Chapter XL
Ver. 1-38. The Tabernacle Reared and Anointed.
18. the Arst day of tlie first moiitU—From a careful consideration of the incidents recorded tohave happened after the exodus (ch. 12.2; 13.4; 19.1; 20.18; 31.28, &c.), it has been computed that the work of the tabernacle was commenced within six months after that emigration; and consequently, that other six months had been occupied in building it. So long a period spent in preparing the materials of a movable pavilion, it would be difflcult to understand, were it not for wliat we are told of the vast dimensions of the tabernacle, as well as the immense variety of curious and elaborate workmanship which its difl'erent articles of furniture required, tlie tabernacle —the entire edificfe. the tent—the covering that surmounted it (v. 19). 15. anoint them, as thon didst aitotnt their fathers—The sacred oil was used, but it does not appear that the ceremony was performed exactly in the same manner; for although the anointing
oil was sprinkled over the garments both of Aaron'and his sons (oh. 29. 21 ; Leviticus 8. 30), it was not poured over the heads of the latter. This distinction was reserved for Ihe high priest (ch. 29. 7; Leviticus 8. 12; Psalm 133. 2). IG. Thug did Mosrs : according to all that tite Lord cominandt-d him—On his part, the same scrupulous fidelity was shown in conforming to the "pattern " in the dispo- 'tition of the furniture, as had been displayed by the workmen in tlie erection of the edifice. 33. so Moses flniflhed tlie work—Though it is not expressly recorded !n tliis passage, yet, from what took palace on all similar occasions, there is reason to believe that on the inauguration-day the people were summoned from their tents, were all drawn up a vast assemblage, yet in calm and orderly arrangement, around the newly-erected taliernacle. 39 a cloud— " T?ie" cloud,—the mystic cloud which was the well-known symbol of the Divine presence. After remaining at a great distance from them on the summit of the mount, it appeared to be in motion; and if many among them had a secret misgiving about the issue, how would the fainting heart revive, the interest of the moment intensely increase, and the tide of joy swell in every bosom, when that symbolic cloud was seen slowly and rnajestically descending towards the plain below, and covering the tabernacle. The entire and universal concealment of the tabernacle within the folds of an Impervious cloud was not without a deep and Instructive meaning,—it was a protection to the sacred edifice from the burning heats of tlie Araliian climate,—it was a token of the Divine presence,—and it was also an emblem cf the Mosaic dispensation, which, though it was a revelation from heaven, yet left many things hid in obscurity; for it was a darlc cloud coinpared with tlie liright cloud, which betokened *he clearer and fuller discoveries of the Divine character and glory in the gospel (Matthew 17. 5). the glory of the Lord filled the taliernacle i, e., light and fire, a created splendour, wlileh was the peculiar symliol of God (1 John 1.5). Whether this light was inherent in tlie cloud or not, it emanated from it on this o casion. and making its entry, not with tlio speed of a llglitiiing flasli, as if it were merely an electric spark, but
edifice, the Israelites had to look to the place whicli God had chosen to put His name there, in order tliat they might enjoy the benefit of a heavenly Guide (Numljers 9.
15-23). In like manner, the church had Divine revelation for its guide from the first—long before the Word of God existed in a written form; but ever since the setting up of that sacred canon, it rests on that as its tabernacle and there only is it to be found. It accompanies us wherever we are or go, just as the cloud led the way of the Israelites. It is always accessible—can l)e carried in our pockets wlieu we walk abroad; it may lie engraven on the inner tal)lets of our memories and our lieaitii; and so true, faithful, and complete a guide is it, tliat tlier3
n majestic jiplendour, it passed tlirougli the outer porch into the interior of the most holy place (1 Kings 8. 10; Tolin 1. 14). Its miraculous character is shown by the
Is not a scene of duty or of trial througli wliich we may be called to pass in the world, but it furiiislies a c.ear, a safe, and unerring direction (Colossians 3. 1(i,. V3
ai;t. that, tliough "It filled the tabernacle," not a curtain
Burnt Offerings of the Herd. LEVmCUS I, II. The Meat Offerings.
THE THIED BOOK OF MOSES, CALLED
LEVITICUS. CHAPTER I.
became accepUible worshippers, a s-weet savour unto the Lord—is an expression of the offerer's pletv, but especially as a sacrificial type of Christ. 10-13. if his offering be of the Hocks—Those who could not afford the expense of a bullock might offer a ram or a he-goat, and the same ceremonies were to be observed in the aol of offering. 14-17. if the burnt sacrifice ... be of fowls —The gentle nature and cleanly habits of the dove led to its selection, while all other fowls were rejected, either for the fierceness of their disposition or the grossness of their taste; and in this case, there being from the smallness of the animal no blood for waste, the priest was directed to prepare it at the altar and sprinkle the blood. This was the offering appointed for the poor. The fowls were always offered in pairs, and the reason why Moses ordered two turtle-doves or two young pigeons, was not merely to suit tile convenience of the offerer, but according as the latter was in season; for pigeons are sometimes quite hard and unfit for eating, at which time turtle-doves are very good in Egypt and Palestine. The turtle-doves are not restricted to any age, because they are alway.s good when they appear in those countries, being birds of passagV; but the age of the pigeons is particularly marked, that they might not be offered to God at times when they are rejected by men. [Harmer.] It is ol)vlous, from the varying scale of these voluntary sacrifices, that the disposition of the offerer was the thing looked to—not the costliness of his offering.
Ver. 1-17. "Burnt Offerings of the Herd. 1. the ImvA . . . spake . . . out of the tabernacle—The laws thut are contained in the previous record were delivered either to the people publicly from Sinai, or to Moses privately, on the summit of that mountain ; but on the completion of the tabernacle, the remainder of the law was announced to the Hebrew leader by an audible voice from the Divine glory, which surmounted the mercy-scat. 'Z. Speak iinto the children of Israel, and say unto Iheni —If the subject of communication were of a temporal nature, the Levites were excluded ; but if it were a spiritual matter, the whole tribes were comprehended under this name (Deuteronomy 27 : 12). If any man of you bring an olTcring unto tlie Lord—The directions given liere relate solely to voluntary or freewill offerings-those rendered over and above such, as being of standing and universal obligation, could not be dispensed witli or commuted for any other kind of offering (Exodus 29.: 3.S; ch. 23: S7; Numbers 28 : 3, 11-27, Ac), bring your otfering of the cattle, &c.— [. e., those animals that were not only tame, innocent and gentle, but useful and adapted for food. This rule excluded horses, dogs, swine, camels and asses, which were used in sacrifice by some heatlien nations, beasts and birds of prey, as also hares and deers. 3. a burnt sacrilSce—so called from its being wholly consumed on the altar; no part of it was eaten eillier by the priests or the offerer. It was designed to propitiate the anger of God incurred by original sin, or by particular transgressions; and its entire combustion indicated the self-dedication of the offerer—his whole nature—his l)ody and soul—as necessary to form a sacrifice acceptaljle to God (Romans 12 : 1 ; Philippiaiis 1 : 20). This was tlie most ancieni as well as the most conspicuous mode of sacrifice, a male tvitliout blemish—no animal was allowed to be offered that had any deformity or defect. Among the Egyptians, a minute inspection was made by the priest, and the bullock having been declared perfect, a certificate to that eft'ect being fastened to its horns with wax, was pealed with his ring, and no other miglit be sul)slituted. A similar processor e.xamining the condition of the beasts brought as offerings, seems to have been adopted by the priests in Israel (.John 6 : 27). at the door of the tabernacle—wliere-slood the altar of burnt oll'oring ( Kxodus 10 :
CHAPTER II. Ver. 1-16. The Meat Offerings. 1. when any -will otn-r a meat olTerlng-or gift—distinguishing a bloodless from a bloody sacrifice. The word " meat," however, is improper, as its meaning as now used Is difiVrent from that attached at the date of our English translation. It was then applied not to "flesli," but " food," generally, and here it is applied to the fiour of wheat,. The meat offerings were intended as a thankful acknowledgment for the l)ounty of Providence; and hence, although meat offerings accompanied some of the appointed sacrifices, those here des(cribed being voluntary oblations, were offered alone, pour oil upon it—oil was used as butter Is with us—symbolically It meant the influences of the Spirit, of which oil was the emblem, as incense was of prayer. 2. shall burn the memorial—rather " for a memorial," I. ('., a part of it. 3. the remnant of the meat olfering shall be Aaron's and Ills sons'—The circumstance of a portion of it lieing appropriated to the use of the priests distinguishes this from a burnt offering. They alone were to partake of it within the sacred precincts, as among " tlic most holy things." 4. Ifthou bring an oblation of a meat oflfering baken in the oven—general ly a circular hole excuviited in the floor, from one to five feet deep ; the sides of which are covered with hardened plaster, on which cakes are baked of the form and thickness of pancakes. (.Si-e on (Jenesis IS: (!.) The shape of Eastern ovens vai les (considerably according to tho nomadic or settled habits of the people. 3. baken In a pan—a thtn plate, generally of copper or Iron, placed on a slow fire, similar to what tlie (country people In Scotland called a "girdle" for iiulcing oat-meal cakes, 0. part It In pieces, and pour oil thereon—pouring oil on bread is a common practice among Eastern people, who are fond of broken bncad dIppiMl in oil, butter iind milk—oil only xvas n.se(l In the meat oHi ri ngs, and probably lor a symbolic rea.son.
