Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 7:38
Which the LORD commanded Moses in mount Sinai, in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their oblations unto the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai.
wilderness of Sinai – Compare Exo 19:1.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 38. In the wilderness of Sinai.] These laws were probably given to Moses while he was on the mount with God; the time was quite sufficient, as he was there with God not less than fourscore days in all; forty days at the giving, and forty days at the renewing of the law.
As in the course of this book the different kinds of sacrifices commanded to be offered are repeatedly occurring, I think it best, once for all, to give a general account of them, and a definition of the original terms, as well as of all others relative to this subject which are used in the Old Testament, and the reference in which they all stood to the great sacrifice offered by Christ.
1. ASHAM, TRESPASS-offering, from asham, to be guilty, or liable to punishment; for in this sacrifice the guilt was considered as being transferred to the animal offered up to God, and the offerer redeemed from the penalty of his sin, Le 7:37. Christ is said to have made his soul an offering for sin, (), Isa 53:10.
2. ISHSHEH, FIRE-offering, probably from ashash, to be grieved, angered, inflamed; either pointing out the distressing nature of sin, or its property of incensing Divine justice against the offender, who, in consequence, deserving burning for his offence, made use of this sacrifice to be freed from the punishment due to his transgression. It occurs Ex 29:18, and in many places of this book.
3. HABHABIM, ITERATED OR REPEATED offerings, from yahab, to supply. The word occurs only in Ho 8:13, and probably means no more than the continual repetition of the accustomed offerings, or continuation of each part of the sacred service.
4. ZEBACH, a SACRIFICE, (in Chaldee, debach, the zain being changed into daleth,) a creature slain in sacrifice, from zabach, to slay; hence the altar on which such sacrifices were offered was termed mizbeach, the place of sacrifice. See Clarke on Ge 8:20. Zebach is a common name for sacrifices in general.
5. CHAG, a festival, especially such as had a periodical return, from chagag, to celebrate a festival, to dance round and round in circles. See Ex 5:1; Ex 12:24. The circular dance was probably intended to point out the revolution of the heavenly bodies, and the exact return of the different seasons. See Parkhurst.
6. CHATTATH and CHATTAAH, SIN-offering, from chata, to miss the mark; it also signifies sin in general, and is a very apt term to express its nature by. A sinner is continually aiming at and seeking happiness; but as he does not seek it in God, hence the Scripture represents him as missing his aim, or missing the mark. This is precisely the meaning of the Greek word , translated sin and sin-offering in our version; and this is the term by which the Hebrew word is translated both by the Septuagint and the inspired writers of the New Testament. The sin-offering was at once an acknowledgment of guilt, in having forsaken the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns that could hold none; and also of the firm purpose of the offerer to return to God, the true and pure fountain of blessedness. This word often occurs. See Clarke on Ge 4:7; and “Ge 13:13“.
7. COPHER, the EXPIATION or ATONEMENT, from caphar, to cover, to smear over, or obliterate, or annul a contract. Used often to signify the atonement or expiation made for the pardon or cancelling of iniquity. See Clark’s note on “Ex 25:17“.
8. MOED, an APPOINTED annual festival, from yaad, to appoint or constitute, signifying such feasts as were instituted in commemoration of some great event or deliverance, such as the deliverance from Egypt. See Ex 13:10, and thus differing from the chag mentioned above. See Clarke on Ge 1:14.
9. MILLUIM, CONSECRATIONS or consecration-offerings, from mala, to fill; those offerings made in consecrations, of which the priests partook, or, in the Hebrew phrase, had their hands filled, or which had filled the hands of them that offered them. See Clarke on Ex 29:19; and see 2Ch 13:9.
10. MINCHAH, MEAT-offering, from nach, to rest, settle after toil. It generally consisted of things without life, such as green ears of corn, full ears of corn, flour, oil, and frankincense; (see on Le 2:1, c.) and may be considered as having its name from that rest from labour and toil which a man had when the fruits of the autumn were brought in, or when, in consequence of obtaining any rest, ease, c., a significant offering or sacrifice was made to God. It often occurs. See Clarke on Ge 4:3. The jealousy-offering (Nu 5:15) was a simple minchah, consisting of barley-meal only.
