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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Deuteronomy, Chapter XV].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1706)
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<!-- (Begin Body) -->
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<CENTER>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>D E U T E R O N O M Y</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XV.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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</CENTER>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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In this chapter Moses gives orders,
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I. Concerning the release of debts, every seventh year
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:1-6">ver. 1-6</A>),
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with a caution that this should be no hindrance to charitable lending,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:7-11">ver. 7-11</A>.
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II. Concerning the release of servants after seven years' service,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:12-18">ver. 12-18</A>.
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III. Concerning the sanctification of the firstlings of
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cattle to God,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:19-23">ver. 19</A>,
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&c.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="De15_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="De15_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="De15_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="De15_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="De15_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="De15_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="De15_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="De15_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="De15_9"> </A>
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<A NAME="De15_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="De15_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Year of Release.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1451.</TD></TR>
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<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
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</TABLE>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>1 At the end of <I>every</I> seven years thou shalt make a release.
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2 And this <I>is</I> the manner of the release: Every creditor that
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lendeth <I>ought</I> unto his neighbour shall release <I>it;</I> he shall
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not exact <I>it</I> of his neighbour, or of his brother; because it is
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called the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>'s release.
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3 Of a foreigner thou mayest exact <I>it again:</I> but <I>that</I> which
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is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release;
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4 Save when there shall be no poor among you; for the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>
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shall greatly bless thee in the land which the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God
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giveth thee <I>for</I> an inheritance to possess it:
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5 Only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy
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God, to observe to do all these commandments which I command thee
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this day.
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6 For the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God blesseth thee, as he promised thee: and
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thou shalt lend unto many nations, but thou shalt not borrow; and
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thou shalt reign over many nations, but they shall not reign over
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thee.
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7 If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren
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within any of thy gates in thy land which the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God giveth
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thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from
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thy poor brother:
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8 But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt
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surely lend him sufficient for his need, <I>in that</I> which he
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wanteth.
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9 Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart,
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saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and
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thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him
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nought; and he cry unto the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> against thee, and it be sin unto
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thee.
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10 Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be
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grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing
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the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all
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that thou puttest thine hand unto.
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11 For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I
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command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy
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brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here is,
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I. A law for the relief of poor debtors, such (we may suppose) as were
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insolvent. Every seventh year was a year of release, in which the
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ground rested from being tilled and servants were discharged from their
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services; and, among other acts of grace, this was one, that those who
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had borrowed money, and had not been able to pay it before, should this
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year be released from it; and though, if they were able, they were
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afterwards bound in conscience to repay it, yet thenceforth the
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creditor should never recover it by law. Many good expositors think it
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only forbids the exacting of the debt in the year of release, because,
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no harvest being gathered in that year, it could not be expected that
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men should pay their debts then, but that afterwards it might be sued
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for and recovered: so that the release did not extinguish the debt, but
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only stayed the process for a time. But others think it was a release
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of the debt for ever, and this seems more probable, yet under certain
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limitations expressed or implied. It is supposed
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:3"><I>v.</I> 3</A>)
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that the debtor was an Israelite (an alien could not take the benefit
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of this law) and that he was poor
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>),
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that he did not borrow for trade or purchase, but for the subsistence
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of his family, and that now he could not pay it without reducing
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himself to poverty and coming under a necessity of seeking relief in
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other countries, which might be his temptation to revolt from God. The
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law is not that the creditor shall not receive the debt if the debtor,
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or his friends for him, can pay it; but he shall not exact it by a
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legal process. The reasons of this law are,
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1. To put an honour upon the sabbatical year: <I>Because it is called
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the Lord's release,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
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That was Gods year for their land, as the weekly sabbath was God's day
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for themselves, their servants, and cattle; and, as by the resting of
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their ground, so by the release of their debts, God would teach them to
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depend upon his providence. This year of release typified the grace of
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the gospel, in which is proclaimed the acceptable year of the Lord, and
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by which we obtain the release of our debts, that is, the pardon of our
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sins, and we are taught to forgive injuries, as we are and hope to be
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forgiven of God.
