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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Leviticus, Chapter XVII].</TITLE>
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<center><h1>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary
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on the Whole Bible</h1></center>
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[<A HREF="MHC00000.HTM">Table of Contents</A>]<BR>
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<TD ALIGN="RIGHT" VALIGN="TOP">
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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>L E V I T C U S</B></FONT>
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<BR>
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<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XVII.</FONT>
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<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
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<FONT SIZE=-1>
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<P>
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After the law concerning the atonement to be made for all Israel by the
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high priest, at the tabernacle, with the blood of bulls and goats, in
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this chapter we have two prohibitions necessary for the preservation of
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the honour of that atonement.
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I. That no sacrifice should be offered by any other than the priests,
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nor any where but at the door of the tabernacle, and this upon pain of
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death,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+17:1-9">ver. 1-9</A>.
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II. That no blood should be eaten, and this under the same penalty,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+17:10-16">ver. 10</A>,
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&c.</P>
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</FONT>
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<A NAME="Le17_1"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le17_2"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le17_3"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le17_4"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le17_5"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le17_6"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le17_7"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le17_8"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le17_9"> </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>Directions Concerning Sacrifices.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1490.</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 And the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> spake unto Moses, saying,
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2 Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons, and unto all the
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children of Israel, and say unto them; This <I>is</I> the thing which
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the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> hath commanded, saying,
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3 What man soever <I>there be</I> of the house of Israel, that
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killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, in the camp, or that killeth
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<I>it</I> out of the camp,
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4 And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the
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congregation, to offer an offering unto the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> before the
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tabernacle of the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>; blood shall be imputed unto that man; he
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hath shed blood; and that man shall be cut off from among his
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people:
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5 To the end that the children of Israel may bring their
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sacrifices, which they offer in the open field, even that they
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may bring them unto the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, unto the door of the tabernacle of
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the congregation, unto the priest, and offer them <I>for</I> peace
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offerings unto the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>.
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6 And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the
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L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> <I>at</I> the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and
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burn the fat for a sweet savour unto the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>.
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7 And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils,
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after whom they have gone a whoring. This shall be a statute for
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ever unto them throughout their generations.
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8 And thou shalt say unto them, Whatsoever man <I>there be</I> of
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the house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you,
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that offereth a burnt offering or sacrifice,
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9 And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the
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congregation, to offer it unto the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>; even that man shall be
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cut off from among his people.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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This statute obliged all the people of Israel to bring all their
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sacrifices to God's altar, to be offered there. And as to this matter
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we must consider,</P>
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<P>
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I. How it stood before.
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1. It was allowed to all people to build altars, and offer sacrifices
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to God, where they pleased. Wherever Abraham had a tent he built an
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altar, and every master of a family was a priest to his own family, as
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+1:5">Job i. 5</A>.
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2. This liberty had been an occasion of idolatry. When every man was
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his own priest, and had an altar of his own, by degrees, as they became
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vain in their imaginations, they invented gods of their own, <I>and
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offered their sacrifices unto demons,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+17:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>.
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The word signifies <I>rough</I> or <I>hairy goats,</I> because it is
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probable that in the shape the evil spirits often appeared to them, to
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invite their sacrifices and to signify their acceptance of them. For
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the devil, ever since he became a revolter from God and a rebel against
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him, has set up for a rival with him, and coveted to have divine
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honours paid him: he had the impudence to solicit our blessed Saviour
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to <I>fall down and worship him.</I> The Israelites themselves had
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learned in Egypt to sacrifice to demons. And some of them, it should
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seem, practised it even since the God of Israel had so gloriously
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appeared for them, and with them. They are said to <I>go a whoring
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after</I> these demons; for it was such a breach of their covenant with
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God as adultery is of the marriage covenant: and they were as strongly
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addicted to their idolatrous worships, and as hard to be reclaimed from
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them, as those that have given themselves over to fornication, to
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<I>work all uncleanness with greediness;</I> and therefore it is with
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reference to this that God calls himself <I>a jealous God.</I></P>
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<P>
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II. How this law settled it.
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1. Some think that the children of Israel were by this law forbidden,
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while they were in the wilderness, to kill any beef, or mutton, or
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veal, or lamb, or goat, even for their common eating, but at the
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<I>door of the tabernacle,</I> where the blood and the fat were to be
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offered to God upon the altar, and the flesh to be returned back to the
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offerer to be eaten as a peace-offering, according to the law. And the
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statute is so worded
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+17:3,4"><I>v.</I> 3, 4</A>)
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as to favour this opinion, for it speaks generally of killing any ox,
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or lamb, or goat. The learned Dr. Cudworth puts this sense upon it,
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and thinks that while they had their tabernacle so near them in the
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midst of their camp they ate no flesh but what had first been offered
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to God, but that when they were entering Canaan this constitution was
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altered
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=De+12:21">Deut. xii. 21</A>),
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and they were allowed to kill their beasts of the flock and herd at
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home, as well as the roebuck and the hart; only thrice a year they were
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to see God at his tabernacle, and to eat and drink before him there.