(i), and every other place was forbidden, under the liiglu'st penalty (ch. 17: 4). 4. sliall put his hand upon the head —This was a significant act which implied not only tliat the offerer devoted (he animal to (iod, but that he confessed his cons(!lousness of sin, and prayed that liis guilt and its punishment might be transferred to the victim, and It shall be— ratlicr, "that it may be an acci ptal)lo ntonenient. ' .'>. he xltall kill the bullock—The animal should l)e killed by tlie offerer, not by tlie priest, for it was not his duly in case of voluntary sacrifices ; in later times, however, the <)tll<^e was generally performed by Ijcvllos. before tlie Lord—on the spot where the hands had been laid upon tlie animal's head, on the north sidcof llieallur. prinkle tlie blood—This was to be done by the; priests. The l>lood being (considered the life, the effusion of It was the essential part of the sacrifice, and the sprinkling of It —the application of the atonement^—which made Mie person and services of the offerer acccplalile to (Jod. The skin having been stripped off, and the canvass cut up, the various pieces were disposed on the altar In tlie manner best ealculaJed to lacllltati' Iht ir being I'onsunied by fho
It is evident tliat these meat olferings were previously prepared by tlie offerer, and when brought, the priest was to take it from liis bands and liuiii a portion on fho allar 11. ye aliall liiirn no leaven, nor any lioney, in au>
fire. 8. tlie fatthat alioul t he kidneys especially, wlih h
is {called "suet." U. but his inwards and IiIn legs shall he wash In water, Ac.—Tills part of the ceremony was symbolical of the inward purity, and the holy walk, that
7-t
Ths Peace Offering of Ike Herd. LEVITICUS III, IV. Sin Offering for (he Priat,
oflferlng of the Lord —Nothing sweet or sour waste be
pounds and upwards. This species Is by far the most na« . merous in Arabia, Syria, and Palestine, and, forming probably a large portion in the fiocks of the Israelites, seems to have been the kind that usually bled on the Jewish altars. The extraordinary size and deliciousnesa of their tails give additional importance to this law. To command by an express law the tail of a British sneep lo
offered. In the warm climates of the East leavened bread soon spoils, and hence It was regarded as the emblem of hypocrisy or corruption. Some, however, tiiink tliat the
chief reason of the prohibition was that leaven and honey were used in tlie idolatrous rites of tlie heathen, la. tlie oblation of the first-fnilts—voluntary otlerings made by individuals out of their Increase, and leaven and honey miglit be used with these (ch. 23. 17 ; Numbers 15.
be ottered in sacriflce to God, might well surprise us; but the wonder ceases, when we are told of those broad-tailed Eastern sheep, and of the extreme delicacy of that part which was so particularly specified in the statute. [Paxton.] 1!J. If his offering be a goat—Whcttier this or any of the other two animals were chosen, the same general directions were to be followed in the ceremony of ottering. 17. ye eat neither fat nor blood—Tlie details given above distinctly define the fat in animals which was not to be eaten, so that all the rest, whatever adhered to other parts, or was Intermixed with them, might be used. The proiiibition of blood rested on a different foundation, being, intended to preserve their reverence for the Messiali, who was to shed His blood as an atoning sacrifice for the sius of the world. [Brown.]
20). Though presented at the altar, they were not consumed, but assigned by God for the use of the priests. 13. every . . . meat oflferlng shalt tliou season with salt The same reasons which led to the prohibition of leaven, recommended tlie use of salt—if the one soon putrefies, the other possesses a strongly preservative property, and hence it became an emblem of incorruption and purity, as well as of a perpetual covenant—a perfect reconcilia-
tion and lasting friendship. No injunction in tlie whole law was more sacredly observed than this application of
salt; for besides other uses of it, tliat will be noticed elsewhere, it had a typical meaning referred to b^ our Lord concerning tlie ett'ect of the gospel on those who embrace
It (Mark 9. -19, 50); as when plentifully applied it preserves meat from spoiling, so will the gospel keep men frorn being corrupted l)y sin. And as salt was indispunsal)le to render sacrilices acceptable to God, so the Gospel brouglit home to tlie liearts of men by the Holy Ghost, is indispcnsablj' requisite to tlieir offering up of themselves living sacrifices. [Brown.] 14. a meat offering of thy flrst-frutts—From tlie mention of green ears, this seems to have been a voluntary offering before tlie harvest—tlie ears being prepared in the favourite way of Eastern peo-
Ver. 1,2. Sin Offering of Ignorance. 3. If a soul sliall sin througli Ignorance against any of tlie commandments of the Lord—a soul—an individual. All sins may be considered, in a certain sense, as committed " through Ignorance," error, or misapprehension of one"8 true interests. The sins, however, referred to in this law were unintentional violations of the ceremonial laws,— breaches made through haste, or inadvertency of some negative precepts, which, if done knowingly and wilfully, would Ijave involved a capital punishment, do against any of them—To bring out the meaning, it is necessary to supply, "he shall bring a sin offering."
ple, l)y parching them at the fire, and then beating tliem out for use. It was designed to be an early tribute of pious thankfulness for the earth's increase, a"ad it was offered according to tlie usual directions.
