Chapter XL (continued, part 3)
priests, if they should defile the sacred ofTeriiigs, which they would have done had tliey presented them while under any (h^filement. [Caia'in.] According to others, "the children of Israel" Is the nominative in the sentence; which thus signifies, tlie children of Isracd shall not profane or defile their offerings, by tiiuchlng tli.em or reserving any part of them, lest tliey iticur.tlie guilt
The Snndiij Fiasis, LEVITICUS XXIII. The Pas.^o cr, Peiikcosl, etc-
Israelites ou the month of September than the people of Egypt had in honour of their idols. These institutions, however, were for the most part prospective, the observance being not binding ou the Israelites during their wanderings in the wilderness, while the regular celebration was not to commence till their settlement in Canaan.
of eating wliat is divinely appointed to tlie priests alone. [Calmet.]
17-33. The .Sackifices must be without Blemish. 19. fe shall offer at yoiixown will—ratlier, to your being aoceptP''. a male witUout Memisli—Tliis law (ch. 1. 3)
Is founaed on a sense of natural propriety, which required the greatest care to be taken in thfe selection of animals
5-8. The Passover, the Lord's passover—(See Exodus 12. 2, It, 18.) The institution of the Passover was intended to be a perpetual memorial of the circumstances attending the redemption of the Israelites, while it had a typical reference to a greater redemption to be elfected for God's spiritual people. On the first and last days of this feast, tlie people were forbidden to work; but wliile on the Sabbath they were not to do any work, on feast days tliey were permitted to dress meat—and hence the prohibition is restricted to "no servile work." At the same time, those two days were devoted to "holy convocation"—special seasons of social devotion. In addition to the ordinary sacrifices of every day, there were to bo "oll'erings by fire" on the altar (see on Numbers 28.19), while unleavened bread was to be eaten in families all the seven days (see 1 Corinthians 5. 8).
for sacrifice. The reason for this extreme caution is found
i u the fact, that s.acrifices are either an expression of praise
tx) God for his goodness, or else they are the designed means of conciliating or retaining His favour. No victim that was not perfect in its kind ccald be deemed a
fitting instrument for such purposes, if we assume that the significance of sacrifices is derived entirely from their relation to Jehovah. Sacrifices may be likened to gifts made to a king by his subjects, and hence the reasonableness of God's strong remonstrance with the worldlyminded Jews (Malachi 1.8). If the tabernacle, and subsequently the temple, were considered the palace of the great King, then the sacrifices would answer to presents as offered to a monarch on various occasions by his sub-
jects; and in this light they would be the appropriate expressions of tlieir feelings towards their sovereign. When a subject wished to do honour to his sovereign,
9-lt. The Sheaf OF FiRST-FRUirs. 10. ye shall bring a sheaf of tlie tirst-fruits of your harvest unto the priest—A sheaf, lit., an omer, of the tirsl-fiuits of the barley harvest. The barley being sooner ripe than tlie other grains, the reaping of it formed the commencement of the general harvest season. The offering described in this passage was made on the IGtli of the first month, and the day following the first Passover Sabbath,
to acknowledge allegiance, to appease his anger, to supplicate forgiveness, or to intercede for another, he brouglit a present; and all the ideas involved in sacrifices correspond to these sentiments—those of gratitu<le, of worsliip, of praj'er, of confession and atonement. [Bib. .Sac] 23.
tliat mayest thou offer, Ac.—The passage should be rendered tlius: if tliou otTcr it either for a free-will ottering, or for a vow, it sliall not be accepted. This sacrifice being required,to be "witliout blemish," symbolically implied
wliicli was on the 15th (corresponding to the beginning of our April); but it was reaped after sunset on tlie previous evening by pei'sons deputed to go with sickles, and obtain samples from different fields. These being laid together in a sheaf or loose bundle, were brougiit to the court of the temple, where the grain was winnowed, parched, and bruised in a mortar. Then, after some incense had been sprinkled on it, the priest waved it aloft before the Lord towards the four different points of the compass, took a part of it and threw it into the fire of tlie altar—all the rest being reserved to himself. It was a proper and lieautiful act, expressive of dependence on
tliat the people of God were to dedicate themselves wliolly with sincere purposes of heart, and its being required to be "perfect to be accepted," led them typically to lUm without whom no sacrifice could be ofl'ered acceptable to God. 'Z7, 38. it slinll be seven days un«lcr the dniii Animals were not considered perfect nor good for food
till tlie eighth day. As sacrifices are called the bread or
fooil of God (v. 25), to offer them immediately after birtli, When they were unfit to be eaten, would have indicated a contempt of religion; and besides, tliis proliibition, as
tlie God of nature and providence—common amongst all people, but more especially becoming the Israelites, who owed their land itself as well as all it produced to the Divine bounty. The offering of the wave-sheaf sancti-
well as that contained in the following verse, inculcated a
lesson of humanity or tenderness to tlie dam, as well as Becured the sacrifices from all appearance of unfeeling
cruelty.
