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Texts -- Leviticus 22:1-33 (NET)

Context
Regulations for the Eating of Priestly Stipends
22:1 The Lord spoke to Moses : 22:2 “Tell Aaron and his sons that they must deal respectfully with the holy offerings of the Israelites , which they consecrate to me, so that they do not profane my holy name . I am the Lord . 22:3 Say to them, ‘Throughout your generations , if any man from all your descendants approaches the holy offerings which the Israelites consecrate to the Lord while he is impure , that person must be cut off from before me . I am the Lord . 22:4 No man from the descendants of Aaron who is diseased or has a discharge may eat the holy offerings until he becomes clean . The one who touches anything made unclean by contact with a dead person , or a man who has a seminal emission , 22:5 or a man who touches a swarming thing by which he becomes unclean , or touches a person by which he becomes unclean , whatever that person’s impurity – 22:6 the person who touches any of these will be unclean until evening and must not eat from the holy offerings unless he has bathed his body in water . 22:7 When the sun goes down he will be clean , and afterward he may eat from the holy offerings, because they are his food . 22:8 He must not eat an animal that has died of natural causes or an animal torn by beasts and thus become unclean by it. I am the Lord . 22:9 They must keep my charge so that they do not incur sin on account of it and therefore die because they profane it. I am the Lord who sanctifies them. 22:10 “‘No lay person may eat anything holy . Neither a priest’s lodger nor a hired laborer may eat anything holy , 22:11 but if a priest buys a person with his own money , that person may eat the holy offerings, and those born in the priest’s own house may eat his food . 22:12 If a priest’s daughter marries a lay person , she may not eat the holy contribution offerings , 22:13 but if a priest’s daughter is a widow or divorced , and she has no children so that she returns to live in her father’s house as in her youth , she may eat from her father’s food , but no lay person may eat it. 22:14 “‘If a man eats a holy offering by mistake , he must add one fifth to it and give the holy offering to the priest . 22:15 They must not profane the holy offerings which the Israelites contribute to the Lord , 22:16 and so cause them to incur a penalty for guilt when they eat their holy offerings, for I am the Lord who sanctifies them.’”
Regulations for Offering Votive and Freewill Offerings
22:17 The Lord spoke to Moses : 22:18 “Speak to Aaron , his sons , and all the Israelites and tell them, ‘When any man from the house of Israel or from the foreigners in Israel presents his offering for any of the votive or freewill offerings which they present to the Lord as a burnt offering , 22:19 if it is to be acceptable for your benefit it must be a flawless male from the cattle , sheep , or goats . 22:20 You must not present anything that has a flaw , because it will not be acceptable for your benefit. 22:21 If a man presents a peace offering sacrifice to the Lord for a special votive offering or for a freewill offering from the herd or the flock , it must be flawless to be acceptable ; it must have no flaw . 22:22 “‘You must not present to the Lord something blind , or with a broken bone, or mutilated , or with a running sore , or with a festering eruption , or with a feverish rash . You must not give any of these as a gift on the altar to the Lord . 22:23 As for an ox or a sheep with a limb too long or stunted , you may present it as a freewill offering , but it will not be acceptable for a votive offering . 22:24 You must not present to the Lord something with testicles that are bruised , crushed , torn , or cut off ; you must not do this in your land . 22:25 Even from a foreigner you must not present the food of your God from such animals as these , for they are ruined and flawed ; they will not be acceptable for your benefit.’” 22:26 The Lord spoke to Moses : 22:27 “When an ox , lamb , or goat is born , it must be under the care of its mother seven days , but from the eighth day onward it will be acceptable as an offering gift to the Lord . 22:28 You must not slaughter an ox or a sheep and its young on the same day . 22:29 When you sacrifice a thanksgiving offering to the Lord , you must sacrifice it so that it is acceptable for your benefit . 22:30 On that very day it must be eaten ; you must not leave any part of it over until morning . I am the Lord . 22:31 “You must be sure to do my commandments . I am the Lord . 22:32 You must not profane my holy name , and I will be sanctified in the midst of the Israelites . I am the Lord who sanctifies you, 22:33 the one who brought you out from the land of Egypt to be your God . I am the Lord .”