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2. It was to prevent the falling of any Israelite into extreme poverty:
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so the margin reads
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>),
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<I>To the end there shall be no poor among you,</I> none miserably and
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scandalously poor, to the reproach of their nation and religion, the
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reputation of which they ought to preserve.
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3. God's security is here given by a divine promise that, whatever they
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lost by their poor debtors, it should be made up to them in the
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blessing of God upon all they had and did,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:4-6"><I>v.</I> 4-6</A>.
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Let them take care to do their duty, and then God would bless them with
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such great increase that what they might lose by bad debts, if they
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generously remitted them, should not be missed out of their stock at
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the year's end. Not only, <I>the Lord shall bless thee</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>),
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but he <I>doth bless thee,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>.
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It is altogether inexcusable if, though God had given us abundance, so
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that we have not only enough but to spare, yet we are rigorous and
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server in our demands from our poor brethren; for our abundance should
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be the supply of their wants, that at least there may not be such an
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inequality as is between two extremes,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Co+8:14">2 Cor. viii. 14</A>.
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They must also consider that their land was God's gift to them, that
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all their increase was the fruit of God's blessing upon them, and
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therefore they were bound in duty to him to use and dispose of their
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estates as he should order and direct them. And, <I>lastly,</I> If they
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would remit what little sums they had lent to their poor brethren, it
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is promised that they should be able to lend great sums to their rich
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neighbours, <I>even to many nations</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>),
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and should be enriched by those loans. Thus the nations should become
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subject to them, and dependent on them, as <I>the borrower is servant
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to the lender,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Pr+22:7">Prov. xxii. 7</A>.
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To be able to lend, and not to have need to borrow, we must look upon
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as a great mercy, and a good reason why we should do good with what we
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have, lest we provoke God to turn the scales.</P>
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<P>
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II. Here is a law in favour of poor borrowers, that they might not
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suffer damage by the former law. Men would be apt to argue, <I>If the
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case of a man be so with his debtor</I> that if the debt be not paid
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before the year of release it shall be lost, it were better not to
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lend. "No," says this branch of the statute, "thou shalt not think such
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a thought."
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1. It is taken for granted that there would be poor among them, who
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would have occasion to borrow
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>),
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and that there would never cease to be some such objects of charity
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>),
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and that there would never cease to be some such objects of charity
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>):
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<I>The poor shall never cease out of thy land,</I> though not such as
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were reduced to extreme poverty, yet such as would be behind-hand, and
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would have occasion to borrow; of such poor he here speaks, and such we
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have always with us, so that a charitable disposition may soon find a
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charitable occasion.
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2. In such a case we are here commanded to lend or give, according to
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our ability and the necessity of the case: <I>Thou shalt not harden thy
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heart, nor shut thy hand,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>.
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If the hand be shut, it is a sign the heart is hardened; for, <I>if the
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clouds were full of rain, they would empty themselves,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ec+11:3">Eccl. xi. 3</A>.
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Bowels of compassion would produce liberal distributions,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jam+2:15,16">Jam. ii. 15, 16</A>.
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Thou shalt not only stretch out thy hand to him to reach him something,
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but thou shalt <I>open thy hand wide unto him,</I> to <I>lend him
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sufficient,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>.
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Sometimes there is as much charity in prudent lending as in giving, as
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it obliges the borrower to industry and honesty and may put him into a
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way of helping himself. We are sometimes tempted to think, when an
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object of charity presents itself, we may choose whether we will give
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any thing or nothing, little or much; whereas it is here an express
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precept
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>),
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<I>I command thee,</I> not only to give, but to <I>open thy hand
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wide,</I> to give liberally.