3-35. Sin Offering for the Priest. 3. If the priest that Is anointed do sin—i. e., the high priest, in whom, considering his cliaracter as typical mediator, aud his exalted ofiice, the people had the deepest interest ; and wliose transgression of any part of tlie Divine law, there-
Ver. 1-17. The Peace Offering of the Herd. 1. if
Ills oblation be a sacriflce of peace oflering, &c. "peace" being used in Scripture to denote prosperity and happiness generally, a peace offering was a voluntary tribute of gratitude for health or other benefits. In this view it was eucharistic, being a token of thanksgiving for benefits Ulready received, or it was sometimes votive, presented in prayer for benefits wished for in future, of the herd—This kind of offering being of a festive character, either male or female, if without blemish, might be used, as both of them were equally good for food, and, if the circumstances of the offerer allowed It, it might be a calf. 2. he shall lay his hand upon the liead of his offering —Having performed tills significant act, he killed it before the door of the tabernacle, and the priests sprinkled the blood round about upon the altar. 3. he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering—The peace offering differed from the oblations formerly mentioned in tills respect: that while the burnt offering was wholly consumed on the altar, and the free-will offering was partly consumed and partly assigned to the priests ; in this offering the fat alone was burnt, only a small part was allotted to the priests, while the rest was granted to the offerer and his friends, thus forming a sacred feast of which the Lord, His priests and people conjointly partook, and which was symbolical of the spiritual feast, the sacred communion which, through Christ, the great peace offering, believers enjoy. (See further on chs. 19., 22.) the fat that covereth the Inwards—t. e., the web-work that presents itself first to the eye on opening the belly of a cow. the fat . . . npon the Inwards—adhering to the intestines, but easily removable from them; or, according to some, that which was next the ventricle. 4-11. the two kidneys ... of the Hock . . . the whole rump—There
fore, whether done unconsciously or heedlessly, was a very serious offence, both as regarded himself individually, and the influence of his example. He Is the person principally meant, though the common order of the priesthood was included, accorfling to tlie sin of the people i. e., bring guilt on the people. He was to take a young bullock (the age and sex being expressly mentioned), and having killed it according to the form prescribed for tlie burnt offerings, he was to take it into the holy place, and sprinkle the atoning blood seven times before the veil, and tip with the crimson fluid the horns of the golden altar of incense, on his way to the court of the priests,—a solemn ceremonial appointed only for very grave and heinous offences, ^nd which betokened thathia
sin, though done in ignorance, had vitiated all his services; nor could any official duty he engaged in be bene-
ficial either tohimself or the people, unless it were atoned for by blood. 11. the skin of the bullock, and all his flesh—In ordinary circumstances, these were perquisites of the priests. But in the expiation necessary for a sin of the high priest's, after the fat of the sacriflce was offered on the altar, the carcass was carried without the camp, in order that the total combustion of it in the place of ashes might the more strikingly Indicate the enormity of the transgression, and the horror with which he regarded It
(cf. Hebrews 13. 12, 13). 13. If the whole congregation of Israel sin through Ignorance—In consequence of some culpable neglect or misapprehension of the law.thfi people might contract national guilt, and national expiation was necessary. The same sacriflce was to be offered as In the former case, but with this difference in the ceremonial, that the elders or heads of the tribes, as repre» senting the people, and being the principal aggressors in misleading the congregation, laid their hands on the head of the victim. The priest then took the blood into the holy place, where, after dipping his finger in it sevea 75
Is, In Eastern countries, a species of sheep the tails of which are not less than four feet and a half in length. These tails are of a substance between fat and marrow. A sheep of this kind weighs sixty or seventy English IKiUuds weight, of which the tail usually weighs fifteen
Trespass Offering for Stvearing. LEVITICUS V, VI. LavB of Ihe Burnt Offering,
go through certain observances. 6-14. he shall bring his trespass o4fering unto the Lord for his sins which he hath sinned—A trespass offering differed from a sin olfering in the following respects—that it was appointed for persons who had either done evil unwittingly, or wsr<» in doubt as to their own criminally; or felt themselves in such a special situation as required sacrifices of that kind. [Brown.] The trespass ottering appointed in such case.s was a female lamb or kid; if unable to make such an offering, he might bring a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons,—the one to be ottered for a sin ottering, the other fora burntottering; or if even Wai was beyond his ability, the law would be satisfied with the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour without oil or frankincense. 15, IB. siu tikrough ignorance, in tlic holy things of the Lord. &c. —This is a case of sacrilege committed ignorantly, either in not paying the full dueof tithes, first-fruits, and similar tribute in eating of meats, which belonged to the priests alone,—or he was required, along with the restitution in money, the amount of which was to be determined by the priest, to offer a ram for a trespass offering, as soon as he came to the knowledge of his involuntary fraud. H-19. Ifa soul siu . . . thonglk he wist It not, yet he is guilty —This also refers to holy things, and it ditt'ers from the preceding in being one of the doubtful cases, i. e., where conscience suspects,- though the understanding be in doubt whether criminality or sin has been committed. The Jewish rabbis give as an example, the case of a person w'ho, knowing that "the fat of the inwards" is not to be eaten, religiously abstained from the use of it ; but should a dish happen to have been at table in which he liad reason to suspect some portion of that meat was intermingled, and he had, inadvertently, partaken of that unlawful viand, he was bound to bring a ram as a trespass ottering. These provisions were all designed to impress the conscience with the sense of responsibility to God, and keep alive on the hearts of the people a salutary fear of doing any secret wrong.
times, he sprinkled the drops seven times before tlie veil, —this done, he returned to the court of llie priests, and ascending the altar, put some portion upon its horns; then he poured it out at the foot of the altar. The fat was the only part of the animal which was ottered on the altar
for the carcass, with its appurtenances and oltals, ^j'as carried without the camp, into the place where the ashes
ireie deposited, and there consumed with tire. H-i-'^G, When a rwler liath sinned, and done somewhat througli ignorance against any of the coinniandluents—Whatever was the form of government, the king, judge, or subordinate, was the party concerned in tliis law. The trespass of such a civil functionary being less serious in its character and consequences than that ei tlier of the high priest or the congregation, a sin ottering of Inferior value was required—"a kid of the goats;" and neither was the blood carried into the sanctuary, but applied only to the altar of burnt otTering, nor was tlie carcass taken without the camp, it was eaten by the priestsin-waiting. 37-34. if any one of tlie common people gin through Ignorance—In this case the expiatory otlering appointed was a female kid, or a ewe lamb without blemisli ; and the ceremonies were exactly the same as those observed in the case of the ofl'ending ruler. In these two latter instances, the blood of the sin ottering v.'as applied to the altar of burnt olfering—the place where bloody
sacrifices were appointed to be immolated. But thy transgression of a high priest, or of the whole congregation, entailing a general taint on the ritual of the ta'oernacle, and vitiating its .services, required a further oxpiation ; and therefore, in these cases, the blood of the sin ottering was applied to the altar of incense. 35. it shall be forgiven him—None of these sacrifices possessed an.v in-
trinsic value sufficient to fi'ce the conscience of the sinner from the pollution of guilt, or to obtain his pardun from God; but they gave a formal deliverance from a secular penalty (Hebrews 9. 13, H); and they were figurative representations of the full and perfect sin offering which was to be made by Christ.
CHAPTEE V.
