tAnd I will walk among you,
you, and P make you fruitful, and  and u will be your God, and yve
multiply  you, and establish  my  shall be my people.
covenant with you.                     13 wI am  the LORD your God,
10 And ye shall eat qold store, which  brought you forth out of
and bring forth the old because of the land of Egypt, that ye should
the new.                             not be their bond-men, x and I have
11 rAnd I will set my tabernacle  broken the bands of your yoke, and
among you: and my soul shall not made you go upright.
s abhor you.
o Exod. 2. 25. 2 Kings 13. 23. P Gen. I7.   t 2 Cor. 6. 16. u Erod. 6. 7. Jer. 7. 23,
6, 7. Neh. 9. 23. Ps. 107. 38. q ch. 23. 32. and 11. 4, and 30. 22. Ezek. 11. 20, and 36.
r Exod. 25. 8, and 29. 45. Josh. 22. 19. Ps. 28.  v chl. 25. 38, 42, 55.  x Jer. 2. SC
76. 2. Ezek. 37. 26, 27, 28. Rev. 21. 3. Ezek. 34.'7.
s ch. 20. 23. Deut. 32. 19.
the host of the Philistines, 1 Chron. dispensation, viz.: the presence, mana
11. 18. Comp. Deut. 32. 30.          ifestation, and in-dwelling of God in
9. For Iwill have respect unto you. human nature. So John 1. 14,' The
Heb. =D>R r':D panithi alekem, I  Word was made flesh and dwelt among
will turn  my face unto you.  Gr. us. Gr.'Tabernacled among us.' Jesus
Ecrt8lXeop) ts''vas KaL aveavr3i'vtas, Christ was the true tabernacle of God,
I will look upon you and bless you. and though this promise was in an emi.
Chal.'I will have respect by my nent manner fulfilled in the Savior's ino
Word to do good unto you.' For this habitation of our nature while accomfavor David prays, Ps.25. 16, and 69.17, plishing his work on earth, yet it ap.
and when God had delivered Israel pears from  Rev. 21. 3, that we are to
from their enemies, it is said, 2 Kings look for its fulfilment in a still higher
13. 23,'The Lord was gracious unto sense at some future period of this
them, and had respect unto them, be. world's history:' And I heard a great
cause of his covenant.'- T Establish  voice out of heaven saying, Behold,
my covenant with you. That is, invio. the tabernacle of God is with men, and
lably keep my covenant already esta. he will dwell with them.' See Note on
blished, and faithfully perform its every Ex. 29. 45, where this promise is largely
stipulation.                          considered.-~ff My soul shall not ab10. Ye shall eat old store, &c. That hor you. I will regard you with tokens
is, to prevent waste from  superabun. of the utmost complacency; I will take
dance, ye shall eat of your old stock of delight in you, and impart the inward
provisions, notwithstanding the new  peace of my spirit. The contrary of
crop has come in. —--  Bring forth  this is threatened, v. 30.
the old because of the new. That is, ye    12. And Iwill walk among you. Chal.
shall be forced to'bring forth,' or re.'I will cause my Shekinah to dwell
move from your barns and garners, the among you.' I will be familiarly con.
old stock of your corn, in order to make versant among you by the visible sym.
room for the new.                     bol of my presence, conducting your
-11. And I will set my tabernacle journeys in the wilderness, and abiding
among you. That is, I will firmly and in the tabernacle and temple prepared
permanently establish my tabernacle for me.
among you; I will secure its contin.   13. And made you go upright. That
uance with you. In addition to this, its is, set you free from bondage; brought
pritnary sense, the passage contains in you into that state of enlargement in
effect the grand promise of the Gospel which you are. no more bowed down by




B. C. 1491.]               CHAPTER  XXVI.                                 267
14 ~ Y But if you will not hearken   17 And e I will set my face against
unto me, and will not do all these  you, and fye shall be slain before
commandments;                          your enemies; g they  that hate
15 And if ye shall zdespise my  you shall reign over you, and h ye
statutes, or if your soul abhor my  shall flee when none pursueth you.
judgments, so that ye will not do   18 And if ye will not yet for all
all my commandments, but that this hearken unto me, then I will
ye break my covenant:                  punish you iseven times more for
16 I also will do this unto you, I your sins.
will even appoint over you a ter-   19 And I will k break  the pride
ror, b consumption, and the burning  of your power; and I I will make
ague, that shall c consume the eyes, your heaven  as  iron, and  your
and cause sorrow  of heart: and  earth as brass:
d ye shall sow your seed in vain:   20 And your m strength  shall be
for your enemies shall eat it.
e ch. 17. 10. f Deut. 28. 25. Judg. 2. 14.
Y Deut. 28. 15. Lam. 2. 17. Mal. 2. 2. Jer. 19. 7.  g Ps. 106. 41.  h ver. 36. Ps.
ver. 43. 2 Kings 17. 15. a Deut. 29. 65, 53. 5. Prov. 28. 1. i 1 Sam. 2. 5. Ps. 119.
66, 67, and 32. 25. Jer. 15. S. b Deut. 29. 164. Prov. 24. 16. k Isai. 25. 11, and 26. 5.
22. c I Sam. 2. 33. d Deut. 28. 33, 51. Job Ezek. 7. 24, and 30. 6.  1 Deut. 28. 23.
31. 8. Jer. 5. 17, and 12. 13, Mic. 6. 15.   m Ps. 127. 1. Isai. 49. 4.
the heavy burdens laid upon your backs, force of the term in this form is to cause
nor hanging down your heads in despon. to preside over, and Ps. 109. 6, affords a
dency and woe.                          strikingly parallel example;'Set thou
a wicked man over him ( rt   haph.
Threatenings denounced against Diso. kh'd), &c.' The language thus construed
bedience.                is singularly bold and striking. Terror,
14. If ye will not hearken to me. Gr. consumption, and the burning ague are
cav &  qs wsnraSoveanTc pov, if ye will not personified, and made the keepers of the
obey me. This is one of the most fre. disobedient and  apostate  Israelites.
quent uses of the original word for They haunt their steps wherever they'hear' or' hearken.' Chal.  If ye will go, and keep them  continually under
not receive my word.'  So in v. 18. the influence of dismay, feeling indis.
The subsequent history of the Jewish  cribable evils, and fearing worse.
race affords the most conclusive evi.   18. Then will I punish you seven
dence that these predictions were ful. times more for youlr sins. A definite
filled with a fearful exactness.  The  for an indefinite number, according to
limits of our annotations do not permit common usage. The import is plainly
us to go into minute detail, but the  that of a great increase of their plagues.
volumes of Newton and Keith will pre. These, by reason of their continued pro.
sent a mass of proof on this score which  vocations, wvere:to become more and
wvill be found to be of intense interest, more aggravated from  age to age, as
and such as the mrost determined skep. history proves to have been the case.
tic will endeavor in vain to gainsay.    The words contain no allusion to a pe.
