Leviticus 22
1 The priests in their uncleanness must abstain from the holy things.
6 How they shall be cleansed.
10 Who of the priest's house may eat of the holy things.
17 The sacrifices must be without blemish.
26 The age of the sacrifice.
29 The law of eating the sacrifice of thanksgiving.
holy ................ profane ... holy <02490 06944> [that they profane not.]
This is the very ground of the prohibition, that they might preserve in their minds a holy reverence for the Divine Majesty. Hence when they approached unto him, they must be free from every legal impurity. If great men are to be approached with respect, how much more must Jehovah be approached with holy reverence!
consecrate <06942> [hallow.]
impure <02932 05315> [having his uncleanness upon him.]
That is, in other words, "when he is unclean."
<05315> [that soul.]
That is, according to some, thrust out of the priest's office, or from officiating at the altar; or, according to others, cut off by some immediate stroke of divine justice, like Nadab and Abihu.
before <06440> [from my.]
descendants ........................................ emission <02233> [the seed.]
These words include the daughters as well as the sons of Aaron.
diseased <06879> [a leper.]
discharge <02100> [running issue. Heb. running of the reins.]
holy offerings <06944> [holy things.]
clean <02891> [until.]
unclean <02931> [unclean.]
descendants ........................................ emission <02233> [whose.]
man <0376> [whosoever.]
person <0120> [or a man.]
incur sin <02399 05375> [bear sin for it.]
That is, be punished if he break it.
The word {zar,} a stranger, does not mean one of another nation, a foreigner, which is expressed by {hechar,} but one who is not of the seed of Aaron, or does not belong to his family.
money <03701> [his money. Heb. the purchase of his money.]
<0376> [a stranger. Heb. a man, a stranger.]
returns ...... father's house ........... father's <01 01004 07725> [returned unto her father's house.]
A widow in Bengal not unfrequently returns to her father's house on the death of her husband: the union between her and her own family is never so dissolved as among European nations.
youth <05271> [as in her.]
incur ... penalty <05771 05375> [suffer them to bear the iniquity of the trespass. or, lade themselves with the iniquity of trespass in their eating. bear.]
Lord <03068> [for I.]
When any man <0376> [Whatsoever.]
foreigners <01616> [of the strangers.]
votive <05088> [vows.]
freewill offerings <05071> [freewill.]
peace offering <08002> [peace.]
for ... special <06381> [to accomplish.]
flock <06629> [sheep. or, goats. it shall be perfect.]
This law is so founded on the nature of the thing itself, that it has been in force among all nations that sacrificed victims to their deities.
blind <05788> [Blind.]
gift <0801> [an offering.]
sheep <07716> [lamb. or, kid. superfluous.]
torn <05423> [broken. or, cut.]
foreigner <05236> [a stranger's.]
food <03899> [the bread.]
ruined <04893> [because.]
seven days ...... day <03117 07651> [seven days.]
It was necessary for the mother's health that the young one should suck so long; and prior to this time, the process of nutrition in a young animal can scarcely be considered as completely formed. Besides this, it may justly be asserted, that the flesh of very young animals is comparatively innutritive. There is something brutish in eating the young of beast or fowl, before the hair and hoofs are perfect in the one, and feathers and claws in the other; and before this period, their flesh is not good for food, consequently they were not fit for sacrifice, which is termed the bread or food of God, (ver. 25.)
sheep <07716> [ewe. or, she goat. ye shall not kill it.]
This law was certainly intended to inculcate mercy and tenderness of heart; and so the Jews have understood it.
sanctified ............. sanctifies <06942> [I will.]
sanctified ............. sanctifies <06942> [hallow you.]
