Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 7:37
This [is] the law of the burnt offering, of the meat offering, and of the sin offering, and of the trespass offering, and of the consecrations, and of the sacrifice of the peace offerings;
37, 38. These verses seem at first sight to form a general conclusion to chs. 1 7, but as the order in which the sacrifices are mentioned is closely connected with that in Lev 6:8 to Lev 8:34, it must be regarded as a conclusion to that section 1 [50] . The words ‘ and of the consecration ’ probably are intended as a reterence to Lev 6:19-23; whether it is to be regarded as an addition depends upon the view taken of that section, and of the words ‘in the day when he is anointed’ in Lev 6:20 (see pp. 30 ff.).
[50] It is possible that the last clause of Lev 7:38 may refer to chs. 1 6:7.
Note. The priests’ portions as prescribed under the separate offerings are as follows:
( a) That which remains of the Meal-Offerings, Lev 2:3; Lev 2:10; Lev 6:16-18; Lev 7:9-10; Lev 7:14 (brought as part of the Peace-Offering); Lev 24:9, the shewbread.
( b) The remainder of the Sin-Offerings, except of those whereof any of the blood is brought into the tent of meeting; Lev 5:13, Lev 6:26; Lev 6:29-30.
( c) The remainder of the Guilt-Offerings, Lev 7:6-7; and the ‘restitution for guilt’ where there is no kinsman to whom restitution may be made, Num 5:8.
( d) The skin of the Burnt-Offering, Lev 7:7.
( e) Of the Peace-Offerings, the wave breast for Aaron and his sons, and the heave thigh for the priest who offers the blood and the fat, Lev 7:29-34.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Of the consecrations – That is, of the sacrifices which were to be offered in the consecration of the priests. See the marginal references.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Lev 7:37-38
This is the law . . . to offer their oblations.
The gospel of the sacrifices
I. There was a divine institution and command of god, for the offerings and sacrifices which were under the law.
1. An offering in general is anything presented to the Lord to become peculiarly His, and to be typical of Christ and gospel mysteries.
2. The legal offerings were set apart for God, with respect to Christ and His great sacrifice and offering up of Himself unto God for us.
3. Some have distinguished them into three sorts.
(1) Such as were offered at the brazen altar, or the altar of burnt-offering, which represented the death and sufferings of Jesus Christ.
(2) Such as were offered in the sanctuary, more near to the Holy of Holies, viz., the shewbread and the incense at the altar of incense; which had respect to His intercession for us at the throne of grace, in the virtue and by the merit of that sacrifice which He before had shed and offered up.
(3) Such as were offered in the Holy of Holies; which represented the full attainment of the ends of both the former, viz., our full access unto and communion with God through the influence both of the death and oblation as likewise of the prayers and intercession of Christ for us.
4. The sacrifices that were offered at the brazen altar are commonly distributed into two sorts–sacrifices of expiation, and sacrifices of thanksgiving. It is the former sort whereof the text speaks.
(1) These propitiatory sacrifices were offerings most holy to the Lord; for atonement, or for appeasing of His wrath; by the destruction of the sacrifice; to shadow forth the true atonement and expiation of sin, by the death of Jesus, and our reconciliation to and communion with God through Him.
(2) For further rules of illustration, take these propositions–
(a) The institution of sacrifices was presently after the sin and fall of man; but the renewed institution and further direction and regulation of them was by Moses unto Israel.
(b) In this renewed institution and regulation of their offerings and sacrifices, there were sundry adjuncts and ceremonies, some whereof were required and some severely forbidden to be added to them, all which were mystical and significant,
1. Adjuncts required. Sacrifices to be offered only at this ore altar. Salt. Music. Incense. Many ceremonious actions,
2. Adjuncts forbidden. In general, any conformity or compliance with the pagans in their rites and ceremonies. In particular, leaven and honey.
(c) The occasions upon which they were to be offered,
1. When under guilt of sin.
2. For the obtaining of any needful mercy,
3. To testify their joy and thankfulness for mercies received,
4. In the instituted seasons of them.
II. The sacrifices of propitiation under the law, may be referred to there six kinds or sorts–burnt-offering, meat-offering, peace-offering, sin-offering, trespass-offering, and offering of consecrations.
1. There were some things in which these all agreed.
(1) They were all offered at the brazen altar.
(2) They were all holy of holinesses.
(3) They were all offerings made by fire.
(4) They were all propitiatory.