Ver. 1-7. Trespass Offering for Sins Done Wittingly. 'Z. If a soul sin, and commit a ti-espasa against the Lord—This law the record of which should have been joined with the previous chapter, was given concerning things stolen, fraudulently gotten, or wrongfully kept. The otfender was enjoined to make restitution of the articles to the rightful owner, along with a
Ver. 1. Trespass Offerings for Concf;aling KnowI,EDGE. 1. if a soul . . . hear the voice of swearing—or, according to some, "the words of adjuration." A proclamation was issued calling any one who could give information, to come before the court and Ijcar testimony to the guilt of a criminal, and the manner in whicli witnesses were interrogated in the .Jewish coui ts of justice was not by swearing them directly, but adjuring thorn l)y reading tiie words of an oath: "the voice of swearing." The ottence, then, for the expiation of whlcli this law provides, was that of a person who neglected or .avoided the opportunity of lodging the information which it was in his power to communicate.
fifth part out of his own possessions. But it was not enough thus to rejialr the Injury done to a neighbour and to .society; he was required to bring a trespass olfering, as a token of sorrow and penitence for having hurt the cause of religion and of Go<l. That trespass ofl'ering was a rani without blemish, which was to be made on tjie altar of burnt ott'erings, and the llesh belonged to the priests. Tills penalty was equivalent to a mitigated line, but being associated with a sacred duty, the form in which the line was Inflicted served the Important purpo.se of rousing attention to the claims and reviving a sense of responsibility to (iod.
2,3. Touching any Tiiimg Unclean. 2. if a soul touch any unclean thing—A person who, unknown to himself at the time, came in contact with an.v tiling unclean, and either neglected the requisite ceremonies of puriflcation, or engiiged In the services of religionwhile under tlie taint of cer"^jnonial defilement, niiglit be afterwards convinced tliat hs had committed an ottence.
S-I'!. TiiF, Law of ruv. Burnt Offering. «. Command Aiiroik anil Ills sons, siiying, This . . . law of the burnt ofl'ering—In this passage Moses received Instructions to be delivered to the priests respecting their official duties, and first the burnt offering— //eftrej;,', "a sacrifice, which went up In smoke." The dail.v service consisted of two lambs, one ottered In the morning at sunrise, the other In the evening, wlien the da.v began to decline. Bolli of them w<u-e consumed on the altar by means of a blow lire, before which tlie pieces of the sacrifice were so placedthat they fed It all night. At all events, the observance of this dail.v sacrifice on the altar of burnt olfering was a dally exiiresslon of national repentance and faith. Tlie lire tluit consumed these .sacritices had been kindled from heaven at the con.secralloii of I he taliernaclo, and to keep It from being extinguished, and the .sacritlceu from being burned with common fire, strict lnjun<'llon» are here given respecting not only the removal of lUe
4-19. Fob SWICAHING. 4. if a soul swear—a rash oat h, without duly considering the nature an<l consequences of the oath, perhiips Inconsiderately binding himself to do anything wrong, or neglected to perlbrm a vow to do something good. In all sucli cases a iierson might have t ransgres.sod one of the Divine <-oiiimaiidments anwittlngly, and have been afterwards brouglit to a tsenso of his delinquency. 5. it shall I>c, when he vhnll be guilty , . . that he shall canfexs that lie hatit slniied in tliat thing—make a voluntary acknowledgment of his sin from the iinpu!s<! of his own conscience, and before it come to tlie knowledge of the world. A jirevious discovery might have subjected lilm to some degree of punishment from which his spontaneous coiifesslon released him, but still ho was considered gullt.v of trespass, lo explute which ne wa« obliged by the ceremonial law to
Lav) of the Trespass Offering. LEVITICUS VII, VIII. Oumecration of Aaron and his Sona.
common at feasts. 15-17. the flesh of the sacrifice of his pence offerings . . . shall be eaten the same day that it is offered-The flesh of the sacrifices was eaten on the day of the offering or on the day following. But If any part of it remained till the third day, it wasj instead of being made use of, to be burned with fire. In the East, butcher-meat is generally eaten the day it is killed, and
ashes, bat the approaching near to the fire-place in garments tliat were not officially " holy."
14~1S. The Law of the Meat Offering. 14. thl» Is
tlie law of tlie meat offerlMg—Though this was a provision for the priests and their I'amilies, it was to be regarded as "most holy;" and the way in which it was prepared was, ou any meat offerings being presented, the priest carried them to the altar, and taking a handful from each of them as an oblation, salted and burnt it on the altar ; the residue became the property of the priests, and was the food of those whose duty it was to attend on the service. They themselves as well as the vessels from which they ate were typically holy, and they were not at liberty to partake of the meat offering while they laboured under any ceremonial defilement.
it is rarely kept a second day, so tliatas a prohibition was issued against any of the fiesh in the peace offerings being used on the third day, it has been thought, not witliout reason, that this injunction must have been given to prevent a superstitious notion arising that there was some virtue or holiness belonging to it. 18. If any of tho flesh of the sacrifice . . . be eaten at all on tite third day, It shall not be accepted, neither . . , iiiipnted—
19-23. The High Priest's Meat Offering. 30. This
the sacrifice will not be acceptable to God nor protitable to him tliat offers it. 30. cut off from his people—j. e., excluded from the privileges of an Israelite—lie under a sentence of excommunication. 31. abominable unclear thing— Some copies of the Bible read, "any reptile." 33-37. Ye shall eat no manner of fat—See on ch. 3. 17.
is the oiferliig of Aaron, and of Ills sons—The dally meat offering of the high priest; for though his sons are mentioned along with him, it was probably only those of his descendants who succeeded him in that high oflice that are meant. It was to be offered one half of it in the morning, and the other half in the evening—being daily
28-38. The Priests' Portion. 39. He tliat offereth the sacrifice of his peace offerings unto the Lord—la order to show that the sacrifice was voluntary, the offerer was required to bring it with his own hands to the priest. The breast having been waved to and fro in a solemn manner as devoted to God, was made over to the priests
laid by tlie ministering priest on the altar of burnt offer-
ing, where, being dedicated to God, it was wholly consumed. This was designed to keep him and the other attendant priests in constant remembrance, that though they were typically expiating the sins of the people, their own persons and services could meet with acceptance only through faith, which required to be daily nourished and strengthened from above.
it was assigned to the use of their order generally, but the right shoulder was the perquisite of the officiating
priest. 35-38. This is the portion of the anointing of Aaron—These ver.ses contain a general summing up of the laws which regulate the privileges and duties of the priests. The word "anointing" Is often used as synonymous with "office" or "dignity." So that the "portion of the anointing of Aaron" probably means the provision made for the maintenance of the high priest, and the numerous body of functionaries which composed' the sacerdotal order, in the day when he presented them to minister unto the Lord, &c. i. e., from the day they approached the Lord in the duties of their ministry.
21-30. The Law of the Sin Offering. 35. Tlils is the law of the sin offering—It was slain, and the fat and inwards, after being washed and salted, were burnt upon the altar. But the rest of the carcass belonged to the of-
ficial lag priest. He and his family might feast upon it only, however, within the precincts of the tabernacle; and none else were allowed to partake of it but the members of a priestly family—and not even they, if under any ceremonial defilement. The fiesh on all occasions was boiled or sodden, with the exception of the paschal lamb, which was roasted; and if an earthen vessel had been nsed, it being porous, and likely to imbibe some of the liquid particles, it was to be broken; if a metallic pan had been used it was to be scoured and washed with the greatest care, not because the vessels had been defiled, but the reverse—because the fiesh of the sin offering having been boiled in them, those vessels were now too sacred
Ver. 1-36. Moses Consecrateth Aaron and his Sons. 3. Take Aaron and his gong—The consecration of Aaroa and his sons had been ordered long before (Exodus 21).), but it is now described with all the details of the ceremonial, as it was gone through after the tabernacle was completed, and the regulations for the various sacrifices enacted. 3-5. gather thou all the congreg.-ition together, &c.—It was manifestly expedient for the Israel-
for ordinary use. The design of all these minute ceremonies was to Impress the minds, both of priests and people, with a sense of the evil nature of sin, and the care they should take to prevent the least taint of its impuri-
itish people to be satisfied that Aaron's appointment to the high dignity of the priesthood was not a personal intrusion, nor a family arrangement between him and Moses; and nothing, therefore, could be a more prudent or necessary measure, for impressing a profound conviction of the Divine origin and authority of the priestly Institution, than to summon a general assembly of the people, and in their presence perform the solemn ceremonies of inauguration, which had been prescribed by Divine authority. 0. Moses . . . washed them with water—At consecration they were subjected to entire ablution, though on ordinary occasions they were required, before entering on their duties, only to wash their hands and feet. This symbolical ablution was designed to teach them the necessity of Inwanl jnirity, and the imperative obligation on those who bore the vessels and conducted the services of the sanctuary to be holy. 7-9. he put upon him the coat, and girded Ikim with the girdle—The splendour of the official vostnienls, together with the gorgeous tiara of the high prii st, was intended, doubtless. In the first Inst^mce, to produce in the minds of the people a high respect for the luiiiisti'rs of
ties clinging to them.