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And it is probable that in the wilderness they did not eat much flesh
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but that of their peace-offerings, preserving what cattle they had, for
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breed, against they came to Canaan; therefore they murmured for flesh,
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being weary of manna; and Moses on that occasion speaks as if they were
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very sparing of the <I>flocks and the herds,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Nu+11:4,22">Num. xi. 4, 22</A>.
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Yet it is hard to construe this as a temporary law, when it is
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expressly said to be a <I>statute for ever</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+17:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>);
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and therefore,
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2. It should seem rather to forbid only the killing of beasts for
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sacrifice any where but at God's altar. They must not offer sacrifice,
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as they had done, <I>in the open field</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+17:5"><I>v.</I> 5</A>),
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no, not to the true God, but it must be brought to the priest, to be
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offered on the altar of the Lord: and the solemnity they had lately
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witnessed, of consecrating both the priests and the altar, would serve
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for a good reason why they should confine themselves to both these that
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God had so signally appointed and owned. This law obliged not only the
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Israelites themselves, but the proselytes or strangers that were
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circumcised and sojourned among them, who were in danger of retaining
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an affection to their old ways of worship. If any should transgress
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this law, and offer sacrifice any where but at the tabernacle,
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(1.) The guilt was great: <I>Blood shall be imputed to that man; he
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hath shed blood,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+17:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>.
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Though it was but a beast he had killed, yet, killing it otherwise than
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God had appointed, he was looked upon as a murderer. It is by the
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divine grant that we have the liberty to kill the inferior creatures,
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to the benefit of which we are not entitled, unless we submit to the
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limitations of it, which are that it be not done either with cruelty or
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with superstition,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+9:3,4">Gen. ix. 3, 4</A>.
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Nor was there ever any greater abuse done to the inferior creatures
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than when they were made either false gods or sacrifices to false gods,
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to which the apostle perhaps has special reference when he speaks of
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the vanity and bondage of corruption to which the creature was made
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subject,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ro+8:20,21">Rom. viii. 20, 21</A>,
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and compare
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+1:23,25"><I>ch.</I> i. 23, 25</A>.
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Idolatrous sacrifices were looked upon, not only as adultery, but as
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murder: he that <I>offereth them is as if he slew a man,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+66:3">Isa. lxvi. 3</A>.
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(2.) The punishment should be severe: <I>That man shall be cut off from
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among his people.</I> Either the magistrate must do it if it were
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manifest and notorious, or, if not, God would take the work into his
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own hands, and the offender should be cut off by some immediate stroke
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of divine justice. The reasons why God thus strictly ordered all their
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sacrifices to be offered at one place were,
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[1.] For the preventing of idolatry and superstition. That sacrifices
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might be offered to God, and according to the rule, and without
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innovations, they must always be offered by the hands of the priests,
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who were servants in God's house, and under the eye of the high priest,
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who was ruler of the house, and took care to see every thing done
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according to God's ordinance.
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[2.] For the securing of the honour of God's temple and altar, the
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peculiar dignity of which would be endangered if they might offer their
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sacrifices any where else as well as there.
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[3.] For the preserving of unity and brotherly love among the
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Israelites, that meeting all at one altar, as all the children of the
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family meet daily at one table, they might live and love as brethren,
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and be as one man, of one mind in the Lord.</P>
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<P>
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III. How this law was observed.
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1. While the Israelites kept their integrity they had a tender and very
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jealous regard to this law, as appears by their zeal against the altar
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which was erected by the two tribes and a half, which they would by no
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means have left standing if they had not been satisfied that it was
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never designed, nor should ever be used, for sacrifice or offering,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jos+22:12">Josh. xxii. 12</A>, &c.
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2. The breach of this law was for many ages the scandalous and
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incurable corruption of the Jewish church, witness that complaint which
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so often occurs in the history even of the good kings, <I>Howbeit the
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high places were not taken away;</I> and it was an inlet to the
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grossest idolatries.
