Leviticus 22:1--23:44
holy ................ profane ... holy <02490 06944> [that they profane not.]
This is the very ground of the prohibition, that they might preserve in their minds a holy reverence for the Divine Majesty. Hence when they approached unto him, they must be free from every legal impurity. If great men are to be approached with respect, how much more must Jehovah be approached with holy reverence!
consecrate <06942> [hallow.]
impure <02932 05315> [having his uncleanness upon him.]
That is, in other words, "when he is unclean."
<05315> [that soul.]
That is, according to some, thrust out of the priest's office, or from officiating at the altar; or, according to others, cut off by some immediate stroke of divine justice, like Nadab and Abihu.
before <06440> [from my.]
descendants ........................................ emission <02233> [the seed.]
These words include the daughters as well as the sons of Aaron.
diseased <06879> [a leper.]
discharge <02100> [running issue. Heb. running of the reins.]
holy offerings <06944> [holy things.]
clean <02891> [until.]
unclean <02931> [unclean.]
descendants ........................................ emission <02233> [whose.]
man <0376> [whosoever.]
person <0120> [or a man.]
incur sin <02399 05375> [bear sin for it.]
That is, be punished if he break it.
The word {zar,} a stranger, does not mean one of another nation, a foreigner, which is expressed by {hechar,} but one who is not of the seed of Aaron, or does not belong to his family.
money <03701> [his money. Heb. the purchase of his money.]
<0376> [a stranger. Heb. a man, a stranger.]
returns ...... father's house ........... father's <01 01004 07725> [returned unto her father's house.]
A widow in Bengal not unfrequently returns to her father's house on the death of her husband: the union between her and her own family is never so dissolved as among European nations.
youth <05271> [as in her.]
incur ... penalty <05771 05375> [suffer them to bear the iniquity of the trespass. or, lade themselves with the iniquity of trespass in their eating. bear.]
Lord <03068> [for I.]
When any man <0376> [Whatsoever.]
foreigners <01616> [of the strangers.]
votive <05088> [vows.]
freewill offerings <05071> [freewill.]
peace offering <08002> [peace.]
for ... special <06381> [to accomplish.]
flock <06629> [sheep. or, goats. it shall be perfect.]
This law is so founded on the nature of the thing itself, that it has been in force among all nations that sacrificed victims to their deities.
blind <05788> [Blind.]
gift <0801> [an offering.]
sheep <07716> [lamb. or, kid. superfluous.]
torn <05423> [broken. or, cut.]
foreigner <05236> [a stranger's.]
food <03899> [the bread.]
ruined <04893> [because.]
seven days ...... day <03117 07651> [seven days.]
It was necessary for the mother's health that the young one should suck so long; and prior to this time, the process of nutrition in a young animal can scarcely be considered as completely formed. Besides this, it may justly be asserted, that the flesh of very young animals is comparatively innutritive. There is something brutish in eating the young of beast or fowl, before the hair and hoofs are perfect in the one, and feathers and claws in the other; and before this period, their flesh is not good for food, consequently they were not fit for sacrifice, which is termed the bread or food of God, (ver. 25.)
sheep <07716> [ewe. or, she goat. ye shall not kill it.]
This law was certainly intended to inculcate mercy and tenderness of heart; and so the Jews have understood it.
sanctified ............. sanctifies <06942> [I will.]
sanctified ............. sanctifies <06942> [hallow you.]
appointed times .......... appointed times <04150> [the feasts.]
God appointed several festivals among the Jews. The Passover was celebrated on the 14th, or rather 15th day of the first month in the ecclesiastical year, which was the seventh of the civil year, and lasted seven days. The Pentecost was celebrated on the fiftieth day after the passover, in memory of the law's being given to Moses on Mount Sinai, fifty days, or seven weeks after the departure out of Egypt. The word is derived from the Greek word [Pentekoste,] which signifies the fiftieth. The Hebrews call it the feast of weeks, Ex 34:22. The feast of trumpets, celebrated on the first day of the civil year, when a trumpet was sounded, to proclaim its commencement, which was in the month {Tisri,} answering to our September, Le 23:24, 25. The new moons, or first days of every month, were, in some sort, a consequence of the feast of trumpets. God ordained that, by giving him the first-fruits of every month they should acknowledge him as the Lord of all their time, and own his providence, by which all times and seasons are ordered. The feast of expiation or atonement was kept on the 10th day of {Tisri} or September: the Hebrews call it Kippur, i.e., pardon or expiation, because it was instituted for the expiation of their sins. The feast of tents or tabernacles was so called, because the Israelites kept it under green tents or arbours, in memory of their dwelling in their passage through the wilderness. It was celebrated on the 15th day of {Tisri,} and continued eight days: the first and last days are the most solemn. Besides the feasts mentioned by Moses, we find the feast of {lots,} or {Purim,} which was celebrated among the Jews of Shushan on the 14th of {Adar,} which answers to our February. The feast of the dedication of the temple, or rather, of the restoration of the temple, which had been profaned by Antiochus Epiphanes, which is thought to be the feast mentioned in the gospel Joh 10:22, was celebrated in the winter. {MoÆ’dim,} properly means assemblies, convened at an appointed time and place.
proclaim <07121> [proclaim]
enter ..................... bring <0935> [When.]
gather <07114> [and shall.]
sheaf <06016> [sheaf. or, handful. Heb. omer. the first fruits.]
