John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
Exodus 38:1
INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 38
This chapter is a continuation of the account of the making of the things belonging to the tabernacle, particularly the altar of burnt offering, Ex 38:1 the laver of brass, and the things it was made of, Ex 38:8 the court and its hangings, pillars, sockets, hooks and pins, Ex 38:9 then follows an account of the quantities of gold, silver, and brass, expended in the making of the several things appertaining to the sanctuary, Ex 38:21.
Ver. 1-7. And he made the altar of burnt offering,.... That is, Bezaleel made it, or it was made by his direction, he having the care and oversight of it, wherefore the making of it is ascribed to him, 2Ch 1:5 the account of this, its horns, vessels, rings, and staves, is carried on to Ex 38:2 of which
See Gill on "Ex 27:1" see Gill on "Ex 27:2" see Gill on "Ex 27:3" see Gill on "Ex 27:4" see Gill on "Ex 27:5" see Gill on "Ex 27:6" see Gill on "Ex 27:7" see Gill on "Ex 27:8".
Exodus 38:2
Ver. 2. See Gill on "Ex 38:1".
Exodus 38:3
Ver. 3. See Gill on "Ex 38:1".
Exodus 38:4
Ver. 4. See Gill on "Ex 38:1".
Exodus 38:5
Ver. 5. See Gill on "Ex 38:1".
Exodus 38:6
Ver. 6. See Gill on "Ex 38:1".
Exodus 38:7
Ver. 7. See Gill on "Ex 38:1".
Exodus 38:8
Ver. 8. And he made the laver of brass, and the foot of it of brass,.... Not of the brass of the offering, for of that were made the brazen altar, its grate and vessels, the sockets of the court and court gate, and the pins of the tabernacle, Ex 38:29 but no mention is made there of the laver; for that was made, as here said,
of the looking glasses of [the women] assembling, which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; though these are called looking glasses, it is not to be supposed that they were made of glass as ours are; for of what use could such be in the making of a brazen laver? Some indeed choose to read the words "with the looking glasses" {d}, and take the sense to be, that there were looking glasses about the laver, affixed to it, that when the priests came to wash, they might see their spots, and the better know how to cleanse themselves from them: but it should be observed, that the priests did not come hither to wash their faces, but their hands and feet,
Ex 30:19 and so stood in no need of looking glasses for that purpose. The particle b is here, as Aben Ezra observes, instead of
m, and denotes the matter of which the laver was made, and therefore these instruments to behold the face in, or those mirrors, were of brass, as both he and Philo the Jew {e} affirm; and, indeed, what else could they be, for a laver of brass to be made of? mirrors in former times were made of various sorts of metal polished, some of gold, some of silver, some of brass, and some of brass and tin {f}; and the Indians to this day have mirrors made of brass, well polished, and exactly represent the complexion {g}. Pliny says {h}, that those of Brundusium, which were made of brass and tin mixed, were with the ancient Romans reckoned the best. Aristotle {i} speaks of mirrors of brass, and of their receiving and showing the least touch, because the brass is smooth and polished; and so in our times, there are such as are made of polished steel, and even of burnished brass too: De la Hay {k} says that he had one in his study, which was given him, made of brass of Damascus, and was so finely polished that no crystal one could give a truer sight of the face than that; however, it is certain the ancients used such kind of mirrors; see Job 37:18 these the good women of Israel, in their great zeal, brought for the service of the sanctuary, though they were of daily use, and peculiarly serviceable to them in their dressing; for though the word "women" is not in the text, it is rightly supplied, as it is in all the three Targums, the word being feminine, and as may be justified by a parallel passage, 1Sa 2:22 indeed Varenius {l} proposes another, rendering the words thus,
"of the looking glasses in great number gathered together, which they had heaped together at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation;''
but the word used is active and not passive, and is used of persons gathering together, and not of things gathered, as appears from the above quoted place, and others; and these women gathered together, not for devotion and religion, to pray, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan paraphrase it, or to pray, and hear the words of the law, as Aben Ezra, much less to bear any part in the ministry and service of the sanctuary, which as yet was not built; for this tabernacle of the congregation was no other than the tent of Moses, or, however, some little tabernacle erected while the other was preparing, see
Ex 33:7 hither the women crowded with their mirrors of brass for the service of the sanctuary; for the word signifies an assembling in troops like an army; and they came in great numbers and beset the door of the tent where Moses was, that he might take their offerings at their hands; not but that it will be allowed that devout women sometimes did assemble at the tabernacle and temple, to perform acts of religion and devotion; but this seems not to be the case here, nor this a time and place for it; see 1Sa 2:22.
{d} tarmb "cum speculis", Oleaster. {e} De Vita Mosis, l. 3. p. 673. {f} Vid. Doughtei Analecta Sacr. excurs. 44. p. 124. {g} Agreement of Customs between the East Indians and Jews, art. 15. p. 65. {h} Nat. Hist. l. 33. c. 9. & l. 34. c. 17. {i} De Insomniis, c. 2. {k} Apud Habikhorst. de mulier. Zobheoth in Thesaur. Theolog. Philolog. vol. 1. p. 321. {l} Apud ib. p. 318.
Exodus 38:9
Ver. 9-20. And he made the court,.... The open court of the tabernacle, where the people met, of which, its pillars, sockets, hangings, hooks, and pins, an account is given, to Ex 38:10 of which See Gill on "Ex 27:9" see Gill on "Ex 27:10" see Gill on "Ex 27:11" see Gill on "Ex 27:12" see Gill on "Ex 27:13" see Gill on "Ex 27:14" see Gill on "Ex 27:15" see Gill on "Ex 27:16" see Gill on "Ex 27:17" see Gill on "Ex 27:18" see Gill on "Ex 27:19".
Exodus 38:10
Ver. 10. See Gill on "Ex 38:9".
Exodus 38:11
Ver. 11. See Gill on "Ex 38:9".
Exodus 38:12
Ver. 12. See Gill on "Ex 38:9".
Exodus 38:13
Ver. 13. See Gill on "Ex 38:9".
Exodus 38:14
Ver. 14. See Gill on "Ex 38:9".
Exodus 38:15
Ver. 15. See Gill on "Ex 38:9".
Exodus 38:16
Ver. 16. See Gill on "Ex 38:9".
Exodus 38:17
Ver. 17. See Gill on "Ex 38:9".
Exodus 38:18
Ver. 18. See Gill on "Ex 38:9".
Exodus 38:19
Ver. 19. See Gill on "Ex 38:9".
Exodus 38:20
Ver. 20. See Gill on "Ex 38:9".
Exodus 38:21
Ver. 21. This is the sum of the tabernacle,.... Not of the several parts of the tabernacle, and the several things belonging to it, before enumerated, as made and delivered to the care and custody of the Levites, but of the materials of which they were made, particularly the gold and silver, and the brass; the several sums and weight of which are given in the following verses:
[even] of the tabernacle of the testimony; in which the law, the testimony of the will of God, was put enclosed in the ark:
as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses; when it was brought in to him by the people, and delivered by him to Bezaleel, Aholiab, and the artificers;
[for] the service of the Levites; or by means of their ministry, who were employed in taking this account:
by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest; the youngest son of Aaron, who had the direction and oversight of this affair.
Exodus 38:22
Ver. 22. And Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah,.... Of whom and his descent see Ex 31:2
made all that the Lord commanded Moses; gave directions about them, and took care that the tabernacle and all things belonging to it were made, which the Lord commanded Moses, and in the exact manner in which they were ordered to be made.
Exodus 38:23
Ver. 23. And with him was Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan,.... Of him see Ex 31:6
an engraver; of precious stones, as those in the ephod and breastplate:
and a cunning workman; in devising and working curious figured works, either in weaving or with the needle:
and an embroiderer in blue, and purple, and in scarlet, and in fine linen; which were used in the curtains and hangings of the tabernacle, and in the priests' garments.