11. MESECH and MIMSACH, a MIXTURE-offering, or MIXED LIBATION, called a DRINK-offering, Isa 55:11, from masach, to mingle it seems in general to mean old wine mixed with the less, which made it extremely intoxicating. This offering does not appear to have had any place in the worship of the true God; but from Isa 65:11, and Pr 23:30, it seems to have been used for idolatrous purposes, such as the Bacchanalia among the Greeks and Romans, “when all got drunk in honour of the god.”
12. MASSEETH, an OBLATION, things carried to the temple to be presented to God, from nasa, to bear or carry, to bear sin; typically, Ex 28:38; Le 10:17; Le 16:21; really, Isa 53:4; Isa 53:12. The sufferings and death of Christ were the true masseeth or vicarious bearing of the sins of mankind, as the passage in Isaiah above referred to sufficiently proves. See this alluded to by the Evangelist John, Joh 1:29; and see the root in Parkhurst.
13. NEDABAH, FREE-WILL, or voluntary offering; from nadab, to be free, liberal, princely. An offering not commanded, but given as a particular proof of extraordinary gratitude to God for especial mercies, or on account of some vow or engagement voluntarily taken, Le 7:16.
14. NESECH, LIBATION, OR DRINK-offering, from nasach, to diffuse or pour out. Water or wine poured out at the conclusion or confirmation of a treaty or covenant. To this kind of offering there is frequent allusion and reference in the New Testament, as it typified the blood of Christ poured out for the sin of the world; and to this our Lord himself alludes in the institution of the holy eucharist. The whole Gospel economy is represented as a covenant or treaty between God and man, Jesus Christ being not only the mediator, but the covenant sacrifice, whose blood was poured out for the ratification and confirmation of this covenant or agreement between God and man.
15. and OLAH, BURNT-offering, from alah, to ascend, because this offering, as being wholly consumed, ascended as it were to God in smoke and vapour. It was a very expressive type of the sacrifice of Christ, as nothing less than his complete and full sacrifice could make atonement for the sin of the world. In most other offerings the priest, and often the offerer, had a share, but in the whole burnt-offering all was given to God.
16. KETORETH, INCENSE or PERFUME-offering, from katar, to burn, i. e., the frankincense, and other aromatics used as a perfume in different parts of the Divine service. To this St. Paul compares the agreeableness of the sacrifice of Christ to God, Eph 5:2: Christ hath given himself for us, an offering – to God for a SWEET-SMELLING savour. From Re 5:8 we learn that it was intended also to represent the prayers of the saints, which, offered up on the altar, Christ Jesus, that sanctifies every gift, are highly pleasing in the sight of God.
17. KORBAN, the GIFT-offering, from karab to draw nigh or approach. See this explained on Le 1:2. Korban was a general name for any kind of offering, because through these it was supposed a man had access to his Maker.
18. SHELAMIM, PEACE-offering, from shalam, to complete, make whole; for by these offerings that which was lacking was considered as being now made up, and that which was broken, viz., the covenant of God, by his creatures’ transgression, was supposed to be made whole; so that after such an offering, the sincere and conscientious mind had a right to consider that the breach was made up between God and it, and that it might lay confident hold on this covenant of peace. To this the apostle evidently alludes, Eph 2:14-19: He is our peace, (i. e. our shalam or peace-offering,) who has made both one, and broken down the middle wall; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, c. See the whole passage, and See Clarke on Ge 14:18.
19. TODAH, THANK-offering, from yadah, to confess offerings made to God with public confession of his power, goodness, mercy, c.
20. TENUPHAH, WAVE-offering, from naph, to stretch out an offering of the first-fruits stretched out before God, in acknowledgment of his providential goodness. This offering was moved from the right hand to the left. See Clarke on Ex 29:27.