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3. Here is a caveat against that objection which might arise against
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charitable lending from the foregoing law for the release of debts
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>):
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<I>Beware that there be not a thought,</I> a covetous ill-natured
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thought, <I>in thy Belial heart, "The year of release is at hand,</I>
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and therefore I will not lend what I must then be sure to lose;" lest
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thy poor brother, whom thou refusest to lend to, complain to God, and
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it will be a sin, a great sin, to thee. Note,
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(1.) The law is spiritual and lays a restraint upon the thoughts of the
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heart. We mistake if we think thoughts are free from the divine
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cognizance and check.
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(2.) That is a wicked heart indeed that raises evil thoughts from the
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good law of God, as theirs did who, because God had obliged them to the
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charity of forgiving, denied the charity of giving.
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(3.) We must carefully watch against all those secret suggestions which
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would divert us from our duty or discourage us in it. Those that would
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keep from the act of sin must keep out of their minds the very thought
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of sin.
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(4.) When we have an occasion of charitable lending, if we cannot trust
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the borrower, we must trust God, and lend, hoping for nothing again in
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this world, but expecting it will be recompensed in the resurrection of
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the just,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Lu+6:35,14:14">Luke vi. 35; xiv. 14</A>.
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(5.) It is a dreadful thing to have the cry of the poor against us, for
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God has his ear open to that cry, and, in compassion to them, will be
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sue to reckon with those that deal hardly with them.
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(6.) That which we think is our prudence often proves sin to us; he
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that refused to lend because the year of release was at hand thought he
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did wisely, and that men would <I>praise him as doing well for
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himself,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+49:18">Ps. xlix. 18</A>.
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But he is here told that he did wickedly, and that God would condemn
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him as doing ill to his brother; and we are sure that the <I>judgment
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of God is according to truth,</I> and that what he says is sin to us
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will certainly be ruin to us if it be not repented of.</P>
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<P>
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III. Here is a command to give cheerfully whatever we give in charity:
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"<I>Thy heart shall not be grieved when thou givest,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>.
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Be not loth to part with thy money on so good an account, nor think it
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lost; grudge not a kindness to they brother; and distrust not the
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providence of God, as if thou shouldest want that thyself which thou
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givest in charity; but, on the contrary, let it be a pleasure and a
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satisfaction of soul to thee to think that thou art honouring God with
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thy substance, doing good, making thy brother easy, and laying up for
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thyself a good security for the time to come. What thou doest do
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freely, for God <I>loves a cheerful giver,</I>"
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Co+9:7">2 Cor. ix. 7</A>.</P>
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<P>
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IV. Here is a promise of a recompence in this life: "<I>For this thing
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the Lord thy God shall bless thee.</I>" Covetous people say "Giving
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undoes us;" no, giving cheerfully in charity will enrich us, it will
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<I>fill the barns with plenty</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Pr+3:10">Prov. iii. 10</A>)
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and the soul with true comfort,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+58:10,11">Isa. lviii. 10, 11</A>.</P>
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<A NAME="De15_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="De15_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="De15_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="De15_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="De15_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="De15_17"> </A>
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<A NAME="De15_18"> </A>
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<P>
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<FONT SIZE=+1>
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12 <I>And</I> if thy brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, be
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|
sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh
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year thou shalt let him go free from thee.
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13 And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not
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let him go away empty:
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14 Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out
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of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: <I>of that</I> wherewith the
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L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.
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15 And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land
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|
of Egypt, and the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God redeemed thee: therefore I command
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|
thee this thing to day.
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16 And it shall be, if he say unto thee, I will not go away
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from thee; because he loveth thee and thine house, because he is
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well with thee;
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|
17 Then thou shalt take an awl, and thrust <I>it</I> through his ear
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|
unto the door, and he shall be thy servant for ever. And also
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|
unto thy maidservant thou shalt do likewise.
