Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 29:27
And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the shoulder of the heave offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of the consecration, [even] of [that] which [is] for Aaron, and of [that] which is for his sons:
27. the breast of the wave offering ] or, the wave breast, as this part of the peace-offering was technically called (Lev 7:34; Lev 10:14 al.).
the thigh of the heave offering elsewhere (Lev 7:34 al.) the heave thigh: better (see on Exo 25:2), the thigh of the contribution, i.e. the thigh which was contributed by the worshipper to the priest. As was explained on Exo 25:2, no rite of elevation is implied in the expression.
heaved up ] contributed; lit. lifted up, or separated, from a large mass for a sacred purpose. Cf. Exo Exo 35:24; and see DB. iii. 588 a ( 5 a).
from the ram of installation, (even) from that which is for Aaron, and from that which, &c.] ‘that which’ (twice) is in apposition wit ‘the ram of installation.’
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
27 28. Both the breast and the thigh of the ram of installation to in perpetuity the perquisite of Aaron and his sons. The verses (which do not agree with vv. 22, 24; for the thigh which was there burnt on the altar is here to be the perquisite of the priests) are probably a later insertion, correcting v. 26, and harmonizing (though imperfectly) vv. 22, 25 with the practice that was usual in the case of a peace-offering, viz. for the priests to receive both the breast and the right thigh (Lev 7:32-34).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
27 30. Two parenthetical regulations: neither in Leviticus 8.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 27. The breast of the wave-offering, and the shoulder of the heave-offering] As the wave-offering was agitated to and fro, and the heave-offering up and down, some have conceived that this twofold action represented the figure of the cross, on which the great Peace-offering between God and man was offered in the personal sacrifice of our blessed Redeemer. Had we authority for this conjecture, it would certainly cast much light on the meaning and intention of these offerings; and when the intelligent reader is informed that one of the most judicious critics in the whole republic of letters is the author of this conjecture, viz., Houbigant, he will treat it with respect. I shall here produce his own words on this verse:
Hic distinguuntur, et , ut ejusdem oblationis caeremoniae duae. In significatur, moveri oblatam victimam huc et illuc, ad dextram et ad sinistram. In sursum tolli, et sublatam rursus deprimi; nam pluribus vicibus id fiebat. Rem sic interpretantur Judaei; et Christianos docent, quanquam id non agentes, sic adumbrari eam crucem, in quam generis humani victima illa pacifica sublata est, quam veteres victimae omnes praenunciabant.
“The heave-offering and wave-offering, as two ceremonies in the same oblation, are here distinguished. The wave-offering implies that the victim was moved hither and thither, to the right hand and to the left; the heave-offering was lifted up and down, and this was done several times. In this way the Jews explain these things, and teach the Christians, that by these acts the cross was adumbrated, upon which that Peace-offering of the human race was lifted up which was prefigured by all the ancient victims.”
The breast and the shoulder, thus waved and heaved, were by this consecration appointed to be the priests’ portion for ever; and this, as Mr. Ainsworth piously remarks, “taught the priests how, with all their heart and all their strength, they should give themselves unto the service of the Lord in his Church.” Moses, as priest, received on this occasion the breast and the shoulder, which became afterwards the portion of the priests; see Ex 29:28, and Le 7:34. It is worthy of remark, that although Moses himself had no consecration to the sacerdotal office, yet he acts here as high priest, consecrates a high priest, and receives the breast and the shoulder, which were the priests’ portion! But Moses was an extraordinary messenger, and derived his authority, without the medium of rites or ceremonies, immediately from God himself. It does not appear that Christ either baptized the twelve apostles, or ordained them by imposition of hands; yet, from his own infinite sufficiency, he gave them authority both to baptize, and to lay on hands, in appointing others to the work of the sacred ministry. Ex 29:29
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Heaved up: this was done by throwing the parts upward, and catching them again.
Even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons: the words may be rendered thus, of which breast and shoulder of the ram shall be Aarons portion, and of which shall be the portion of his sons; so there is only an ellipsis of the verb substantive, which is most common, and the Hebrew prefix lamed designs a thing belonging to the person to whom that is prefixed, as it is in other like cases, as Gen 40:8; Deu 1:17; Psa 47:9.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And thou shall sanctify the breast of the wave offering,…. Set it apart for the use of the priest in all succeeding ages:
and the shoulder of the heave offering: as the breast was waved from one hand to another, or cast from the hand of one to the hand of another; the shoulder was heaved up, or cast up and caught again: this also was to be sanctified or set apart for the priest’s use, Le 7:32,
which is waved, and which is heaved up of the ram of the consecration: the breast was waved and the shoulder heaved:
even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons; as these two parts before mentioned in peace offerings were.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
THE LAW OF THE WAVE AND HEAVE OFFERINGS, AND OF THE CONSECRATION GARMENTS.
(27, 28) The wave offering.For the future, in every case of offerings made at a consecration, both the breast and the right shoulder (Lev. 7:32) were to be given to the officiating priest, who was to wave the one and heave the other before the Lord. Heaving was a single movement, an uplifting of the thing heaved; waving was a repeated movement, a swaying of the thing waved backwards and forwards horizontally. Both were modes of presenting the thing to God.