2. The difference consisted–
(1) Partly in the different matter of them. An ox or a sheep in some; flowers and wine in others.
(2) Partly in the particular ends and designs and occasions of them.
(3) Principally in the different ceremonies accompanying them.
Lessons:
1. Keep close to the rule of Divine institution in matters of worship.
2. See the worth and value of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and the necessity of it, fur the justification and salvation of lost sinners. (S. Mather.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Of the consecration, i.e. of the sacrifice offered at the consecration of the priests.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
This [is] the law of the burnt offering,…. As delivered, Le 6:9:
of the meat offering; as in Le 6:14:
and of the sin offering; as in Le 6:25:
and of the trespass offering; as in Le 7:1:
and of the consecrations; of Aaron and his sons to the priest’s office, as in Le 6:20:
and of the sacrifice of the peace offerings; as in this chapter, Le 7:11 for this is only a recapitulation of the several laws respecting these things before observed.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
With Lev 7:37 and Lev 7:38 the whole of the sacrificial law (ch. 1-7) is brought to a close. Among the sacrifices appointed, the fill-offering ( ) is also mentioned here; though it is not first instituted in these chapters, but in Exo 29:19-20 (Exo 29:22, Exo 29:26, Exo 29:27, Exo 29:31). The name may be explained from the phrase to “ fill the hand,” which is not used in the sense of installing a man, or giving him authority, like “commit into his hand” in Isa 22:21 ( Knobel), but was applied primarily to the ceremony of consecrating the priests, as described in Lev 8:25., and was restricted to the idea of investiture with the priesthood (cf. Lev 8:33; Lev 16:32; Exo 28:41; Exo 29:9, Exo 29:29, Exo 29:33, Exo 29:35; Num 3:3; Jdg 17:5, Jdg 17:12). This gave rise to the expression “to fill the hand for Jehovah,” i.e., to provide something to offer to Jehovah (1Ch 29:5; 2Ch 29:31, cf. Exo 32:29). Hence denotes the filling of the hand with sacrificial gifts to be offered to Jehovah, and as used primarily of the particular sacrifice through which the priests were symbolically invested at their consecration with the gifts they were to offer, and were empowered, by virtue of this investiture, to officiate at the sacrifices; and secondly, in a less restricted sense, of priestly consecration generally (Lev 8:33, “the days of your consecration”). The allusion to the place in Lev 7:38, viz., “ in the wilderness of Sinai, ” points on the one hand back to Exo 19:1, and on the other hand forward to Num 26:63-64, and Num 36:13, “ in the plains of Moab ” (cf. Num 1:1, Num 1:19, etc.).
The sacrificial law, therefore, with the five species of sacrifices which it enjoins, embraces every aspect in which Israel was to manifest its true relation to the Lord its God. Whilst the sanctification of the whole man in self-surrender to the Lord was shadowed forth in the burnt-offerings, the fruits of this sanctification in the meat-offerings, and the blessedness of the possession and enjoyment of saving grace in the peace-offerings, the expiatory sacrifices furnished the means of removing the barrier which sins and trespasses had set up between the sinner and the holy God, and procured the forgiveness of sin and guilt, so that the sinner could attain once more to the unrestricted enjoyment of the covenant grace. For, provided only that the people of God drew near to their God with sacrificial gifts, in obedience to His commandments and in firm reliance upon His word, which had connected the forgiveness of sin, strength for sanctification, and the peace of fellowship with Him, with these manifestations of their piety, the offerers would receive in truth the blessings promised them by the Lord. Nevertheless these sacrifices could not make those who drew near to God with them and in them “perfect as pertaining to the conscience” (Heb 9:9; Heb 10:1), because the blood of bulls and of goats could not possibly take away sin (Heb 10:4). The forgiveness of sin which the atoning sacrifices procured, was only a of past sins through the forbearance of God (Rom 3:25-26), in anticipation of the true sacrifice of Christ, of which the animal sacrifices were only a type, and by which the justice of God is satisfied, and the way opened fore the full forgiveness of sin and complete reconciliation with God. So also the sanctification and fellowship set forth by the burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, were simply a sanctification of the fellowship already established by the covenant of the law between Israel and its covenant God, which pointed forward to the true sanctification and blessedness that grow out of the righteousness of faith, and expand through the operation of the Holy Spirit into the true righteousness and blessedness of the divine peace of reconciliation. The effect of the sacrifices was in harmony with the nature of the old covenant. The fellowship with God, established by this covenant, was simply a faint