Ver. 1-27. The Law ok the Trespass Offering. 1. Ijtkewtse this Is the law of the trespass oiferlng;—This chapter is a continuation of the laws that were to regulate the duty of the priests respecting the trespass offerings. The same regulations obtained in this case as in the burnt offerings—part was to be consumed on the altar, while the other part was a perquisite of the priests—some fell exclusively to the officiating minister, and was the fee for his services; others were the common share of all the priestly order, who lived upon them as their provision,
.•xnd whose meetings at a common table would tend to promote brotherly harmony and friendship. 8. the priest shall have to himself the skin of the burnt offering which he hath oflered—All the flesh and the fat of the burnt offerings being consumed, nothing remained
to the priest but the skin. It ha.s been thought that this was a patriarchal usage. Incorporated with the Mosaic law, and that the right of the sacrlrtcer to the skin of the victim was transmitted from the example of Adam (see on Genesis <3. 21). 11-14. this Is the law of the sacrl-
religion; and In the next, from the predominant use of
linen, to Inculcate upon Aaron and his sons the duty of maintaining unspotted righteousness in their charactem and lives. 10-13. took the anointing oil, &c.—which was designed to Intimate, that persons who acted aa
flce of peal^e oflTerlngs — Besides the usual accompaniments of other sacrifices, leavened bread was offered with the peace off'erlnga, as a tbanksglvlDg, such bread being
The Priests' Entry into Office. LEVITICUS IX, X. Nadab and Abihxi Burnt.
the ascent was by a gentle slope (Exodus 20.28). 23. nioses and Aaron went into the tabernacle—Moses, according to the Divine Instructions he had received, accompanied Aaron and his sons to initiate them into their sacred duties. Their previous occupations ha<l detained them at the altar, apd they now entered in company into the sacred edifice to bear the blood of the offerings within the sanctuary, the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people—perhaps in a resplendent effulgence above the tabernacle as a fresh token of the Divine acceptance of that newly-established seat of His worship. 84:. there came a Are out from . . . the Lord —A flame emanating from that resplendent light that filled the holy place flashed upon the brazen altar and kindled the sacrifices. This miraculous flre—for the descent of which the people had probably been prepared, and which the priests were enjoined never to let go out (ch. 6. 13)—was a sign, not only of the acceptance of the offerings and of the establishment of Aaron's authority, but of God's actual residence In that chosen dwellingplace. The moment the solemn though welcome speo-
leaders in the solemn services of worship should have the unction of the Holy One both In His gifts and graces. 14-17. brought the bollock for the sin offering, &c. A timely expression of their sense of unworthlness—
uublic and solemn confession of their personal sins, and a transference of their guilt to the typical victim. 18-31. brought the ram, <&c.—as a token of their entire dedication to the service of God. itii~30. brought the other ram, &c.—After the sin offering and burnt offering had been presented on their behalf, this was their peace offering, by which they declared the pleasui-e which they felt in entering upon the service of God, and being brought into close communion with him as the ministers of His sanctuary, together with their confident reliance on His grace to help them in all their sacred duties. 33. ye shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, &c.—Aft€r all these preliminaries, they had still to undergo a week's probation in tlie court of the tabernacle before they obtained permission to enter Into the interior of the sacred building. During the whole of that period the same sacrificial rites were observed as on the first day, and they were expressly admonished that the smallest breach of any of the appointed observances would lead to the certain forfeiture of their lives..
tiicle was seen, a simultaneous shout of joy and gratitude burst from the assembled congregation, and in the attitude of profoundest reverence they worshipped "a present Deity."
Ver. 1-20. Nadab and Abihu Burnt. 1. the sons of Aaron, &c.—If tills incident occurred at the solemn period of the consecrating and dedicating the altar, these young men assumed an oftlce which had been committed to Moses ; or if it were some time after, it was an encroachment on duties which devolved on their father alone as the higli priest. But the oflence was of a far more aggravated nature than such a mere Informality would imply.
Ver. 1-24. The Triests' Entry into Office. 1, 2. Moses called . . , Take thee a young calf for a sin offering—The directions in these sacred things were still given by Moses, the circumstances being extraordinary. But lie was only the medium of communicating the Divine will to the newly-made priests. The first of their official acts was the sacrifice of anotlier sin ollering to atone for the defects of the inauguration services; and yet tliat sacrifice did not consist of a bullock—the sacri-
It consisted not only in their venturing unauthorized to perform the incense service,—the highest and most solemn of Uie priestly oflices,—not only in their engaging together in a work, which was the duty only of one, l)ut hntlieir presnming to Intrude into the holy of holies, to which access was denied to all but the high priest a' me. In this i-espect, "they offered strange flre before the Lord;" they were guilty of a presumptuous and unwarranted Intrusion into a sacred ofHce which did not belong to them. But their ofi'ence was more aggravated still; for instead of taking the flre which was put into their censers from tlie brazen altiir, they seem to have been content with coinniou fire, and thus perpetrated an act, which considering the descent of the miraculous flre they had so recently witnessed, and the solemn obligation under which they were laid to make use of that which was specially appropriated to the service of the altars, they betrayed a carelessness, an Irreverence, a want of faith, most surprising and lamentable, A precedent of such evil
fice appointed for some particular transgression; but of a calf, perhaps, not without a significant reference to Aaron's sin in the golden calf. Then followed a burnt offering, expressive of their voluntary and entire selfdevotement to the Divine service. The newly consecrated priests having done this on tlieir own account, were called to offer a sin offering and burnt offering for tlie people: ending the ceremonial by a peace offering, whicli was a sacred feast. This injunction " to make an atonement for himself and for the people" (Scptttagint, " for tliy family") at the commencement of his sacred functions, furnishes a striking evidence of the Divine origin of tlie Jewish system of worsliip. In all false or corrupt forms of religion, tlio studied policy has been to Inspire tlie people with an Idea of the sanctity of the priesthood as. In point of purity and favour with the Divinity, far above the level of other men. But among the Hebrews the priests were required to offer for the expiation of their sins as well as the huinlilest of the people. This imperfection of Aaron's priesthood, however, does not extend to tlie gospel dispensation: for our great High Priest, wlio has entered for us into " tlie true tabernacle," " knew no sin" (Hebrews 10.10, II). 8, Aaron . . . went unto tlte altar, •tnd view tlie calf of the sin ofl'ering—Whether it had been enjoined tlie first time, or It was unavoidable from the divisions of the priestly labour not being us yet coinpleU^ly arranged, Aaron, assisted by his sons, appears to have slnln the victims with his own hands, as well as gone through all the prescribed ritual at the altar. 17-'^I. meat off'ering . . . wave offering—It Is observable that there Is no notice taken of these In the olfcrlngs the priests made for themselves. They could not bear their own sins: and therefore. Instead of eating any part of their own sin offering, as they were at lll)erty to do In the case of the people's olFerlng, they had to carry the whole carcasses "without the camp and burn them with
teiiilency was dangerous, and It was imperatively necessary, therefore, as well for the priests themselves as for the sacred things, that a marked expression of the Divine displeasure should bo given for doing tliat which " (Jod eoiiiniaiidcd them not." a. there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them—rather, Uilleil them; for
It appears (u. 5) that neither their bodies nor their robes were consumed. The expression, " from the Lord," Indicates that this flre Issued from the most holy place; and
In the destruction of these two young jirlcsts by the In-
fliction of an awful judgment, the wisdom of God observed the same course, In repressing the first Instance of contempt for sacred things, as he did at the conimence-
iiKMit of the (;hristlan dispensation (Acts .5. 1-11). 3. Moses snid . . . This Is It that the Lord spoke ... I will be sanctified In them that come nigh lue—"They that come iiigh me," points, In this passage, directly to the priests; and they had received repeated and solemn warnings as to the cautious and reverent manner of their approach Into the Divine presence (KxoduR I!). 22;
lire." 'i'i. Aaron lifted up his hand . . . and bleitscd— The pronouncing of a benediction on the people assembled In the court was a necessary part of the high priest's
2!). 41; ch. 8. .T)). Aaron held his peace-The loss of i wo sons In so suilden and awful a manner was a calumny overwhelming to parental feelings. But the pious 1 1 '^''*^
iluty, and the formula In which It was to be given Is de-
iicrlbev. (Numbers 6. 2.'i-27). came down from offering— The altar wus elevated above the level of the floor, and 78
Indulged lu no vehomeut ebullition of complaint, u»d
Beauts that vw/y LEVITICUS XI. and may not he Eatm.
