Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 1:9
But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, [to be] a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD.
9. a sweet savour ] a soothing odour (McNeile on Exo 29:18). The word ‘savour’ in old English is applied to the smell as well as the taste of a thing. See HDB. Art. Savour and Driver’s note ( C.B.) on Exo 29:18.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The parts which were washed were the stomach, and bowels, and feet, divided from the carcass at the knee-joint.
The priest shall burn – The verb here translated burn, is applied exclusively to the burning of the incense, to the lights of the tabernacle, and to the offerings on the altar. The primary meaning of its root seems to be to exhale odor. (See the margin of Lev 24:2; Exo 30:8). The word for burning in a common way is quite different, and is applied to the burning of those parts of victims which were burned without the camp (Lev 4:12, Lev 4:21; Num 19:5, etc.). The importance of the distinction is great in its bearing on the meaning of the burnt-offering. The substance of the victim was regarded not as something to be consumed, but as an offering of a sweet-smelling savor sent up in the flame to Yahweh.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 9. An offering – of a sweet savour] ishsheh reiach nichoach, a fire-offering, an odour of rest, or, as the Septuagint express it, , “a sacrifice for a sweet-smelling savour;” which place St. Paul had evidently in view when he wrote Eph 5:2: “Christ hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering, – , and a sacrifice, for a sweet-smelling savour,” where he uses the same terms as the Septuagint. Hence we find that the holocaust, or burnt-offering, typified the sacrifice and death of Christ for the sins of the world.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
His inwards and his legs shall he wash, to signify the universal and perfect purity both of the inwards, or the heart, and of the legs, or ways, or actions, which was in Christ, and which should be in all Christians.
The priest shall burn all; not only the parts now mentioned, but all the rest, the trunk of the body, and the shoulders, as is apparent from the practice or execution of these precepts.
Of a sweet savour; not in itself, for so it rather caused a stink, but as it represented Christs offering up himself to God as a sweet-smelling savour, Eph 5:2; and to admonish us of the excellent virtue of Divine institution, without which God values no worship, though never so glorious, and by which even the meanest things, are precious and acceptable to God.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. but his inwards and his legsshall he wash in water, &c.This part of the ceremony wassymbolical of the inward purity, and the holy walk,that became acceptable worshippers.
a sweet savour unto theLordis an expression of the offerer’s piety, but especially asa sacrificial type of Christ.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But the inwards and his legs shall he wash in water,…. This was first done in a room in the court of the temple, called
, “the room of the washers”, or the washing room, where they washed the inwards of the holy things a; and after that they washed them upon the marble tables between the pillars, where they washed them three times at least b; and whereas this is said to be done “in water”; Maimonides c observes,
“not in wine, nor in a mixture of wine and water, nor in other liquids:”
the washing of the inwards and legs denoted the internal purity of Christ’s heart, and the external holiness of his life and conversation, and the saints’ purification by him both in heart and life: with Philo the Jew d these things had a mystical meaning; by the washing of the inwards was signified that lusts were to be washed away, and such spots removed as were contracted by surfeiting and drunkenness, very harmful to the lives of men; and by the washing of the feet was signified that we should no more walk upon the earth, but mount up to the air, and pass through that, even to heaven:
and the priest shall burn all on the altar; all the other pieces, as well as the inwards and legs, excepting the skin, which denoted the painful sufferings of Christ, and the extent of them to all parts of his body; and indeed his soul felt the fire of divine wrath, and became an offering for sin:
[to be] a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire; that is, all the parts of the bullock were burnt on the altar, that it might appear to be a whole burnt offering consumed by fire:
of a sweet savour unto the Lord: he accepting of it, and smelling a sweet savour of rest in it, as an atonement for sin, typical of the sacrifice of Christ, which is to God for a sweet smelling savour, Eph 5:2 the Jewish doctors e gather from hence, that whether a man offers much or little, it matters not, if his heart is but directed to God; which Maimonides explains thus f, he that studies in the law, it is all one as if he offered a burnt offering, or a meat offering, or a sin offering, concerning which this phrase is used.
a Misn. Middot, c. 5. sect. 2. Maimon Beth Habechirah, c. 5. sect. 17. b Ib. c. 3. sect. 5. & Tamid, c. 4. sect. 2. Piske, Tosaphot Middot, Art. 23. c Hilchot Hakorbanot, c. 6. sect. 6. Vid. T. Bab. Zebachim, fol. 22. 1. d De Victimis, p. 839. e Misn. Menachot, c. 13. sect. 11. T. Bab. Shebuot, fol. 15. 1. f In Misn. ib.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(9) But his inwards.Before, however, the cut-up victim was thus arranged to be burnt, the stomach, the bowels, and the feet had to be thoroughly cleansed. In the time of the second Temple, the washing had to be repeated three times before the ablution was deemed complete.
And the priest shall burn.The word here used is not the one generally used to denote consuming by fire, but it originally signifies to make a fume or vapour by incense. It is used in connection with all sacrifices (Lev. 2:2; Lev. 2:9; Lev. 3:5; Lev. 3:11; Lev. 4:10; Lev. 4:19; Lev. 6:8; Lev. 7:5, &c.) and the idea intended to be conveyed thereby is, that man upon earth fitly brought his gift to God in heaven, by causing the odour emitted from the burning sacrifice to ascend in a sweet-smelling savour to heaven.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. His inwards The intestines, because they contained impurities, could not be burned until they had first been cleansed. According to Maimonides the ablution was three times repeated. Thus there is strikingly set forth that inward holiness required by God of all his people, and the provision made for its attainment in the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. “I will put my law in their inwards, and write it in their hearts.” Jer 31:33. “Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience.” Heb 10:22.