Exodus 38:24
Ver. 24. All the gold that was occupied for the work, in all the work of the [place],.... That was expended in making the mercy seat and cherubim, and the candlestick, which were all of pure gold; besides other things belonging to the ark and shewbread table; and the plates, with which the ark and many other things were covered or glided:
even the gold of the offering; which the people brought and offered freely; as their bracelets, earrings, and jewels of gold, Ex 35:22
was twenty nine talents, and seven hundred and thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary: now as it is clear from
Ex 38:25 that a talent is of the value of 3000 shekels, which, according to Brerewood, amount to three hundred and seventy five pounds of our money; and reckoning as he does the value of gold to be twelve times that of silver, a talent of gold, with him, is, of our money, 4500 pounds; so that twenty nine talents, seven hundred and thirty shekels, are reckoned by him at 131,595 pounds {m}; but according to Dr. Cumberland {n}, who is more exact in his calculation, and who reckons a talent of silver at three hundred and fifty three pounds, eleven shillings, and ten pence halfpenny, and the value of gold to be fourteen times that of silver; so that a talent of gold is, with him, 5067 pounds, three shillings, and ten pence; wherefore this whole sum of gold expended in the tabernacle, according to him, amounted to 148,719 pounds sterling: and, according to Waserus {o}, the amount of the whole is 350,920 Hungarian ducats, which make three tons and a half of gold, and nine hundred and twenty ducats: when one considers the distressed case of the Israelites in Egypt, their late deliverance from thence, and the desert in which they were, it may be wondered how they came by these riches, here and after mentioned; but when it is observed, the riches of their ancestors, particularly what Joseph got in Egypt, which descended to their posterity; the repayment of the labour of the Israelites at their departure, with what they borrowed of the Egyptians, and what they found upon their carcasses when cast up by the Red sea, it will in a good measure be accounted for; to which may be added, that, according to Jerom {p}, there were, eleven miles from Mount Horeb in the wilderness, fruitful mountains of gold; called Catachrysea.
{m} De Ponder. & pretiis. Vet. Num. c. 4, 5. {n} Of Scripture Weights and Measures, c. 4. p. 120, 121. {o} De Antiqu. Numis. l. 2. c. 18. {p} De locis Heb. fol. 90. A.
Exodus 38:25
Ver. 25. And the silver of them that were numbered of the congregation,.... This was not the offering of silver,
Ex 35:24 but what was collected in numbering the people, where everyone of twenty years old and upwards paid half a shekel,
Ex 30:12 the sum
[was] an hundred talents, one thousand seven hundred and threescore fifteen shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; which, according to Brerewood {q}, make of our money, 37,721 pounds, seventeen shillings, and six pence; according to Waserus {r}, the whole amounted to 150,887 dollars and a half: and so, according to Lundius {s}, the sum is so many imperials, and forty five creutzers or cross pennies.
{q} Ut supra. (De Ponder & pretiis Vet. Num. c. 4, 5.) {r} Ut supra. (De Antiqu. Numis. l. 2. c. 18.) {s} Apud Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacr. vol. 2. p. 253.
Exodus 38:26
Ver. 26. A bekah for every man, [that is], half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary,.... A half shekel was called a "bekah", from eqb, "bakah", to divide; because it was a shekel divided into two parts:
for everyone that went to be numbered, from twenty years and upwards; in order to give a ransom, and make an atonement for their souls, as was ordered Ex 30:12
for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty [men]; so that from the time of their coming out of Egypt, which was now about six months ago, there was an increase of 3550 of the above age; see Ex 12:37.
Exodus 38:27
Ver. 27. And of the hundred talents of silver were cast the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the vail,.... The sockets for the boards of the tabernacle, into which they were put; and the sockets for the vail, which divided between the holy and the most holy place, in which the pillars were set the vail was hung upon, and which was the silver foundation of the whole fabric:
one hundred sockets of the one hundred talents, a talent for a socket; there were ninety six sockets for the sanctuary or tabernacle, and four for the vail; and on each of these a talent of silver was expended; which, according to Dr. Cumberland, was three hundred and fifty three pounds, eleven shillings, and some odd pence; so much every socket cost.
Exodus 38:28
Ver. 28. And of the thousand seven hundred seventy five [shekels],.... Which remained of the sum collected, Ex 38:25 after the silver sockets were cast:
he made hooks for the pillars: on each side of the court of the tabernacle on which the hangings were hung; these hooks, as Kimchi says {t}, were in the form of the letter w, and were made to hang the sacrifices upon, when they took their skins off; and so it is said in the Misnah {u}, that there were iron hooks fixed in the walls and pillars, on which they hung (the passover lambs) and skinned them; this was done in the second temple, when the hooks, it seems, were iron, but those of the tabernacle were silver:
and overlaid their chapiters, and filleted them; that is, overlaid the heads, tops, or knobs of the pillars with silver plates, and filleted, girded, or hooped other parts of them with silver.
{t} Sepher Shorash. Rad. ww. {u} Pesachim, c. 5. sect. 9.
Exodus 38:29
Ver. 29. And the brass of the offering was seventy talents, and two thousand four hundred shekels. Which, according to Paris weight, were 6177 pounds, ten ounces, two drachms, and sixty four grains {w}: this might be had from the neighbouring mountains of Arabia, where it is said {x} the metals of brass and iron were first dug.
{w} Vid. Scheuchzer, ut supra. (Physic. Sacr. vol. 2. p. 253.) {x} Aristeas de 72. interpret. p. 42. Vid. Hieron. de loc. Hebr. fol. 90. A.
Exodus 38:30
Ver. 30. And therewith he made the sockets to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,.... Which were five; see Ex 26:37
and the brazen altar, and the brazen grate for it, and all the vessels of the altar; which were all made of brass; see Ex 27:2.
Exodus 38:31
Ver. 31. And the sockets of the court round about, and the sockets of the court gate,.... These were also of brass, in all sixty:
and all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins of the court round about; the pins for the curtains of the tabernacle, and for the hangings of the court; see Ex 27:19.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
Exodus 39:1
INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 39
In this chapter is continued the account of making the several things belonging to the sanctuary, particularly the clothes for the service of the tabernacle, and the garments of the priests, as the ephod and its curious girdle, Ex 39:1 the breastplate and the putting of the stones in it, and the fastening of it to the ephod, Ex 39:8 the robe of the ephod, with the bells and pomegranates to it,
Ex 39:21 and the coats, mitre, bonnets, breeches, and girdle of fine linen, for Aaron and his sons, Ex 39:27 and the golden plate, Ex 39:30 and all being finished, the tabernacle and everything belonging to it were brought to Moses, and viewed by him; who seeing that all was done exactly according to the commandment of the Lord, blessed the people, and particularly the artificers,
Ex 39:38.
Ver. 1. And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made cloths of service,.... Jarchi observes that there is no mention made of linen, because these were not the priestly garments in which there was linen; but these were they with which they covered the vessels of the sanctuary when they journeyed; and so says Aben Ezra; and those were covered with cloths of blue, purple, and scarlet, Nu 4:5 though some think these were clothes wore by the priests:
to do service in the holy place: and which they only wore when in it, and employed in the service of it; and therefore what follows must be by way of explanation:
and made the holy garments for Aaron, as the Lord commanded Moses; the particulars of which are given in the following verses.
Exodus 39:2
Ver. 2-31. And he made the ephod of gold,.... From hence to the end of verse thirty one we have a very particular account of the making of the priest's garments exactly according to the directions given to Moses, See Gill on "Ex 28:1" &c. to end of chapter twenty eight; only it may be observed, that here in Ex 39:3 an account is given of the manner in which they made the gold fit to be worked along with the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; they beat the gold into thin plates, and then cut them into wires, and then twisted them together with the yarn: the gold that was used in the weaving of the ephod and the breastplate, spoken of in the law, was wrought after this manner; the workman took one thread of pure gold, and put it with six threads of blue, and twisted the seven threads as one, and so he wrought a thread of gold with six of purple, and another thread with six of scarlet, and another with six of linen or flax, so that there were four threads of gold, and all the threads were twenty eight, as it is said; "they did beat" or spread out "the gold", &c. "to work in the midst of blue", &c. from whence is learnt that the thread of gold was twisted in the midst of them {y}: and it may be further observed, that after the enumeration of the stones in the breastplate, Ex 39:10 no mention is made of the Urim and Thummim, which seems to confirm the opinion of many, and which is my own, that they are the same with the stones: moreover, in Ex 39:28, it may be observed, that what the coats for the common priests were made of is expressed, which is not before, which was linen; expressive of their purity and holiness, and in which they ought always to appear before God and man, and in which apparel they have been imitated among the Heathens: the priests of Hercules are said to be clothed with linen {z}, and the Egyptian priests wore only a linen garment {a}; hence the priests of Isis, with whom she is represented as surrounded by Juvenal {b}, are called by him "grex liniger", and by Martial, "linigeri" {c}.
