CHAPTER 15
. THE LAW
OF SUNDRY
OFFERINGS.
1, 2. The Lord spake unto Moses,
saying, Speak unto the children of Israel—Some infer from that the date of this communication must be fixed towards
the close of the wanderings in the wilderness; and, also, that all
the sacrifices prescribed in the law were to be offered only after
the settlement in Canaan.
3. make an offering by fire unto the
Lord, a burnt offering—It is evident that a peace offering is
referred to because this term is frequently used in such a sense
(Exodus 18:12; Leviticus 17:5).
4. tenth deal—that is, an
omer, the tenth part of an ephah ().
fourth part of an hin of
oil—This element shows it to have been different from such meat
offerings as were made by themselves, and not merely accompaniments
of other sacrifices.
6-12. two tenth deals—The
quantity of flour was increased because the sacrifice was of superior
value to the former. The accessory sacrifices were always increased
in proportion to the greater worth and magnitude of its principal.
13-16. a stranger—one who had
become a proselyte. There were scarcely any of the national
privileges of the Israelites, in which the Gentile stranger might
not, on conforming to certain conditions, fully participate.
19. when ye eat of the bread of the
land, ye shall offer up an heave offering—The offering
prescribed was to precede the act of eating.
unto the Lord—that is,
the priests of the Lord ().
20. heave offering of the
threshing-floor—meaning the corn on the threshing-floor; that
is, after harvest.
so shall ye heave it—to
the priests accompanying the ceremony with the same rites.
22. if ye have erred, and not
observed all these commandments, c.—respecting the performance
of divine worship, and the rites and ceremonies that constitute the
holy service. The law relates only to any omission and consequently
is quite different from that laid down in , which implies a transgression or positive neglect of some
observances required. This law relates to private parties or
individual tribes that to the whole congregation of Israel.
24-26. if aught be committed by
ignorance—The Mosaic ritual was complicated, and the ceremonies
to be gone through in the various instances of purification which are
specified, would expose a worshipper, through ignorance, to the risk
of omitting or neglecting some of them. This law includes the
stranger in the number of those for whom the sacrifice was offered
for the sin of general ignorance.
27-29. if any soul sin through
ignorance—not only in common with the general body of the
people, but his personal sins were to be expiated in the same manner.
30. the soul that doeth aught
presumptuously—Hebrew, "with an high" or
"uplifted hand"—that is, knowingly, wilfully,
obstinately. In this sense the phraseology occurs (Exodus 14:8;
Leviticus 26:21; Psalms 19:13).
the same reproacheth the
Lord—sets Him at open defiance and dishonors His majesty.
31. his iniquity shall be upon
him—The punishment of his sins shall fall on himself
individually; no guilt shall be incurred by the nation, unless there
be a criminal carelessness in overlooking the offense.
32-34. a man that gathered sticks
upon the sabbath day—This incident is evidently narrated as an
instance of presumptuous sin. The mere gathering of sticks was not a
sinful act and might be necessary for fuel to warm him or to make
ready his food. But its being done on the Sabbath altered the entire
character of the action. The law of the Sabbath being a plain and
positive commandment, this transgression of it was a known and wilful
sin, and it was marked by several aggravations. For the deed was done
with unblushing boldness in broad daylight, in open defiance of the
divine authority—in flagrant inconsistency with His religious
connection with Israel, as the covenant-people of God; and it was an
application to improper purposes of time, which God had consecrated
to Himself and the solemn duties of religion. The offender was
brought before the rulers, who, on hearing the painful report, were
at a loss to determine what ought to be done. That they should have
felt any embarrassment in such a case may seem surprising, in the
face of the sabbath law (Exodus 31:14).
Their difficulty probably arose from this being the first public
offense of the kind which had occurred; and the appeal might be made
to remove all ground of complaint—to produce a more striking
effect, so that the fate of this criminal might be a beacon to warn
all Israelites in the future.
35, 36. The Lord said unto Moses,
The man shall be surely put to death—The Lord was King, as well
as God of Israel, and the offense being a violation of the law of the
realm, the Sovereign Judge gave orders that this man should be put to
death; and, moreover, He required the whole congregation unite in
executing the fatal sentence.
38. bid them that they make them
fringes in the borders of their garments—These were narrow
strips, in a wing-like form, wrapped over the shoulders and on
various parts of the attire. "Fringe," however, is the
English rendering of two distinct Hebrew words—the one
meaning a narrow lappet or edging, called the "hem" or
"border" (Matthew 23:5;
Luke 8:44), which, in order to
make it more attractive to the eye and consequently more serviceable
to the purpose described, was covered with a riband of blue or rather
purple color; the other term signifies strings with tassels at the
end, fastened to the corners of the garment. Both of these are seen
on the Egyptian and Assyrian frocks; and as the Jewish people were
commanded by express and repeated ordinances to have them, the
fashion was rendered subservient, in their case, to awaken high and
religious associations—to keep them in habitual remembrance of the
divine commandments.