copy of that true and living fellowship with God, which consists in God’s dwelling in our hearts through His Spirit, transforming our spirit, soul, and body more and more into His own image and His divine nature, and making us partakers of the glory and blessedness of His divine life. However intimately the infinite and holy God connected Himself with His people in the earthly sanctuary of the tabernacle and the altar of burnt-offering, yet so long as this sanctuary stood, the God who was enthroned in the most holy place was separated by the veil from His people, who could only appear before Him in the fore-court, as a proof that the sin which separates unholy man from the holy God had not yet been taken out of the way. Just as the old covenant generally was not intended to secure redemption from sin, but the law was designed to produce the knowledge of sin; so the desire for reconciliation with God was not to be truly satisfied by its sacrificial ordinances, but a desire was to be awakened for that true sacrifice which cleanses from all sins, and the way to be prepared for the appearing of the Son of God, who would exalt the shadows of the Mosaic sacrifices into a substantial reality by giving up His own life as a propitiation for the sins of the whole world, and thus through the one offering of His own holy body would perfect all the manifold sacrifices of the Old Testament economy.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
37. This is the law of the burnt-offering. In this conclusion Moses indicates that full provision had been made lest any addition should insinuate itself from man’s inventions to vitiate the sacrifices. In the day, he says, that God appointed the sacrifices to be offered to Him on Mount Sinai, He omitted nothing which was to be observed, lest men should dare to introduce anything except what He prescribed. And surely, when He had thus carefully embraced all the ceremonies, we may easily infer from hence how earnestly we should avoid all temerity and audacity in invention. The design, therefore, of Moses was in this brief admonition to exhort the people to soberness, lest they should transgress the limits placed by God.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(37) This is the law . . . This and the following verse sum up the whole sacrificial law contained in Leviticus 1-8
The burnt offering.Described in Lev. 1:3-17, with its supplement, Lev. 6:8-13.
The meat offering.Described in Lev. 2:1-16, with its supplement, Lev. 6:14-18.
The sin offering.Described in Lev. 4:1-35, with its supplement, Lev. 6:24-30.
The trespass offering.Described in Lev. 5:1-13, with its supplements, Lev. 5:14-19, Lev. 6:1-7, Lev. 7:1-10.
And of the consecrations.Better, and of the offering of consecration, that is, the meat offering which the high priest is to bring on his consecration to the pontifical office, described in Lev. 6:19-23.
The peace offering.Described in Lev. 3:1-17, with its supplements, Lev. 7:11-21; Lev. 7:28-36.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
37. Burnt offering Chap. 1, notes, and Lev 6:8-13, notes.
Meat offering Chap. 2, and Lev 6:14-18, notes.
Sin offering Chap. 4, notes, and Lev 6:25-30.
Trespass offering Chapter Lev 5:1 to Lev 6:7; Lev 7:1-7, notes.
The consecrations This consisted in filling the hands of the priests with the things which they were to offer. See Num 3:3, note. It is an expressive mode of inducting them into office. This ordinance is not distinctly spoken of in the previous chapters except in part in Lev 6:19-23, but the offerings of which the consecration is made up have been already detailed, as will be seen in chap. 8 .
Peace offerings Chaps. 3, Lev 7:11-34. notes. “The sacrificial law, therefore, with the five species of sacrifices which it enjoins, embraces every aspect in which Israel was to manifest its true relation to the Lord its God. While the expiatory sacrifices furnished the means of removing the barrier which sins and trespasses had set up between the sinner and the holy God, and procured the forgiveness of sin and guilt, so that the sinner could attain once more to the unrestricted enjoyment of the covenanted grace, the sanctification of the whole man in self-surrender to the Lord was shadowed forth in the burnt offerings, the fruits of this sanctification in the meat offerings, and the blessedness of the possession and enjoyment of saving grace in the peace offerings. Nevertheless the sacrifices could not make those who drew near to God with them and in them “perfect as pertaining to the conscience,” (Heb 9:9; Heb 10:1,) because the blood of bulls and of goats could not possibly take away sin. Heb 10:4. The forgiveness of sin which the atoning sacrifices procured was only a (a passing by) of past sins through the forbearance of God, (Rom 3:25-26,) in anticipation of the true sacrifice of Christ, of which the animal sacrifices were only a type, and by which the justice of God is satisfied, and the way opened for full forgiveness of sin and complete reconciliation to God.” Keil. See Introduction, 5, 6, 7.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Colophon ( Lev 7:37-38 ).
