Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 7:15
And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave any of it until the morning.
15 18. Limits of time within which the Peace-Offerings must be consumed. When they are for thanksgiving, the whole of the flesh must be eaten on the day they are offered; before midnight is the traditional rule. A similar condition is prescribed in Exo 23:18, which is taken by some as referring to the festivals mentioned in Lev 7:14-17; another view limits the injunction to the passover, as in Exo 34:25. In many ancient heathen rites, the flesh of the victim was consumed as soon as possible ( Rel. Sem. 2 , p. 387). When the offering is made in fulfilment of a vow, or as a freewill offering ( Lev 7:16), two days are allowed for consuming the remainder. In no case may the flesh be eaten on the third day ( Lev 7:17-18). Such eating rendered the sacrifice unacceptable, and the offerer had to bring a fresh sacrifice, while anyone so eating incurred punishment (Lev 19:6-8). The words following ‘the morrow’ in Lev 7:16 are omitted in the LXX.; with this omission the passage more closely resembles Lev 19:6 f. In Lev 22:17-25 further rules are given concerning those animals which may be offered for a vow or as a freewill-offering, and in Lev 22:29 a sacrifice of thanksgiving, though not called a Peace-Offering, is described as one of which the flesh must be consumed on the same day that it is offered (see note there).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 15. He shall not leave any of it until the morning.] Because in such a hot country it was apt to putrefy, and as it was considered to be holy, it would have been very improper to expose that to putrefaction which had been consecrated to the Divine Being. Mr. Harmer supposes that the law here refers rather to the custom of drying flesh which had been devoted to religious purposes, which is practised among the Mohammedans to the present time. This, he thinks, might have given rise to the prohibition, as the sacred flesh thus preserved might have been abused to superstitious purposes. Therefore God says, Le 7:18, “If any of the flesh of the sacrifice – be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it; it is an abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his iniquity.” That is, on Mr. Harmer’s hypothesis, This sacred flesh shall avail nothing to him that eats it after the first or second day on which it is offered; however consecrated before, it shall not be considered sacred after that time. See Harmer’s Obs., vol. i., p. 394, edit. 1808.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
By the priests and offerers this flesh was eaten, Lev 22:30.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15-17. the flesh of the sacrifice ofhis peace offerings . . . shall be eaten the same day that it isofferedThe flesh of the sacrifices was eaten on the day of theoffering or on the day following. But if any part of it remained tillthe third day, it was, instead of being made use of, to be burnedwith fire. In the East, butcher-meat is generally eaten the day it iskilled, and it is rarely kept a second day, so that as a prohibitionwas issued against any of the flesh in the peace offerings being usedon the third day, it has been thought, not without reason, that thisinjunction must have been given to prevent a superstitious notionarising that there was some virtue or holiness belonging to it.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving,…. Having given directions about the cakes and bread that went along with the peace offerings, offered in thankfulness for mercies received; instructions are next given about eating the flesh of them; and the order is, that that
shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; partly by him that brought them, and his family, and partly by the poor he was to invite to eat thereof; and also by the priests and Levites, who were to have their share of it; see De 12:11
he shall not leave any of it until the morning; which was ordered to encourage liberality to the priests, Levites, and others, since all must be eaten up before morning: according to the Jewish canons, they might eat it no longer than midnight; by that time it was to be all consumed; and it is said k, the wise men made an hedge to the law to keep men from sin.
k Misn. Zebachim, c. 5. sect. 3.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The flesh of the praise-offering was to be eaten on the day of presentation, and none of it was to be left till the next morning (cf. Lev 22:29-30); but that of the vow and freewill-offerings might be eaten on both the first and second days. Whatever remained after that was to be burnt on the third day, i.e., to be destroyed by burning. If any was eaten on the third day, it was not well-pleasing ( “good pleasure,” see Lev 1:4), and was “ not reckoned to the offerer, ” sc., as a sacrifice well-pleasing to God; it was “ an abomination.” , an abomination, is only applied to the flesh of the sacrifices (Lev 19:7; Eze 4:14; Isa 65:4), and signifies properly a stench; – compare the talmudic word faetidum reddere. Whoever ate thereof would bear his sin (see Lev 5:1). “ The soul that eateth ” is not to be restricted, as Knobel supposes, to the other participators in the sacrificial meal, but applies to the offerer also, in fact to every one who partook of such flesh. The burning on the third day was commanded, not to compel the offerer to invite the poor to share in the meal ( Theodoret, Clericus, etc.), but to guard against the danger of a desecration of the meal. The sacrificial flesh was holy (Exo 29:34); and in Lev 19:8, where this command is repeated,
(Note: There is no foundation for Knobel’s assertion, that in Lev 19:5. another early lawgiver introduces a milder regulation with regard to the thank-offering, and allows all the thank-offerings to be eaten on the second day. For Lev 19:5. does not profess to lay down a universal rule with regard to all the thank-offerings, but presupposes our law, and simply enforces its regulations with regard to the vow and freewill-offerings, and threatens transgressors with severe punishment.)