gave vent to no murmur of discontent, but submitted In
as to fall into their Idolatries, or be contaminated with their vices : in short, to keep them a disl inct and peculiar people. To this purpose, no dlH'erenee of creed, no system of polity, no diversity of language or manner, was so subservient as a distinction of meats founded on religion
Bllenl resignation to what he saw was "the righteous Judgment of God." *, 5. Moses called Mlsliael and Elzaplian—The removal of the two corpses for burial Without the camp would spread,the painful intelligence Hmongst all the congregation. The interment of tlie
and hence the Jews, who were tauglit by education to ablior many articles of food freely partaken of by other people, never, even at periods of great degeneracy, could amalgamate with the nations anioni;st wliicli they were dispersed. But although tiiis was Die principal foundation of these laws, dietetic reasons ailso Iwid weight; for there is no doubt that the fiesh of n\any of the animals here ranked as unclean, is every wliere, Init especially in warm climates, less wholesome and adapted for food than those which are allowed to be* eaten. These laws, therefore, being subservient to sanitary as well as I'eligious ends, were addressed both to Moses and Aaron. 3-7. -Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and ig cloven-footed^ ond cheweth the cud—Ruminating animals by the peculiar structure of their stomaclis digest their food more fully than others. It is found that in the act of chewing the cud, a large portion of the poisonous properties of noxious plants eaten by them, passes off by the salivary glands. This power of secreting the poisonous
priestly vestments along with' them, was a sign of their being polluted by the sin of their irreligious wearers ; aud the remembrance of so appalling a judgment could not
toll to strike a salutary fear into the liearts botli of priests and people. 6. uncover not your heads—They wlio were ordered to carry out the two bodies, being engaged In-
their sacred duties were forbidden to remove their turbans,
Id conformity with the usual customs of mourning; and the prohibition, " neither rend your garments," was in all probability, confined also to their official costume. For at other times the priests wore the ordinary dress of tlieir countrymen, and, in common with their families, miglit Indulge their private feelings by the usual signs or expressions of grief. 8-11. Do not drink wine nor strong drink—This prohibition, and the accompanying admo-
nitions, following Immediately the occurrence of so fatal a catastrophe, has given rise to an opinion entertained by many, that the two unhappy priests were under the influence of Intoxication when they committed the offence Which was expiated only by their lives. But such an
ett'ects of vegetables, is said to be particularly i-emarkablo in cows and goats, whose mouths are often sore, and sometimes bleed, in consequence. Their flesh is therefore in a better state for food, as it containsmore of the nutritious juices, and is more easily digested in the human stomach, and is consequently more easily assimilated. Animals which do not chew the cud, convert their food less perfectly; their flesh is tlierefore unwholesome, from the gross animal juices with which they abound, and Is apt to produce scorbutic and scrofulous disorders. But the animals that may be eaten are those which "part the hoof as well as chew the cud," and this is another means of freeing the flesh of the animal from noxious substances. "In the case of animals with parted hoofs, when feeding in unfavourable situations a prodigious iamount of foetid matter is discharged, and passes oir between the toes; while animals with undivided hoofs, feeding on the same ground, become severely affected in the legs, from the poisonous plants among the pasture." [Whitlaw's Code of Health.] All experience attests this, and accordingly the use of ruminating animals, that is, which both chew the cud and part the hoof, has always obtained in most countries, tliough it was observed most carefully by the people who were favoured with the promulgation of God's law. 4. the camel—It does to a certain extent divide tlie hoof, for tlie foot consists of two large p.arts, but tlie division is not complete; the toes rest upon an elastic pad on which the animal goes; as a beast of burden its llesh is tough, and an additional reason for its prohibition might be to keep the Israelites apart from the descendants of Islimael. 5. the coney—not the rabbit, for it is not found in Palestine or Arabia, but the liyrax, a little animal of the size and general shape of the rabbit, but differing from it in several essential features; it has no tail, singular long hairs bristling, like thorns, amongst the fur on its back; its feet are bare, its nails flat and round, except those on each inner toe of the hind feet, which are sharp and project like an awl. It does not burrow in the gi ound, but frequents the clefts of rocks. 6. the hare—Two siiecies of hare must have been pointed at, the Sinai hare—the hare of the desert, small and generally Itrown, the other, the hare of Palestine and Syria, about the size and appearance of that known In our own country. Neitlier the hare nor the coney are really ruminating. They only appearto be so from working the jaws on the grasses they live on. They are not cloven-footed, and besides it is said that from the great quantity of down upon them, they are very much subject to vermin—that in order to expel these, they eat poisonous plants, and if used as food while In that state, they are most deleterious. [WhjtLAW.] T. the g«lne—It is a filthy, foul-feeding animal, and It wants one of the natural provisions for purifying the system, " it cheweth not the cud ;" In hot climates in-
Idea, though the presumption is in its favour, is nothing more than conjecture. 1J4-15. Moses spake unto Aaron,
&.C.—This was a timely and considerate rehearsal of tlie laws that regulated the conduct of the priests. Amid the distractions of their family bereavement, Aaron and his surviving sons might have forgotten or overlooked some
of their duties. 16-aO. Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin offering, and, behold, it was burnt—In a sacrifice presented, as that had been, on behalf of the people, it was the duty of the priests, as typically representing thefn and bearing their sins, to have eaten the
flesh, after the blood had been sprinkled upon the altar. Instead of using it, however, for a sacred feast, tliey had burnt it without the camp; and Moses, who discovered this departure from the prescribed ritual, probably from a dread of some farther chastisements, challenged—not Aarou, whose heart was too much lacerated to bear a new cause of distress—but his two surviving sons in tlie priesthood for the great irregularity. Their father, however, who heard the charge, and by whose directions the error had been committed, hastened to give the explanation. The Import of his apology is, that all the duty pertaining to the presentation of the offering had been duly and sacredly performed, except the festive part of the observance, which privately devolved upon the priest and his fenuly; and that this had been omitted, either because hts heart was too dejected to join In the celebration of a cheerful feast, or that he supposed, from the appalling judgments that had been inflicted, the whole services of that occasion were so vitiated that he did not compile them. Aaron was decidedly in the wrong. By the express command of God, the sin ofTering was to be eaten in the holy place; and no fanciful view of expediency or propriety ought to have led him to dispense at discretion with a positive statute. The law of God was clear, and where that is the case. It Is sin to deviate a hair's breadth from the path of duty. But Moses sympathized with his deeply afflicted brother; and having pointed out the error, said no more.
