1.
And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,
AND. This connects Leviticus very closely with Exodus, as Exodus is linked with Genesis.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. Whose glory filled the tabernacle, Exodus 40:35 . No other book contains so many words of Jehovah: "Jehovah spake", thirty-six times (see note on Leviticus 5:14 ); "I am Jehovah", twenty-one times; "I am Jehovah your God", twenty-one times; "I (Jehovah) am", three times; "I, Jehovah, do", twice.
called. The last letter of this word (in Hebrew) is minuscular, i.e. smaller than the others. This callingis in contrast with the thunders from Sinai.
spake. See note on Leviticus 5:14 .
out of the tabernacle of the congregation. Hebrew out of the tent of assembly: Hebrew. 'ohel. See App-40 , not mishkan, therefore before 1491. There are four such calls: (1) from the burning bush (Exodus 3:4 ); (2) and (3) from Sinai (Exodus 19:3 , Exodus 19:20 ); and here.
2.
Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, even of the herd, and of the flock.
children = sons.
say. Compare note on Jeremiah 7:22 , Jeremiah 7:23 .
man. Hebrew. 'adam ( App-14 ), i.e. a descendant of Adam, not the priests.
offering. Hebrew. korban, admittance, entrance, or access offering. See App-43 . All the offerings were what God had first given to man; only such can be accepted by Him.
3.
If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.
Jehovah begins with the burnt offering and ends with the sin offering: we, in our approach, begin with the sin offering and end with the burnt offering.
burnt sacrifice. Hebrew. 'olah. See App-43 .
male. A female permitted in some other offerings, but not here, because of the type. Christ not the sinbearer here, as in Leviticus 4 .
without blemish. Hebrew. tamim, said of all sacrifices, and the same of Noah, Genesis 6:9 .
his own voluntary will. Not the same as a freewill offering. This not a freewill offering. Hebrew here = "to be accepted for him", i.e. in his stead. Compare Leviticus 1:4 . Compare Exodus 28:38 . Exodus 19:5 ; Exodus 22:19 , Exodus 22:20 , Exodus 22:29 ; Exodus 23:11 , There was a double transfer: the unworthiness of the offerer was transferred to the victim; and the acceptableness of the offering was transferred to the offerer. This is confined to the burnt offerings and peace offerings; never with the sin offerings.
4.
And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.
And. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton ( App-6 ) in verses: Leviticus 1:4-9 .
put. Hebrew lean, place, or press. It could not be done by proxy. This was all that the sinner could do. It was for God to accept.
make atonement. Hebrew. kaphar, to cover the sinner and his sin, so that neither is seen. See note on Exodus 29:33 . No such thing as progress in justification.
5.
And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
he. The sacrificer himself killed: the priest received the blood.
the priests, Aaron's sons. Hebrew = the sons of Aaron, the priests. Occurs seven times: Leviticus 1:5 , Leviticus 1:8 , Leviticus 1:11 ; Leviticus 2:2 ; Leviticus 3:2 .Numbers 10:8 . Joshua 21:19 .
sprinkle = dash. Hebrew throw or jerk.
door = entrance.
6.
And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces.
flay = have it flayed. Skin not offered with burnt offering, only with the sin offering.
cut it . . . pieces. To show that all was without blemish.
7.
And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire:
priest. Some codices, with Samaritan Pentateuch, Targum of Onkelos, Septuagint, and Syriac, read plural, "priests".
wood = logs. No other fuel might be used.
8.
And the priests, Aaron's sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:
in order. Because with the future Antitype all was to be in order.
9.
But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, to be a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
he. Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, and Vulg, read "they".
wash. To render the sacrifice like the Antitype. Compare Eph 6:26 , all in order of God's word.
burn. Hebrew. katar. See App-43 .
offering. Hebrew. 'ishsheh. App-43 .
sweet savour = a savour of satisfaction. Compare Genesis 8:21 .
10.
And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish.
11.
And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar.
12.
And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar:
13.
But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
14.
And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons.
15.
And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar:
the priest. To make up for the humble offering, the priest did this instead of the offerer.
16.
And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes:
feathers, or filth.
17.
And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.