16. I wilt ezten appoint over you  riod of time, but simply to the degree
terror, &e.  Heb.'tQ:Y'hntt'l'    of their punishment.
tiphkadti aUlkkem, will visit upon you.   19. I will make your heaven as iron
At the same time, there is very good  and your earth as brass.  That is, -that
authority for interpreting the verb as is part of the heavens which is over your
done in our translation, in the sense of country shall afford no more rain than
setting over, constituting guardians of, if it were a canopy of iron, and conse.
investing with authority.  The true quently your earth or land shall be as




268                           LEVITICUS.                      [B. C. C1491
spent in vain: for n your land shall formed by me by these things, but
not yield  her  increase, neither will walk contrary unto me;
shall the trees of the land yield   24 r Then will I also walk contheir fruits.                         trary unto you, and will punish
21 ~ And  if ye walk  contrary  you yet seven times for your sins.
unto me, and will not hearken unto   25 And sI will bring  a sword
me, I will bring seven times more upon you, that shall avenge the
plagues upon you  according  to  quarrel of my ovenant: and when
your sins.                            ye are gathered together within
22 o I will also send wild beasts your cities, tI will send the pestiamong you, which shall rob you  lence among you: and ye shall be
of your children, and destroy your delivered into  the hand  of the
cattle, and make you few in num- enemy.
ber, and P your high-ways shall be   26 u And when I have broken the
desolate.                             staff of your bread, ten women shall
23 And if ye q will not be re- bake your bread in one oven, and
n Deut. 11. 17, and 28. 18. Hagm.1.         227. Ps. 18. 26. s Ezek. 5. 17,
o eut. 32. 24. 2 Kings 17. 2. Ezek. 5. 17, and 6. 3, and 14. 17, and 29. 8, and 33. 2.
and 14.     Kings 17.  udg.    Ek2 n.15.     t Numb. 14. 12. Deut. 28. 21. Jer. 14.12,
Isai. 3;.  8.  Jam. i. 4, Zech. 7. 14.. Jer. and 24. 10, and 29. 17, 18. Amos 4. 10. u Ps.
2i. 330, ad 5. 3a. lmos 4. 6-12. 71.qe 105. 16. Isai. 3. 1. Ezek. 4. 16, and 5. 16,
2. 30, and 5. 3. Amos 4. 6-12.        and 14. 13.
and 14. 13.
barren of fruit as though the soil were Chal.' That shall avenge on you the
brass.                                vengeance for that ye have transgressed
21. If ye walk contrary unto me. against the words of the law.' So in
Heb. F'UJ keri, a term of doubtful im- Jer. 50. 28, mention is made of the' ven.
port, as appears irom the marginal read. geance of the Lord's temple,' by which
ing of our version,' at all adventures is meant the punishment of the Babywith me;' i. e. heedlessly, indifferently, lonians for robbing and burning the
reckless of consequences. This sense temple. —-- I will send the pestilence
is adopted by the Hebrew  writers, among you.  Gr. Oavaros, the death.
though the Gr. and the Chal. give that Chal. id. See Note on Ex. 5. 3. It
of' contrariety,' and Gesenius and other implies the cutting off by death of man
lexicographers define it by' hostile en. and beast. See Ezek. 14. 19, 21.
counter,' or' going counter' to any one.   26. Ten women shall bake your bread
22. I will send wild beasts among in one oven. That is, there shall he
you. A reference to the following pas. such a scarcity of bread that one ordi.
sages will show the literal fulfilment, nary oven shall answer for the baking
in repeated instances, of this prediction: of ten, that is a great many families,
1 Kings 13. 24,-20. 36. 2 Kings 2. 24, whereas in common circumstances one
-17.25, 26. Comp. Jer. 2. 15,-4. 7,-  oven would serve for one family. The
8. 17,-15. 3,-Ezek. 5. 17.-~ff Your editor of the Pict. Bible gives some.
high-ways shall be desolate. For the what of a different turn to the exprestruth of this see Judg. 5. 6, 2 Chron. sion.'In the note to chap. 2. 4, we
15. 5, Is. 33. 8.                     remarked that in the East it was a gen.
24. Will punish you yet seven times eral. custom for families to bake their
for your sins. With seven.fold greater own bread in the sort of ovens which
severity.                             we there described. The performance
25. That shall avenge the quarrel of  of this duty always falls to the lot of
my covenant. That shall execute ven- the women. These ovens are, as we
geance for the violation of my covenant. have seen, small, and only suited to the




B. C. 1491.]               CHAPTER XXVI.                                269
they shall deliver you your bread   29 a And ye shall eat the flesh of
again  by weight: and xye shall your sons, and the flesh of your
eat and not be satisfied.              daughters shall ye eat.
27 And y if ye will not for all this   30 And b I will destroy your high
hearken unto me, but walk con- places, and cut down your images,
trary unto me;                         and c cast your carcasses upon the
28 Then  I will walk  contrary  carcasses of your idols, and  my
unto you also zin fury; and I, even  soul shall dabhor you.
I, will chastise you seven times for
~~~~your sins.  ~a Deut. 28. 53. 2 Kings 6. 29. Ezek. 6.
10. Lam. 4. 10. b 2 Chron. 34. 3, 4, 7.
x Isai. 9. 20. Mic. 6. 14. Hag. 1. 6. Isai. 27. 9. Ezek. 6. 3, 4, 5, 6, 13. c 2
Y ver. 21, 24. z Isai. 59. 18, and 63. 3, and Kings 23. 20. 2 Chron. 34. 5. d Lev. 20. 23.
66. 15. Jer. 21. 5. Ezek. 5. 13, 15, and e. 18. Ps. 78. 59, and 89. 38. Jer. 14. 19.
use of one family; but it is by no means of bread in Jerusalem, and they shall
impossible to bake at one of them an  eat bread by weight, and with care, and
adequate supply of bread for ten fami- they shall drink water by measure, and
lies, although, of course, the process with astonishment; that they may want
would consume time. We therefore do  bread and water, and be astonied one
not, with most expositors, understand  with another, and consume away for
scarcity to be implied in the simple fact their iniquity.'
that tesn families baked their bread in   29. Ye shal eat the flesh of your sons,
an oven for one; but that ten families, &c. This was literally fulfilled at the
represented by their females, clubbed  siege of Samaria, 2 Kings 6. 29, in the
their dough together, and the produce days of Jehoram, and also in that of
being no more than an ordinary supply  Jerusalem, under  Titus.  Josephus,
for one family, it was baked in one J. W. B. 7, c. 2, gives an instance in
oven, instead of each family, as usual, dreadful detail, of a woman named
making a separate baking. Afterwards,  Mary, who in the height of the famine,
the cakes thus baked were proportioned  during the siege, killed her infant child,
by weight to the respective contributors roasted, and had eaten part of it when
-so precious was the bread. This is discovered by the soldiers.' The fear.
implied in the words, I shall deliver ful accomplishment of the threatened
you your bread again  by weight;' punishment is thus bewailed by Jere.
which shows that the bread was pre. miah, Lam. 4. 10,' The hands of the
"viously theirs, and had been baked for pitiful women have sodden their own
them, not that it was sold to them by  children; they were their meat in the
weight.' —'  Shall deliver you your destruction  of the daughter of my
bread again by weight. No language  people.'
could be more expressive of the extrem-   30. I will destroy your high places.
ities to which they should be reduced. What those were is not agreed, but
As the survivors of a shipwreck, who  probably they were raised places, arti.
put to sea in an open boat, are often  ficial eminences, upon which they were
reduced to the most stinted allowance, wont to worship their idols. The word
and have a small quantity of food and  rendered'images' clearly denotes some
drink served out to them by weight and  species of idol, though of what particu.
measure, so should it be in the extrem. lar kind is doubtful. Comp. 2 Chron.
ity of famine to which the Israelites  34. 7.  The probability is that they
should be brought by their disobedience. were some kind of idolatrous fabrica.
