Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 22:10
There shall no stranger eat [of] the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or a hired servant, shall not eat [of] the holy thing.
10. The ‘sojourner,’ and the hired servant, were not considered as members of the family; not so the cases mentioned in Lev 22:11.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Stranger – One of another family. See Exo 29:33 note.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 10. There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing] For the meaning of the word stranger, see the note on “Ex 12:43“. The Jews suppose that stranger here means one who has had his ear pierced, (see the note on “Ex 21:6“,) and that sojourner means a servant who is to go free on the Sabbatical year. Neither of these was permitted to eat of the holy things, because they were not properly members of the priest’s family, and might go out and defile themselves even with the abominations of the heathen; but the servant or slave that was bought with money, Le 22:10, might eat of these things, because he was the property of the master for ever.
We see that it was lawful, under the Mosaic economy, to have slaves under certain restrictions; but these were taken from among the heathen, and instructed in the true religion: hence we find, as in the above case, that they were reckoned as a part of the priest’s own family, and treated as such. They certainly had privileges which did not extend either to sojourners or to hired servants; therefore their situation was incomparably better than the situation of the slaves under different European governments, of whose souls their pitiless possessors in general take no care, while they themselves venture to profess the Christian religion, and quote the Mosaic law in vindication of their system of slavery. How preposterous is such conduct! and how intolerable!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
No stranger, i.e. of a strange family, who is not a priest, as Lev 22:12; compare Mat 12:4. But there is an exception to this rule, Lev 22:11.
A sojourner; one that comes to his house and abides there for a season, and eats at his table.
Of the holy things; of those parts of the offerings which fell to the priests share, as the breast and shoulder.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10-13. There shall no stranger eatthe holy thingThe portion of the sacrifices assigned for thesupport of the officiating priests was restricted to the exclusiveuse of his own family. A temporary guest or a hired servant was notat liberty to eat of them; but an exception was made in favor of abought or homeborn slave, because such was a stated member of hishousehold. On the same principle, his own daughter, who married ahusband not a priest, could not eat of them. However, if a widow andchildless, she was reinstated in the privileges of her father’s houseas before her marriage. But if she had become a mother, as herchildren had no right to the privileges of the priesthood, she wasunder a necessity of finding support for them elsewhere than underher father’s roof.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
There shall no stranger eat [of] the holy thing,…. Any one of the holy things, as the heave shoulder, wave breast, c. by a “stranger” is not meant one of another nation though indeed all such were called strangers, and might not eat of these things, Eph 2:12; but one that was not of the family of a priest, though he might be an Israelite, and even a Levite; anyone that was not of the seed of Aaron, as Aben Ezra; any common man or laic, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, excepting those after mentioned:
a sojourner of the priests, or an hired servant, shall not eat [of] the holy thing: by the former is not intended an Heathen, a proselyte of the gate, one that has renounced idolatry, and so permitted to live among the Israelites, of it uncircumcised, who is often understood by one that sojourneth in the gate, but here an Israelitish sojourner; and so the Targum of Jonathan expressly has it,
“a son of an Israelite, who is a sojourner of the priests;”
not that is a guest for a short time, or a boarder with him; for if he may not eat of the holy things, what must he live on while with him? but one that dwells in some part of his house: and by the latter is meant anyone that is hired by the day, or week, or year, and when the time is expired is at his liberty; though the Jewish writers commonly, and particularly Jarchi, interpret the sojourner of the servant that has his ear bored, and is bought with money, until the year of jubilee, and serves for ever; and the hireling of one that is purchased for years, and goes out in the sixth year; but the above objection will lie against these.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
10 There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing. 11 But if the priest buy any soul with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house: they shall eat of his meat. 12 If the priest’s daughter also be married unto a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things. 13 But if the priest’s daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto her father’s house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father’s meat: but there shall no stranger eat thereof. 14 And if a man eat of the holy thing unwittingly, then he shall put the fifth part thereof unto it, and shall give it unto the priest with the holy thing. 15 And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer unto the LORD; 16 Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, when they eat their holy things: for I the LORD do sanctify them.