41. I am the Lord your God—The
import of this solemn conclusion is, that though He was displeased
with them for their frequent rebellions, for which they would be
doomed to forty years' wanderings, He would not abandon them but
continue His divine protection and care of them till they were
brought into the land of promise.
CHAPTER 15
. THE LAW OF SUNDRY OFFERINGS.
1, 2. The Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel—Some infer from that the date of this communication must be fixed towards the close of the wanderings in the wilderness; and, also, that all the sacrifices prescribed in the law were to be offered only after the settlement in Canaan.
3. make an offering by fire unto the Lord, a burnt offering—It is evident that a peace offering is referred to because this term is frequently used in such a sense (Exodus 18:12; Leviticus 17:5).
4. tenth deal—that is, an omer, the tenth part of an ephah ().
fourth part of an hin of oil—This element shows it to have been different from such meat offerings as were made by themselves, and not merely accompaniments of other sacrifices.
6-12. two tenth deals—The quantity of flour was increased because the sacrifice was of superior value to the former. The accessory sacrifices were always increased in proportion to the greater worth and magnitude of its principal.
13-16. a stranger—one who had become a proselyte. There were scarcely any of the national privileges of the Israelites, in which the Gentile stranger might not, on conforming to certain conditions, fully participate.
19. when ye eat of the bread of the land, ye shall offer up an heave offering—The offering prescribed was to precede the act of eating.
unto the Lord—that is, the priests of the Lord ().
20. heave offering of the threshing-floor—meaning the corn on the threshing-floor; that is, after harvest.
so shall ye heave it—to the priests accompanying the ceremony with the same rites.
22. if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, c.—respecting the performance of divine worship, and the rites and ceremonies that constitute the holy service. The law relates only to any omission and consequently is quite different from that laid down in , which implies a transgression or positive neglect of some observances required. This law relates to private parties or individual tribes that to the whole congregation of Israel.
24-26. if aught be committed by ignorance—The Mosaic ritual was complicated, and the ceremonies to be gone through in the various instances of purification which are specified, would expose a worshipper, through ignorance, to the risk of omitting or neglecting some of them. This law includes the stranger in the number of those for whom the sacrifice was offered for the sin of general ignorance.
27-29. if any soul sin through ignorance—not only in common with the general body of the people, but his personal sins were to be expiated in the same manner.
30. the soul that doeth aught presumptuously—Hebrew, "with an high" or "uplifted hand"—that is, knowingly, wilfully, obstinately. In this sense the phraseology occurs (Exodus 14:8; Leviticus 26:21; Psalms 19:13).
the same reproacheth the Lord—sets Him at open defiance and dishonors His majesty.
31. his iniquity shall be upon him—The punishment of his sins shall fall on himself individually; no guilt shall be incurred by the nation, unless there be a criminal carelessness in overlooking the offense.
32-34. a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day—This incident is evidently narrated as an instance of presumptuous sin. The mere gathering of sticks was not a sinful act and might be necessary for fuel to warm him or to make ready his food. But its being done on the Sabbath altered the entire character of the action. The law of the Sabbath being a plain and positive commandment, this transgression of it was a known and wilful sin, and it was marked by several aggravations. For the deed was done with unblushing boldness in broad daylight, in open defiance of the divine authority—in flagrant inconsistency with His religious connection with Israel, as the covenant-people of God; and it was an application to improper purposes of time, which God had consecrated to Himself and the solemn duties of religion. The offender was brought before the rulers, who, on hearing the painful report, were at a loss to determine what ought to be done. That they should have felt any embarrassment in such a case may seem surprising, in the face of the sabbath law (Exodus 31:14). Their difficulty probably arose from this being the first public offense of the kind which had occurred; and the appeal might be made to remove all ground of complaint—to produce a more striking effect, so that the fate of this criminal might be a beacon to warn all Israelites in the future.
35, 36. The Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death—The Lord was King, as well as God of Israel, and the offense being a violation of the law of the realm, the Sovereign Judge gave orders that this man should be put to death; and, moreover, He required the whole congregation unite in executing the fatal sentence.
38. bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments—These were narrow strips, in a wing-like form, wrapped over the shoulders and on various parts of the attire. "Fringe," however, is the English rendering of two distinct Hebrew words—the one meaning a narrow lappet or edging, called the "hem" or "border" (Matthew 23:5; Luke 8:44), which, in order to make it more attractive to the eye and consequently more serviceable to the purpose described, was covered with a riband of blue or rather purple color; the other term signifies strings with tassels at the end, fastened to the corners of the garment. Both of these are seen on the Egyptian and Assyrian frocks; and as the Jewish people were commanded by express and repeated ordinances to have them, the fashion was rendered subservient, in their case, to awaken high and religious associations—to keep them in habitual remembrance of the divine commandments.
41. I am the Lord your God—The import of this solemn conclusion is, that though He was displeased with them for their frequent rebellions, for which they would be doomed to forty years' wanderings, He would not abandon them but continue His divine protection and care of them till they were brought into the land of promise.