Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 22:2

Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name [in those things] which they hallow unto me: I [am] the LORD.

2. separate ] not of course in the full sense of the word. What is meant is that whenever they are in a condition of ceremonial impurity they must be careful not to come into contact with holy things.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Speak … that they so abstain from touching the holy things (i. e. the sacrificial food of all kinds) of the children of Israel which they consecrate unto me, that they profane not my holy name. This law related to the daily life and the ordinary food of the priests.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 2. Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves] The same subject is continued in this chapter as in the preceding, with this addition, that besides the perfection of the priests, it was indispensably necessary that the sacrifices also should be perfect. In the service of God, according to the law, neither an imperfect offering nor an imperfect offerer could be admitted. What need then of a mediator between a holy God and sinful men! And can we expect that any of our services, however sincere and well-intentioned, can be accepted, unless offered on that living Altar that sanctifies the gift?

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

That they separate themselves, to wit, when any uncleanness is upon them, as it appears from Lev 22:3,4. From the holy things, i.e. from eating of those parts of the offerings which belong to them. Only of the tithes they might eat in that case.

Which they hallow; either the children of Israel, or the priests; for both of them did in their kinds hallow, consecrate, or offer them to God. But the former seems more probable, both because they were mentioned here and Lev 22:3, where they are said to hallow, &c., and because this makes the argument stronger, it ill became the priests to profane or pollute what the people did hallow.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

2. Speak unto Aaron and to his sons,that they separate themselves from the holy things“Toseparate” means, in the language of the Mosaic ritual, “toabstain”; and therefore the import of this injunction is thatthe priests should abstain from eating that part of the sacrificeswhich, though belonging to their order, was to be partaken of only bysuch of them as were free from legal impurities.

that they profane not my holyname in those things which they hallow unto me, &c.thatis, let them not, by their want of due reverence, give occasion toprofane my holy name. A careless or irreverent use of thingsconsecrated to God tends to dishonor the name and bring disrespect onthe worship of God.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Speak unto Aaron and to his sons,…. The priests; the children of Israel or the common people are not mentioned, as having no concern in the following laws about eating holy things:

that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel; both from offering their lawful sacrifices, which was the business of their office when pure, and chiefly from eating that part of them which was their due, and was allowed them; neither of these they were to do, particularly the latter, when they were in any uncleanness, as the following words show:

and that, they profane not my holy name [in those things] which they hallow unto me; which the children of Israel set apart and devoted to his service; which they would do, by eating their part of them when unclean, and thereby show little reverence to that holy name to which they were devoted; or which the priests themselves sanctified, by offering them to him; for Jarchi says, this takes in the holiness of the priests themselves; but the former seems best, and is confirmed in

Le 22:3:

I [am] the Lord; who is holy himself, and whose holy things these are, and will be sanctified by those that draw nigh unto him.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(2) Separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel.As parts of the sacrifices offered by the Israelites belonged to the priests, they are here warned that (see Lev. 7:20-21) they are not to consider themselves absolutely entitled to them under all circumstances, and that there are times when they must abstain from them.

In those things which they hallow unto me.That is, in their treatment of the sacrifices which the children of Israel have consecrated and offered to the Lord.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

REVERENCE FOR HOLY THINGS, Lev 23:1-16.

2. Separate themselves They were to abstain from treating the holy things, or offerings of the people, as things unconsecrated and common. By appropriating what was sacred to Jehovah, without the warrant of an express command, like that requiring them to eat the most holy things, (Lev 2:3, note,) they would profane his holy name, or degrade his majesty, and tarnish his purity in the eyes of the people.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

For Priests, Discernment of Uncleanness Is Vital. They Must Not Approach Yahweh While Unclean Lest They Die ( Lev 22:2-9 ).

Lev 22:2

“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, which they hallow to me, and that they profane not my holy name. I am Yahweh.”

Aaron and his sons must ensure that they see themselves as separate from the holy things of the children of Israel, which the children of Israel hallow to Yahweh. The sanctuary was not theirs, they were privileged to minister there. The holy things were not theirs, they were privileged to have a part in them. They had no automatic right to have contact with them. They may minister with them when they were clean, but not when they were unclean. Such things were God’s and God’s alone. Thus when they were unclean (verse 3) they must have nothing to do with them. They must see themselves as separate from those holy things in such a way that uncleanness barred them from them. Otherwise they would profane and make common the holy Name of Yahweh. Even Aaron and his sons must not presume on God.

Lev 22:3

“Say to them, Whoever he be of all your seed throughout your generations, who approaches to the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow to Yahweh, having his uncleanness on him, that person shall be cut off from before me. I am Yahweh.”

So even looking into the far future, if anyone of the seed of Aaron presumes, and approaches the holy things of Yahweh while ritually unclean, he is to be cut off from being a priest. For they must remember that God is Yahweh, the Holy One whose holy things must not be defiled.

Lev 22:4 a

“Whatever man of the seed of Aaron has a suspicious skin disease, or has an issue, he shall not eat of the holy things, until he is clean.”

This includes the fact that a man of the seed of Aaron is barred from eating the holy things until he is clean. This includes those who have a suspicious skin disease, and those who have an issue. They are unclean all the while that they have either.

Lev 22:4-7 (4b-7)

“And whoever touches anything which is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goes from him, or whoever touches any creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatever uncleanness he has, the person who touches any such shall be unclean until the evening, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he bathe his flesh in water, and when the sun is down, he shall be clean; and afterward he shall eat of the holy things, because it is his bread.”

Indeed all the laws of uncleanness apply equally to the priests. Touching anything that has had contact with death, a man emitting semen, any forbidden creeping thing, touching anyone who can convey uncleanness, whatever that uncleanness is, will render the priest unclean until the evening. He shall not eat of holy things until that uncleanness is dealt with. This will be by washing his flesh thoroughly in water and waiting until the evening. Then he may eat of holy things because it is his God-provided food.

Lev 22:8

“What dies of itself, or is torn of beasts, he shall not eat, to defile himself with it. I am Yahweh.”

They must also not eat anything that dies of its own accord, or anything that is torn by beasts. Both would defile them. And they must remember that God is Yahweh, the living God.

Lev 22:9

“They shall therefore keep my charge, lest they bear sin for it, and die in it, if they profane it. I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.”

So must they keep His charge, lest they receive punishment for any transgression or sin that they commit, a punishment which will result in death. To touch holy things while unclean would be to insult and disparage Yahweh and treat them as common. They must remember that the One Who has sanctified them is Yahweh. And He must not be approached with defilement.

Once more then we have an emphasis on the fact that all who would serve God must keep themselves from all forms of uncleanness. They must be pure in heart and mind and in outward living. They must avoid all that could defile them.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Lev 22:2. That they separate themselves Or, That they abstain. These cautions respecting abstinence from the holy things,from that food which was allotted to the families of the priests, are to be understood as of the same import with those mentioned in the former chapter; alike calculated to preserve a reverence for sacred matters, and to inculcate moral purity.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Lev 22:2 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name [in those things] which they hallow unto me: I [am] the LORD.

Ver. 2. That they separate. ] Though priests, yet they may not hold themselves privileged above others to commit sin, but are the rather obliged to duty. Why should any Chrysostom have cause to say, Non arbitror inter sacerdotes multos esse qui salvi fiant, I do not think that many of our ministers can he saved, it is well if any? or any Campian to exclaim, Ministris eorum nihil vilias?

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)