The holy things were to be eaten by the priests and their families. Now,
I. Here is a law that no stranger should eat of them, that is, no person whatsoever but the priests only, and those that pertained to them, v. 10. The priests are charged with this care, not to profane the holy things by permitting the strangers to eat of them (v. 15) or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass (v. 16); that is, suffer them to bring guilt upon themselves, by meddling with that which they have no right to. Thus it is commonly understood. Note, We must not only be careful that we do not bear iniquity ourselves, but we must do what we can to prevent others bearing it. We must not only not suffer sin to lie upon our brother, but, if we can help it, we must not suffer it to come upon him. But perhaps there is another meaning of those words: the priests’ eating the sin-offerings is said to signify their bearing the iniquity of the congregation, to make an atonement for them, ch. x. 17. Let not a stranger therefore eat of that holy thing particularly, and so pretend to bear the iniquity of trespass; for it is daring presumption for any to do that, but such as are appointed to do it. Those that set up other mediators besides Christ our priest, to bear the iniquity of trespass, sacrilegiously rob Christ of his honour, and invade his rights. When we warn people not to trust to their own righteousness, nor dare to appear before God in it, but to rely on Christ’s righteousness only for peace and pardon, it is because we dare not suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, for we know it is too heavy for them.
II. Here is an explanation of the law, showing who were to be looked upon as belonging to the priest’s family, and who not. 1. Sojourners and hired servants abode not in the house for ever; they were in the family, but not of it; and therefore they might not eat of the holy things (v. 10): but the servant that was born in the house or bought with money, being a heirloom to the family, though a servant, yet might eat of the holy things, v. 11. Note, Those only are entitled to the comforts of God’s house who make it their rest for ever, and resolve to dwell in it all the days of their life. As for those who for a time only believe, to serve a present turn. They are looked upon but as sojourners and mercenaries, and have no part nor lot in the matter. 2. As to the children of the family, concerning the sons there could be no dispute, they were themselves priests, but concerning the daughters there was a distinction. While they continued in their father’s house they might eat of the holy things; but, if they married such as were not priests, they lost their right (v. 12), for now they were cut off from the family of the priests. Yet if a priest’s daughter became a widow, and had no children in whom she might preserve a distinct family, and returned to her father’s house again, being neither wife nor mother, she should again be looked upon as a daughter, and might eat of the holy things. If those whom Providence has made sorrowful widows, and who are dislodged from the rest they had in the house of a husband, yet find it again in a father’s house, they have reason to be thankful to the widows’ God, who does not leave them comfortless. 3. Here is a demand of restitution to be made by him that had no right to the holy things, and yet should eat of them unwittingly, v. 14. If he did it presumptuously, and in contempt of the divine institution, he was liable to be cut off by the hand of God, and to be beaten by the magistrate; but, if he did it through weakness in inconsideration, he was to restore the value, adding a fifth part to it, besides which he was to bring an offering to atone for the trespass; see Lev 5:15; Lev 5:16.
III. This law might be dispensed with in a case of necessity, as it was when David and his men ate of the show-bread, 1 Sam. xxi. 6. And our Saviour justifies them, and gives a reason for it, which furnishes us with a lasting rule in all such cases, that God will have mercy and not sacrifice,Mat 12:3; Mat 12:4; Mat 12:7. Rituals must give way to morals.