eating it on the third day is called a profanation of that which was holy to Jehovah, and ordered to be punished with extermination. It became a desecration of what was holy, through the fact that in warm countries, if flesh is not most carefully preserved by artificial means, it begins to putrefy, or becomes offensive ( ) on the third day. But to eat flesh that was putrid or stinking, would be like eating unclean carrion, or the with which putrid flesh is associated in Eze 4:14. It was for this reason that burning was commanded, as Philo ( de vict. p. 842) and Maimonides ( More Neboch iii. 46) admit; though the former also associates with this the purpose mentioned above, which we decidedly reject (cf. Outram l.c. p. 185 seq., and Bhr, ii. pp. 375-6).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(15) And the flesh of the sacrifice.That is, after the priest had the breast and the shoulder, the share of the victim which belongs to the offerer, together with the remaining loaves, he with his family and poor guests (see Deu. 12:11-18) are to eat up before the morning, which at the time of the second Temple was limited to midnight. This limitation of time was designed both to encourage liberality to the poor, and to impress upon those who partook of it that it was a sacrificial and sacred feast, so as to prevent its being turned into unseemly conviviality.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. The flesh shall be eaten the same day The right shoulder, or heave offering, and the wave breast were to be eaten by the priests and their families in the camp, or in Jerusalem, and the remainder of this sacrifice was returned to the offerer, to be eaten by himself and his friends, denoting that they were admitted to a state of intimate companionship with God, sharing part and part with him and his priests, having a standing in his house and a seat at his table. It was an occasion of peculiar joy and gladness, strikingly prefiguring the Lord’s Supper, rightly called the Holy Eucharist, or Thanksgiving, and the blessedness of eating and drinking in the kingdom of God. Luk 14:15.
He shall not leave any until the morning It would be very improper to expose to putrefaction any thing considered holy. This is supposed to be the ground of the prohibition. Harmer thinks that it is aimed at the Arabian practice of drying the meats presented in sacrifice, which is contrary to both the genius of the Mosaic and of the Christian dispensations. The Gospel does not impart to the believer grace to be put aside for a time of future need, as a soldier puts several days’ rations in his haversack when he is to be separated from his base of supplies, nor does it require him to live on old experiences, since only unbelief can cut him off from access to the bread of life. He is therefore taught to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Lev 7:15. The fleshshall be eaten the same day The offerer and his friends were to feast upon the sacrifice together: and to encourage hospitality, and to secure a portion for the poor, the whole sacrifice was to be consumed the same day that it was offered.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Observe how speedily the sacrifice was to be eaten. Did not this represent the earnestness with which CHRIST is to be received? Heb 3:13-14 . And observe that what remained until the 3rd day of the flesh of the sacrifice was to be burnt. Did not this intimate that the precious body of JESUS should not see corruption, but be offered up in the glories of his resurrection? Psa 16:10 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Lev 7:15 And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered; he shall not leave any of it until the morning.
Ver. 15. Eaten the same day. ] Thanks must be returned while mercies are fresh; lest, as fish, they putrify with keeping. Eaten bread is soon forgotten. Hezekiah wrote his song the third day after his recovery. Jehoshaphat gave thanks first upon the ground where he had the victory, calling it Berachah; and three days after again at Jerusalem. 2Ch 20:25-26 See David’s Now, now, now, – “I will pay my vows.” Psa 116:14-15
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
same day. In second temple, limited to midnight.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Reciprocal: Exo 12:10 – General Exo 23:18 – remain Exo 34:25 – be left Lev 8:31 – Boil Lev 22:30 – General 1Sa 1:4 – offered Pro 7:14 – I have peace offerings with me
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Lev 7:15. The flesh shall be eaten the same day This was partly that none of it might be exposed to corruption, (for by the third day it might easily, in those hot countries, putrefy,) and partly that the offerer might not be sordidly saving of this sacred banquet, but be taught to show his piety to God by his love to his fellow-creatures, forthwith inviting his friends to partake of it with him; and in case he and they could not eat it up, by distributing the remains among the poor. This law might also be intended to prevent their spending many days in feasting under the pretence of religion. It may be observed further here, that the longest time allowed for eating the flesh of any of the sacrifices enjoined by Moses, was the day after that on which they were killed; the eating of it on the third day is declared to be an abomination.