In allusion to this it is threatened again, tion, dedicated to the sun. —T-  And
Ezek. 4. 16, 17,' I will break the staff  cast your carcasses vpor the carcasses
2:lV




270                           LEVITICUS.                        [B. C. 1491.
31 eAnd I will make vour cities   32 gAnd  I will bring  the land
waste, and fbring your sanctuaries  into desolation: and your enemies
unto  desolation, and  I will not which  dwell  therein, shall  be
smell the savour of your sweet h astonished at it.
odorurs.                                 r Jer. 9. 11, and 25. 11. 18. h Deut. 28.
eNeh. 2. 3. Jer. 4. 7. Ezek. 6. 6. f Ps. 37. 1 Kings 9. 8. Jer. 18. 16, and 19. 8.
74. 7. Lam. 1. 10. Ezek. 9. 6, and 21; 7.   Ezek. 6. 15.
of your idols. They shall be denied a there are found at every step dry wells,
seemly burial or a quiet repose in their cisterns fallen in, and vast vaulted resgraves. Thus Ezek. 6. 4, 5, 13,'1 will ervoirs, which prove that in ancient
cast down your slain men before your times this town must have been upwards
idols; and I will lay the dead carcasses of a league and a half in circumference.
of the children of Israel before their Cmsarea can no longer excite the envy
idols; and I will scatter your bones of a conqueror, and has long been aban.
round about your altars.' Comp. 2 Kings doned to silent desolation. The city
23. 20. 2 Chron. 34. 5.                of Tiberias is now almost abandoned,
31. I will make your cities waste. and its subsistence precarious; of the
The fulfilment of this minatory predic. towns that bordered on its lake there
tion has been so signal, that we cannot are no traces left. Zabulon, once the
refrain fromn inserting from  Keith the  rival of Tyre and Sidon, is a heap of
following graphic illustration  of its ruins. A few shapeless stones, unworthy
effects.'By the concurring testimony  the attention of the traveller, mark the
of all travellers, Judea may now  be site of the Saffre. The ruins of' Jericho,
called a field of ruins. Columns, the covering no less than a square mile, are
memorials of ancient magnificence, now  surrounded with complete desolation;
covered with rubbish, and buried under and there is not a tree of any descrip.
ruins, may be found in all Syria. From  tion, either of palm  or balsam, and
Mount Tabor is beheld an immensity  scarcely any verdure or bushes to be
of plains, interspersed with hamlets, seen about the site of this abandoned
fortresses, and heaps of ruins. Of the  city. Bethel is not to be found. The
celebrated cities Capernaum, Bethsaida, ruins of Sarepta, and of several large
Gadara, Tarichea, and Chorazin, no. cities in its vicinity, are now'mere
thing remains  but shapeless ruins. rubbish, and are only distinguishable
Some vestiges of Emmaus may still be as the sites of towns by heaps of dilapi.
seen.  Cana is a very paltry village. dated stones and fragments of columns.'
The ruins of Tekoa present only the How marvellously are the predictions
foundations of some considerable build. of their desolation verified, when in
ings. The city of Nain is now a ham. general nothing but ruined ruins form
let, The ruins of the ancient Sapphura  the most distinguished remnants of the
announce the previous existence of a citiesof Israel; and when the multitude
large city, and its name is still preserved  of its towns are almost all left, with
in the appellation of a miserable village  many a vestige to testify of their num.
called Sephoury. Loudd, the ancient ber, but without a mark to tell their
Lydda and Diospolis, appears like a name.'-    r And bring your sanctua.
place lately ravaged by fire and sword, ties unto desolation.  As they had,
and is one continued heap of rubbish  properly speaking, but one sanctuary,
and ruins. Ramla, the ancient Arima- the term here is undoubtedly used in a
thea, is in almost as ruinous a state. large sense including the tabernacle,
Nothing but rubbish is to be found within  the temple, and the various synagogues
ts boundaries. In the adjacent country  scattered over the land,




P..  1491.]                CHAPTER XXVL.                                 271
33 And i I will scatter you among  a sword; and they shall fall, when
the heathen, and will draw  out a  none pursueth.
sword  after you, and  your land   37 And o they shall fall one upon
shall be desolate, and your cities another, as it were before a sword,
waste.                                 when  none  pursueth:  and  pye
34 k Then  shall the land  enjoy  shall have no power to stand beher sabbaths, as long as it lieth  fore your enemies.
desolate, and ye be in your ene-   38 And ye shall perish  among
mies' land; even then shall the  the heathen, and the land of your
land rest, and enjoy her sabbaths. enemies shall eat you up.
35 As long as it lieth desolate it  39 And they that are left of you
shall rest; because it did not rest q shall pine away in their iniquity
in your I sabbaths, when ye dwelt in your enemies' lands; and also
upon it.                               in the iniquities of their fathers
36 And upon them  that are left shall they pine away with them.
alive of you, mI will send a faint-   40 rIf they  shall confess their
ness into their hearts in the lands iniquity, and the iniquity of their
of their enemies; and n the sound  fathers, with their trespass which
of a shaken leaf shall chase them;   o Isai. 10. 4. See Judg. 7. 22. I Sam. 14,
and they shall flee, as fleeing from   15, 16. p Josh. 7. 12, 13.  Judg. 2. 14.
q Deut. 4. 27, and 28. 65. Neh. 1. 9. Jer.
Dent. 4. 27, and 28. 64. Ps. 44. 11. Jer. 3. 25, and 29. 1-2, 13. Ezek. 4. 17, and 6. 9,
9. 16. Ezek. 1-2. 15, and 20. 223, and 22. 15. and 20. 43, and 24. 23, and 33. 10, and 36. 31.
Zech. 7. 14. k 2 Chron. 36. 21. 1 ch. 25. 2. Hos. 5. 135. Zech. 10. 9. r Numb. 5.'7. 1
a Ezek. 21. 7, 12, 15. n ver. 17. Job. 15. Kings 8. 33, 35, 47. Nehb. 9. 2. Dan. 9.3, 4.
21. Prov. 25. 1.                       Prov. 28. 13. Luke 15. 15. 1 John 1. 9.
33. I will scatter you among the hea. quity  is, to consume and perish in the
then. Heb. t'iRt ezrah, Iwill fan or punishment for iniquity; in allusion to
winnow you. The term  properly im- which it is said, Ezek. 33. 10,' If our
plies that kind of scattering which is transgressions and our sins be upon us,
the effect of winnowing grain, where' and we pine away in them, how should
the chaff is carried away by the wind. we then live' Comp. Ezek. 24. 23.
Comp. a similar use of the word, Ps. Ainsworth suggests that it may likewise
44. 12, Zech. 7. 14                    itnply the beginning of grace, or a godly
34. Then shall the land enjoy her contrition in them  that are left, i. e.
sabbaths as long as it lieth desolate.' the remnant, according to the election
This is shown by Houbigant to have of grace,' Rom. 11. 5, who by their sore
proved to be a historical fact. From  chastisements are brought to an humb.
