mh_parser/vol_split/3 - Leviticus/Chapter 5.xml

<div2 id="Lev.vi" n="vi" next="Lev.vii" prev="Lev.v" progress="52.31%" title="Chapter V">
<h2 id="Lev.vi-p0.1">L E V I T I C U S</h2>
<h3 id="Lev.vi-p0.2">CHAP. V.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Lev.vi-p1">This chapter, and part of the next, concern the
trespass-offering. The difference between this and the sin-offering
lay not so much in the sacrifices themselves, and the management of
them, as in the occasions of the offering of them. They were both
intended to make atonement for sin; but the former was more
general, this applied to some particular instances. Observe what is
here said, I. Concerning the trespass. If a man sin, 1. In
concealing his knowledge, when he is adjured, <scripRef id="Lev.vi-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.1" parsed="|Lev|5|1|0|0" passage="Le 5:1">ver. 1</scripRef>. 2. In touching an unclean thing,
<scripRef id="Lev.vi-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.2-Lev.5.3" parsed="|Lev|5|2|5|3" passage="Le 5:2,3">ver. 2, 3</scripRef>. 3. In swearing,
<scripRef id="Lev.vi-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.4" parsed="|Lev|5|4|0|0" passage="Le 5:4">ver. 4</scripRef>. 4. In embezzling the
holy things, <scripRef id="Lev.vi-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.14-Lev.5.16" parsed="|Lev|5|14|5|16" passage="Le 5:14-16">ver. 14-16</scripRef>.
5. In any sin of infirmity, <scripRef id="Lev.vi-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.17-Lev.5.19" parsed="|Lev|5|17|5|19" passage="Le 5:17-19">ver.
17-19</scripRef>. Some other cases there are, in which these
offerings were to be offered, <scripRef id="Lev.vi-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Lev.6.2-Lev.6.4 Bible:Lev.14.12 Bible:Lev.19.21 Bible:Num.6.12" parsed="|Lev|6|2|6|4;|Lev|14|12|0|0;|Lev|19|21|0|0;|Num|6|12|0|0" passage="Le 6:2-4,14:12,19:21,Nu 6:12"><i>ch.</i> vi. 2-4; xiv. 12; xix.
21; Num. vi. 12</scripRef>. II. Concerning the trespass-offerings,
1. Of the flock, <scripRef id="Lev.vi-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.5-Lev.5.6" parsed="|Lev|5|5|5|6" passage="Le 5:5,6">ver. 5, 6</scripRef>.
2. Of fowls, <scripRef id="Lev.vi-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.7-Lev.5.10" parsed="|Lev|5|7|5|10" passage="Le 5:7-10">ver. 7-10</scripRef>. 3.
Of flour, <scripRef id="Lev.vi-p1.9" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.11-Lev.5.13" parsed="|Lev|5|11|5|13" passage="Le 5:11-13">ver. 11-13</scripRef>; but
chiefly a ram without blemish, <scripRef id="Lev.vi-p1.10" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.15" parsed="|Lev|5|15|0|0" passage="Le 5:15">ver.
15</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom id="Lev.vi-p1.11" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5" parsed="|Lev|5|0|0|0" passage="Le 5" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Lev.vi-p1.12" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.1-Lev.5.6" parsed="|Lev|5|1|5|6" passage="Le 5:1-6" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.5.1-Lev.5.6">
<h4 id="Lev.vi-p1.13">Law of the Sin-Offering. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vi-p1.14">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.vi-p2">1 And if a soul sin, and hear the voice of
swearing, and <i>is</i> a witness, whether he hath seen or known
<i>of it;</i> if he do not utter <i>it,</i> then he shall bear his
iniquity.   2 Or if a soul touch any unclean thing, whether
<i>it be</i> a carcase of an unclean beast, or a carcase of unclean
cattle, or the carcase of unclean creeping things, and <i>if</i> it
be hidden from him; he also shall be unclean, and guilty.   3
Or if he touch the uncleanness of man, whatsoever uncleanness <i>it
be</i> that a man shall be defiled withal, and it be hid from him;
when he knoweth <i>of it,</i> then he shall be guilty.   4 Or
if a soul swear, pronouncing with <i>his</i> lips to do evil, or to
do good, whatsoever <i>it be</i> that a man shall pronounce with an
oath, and it be hid from him; when he knoweth <i>of it,</i> then he
shall be guilty in one of these.   5 And it shall be, when he
shall be guilty in one of these <i>things,</i> that he shall
confess that he hath sinned in that <i>thing:</i>   6 And he
shall bring his trespass offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vi-p2.1">Lord</span> for his sin which he hath sinned, a female
from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats, for a sin offering;
and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his
sin.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vi-p3">I. The offences here supposed are, 1. A
man's concealing the truth when he was sworn as a witness to speak
