Leviticus 7

Le 7:1-27.

THE

LAW OF THE

TRESPASS

OFFERING.

1. Likewise this is the law of the trespass offering--This

chapter is a continuation of the laws that were to regulate the duty of

the priests respecting the trespass offerings. The same regulations

obtained in this case as in the burnt offerings--part was to be

consumed on the altar, while the other part was a perquisite of the

priests--some fell exclusively to the officiating minister, and was the

fee for his services; others were the common share of all the priestly

order, who lived upon them as their provision, and whose meetings at a

common table would tend to promote brotherly harmony and

friendship.

8. the priest shall have to himself the skin of the burnt offering

which he hath offered--All the flesh and the fat of the burnt

offerings being consumed, nothing remained to the priest but the skin.

It has been thought that this was a patriarchal usage, incorporated

with the Mosaic law, and that the right of the sacrificer to the skin

of the victim was transmitted from the example of Adam (see on

Ge 3:21).

11-14. this is the law of the sacrifice of peace

offerings--Besides the usual accompaniments of other sacrifices,

leavened bread was offered with the peace offerings, as a thanksgiving,

such bread being common at feasts.

15-17. the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings

. . . shall be eaten the same day that it is offered--The

flesh of the sacrifices was eaten on the day of the offering or on the

day following. But if any part of it remained till the third day, it

was, instead of being made use of, to be burned with fire. In the East,

butcher-meat is generally eaten the day it is killed, and it is rarely

kept a second day, so that as a prohibition was issued against any of

the flesh in the peace offerings being used on the third day, it has

been thought, not without reason, that this injunction must have been

given to prevent a superstitious notion arising that there was some

virtue or holiness belonging to it.

18. if any of the flesh of the sacrifice . . . be eaten at

all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither . . .

imputed--The sacrifice will not be acceptable to God nor profitable

to him that offers it.

20. cut off from his people--that is, excluded from the

privileges of an Israelite--lie under a sentence of

excommunication.

21. abominable unclean thing--Some copies of the Bible read,

"any reptile."

22-27. Ye shall eat no manner of fat--(See on

Le 3:17).

Le 7:28-38.

THE

PRIESTS'

PORTION.

29-34. He that offereth the sacrifice of his peace offerings unto

the Lord--In order to show that the sacrifice was voluntary, the

offerer was required to bring it with his own hands to the priest. The

breast having been waved to and fro in a solemn manner as devoted to

God, was given to the priests; it was assigned to the use of their

order generally, but the right shoulder was the perquisite of the

officiating priest.

35-38. This is the portion of the anointing of Aaron--These

verses contain a general summing up of the laws which regulate the

privileges and duties of the priests. The word "anointing" is often

used as synonymous with "office" or "dignity." So that the "portion of

the anointing of Aaron" probably means the provision made for the

maintenance of the high priest and the numerous body of functionaries

which composed the sacerdotal order.

in the day when he presented them to minister unto the Lord,

&c.--that is, from the day they approached the Lord in the duties of

their ministry.