(29) The holy garments of Aaron shall be his sons after him.That Eleazar was consecrated in his fathers holy garments we learn from Num. 20:28; but nothing is recorded as to the investiture of later high priests. Still, it is reasonable to suppose that the injunctions here given were carried out so long as the garments worn by Aaron held together.
To be anointed therein.The anointing of each successive high priest is here commanded by implication. Jewish tradition affirms the practice to have been in conformity.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Two Permanent Institutions ( Exo 29:27-30 ).
A brief break in the narrative is now taken to emphasise the future effect of all this before we go into the personal part Aaron and his sons now take in the ceremony. Two permanent things that will affect the future for the priesthood have been instituted. 1). The wave/heave offering has been sanctified, and 2). the garments of ‘The Priest’ have been sanctified. The effect on future generations is now described. The explanation of the sanctifying of the wave offering is clearly intended to follow immediately on its institution (Exo 29:26), and it was important to deal with the future of the priestly garments here to save confusing it with what is said in Exo 29:35-37.
Exo 29:27-28
“And you shall sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the thigh (or ‘shoulder’) of the heave offering, which is waved and which is heaved up, of the ram of consecration, even of that which is for Aaron and of that which is for his sons, and it shall be for Aaron and his sons as a due for ever from the children of Israel. For it is a heave offering. And it shall be a heave offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifices of their peace offerings, even their heave offering to Yahweh.”
The act of Moses in taking the breast as a wave offering is an act that ‘sanctifies’ (makes holy) all future breasts and thighs/shoulders of peace offerings for consecration. In future from such peace offerings the breast will be waved before Yahweh (a few movements to and fro) and the shoulder will be ‘heaved’, (that is, waved once, or possibly simply ‘contributed’), and then both will be for the priests to eat. This will be their due from the children of Israel.
“ For it is a heave offering.” This is the technical name for such offerings. It may rather mean ‘a contribution offering’. And in future the breast and thigh/shoulder will always be seen as for a heave/contribution offering from the children of Israel from all their sacrifices of peace offerings. They will by this be their heave/contribution offering to Yahweh.
The idea behind the wave offering and the heave/contribution offering is that what is waved/heaved/contributed is being offered to Yahweh but then retained for the use of His priests. It was a practical means by which priests could be provisioned, while there was at the same time no limitation on the offering of the total sacrifice to Yahweh, for it was offered by waving/heaving.
Exo 29:29-30
“And the holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him, to be anointed in them, and to be consecrated in them. Seven days shall the son who is priest in his stead put them on when he comes into the Tent of Meeting to minister in the Holy Place.”
The second institution demonstrates what has been said earlier. The holy garments of Aaron differentiate the one known as ‘The Priest’ as against the many ‘priests’. Whoever is selected to replace ‘The Priest’ when he dies will have the holy garments of Aaron put on him, so as to be anointed in them and consecrated in them. And then for seven days will wear those garments in the Tent of Meeting without leaving it, as an act of dedication and consecration (see Lev 8:33). The consecration is to last for seven days. See for an application of this Num 20:28.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Exo 29:27 And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the shoulder of the heave offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of the consecration, [even] of [that] which [is] for Aaron, and of [that] which is for his sons:
Ver. 27. The breast of the wave offering, and the shoulder. ] To teach the priests to serve the Lord with all their heart, and with all their strength.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
wave offering. Turned to the four quarters of the earth. See App-43.
heave offering. Lifted up to heaven for Jehovah only. See App-43.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Heb 7:28, Lev 7:37, Lev 8:28-31
the breast: Lev 7:31-34, Lev 8:29, Lev 9:21, Lev 10:15, Num 6:20, Num 18:11, Num 18:18, Num 18:19, Deu 18:3
the wave offering: The wave offering and heave offering are thus distinguished by the Jewish writers: The former, called tenoophah, from nooph, to move, toss, was waved horizontally towards the four cardinal points, to signify that He to whom it was consecrated was the Lord of the whole earth; the latter, called teroomah, from room, to be elevated, was lifted perpendicularly upward and downward, in token of its being devoted to the God of heaven.
the ram of the consecration: Ail milluim, literally, “the ram of filling;” so called, according to some, because at the consecration of the priests, certain pieces of the sacrifice were put into their hands (Exo 29:24); on which account their consecration itself is called “filling their hands” (Exo 28:41). Rabbi Solomon gives a different reason for the ram being so called, from malai, to be full, complete; because the sacrifice completed the consecration, and thereupon the priests were fully invested in their office. Accordingly, the LXX render it by , consummation.
Reciprocal: Exo 29:28 – is an heave Exo 29:31 – the ram Lev 7:14 – an heave Num 31:29 – an heave 1Sa 2:14 – all that the fleshhook
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
29:27 And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the shoulder of the {i} heave offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of the consecration, [even] of [that] which [is] for Aaron, and of [that] which is for his sons:
(i) So called because it was not only shaken to and fro, but also lifted up.