Ver. 1-47. Beasts that may and may not be Eaten.
1. the Irfsrd spake unto Mosea and to Aaron—These laws being addressed to both the civil and ecclesiastical rulers in Israel, may serve to Indicate the twofold view that Is to be taken of them. Undoubtedly the first and strongest reason for instituting a distinction among meats, was to discourage the Israelites from sprcailing Into other countries, and from general Intercourse with the world—to prevent them acquiring familiarity with the inhabitants of the countries bordering on Canaan, so
Reast» thai may LEVITICUS XI. and may not be Eulen.
known to tlie Israelites, and so rendered hy.tbe Spptua!;i7>t (Deuteronomy 14. 16; Isaiah 3-1. 11): according to Parkhurst, the bittern, but not determined, tlie swanfound in great numbers in all the countries of the Levant, and frequents marshy places—the vicinity of rivers and lakes. It was held sacfed by the Egyptians, and kept tame within the precincts of heathen temples. It was probably oh this account chiefly its use. as food was prohibited. MiCHAELlS considers it the goose, the pelican —remarkable for the bag or pouch under its lower jaw which serves not only as a net to catch, but also as a receptacle of, food. It is solitary in its habits, and, like other large aquatic birds, often flies to a great distance from its favourite haunts, the gier eagle—Being here associated with waterfowl, it has been questioned whether any species of eagle is referred . to. Some think, as the original name racham denotes tenderness, affection, the halcyon or king-fisher is Intended. [Calmkt.] Others that it is the bird now called the rachami, a kind of Egyptian vulture, abundant in the streets of Cairo, and popularly called Pharaoh's fowl. It is white in colour, in size like a raven, and feeds on carrion; it is one of the foulest and filthiest birds in the world, the stork—a bird of benevolent temper, and held in the highest estimation In all Eastern countries; it was declared unclean, probably, from its feeding on serpents and other venomous
dulgenoe in svi:2e's flesh is particularlj' liable to proiluee leprosy, scurvy, and various cutaneous erupti(jns. It was therefore strictly avoided by tlie Israelites, and its prohibition was further necessary to prevent their adopting many of the gi ossest idolatries practised by neiglibouring nations. 9. Tliese stiall ye eat . . . wliatsoever liatU
fills and scales—"Tlie fins and scales are the means by which the excrescences of fisli are carried off, the same as m animals by perspiration. I have never known an instance of disease produced bv eating such fish ; but those that have no fins and scales cause, In hot climates, the most malignant disorders when eaten; in many cases they prove a mortAl poison." [Whitlaw.] 13. Whatsoever Iiath no fins nor scales, &c.—Under this classification frogs, eels, shell-flsli of all descriptions, were included as unclean, " many of the latter (shell-fish) enjoy a reputation they do not deserve, and have, when plentifully partaken of, produced effects which have led to a suspicion of their containing something of a poisonous nature." 13-19. these are tliey -n-liich ye shall have In abomination among the fowls—All birds of prey are particularly ranked in tlie class unclean; all those which feed on flesh and carrion ; no less than twenty species of birds, all probably then known, are mentioned under this category, and the inference follows that all which are not mentioned were allowed, that is, fowls which subsist on vegetable substances. From our imperfect knowledge of the natural history of Palestine, Arabia," and the contiguous countries, it is not easy to determine exactly what some of the prohibited birds are; although they must have
reptiles, as well as rearing its young on the same food, the heron—the word so translated only occurs in the prohibited list of food and has been variously rendered—the crane, the plover, the woodcock, the parrot. In this great diversity of opinion nothing' certain can be affirmed regarding it, and as from the group witli which it is class-
* been all well known among the people to whom these laws were given. tJie ossifrage Hebrew, bone-breaker, rendered in the Septuagint g-riffon, supposed to be the GypcBtos barbatus, the Lammer Geyer of the Swiss—a bird of the eagle or vulture species, inhabiting the higliest mountain-ranges in Western Asia as well as Europe, and pursues as its prey the chamois, ibex, or marmot, among rugged cliffs, till it drives them over a precipice—
ified, it must be an aquatic bird that is meant, it may as well be the heron as any other bird, the more especially as herons abound in Egypt and in the Hauran of Palestine, the lapwing—or hoopoe—found in warm regions, a very pretty but filthy species of bird, and was considered unclean, probably from its feeding on insects, worms, and snails, the bat—the great or Ternat bat, known in the East, noted for Its voracity and fllthiness. 20. All fowls that creep, &c.—By " fowls " here are to be understood all creatures with wings, and by "going upon
tlius obtaining the name of " bone-breaker." the ospray —the black eagle, among the smallest, but swiftest and strongest of its kind, the vulture—the word so rendered
in our version means more probably " the kite" or "glede," and describes a varying but majestic flight, exactly that of the kite, which now darts forward with the rapidity
all fours," not a restriction to animals which liave exactly
four feet, because many " creeping things" have more tlinn that number. The prohibition is regarded generally m extending to insects, reptiles, and worms. 31. Yet these may ye cat of every Hying creeping thing that goetb npoii all four, which have legs above their feet Nothing short of a scientiflc description could convey more accurately the nature "of the locust after its kind." They were allowed as lawful food to the Israelites, and they are eaten by the Arabs, who fry them in olive oil ; or when sprinkled with salt, dried, smoked, and fried, they are said to taste not unlike red herrings. 26. cvt-ry beast
of an arrow, now rests motionless on its expanded wings in the air: it feeds on small birds, insects, and fish, the kite—the vulture. In Egypt, and perhaps in the adjoining countries also, the kite and vulture are often seen together flying in company, or busily pursuing their foul but important oflice of devouring the carrion and relics Of putrefying flesh, which might otherwise pollute tlie atmosphere, after his klnd^. e., the prohibition against eating it extended to the whole species, the raven—in-
f^luding the crow, the pie. the owl—It is generally supposed the ostrich is denoted by the original word, the night-hawU—a very small bird, with wliich, from Its nocturnal habits, many superstitious Ideas were asso-
. . . not cloven-footed—The prohibited animals under
tlris description Include not only the beasts which have a single hoof, as horses and asses, but those also which divided the foot Into paws, as lions, tigers, Ac. 39. the weasel—rather, the mole, the mouse—fi'om Its diminutive size is placed among the reptiles instead of the quadrupeds, the tortoise—a lizard, resembling very nearly in shape, and in the hard pointed scales of the tail, the shake'
ciated, the cuckoo-evidently some other bird is meant by the original term, from Its being ranged among rapa-
cious birds. Dk. Shaw thinks it Is the safsaf; but that being a graminivorous and gregarious bird, is equally ob-
jectionable. Others think that the term the sea-mew, or some of the small spa-fowl, are Intended, the hawk— The Hebrew word Includes every variety of tlie falcon family — as the gos-hawk, the jer-hawk, the sparrowhawk, &c. Several species of hawks are found in Western Asia and Egypt, where they find Inexhaustible prey
tail. 30. the ferret—the Hebrew word is thought by soma
to signify tlie newt or chameleon, by others the frog, the chameleon—called by the Arabs the warral, a green lizard, the snail-a lizard which lives In the sand, and !
