Leviticus 6:8-30
Summary for Lev 6:8-13: 6:8–7:38 a The regulations in 1:2–6:7 b include instructions for both priest and layperson. This section adds detail regarding the rights and obligations of the officiating priest. Because the tribe of Levi had been allotted no land for farming (Deut 18:1 c; Josh 13:14 d, 33 e), priests depended on the offering system for their income. The concern was that priests be adequately provided for. Like many human institutions, this system was eventually abused (1 Sam 2:12-25 f; Hos 4:8 g).6:10 h The priest was required to wear official linen clothing, the attire of his office, when officiating at the Tabernacle. This allowed everyone to know that he was there to carry out his official duties (Exod 28:40-43 i). The priest was to dress appropriately for service to the divine King. He was not to wear his official garb outside the Tabernacle (Lev 6:11 j; Ezek 44:19 k).
• undergarments: See Exod 20:26 l.
6:11 m Most natural environments qualified as a place that is ceremonially clean.
Summary for Lev 6:12-13: 6:12-13 n This passage cautions that the fire on the bronze altar must be constantly tended and never allowed to go out, perhaps anticipating the tragedy of the “wrong kind of fire” offered by Nadab and Abihu (10:1-2 o).
6:16 p In this context sacred place does not refer to the Holy Place at the heart of the Tabernacle but to any location within the Tabernacle complex, all of which were ceremonially clean and holy.
6:17 q yeast: See study note on 2:11.
• The priests’ share of the grain offering had the practical value of providing their staple food—bread (7:9 r)—in addition to its theological significance as being most holy. See study note on 2:3.
6:18 s The priestly share did not belong exclusively to the priest conducting the sacrifice; it was to be shared with all of Aaron’s male descendants. The text does not indicate why these offerings could be eaten only by the males while other offerings were available to all members of the priests’ families (see study note on 10:13-15; see also Num 18:20-24 t).
• will become holy: Or must be holy; also in Lev 6:27 u. Though uncleanness could be spread by touch (ch 15 v), Haggai implied that holiness could not (Hag 2:12 w). If an unclean person encountered that which was holy, disaster could result (Lev 10:1-3 x; 1 Sam 6:19-20 y; 2 Sam 6:6-8 z).
Summary for Lev 6:19-23: 6:19-23 aa These instructions applied only to the grain portion of the ordination offering (see 2:1-16 ab; for the rest of the ordination offering, see 8:22-32 ac).
6:22 ad Only the high priest could represent the priesthood as an institution, with all its constituent priests.
6:23 ae Normally, the bulk of a grain offering would go to the officiating priest (2:9-10 af). However, the grain offering described in 6:19-23 ag was for a special occasion—the ordination of the priests—and therefore was to be burned up entirely and not eaten.
6:28 ah A clay pot was porous and could not be cleansed as thoroughly as a metal one—some of the holy food might stick to it or soak in. Reuse would cause an act of sacrilege. However, a bronze pot could be thoroughly scoured to prevent this problem (see also 11:33 ai; 15:12 aj).
6:30 ak Some sin offerings for the anointed priest and for the entire congregation were not to be eaten. The blood of these offerings was carried into the Holy Place and sprinkled before the curtain (see 4:1-21 al). The sacrifices that could be eaten were those for the lay leader and for the common people. The blood of these animals was poured on and around the base of the altar in the courtyard of the Tabernacle (see 4:22-35 am).
Leviticus 7
Summary for Lev 7:3-4: 7:3-4 an The guilt offering required the sacrifice of a ram (5:18 ao).• fat ... tail ... organs: The parts of the guilt offering to be burned were the same as those for the peace offering (3:3-4 ap, 9-10 aq, 14-15 ar) and the sin offering (4:8-9 as, 26 at, 31 au, 35 av).
Summary for Lev 7:12-15: 7:12-15 aw The peace offering could be presented as an expression of thanks (as here), as payment of a vow (7:16 ax), or as a voluntary offering (see 3:1-7 ay). A worshiper made it an expression of thanksgiving by presenting a grain offering along with the peace offering (2:1-16 az). A grain offering consisted of unleavened cakes, wafers, or cakes of fine flour, all mixed or spread with olive oil. A representative portion was set aside to be burned (2:9 ba). The grain offering was to be accompanied by loaves of yeast bread (7:13 bb).
7:15 bc The thanksgiving offering was given when the worshiper was thankful (Jer 17:26 bd; 33:11 be). The sacrifice was to be eaten on the same day it was offered so that the event would not fade from the worshiper’s memory.
Summary for Lev 7:16-18: 7:16-18 bf In contrast to the “peace offering of thanksgiving,” which was presented as an expression of thanks to the Lord (7:12-15 bg), the offering to fulfill a vow related to a vow made by a worshiper. The festive meal that followed was more relaxed and could extend into the next day. However, because the vow offering involved a vow made to God, it was still more restrictive than the voluntary offering, which could even use a deformed animal (22:23 bh).
7:18 bi The Hebrew term for contaminated (piggul) occurs only in three other places (19:7 bj; Isa 65:4 bk; Ezek 4:14 bl). It is always used in reference to meat that is unacceptable for sacrifice or human consumption.
Summary for Lev 7:19-21: 7:19-21 bm Anything that was ceremonially unclean could not come into contact with what was holy (7:20 bn). Although uncleanness was not sinful in itself, it symbolized what was unholy (see Exod 19:10 bo).
Summary for Lev 7:20-21: 7:20-21 bp cut off: Three interpretations are possible for this expression, all of them very grave: (1) The person was subject to God’s judgment and faced an early death by natural causes (17:10-14 bq). (2) The person was to be executed by the community (cp. Exod 31:14 br). (3) The person lost communal membership in Israel, either by banishment (such as by excommunication) or by shunning the person and treating him or her as unclean (Lev 18:24-30 bs; cp. 23:29-30 bt, where “cut off” seems distinct from “destroy”).
Summary for Lev 7:22-27: 7:22-27 bu In the sacrificial system, the fat and blood of all altar offerings belonged to God. They were offered before any of the sacrifice could be eaten. Consuming blood was specifically forbidden because it represented the very life of the animal (17:10-16 bv). The injunction against eating fat might have been because fat, considered to be the best part of the offering, belonged to God.
7:24 bw Animals found dead had not been drained of their blood and were therefore unclean. Their fat was unfit to offer to the Lord and could not be eaten. However, it could be used for any other purpose, such as greasing cart axles, waterproofing animal hides, and other household uses.
Summary for Lev 7:26-27: 7:26-27 bx The prohibition against consuming blood was so important that the Council at Jerusalem included it in the instructions for Gentile believers (Acts 15:29 by).
7:34 bz breast of the special offering ... right thigh of the sacred offering: The peace offering was a shared meal between God, the priest, the worshiper, and guests. The breast (in some older translations called a “wave offering”) and thigh (sometimes called the “contribution” or “heave offering”) were specifically designated as the priest’s portion (see 10:13-15 ca). After these offerings were taken into the Tabernacle and presented before the Lord, they could then be eaten (see Exod 29:24 cb, 26 cc).
7:36 cd anointed: See 8:12 ce, 30 cf; also Exod 40:13-15 cg.
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