Saul to the Babylonish captivity are ling consciousness of their sins, and
numbered about 490 years, during which  made to feel that they are pining away
period there were of course 70 sab-. in them; or as is expressed by the pro.
baths of years. Now the Babylonish  phet, Ezek. 36. 31,'Ye shall loathe
captivity lasted 70 years, and during  yourselves in your own sight for your
that time the land of Israel rested. iniquities.'
Therefore the land rested just as many
years in the Babylonish captivity, as it Promises of restored Favor upon Re.
should have rested sabbaths, if the Jews pentance.
had observed the law relative to the    40. If they shall confess their iniquisabbatic years.                        ty, &c. The portion contained between
39. They that are left of you shall this verse and the end, may be consider.
pine auay in their iniquity. The most ed as the third general division of the
obvious import of' pining away in ini. chapter, comprising a series of gracious




272                           LEVITICUS.                     [B. C. 1491.
they  trespassed against me, and  enemies; if then their s uncircumthat also they have walked con- cised hearts be thumbled, and they
trary unto me;                        then accept of the punishment of
41 And that I also have walked  their iniquity:
contrary  unto  them, and  have
brought them into the land of their 7. Acts 7. 51. Rom. 2. 29. Col. 2. 11. t 1
Kings 21. 29. 2 Chron. 12. 6, 7, 12, and 32.
sSee Jer. 6. 10, and 9. 25, 26. Ezek. 44. 26, and 33. 12, 13.
assurances of returning favor, upon among whom they are scattered, and
their humble and sincere repentance. plant them  again in their own land,
It declares that if, even in their worst where they shall for a long tract of ages
and lowest state, they should penitent. be partakers in the richest blessings of
ly confess their iniquities, and acknow- the Gospel. —-- And the iniquity of
ledge the mighty mind of God in their their fathers. The principle of the uni.
afflictions, and should meekly accept ty of the different generations of the
them as the punishment of their sins, Jewish race is recognized all along the
then the Lord would again remember line of their history. The children were
his covenant with their fathers, and re- to repent of the sins of their fathers,
store to them his favor. The history  and if they could not be absolved from
of the nation, followed out in its details, their own sins, except on condition of
confirms the truth of these promises no confessing their fathers', their fathers'
less clearly than it does of the threat. iniquities, unrepented of, became their
enings recorded above. Never did Is- own, and also the punishment due to
rael repent and seek the face of their them,.
God in vain. Whenever they returned    41. If then their uncircumcised hearts
to him in penitence and prayer, putting be humbled. Chal.' Gross, or foolish,
away their idols and renewing their obe. hearts.' Targ. Jon.' Proud hearts.' The
dience, he returned also to them in the phrase implies a perverse heart; one
various tokens of his mercy, delivering which prompted them to resist the spirit
them  from their enemies, restoring to of God. Accordingly we find the Jews
them the years which the canker-worm  in the apostles' times thus characterhad eaten, and blessing them with peace ized: Acts 7. 51,' Ye stiff.necked and
and plenty. A most striking specimen  uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do
of the humble confession and fervent always resist the Holy Ghost.' This is
prayer here alluded to, is to be found in said because, as we learn elsewhere,
the ninth chapters respectively of Dan. IRom. 2. 29, the true circumcision is' in
iel, of Ezra, and in the first of Nehe. the heart,' and' in the spirit.' Conmiah. We there see which kind of hu. formably to this the prophet complains,
miliation is acceptable before God, and Jer. 9. 26, that' all the house of Israel
what gracious expressions of kindness are uncircumcised in heart.'-  11 Acit meets with.'And so we learn from  ceptof the punishment oftheiriniquity.
the sure word of prophecy, that there Heb. t.'1  tinR m'].  yirtzu eth avonam,
will yet come again a great and univer- accept of their iniquity. As the words
sal repentance of that ancient, honored,' iniquity' and' sin' are often used by
and afflicted people; that they shall an idiom  of the Hebrew for the'punlook upon him whom they have pierced  ishment' due to transgression, so to
and- mourn; that they will return and accept the same is meekly and willingly
seek the Lord their God, and the spirit. to bear it, and even to be well pleased
ual David their king; and that then the with it (the term in the original being
Lord will set his hand a second time, the same with that employed, v. 34, and
and gather them  out of dll nations rendered'enjoy'), as the most suitable




B. C. 1491.]                CHAPTER  XXVI.                                272
42 Then will I u remember my member; and I will xremetnber
covenant with Jacob, and also my  the land.
covenant with Isaac, and also my   43 y The land also shall be left
covenant with Abrahamu will I re- of them, and shall enjoy her sabu Exod.. 24, and 6. 5. Ps. 106. 45. Ezek. baths, while  she  lieth  desolate
16. 60.                                       x Pa. 136. 23. Y ver. 34, 35.
means to bring them  to repentance. is suddenly made to the language of
An illustration of this sentiment occurs, threatening. It seems, on the whole,
Mlic. 7.9,' I will bear the indignation  on comparing it with what follows, that
cl the Lord, for I have sinned against the design of its introduction here is to
hinm.'                                 heighten the expression of mercy in
42. Then will I remember my cove- the ensuing verse. God had said in the
nant.  This remembrance on the part preceding verse that he would' remnemof God signifies his actual performance  her the land;' but the favor involved in
of the mercies promised; as appears such a promise, could only be appre.
from  Ex. 6. 5, 6,' I have remembered  ciated by a just view of the condition to
my covenant, &c. and will bring you out which the land would have been re.
from under the burdens of the Egyp- duced by reason of the sins of its inhab.
tians.' So our remembering God's pre. itants. Notwithstanding it should have
cepts is explained, Ps. 103. 1S, as equi-. been lefA destitute of its occupants, who
valent to doing them. See Note on were driven away into penal exile, and
Gen. 8. 1. So again when Christ,'  the  should thus remain desolate and uncul.
horn of salvation,' was raised up in the  tivated, enjoying the septennial sabbaths
house of David, God is said, Luke 1. 72, which had been denied it in their sea.
to perform the mercy promised to our son, yet for all that, he would not for.
fathers, and to remember his holy cove. get or forego his mercies; he would re.
nant.' It is somewhat singular that in  member the land by remembering its
the original, the preposition answering  possessors,and bringing them back from
to' with' is omitted before eachof the their dispersion  and planting  them
patriarchs' names in this connexion, again within its borders. —~ And shall
and the fact ought to have been indi- enjoy her sabbaths.  Heb.  t ran
cated by the usual Italic sign, in our M'2nen   tir-etz ethshabbethothEhat. Gr.
version. The reason of the omission, rpodsieraE ra taaultara auras, shall re.
or the bearing it ought to have on the  ceive her sabbaths.  The true force of
construction, we are incompetent to  the language in this verse can be under.
state. The Gr. has pvt170aooteat, 7s6 a- stood only by a correct explication of
Onxns IaKw(, I will remember the cove- the original word for' enjoy,' which is
nant of Jacob, &c., omitting the suffix employed here and also in the subse.'my  which occurs in the Hebrew.-   quent clause,' shall accept (1s' yir.