the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Judges among
the Jews had power to adjure not only the witnesses, as with us,
but the person suspected (contrary to a rule of our law, that no
man is bound to accuse himself), as appears by the high priest
adjuring our Saviour, who thereupon answered, though before he
stood silent, <scripRef id="Lev.vi-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Matt.26.63-Matt.26.64" parsed="|Matt|26|63|26|64" passage="Mt 26:63,64">Matt. xxvi. 63,
64</scripRef>. Now (<scripRef id="Lev.vi-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.1" parsed="|Lev|5|1|0|0" passage="Le 5:1">v. 1</scripRef>),
<i>If a soul sin</i> (that is, a person, for the soul is the man),
if he <i>hear the voice of swearing</i> (that is, if he be adjured
to testify what he knows, by an <i>oath</i> of the Lord upon him,
<scripRef id="Lev.vi-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:1Kgs.8.31" parsed="|1Kgs|8|31|0|0" passage="1Ki 8:31">1 Kings viii. 31</scripRef>), if in
such a case, for fear of offending one that either has been his
friend or may be his enemy, he refuses to give evidence, or gives
it but in part, <i>he shall bear his iniquity.</i> And that is a
heavy burden, which, if some course be not taken to get it removed,
will sink a man to the lowest hell. He that <i>heareth cursing</i>
(that is, that is thus adjured) and betrayeth it not (that is,
stifles his evidence, and does not utter it), he is a partner with
the sinner, and <i>hateth his own soul;</i> see <scripRef id="Lev.vi-p3.4" osisRef="Bible:Prov.29.24" parsed="|Prov|29|24|0|0" passage="Pr 29:24">Prov. xxix. 24</scripRef>. Let all that are called out
at any time to bear testimony think of this law, and be free and
open in their evidence, and take heed of prevaricating. An oath of
the Lord is a sacred thing, and not to be dallied with. 2. A man's
touching any thing that was ceremonially unclean, <scripRef id="Lev.vi-p3.5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.2-Lev.5.3" parsed="|Lev|5|2|5|3" passage="Le 5:2,3">v. 2, 3</scripRef>. If a man, polluted by such
touch, came into the sanctuary inconsiderately, or if he neglected
to wash himself according to the law, then he was to look upon
himself as under guilt, and must bring his offering. Though his
touching the unclean thing contracted only a ceremonial defilement,
yet his neglect to wash himself according to the law was such an
instance either of carelessness or contempt as contracted a moral
guilt. If at first it be <i>hidden from him,</i> yet when he knows
it he <i>shall be guilty.</i> Note, As soon as ever God by his
Spirit convinces our consciences of any sin or duty we must
immediately set in with the conviction, and prosecute it, as those
that are not ashamed to own our former mistake. 3. Rash swearing.
If a man binds himself by an oath that he will do or not do such a
thing, and the performance of his oath afterwards proves either
unlawful or impracticable, by which he is discharged from the
obligation, yet he must bring an offering to atone for his fully in
swearing so rashly, as David that he would kill Nabal. And then it
was that he must <i>say before the angel</i> that it <i>was an
error,</i> <scripRef id="Lev.vi-p3.6" osisRef="Bible:Eccl.5.6" parsed="|Eccl|5|6|0|0" passage="Ec 5:6">Eccl. v. 6</scripRef>. <i>He
shall be guilty in one of these</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.vi-p3.7" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.4" parsed="|Lev|5|4|0|0" passage="Le 5:4"><i>ch.</i> v. 4</scripRef>), guilty if he do not perform
his oath, and yet, if the matter of it were evil, guilty if he do.
Such wretched dilemmas as these do some men bring themselves into
by their own rashness and folly; go which way they will their
consciences are wounded, sin stares them in the face, so sadly are
they <i>snared in the words of their mouth.</i> A more sad dilemma
this is than that of the lepers, "If we sit still, we die; if we
stir, we die." Wisdom and watchfulness beforehand would prevent
these straits.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vi-p4">II. Now in these cases, 1. The offender
must confess his sin and bring his offering (<scripRef id="Lev.vi-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.5-Lev.5.6" parsed="|Lev|5|5|5|6" passage="Le 5:5,6">v. 5, 6</scripRef>); and the offering was not accepted
unless it was accompanied with a penitential confession and a
humble prayer for pardon. Observe, The confession must be
particular, <i>that he hath sinned in that thing;</i> such was
David's confession (<scripRef id="Lev.vi-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Ps.51.4" parsed="|Ps|51|4|0|0" passage="Ps 51:4">Ps. li.