{y} Maimon. Cele Hamikdash, c. 9. sect. 5. {z} Silius Ital. de Bell. Punic. l. 3. {a} Herodot. Euterpe sive, l. 2. c. 38. {b} Satyr. 6. {c} L. 12. Epigram. 26.
Exodus 39:3
Ver. 3. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:4
Ver. 4. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:5
Ver. 5. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:6
Ver. 6. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:7
Ver. 7. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:8
Ver. 8. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:9
Ver. 9. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:10
Ver. 10. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:11
Ver. 11. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:12
Ver. 12. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:13
Ver. 13. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:14
Ver. 14. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:15
Ver. 15. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:16
Ver. 16. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:17
Ver. 17. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:18
Ver. 18. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:19
Ver. 19. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:20
Ver. 20. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:21
Ver. 21. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:22
Ver. 22. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:23
Ver. 23. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:24
Ver. 24. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:25
Ver. 25. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:26
Ver. 26. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:27
Ver. 27. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:28
Ver. 28. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:29
Ver. 29. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:30
Ver. 30. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:31
Ver. 31. See Gill on "Ex 39:2".
Exodus 39:32
Ver. 32. Thus was all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation finished,.... Both the tabernacle, consisting of the court, the holy place, and the most holy place, and the tent or covering that was over it, with all things appertaining to the service of it, as before described:
and the children of Israel did according to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so did they: both the people in general, and the artificers in particular; the people brought gold, silver, and brass, &c. as was proposed to them; and the artificers wrought these and all other things, according to the directions and instructions they received.
Exodus 39:33
Ver. 33-42. And they brought the tabernacle unto Moses,.... That is, the several parts of it before it was put together, with all its furniture, and everything appertaining to it; which are examined in the order in which they were directed to be made, from hence to the end of Ex 39:42 and this was done, that Moses might inspect the whole, and see whether it was done according to the pattern shown him, and the instructions he had given to the workmen.
Exodus 39:34
Ver. 34. See Gill on "Ex 39:33".
Exodus 39:35
Ver. 35. See Gill on "Ex 39:33".
Exodus 39:36
Ver. 36. See Gill on "Ex 39:33".
Exodus 39:37
Ver. 37. See Gill on "Ex 39:33".
Exodus 39:38
Ver. 38. See Gill on "Ex 39:33".
Exodus 39:39
Ver. 39. See Gill on "Ex 39:33".
Exodus 39:40
Ver. 40. See Gill on "Ex 39:33".
Exodus 39:41
Ver. 41. See Gill on "Ex 39:33".
Exodus 39:42
Ver. 42. See Gill on "Ex 39:33".
Exodus 39:43
Ver. 43. And Moses did look upon all the work,.... Made a survey of it, and with great care and accuracy examined every particular thing, and the manner in which it was finished:
and, behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it; both as to matter and manner in every point, on all accounts, just as they were ordered and directed; they being throughout the whole filled by the Spirit of God with wisdom and understanding, to do everything just as it was the will and pleasure of God it should be done:
and Moses blessed them; commended them for what they had done, and implored the divine blessing upon them; and which may be understood both of the people who had so liberally and plentifully contributed to this good work, and of the artificers who had so carefully and punctually performed it. The form of blessing, as the Targum of Jonathan gives it, is,
"may the Shechinah (or the divine Majesty) of the Lord dwell in the works of your hands;''
or as Jarchi expresses it,
"may it be the pleasure (of God) that the Shechinah may dwell in the works of your hands, and the beauty of the Lord our God may be upon us, &c.''
which last words were part of the prayer of Moses, Ps 90:17.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
Exodus 40:1
INTRODUCTION OF EXODUS 40
This chapter contains the order for setting up the tabernacle, and placing the furniture of it where it was the will of God it should be put, Ex 40:1 and for the anointing it, and all its vessels, and also Aaron and his sons, Ex 40:9 all which were accordingly done, the tabernacle was reared up, and everything was put in its proper place, Ex 40:16 upon which a cloud covered the tent, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle, so that Moses could not enter; which cloud afterwards was a direction in their journeys, by night and by day, Ex 40:34.
Ver. 1. And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... When the tabernacle, and the work of it, were finished, and he had taken a survey of it, and everything belonging to it, which appeared to be done as was ordered:
saying; as follows.
Exodus 40:2
Ver. 2. On the first day of the first month,.... Which was the month Nisan, as the Targum of Jonathan expresses it; which was the month the children of Israel came out of Egypt, out of which they had now been a whole year, excepting fourteen days:
shalt thou set up the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation; the tabernacle, which had a tent or covering over it, to which the people were gathered at times for religious service.
Exodus 40:3
Ver. 3. And thou shall put therein the ark of the testimony,.... The ark or chest where the law was, a testimony of the divine will, and which was to be put into the most holy place of the tabernacle:
and cover the ark with the vail; not with the propitiatory or mercy seat, as the Targum of Jonathan; for though that was a covering or lid to the ark, yet not a vail; this was the vail that divided between the holy place and the most holy, and so covered or hid the ark from the sight even of the priests that went into the holy place.
Exodus 40:4
Ver. 4. And thou shall bring in the table,.... The table of shewbread, which was to be set in the holy place:
and set in order the things that are to be set in order upon it; besides the dishes, spoons, covers, and bowls, there were the twelve loaves of shewbread to be set in two rows:
and thou shall bring in the candlestick, and light the lamps thereof; which was to be brought and set in the same holy place with the shewbread table; and though the lamps were to be lighted by Aaron, the priest of the Lord, he being not yet consecrated, the office was performed by Moses.
Exodus 40:5
Ver. 5. And thou shalt set the altar of gold for the incense before the ark of the testimony,.... Not in the most holy place where the ark was, but over against it in the holy place:
and put the hanging of the door of the tabernacle; the door of entrance into the holy place, where there were to be no other things set but those now mentioned, the shewbread table, the candlestick, and the altar of incense; and these being brought in, the hanging was to be put up, which hid the sight of the above things, and forbid the entrance of the people there.
Exodus 40:6
Ver. 6. And thou shall set the altar of the burnt offering,.... Where the sacrifices of the people were to be brought, and offered up by the priests; and this was to be set up in the open court, as it was proper it should, both because of the smell and smoke of the sacrifices:
before the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation; just a little before the entrance into the holy place.
Exodus 40:7
Ver. 7. And thou shall set the laver,.... As is directed in
Ex 30:18.
Exodus 40:8
Ver. 8. And thou shall set up the court round about,.... Which consisted of various hangings, east, west, north, and south; see
Ex 27:9.
Exodus 40:9
Ver. 9-11. And thou shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle,.... In this, and the two following verses
Ex 40:10, orders are given for the anointing of the tabernacle and its vessels, the altar of burnt offering and its vessels, the laver and its foot, whereby they were consecrated for divine use and service, according to Ex 30:26
Exodus 40:10
Ver. 10. See Gill on "Ex 40:9".
Exodus 40:11
Ver. 11. See Gill on "Ex 40:9".
Exodus 40:12
Ver. 12-14. And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,.... To wash, anoint, and clothe them, as in the two following verses Ex 40:13, that they might minister in the priest's office, according to Ex 28:41
Exodus 40:13
Ver. 13. See Gill on "Ex 40:12".
Exodus 40:14
Ver. 14. See Gill on "Ex 40:12".
Exodus 40:15
Ver. 15. And thou shall anoint them as thou didst anoint their father,.... For Aaron was first anointed, and then his sons:
that they may minister unto me in the priest's office; which they might not do before their anointing, though separated for it, and called unto it:
for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations; that is, this ceremony of anointing was to be used in all ages at the investiture of the high priest with his office, until the Messiah should come, who would put an end to the Aaronic priesthood; for not common priests, only the successors of the high priest, were anointed in later times; this present unction serving for all the priests that should follow in successive generations, so long as the priesthood continued.