fied the wliole harvest. (Romans 11. Hi.) At the same time, this feast had a typical character, and pre-intimated tlie resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 15. "20), who rose from the dead on the very day the first-fruits were olfereil.
Ver. 1-4. Of Sundky Feasts. 3. Spealc unto the cliU«lren of Israel concerning the feasts of tlie I^orrt
UL, "the times of assembling, or solemnities" (Isaiah 33.
15-22. Feast of Pentecost. 15. Ye shall count from the morrow after the Sabbath—;. <;., after the first day of Ihc passover week, which was observed as a Sabljatli. 10. Number Hfty days—The forty-nintli day after the presentation of the first-fruits, or the fiftieth, Including
20); and this is a preferable rendering, applicable to all Bacred seasons mentioned in tliis chapter, even the day of atonement, which was oliserved as a fast. They were appointed by the direct autliority of God, and announced by a pulilic proclamation, which Is called "tlie joyful sound" (Psalm 89.1")). Tliose "holy convocations" were evidences of Divine wisdom, and eminently siibservu'iit
It, M-as the feast of Pentecost. (See also Exodus 2.'!. Ifi; Deuteronomy !(>. 9.) 17. Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave-loav«'s of two tentit deals, itc. These loaves were made of "fine" or wheaten Hour, the quantity conlalned in them being somewhat more than ten lbs. weight. As the wave-sheaf gave the signal for the commencement, the two loaves solemnized the termi-
to the maintenance ami dilTusion of religions Icnowledge and piety. 3. Six days shall work be done; Imt the seventh day in the sabbath of rest—(See on I-'.xoiliis '31.
8,9.) The Sal)bath has tlio precedence given to it, and it was to be "a holy convocation," observed by families "in their dwellings;" wliere practicable, by the people repairing to tlie door of the tabernatde; at later periods, l)y meeting In the scliools of the propliets, and In synagogues. 4. these are the feasts of the T.ord, which ye Bhall proelniin in their seasons—Tlielr oliscrvance toolc
n.-ition of the liarvest season. They were the first-fruits of that season, being ott'ered unto the Lord by the priest
in naiiK^ of the whole nation. (.See on Exodus 31. 2'2.) The loaves used at the Passover were unleavened; those presented at Pentecost were leavened—a dltference whioli is thus accounted for, that the one was a memorial of the bread hastily prepared at their deiiarture, wliile the other was a tribute of gratitude to God for tli("lr dally food,
place in tlie parts of the y(?ar corresponding to our Marcli, May, and September. Divine wisdom was manifested in fixing them at those periods; in winter, when Mie days were short and the roads broken up, a long journey was Impracticable; while In sninmiT the harvi'stand vintage gave busy employment In the fields, liesidcs, another reason for the choice of tho.se seasons probably was to counteract the Infiuence of Egyptian associations and
whlcli was leavened. 'Zl. Ye sliall proclaim on the self-same day, that It maj' be an Iioly convociitlon unto you i ye shall do no servile work therein— Though It extended over a week, the first day only wan
held as a Sabbath, both for the national offering of first-
fruits and a memorial of the giving of the law. 'i't. Thou
habits. And God appointed more sacred festivals for the
T-'mxt of Tnaiijit'ls. LEVITICUS XXIV, XXV. SuuLatli of t.'c Seven h Year.