21. TERUMAH, HEAVE-offering, from ram, to lift up, because the offering was lifted up towards heaven, as the wave-offering, in token of the kindness of God in granting rain and fruitful seasons, and filling the heart with food and gladness. As the wave-offering was moved from right to left, so the heave-offering was moved up and down; and in both cases this was done several times. These offerings had a blessed tendency to keep alive in the breasts of the people a due sense of their dependence on the Divine providence and bounty, and of their obligation to God for his continual and liberal supply of all their wants. See Clarke on Ex 29:27.
In the above collection are comprised, as far as I can recollect, an explanation of all the terms used in the Hebrew Scriptures which signify sacrifice, oblation, atonement, offering, &c., &c., as well as the reference they bear to the great and only sufficient atonement, sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction made by Christ Jesus for the sins of mankind. Larger accounts must be sought in authors who treat professedly on these subjects.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Which the Lord commanded Moses in Mount Sinai,…. Or “by” or “near” t Mount Sinai; for the above laws were not given to Moses when on the mount, but after the tabernacle was erected, and out of it, as appears from Le 1:1 and to which what follows agrees:
in the day that he commanded the children of Israel to offer their oblations unto the Lord in the wilderness of Sinai; where they were when the above laws were delivered to them, and which wilderness had its name from the mount near to which they now were, and where the tabernacle was pitched, from whence the Lord spoke; and so the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it,
“in the tabernacle which they made for him in the wilderness of Sinai;”
there they were ordered to offer their oblations of every sort, as before directed. It should be observed, that this is to be understood of the command given in the wilderness to offer sacrifices, but not of the sacrifices themselves then offered, which were not done while there; see Jer 7:22.
t “by the mount”; so Patrick in loc.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Lev 7:38. In mount Sinai Some would read here, by or near mount Sinai, because these laws were delivered from the tabernacle, (ch. Lev 1:1.) while the people were yet in the wilderness of Sinai: but it is very probable that they were also delivered to Moses while in the mount, together with other ordinances; and now repeated.
Note; God’s worship and service are still our indispensable duty, and God’s ministers have a right to a worthy portion; which, though they may be defrauded of by the impiety of men, they shall not fail to find in God, who will remember them for good.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
REFLECTIONS
STILL, my soul, keep thine eye steadily looking unto JESUS, and pray for the precious teachings of GOD the HOLY GHOST, whose office it is, to glorify the LORD JESUS, that he may enable thee to behold the Redeemer typified through the several parts of this Chapter. And as JESUS was and is the minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, may my heart rejoice, and participate with him, in all the sweet things of his altar. May it be my portion, LORD, to feed on thee, to live to thee, to rejoice in thee! Never may I presume to bring anything of my own to mingle with the all-sufficient sacrifice of the LORD JESUS; but desire to come, or rather to be led, by the HOLY GHOST to GOD and my FATHER, in the new and living way of JESUS’S blood, and make mention of his righteousness, even of his only. But Oh! thou LAMB of GOD! how blessed is it to see thee both the Sacrifice and the Priest. Thou hast made all thy people kings and priests to GOD and the FATHER. And as thou art our great Peace-offering: so art thou our glorious Paschal Lamb. On thee we feed. By thee we live. Through thee we are nourished and sustained, and made partakers of an everlasting life. Precious LORD! give us so to eat of thy flesh, and drink of thy blood, that we may have eternal life abiding in us! Amen.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
commanded. Subject to “If” in Lev 1:2.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
commanded: Lev 1:1, Lev 1:2
Reciprocal: Num 36:13 – the commandments Ezr 8:35 – offered burnt Jer 17:26 – bringing burnt Mal 4:4 – with
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Lev 7:38. In mount Sinai Rather, by mount Sinai; for Moses had been some time come down from the mount, and these commands were given him from the tabernacle, Lev 1:1. He and the people, however, were still in the wilderness of Sinai, or in that tract of land adjoining to the mount, which, being desert and thinly inhabited, is termed a wilderness.