Exodus 40:16
Ver. 16. Thus did Moses,.... He set up the tabernacle, and every thing in its place, and anointed them, and Aaron and his sons:
according to all that the Lord commanded him, so did he; by which he approved himself to be a faithful servant in the house of God.
Exodus 40:17
Ver. 17. And it came to pass in the first month, in the second year,.... Of the departure of the children of Israel out of Egypt;
on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was reared up; so that this was in the spring of the year, about the vernal equinox, on a new year's day, that this was done, which was beginning the year well: it was within a fortnight of a year after their coming out of Egypt, and when they had been about five months and a half in building the tabernacle; for such a time it seems they were in doing that, and which, considering the many things to be done, and in the winter season, it shows great dispatch. Where was the place, in which the tabernacle was reared up, is not said: it is {d} observed, that near the southwest corner of that part of Mount Sinai, which is called Mount Episteme, there is a little hill called Araone by the Arabs, and by the Greeks the tabernacle of the testimony, where they say Aaron was consecrated, and first performed the offices of the priesthood: probably, says a learned man {e}, on this hill was placed the tabernacle of the congregation, which Moses was ordered to place without the camp afar off; but he seems to mistake the tent of Moses, or however the little tabernacle erected before the grand one was made, for this tabernacle in Ex 33:7 which he seems to refer to; it is more probable that it was now reared up in the midst of the camp of Israel, see Nu 2:2.
{d} Pocock's Travels, p. 147. {e} Clayton's Chronology of the Hebrew Bible, p. 350.
Exodus 40:18
Ver. 18. And Moses reared up the tabernacle,.... Not of himself, but with the help of others:
and fastened the sockets, and set up the boards thereof; fixed the silver sockets all around, which were the foundation of the building, and placed and established the shittim boards in them:
and put in the bars thereof; to keep the boards close and tight:
and reared up his pillars; the pillars that supported the vail between the holy and holy of holies, and those on which the hanging for the door of the tabernacle was put, as well as the several pillars all around the court of the tabernacle for the hangings of that.
Exodus 40:19
Ver. 19. And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle,.... Which were curtains of goats' hair:
and put the covering of the tent above upon it; which was of rams' skins died red, and over that another covering of badgers' skins:
as the Lord commanded Moses; Ex 26:7.
Exodus 40:20
Ver. 20. And he took and put the testimony into the ark,.... The ten commands, called the "testimony", because they testified and declared what was the will of God with respect to things to be done, or not done. The Targum of Jonathan says, he put the broken pieces of the tables into it; but what became of them, or were done with them, we nowhere read; and it does not appear that any other, but those that Moses hewed by the order of God, were put into the ark; see De 10:1
and set the staves on the ark; that it might be ready to be carried whenever a remove was necessary:
and put the mercy seat above upon the ark; together with the cherubim.
Exodus 40:21
Ver. 21. And he brought the ark into the tabernacle,.... Into that part of it called the holy of holies:
and set up the vail of the covering, and covered the ark of the testimony; the vail which divided between the and most holy place, and so kept out of sight the ark of the testimony within, from being seen by any, even by the priests in the holy place:
as the Lord commanded Moses; Ex 26:33.
Exodus 40:22
Ver. 22. And he put the table in the tent of the congregation,.... In the holy place; for there the shewbread table, which is here meant, was put:
upon the side of the tabernacle northward, without the vail; on the north side of the tabernacle, at a little distance from the walls, which were the curtains and boards, even in the holy place on the outside of the vail, which divided from the most holy place.
Exodus 40:23
Ver. 23. And he set the bread in order upon it before the Lord,.... The shewbread, the twelve cakes of it, in two rows, six in a row:
as the Lord had commanded Moses: Ex 25:30.
Exodus 40:24
Ver. 24. And he put the candlestick in the tent of the congregation,.... In the same place, the holy place: over against the table: the shewbread table:
on the side of the tabernacle southward: directly opposite to the table.
Exodus 40:25
Ver. 25. And he lighted the lamps before the Lord,.... The seven lamps belonging to it: this, though it was the business of the priests of Aaron, and his sons, yet they not being at present invested with their office, was done by Moses, who in this and several other things mentioned in this chapter officiated as a priest:
as the Lord commanded Moses, Ex 25:37.
Exodus 40:26
Ver. 26. And he put the golden altar,.... The altar of incense; so called because it was overlaid with gold, and to distinguish it from the altar of burnt offering, which was covered with brass: to this altar there is an allusion in Re 8:3
in the tent of the congregation, before the vail; in the same place, the holy place, where the shewbread table and candlestick were, and these were all the furniture of it; and this was put, not within the vail, but before it, over against the ark, as that stood within it,
Ex 40:5.
Exodus 40:27
Ver. 27. And he burnt sweet incense thereon,.... Which is another branch of the priestly office exercised by Moses, and which he would never have done had he not had a command from God for it, as follows:
as the Lord commanded Moses; he commanded Moses indeed to order and direct Aaron to do this, but he being not yet consecrated, Moses, being the Lord's priest, did it.
Exodus 40:28
Ver. 28. And he set up the hanging at the door of the tabernacle. That is, at the door of the holy place, all being brought into it that were to be placed there.
Exodus 40:29
Ver. 29. And he put the altar of burnt offering by the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation,.... Of which see
Ex 40:6
and offered upon it the burnt offering and the meat offering; either the burnt offering the meat offering of the daily sacrifice, as Jarchi interprets it, see Ex 28:38 or it may be rather the burnt offering and meat offering of the consecration of Aaron and his sons, Ex 29:1
as the Lord commanded Moses; in the places referred to.
Exodus 40:30
Ver. 30. And he set the laver between the tent of the congregation and the altar,.... Of which position, see Ex 30:18
and put water there to wash [withal]; for the priests to wash their hands and feet with; a type of that laver or fountain opened for the house of David and inhabitants of Jerusalem to wash in, Zec 13:1.
Exodus 40:31
Ver. 31. And Moses, and Aaron, and his sons, washed their hands and their feet thereat. This laver was for the priests, and Moses, officiating as a priest, washed in it, with Aaron, and his sons, whom he was now about to consecrate to the priest's office, and invest with it by offering sacrifice for them; Jarchi says this was on the eighth day of the consecration.
Exodus 40:32
Ver. 32. When they went into the tent of the congregation,.... Not only at this time, but at all other times:
and when they came near unto the altar, they washed; to the altar of burnt offering to offer sacrifice; and also to the altar of incense, and burn incense on that; for before whatever service they performed in the tabernacle they washed:
as the Lord commanded Moses; Ex 30:20 this phrase is near twenty times expressed in this and the preceding chapter, to show that everything was done by the workmen, and everything put in its proper place by Moses, exactly according to the will of God; no one pursuing his own fancy and private judgment, but all consulting the mind of God, and acting according to that.
Exodus 40:33
Ver. 33. And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar,.... Which consisted of hangings one hundred cubits long and fifty broad; see Ex 27:9, &c.
and set up the hanging of the court gate; which was at the east end of it; and the hanging was of twenty cubits, hung upon four pillars,
Ex 27:16
so Moses finished the work; of the tabernacle, in making it by workmen, and in rearing it up by the help of others; and as the former was the work of some months, so the latter, it is highly probable, was the work of some days, at least, in doing all that is said to be done in this chapter relative to it; for though it is said to be reared up on the first day of the first month, yet not then fully set up, or everything done requisite to the use and service of it; see Nu 7:1.
Exodus 40:34
Ver. 34. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation,.... The outside of it; this cloud was the same with the pillar of cloud that went before the Israelites, as soon almost as they came out of Egypt; and led them through the Red sea, and conducted them to Mount Sinai; only it now appeared in a different form, not erect as a pillar, but more expanded, so as to cover the tabernacle without;
and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle; the inside of it, not the most holy place only, but the holy place also: this was an uncommon brightness, lustre, and splendour, a glorious stream of light, which the eye of man could not well bear to behold; such a glory filled the temple of Solomon at the dedication of that, 1Ki 8:11 and was an emblem of Christ, the brightness of his Father's glory, dwelling in and filling the tabernacle of the human nature, where the Godhead, the Shechinah, the divine Majesty, dwells bodily, Heb 1:3 Col 2:9.