called by the Arabs c/iuica, of an azure colour, the mole— another species of lizard Is meant, probably the chameleon. 31-35. whosoever doth touch them, wlieii . . . dead, shall be unclean until the even—These regulations must have often caused annoyance, by suddenly requiring the exclusion of people from society, as well as the ordinances of religion. Nevertheless they were extremely
In the immense numbers of pigeons and turtle-doves that abound in those quarters. The hawk was held pre-eminently .sacred among the Egyptians; and this, besides Its rapacious disposition and gross habits, might have been a strong reason for its prohibition as an article of food to the Israelites, the little owl—or horned owl, as some render It. The common barn owl, which Is well known
useful and salutary, especially as enforcing attention to cleanliness. This Is a matter of essential Importance 111 the East, where venomous reptiles often creep Into houses, and are found lurking In hox(\s, vessels, or holes In the wall ; and the carcass of one of them, or a dead mouse.
In the East. It Is the only bird of the kind here referred
to, although the word la thrice mentioned In our version, cormorant—supposed to be the gull, the great €»wl— ccordtng to some, the Ibis of the Egyptians. It was wel. 80
BIRDS MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE.
The Laws and Tokens LEVITICUS XII, XIII. in Discerning Leprosy.
tlan bondage. It appears that, in consequence of the'^fc hardships, there was, even after they had left Egypt, a general predisposition among the Hebrews to the contagious forms of leprosy—so that it often occurred as a consequence of various other affections of the skin. And hence all cutaneous blemishes or blains—especially such as had a tendency to terminate in leprosy—were watched with a Jealous eye from the first. [Goon's Study of Medi-
mole, lizard, or other unclean animal, might' be inadvertently touclied by the hand, or fall on clothes, skin-bot-
tles, or any article of common domestic use. By connect-
Ing, tlierefore, the touch of such creatures with ceremonial defilement, which required immediately to be removed, an effectual means was taken to prevent the bad effects of venom and all unclean or noxious mattei'. 47. mafce a dlflfe^nce between tlie unclean and tl»c clean i.e., between animals used and not used for food. It is prob-
cine.'] A swelling, a pimple, or bright spot on tlie skin, created a strong ground of suspicion of a man's being attacked by the dreaded disease, then lie shall be brouglit unto Aaron the priest, &c.—Like the Egyptian priests, the Levites united the character of physii'ian with that of the sacred office; and on the appearance of any suspicious eruptions on the skin, the person having
Blile tliat the laws contained in this chapter were not entirely new, but only gave the sanction of Divine enactment to ancient usages. Some of the prohibited animals have, on pliysiological grounds, been everywhere I'ejected by the general sense or experience of manltind, while others may have been declared unclean from their unwholesomeness in warm countries, or from some reasons, which are now imperfectly known, connected with contemporary Idolatry.
these was brought before the priest—not, however, to receive medical treatment, though it is not improbable that some purifying remedies might be prescribed, but to be examined with a view to those sanitary precautions which it belonged to legislation to adopt. 3-6. tlie priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh, &c.— The leprosy, as covering tlie person with a white scaly scurf, has always been accounted an oftensive blemish rather than a serious malady in the East, unless when it assumed its less common and malignant forms. When a Hebrew priest, after a careful inspection, discovered under the cutaneous blemisli the distinctive signs of contagious leprosy, the person was immediateljpronounced unclean, and is supposed to have been sent out of the camp to a lazaretto provided for that purpose. If the symptoms appeared to be doubtful, he ordered the person to be kept in domestic confinement for seven days, when he was subjected to a second examination; and if during the previous week the eruption liad subsided or appeared to be harmless, he was instantly discharged. But if tlie .eruption continued unabated and still doubtful, he was put under surveillance anotlier week ; at the end of whii h the character of the disorder never failed to manifest
Ver. 1-8. "Woman's Uncleanness by Ciiild-Birth. S. If a woman, &c.—The mother of a boy was ceremonially unclean for a week, at the end of which the child was circumcised (Genesis 17. 12; Romans 4. 11-13); the mother
of a girl for two weeks—a stigma on tlie sex (1 Timothy 2.
li, 15) for sin, which was removed by Christ; every one who came near her during that time contracted a similar defilement. After these periods, visitors miglit approach her, though she was still excluded from tlie public ordinances of religion. 6-8. tlie days of lier purifying Though the occasion was of a festive cliaracter, yet the eacriflces appointed were not a peace offering, but a burnt offering and sin offering, in order to impress tlie mind of the parent witli recollections of the origin of sin, and that the child inherited a fallen and sinful nature. The offerings were to be presented the day after the period of her separation had ended i. e., forty-first for a boy, eighty-
first for a girl, toring two turtles, &c.—(See on ch. 5. 7). This was the offering made by Mary, the mother of Jesus, and it affords an incontestable proof of the poor and humble condition of the family (Luke 2. 22-24).
itself, and he was either doomed to perpetual exclusion from society, or allowed to go at large. A person wlio had thus been detained on suspicion, when at length set at liberty, was obliged to " wasii his clothes," as having been tainted by ceremonial pollution; and tlie purification through which he was required to go was, in tlie spirit of the Mosaic dispensation, symbolical of that inward purity
CHAPTEE XIII.
Ver. 1-59. The Laws and Tokens in Discern in o leprosy. 3. When a man shall have In the skin, &c.—The £act of the following rules for distinguishing the plague of leprosy being incorporated with the Hebrew code of laws, proves the existence of the odious disease among that people. But a short time, little more than a year, if so long a period had elapsed since the exodus, when symptoms of leprosy seem extensively to have appeared among them ; and as they could not be very liable to such a cutaneous disorder amid their active journeyings, and in the dry open air of Arabia, the seeds of the disorder must have been laid in Egypt, where it lias always been endemic. There is every reason to believe that this was the case: that the leprosy was not a family complaint, hereditary among the Hebrews, but that they got it from intercourse with the Egyptians, and from the unfavourable circumstances of their condition in the house of bondage. The great excitement and irritability of the skin In the hot and sandy regions of the East, produce a far greater predisposition to leprosy of all kinds than in the cooler temperature of Europe ; and cracks or blotches. Inflammations or even contusions of the skin, very often lead to these in Arabia and Palestine to some extent, but particularly In Egypt. Besides, the subjugated and distressed state of the Hebrews in the latter country, and the nature of their employment, must have rendered them very liable to this as well as to various otV ,r blemishes and mlsaffections of the skin ; In the prodr ,tlon of which tliere are no causes more active or powerful than a depressed state of body and mind, hard labour under a burning sun, the body constantly covered with the excoriating dust of brickfields, and an Impoverished diet—to all of whlcli the Israelites were exposed whilst under the Egyp-