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3. Yet this law was, in extraordinary cases, dispensed with. Gideon's
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sacrifice
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jdg+6:26">Judg. vi. 26</A>),
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Manoah's
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Jdg+13:19">Judg. xiii. 19</A>),
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Samuel's
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+7:9,9:13,11:15">1 Sam. vii. 9; ix. 13; xi. 15</A>),
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David's
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=2Sa+24:18">2 Sam. xxiv. 18</A>),
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and Elijah's
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+18:23">1 Kings xviii. 23</A>),
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were accepted, though not offered at the usual place: but these were
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all either ordered by angels or offered by prophets; and some think
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that after the desolation of Shiloh, and before the building of the
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temple, while the ark and altar were unsettled, it was more allowable
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to offer sacrifice elsewhere.</P>
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<P>
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IV. How the matter stands now, and what use we are to make of this law.
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1. It is certain that the spiritual sacrifices we are now to offer are
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not confined to any one place. Our Saviour has made this clear
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Joh+4:21">John iv. 21</A>),
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and the apostle
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ti+2:8">1 Tim. ii. 8</A>),
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according to the prophecy, that <I>in every place incense should be
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offered,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Mal+1:11">Mal. i. 11</A>.
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We have now no temple nor altar that sanctifies the gift, nor does the
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gospel unity lie in one place, but in one heart, and the <I>unity of
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the spirit.</I>
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2. Christ is our altar, and the <I>true tabernacle</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+8:2,13:10">Heb. viii. 2; xiii. 10</A>);
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in him God dwells among us, and it is in him that our sacrifices are
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acceptable to God, and in him only,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Pe+2:5">1 Pet. ii. 5</A>.
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To set up other mediators, or other altars, or other expiatory
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sacrifices, is, in effect, to set up other gods. He is the centre of
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unity, in whom all God's Israel meet.
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3. Yet we are to have respect to the public worship of God, not
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<I>forsaking the assemblies of</I> his people,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+10:25">Heb. x. 25</A>.
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The Lord loves <I>the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of
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Jacob,</I> and so should we; see
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Eze+20:40">Ezek. xx. 40</A>.
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Though God will graciously accept our family offerings, we must not
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therefore neglect the door of the tabernacle.</P>
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<A NAME="Le17_10"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le17_11"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le17_12"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le17_13"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le17_14"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le17_15"> </A>
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<A NAME="Le17_16"> </A>
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<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
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<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
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<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>The Eating of Blood Forbidden.</I></FONT></TD>
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<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1490.</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>10 And whatsoever man <I>there be</I> of the house of Israel, or of
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the strangers that sojourn among you, that eateth any manner of
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blood; I will even set my face against that soul that eateth
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blood, and will cut him off from among his people.
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11 For the life of the flesh <I>is</I> in the blood: and I have
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given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your
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souls: for it <I>is</I> the blood <I>that</I> maketh an atonement for the
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soul.
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12 Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you
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shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among
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you eat blood.
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13 And whatsoever man <I>there be</I> of the children of Israel, or
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of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and
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catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour
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out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.
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14 For <I>it is</I> the life of all flesh; the blood of it <I>is</I> for
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the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel,
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Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all
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flesh <I>is</I> the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut
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off.
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15 And every soul that eateth that which died <I>of itself,</I> or
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that which was torn <I>with beasts, whether it be</I> one of your own
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country, or a stranger, he shall both wash his clothes, and bathe
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<I>himself</I> in water, and be unclean until the even: then shall he
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be clean.
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16 But if he wash <I>them</I> not, nor bathe his flesh; then he
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shall bear his iniquity.
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</FONT></P>
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<P>
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We have here,
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I. A repetition and confirmation of the law against eating blood. We
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have met with this prohibition twice before in the levitical law
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+3:17,7:26"><I>ch.</I> iii. 17; vii. 26</A>),
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besides the place it had in the precepts of Noah,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+9:4">Gen. ix. 4</A>.
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But here,
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1. The prohibition is repeated again and again, and reference had to
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the former laws to this purport
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+17:12"><I>v.</I> 12</A>):
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<I>I said to the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat
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blood;</I> and again
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+17:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>),
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<I>You shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh.</I> A great stress is
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|
laid upon it, as a law which has more in it than at first view one
|
|
would think.
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2. It is made binding, not only on the <I>house of Israel,</I> but on
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<I>the strangers that sojourned among them</I>
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+17:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>),
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which perhaps was one reason why it was thought advisable, for a time,
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to forbid blood to the Gentile converts,
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ac+15:29">Acts xv. 29</A>.
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3. The penalty annexed to this law is very severe
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+17:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>):
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<I>I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood,</I> if
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he do it presumptuously, and <I>will cut him off;</I> and again
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+17:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>),
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<I>He shall be cut off.</I> Note, God's wrath will be the sinner's
|
|
ruin. Write that man undone, for ever undone, against whom God sets his
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|
face; for what creature is able to confront the Creator?