Exodus 40:35
Ver. 35. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation,.... He had been there before, both in the holy, and in the most holy place, to see that the furniture of each were put as the Lord directed, which being done he came out again; and now a cloud being on the outside of it, and the glory of the Lord within, he was so struck with an awe and reverence of the divine Being, of whose presence these were a symbol, that he could not engage his heart, or had not boldness to go into the tabernacle until he was called, Le 1:1 for so it follows:
because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle; there was something, no doubt, very venerable in the spreading cloud, as well as very striking in the refulgent glory, which commanded distance, even to a person that had been used to converse with God; Moses, that went into the midst of the cloud where the Lord was, now could not or durst not go into the tabernacle it covered; and he who then was not deterred by the sight of the glory of God, which was like devouring fire, Ex 24:16 now could not, or at least thought it not proper and advisable to enter into the holy place erected for the service and worship of God; the chief reason of which may be, because, as yet, he had not a call to enter, as he then had, and as we find was afterwards given him, Le 1:1 and perhaps another reason may be, because he was now no longer a priest; Aaron and his sons being invested with the priestly office, whose business it was to draw nigh to God; and indeed the call he afterwards had was not to come into the tabernacle, but was a call unto him out of it.
Exodus 40:36
Ver. 36. And when the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle,.... By the Lord himself, or it removed by his order, that is, rose up and stood above the tabernacle, and appeared in the form of a pillar, and went before it:
the children of Israel went onward in all their journeys; the motion of the cloud was a direction to set forward and continue their journey as long as it lasted; but when it rested and abode upon the tabernacle, then they stopped and rested also, as is suggested in the following verse Ex 40:37, see Nu 9:17 thus the saints are to be followers of God as dear children, and to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes or directs, and walk after the Spirit, the dictates and directions thereof; so the wheels in Ezekiel's vision went and stood, as did the living creatures, and the spirit in them, Eze 1:19.
Exodus 40:37
Ver. 37. But if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not,.... Even if it continued so two days, or a month, or a year, as very probably it sometimes did; which will in some measure account for the long continuance of the Israelites in the wilderness, see Nu 9:22
till the day that it was taken up: or, "of its ascent" {f}, being "lifted up", or going upwards, higher in the air, right over the tabernacle, or perhaps more to the front of it; the word used before in this and the preceding verse has the signification of ascending upwards.
{f} wtleh "sustolli ejus", Montanus.
Exodus 40:38
Ver. 38. For the cloud of the Lord was upon the tabernacle by day,.... Or over it {g}, it covered it, when it abode upon it, and rested; and stood on high over it when it moved and the people journeyed:
and fire was on it by night; the same phenomenon which had the appearance of a cloud in the day time shone like fire in the night time: or "fire was in it" {h}; that is, in the cloud; so it appeared in the night, and was, as the Targum of Jonathan here calls it, a pillar of fire; the same with the pillar of cloud and fire, which departed not from the people all the while they were in the wilderness,
Ex 13:21 and this was
in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys; whether by night or by day; for in hot countries they travel much by night; and as the cloud was both a shelter from the heat of the sun in the daytime, and a direction of their way; so the fire by night was of the same use for direction, and might be also terrifying to wild beasts in the wilderness, who are afraid of fire, and so be a security to the Israelites from them; all which is an emblem of the guidance and protection, light, joy, and comfort, the church of God has from his gracious presence, while in the wilderness of this world; see Isa 4:5.
{g} Nkvmh le "supra tabernaculum", Drusius. {h} wb "in ea"; Fagius, Junius & Tremellius; Drusius.
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.
Leviticus 1:1
INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS
This book is commonly called by the Jews Vajikra, from the first word with which it begins, and sometimes Mynhk trwt, "the law of the priests" {a}; and this is its name in the Syriac and Arabic versions: by the Septuagint interpreters it is called leuitikon, and by the Latins, Leviticus, or the Levitical book, because it gives an account of the Levitical priesthood, as the apostle calls it, Heb 7:11. It treats of the sacrifices under the Levitical dispensation, and of the priests concerned in them, and of the times and seasons in which they were offered, and of many other rites and ceremonies. That it was wrote by Moses is not only generally believed by the Jews, but is affirmed in the New Testament; see Mt 8:4 compared with Le 14:2 from whence, as well as from other citations out of it in other places, the authority of it may be concluded. The matter of it was delivered to Moses, and very likely by him then written upon the erection of the tabernacle, which was in the second year of the Israelites coming out of Egypt, in the first month, and the first day of the month, Ex 40:17 and it was on the same day that the Lord spake to Moses out of it, and delivered to him the laws concerning sacrifices, recorded in the first seven chapters; see Nu 1:1 compared with Le 1:1 and on the eighth day of the same month, and some following days, the remainder of it was given to him, and written by him, see Le 8:1 to which agrees the Targum of Jonathan on Le 1:1.
"when Moses had made an end of erecting the tabernacle, Moses thought and reasoned in his heart, and said, Mount Sinai, its excellency was the excellency of an hour, and its holiness the holiness of three days, it was not possible for me to ascend unto it, until the time that the Word was speaking with me; but this tabernacle of the congregation, its excellency is an excellency for ever, and its holiness an holiness for ever, it is fit that I should not enter into it, until the time that be speaks with me from before the Lord; and therefore the Word of the Lord called to Moses, and the Word of the Lord spake with him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying;''
and to the same purpose the Jerusalem Targum. It was written in the year from the creation of the world 2514, and about 1490 years before the coming of Christ. The various sacrifices, rites, and ceremonies made mention of in it, were typical of Christ, and shadows of good things to come by him: there are many things in it, which give great light to several passages in the New Testament, and it is worthy of diligent reading and consideration.
{a} T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 103. 2.
INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 1
This chapter contains certain laws and rules concerning sacrifices, particularly burnt offerings, which were delivered by the Lord to Moses, Le 1:1 what those offerings should be of, Le 1:3 what rules should be observed, what actions should be done, first by the persons that brought them, Le 1:3 and then by the priest that offered them, with respect to the burnt offering of the herd, Le 1:5 and to the burnt offering of the sheep and goats, Le 1:11 and to the burnt offering of fowls, Le 1:15 all which, when offered aright, were of a sweet savour to the Lord, Le 1:9.
Ver. 1. And the Lord called unto Moses,.... Or "met him", as the phrase is rendered in Nu 23:4. The word arqyw, translated "called", the last letter of it is written in a very small character, to show, as the Jews {b} say, that he met him accidentally, and unawares to Moses: other mysteries they observe in it, as that it respects the modesty of Moses, who lessened himself, and got out of the way, that he might not have the government laid upon him, and therefore the Lord called him; or to denote the wonderful condescension of the Lord, whose throne is in heaven, and yet vouchsafed to dwell in the tabernacle, out of which he called to Moses, and from Mount Sinai, and out of the cloud {c}. The word "Lord" is not in this clause, but the following, from whence it is supplied by our translators, as it is in the Syriac version, and as the word "God" is in the Arabic version; the two Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase it,
"the Word of the Lord called to Moses,''
by an articulate voice, though it may be it was a still small one; and which some think is the reason of the smallness of the letter before mentioned; and Aben Ezra says that Moses heard it, but all Israel did not hear:
and spoke unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation; from off the mercy seat, between the cherubim over the ark, where the glory of the Lord, or the divine Shechinah and Majesty took up its residence, and from whence the Lord promised to commune with Moses, Ex 25:22:
saying; what follows concerning sacrifices; which shows, that these were not human inventions, but of divine institution, and by the appointment of God.
{b} Vid. Buxtorf. Tiberias, c. 15. p. 39. {c} R. Abraham Seba, Tzeror Hammor, fol. 92. 1. 2.