This offering was a public acknowledgement of the bounty and goodness of God for the kindly fruits of the earth. From the practice of the people of God, the heathen borrowed a similar one, founded on the same reason.
grain offering <04503> [the meat.]
drink offering <05262> [the drink.]
fourth <07243> [the fourth.]
eat <0398> [eat.]
statute <02708> [it shall be.]
two ....... wave offering ....... two <08147 08573> [two wave.]
yeast <02557> [leaven.]
first fruits <01061> [the first-fruits.]
seven .... lambs <07651 03532> [seven lambs.]
grain offering <04503> [with their.]
male .... a <0259 08163> [one kid.]
two ... lambs <03532 08147> [two lambs.]
wave ......... bread <05130 03899> [wave them.]
Lord ..... holy .... Lord <06944 03068> [holy to.]
On ....... proclaim <07121> [proclaim.]
statute <02708> [a statute.]
To the institution of the feast of pentecost is annexed a repetition of that law, by which they were required to leave the gleanings of their fields, and the corn that grew on the ends of the butts, for the poor. It may come in here as a thing which the priests must take occasion to remind the people of, when they brought their first-fruits, intimating to them, that to obey even in this small matter was better than sacrifice; and that unless they were obedient, their offerings should not be accepted. It also taught them that the joy of harvest should express itself in charity to the poor, who must have their due out of what we have, as well as God his. They that are truly sensible of the mercy they receive from God, will without grudging shew mercy to the poor.
seventh <07637> [In the seventh.]
memorial <02146> [a memorial.]
{Zichron terooÆ’h,} here rendered "a memorial of blowing the trumpets" properly signifies a memorial of triumph or shouting for joy. This festival is generally called the feast of trumpets; and, though the Scriptures have not expressly declared the reason of its celebration, yet, as it fell in the seventh month of the sacred year, which was the first of the civil year, that is, the month {Tisri,} answering to our September, the opinion very generally embraced by both Jews and Christians is, that it was a memorial of the creation of the world, at which "the sons of God shouted for joy," (Job 38:7;) and which is supposed, not altogether without reason, to have been at this season of the year. The month {Tisri} was not only anciently, but still is, reckoned by the Jews the first month of the year; and the feast of tabernacles, kept in this month, was said to be, as it is correctly rendered in the margin, "at the revolution of the year," (Ex 34:22;) importing, that at this season the year had revolved, and was beginning anew. So that this feast was the new year's day, on which the people rejoiced in a grateful remembrance of God's benefits, and implored his blessing for the future year.
tenth <06218> [the tenth.]
humble <06031> [afflict.]
present <07126> [offer.]
humility <06031> [that shall.]
cut off <03772> [he shall be.]
Sabbath .............................. Sabbath <07676> [a sabbath.]
humble <06031> [afflict.]
Sabbath ............................ observe ... Sabbath <07676 07673> [celebrate your sabbath. Heb. rest.]
fifteenth <02568> [The fifteenth.]
Festival .... Shelters <05521 02282> [the feast of tabernacles.]
This feast was celebrated in commemoration of the Israelites' dwelling in tents in the wilderness for forty years; and was kept with greater hilarity than any of the other festivals. Hence, in the Talmud, it is often called {chag,} the feast, by way of excellence; and by Philo, [heorton megisten,] the greatest of the feasts; it was therefore more noticed by the heathen than any other. It is probable that Cecrops borrowed from it the law which he made in Athens, "that the master of every family should after harvest make a feast for his servants, and eat together with them who had taken pains with him in tilling his grounds."
seven <07651> [Seven.]
eighth <08066> [the eighth.]
assembly <06116> [solemn. Heb. day of restraint.]
appointed times <04150> [the feasts.]
<01697> [every thing.]
Sabbaths <07676> [the sabbaths.]
gifts votive offerings ... freewill offerings <04979 05088 05071> [and beside.]
gather <0622> [when.]
first <07223> [on the first.]
branches ....... branches <06529 06057> [the boughs. Heb. fruit.]
trees palm ... branches .... trees <06086 08558 06057> [of palm trees.]
rejoice <08055> [rejoice.]
