Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 17:4
And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people:
4. the tent of meeting the tabernacle ] For the significance of the double indication of place which suggests a combination of two sources see p. 88.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 4. And bringeth it not unto the door] As sacrifice was ever deemed essential to true religion, it was necessary that it should be performed in such a way as to secure the great purpose of its institution. God alone could show how this should be done so as to be pleasing in his sight, and therefore he has given the most plain and particular directions concerning it. The Israelites, from their long residence in Egypt, an idolatrous country, had doubtless adopted many of their usages; and many portions of the Pentateuch seem to have been written merely to correct and bring them back to the purity of the Divine worship.
That no blood should be offered to idols, God commands every animal used for food or sacrifice to be slain at the door of the tabernacle. While every animal was slain in this sacrificial way, even the daily food of the people must put them in mind of the necessity of a sacrifice for sin. Perhaps St. Paul had this circumstance in view when he said, Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God, 1Co 10:31; and, Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
While the Israelites were encamped in the wilderness, it was comparatively easy to prevent all abuses of this Divine institution; and therefore they were all commanded to bring the oxen, sheep, and goats to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, that they might be slain there, and their blood sprinkled upon the altar of the Lord. But when they became settled in the promised land, and the distance, in many cases, rendered it impossible for them to bring the animals to be slain for domestic uses to the temple, they were permitted to pour out the blood in a sacrificial way unto God at their respective dwellings, and to cover it with the dust; see Le 17:13, and De 12:20-21.
Blood shall be imputed unto that man] Having poured out the blood improperly, he shall be considered as guilty of murder, because that blood, had it been properly and sacrificially employed, might have made atonement for the life of a man.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This was appointed, partly, in opposition to the heathens, who sacrificed in all places; partly, to cut off occasions of idolatry; partly, to prevent the peoples usurpation of the priests office; and partly, to signify that God would accept of no sacrifices but through Christ and in the church, (of both which the tabernacle was a type: see Heb 9:11) and according to his own prescript. But though men were tied to this law, God was free to dispense with his own law, which he did sometimes to the prophets, as 1Sa 7:9; 11:15; &c., and afterwards more fully and generally in the days of the Messiah, Mal 1:11; Joh 4:21,24.
Blood shall be imputed unto that man; he shall be esteemed and punished as a murderer both by God and by men. See Isa 66:3. The reason is, because he shed that blood, which, though not mans blood, yet was as precious, being sacred and appropriated to God, and typically the price by which mens lives were ransomed.
He shall be cut off by death, either by the hand of God, in case men do not know it or neglect to punish it, or by men, if the fact was public and evident.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,…. Near to which stood the altar of burnt offering to offer it upon, and the priests ready for such service: now the Lord would have every sacrifice brought thither
to offer an offering to the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord; that it might be offered publicly, and be known to be offered to the Lord, and not to idols or devils, as in Le 17:7; and so to prevent private idolatry, and private persons from intruding into the priest’s office; and this was typical of the acceptance of all spiritual sacrifices in the church of God, through Christ the minister of the tabernacle, which God pitched, and not man; and who is the door into the house of God, where such sacrifices are publicly to be offered up:
blood shall be imputed unto that man, he hath shed blood; which though it was only the blood of a beast, yet being shed as a sacrifice for man, and typical of the blood of Christ to be shed for man, was sacred and precious to God; and therefore he resented the shedding of it to any but himself, or by any person, or in any place but by his appointment; such a man was to be punished as a murderer, idolatry being equally heinous in the sight of God as murder, see Isa 66:3;
and that man shall be cut off from among his people; not merely excommunicated from the church of God, deprived of the privileges of his house, but even put to death; for such a man was guilty of blood, that is, of death, and therefore to be put to death either by the hand of the civil magistrate, if his case was known and came under their cognizance, or by the immediate hand of God by a premature death, which seems to be chiefly intended; also see Le 17:10.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(4) And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.Better, and bringeth it not to the entrance of the tent of meeting; that is, if he does not bring it to the place where the sacrifices are killed, and offer it first as a peace offering to Jehovah, he is to be regarded as wantonly shedding blood, and will be visited with the penalty of excision.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. An offering unto the Lord The blood and fat were sacrificially treated, but nothing is said respecting the priest’s portion which was allotted in peace offerings. There was also the same priestly inspection.
Modern Jews eat no meat which has not the seal of the rabbi certifying that the animal was without blemish. Herein again is a sanitary safeguard.
Blood shall be imputed This is explained by the following words: He hath shed blood. He is classified with those who have wickedly shed human blood, and are guilty of murder.
Cut off He shall be punished with death, without defining the manner. Thus the Seventy and the Vulgate. The punishment is never exile, as is supposed by J.D. Michaelis.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Lev 17:4 And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people:
Ver. 4. And bringeth it not unto the door. ] To teach, that in the Church alone, and by Christ alone, that is, by faith in him, acceptable service can be performed to God. Christ is the door of the sheep, Joh 10:7 ; Joh 10:9 by whom we come to the Father, Joh 14:6 and may everywhere lift up pure hands, without wrath, without doubting.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
tabernacle. Hebrew. mishkan. App-40.
offer = bring near. Hebrew. karab. App-43.
offering = Hebrew. korban. App-43.
tabernacle = tent. Hebrew. ‘ohel.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
bringeth: Lev 1:3, Deu 12:5, Deu 12:6, Deu 12:13, Deu 12:14, Eze 20:40, Joh 10:7, Joh 10:9, Joh 14:6
blood shall: Lev 7:18, Psa 32:2, Rom 4:6, Rom 5:13, Rom 5:20, Phm 1:18, Phm 1:19
he hath: Isa 66:3
be cut off: Lev 17:10, Lev 17:14, Lev 18:29, Lev 20:3, Lev 20:16, Lev 20:18, Gen 17:14, Exo 12:15, Exo 12:19, Num 15:30, Num 15:31
Reciprocal: Gen 9:6 – by Exo 30:33 – cut off Lev 17:8 – that offereth Lev 17:9 – General Num 9:13 – forbeareth
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Lev 17:4. The tabernacle This was appointed in opposition to the heathens, who sacrificed in all places; to cut off occasions of idolatry; to prevent the peoples usurpation of the priests office, and to signify that God would accept of no sacrifices but through Christ and in the church; of both which the tabernacle was a type. But though men were tied to this law, God was free to dispense with his own law, which he did sometimes to the prophets, as 1Sa 7:9; 1Sa 11:15. He hath shed blood He shall be punished as a murderer. The reason is, because he shed that blood, which, though not mans blood, yet was precious, being sacred and appropriated to God, and typically the price by which mens lives were ransomed.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
17:4 And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, to offer an offering unto the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD; {c} blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his people:
(c) I abhor it as much as if he had killed a man as in Is 66:3.