Pericope

NET
  • Lev 22:1-16 -- Regulations for the Eating of Priestly Stipends
  • Lev 22:17-33 -- Regulations for Offering Votive and Freewill Offerings

Bible Dictionary

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • LEVITICUS, 1

    [isbe] LEVITICUS, 1 - le-vit'-i-kus: I. GENERAL DATA 1. Name 2. Character of Book 3. Unity of Book: Law of Holiness Examination of Critical Theory II. STRUCTURE 1. Modern Analyses (1) Theories of Disintegration (2) Reasons for Dism...

  • Blemish

    [ebd] imperfection or bodily deformity excluding men from the priesthood, and rendering animals unfit to be offered in sacrifice (Lev. 21:17-23; 22:19-25). The Christian church, as justified in Christ, is "without blemish" (Eph. 5...
    [nave] BLEMISH, a physical deformity. Debarred sons of Aaron from exercise of priestly offices, Lev. 21:17-23. Animals with, forbidden to be used for sacrifice, Lev. 22:19-25. Figurative Eph. 5:27; 1 Pet. 1:19.

  • Offerings

    [nave] OFFERINGS Offered at the door of the tabernacle, Lev. 1:3; 3:2; 17:4, 8, 9; of the temple, 2 Chr. 7:12; 1 Kin. 8:62; 12:27. All animal sacrifices must be eight days old or over, Lev. 22:27. Must be salted, Lev. 2:13; Ezek....

  • LAW OF MOSES

    [smith] It will be the object of this article to give a brief analysis of the substance of this law, to point out its main principles, and to explain the position which it occupies in the progress of divine revelation. In order to do...

  • SACRIFICE, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, 2

    [isbe] SACRIFICE, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, 2 - V. The Mosaic Sacrificial System. 1. The Covenant Sacrifice: The fundamental function of Moses' work was to establish the covenant between Israel and God. This important transaction took ...

  • Vows

    [nave] VOWS Mosaic laws concerning, Lev. 23:37, 38; Num. 29:39. Must be voluntary, see below. Must be performed, see below. Estimation of the redemption price of things offered in vows, to be made by the priest, according to age a...

  • Defilement

    [nave] DEFILEMENT Laws relating to, Lev. 7:18-21; 11:43; 22:2-7. Caused by leprosy, Lev. 13:3, 44-46; 14; 22:4-7; gonorrhea, Lev. 15:1-15; 22:4; copulation, Lev. 15:17; emission of semen, Lev. 15:16, 17; childbirth, Lev. 12:2-8; L...

  • UNCLEANNESS

    [smith] The distinctive idea attached to ceremonial uncleanness among the Hebrews was that it cut a person off for the time from social privileges, and left his citizenship among God?s people for the while in abeyance. There is an in...

  • ATONEMENT

    [isbe] ATONEMENT - a-ton'-ment: Translates kaphar; chaTa'; ratsah, the last employed only of human relations (1 Sam 29:4); translates the following Greek stems hilas-, simple and compounded with various prepositions; allag- in comp...

  • Uncleaess

    [nave] UNCLEAESS, Lev. 5:2, 3; 7:20, 21; 17:15; 21:1-15; 22:2-8; Num. 5:2, 3; 9:6-11; 19; 31:19; Deut. 23:10, 11. See: Defilement; Purification; Sanitation; Washing.

  • Dedication

    [nave] DEDICATION Law concerning dedicated things, Lev. 27; Num. 18:14; 1 Chr. 26:26, 27. Must be without blemish, Lev. 22:18-23; Mal. 1:14. Not redeemable, Lev. 27:28, 29. Offering must be voluntary, Lev. 1:3; 22:19. See: Offe...

  • PRIEST, HIGH

    [isbe] PRIEST, HIGH - (ha-kohen, ho hiereus; ha-kohen ha-mashiach, ho hiereus ho christos; ha-kohen ha-gadhol, ho hiereus ho megas; kohen ha-ro'sh, ho hiereus hegoumenos; New Testament archiereus): I. INSTITUTION OF THE HIGH-PRIEST...

  • Priest

    [nave] PRIEST. Before Moses Melchizedek, Gen. 14:18; Heb. 5:6, 10, 11; 6:20; 7:1-21. Jethro, Ex. 2:16. Priests in Israel before the giving of the law, Ex. 19:22, 24. Called angel, Eccl. 5:6. Mosaic Ex. 28:1-4; 29:9, 44; Num....