~ Will remember the land. That is, to  tzu) of the punishment of' their in.
cause it to be repeopled by its former iquity.' Its primary meaning is tohave
inhabitants or their seed.             pleasure, delight, complacency in any
43. The land shall also be left of them. thing; and the drift of the passage is
Heb. t;5h miehem, which may be ren-. undoubtedly to convey the idea, by an
dered either by them, or on their account, ironical intimation, that while the land
for their sakes.  This verse, in the  in its desolation was having pleasure in,
connexion in which it stands, is some. its sabbaths, the people of Israel were
What obscure. As the tone of the con. also, if the expression could be allowed,
text is bland and encouraging, we nat- having pleasure in the punishment of
urally inquire how it is that a transition  their iniquity. There would at I'est




274                           LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1491.
without them: and they shall ac- with them: for I am the LORD
cept of the punishment of their their God.
iniquity;  because, even  because   45 But I will b for their sakes rethey zdespised my judgments, and  member the covenant of their anbecause  their soul abhorred  my  cestors, cwhom I brought forth out
statutes.                              of the land of Egypt d ill the sight
44 And vet for all that, when they  of the heathen, that I might be
be in the land of their enemies, a I their God: I am the LORD.
will not cast them  away, neither   46 eThese are the statutes, and
will I abhor them, to destroy them
utterly, 1and to break lmy covenant   b Rom. 11. 28. c ch. 22. 33, and 25. 38
utterly, and to break my covenant    Ps. 98. 2. Ezek. 20. 9, 14, 22. e ch. 27.
z ver. 14. a Deut. 4. 31. 2 Kings 13. 23. 34. Deut. 6. 1, and 12. 1, and 33. 4. John
Rom. 11. 2.                            1. 17.
be so much of a parallel in the two sent day, is a standing proof of the
cases, that the same form  of speech  truth  of this  merciful declaration.
should be employed in reference to  Though scattered and peeled, and press.
both.  It is indeed a bold figure of ed down by an unprecedented weight
speech to represent the inhabitants as of misfortunes from age to age, yet they
taking pleasure in the calamities which  still subsist as a distinct people, and
they had procured to themselves; but the covenant of fiuture restoration re.
as they had voluntarily incurred them  mains to them  unbroken. It may be'despising the judgments of God and  remarked, moreover, as their plagues
abhorring his statutes,' when perfectly  and afflictions, as a people, are at this
aware of the consequences, was he not day vastly mitigated, and every year
authorized to charge thetn with having  growing less and less, by reason of the
complacency in the course of trans. increasing humanity of civil codes and
gression which they had adopted? He  a softened  tone of public sentiment
is but stating the legitimate conclusion  throughout the civilized world, we are
to be drawn from  the premises.  On doubtless warranted to believe that the
this view of the language it is not only  period of their deliverance has well-nigh
strictly proper, but highly significant arrived, and that nothing is needed to
and emphatic, and pointed with the  this result but the spirit on their part
sting of a well merited rebuke.-   of profound repentance and the humble
~ Because, even because they despised  confession here prescribed.
my judgments, &c.  The particle is   45. I will for their sakes remember
here doubled, to give intensity to the the covenant, &c. That is, for their
alleged reason of their calamities, and  good and advantage. He does not in.
to intimate that it was nothing else than  deed, in this connbxion expressly assure
their deliberate rejection of the divine  thetn of their being brought back to
laws which had procured them. If so, their own land, but the whole scope of
had they any grounds to be surprised  the context requires us to understand it.
that it was charged upon them  that How  could he effectually remember
they preferred, were pleased with, en. them for good when in the land of their
joyed, the natural results of their con-  enemies, otherwise than by restoring
duct?  This interpretation, it will be their captivity?  And why should he
seen, perfectly harmonizes with that refer to the deliverance from  Egypt,
given above.                           except to intimate that in like manner
44. Yetfor all that, when they be in  he would bring them to their own bor..he land of their enemies, &c. The his. ders?
tory of the Jewish. people to the pre.   46. These are the statutes, and judge




3. C. 1491.]              CHAPTER  XXVII.                                275
judgments, and laws, which  the                CHAPTER  XXVII.
LoRDo made between him and t                ND the LORD spake unto Mochildren of Israel fin mount Sinai           ses, saying,
by the hand of Moses.                   2 Speak unto the children of Isf ch.'25. 1. a Numb. 6. 2. See Judges,i. rael, and say unto them, a When a
30, 31, 39. 1 Sam. 1. 11, 2m. man shall make a singular vow,
mnents. and laws, &c. This verse ap. of' the thing vowed.  It does not aup.
pears so peculiarly proper, as the con- pear that it was the purpose of the law::lusion of the whole book, that it is ex- to enforce the practice, but merely to
tremriely difficult to account for the ad. place a natural impulse of devotion undltion of the chapter which follows, der wise regulations. If an Israelite
containing mnatter of a ceremonial kind, under such an impulse should bind himuell as would come in far more appro. self or his child by a vow, to be a serptriately in a preceding part of the book. vant of the sanctuary, he might comAdamt Clarke proposes to solve the dif- mute that service by paying a specified
dculty by supposing that there has been  pecuniary equivalent, varying with sex
all accidental transposition of chap. 27, and age, into the sacred treasury; and
fiorm where it belongs, at the close of  if he were too poor to pay the prescrib.
the 25th. Others think that the 27th was ed sum, it was in the discretion of the
added after the boo, was finished; but priest to fix upon some other, propornothing is certain, and we have to re. tioned to his means. If the vow related
ceive the sacred canon as we find it.    to the gift of an animal, it must, by all
means, be offered in sacrifice, if suitable
to be so offered; and whoever was de.
CHAPTER XXVII.                tected in attempting to substitute for it
It is and always has been customary  one of inferior worth, was punished by
in different countries and under various the forfeiture of both. If it were an
systems of religion, for persons in pe- unclean animal that had been consecrat.
culiar circumstances of prosperity or ed, the owner might still retain it, if,
adversity, to vow that they will make  on reflection, such was his wish, on the
certain offerings, or devote certain pro. payment of one-fifth more than  the:,erties to the service of God. To such  priest declared to be its value. On the
voVws, usually called 71: neder, most same condition a house or a farm, con.
of the present chapter refers. Under secrated as a religious offering, might
ihe influence of extraordinary zeal in. be redeemed. The estimation of the
ividuals, for instance, might sometimes value of an estate so consecrated was to
he induced to consecrate themselves, have reference to the length of the intertheir children, or estate, to God by what val between the time of the consecration
is here termed a' singular vow.' But and a jubilee year, at which time it re.
it was possible that upon reflection, in  verted to its owner; and this provision
a cooler moment, the person might re. held equally good, if the estate consegret the step he had taken, or particular crated was one of which the devotee
circumstances might render the literal was only a tenant. But the details of
performance of this vow inconvenient or the various provisions of the present lav
unsuitable, in which case provision is will come before us as we proceed.
made in the present chapter for the re.
demption of the persons or things thus  The Law of a Singular Vow when it
consecrated, and a table of rates is here      had respect to Persons.
given by whictl the priests were to be   2. When a man shall make a singular
governed in their estimationof the value  vow. - Heb. "11  Rk  Z'  I UvIN ish ki




276                           LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1491.
the persons shall be for the LoRoD, even unto sixty years old; even
by thy estimation.                     thy estimation shall be fifty shekels
o And thy estimation  shall be, of silver, bafter the shekel of the
of the male from twenty years old  sanctuary.