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18 It shall not seem hard unto thee, when thou sendest him away
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free from thee; for he hath been worth a double hired servant <I>to
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thee,</I> in serving thee six years: and the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God shall
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bless thee in all that thou doest.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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Here is,
|
|
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I. A repetition of the law that had been given concerning Hebrew
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servants who had sold themselves for servants, or were sold by their
|
|
parents through extreme poverty, or were sold by the court of judgment
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|
for some crime committed. The law was,
|
|
|
|
1. That they should serve but six years, and in the seventh should go
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out free,
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|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>.
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Compare
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+21:2">Exod. xxi. 2</A>.
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And, if the year of jubilee happened before they served out their time,
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|
that would be their discharge. God's Israel were a free people, and
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|
must not be compelled to perpetual slavery; thus are God's spiritual
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|
Israel called unto liberty.
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|
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|
2. That if, when their six years' service had expired, they had no mind
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|
to go out free, but would rather continue in service, as having less
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care, though taking more pains, than their masters, in this case they
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must lay themselves under an obligation to serve for ever, that is, for
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life, by having <I>their ears bored to the door-posts,</I>
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|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:16,17"><I>v.</I> 16, 17</A>.
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Compare
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|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+21:6">Exod. xxi. 6</A>.
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If hereby a man disgraced himself with some, as of a mean and servile
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|
spirit, that had not a due sense of the honour and pleasure of liberty,
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|
yet, we may suppose, with others he got reputation, as of a quiet
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|
contented spirit, humble, and diligent, and loving, and not <I>given to
|
|
change.</I></P>
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<P>
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|
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II. Here is an addition to this law, requiring them to put some small
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stock into their servants' hands to set up with for themselves, when
|
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they sent them out of their service,
|
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|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:13,14"><I>v.</I> 13, 14</A>.
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It was to be supposed that they had nothing of their own, and that
|
|
their friends had little or nothing for them, else they else they would
|
|
have been redeemed before they were discharged by law; they had no
|
|
wages for their service, and all they got by their labour was their
|
|
masters', so that their liberty would do them little good, having
|
|
nothing to begin the world with; therefore their masters are here
|
|
commanded to furnish them liberally with corn and cattle. No certain
|
|
measure is prescribed: that is left to the generosity of the master,
|
|
who probably would have respect to the servant's merit and necessity;
|
|
but the Jewish writers say, "He could not give less than the value of
|
|
thirty shekels of silver, but as much more as he pleased" The
|
|
maid-servants, though they were not to have their ears bored if they
|
|
were disposed to stay, yet, if they went out free, they were to have a
|
|
gratuity given them; for to this those words refer, <I>Unto thy
|
|
maid-servant thou shalt do likewise,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:17"><I>v.</I> 17</A>.
|
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|
|
The reasons for this are taken from the law of gratitude. They must do
|
|
it,
|
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|
1. In gratitude to God, who had not only brought them out of Egypt
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>),
|
|
|
|
but brought them out greatly enriched with the spoils of the Egyptians.
|
|
Let them not send their servants out empty, for they were not sent
|
|
empty out of the house of bondage. God's tender care of us and kindness
|
|
to us oblige us to be careful of, and kind to, those that have a
|
|
dependence upon us. Thus we must <I>render according to the benefit
|
|
done unto us.</I>
|
|
|
|
2. In gratitude to their servants,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:18"><I>v.</I> 18</A>.
|
|
|
|
"Grudge not to give him a little out of thy abundance, for <I>he has
|
|
been worth a double hired servant unto thee.</I> The days of the
|
|
hireling at most were but three years
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+16:14">Isa. xvi. 14</A>),
|
|
|
|
but he has served thee six years, and, unlike the hired servant,
|
|
without any wages." Masters and landlords ought to consider what need
|
|
they have of, and what ease and advantage they have by, their servants
|
|
and tenants, and should not only be just but kind to them. To these
|
|
reasons it is added, as before in this chapter
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:4,6,10"><I>v.</I> 4, 6, 10</A>),
|
|
|
|
<I>The Lord they God shall bless thee.</I> Then we may expect family
|
|
blessings, the springs of family-prosperity, when we make conscience of
|
|
our duty to our family-relations.</P>
|
|
|
|
<A NAME="De15_19"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="De15_20"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="De15_21"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="De15_22"> </A>
|
|
<A NAME="De15_23"> </A>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
<FONT SIZE=+1>19 All the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy
|
|
flock thou shalt sanctify unto the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God: thou shalt do no
|
|
work with the firstling of thy bullock, nor shear the firstling
|
|
of thy sheep.