These final verses read like a colophon, the ‘title’ regularly put at the end of a clay tablet to identify it and date it. The traces of a number of such colophons, and of the catch phrases which open a tablet, can be found in Genesis, for example where it is regularly said, ‘this is the family history of —’ (Gen 2:4; Gen 5:1; Gen 6:9; Gen 10:1; Gen 11:10; Gen 11:27; Gen 25:12; Gen 25:19; Gen 36:1; Gen 36:9; Gen 37:2). See also Num 3:1.
Lev 7:37-38
‘This is the law of the whole burnt offering, of the grain offering, and of the sin-offering, and of the guilt offering, and of the consecration, and of the sacrifice of peace-offerings, which Yahweh commanded Moses in mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their oblations to Yahweh, in the wilderness of Sinai.’
Note how the title (in footnote) of the record is first stated, ‘the law of the whole burnt offering — which Yahweh commanded Moses in/by Mount Sinai’. Then the date ‘in the day that He commanded — their oblations to Yahweh’. Then the place, ‘in the wilderness of Sinai.’ In those days dating was always in terms of significant events (compare Amo 1:1 ‘two years before the earthquake’). Whether this colophon covers from Lev 1:1 onwards, or whether it refers to the material from Lev 6:8 we do not, of course, know. Such colophons were incorporated into the text and the divisions became blurred. They do, however, indicate clearly that some of the material at least was early in written form.
The title as it is here indicates that the record deals with the sacrifices and offerings outlined in the previous seven chapters, which were initially commanded by Yahweh to Moses in Mount Sinai. However the date refers to when the actual command came for them to offer their oblations to Yahweh, which may have been some time later. This date may be when they were recorded in writing on this tablet or papyrus. It may explain why in Lev 1:1 it is said to be spoken from the tent of meeting. It was a repetition, possibly in more detailed and expanded form, of what Moses had been told earlier.
We have here therefore clear evidence of Mosaic authorship of at least part of this material provided in a way that later centuries would not conceivably have introduced. They might have introduced such ideas, but not in the form of a colophon. And the unity of the material and the ancient words and ideas tend to confirm that it is to Moses that we should look for it all. The text is extremely well preserved.
But we should not in the detail ignore the import of the words. Here were God’s directions to His people, first given at Mount Sinai, and then from the tent of meeting, concerning how they should approach Him, and what steps they could take in order to worship Him properly, be acceptable before Him and find forgiveness of sins. They were of vital importance.
Final Summary.
We will now very briefly draw together the strands of what we have learned. The offerings and sacrifices divide up into five.
1) The Whole Burnt Offering (‘olah – that which goes up). This offering was presented basically in worship and dedication, and for the purposes of atonement. It was the foremost of the offerings. Apart from the skin or hide which was given to the priest it was totally offered up to Yahweh as an offering made by fire and presented a pleasing odour to God. It was offered up morning and evening in the daily offerings and in all the great festivals, including the Day of Atonement. It was symbolic of Christ offering Himself up as pleasing to God, shedding His blood for us and making atonement for us, drawing us into Himself that we might be fully dedicated to God and find atonement through His blood. It basically represented being accounted righteous through faith, and full acceptance in Him.
2) The Grain Offering (minchah). This offering was in praise and gratitude for the provision of the basics of life, grain and olive oil, and an offering of daily labour as a love offering to God. Worship was expressed by adding frankincense, a foreign product which meant that the offering was on behalf, not only of Israel, but of the whole world. A memorial handful was offered by fire along with the frankincense, the remainder was partaken of by the priests, except when it was a priest’s offering. It was regularly offered along with the whole burnt offering (in which case the frankincense was omitted). It was an offering made by fire and presented a pleasing odour to God. It was symbolic of Christ as the corn of wheat who fell into the ground and died and Who would thus produce much fruit, and of Jesus as the bread of life Who would feed and satisfy those who constantly come to Him in trust and obedience.
3) The Peace Sacrifice (zebach shelamim and various). This offering was one offered from a sense of wellbeing and with a desire to be at peace with God and man. In one form the blood and the fat, with the vital parts, were offered to God as an offering, and the flesh was eaten by the worshippers, with breast and thigh going to the priest. It was an offering made by fire and presented a pleasing odour to God. It symbolised Jesus the Prince of Peace Who came to make peace between men and God through the blood of His cross, and Whose flesh and blood we can partake of through faith in His sacrifice for us, so that we might have eternal life and enjoy fullness of life and peace with both God and men in loving fellowship.