b Exod. 30. 13.
yaphli nibder, a man when he shall have  thus devoted was not usually to be emsingled out, separated, signalized a vow. ployed in the sanctuary, but a value set
The word' singular' in our version is upon it by the priest, and that employed
doubtless tantamount to extraordinary, for the Lord, i. e. for holy uses in genand yet as there is no corresponding  eral. The reason for this substitution
epithet in the original, the idea is in- probably was, that there was a suffi.
volved in the force of the verb:5,   cient number of persons officially deyaphlii —'~ yaphleh, which latter, as signated for all the various work of the
we have seen (Note on Ex. 8. 22,) has tabernacle; and this a more numerous
the import of separating or setting  attendance would merely encumber and
apart in a wonderful and glorious man- retard. On the expression' thy estimaner. The usage is still farther illus- tion,' commentators  have  disputed
trated by reference to the case of the  whose estimation as intended; whether
Nazarite, Num. 6. 2,' When a man or that of the priest, the ruler, or the worwoman shall separate  (RMj~    yaphli)  shipper, to be made. from time to time.
to vow a vow,' &c., 1. e. shall signally  The obvious sense would seem to be, that
separate.  It is.endered by the Gr. it is addressed to the people at large.
se av piyaXcos evVesrat EtvXi, whoever shall It is the language of law addressed to
greatly vow a vow. So here the idea  the community for which it is designed.
is of vowing something in a signal way, Rosenmuller however, suggests that the
in a mode striking and extraordinary. original word jq"lY erkeku is here to
By Philo this kind of vow is termed  be taken not in an active but passive
cvXn peyaXar, the great vow, as being an  sense-the estimation at which thou
act of special and distinguished devo. shalt be rated.  It was not, he retion.  The epithet' singular,' there. marks, the province of any individual
fore, in this connexion is equivalent to  to fix the rate of redemption, not even' singling out.2 —'f The persons shall of the priest, except in the cases menbe for the Lord, by thy  estimation.  tioned v. 8, 12,but of God himself, who
Heb. n1ave  lrvlZ   e3m      beerkekd  in the present chapter proceeds to spenephishoth laihovah, by thy estimation  cify the terms on his own sovereign
the souls, or persons (shall be) for the  authority. This construction differs litLord. A man might dedicate himself tle from that we have given.
to the service of the sanctuary, and be.   3. Thy estimation  shall be of the
come, as it were, a servant attached  male, &c. He begins with the male,
thereto. In the same way he might and that too in  the prime of life,
vow his child. Samuelwas thus devot. when his services would be most valu.
ed by his mother, and remained in the  able; and it will be observed that the
service of the sanctuary; for that ap- rate is the same for persons of all con.
propriation being apparently satisfacto-  ditions, to show that God regarded the
ry to all parties, he was not redeemed  vow, and not the rank of those who
according to the valuation here fixed for made it. The estimation in this case
different ages and sexes. But the actual was to be 50 shekels of silver, which
personal dedication was seldom  prac- reckoned in our currency would be not
tisedj and hence the meaning undoubt- far from  $36.  For a woman of the
edly is? that the service of the persons same age about $22; for a boy from




B. C. 1491.]              CHAPTER  XXVIL.                               277
4 And if it be a female, then thy  estimation shall be fifteen shekels,
estimation shall be thirty shekels. and for the female ten shekels.
5 And if it be from five years old   8 But if he be poorer than thy
even unto twenty years old, then  estimation, then he shall present
thy estimation shall be of the male  himself before the priest, and the
twenty shekels, and for the female  priest shall value him: according
ten sh'ekels.                         to his ability that vowed shall the
6 And if it be from  a month old  priest value him.
even unto five years old, then thy   9 And if it be a beast whereof
estimation shall be of the male five  men  bring  an offering  unto  the
shekels of silver, and for the female  LORD, all that any man giveth of
thy estimation shall be three she- such unto the LORD shall be holy.
kels of silver.                        10  He  shall not alter it, nor
7 And if it be from sixty years old  change it, a good for a bad, or a
and above; if it be a male, then thy  bad for a good: and if he shall at
five to twenty, $15; for a girl of the  That is, if he who made the vow be not
same age, $12; a male child, $4; a able to pay the estimated value, then
female, $3; a man above sixty, $11; a the priest shall rate the value according
woman, $6. The rules of mortality are to his ability to pay. —~  Then he
the principle on which these rates are shall present himself  Heb. 1'1i7tii
graduated.  The value was regulated  heemido, he shall make him  to stand 
according to the probability of life and i. e. the man who vbwed shall present
service.  None were vowed under a either himself or the subject of his vow.
month old; and the first-born, being  The term in the original is so framed
considered by a prior law, Ex. 12., the as to include both.
Lord's property, could not be vowed at
at all.                               Respecting Beasts that are vowed and
4. If it be a female. The estimation           their Valuation.
of a female is here fixed at little more   9. A beast whereof men.bring an
than one half that of a man, for the obh. offering. That is, of the prescribed
vious reason that a woman if employed  kinds of which they are accustomed
would not be of so much service in the  to bring an offering; by which is meant
sanctuary as the man. It is supposed, clean beasts, unblemished, viz. bullocks,
with great probability, that under the  sheep, or goats. These could not be
provision contained in this case Jeph- redeemed; and the firstlings, being al.
thah might have redeemed his daughter. ready consecrated to God, could not be
See the point discussed at full length in thus devoted. —.-IT Shall be holy. Set
the Note on Judg. 11. 30.             apart for God's service according to the
5. If it be from five years old, &c. nature of the vow; that is to say, it
It is supposed in this case that the vow  shall be offered at the altar if given or
was made by the parents, or one of vowed for sacrifice; or shall be given
them, and not by the child himself, who to the Priests or Levites if vowed for
at that age was wholly incompetent to  that end; or shall be sold and the value
such a thing. Samuel, who was thus of it employed in the service of the
vowed to God, was not redeemed, be. sanctuary, if given with that intention;
cause he was a Levite and a particular or left at large to be disposed of as
favorite, and therefore was employed  should be deemed most meet for the
in his childhood in the service of the service of God.
sanctuary.                              10. lie shall not alter or change it.
S. If he be poorer than thy estimation. By' alter' here is probably meant the
24




278                           LEVITICUS.                      [B. C. 1491.
all change beast for beast, then it  14  ~ And  when  a man  shall
and the exchange thereof shall be  sanctify his house to be holy unto
holy.                                 the LORD, then the priest shall es11 And if it be any unclean beast, timate it, whether it be good or
of which thev do not offer a sacri- bad: as' the priest shall estimate
fice unto the'LORD, then he shall it, so shall it stand.
present the beast before the priest:   15 dAnd if he that sanctified it
12 And the -priest shall value it, will redeem  his house, then  he
whether it be good or bad: as thou  shall add  the fifth  part of the
valuest it who art the priest, so  money of thy estimation unto it,
shall it be.                          and it shall be his.