Leviticus 1:2
Ver. 2. Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them,.... For unto no other was the law of sacrifices given; not to the Gentiles, but to the children of Israel:
if any man; or woman, for the word "man", as Ben Gersom observes, includes the whole species:
of you; of you Israelites; the Targum of Jonathan adds,
"and not of the apostates who worship idols.''
Jarchi interprets it of yours, of your mammon or substance, what was their own property, and not what was stolen from another {d}, see
Isa 61:8:
bring an offering unto the Lord; called "Korban" of "Karab", to draw nigh, because it was not only brought nigh to God, to the door of the tabernacle where he dwelt, but because by it they drew nigh to God, and presented themselves to him, and that for them; typical of believers under the Gospel dispensation drawing nigh to God through Christ, by whom their spiritual sacrifices are presented and accepted in virtue of his:
ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, [even] of the herd, and of the flock; that is, of oxen, and of sheep or goats. The Targum of Jonathan is,
"of a clean beast, of oxen, and of sheep, but not of wild beasts shall ye bring your offerings.''
These were appointed, Ben Gersom says, for these two reasons, partly because the most excellent, and partly because most easy to be found and come at, as wild creatures are not: but the true reason is, because they were very fit to represent the great sacrifice Christ, which all sacrifices were typical of; the ox or bullock was a proper emblem of him for his strength and laboriousness, and the sheep for his harmlessness, innocence, and patience, and the goat, as he was not in himself, but as he was thought to be, a sinner, being sent in the likeness of sinful flesh, and being traduced as such, and having the sins of his people imputed to him.
{d} Vid. T. Bab. Succah, fol. 30. 1. & not. Abendana in Miclol Yophi in loc.
Leviticus 1:3
Ver. 3. If his offering [be] a burnt sacrifice of the herd,.... So called, because consumed by fire, see Le 6:9 even all of it except the skin, and therefore its name with the Greeks is "a whole burnt offering", as in Mr 12:33 its name in Hebrew is hlwe, which comes from a word which signifies to "ascend" or "go up", because not only it was carried up to the altar by the priest, which was common to other sacrifices, but being burnt upon it, it ascended upwards in smoke and vapour; it was typical of Christ's dolorous sufferings and death, who therein sustained the fire of divine wrath, and his strength was dried up like a potsherd with it. Jarchi on Le 1:1 says, there were in the burnt offerings mysteries of future things:
let him offer a male; and not a female, pointing at the Messiah's sex, and his strength and excellency, the child that was to be born, and the Son to be given, whose name should be Immanuel:
without blemish; or [perfect], having no part wanting, nor any part superfluous, nor any spot upon it, see Le 22:19 denoting the perfection of Christ as man, being in all things made like unto his brethren, and his having not the least stain or blemish of sin upon him, either original or actual, and so could, as he did, offer up himself without spot to God, Heb 2:17:
and he shall offer it of his own voluntary will; not forced or compelled to it, or with any reluctancy, but as a pure freewill offering; so our Lord Jesus Christ laid down his life of himself, and freely gave himself an offering and a sacrifice, and became cheerfully and readily obedient unto death:
at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, before the Lord; it was to be done openly and publicly, and in the presence of the Lord, to whom it was offered up; showing, that Christ's sacrifice would be offered up to God, against whom we have sinned, by which his law would be fulfilled, his justice satisfied, and wrath appeased, and that his death would be public and notorious; see Lu 24:18.
Leviticus 1:4
Ver. 4. And he shall put his hand on the head of the burnt offering,.... According to the Targum of Jonathan, it was his right hand; but it is generally thought by the Jewish writers that both hands were laid on; so Ben Gersom and Aben Ezra, with whom Maimonides {e} agrees, who says, he that lays on hands ought to lay on with all his strength, with both his hands upon the head of the beast, as it is said, "upon the head of the burnt offering": not upon the neck, nor upon the sides; and there should be nothing between his hands and the beast: and as the same writer says {f}, it must be his own hand, and not the hand of his wife, nor the hand of his servant, nor his messenger; and who also observes {g}, that at the same time he made confession over the burnt offering both of his sins committed against affirmative and negative precepts: and indeed by this action he owned that he had sinned, and deserved to die as that creature he brought was about to do, and that he expected pardon of his sin through the death of the great sacrifice that was a type of. Moreover, this action signified the transferring of his sins from himself to this sacrifice, which was to be offered up to make atonement for them; so Gersom observes; see Le 16:21. This denotes the translation of our sins from us, and the imputation of them to Christ, who was offered up in our room and stead, to make atonement for them, as follows:
and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him: that is, the burnt offering should be accepted in his room and stead, and hereby an atonement of his sins should be made for him, typical of that true, real, and full atonement made by the sacrifice of Christ, which this led his faith unto.
{e} Hilchot Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 3. sect. 13. {f} Hilchot Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 3. sect. 8. Vid. T. Bab. Menachot, fol. 93. 2. {g} Ib. sect. 14.
Leviticus 1:5
Ver. 5. And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord,.... That is, the man that brings the burnt offering, for no other is yet spoken of; and according to the traditions of the elders {h}, killing of the sacrifice was right when done by strangers, by women, and by servants, and by unclean persons, even in the most holy things so be it that the unclean did not touch the flesh; and it is observed {i}, that the service of the priest begins in the next clause, killing being lawful by him that was not a priest, according to the Targum of Jonathan, the butcher; but Aben Ezra interprets it of the priests, and certain it is, that the burnt offerings of the fowls were killed by the priests, Le 1:15 and the Septuagint version renders it, "and they shall kill": but be this as it will, the burnt offering was to be killed in the court before the Lord; and this was typical of the death of Christ, who, according to these types, as well as to other prophecies, was to die for the sins of men, and accordingly did; and if this was the proprietor and not the priest that killed the sacrifice, it may denote that the sins of God's people, for whom Christ's sacrifice was offered up, were the cause of his death:
and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood: in vessels or basins, as the Targum of Jonathan adds, into which they received it when slain:
and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; which was the altar of burnt offering, and not the altar of incense, as appears by the situation of it, see Ex 40:5 and the blood was sprinkled all around the altar with two sprinklings: the rule in the Misnah is {k}; the slaying of the burnt offering is in the north, and the reception of its blood into the ministering vessels is in the north, and its blood ought to have two sprinklings, which answer to four; which Maimonides {l} explains thus; because it is said "round about", it must needs be that the sprinklings should comprehend the four sides of the altar; and this is done when the two sprinklings are upon the two horns, which are diametrically opposite; and this is what is meant, "which are four"; the sense is, that those two should include the four sides, and the two opposite horns were the northeast and the southwest, as he and other Jewish writers observe {m}, and which he expresses more clearly elsewhere {n}: when the priest took the blood in the basin, he sprinkled out of it in the basin, two sprinklings upon the two corners of the altar opposite from it; and he ordered it so to sprinkle the blood upon the horn, that the blood might surround the corners in the form of the Greek letter "gamma" {o}; so that the blood of the two sprinklings might be found upon the four sides of the altar; because it is said of the burnt offerings, and of the peace offerings "round about"; and this is the law for the trespass offering, and the rest of the blood was poured out at the bottom southward: now this was always done by a priest, for though the bullock might be killed by a stranger, as Gersom on the place observes, yet its blood must be sprinkled by a priest; and it is the note of Aben Ezra, that this might be done by many, and therefore it is said, the "priests, Aaron's sons", when the slaying of it was only by one. The "altar" on which the blood was sprinkled typified the divinity of Christ, which gave virtue to his blood, whereby it made atonement for sin; and in allusion to this rite Christ's blood is called "the blood of sprinkling", 1Pe 1:2
Heb 12:24 which being sprinkled on the heart by the Spirit of God clears it from an evil conscience, and purges the conscience from dead works, and speaks peace and pardon there, Heb 10:22.
{h} Misn. Zebachim, c. 3. sect. 1. & Maimon. in ib. T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 27. 1. & Zebachim, fol. 32. 1. & Menachot, fol. 19. 1. {i} Bartenora in Misn. Zebachim, ib. {k} Misn. Zebachim, c. 5. sect. 4. {l} Perush in ib. {m} Jarchi, Bartenora, & Yom Tob, in ib. {n} Hilchot Korbanot, c. 5. sect. 6. {o} Vid. T. Bab. Zebachim, fol. 53. 2.