4</scripRef>), <i>I have done this evil;</i> and Achan's (<scripRef id="Lev.vi-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:Josh.7.20" parsed="|Josh|7|20|0|0" passage="Jos 7:20">Josh. vii. 20</scripRef>), <i>Thus and thus have
I done.</i> Deceit lies in generals; many will own in general they
have sinned, for that all must own, so that it is not any
particular reproach to them; but that they have sinned <i>in this
thing</i> they stand too much upon their honour to acknowledge: but
the way to be well assured of pardon, and to be well armed against
sin for the future, is to be particular in our penitent
confessions. 2. The priest must <i>make atonement for him.</i> As
the atonement was not accepted without his repentance, so his
repentance would not justify him without the atonement. Thus, in
our reconciliation to God, Christ's part and ours are both
needful.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Lev.vi-p4.4" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.7-Lev.5.13" parsed="|Lev|5|7|5|13" passage="Le 5:7-13" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.5.7-Lev.5.13">
<p class="passage" id="Lev.vi-p5">7 And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he
shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two
turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vi-p5.1">Lord</span>; one for a sin offering, and the other for
a burnt offering.   8 And he shall bring them unto the priest,
who shall offer <i>that</i> which <i>is</i> for the sin offering
first, and wring off his head from his neck, but shall not divide
<i>it</i> asunder:   9 And he shall sprinkle of the blood of
the sin offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the
blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it <i>is</i> a
sin offering.   10 And he shall offer the second <i>for</i> a
burnt offering, according to the manner: and the priest shall make
an atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall
be forgiven him.   11 But if he be not able to bring two
turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring
for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin
offering; he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall he put
<i>any</i> frankincense thereon: for it <i>is</i> a sin offering.
  12 Then shall he bring it to the priest, and the priest
shall take his handful of it, <i>even</i> a memorial thereof, and
burn <i>it</i> on the altar, according to the offerings made by
fire unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vi-p5.2">Lord</span>: it <i>is</i> a
sin offering.   13 And the priest shall make an atonement for
him as touching his sin that he hath sinned in one of these, and it
shall be forgiven him: and <i>the remnant</i> shall be the
priest's, as a meat offering.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vi-p6">Provision is here made for the poor of
God's people, and the pacifying of their consciences under the
sense of guilt. Those that were not able to bring a lamb might
bring for a sin-offering a pair of <i>turtle-doves</i> or <i>two
young pigeons;</i> nay, if any were so extremely poor that they
were not able to procure these so often as they would have
occasion, they might bring a pottle of fine flour, and this should
be accepted. Thus the expense of the sin-offering was brought lower
than that of any other offering, to teach us that no man's poverty
shall ever be a bar in the way of his pardon. The poorest of all
may have atonement made for them, if it be not their own fault.
Thus the poor are evangelized; and no man shall say that he had not
wherewithal to bear the charges of a journey to heaven. Now,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vi-p7">I. If the sinner brought two doves, one was
to be offered for a sin-offering and the other for a
burnt-offering, <scripRef id="Lev.vi-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.7" parsed="|Lev|5|7|0|0" passage="Le 5:7">v. 7</scripRef>.
Observe, 1. Before he offered the burnt-offering, which was for the
honour and praise of God, he must offer the sin-offering, to make
atonement. We must first see to it that our peace be made with God,
and then we may expect that our services for his glory will be
accepted. The sin-offering must make way for the burnt-offering. 2.
After the sin-offering, which made atonement, came the
burnt-offering, as an acknowledgment of the great mercy of God in
appointing and accepting the atonement.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vi-p8">II. If he brought fine flour, a handful of
it was to be offered, but without either oil or frankincense
(<scripRef id="Lev.vi-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.11" parsed="|Lev|5|11|0|0" passage="Le 5:11">v. 11</scripRef>), not only because
this would make it too costly for the poor, for whose comfort this
sacrifice was appointed, but because it was a sin-offering, and
therefore, to show the loathsomeness of the sin for which it was
offered, it must not be made grateful either to the taste by oil or
to the smell by frankincense. The unsavouriness of the offering was
to intimate that the sinner must never relish his sin again as he
had done. God by these sacrifices did speak, 1. Comfort to those
that had offended, that they might not despair, nor pine away in
their iniquity; but, peace being thus made for them with God, they
might have peace in him. 2. Caution likewise not to offend any
more, remembering what an expensive troublesome thing it was to
make atonement.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Lev.vi-p8.2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5" parsed="|Lev|5|0|0|0" passage="Le 5" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Lev.vi-p8.3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.14-Lev.5.19" parsed="|Lev|5|14|5|19" passage="Le 5:14-19" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Lev.5.14-Lev.5.19">