ilmlt not make clean riddance of the corners of fity
ciinistances which gave rise to it. The "mixed multitude" that accompanied the Israelites in tlieir exodua from Egyjit, creates a presumption that marriage connections of the kind described were not infrequent. And
fields wlien thou reapest, &c.—(See on ch. 19.9.) The repetition of tliis law here probably arose from the
priests reminding the people, at the presentation of the first-fruits, to unite piety to God with charity to
it was most natural. In the relative circumstances of the two people, that the father should be an Egyptian and the mother an Israelite. 11. tlie Israelltish woman's son blaspltemed the name of the Lord—A youtli of this halfblood, having quarrelled with an Israelite, vented his rage in some horrid form of impiety. It was a common practice among the Egyptians to curse their idols when disappointed in obtaining the object of their petitions. The Egyptian mind of tliis youtli thought the greatest insult to his opponent was to blaspheme tlie object of his religious reverence. He spoke disrespectfully of One who sustained the double character of the king as well as the God of the Hebrew people; and as the oti'ence was a new one, he was put in ward till the mind of the Loni was ascertained as to his disposal. 14. Bring forth liim that hath oirsed witliont the camp—All executions took place without the camp; and this arrangement probably originated in the idea that, as the Israelites vi'ere to be "a holy people," all flagrant offenders should be thi'ust out of their society, let all that heard l»im Iny their hands upon his head, &c.—The imposition of hands formed a public and solemn testimony against the crime, and at
tlie poor.
2S-i5. Feast of Trumpets. In the seventh month, the first day of the month, shall ye have a Sabbath— That was the first <lay of the ancient civil year, a memorial of blowing; of trnmpets—Jewish writers say that tlie trumpets were sounded tliirty successive times, and the reason for the institution was for tlie double purpose of announcing tlie commencement of tlie new year, whicli was (v. '£>) to be religiously obsei'ved (see Numbers
'£>.')), and of preparing tlie people for the approacliing solemn feast. 37-3^. tJicre sliall be a day of atonement . . . and ye shall afflict your souls—An unusual
festival, at wliicli tlie sins of tlie wliole year were expiated. (See ch. 16. 29-31.) It is liere only stated that the severest penalty was incurred by the violation of this day. 33-4r-l. Tlie feast of tabernacles, for seven days unto the L.ord—Tliis festival, wliicli was instituted in
grfiteful commemoration of tlie Israelites having securely dwelt in bootlis or tabernacles in the wilderness, was the third of the tiiree great annual festivals, and, like the other two, it lasted a week. It began on the fifteenth day of the month, corresponding to the end of our September and beginning of October, which was observed as a Sabbath ; and it could be celebrated only at the place of t!ie sanctuary, offerings being made on the altar every day of its continuance. The Jews were commanded during the whole period of the festival to dwell in booths, which were erected on the flat roofs of houses, in the streets or
tlie same time made the punishment legal. IG. As well the stranger, as he tl»at is born in the land, when he blasphemetlk the name of tine Lord, slinll lie ptit to death—Although strangers were not obligeil tobecireumcised, yet by joining the Israelitish camp they became amenable to the law, especially that which related to blasphemy. 17-22. He that killeth any man shall surely be put to deatli—These verses contain a rejietition of some other laws, relating to offences of a social nature, the penalties for which were to be inflicted, not V>y the hand of private parties, but through the medium of the judges before whom the cause was brought. 23. The cJiildren of Israel did as tlie Lord commanded—The chap-
fields; and the trees made use of are by some stated to be the citron, tlie palm, tlie myrtle, and the willow, while others maintain the people were allowed to take any trees they could obtain that were distinguished for verdure and fragrance. While the solid branches were reserved for the construction of the booths, the lighter branches were carried by men, who marched in triumphal procession, singing psalms, and crying "Hosanna!" which signifies, " Save, we beseech thee !" (Psalm
ter closes with the execution of Slielomith's son—and stoning having afterwards become the established punishment in all cases of blasphemy, illustrates the fate of Stephen, who suffered under a false Imputation of that crime.
118. 15, 25, 26.) It was a season of great rejoicing. But the ceremony of drawing water from the pool, which was done on tlie last day, seems to have been the introduction of a later period. (John 7. 37.) That last day was the eighth, and, on account of the scene at Siloam, was called "the great day of the feast." The feast of ingathering, when the vintage was over, was celebrated al.so on that day, and, as the conclusion of one of the great festivals, It was kept as a Sabbath.