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4. A reason is given for this law
|
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(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+17:11"><I>v.</I> 11</A>):
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because <I>it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul;</I> and
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<I>therefore</I> it was appointed to make atonement with, because
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|
<I>the life of the flesh is the blood.</I> The sinner deserved to die;
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|
therefore the sacrifice must die. Now, the blood being so the life that
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|
ordinarily beasts were killed for man's use by the drawing out of all
|
|
their blood, God appointed the sprinkling or pouring out of the blood
|
|
of the sacrifice upon the altar to signify that the life of the
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|
sacrifice was given to God instead of the sinner's life, and as a
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|
ransom or counter-price for it; therefore <I>without shedding of blood
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there was no remission,</I>
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<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+9:22">Heb. ix. 22</A>.
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For this reason they must eat no blood, and,
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(1.) It was then a very good reason; for God would by this means
|
|
preserve the honour of that way of atonement which he had instituted,
|
|
and keep up in the minds of the people a reverent regard to it. The
|
|
blood of the covenant being then a sensible object, no blood must be
|
|
either eaten or trodden under foot as a common thing, as they must have
|
|
no ointment nor perfume like that which God ordered them to make for
|
|
himself. But,
|
|
|
|
(2.) This reason is now superseded, which intimates that the law itself
|
|
was ceremonial, and is now no longer in force: the blood of Christ who
|
|
has come (and we are to look for no other) is that alone which makes
|
|
atonement for the soul, and of which the blood of the sacrifices was an
|
|
imperfect type: the coming of the substance supersedes the shadow. The
|
|
blood of beasts is no longer the ransom, but Christ's blood only; and
|
|
therefore there is not now that reason for abstaining from blood which
|
|
there was then, and we cannot suppose it was the will of God that the
|
|
law should survive the reason of it. The blood, provided it be so
|
|
prepared as not to be unwholesome, is now allowed for the nourishment
|
|
of our bodies, because it is no longer appointed to make an atonement
|
|
for the soul.
|
|
|
|
(3.) Yet it has still useful significancy. The life is in the blood; it
|
|
is the vehicle of the animal spirits, and God would have his people to
|
|
regard the life even of their beasts, and not to be cruel and
|
|
hard-hearted, not to take delight in any thing that is barbarous. They
|
|
must not be a blood-thirsty people. The blood then made atonement
|
|
figuratively, now the blood of Christ makes atonement really and
|
|
effectually; to this therefore we must have a reverent regard, and not
|
|
use it as <I>a common thing,</I> for he will set his face against those
|
|
that do so, and they shall be cut off,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Heb+10:29">Heb. x. 29</A>.</P>
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|
<P>
|
|
|
|
II. Some other precepts are here given as appendages to this law, and
|
|
hedges about it,
|
|
|
|
1. They must cover the blood of that which they <I>took in hunting,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+17:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>.
|
|
|
|
They must not only not eat it, but must give it a decent burial, in
|
|
token of some mystery which they must believe lay hidden in this
|
|
constitution. The Jews look upon this as a very weighty precept and
|
|
appoint that the blood should be covered with these words, <I>Blessed
|
|
be he that hath sanctified us by his precepts, and commanded us to
|
|
cover blood.</I>
|
|
|
|
2. They must not eat that which <I>died of itself</I> or was <I>torn of
|
|
beasts</I>
|
|
|
|
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+17:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>),
|
|
|
|
for the blood was either not at all, or not regularly, drawn out of
|
|
them. God would have them to be curious in their diet, not with the
|
|
curiosity that gratifies the sensual appetite, but with that which
|
|
checks and restrains it. God would not have his children to eat every
|
|
thing that came in their way with greediness, but to consider
|
|
diligently what was before them, that they might learn in other things
|
|
to ask questions for conscience' sake. Those that <I>flew upon the
|
|
spoiled</I> sinned,
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+14:32,33">1 Sam. xiv. 32, 33</A>.
|
|
|
|
If a man did, through ignorance or inconsideration, eat the flesh of
|
|
any beast not duly slain, he must <I>wash himself and his clothes,</I>
|
|
else he <I>bore his iniquity,</I>
|
|
|
|
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Le+17:15,16"><I>v.</I> 15, 16</A>.
|
|
|
|
The pollution was ceremonial, so was the purification from it; but if a
|
|
man slighted the prescribed method of cleansing, or would not submit,
|
|
he thereby contracted moral guilt. See the nature of a remedial law: he
|
|
that obeys it has the benefit of it; he that does not, not only remains
|
|
under his former guilt, but adds to that guilt of contemning the
|
|
provisions made by divine grace for his relief, and sins against the
|
|
remedy.</P>
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