4) The Purification For Sin Offering (chatta’ah ). This was specifically an offering for sin when it became known, but was also offered at the great festivals, in recognition of the sin of Israel, and especially at the Day of Atonement. Its aim was purification for sin, cleansing in the sight of a holy God, as well as atonement. At its lesser levels it could be partaken of by the priest. It was an offering by fire and presented a pleasing odour to God, but only in a secondary way. Its main purpose was purification from sin. The blood from it was daubed on the horns of the altar(s) to purify the altar, and thrown at the base of the altar to sanctify it and make atonement for it, and for the people, for the altar represented the offerings of the people. It symbolised Christ as offering Himself once-for-all as a purification for sin offering on our behalf so that we might be made pure before God. Its concern was being clean in the sight of God, pure as He is pure (1Jn 3:1-2).
5) The Guilt Offering (’asam). This was a kind of sin offering, but was for more specific sins where confession or restitution needed to be made. It was mainly personal, and is a reminder that we need to deal with individual sins, confess them to others where it will do good, and make restitution for any loss we have caused. Like the purification for sin offering it symbolised Christ as dying for us so that we might be forthright in dealing with specific sins.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
the law. Verses Lev:7:37-38 sum up Leviticus chapters 1-8.
burnt offering (Lev 1:3-17 and Lev 6:8-13).
meat offering (Lev 2:1-16 and Lev 6:14-18).
sin offering (Lev 4:1-35 and Lev 6:24-30).
trespass offering (Lev 5:1-13 and Lev 5:14-19 and Lev 6:1-7 and Lev 7:1-10).
consecrations (Lev 6:19-23).
peace offerings (Lev 3:1-17 and Lev 7:11-21, Lev 7:28-36).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
the law: Lev 1:1-17, Lev 6:9-13, Exo 29:38-42
meat: Lev 2:1-16, Lev 6:14-18
sin: Lev 4:1-35, Lev 6:24-30
trespass: Lev 7:1-7, Lev 5:1 – Lev 6:7
consecrations: Lev 6:20-23, Exo 29:1
sacrifice: Lev 7:11-21, Lev 3:1-17
Reciprocal: Exo 29:27 – General Lev 8:22 – the ram of consecration Lev 11:46 – This Lev 14:54 – the law Num 15:9 – a meat Num 36:13 – the commandments
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7:37 This [is] the law of the burnt offering, of the meat offering, and of the sin offering, and of the trespass offering, and of the {o} consecrations, and of the sacrifice of the peace offerings;
(o) Which sacrifice was offered when the priests were consecrated, Exo 29:22.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Summary of the laws of the offerings for the priests 7:37-38
This section closes with a summary. This is a common feature of Leviticus (cf. Lev 11:46-47; Lev 13:59; Lev 14:54-57; Lev 15:32-33).
"The sacrificial law, therefore, with the five species of sacrifices which it enjoins, embraces every aspect in which Israel was to manifest its true relation to the Lord its God. Whilst the sanctification of the whole man in self-surrender to the Lord was shadowed forth in the burnt-offerings, the fruits of the sanctification in the meat-offerings, and the blessedness of the possession and enjoyment of saving grace in the peace-offerings, the expiatory sacrifices furnished the means of removing the barrier which sins and trespasses had set up between the sinner and the holy God, and procured the forgiveness of sin and guilt, so that the sinner could attain once more to the unrestricted enjoyment of the covenant grace." [Note: Keil and Delitzsch, 2:331-32.]
"Jesus said that God must be worshipped in spirit and in truth. And it has become commonplace to contrast spirit and form as if they were incompatible in worship. ’The letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life’ is a text that out of context (2Co 3:6) can be used to justify slapdash leading of services and other Christian activities. Spontaneity and lack of preparation is equated with spirituality. Leviticus 6-7 denies this: care and attention to detail are indispensable to the conduct of divine worship. God is more important, more distinguished, worthy of more respect than any man; therefore we should follow his injunctions to the letter, if we respect him." [Note: Wenham, The Book . . ., p. 128.]
The New Testament later revealed that all the Israelite sacrifices and priesthood pointed to Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and priesthood (Hebrews 5-10). Worthy subjects of further study in connection with the five offerings are (1) how Jesus Christ fulfilled each one and (2) what we can learn about our worship of God from these offerings. See the cross references on the pages of these notes dealing with chapters 1-7 for a start.