XVIII. (1) SHALL BEAR THE INIQUITY OF THE SANCTUARY... — It must be remembered that the iniquity of the sanctuary, and the iniquity of the priesthood, extended not only to the defilement of the sanctuary by the transgressions of priests and people (Leviticus 16:11; Leviticus 16:15), but also to its... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THEY MAY BE JOINED UNTO THEE. — There is an allusion here to the meaning of the name Levi, which was given to Leah’s third son. (See Genesis 29:34.) The Hebrew verb is the same as that which occurs in the speech of Leah. AND MINISTER UNTO THEE: BUT THOU AND THY SONS... — Or, _and they shall mi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND KEEP THE CHARGE... — See Numbers 1:53; Numbers 3:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE SHALL KEEP THE CHARGE OF THE SANCTUARY... — See Numbers 8:19.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WITHIN THE VAIL. — i.e., the vail which separated the holy place from the most holy. The word which is employed in this place (_parocheth_) is used only of the second vail. (See Leviticus 16:12.) When the outer vail or _hanging_ is designed to be understood, the word used is _masak._ The referen... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHARGE OF MINE HEAVE OFFERINGS. — See Leviticus 7:34, and Numbers 18:11 of this chapter. UNTO THEE HAVE I GIVEN THEM BY REASON OF THE ANOINTING. — Better, _unto thee have I given them for an anointing portion._ (See Leviticus 7:35, and Note.) BY AN ORDINANCE FOR EVER. — Better, _as an eternal... [ Continue Reading ]
FROM THE FIRE. — i.e., from the fire which was kindled upon the altar of burnt offering. EVERY OBLATION OF THEIR’S, EVERY MEAT OFFERING OF THEIR’S... — Or, _every oblation of their’s for all their meat offerings, and for all their sin offerings, and for all their trespass offerings_ (or, _guilt off... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE MOST HOLY PLACE... — These gifts were to be eaten, as most holy, in the court of the Tabernacle (see Leviticus 6:16; Leviticus 6:26; Leviticus 7:6), and only by the priests and the male members of their families.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HEAVE OFFERING OF THEIR GIFT, WITH ALL THE WAVE OFFERINGS... — See Leviticus 7:34. EVERY ONE THAT IS CLEAN IN THY HOUSE SHALL EAT OF IT. — See Leviticus 22:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE BEST... — Hebrew, _all the fat,_ as in Genesis 45:18. THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THEM... — The quantity is not defined. St. Jerome, in his Commentary on Ezekiel 45, mentions the fortieth part as a liberal contribution, and the sixtieth as a scanty one, according to Jewish tradition.... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY THING DEVOTED... — See Leviticus 27:21.... [ Continue Reading ]
EVERY THING THAT OPENETH THE MATRIX... — (See Leviticus 27:6; Leviticus 27:26.) Five shekels was the redemption-price paid for each of the firstborn who were not redeemed by the Levites (Numbers 3:47).... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO THINE ESTIMATION. — See Leviticus 18:3, and Notes.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE FLESH OF THEM SHALL BE THINE... — In Deuteronomy 12:17, the firstlings of the herd and of the flock are directed to be eaten by the owners in the place which the Lord should choose. Either the law as prescribed in Numbers was subsequently modified, or the second clause of this verse explains... [ Continue Reading ]
IT IS A COVENANT OF SALT. — _i.e.,_ an indissoluble covenant. (See Leviticus 2:13, and Note; also 2 Chronicles 13:5.) Hence the phrases used by the Greeks to denote the breach of a covenant, “Where is the salt?” and “They overstepped the salt.” (Comp. Pliny, _H. N., xxxi._ 41; Cic., _De Div.,_ ii. 1... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT HAVE NO INHERITANCE... — Aaron is addressed in this verse as the representative of the priesthood. He himself did not enter into the land of Canaan. I AM THY PART AND THINE INHERITANCE... — All that are admitted into the number of Christ’s royal priesthood have God for their portion and... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE TENTH IN ISRAEL. — The reference here is to the first tithe, or tenth of the whole of the produce of the land.... [ Continue Reading ]
LEST THEY BEAR SIN AND DIE. — _i.e.,_ lest they bring sin upon themselves, the penalty of which they would have to bear. This appears to be the primary meaning of the phrase, from which the secondary meaning, viz., that of bearing sin in the sense of atoning for it, is derived. (Comp. Leviticus 19:1... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE TITHES... — Better, _for the tithes_... This verse assigns the reason why the Levites were to have no inheritance among the children of Israel.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SPAKE UNTO MOSES... — The law respecting the Levitical dues was given to Aaron, and communicated through him to the people. The law respecting the tithe which the Levites were to give to the priests, in which Aaron’s family were directly concerned, was communicated to Moses, and by him... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN A TENTH PART OF THE TITHE. — Better, _a tithe of the tithe. _... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AS THE FULNESS OF THE WINE-PRESS. — The word which is here rendered _fulness_ is the same which occurs in Exodus 22:9, and is there rendered “the first of thy ripe fruits.” It is used to denote either the fully ripe grain, or the produce of the vine. The tithe which the Levites paid to the pries... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THE INCREASE OF THE THRESHING-FLOOR. — As the tithe rendered to the priests was to be regarded in the same light as if it had been the produce of their own labour (Numbers 18:27), so what remained after the heave-offerings had been duly set apart was to be reckoned as much the property of the Lev... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE SHALL EAT IT IN EVERY PLACE. — When the tenth which was due to the priests had been duly paid, the remainder of the tithe received from the people became the rightful portion of the Levites, as their ordinary means of subsistence, and might be eaten by them in every place, not being subject t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE SHALL BEAR NO SIN... — _i.e.,_ shall not incur any guilt, or become liable to any punishment. (See Note on Numbers 18:22.)... [ Continue Reading ]