13 cBut if he will at all redeem    16 And if a man shall -sanctify
it, then he shall add a fifth part unto the LORD some part of a field
thereof unto thy estimation.
d ver. 13.
c ver. 15. 19..
substituting any other kind of beast or pay him  the price at which he had
any other thing in its stead; whereas rated it. If he chose the latter, it was
to' change' it is to give any other beast a sign that he deemed it worth more
of the same species in its place. What. than the price which the priest had set
ever was consecrated to God by a vow  upon it.  The law was probably in.
or purpose of heart was considered from  tended to prevent rash vows, by annex.
that moment as the Lord's property; ing somewhat of a penalty to them in
to change which was impiety; to with. the form of a pecuniary fine.
hold it sacrilege.-   r Then it and the
exchange shall be holy. That is, both   The Estimation of a devoted House.
of them shall be considered as conse.   14. When a man shall sanctify his
crated to the Lord, and henceforth his house to be holy unto the Lord. That
property. The man was thus to be is, sanctify or set it apart by a dedimulcted for his rashness, and the Jew. cating vow. — -  As the priest shall
ish canonists say that he was to be estimate it, so shall it stand. That is,
beaten with stripes in addition.      such shall the value be, neither less nor
11. And if it be any unclean beast. more; no man shall attempt to alter it;
This may be understood generally of only the owner if he would redeem it
all unclean beasts, such as asses, cam- was to give the additional fifth part of
els, or other beasts of burden, which  the value; inasmuch as he should have
men might be prompted to vow, with  considered well before he vowed it.
the exception of the dog, of which it is
said, Deut. 23. 18,' Thou shalt not   The Estimation of a devoted Field.
bring the price of' a dog into the house   16. Part of afield of his possession.
of the Lord thy God for any vow.' The  The phrase'field of one's possession I
Hebrews, however, understood it of  signifies a field inherited from one's
oxen, sheep, or goats, upon which any  forefathers, and is used in contradis.
blemishes were found, whereby they  tinction from a' field which one hath
became unclean, and were rendered un. bought,' spoken of v. 22. Though the
lawful to be offered upon the altar.  words "some part' are not expressed in
12. Whether it be good or bad. That the original, yet it is generally allowed
is, whether it be of great or smallvalue. that they should here be supplied; as
13. But if he will at all redeem it, it was not lawful for a- man in this
&c. It was at the man's option either manner to alienate his whole patri.
to lesave t-he beast with the priest, or to  mony. He might express hisgood will




B. C. 1491.]              CHAPTER  XXVII.                              279
of his possession, then thy estima-  21 But the field, g when it goeth
tion shall be according to the seed  out in the jubilee, shall be holy
thereof: an homer of barley seed  unto the LORD, as a field hdevoted:
shall be valued at fifty shekels o.f i the possession  thereof shall be
silver.                               the priest's.
17 If he sanctify his field from the   22 And if a man sanctify unto the
year of jubilee, according to thy  LORD a field which he hath bought,
estimation it shall stand.            which is not of the fields of k his
18 But if he sanctify his field after possession;
the jubilee, then the priest shall  23 1 Then the priest shall reckon
e reclton unto him  the money ac- unto him  the worth of thv estimacording to the years that remain, tion, even unto the year of the jueven unto the year of the jubilee, bilee:  and  he shall give  thine
and it shall be abated from  thy  estimation in that day, as an holy
estimation.                           thing unto. the LORD.
19 fAnd if he that sanctified the   24 m In the year of the jubilee the
field will in any wise redeem  it, field shall return unto him of whom
then he shall add the fifth part of it was bought, even to  him  to
the money of thy estimation unto  whom  the possession of the land
it, and it shall be assured to him. did belong.
20 And if he will not redeem  the   25 And all thy estimations shall
field, or if he have sold the field  be according to the shekel of the
to another man, it shall not be re~deemed any more,            gch. 25. 10, 28, 31. h ver. 28. i Numb.
deemed any more.          IS. 14. Ezek. 44. 29. k ch. 25. 10, 25.
e ch. 25. 15, 16. f ver. 13.  1ver. 18 m ch. 25. 28.
for the house of God, but he must not doing so before; and if he who vowed
for this purpose impoverish his own it did not redeem it' when it goeth out
family. —--     Thy estimation shall be (of the possession of the purchaser), in
according to the seed thereof. That is, the jubilee, it shall be holy (set apart)
according to the quantity of the seed unto the Lord, as a field devoted (to
required for sowing it; or perhaps ac. his service); the possession thereof
cording to the quantity of the produce. shall be the priest's,' v. 21, and the per.
— T  An homer of barley seed shall be son who vowed it could never redeem it.
valued at fifty shekels of silver. The   22-24. If a man sanctify unto the
meaning is, that as much land as re. Lord a field uwhich he hath bought.
quired a homer of barley to sow it Consequently a field which was no part
should be valued at fifty shekels of of his patrimonial inheritance, but
silver. The homer was very different which he had obtained by purchase
from the omer; the latter held about from  another source.  When landed
three quarts, the former seventy.five property of this kind was vowed, and
gallons and three pints.              of which the purchase or lease was to
18. If he sanctify his field after the expire at the next jubilee, the priest
jubilee, &c. That is, the field shall be. was to fix a value upon it according to
reckoned more or less in value accord. the number of years that should intering to the number of years remaining vene till the next jubilee, and the vower
to the year of jubilee.               might either redeem it or leave it to the
20. If he have sold the field. That priests; but whichever he did, it was
is, if the priest have sold it to another to return of course at the jubilee to the
man, he wuho vowed it, could not then  original owner or his heirs.
rde~nem it, though he had the option of   25. All IthA estimation halt b aacord:




280                           LEVITICUS.                       [B. C. 1491.
sanctuary: n twenty gerahs shall shall add a fifth part of it thereto:
be the shekel.                         or if it be not redeemed, then it
26 ~ Only the o firstling of the  shall be sold according to thy estibeasts, which should be the LORD's  mation.
firstling, no man shall sanctify it;   28 q Notwithstanding, no devoted
whether it be ox, or sheep: it is  thing that a man shall devote unt'o
the LORD's.                           the LORD of all that he hath, both
27 And  if it be of an  unclean  of man and beast, and of the field
beast, then he shall redeem  it ac- of his possession, shall be sold or
cording to thine estimation, Pand  redeemed: every devoted thing is
n Exod. 30. 13. Numb. 3. 47, and IS. 16. most holy unto the LORD.
Ezek. 45. 1-2. o Exod. 13. 2, 12, and 22. 30.
Numb. 18. 17. Deut. 15. 19. P ver. 11, 12, 13.8, 19.
ing to the shekel of the sanctuary. So Heb. ~tLI'herem.  Gr. ava0csa, or
called, it is supposed, from the fact that curse. This is not the 1113 n'der or
the standard of this as the foundation  common vow, such as we have previous.
of all the other weights and measures ly considered, but one of a far more solwas kept in the sanctuary. A literal emn kind, and which is but inadequately
rendering however of the original may  represented by the term' devoted thing'
be' shekel of sanctity, or holiness;' i. e. in our version. It signifies properly a
a true, just, honest shekel.          vow made with imprecations or execra.
tions by the vower on himself or others
Firstlings not to be Vowed.     if that should not be done in which he
26. Only the firstling of the beasts, engaged. Of the precise difference be.
&c.  These all belonged to God, by  tween the form of the t17 nEder and
virtue of a previous express law, Ex. 13. the t:i'herem, we are not particularly
2, 12, 13,-22. 30, and it would be a informed by Moses, but it is clear from
kind of mockery to make an offering to  this passage that a thing devoted to
another of that which was his own  God by herem, was irrevocably devoted
before.                               beyond the power of redemption.  A
The Redemption of unclean Beasts.  rman, for instance, devoted in this sol.