IV. It is an instruction to gospel ministers, who are stewards of the mysteries of God, not to admit all, without distinction, to eat of the holy things, but to take out the precious from the vile. Those that are scandalously ignorant or profane are strangers and aliens to the family of the Lord’s priests; and it is not meet to take the children’s bread and to cast it to such. Holy things are for holy persons, for those who are holy, at least, in profession, Matt. vii. 6.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
Verses 10-13:
This text defines those who had the right to eat of the holy things which were the priests’ portion. Specifically excluded were hired servants, foreign-born “strangers” and even household guests of the priest who were foreigners. Those included were the priest, his wife, and his unmarried children. Also included were slaves either. brought or born into his household, and childless daughters who were widows or divorced. These were considered to be members of his immediate family.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
10 There shall no stranger. It was also necessary to add this, that the majesty of sacred things might not be impaired; for if it had been promiscuously permitted to all to eat of the sacred bread and the other oblations, the people would have straightway inferred that they differed not from ordinary food. And unless the avarice of the priests had been thus anticipated, (195) an unworthy trade would have prevailed; for banquets would have been see up for sale, and the priest’s house would have been a kind of provision-market. The prohibition, therefore, that the meats offered in sacrifice should be eaten by strangers, was not made so much with reference to them as to the priests, who would have else driven a profitable trade with the offerings, or, by gratifying their guests, would not have hesitated to bring disrepute on the whole service of God. The Law consequently prohibits that either a sojourner, or a hired servant, should eat of them; and only gives this permission to their slaves, and those who were incorporated into their families. Moreover, He counts the priests’ daughters who had married into another tribe as aliens. The sum has this tendency, that whatsoever depends on the service of God should obtain its due reverence; nor could this be the case, if what was offered in the temple were not distinguished from common food. Inasmuch as they were human beings, they were allowed to subsist in the ordinary manner; yet was this distinction necessary, which might savor of the sanctity of Christ. This was the cleanness of the priests as regarded food.
(195) “ Ils eussent ttenu foire et marche des viandes, qui leurs fussent demeurees de residu, ce qui n’eust pas este sans grand opprobre :” they would have kept fair and market of the meats which remained over to them, which could not have taken place without much scandal. — Fr.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(10) There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing.By stranger here is meant a non-Aaronite who was a stranger to the priestly family, though he was an Israelite, or even a Levite. The holy things are the peace offerings. (See Lev. 7:30.)
A sojourner of the priest.This, during the second Temple, was a Hebrew servant whose ear had been pierced, and who thus became his masters property till the year of jubile. (See Exo. 21:6.)
Or an hired servant.That is, a Hebrew servant who is hired for several years, and who goes out free after six years. (See Exo. 21:2.) Neither of them was the property of the priest, though his labour and services belonged to him. As these Hebrew servants could not be bought with money like a heathen slave, they were treated like strangers, or non-Aaronites, and hence were not permitted to partake of the holy food.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. No stranger The non-Levite Hebrew is included in this term. See Num 1:51, note.
A sojourner of the priest This excludes the foreigner temporarily residing with the priest and his hired servant of another nation.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Eligibility To Eat of Holy Things ( Lev 22:10-16 ).
Lev 22:10
“There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest’s, or a hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.”
Those not of priestly stock may not eat of a holy thing, whether they be visitors or hired servants.
Lev 22:11
“But if a priest buy any soul, the purchase of his money, he shall eat of it; and such as are born in his house, they shall eat of his bread.”
But permanent members of the household may eat of holy food, whether bondservants or family members and permanent servants born in the house and seen as part of the household.
Lev 22:12
“And if a priest’s daughter be married unto a stranger, she shall not eat of the contribution offering of the holy things.”
However a priest’s daughter who has married outside the line of Aaron may not eat of the contribution offering of the holy things. She no longer comes under the descent of ‘Aaron and his sons’.
Lev 22:13
“ But if a priest’s daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and be returned unto her father’s house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father’s bread, but there shall no stranger eat of it.”
On the other hand if through widowhood or divorce she return to her father’s house childless she once again becomes eligible. If she has a child than she will have responsibilities to her husband’s family and will still be seen as part of that family. But none who is not of true descent may eat of it.
Lev 22:14
“And if a man eat of the holy thing unwittingly, then he shall put the fifth part of it to it, and shall give to the priest the holy thing.”
If a man accidentally and unwittingly partakes of a holy thing, then he must remedy the situation by replacing it and adding a fifth part to it. He would presumably do this by offering a guilt offering or peace sacrifice himself, with the holy thing going to the priest, and extra besides.