Leviticus 1:6
Ver. 6. And he shall flay the burnt offering,.... Take off its skin; this was the only part of it that was not burnt, and was the property of the priest, Lev 7:8 but who this was done by is not so manifest, since it is in the singular number "he", and seems to be the bringer of the offering; for Aaron's sons, the priests that sprinkled the blood, are spoken of plurally; and agreeably, Gersom observes, that the flaying of the burnt offering and cutting it in pieces were lawful to be done by a stranger; but Aben Ezra interprets "he" of the priest; and the Septuagint and Samaritan versions read in the plural number, "they shall flay", &c. and this was the work of the priests, and who were sometimes helped in it by their brethren, the Levites,
2Ch 29:34 and as this follows upon the sprinkling of the blood, it was never done till that was; the rule is, they do not flay them (the sacrifices) until the blood is sprinkled, except the sin offerings, which are burnt, for they do not flay them at all {p}. The flaying of the burnt offering may denote the very great sufferings of Christ, when he was stripped of his clothes, and his back was given to the smiters, and his cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; and the skin of the sacrifice, which belonged to the priest, may be an emblem of the righteousness of Christ, and which also was signified by the coats of skins the Lord God made for Adam and Eve, Ge 3:21 that robe of righteousness, and garments of salvation, which all that are made kings and priests to God are clothed with:
and cut it into his pieces; which was done while he was flaying it, and after this manner, as Maimonides relates {q}, he flays until he comes to the breast, and then he cuts off the head, then its legs, and finishes the flaying; then he rends the heart, and brings out its blood; then he cuts off the hands, and goes to the right foot, and cuts off that, and after that he cuts down the beast until its bowels are discovered; he takes the knife and separates the lights from the liver, and the caul of the liver from the liver, and does not remove the liver out of its place; and he goes up to the right side, and cuts and descends to the backbone, and he does not go to the backbone until he comes to the two tender ribs; he comes to the neck, and leaves in it two ribs here and two ribs there; he cuts it and comes to the left side, and leaves in it two tender ribs above and two tender ribs below; then he comes to the point of the backbone, he cuts it, and gives it and the tail, and the caul of the liver, and the two kidneys with it; he takes the left foot and gives it to another; and according to this order they flay and cut in pieces the burnt offering of the cattle; and these are the pieces spoken of in the law, Le 1:6 some apply this to the ministers of the Gospel, rightly dividing the word of God, and to the effect the word has in dividing asunder soul and spirit; but it is best to apply it to Christ, either to the evidence given of him in the Gospel, in which he is clearly set forth in his person, natures, and offices, and in all the parts and branches thereof; where every thing is naked and open to view, as the creature was when thus cut up; or rather to his sufferings, which he endured in every part of his body, from head to foot.
{p} Hilchot Korbanot, c. 5. sect. 18. {q} Ib. c. 6. sect. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Vid. Misnah Tamid, c. 4. sect. 2, 3.
Leviticus 1:7
Ver. 7. And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar,.... The fire of the altar originally came down from heaven, and consumed the sacrifice, and which was a token of God's acceptance of it, see Le 9:24 and this fire was kept burning continually upon the altar, Le 6:12 and yet the Jewish writers say, it was the command of God, according to this passage, that fire should be brought from another place and put here; Jarchi's note on the text is,
"though fire came down from heaven, it was commanded to bring it from a common or private place:''
and Maimonides {r} says the same thing, and so it is often said in the Talmud {s}; and this, as Gersom observes, was not done by any but a priest in the time of his priesthood, or when clothed with his priestly garments; and so in the Talmud it is said, that the putting fire upon the altar belonged to the priesthood, but not flaying or cutting in pieces {t}: this fire denoted the wrath of God, revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of men, and which is the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels, and all the workers of iniquity; and which Christ endured for his people in human nature, when he bore their sins, and became a whole burnt offering for them:
and lay the wood in order upon the fire; the wood for the sacrifice was an offering of the people, brought to the temple at the times appointed, Ne 10:34 where was a place called Myueh tkvl, "the wood room", or "wood chamber", and which was in the northeast part of the court of the women; and here such priests as had blemishes wormed the wood, or searched the wood for worms; for whatsoever wood had a worm found in it, it was not fit to be laid upon the altar; and it was from hence the priests fetched the wood and laid it on the altar {u}; for a private person might not bring it from his own house for his offering {w}, though it was provided by the congregation {x}, and brought thither by private persons; and it might be any sort of wood but that of the vine and olive {y}, which were not used, because they did not burn well, and were soon reduced to ashes; and because such a consumption would be made of such useful trees hereby, that there would be no wine or oil in the land of Israel, so necessary for private and religious uses. The Vulgate Latin version renders it, "the pile of wood being laid before": that is, before the fire was put upon the altar; but this is contrary to the text, for the wood was laid upon the fire, and therefore the fire must be first; the case seems to be this, the fire was first kindled, and then the wood laid in order upon it.
{r} Hilchot. Tamidin, c. 2. sect. 1. {s} T. Bab. Erubin, fol. 63. 1. Yoma, fol. 21. 2. & 53. 1. {t} T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 26. 2. Vid. T. Bab. Zebachim, fol. 18. 1. {u} Misn. Middot, c. 2. sect. 5. {w} Issure Mizbeach, c. 5. sect. 13. T. Bab. Cholin, fol. 27. 1. {x} T. Bab. Menachot, fol. 22. 1. {y} Misn. Tamid, c. 2. sect. 3. & T. Bab. Tamid, fol. 29. 2.
Leviticus 1:8
Ver. 8. And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts,.... That were cut in pieces, Le 1:6 some of which are particularly mentioned:
the head and the fat; the head which was cut off, and the body, the trunk of it; so, Aben Ezra says, the wise men interpret the word
rdp "fat", which is only used here and in Le 1:12 and which he thinks is right; though others take it to be the fat caul, or midriff, which parts the entrails; and the Targum of Jonathan renders it, the covering of fat: these are particularly mentioned, but include in general the rest of the pieces, which were laid:
in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar; this disposition of the several parts of the burnt offering upon the altar signifies the laying of Christ upon the cross, and the disposition of his head, his hands, and feet there; according to the usual order of crucifixion: the skin, as before observed, was not burnt, but was the property of the priest, and the sinew that shrunk was taken away, and cast upon the ashes in the middle of the altar {z}.
{z} Ib. Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 6. sect. 4.
Leviticus 1:9
Ver. 9. But the inwards and his legs shall he wash in water,.... This was first done in a room in the court of the temple, called
Nyxdmh tkvl, "the room of the washers", or the washing room, where they washed the inwards of the holy things {a}; and after that they washed them upon the marble tables between the pillars, where they washed them three times at least {b}; and whereas this is said to be done "in water"; Maimonides {c} observes,
"not in wine, nor in a mixture of wine and water, nor in other liquids:''
the washing of the inwards and legs denoted the internal purity of Christ's heart, and the external holiness of his life and conversation, and the saints' purification by him both in heart and life: with Philo the Jew {d} these things had a mystical meaning; by the washing of the inwards was signified that lusts were to be washed away, and such spots removed as were contracted by surfeiting and drunkenness, very harmful to the lives of men; and by the washing of the feet was signified that we should no more walk upon the earth, but mount up to the air, and pass through that, even to heaven:
and the priest shall burn all on the altar; all the other pieces, as well as the inwards and legs, excepting the skin, which denoted the painful sufferings of Christ, and the extent of them to all parts of his body; and indeed his soul felt the fire of divine wrath, and became an offering for sin:
[to be] a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire; that is, all the parts of the bullock were burnt on the altar, that it might appear to be a whole burnt offering consumed by fire:
of a sweet savour unto the Lord: he accepting of it, and smelling a sweet savour of rest in it, as an atonement for sin, typical of the sacrifice of Christ, which is to God for a sweet smelling savour, Eph 5:2 the Jewish doctors {e} gather from hence, that whether a man offers much or little, it matters not, if his heart is but directed to God; which Maimonides explains thus {f}, he that studies in the law, it is all one as if he offered a burnt offering, or a meat offering, or a sin offering, concerning which this phrase is used.