27. And if it be of an unclean beast. emn   ay an ox, a cow, a field, to the
This is understood by Jarchi, of such  Lord, imprecating a curse to himself if
unclean beasts as are spoken of v. 1 l, he withheld it, or ever reclaimed it, and
which a man set apart by vow' to the a curse upon any one who should take
repairs of the sanctuary.' Others, ow. it away or alienate it. Such things by
this law could never be redeemed or
ever, understand it of thefirstling males this law could never be redeemed oreyer, understand it ofthcfirstling males appropriated to any other use; and it
of unclean beasts, which, as they were  approprevident from  tany other use; and it
not consecrated to God by law, might isevidet from  thstanding'  use ak, nevethe.
be dedicated, or rather the proceeds of lnotwithstanding   i   nkt dneverthe
them, as votive offerings. Because an less), that this rule Is introduced as an
them, as votive offerings. Because an
exception to the general regulations
unclean beast might not be offered in
sacrifice, it does not follow that the
price of it might not be used in the re.-  ious part of the chapter, by which re.
pairs of the sanctuary and the mainte- demptions   ere amply provided for.
nance of the priests, and therefore be        Is most holy unto the Lord.   eb.
the subject of a vow.        j' e         n s         kodesh  kodoshim, holiness of holinesses. Other things devoted
Of Things irredeemably devoted.    by a simple vow were merely holy, but
28. Notwithstanding, no devoted thing. these, from the greater sanctity attached




B. C. 1491.]             CHAPTER XXVII.                              281
29 rNone devoted, which shall be whether of the seed of the land, or
devoted of men, shall be redeemed: of the fruit of the tree, is the
but shall surely be put to death.    LORD's: it is holy unto the LORD.
30 And s all the tithe of the land,  31 tAnd if a man will at all rer Numb. 21. 2, 3. s Gen. 28. 22. Numb. deem aught of his tithes, he shall
18. 21, 24. 2 Chron. 31. b, 6, 12. Neh. 13. add thereto the fifth part thereof.
12. Mal. 3. 8, 10.                                 t ver. 13.
to the transaction, were denominated ren orslaves to death? To this it may be
most holy, and were not to be touched  answered that the original phrase Mt3
except by the priests. It may here be Mthl' moth yumoth, dying shall die,
remarked that the peculiar word harem, may without violence be interpreted in
applied to the female part of an oriental this connexion, not of any violent death
household establishment, is in all pro- in consequence of the vow, but simply
bability derived from  the same root that he should remain in that devoted
with'herem, and carries with it the state until he died. This is the interimplication of something set apart by pretation proposed by several distinthe most sacred consecration, and which guished  commentators, and, indeed,
no one could invade without the danger considering this law in relation to the
of anathema and destruction.         duty of private individuals, there seems
29. None devoted, which shall be de- to be no other sense that does nIot
voted of man, shall be redeemed, &c. outrage the spirit of the divine code,
Heb.'USl't min h2ddiim, of man. which breathes such a tender concern
It appears plain, beyond question, from  for human life. But the subject, it must
v. 28, that human beings as well as be admitted, assumes another aspect,
brute beasts were among the subjects when viewed in relation to a national
of the'herem. The present phrase is'herem, which might be made and exeundoubtedly correctly rendered' of cuted against the public enemies of Is.
men,' i. e. as the subjects of the vow, rael, or those devoted nations who, by
instead of' by men,' as the agents of it. the special appointment of God, were
Yet we can hardly suppose that the doomed to remediless destruction. Such
drift of the passage is to intimate that a vow on the part of the peculiar people
a parent or master should or could, was but an echo, as it were, of the
merely from a sudden religious impulse,'heret of the Almighty, and it was to
devote a child or servant to death, al- be punctiliously executed.  Thus the
though the case of Jephthah approxi. Canaanites were vowed to total excision,
mates very near to such a reckless and because God-had thus decreed. Thus too,
impious act.  The legitimate import the city of Jericho in particular was de.
seems to be, to repeat in a more em. voted, Josh. 6. 17, and the inhabitants
phatic manner that part of the precept of Jabesh-Gilead were put to death for
in the preceding verse, which had res. violating the curse pronounced upon
pect to man; or, in other words, simply  those who came not up to Mizpeh,
to declare that when a person, whether Judg. 29. 10. Thus, too, if an Israelit.
child or slave, had been thus most sol- ish city introduced the worship of
emuly and irrevocably given away to strange gods, it was in like manner to
God, he was never on any consideration  be devoted or confessed to God, and to
to be-reclaimed or redeemed. But is it remain unbuilt for ever. Deut. 13.16-18.
not said, however, that' he shall surely
be put to death,' and does not this imply     The Law of Tithes.
that Israclitish parents and masters had. 30. All the tithe of the land. The
the porer of thus devoting their child-'tithe' of any thing is its tenth part.
24*




282                         LEVITICUS.                      [B. C. 1491.
32 And concerning the tithe of he change it: and if he change it
the herd, or of the flock, even of at all:, then both it and the change
whatsoever u passeth under the thereof shall be holy; it shall not
rod, the tenth shall be holy unto  he redeemed.
the LORD.                             34 y These are  the command33 He shall not search whether ments which the LORD comnmand.ed
it be good or bad, xneither shall Moses for the children of Israel in
mount Sinai.
u See Jer. 33. 13. Ezek. 20. 37. Mic. 7. mont Sinai.
14, x ver. 10.                                   Y ch. 26. 46.
Of the yearly products of the land of calves stood without; the door being
the Israelites, the first-fruits were first opened, the young ones ran out to join
deducted; out of the rest the tenth part themselves to their dams; and as they
was taken for the Levites, Num. 18. 21; passed out, the owner stood with his
of the nine remaining parts, another rod over them, and counted 1, 2, 3, &c.,
tenth part was to be taken and brought and when the tenth came, he touched it
to Jerusalem, and there eaten by the with the colored rod, by which it was
owners, Deut. 12. 6; though this second distinguished to be the tithe calf, sheep,
tithe was every third year distributed &c., and whether poor or lean, perfect
to the poor, Deut. 28. 29.          or blemished, that was received as the
32. Of uhatsoeter passeth under the legitimate tithe.'  It is probably in
rod. This is thus explained by the reference to this custom that the proRabbinical writers:' When a man was phet speaking to Israel says, Ezek. 20.
to give the tithe of his sheep or calves 37,' I will cause you to pass under the
to God, he was to shut up the whole rod, and will bring you into the word
fock in one fold, in which there was of the covenant;' i. e. you shall be once
one narrow door capable of letting out more claimed as the Lord's property
one at a time.  The owner about to and be in all things devoted to his ser.
give the tenth to the Lord stood by the vice, being marked or ascertained by
door with a rod in his hand, the end of special providences and manifestations
which was dipped in vermnillion or red of his kindness to be his peculiar people
ochre. The mothers of these lambs or