  • Strangers

    [nave] STRANGERS Mosaic law relating to: Authorized slavery of, Lev. 25:44, 45; usury of, Deut. 15:3; 23:20; sale to, of flesh of animals that had died, Deut. 14:21; forbid their being made kings over Israel, Deut. 17:15; their eat...

  • STRANGER AND SOJOURNER (IN THE OLD TESTAMENT)

    [isbe] STRANGER AND SOJOURNER (IN THE OLD TESTAMENT) - stranj'-er: I. THE GER 1. Legal provisions (1) Principles (2) Rules 2. Relation to Sacrifice and Ritual 3. Historical Circumstances II. THE TOSHABH III. THE NOKHRI OR BEN NEKHA...

  • Sanitation

    [nave] SANITATION. Carcasses Lev. 5:2; Lev. 10:4, 5; Lev. 11:24-28, 31-40; Lev. 22:4, 6; Num. 9:6, 10; Num. 19:11-16; Num. 31:19; Deut. 21:22, 23 Childbirth Lev. 12:3; Ezek. 16:4 Circumcision See: Circumcision. Contagion Le...

  • BEEVES

    [ebd] (an old English plural of the word beef), a name applicable to all ruminating animals except camels, and especially to the Bovidce, or horned cattle (Lev. 22:19, 21; Num. 31:28, 30, 33, 38, 44).
    [isbe] BEEVES - bevs (Lev 22:21 the King James Version). See CATTLE.
    [smith] Same as cattle. (Leviticus 22:19) [See BULL, BULLOCK]

  • PUNISHMENTS

    [isbe] PUNISHMENTS - pun'-ish-ments ('awon, "fault," "iniquity," "punishment for iniquity," "sin" (Gen 4:13; Lev 26:41; Job 19:29; Ps 149:7; Lam 4:22; Ezek 14:10 margin; Am 1:3,6,9,11,13; 2:1,4,6), `onesh, "tribute," "fine," "punis...

  • MAIMED

    [isbe] MAIMED - mam'-d (charuts; kullos, anaperos): The condition of being mutilated or rendered imperfect as the result of accident, in contrast to congenital malformation. An animal thus affected was declared to be unfit to be of...
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Resources/Books

Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • 23:13 This verse is a summary warning against idolatry (cf. 20:22-23)."The continual return to the theme of idolatry throughout this section of the book is preparation and background for an appreciation of the incident of the...
  • The Hebrews derived the title of this book from the first word in it, wayyiqra', translated "And He [the Lord] called"(1:1). "And"or "then"is a conjunction that shows that what follows in Leviticus is a continuation of the na...
  • "At first sight the book of Leviticus might appear to be a haphazard, even repetitious arrangement of enactments involving the future life in Canaan of the Israelite people. Closer examination will reveal, however, that quite...
  • Leviticus continues revelation concerning the second of three elements necessary for any nation to exist, namely, a people (Gen. 12:10--Exod. 19), their law (Exod. 20--Num. 10:10), and their land (Num. 10:11--Josh. 24).Leviti...
  • Keil and Delitzsch pointed out that ancient Near Easterners offered certain offerings before God incorporated these into the Mosaic Law. Moses previously mentioned burnt offerings in Genesis 12:7; 13:4, 18; 22; 26:25; 33:20; ...
  • The structure of 4:1-6:7 indicates that this offering has a close relationship to the sin offering. This offering removed the guilt of certain sins that involved trespassing against God. Trespassing means going beyond the lim...
  • The sacrifices and offerings that Moses described thus far in the law were not sufficient to cleanse all the defilement that the sins of the people created. Much sinfulness still needed covering. Therefore God appointed a yea...
  • The second major division of Leviticus deals with how the Israelites were to express their worship of Yahweh in their private lives."The first sixteen chapters of Leviticus are concerned primarily with establishment and maint...
  • We move from public regulations in chapter 16 to intimate regulations in chapter 18 with chapter 17 providing the transition. In contrast to the first sixteen chapters, chapter 17 says very little about the role of the priest...
  • Emphasis shifts in this chapter from ceremonial defilement (ch. 17) to moral impurity. The Lord wanted His people to be holy in their behavior and character as well as in less important ritual observances (cf. Matt. 23:28; Ro...
  • All the people were to maintain holiness before God, but the priests had higher standards because of their privileges in relationship to God. Moses explained these higher regulations in this section of two chapters."The thrus...
  • A selection of seven laws appears between a brief introduction (vv. 1-2) and a conclusion (v. 9). The priests could, of course, become defiled like any other Israelites, but no priest who had become ceremonially unclean was t...
  • Another list of seven laws guarded the offerings. No non-priest could eat the sacrifices the priests ate except those who had become members of the priests' households. The principle appears at the beginning and at the end of...
  • Another list of seven selected laws appears with the principle stated at the end (v. 25). Certain animals were not acceptable as sacrifices under any circumstances. Other animals were acceptable for some sacrifices but not fo...
  • Seven additional laws specified the time periods that governed the offering of some sacrifices. The Israelites were not to offer oxen, sheep, and goats as sacrifices before these animals were eight days old (v. 27). It took t...
  • God considered the Israelites (chs. 17-20), the priests, the holy gifts, and the sacrifices (chs. 21-22) as set apart to Him as holy. He regarded certain days and times of the year in the same way (ch. 23). This chapter conta...
  • Genesis reveals how people can have a relationship with God. This comes through trust in God and obedience to Him. Faith is the key word in Genesis. God proves Himself faithful in this book.Exodus reveals that God is also sov...
  • 2:1-2a The Lord spoke to Jeremiah and instructed him to proclaim a message to the people of Jerusalem, a message from Yahweh.2:2b The Lord recalled how His people used to love (Heb. hesed) Him devotedly when they were followi...
  • This seems to be a new message from the Lord. It is a good example of prophetic indictments of Israel's sacrificial institutions (cf. 6:20; 1 Sam. 15:22; Ps. 51:16-17; Isa. 1:4-15; Hos. 6:6; Amos 5:21-24; Mic. 6:6-8).7:21 Yah...
  • This second dramatization took place while Ezekiel was acting out the first 390 days of the siege of Jerusalem with the brick and the plate (vv. 1-8). Whereas the main drama pictured the siege as a judgment from God, this asp...
  • "The next verses in the chapter are among the most glorious in the entire range of revealed truth on the subject of Israel's restoration to the Lord and national conversion."46536:22-23 Ezekiel was to tell the Israelites that...
  • 44:15-16 The Levites from Zadok's branch of the priestly family, however, would have special privileges since Zadok and his sons had served the Lord faithfully in the past (cf. 40:46; 1 Sam. 2:35; 2 Sam. 8:17; 15:24-29; 1 Kin...
  • 4:4 Ironically the Lord told these sinful Israelites to go to Bethel but to transgress, not to worship. Such a call parodied the summons of Israel's priests to come to the sanctuary to worship (cf. Ps. 95:6; 96:8-9; 100:2-4)....
  • In this pericope Micah responded to God's goodness, just reviewed, as the Israelites should have responded. His was the reasonable response in view of Yahweh's loyal love for His people (cf. Rom. 12:1-2).6:6 The prophet, for ...
  • 2:10 Another prophecy came from the Lord on the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month of 520 B.C. (Kislev 24, December 18). During the two months between this prophecy and the former one (vv. 1-9), Zechariah began his ministry...
  • Chapter 8 not only contains two major messages from the Lord (vv. 1-17, 18-23) but 10 minor messages, "a decalogueof divine words,"155that make up the two major ones. "Thus says the Lord"introduces each of these minor message...
  • 1:6 This second oracle begins like the first one, with a statement by Yahweh and a challenging response (cf. Isa. 1:2-3). The first oracle appealed to the Israelites generally, but this one is addressed to the priests. The pr...
  • 1:8 Furthermore the priests were offering blind, lame, and sick animals as sacrifices. These were unacceptable according to the Law (Lev. 22:18-25; Deut. 15:21). The Lord asked them if this was not evil. Of course it was. The...
  • Matthew evidently included this instruction because the marriage relationships of His disciples were important factors in their effective ministries. Jesus clarified God's will for His disciples that was different from the co...
  • Luke's record of Jesus' teaching the Lord's Prayer differs significantly enough from Matthew's account that we can safely conclude that Jesus gave similar teaching on separate occasions. This repetition illustrates the import...
  • 2:26 The "these things"in view probably refer to what John had just written (vv. 18-25)."The author concludes his attack on the false teachers with a warning and a word of encouragement for his followers."992:27 The "anointin...
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