{a} Misn. Middot, c. 5. sect. 2. Maimon Beth Habechirah, c. 5. sect. 17. {b} Ib. c. 3. sect. 5. & Tamid, c. 4. sect. 2. Piske, Tosaphot Middot, Art. 23. {c} Hilchot Hakorbanot, c. 6. sect. 6. Vid. T. Bab. Zebachim, fol. 22. 1. {d} De Victimis, p. 839. {e} Misn. Menachot, c. 13. sect. 11. T. Bab. Shebuot, fol. 15. 1. {f} In Misn. ib.
Leviticus 1:10
Ver. 10. And if his offering be of the flocks,.... As it might be:
[namely], of the sheep, or of the goats for a burnt sacrifice; which were both typical of Christ, See Gill on "Le 1:2"
he shall bring it a male without blemish; See Gill on "Le 1:3".
Leviticus 1:11
Ver. 11. And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the Lord,.... This is a circumstance not mentioned in the killing of the bullock: Maimonides {g} says, there was a square place from the wall of the altar northward, to the wall of the court, and it was sixty cubits, and all that was over against the breadth of this, from the wall of the porch to the eastern wall, and it is seventy six cubits; and this foursquare place is called the "north", for the slaying of the most holy things; so that it seems this being a large place, was fittest for this purpose. Aben Ezra intimates, as if some respect was had to the situation of Mount Zion; his note is, "on the side of the altar northward", i.e. without, and so "the sides of the north", Ps 48:2 for so many mistake who say that the tower of Zion was in the midst of Jerusalem; and with this agrees Mr. Ainsworth's note on Le 6:25 hereby was figured, that Christ our sin offering should be killed by the priests in Jerusalem, and Mount Sion, which was on "the sides of the north", Ps 48:2 crucified on Mount Calvary, which was on the northwest side of Jerusalem; as by the Jews' tradition, the morning sacrifice was killed at the northwest horn of the altar {h}:
and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar; See Gill on "Le 1:5".
{g} In Misn. Zebachim, c. 5. sect. 1. {h} Misn. Tamid, c. 4. sect. 1.
Leviticus 1:12
Ver. 12. And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat,.... Or "his body", as the Targum of Jonathan; this was to be cut in pieces in the same manner as the bullock,
See Gill on "Le 1:6":
and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that [is] on the fire, which is on the altar; See Gill on "Le 1:8".
Leviticus 1:13
Ver. 13. But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water,.... As he did the bullock, Le 1:9:
and the priest shall bring [it] all: all the parts to the ascent of the altar, as the Jews {i} interpret it; all the parts and pieces of it, even the very wool on the sheep's head, and the hair on the goat's beard, their bones, sinews, and horns, and hoofs {k}, all were burnt, as it follows:
and burn [it] on the altar, it [is] a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord;
See Gill on "Le 1:9".
{i} T. Bab. Pesachim, fol. 65. 2. & Yoma, fol. 27. 1. Chagigah, fol. 11. 1. {k} Misn. Zebachim, c. 9. sect. 5. Maimon. Hilchot Hakorbanot, c. 6. sect. 2.
Leviticus 1:14
Ver. 14. And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the Lord be of fowls,.... As it might be for the poorer sort, who could not offer a bullock, nor a sheep, or a lamb, Le 5:7:
then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons; the Jewish writers all agree, that the turtles should be old, and not young, as the pigeons young, and not old; so the Targum of Jonathan, Jarchi, Aben Ezra and Gersom {l}; the latter gives two reasons for it, because then they are the choicest and easiest to be found and taken: no mention is made of their being male or female, either would do, or of their being perfect and unblemished, as in the other burnt offerings; but if any part was wanting, it was not fit for sacrifice, as Maimonides {m} observes. These creatures were proper emblems of Christ, and therefore used in sacrifice, whose voice is compared to the turtle's, and his eyes to the eyes of doves, So 2:12 and who is fitly represented by them for his meekness and humility, for his chaste and strong affection to his church, as the turtledove to its mate, and for those dove like graces of the Spirit which are in him.
{l} Vid. T. Bab. Cholin, fol. 22. 1, 2. {m} Issure Mizbeach, c. 3. sect. 1, 2. Vid. Misn. Zebachim, c. 7. sect. 5. & Maimon. & Bartenora, in ib.
Leviticus 1:15
Ver. 15. And the priest shall bring it unto the altar,.... The southeast horn of it; near which was the place of the ashes, into which the crop and its feathers were cast {n}:
and wring off his head; by twisting it back as it should seem; the word used is only to be found here, and in Le 5:8 the Jews say, it signifies to cut with the nail, and that the priest did this, not with a knife or any other instrument, but with his nail; so Jarchi and Gersom on the place observe: some think he only let out the blood this way, but did not separate the head from the body, which seems to be favoured by Le 5:8 though Maimonides and Bartenora {o} conclude the reverse from the same place; and that the meaning is, that he should cut off the head and divide it asunder at the time he cuts with the nail: the manner of cutting with the nail was this {p}, the priest held both the feet of the bird with his two fingers of his left hand, and the wings between two other fingers, and the bird upon the back of his hand, that it might not be within the palm of it; then he stretches out its neck upon the thumb about two fingers' breadth, and cuts it over against the neck with his nail, and this is one of the hardest services in the sanctuary:
and burn [it] on the altar; that is, the head, after squeezing out the blood, and rubbing it with salt:
and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar: or "the wall" of it: this, though mentioned last, must be done before, and immediately upon the wringing of the head, and between that and the burning it on the altar: this wringing off the head, and wringing out the blood, denote violence, and show that Christ's death, which this was a type of, was a violent one; the Jews laid violent hands upon him, and pursued his life in a violent manner, were very pressing to have it taken away, and his life was taken away in such a manner by men, though not without his Father's secret will, and his own consent.
{n} Misn. Zebachim, c. 6. sect. 5. & Bartenora in ib. {o} In Misn. ib. {p} Maimon. in Misn. ib. sect. 4. & Bartenora. in ib.
Leviticus 1:16
Ver. 16. And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers,.... Or "with its meat", or "dung", as Onkelos renders it, meaning that which was in its crop; and so the Jerusalem Targum interprets it, "with its dung"; and Jonathan's paraphrase is, "with its collection", or what was gathered together in the crop; it includes the entrails, as Gersom observes:
and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes; where the ashes of the burnt offering were put every day, and every time such an offering was made; and all this answered to the washing of the inwards, and legs of the other burnt offerings, and signified the same thing, the cleanness and purity of Christ, and of his people by him.
Leviticus 1:17
Ver. 17. And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof,.... One wing being on one side, and the other on the other side:
but shall not divide it asunder; the body of the bird, though it was cleaved down in the middle, yet not parted asunder, nor any of its wings separated from it; the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it, "but shall not separate its wings from it"; this denoted, that though, by the death of Christ, his soul and body were separated from each other, yet the human nature was not separated from his divine Person, the personal union between the two natures still continuing; nor was he divided from his divine Father, though he was forsaken by him, yet still in union with him as the Son of God; nor from the divine Spirit, by which he offered up himself to God, and by which he was quickened; nor from his church and people, for whom he suffered, they being united to him as members to their head:
and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire; in like manner as the ox, sheep, or goat were burnt: according to the Misnah, the priest went up the ascent (of the altar) and turned round about the circuit; when he came to the southeast horn, he cut its head (or nipped it) with his nail, over against its neck, and divided it, and squeezed out its blood by the wall of the altar, and turned the part nipped to the altar, and struck it at it, and rubbed it with salt, and cast it upon the fires; then he went to the body and removed the crop and its feathers (or dung) and the entrails that came out along with it, and threw them into the place of ashes; he cleaved but did not divide asunder, but if he divided it was right, then he rubbed it with salt, and cast it upon the fires {q}:
it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord; See Gill on "Le 1:9" so with the Heathens, to the gods of the air they sacrificed fowls for burnt offerings {r}.
{q} Misn. Zebachim, c. 6. sect. 5. {r} Porphyr. apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 4. c. 9. p. 146. Vid. Maoreb. Saturnal. l. 3. c. 8.