Lev 22:15-16
“And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer to Yahweh, and so cause them to bear the iniquity that brings guilt, when they eat their holy things. For I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.”
So the priests are to guard their privileges and not treat them lightly. They are not to profane what they receive as holy things from Yahweh, which have been offered by the children of Israel. Otherwise they will bring guilt on themselves when they eat of them. They must remember that they are from Yahweh Who sets them apart and has made them holy.
We too must ensure that when God entrusts us with something we are careful to ensure its right use. It is not given to us for us to do what we like with, but to use it in accordance with His instruction. Some is for use in God’s work alone, other is for us and our families. We must not mix the two. But what is His should not be used for our own pleasure.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Lev 22:10. Holy thing Compare chap. Lev 21:22.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Who can this stranger mean, in a gospel sense, but an unregenerate person? one who hath no part in the covenant. Eating of the sacrifice, implied a thankful acceptance of being included in the righteousness of JESUS, and therefore a partaker in covenant mercies. But for any other to eat of the holy thing, carried with it an idea that he slighted the righteousness of the Redeemer, and presumptuously trusted to his own. Hence such are said to bear their own trespass. Yet in a following verse, (Lev 22:14 ) a merciful provision is made for sins of ignorance on this point.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Lev 22:10 There shall no stranger eat [of] the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat [of] the holy thing.
Ver. 10. There shall no stranger. ] The equity of all this was, that ministers should have a comfortable subsistence for them and theirs; and that the things that are appointed to that purpose should not be converted to other uses. 1Co 9:13 It is certainly a sad complaint that Luther a makes: Nisi superisset spolium Aegypti quod rapuimus Papae, omnibus ministris verbi fame pereundum esset, &c. Were it not for such spoils of Egypt as we have won from the Pope, God’s ministers might starve and perish. And if ever it come to that, that they must be maintained by the people’s benevolence, a miserable maintenance they are like to have of it. That little that we have now, diripitur a magistratu, is got from us by the great ones who rob our churches and schools, as if they meant to make an end of us with hard hunger. Thus he. See Hag 2:14 . All the water in Jordan, and the ceremonies in Leviticus, cannot cleanse a man so long as the polluted thing remains in his hand.
a Luther, in Gen, xlvii.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
The word zar, a stranger, does not mean one of another nation, a foreigner, which is expressed by hechar, but one who is not of the seed of Aaron, or does not belong to his family. 1Sa 21:6, Mat 12:4
Reciprocal: Exo 12:43 – There shall Exo 12:45 – General Exo 29:33 – a stranger Lev 21:22 – and of the holy Num 1:51 – the stranger Num 16:40 – that no Ezr 2:63 – should not Pro 20:25 – a snare
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Lev 22:10. There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing By holy thing here is meant, that portion of the sacrifices which belonged to the priests. And by stranger is not meant one of another nation, in distinction from a native Jew, but one who was not of the priests own family, whether Jew, or Gentile proselyte. A sojourner One that came to his house, and abode there for a season, and ate at his table, was not to eat of it. There is one exception, however, to this rule, in the next verse.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
22:10 There shall no {d} stranger eat [of] the holy thing: a {e} sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat [of] the holy thing.
(d) Which is not of the tribe of Levi.
(e) Some read, the servant who had his ear bored, and would not go free, Exo 21:6.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Persons who could not eat the sacred offerings 22:10-16
Another list of seven laws guarded the offerings. No non-priest could eat the sacrifices the priests ate except those who had become members of a priest’s household. The principle appears at the beginning and at the end of the list (Lev 22:10; Lev 22:13 b) with a brief statement regarding restitution for accidentally eating an offering following (Lev 22:14-16). All these regulations guarded the holiness of God by treating the people and things most closely associated with Him as special.
"Those whom God has called to be spiritual leaders must reflect the holiness of the LORD in all they do and exemplify the faith in the eyes of the congregation." [Note: Ross, p. 388.]