|
|
20 Thou shalt eat <I>it</I> before the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God year by year in
|
|
the place which the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> shall choose, thou and thy household.
|
|
21 And if there be <I>any</I> blemish therein, <I>as if it be</I> lame,
|
|
or blind, <I>or have</I> any ill blemish, thou shalt not sacrifice it
|
|
unto the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> thy God.
|
|
22 Thou shalt eat it within thy gates: the unclean and the
|
|
clean <I>person shall eat it</I> alike, as the roebuck, and as the
|
|
hart.
|
|
23 Only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof; thou shalt pour
|
|
it upon the ground as water.
|
|
</FONT></P>
|
|
|
|
<P>
|
|
|
|
Here is,
|
|
|
|
1. A repetition of the law concerning the firstlings of their cattle,
|
|
that, if they were males, they were to be <I>sanctified to the Lord</I>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>),
|
|
|
|
in remembrance of, and in thankfulness for, the sparing of the
|
|
first-born of Israel, when the first-born of the Egyptians, both of man
|
|
and beast, were slain by the destroying angel
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+13:2,15">Exod. xiii. 2, 15</A>);
|
|
|
|
on the eighth day it was to be given to God (
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+22:30">Exod. xxii. 30</A>),
|
|
|
|
and to be divided between the priest and the altar,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+18:17,18">Num. xviii. 17, 18</A>.
|
|
|
|
2. An addition to that law, for the further explication of it,
|
|
directing them what to do with the firstlings,
|
|
|
|
(1.) That were females: "Thou shalt <I>do no work with the</I> female
|
|
<I>firstlings of the cow,</I> nor shear those of the sheep"
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>);
|
|
|
|
of them the learned bishop Patrick understands it. Though the female
|
|
firstlings were not so entirely sanctified to God as the males, nor so
|
|
early as at eight days old, yet they were not to be converted by the
|
|
owners to their own use as the other cattle, but must be offered to God
|
|
as peace-offerings, or used in a religious feast, at the year's end,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:20"><I>v.</I> 20</A>.
|
|
|
|
<I>Thou shalt eat it before the Lord thy God,</I> as directed
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+12:18"><I>ch.</I> xii. 18</A>.
|
|
|
|
(2.) But what must they do with that which was blemished,
|
|
ill-blemished?
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:21"><I>v.</I> 21</A>.
|
|
|
|
Were it male or female, it must not be brought near the sanctuary, nor
|
|
used either for sacrifice or for holy feasting, for it would not be fit
|
|
to honour God with, nor to typify Christ, who is a <I>Lamb without
|
|
blemish;</I> yet it must not be reared, but killed and eaten at their
|
|
own houses as common food
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:22"><I>v.</I> 22</A>),
|
|
|
|
only they must be sure <I>not to eat it with the blood,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+15:23"><I>v.</I> 23</A>.
|
|
|
|
The frequent repetition of this caution intimates what need the people
|
|
had of it, and what stress God laid upon it. What a mercy it is that we
|
|
are not under this yoke! We are not dieted as they were; we make no
|
|
difference between a first calf, or lamb, and the rest that follow. Let
|
|
us therefore realize the gospel meaning of this law, devoting ourselves
|
|
and the first of our time and strength to God, as a kind of
|
|
first-fruits of his creatures, and using all our comforts and
|
|
enjoyments to his praise and under the direction of his law, as we have
|
|
them all by his gift.</P>
|
|
|
|
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