<h4 id="Lev.vi-p8.4">Law of the
Trespass-Offering. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vi-p8.5">b. c.</span> 1490.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Lev.vi-p9">14 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vi-p9.1">Lord</span>
spake unto Moses, saying,   15 If a soul commit a trespass,
and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vi-p9.2">Lord</span>; then he shall bring for his trespass unto
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vi-p9.3">Lord</span> a ram without blemish out
of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the
shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering:   16 And he
shall make amends for the harm that he hath done in the holy thing,
and shall add the fifth part thereto, and give it unto the priest:
and the priest shall make an atonement for him with the ram of the
trespass offering, and it shall be forgiven him.   17 And if a
soul sin, and commit any of these things which are forbidden to be
done by the commandments of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vi-p9.4">Lord</span>; though he wist <i>it</i> not, yet is he
guilty, and shall bear his iniquity.   18 And he shall bring a
ram without blemish out of the flock, with thy estimation, for a
trespass offering, unto the priest: and the priest shall make an
atonement for him concerning his ignorance wherein he erred and
wist <i>it</i> not, and it shall be forgiven him.   19 It
<i>is</i> a trespass offering: he hath certainly trespassed against
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Lev.vi-p9.5">Lord</span>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Lev.vi-p10">Hitherto in this chapter orders were given
concerning those sacrifices that were both sin-offerings and
trespass-offerings, for they go by both names, <scripRef id="Lev.vi-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.6" parsed="|Lev|5|6|0|0" passage="Le 5:6">v. 6</scripRef>. Here we have the law concerning those
that were properly and peculiarly <i>trespass-offerings,</i> which
were offered to atone for trespasses done against a neighbour,
those sins we commonly call trespasses. Now injuries done to
another may be either in holy things or in common things; of the
former we have the law in these verses; of the latter in the
beginning of the next chapter. If a man <i>did harm</i> (as it is
<scripRef id="Lev.vi-p10.2" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.16" parsed="|Lev|5|16|0|0" passage="Le 5:16">v. 16</scripRef>) <i>in the holy things
of the Lord,</i> he thereby committed a trespass against the
priests, the Lord's ministers, who were entrusted with the care of
these holy things, and had the benefit of them. Now if a man did
alienate or convert to his own use any thing that was dedicated to
God, unwittingly, he was to bring this sacrifice; as suppose he had
ignorantly made use of the tithes, or first-fruits, or first-born
of his cattle, or (which, it should seem by <scripRef id="Lev.vi-p10.3" osisRef="Bible:Lev.22.14-Lev.22.16" parsed="|Lev|22|14|22|16" passage="Le 22:14-16"><i>ch.</i> xxii. 14-16</scripRef>, is principally
meant here) had eaten any of those parts of the sacrifices which
were appropriated to the priests; this was a trespass. It is
supposed to be done through mistake, or forgetfulness, for want
either of care or zeal; for if it was done presumptuously, and in
contempt of the law, the offender died without mercy, <scripRef id="Lev.vi-p10.4" osisRef="Bible:Heb.10.28" parsed="|Heb|10|28|0|0" passage="Heb 10:28">Heb. x. 28</scripRef>. But in case of
negligence and ignorance this sacrifice was appointed; and Moses is
told, 1. What must be done in case the trespass appeared to be
certain. The trespasser must bring an offering to the Lord, which,
in all those that were purely trespass-offerings, must be a <i>ram
without blemish,</i> "of the second year," say the Jewish doctors.
He must likewise make restitution to the priest, according to a
just estimation of the thing which he had so alienated, adding a
fifth part to it, that he might learn to take more heed next time
of embezzling what was sacred to God, finding to his cost that
there was nothing got by it, and that he paid dearly for his
oversights. 2. What must be done in case it were doubtful whether
he had trespassed or no; he had cause to suspect it, but he <i>wist
it not</i> (<scripRef id="Lev.vi-p10.5" osisRef="Bible:Lev.5.17" parsed="|Lev|5|17|0|0" passage="Le 5:17">v. 17</scripRef>), that is,
he was not very certain; in this case, because it is good to be
sure, he must bring his trespass-offering, and the value of that
which he feared he had embezzled, only he was not to add the fifth
part to it. Now this was designed to show the very great evil there
is in sacrilege. Achan, that was guilty of it presumptuously, died
for it; so did Ananias and Sapphira. But this goes further to show
the evil of it, that if a man had, through mere ignorance, and
unwittingly, alienated the holy things, nay, if he did but suspect
that he had done so, he must be at the expense, not only of a full
restitution with interest, but of an offering, with the trouble of
bringing it, and must take shame to himself, by making confession
of it; so bad a thing is it to invade God's property, and so
cautious should we be to abstain from all appearances of this evil.
We are also taught here to be jealous over ourselves with a godly
jealousy, to ask pardon for the sin, and make satisfaction for the
wrong, which we do but suspect ourselves guilty of. In doubtful
cases we should take and keep the safer side.</p>
</div></div2>