And his legs The lower parts, below the knees, having contracted defilements in walking, were unfit to lay upon the altar until cleansed. “Lord, not my feet only.” Peter.
All on the altar Of most of the other offerings a portion might be given to the Lord in the persons of his priests, and a part might be given back to the offerer to share with his friends, (Lev 7:15😉 but the burnt offering must all lie upon the altar till the fire has changed it into an odour of sweet smell, and wafted it, on the curling smoke, to heaven. The spiritual import of this self-dedicatory sacrifice is obvious. If we would obtain a thorough and pervasive holiness through all our collective powers and parts, we must, without mental reservation, surrender ourselves entirely unto the God of peace till, through the Holy Ghost, he sanctifies us wholly. Rom 12:1 ; 1Th 5:23.
An offering made by fire The term ishsheh is generic of every kind of sacrifice by fire, and once even where no fire is used except for baking. Lev 24:7; Lev 24:9.
A sweet savour unto the Lord The anthropomorphism so clearly implied here is scarcely to be avoided. It is impossible for us to form a conception of pure spirit. Hence our ideas naturally clothe themselves in material forms, and we think of Jehovah as a man whose nostrils are regaled with the delicious odours diffused through the air. Stripped of its impressive imagery, and expressed in the cold phrase of modern philosophy, the Orientalism becomes this: God receives with delight every true act of worship.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Lev 1:9. His inwards and his legs By the inwards, Le Clerc and others understand the whole carcase; all that was under the skin, as viscera sometimes signifies in the Latin. The washing of these parts is allowed to denote that universal purity which was in Christ, the great Antitype of all the sacrifices, and which is required in all true worshippers; see Heb 10:22.
REFLECTIONS.The sacrifice, if of the herd, must be a male without blemish. God requires and deserves that we should offer him our best. The blind and lame offerings are not a sacrifice, but an abomination. The oblation must be voluntary. That alone is acceptable obedience which flows from love as its principle. He must come with it to the door of the tabernacle as one unworthy to enter, yet desiring to draw near to God. He must lay his hand on the head of the beast, intimating his acknowledgment of his deserving that death by reason of sin, to which this bullock was devoted, and also his faith in the acceptance of the sacrifice in his stead. The beast was then to be slain, and his blood sprinkled by the priests upon the altar, as typical of the death of the great sacrifice who bore our sins, and of his atoning blood which is sprinkled on the guilty conscience. The whole then, properly divided and cleansed, must be burnt with fire, as a sweet savour to the Lord. And thus Jesus on the cross offered up himself to be consumed by the fierce wrath of God, a sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour by which peace and reconciliation are obtained for the sinner, and his person and services become acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Did not the washing, carry the idea with it, of the laver of regeneration? Eze 36:25-26 . Tit 3:5 . And did not this offering made by fire, intimate how precious an offering that was before GOD, which the LORD JESUS made for human transgression? Eph 5:2 ; 1Pe 2:5 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Lev 1:9 But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, [to be] a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
Ver. 9. Shall he wash. ] Shadowing Christ’s perfect purity Heb 7:26 and our entire sanctification. Eze 26:19 Heb 10:22
Of a sweet savour unto the Lord.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
he. Samaritan Pentateuch, Septuagint, and Vulg, read “they”.
wash. To render the sacrifice like the Antitype. Compare Eph 6:26, all in order of God’s word.
burn. Hebrew. katar. See App-43.
offering. Hebrew. ‘ishsheh. App-43.
sweet savour = a savour of satisfaction. Compare Gen 8:21.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
sweet savour
The sweet savour offerings are so called because they typify Christ in His own perfections, and in His affectionate devotion to the Father’s will. The non-sweet savour offerings typify Christ as bearing the whole demerit of the sinner. Both are substantial. In our place Christ, in the burnt-offering, makes good our lack of devotedness, and, in the sin- and trespass-offerings, suffers because of our disobediences.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
inwards: Lev 1:13, Lev 8:21, Lev 9:14, Psa 51:6, Jer 4:14, Mat 23:25-28
burn all: Lev 1:13, Lev 1:17, Lev 3:11, Psa 66:15, Zec 13:7
a sweet: Gen 8:21, Eze 20:28, Eze 20:41, 2Co 2:15, Eph 5:2, Phi 4:18
Reciprocal: Exo 29:13 – burn them Exo 29:17 – wash the Exo 29:25 – offering Lev 3:5 – Aaron’s Lev 4:31 – a sweet Lev 5:12 – according Lev 6:10 – consumed Lev 7:5 – General Lev 22:22 – an offering Num 15:3 – will make Num 28:2 – for a sweet savour unto me Deu 12:27 – thy burnt Deu 33:10 – whole 2Ch 4:6 – such things as they offered for the burnt offering Ezr 6:10 – sweet savours Eze 40:38 – where
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1:9 But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, [to be] a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour {f} unto the LORD.
(f) Or a savour of rest, which pacifies the anger of the Lord.