CYCLOPEDIA of BIBLICAL, THEOLOGICAL and ECCLESIASTICAL LITERATURE Leviticus - Lokman by James Strong & John Mcclintock
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THE AGES DIGITAL LIBRARY REFERENCE CYCLOPEDIA of BIBLICAL, THEOLOGICAL and ECCLESIASTICAL LITERATURE Leviticus - Lokman by James Strong & John McClintock To the Students of the Words, Works and Ways of God: Welcome to the AGES Digital Library. We trust your experience with this and other volumes in the Library fulfills our motto and vision which is our commitment to you: MAKING THE WORDS OF THE WISE AVAILABLE TO ALL — INEXPENSIVELY. AGES Software Rio, WI USA Version 1.0 © 2000 2 Levit'icus so called in the Vulgate from treating chiefly of the Levitical service; in the Heb. ar;q]Yæwi, and he called, being the word with which it begins; in the Sept. LeuÞtiko>n; the third book of the Pentateuch, called also by the later Jews µynæh}Ko triwoT, "law of the priests," and twonB;r]q; triwoT, "law of offerings." In our treatment of it we have especial regard to the various sacrifices enumerated. I. Contents. — Leviticus contains the further statement and development of the Sinaitic legislation, the beginnings of which are described in Exodus. It exhibits the historical progress of this legislation; consequently, we must not expect to find the laws detailed in it in a systematic form. There is, nevertheless, a certain order observed, which arose from the nature of the subject, and of which the plan may easily be perceived. The whole is intimately connected with the contents of Exodus, at the conclusion of which book that sanctuary is described with which all external worship was connected (Exodus 35-40). Leviticus begins by describing the worship itself (chapters 1-17), and concludes with personal distinctions and exhortations as to the worshippers (chapters 18-27). More specifically the book may be divided into seven leading sections. (I.) The Laws directly relating to Sacrifices (chapters 1-7). — At first God spoke to the people out of the thunder and lightning of Sinai, and gave them his holy commandments by the hand of a mediator; but henceforth his presence is to dwell not on the secret top of Sinai, but in the midst of his people, both in their wanderings through the wilderness and afterwards in the Land of Promise. Hence the first directions which Moses receives after the work is finished have reference to the offerings which were to be brought to the door of the tabernacle. As Jehovah draws near to the people in the tabernacle, so the people draw near to Jehovah in the offering. Without offerings none may approach him. The regulations respecting the sacrifices fall into three groups, and each of these groups again consists of a decalogue of instructions. Bertheau has observed that this principle runs through all the laws of Moses. They are all modeled after the pattern of the ten commandments, so that each distinct subject of legislation is always treated of under ten several enactments or provisions. 3 1. The first group of regulations (chapters 1-3) deals with three kinds of offerings: the burnt-offering (hl;wo[), the meat-offering (hj;n]mæ), and the thank-offering (jbiz, µymæl;v]) a. The burnt-offering (chap. 1) in three sections. It might be either (1) a male without blemish from the herds (rq;B;hi ˆmæ) (verses 3-9), or (2) a male without blemish from the flocks, or lesser cattle (ˆaoXhi) (verses 10-13), or (3) it might be fowls, an offering of turtle-doves or young pigeons (verses 14-17). The subdivisions are here marked clearly enough, not only by the three kinds of sacrifice, but also by the form in which the enactment is put. Each begins with, "If his offering," etc., and each ends with, "An offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto Jehovah." b. The next group (chapter 2) presents many more difficulties. Its parts are not so clearly marked, either by prominent features in the subject-matter, or by the more technical boundaries of certain initial and final phrases. We have here the meat-offering, or bloodless offering, in four sections: (1) in its uncooked form, consisting of fine flour with oil and frankincense (verses 1-3); (2) in its cooked form, of which three different kinds are specified- baked in the oven, fricel, or boiled (verses 4-10); (3) the prohibition of leaven, and the direction to use salt in all the meat-offerinrgs (verses 11-13); (4) the oblation of first-fruits (verses 14-16). c. The Sheltamins, "peace-offering" (A.V.), or "thankoffering" (Ewald) (chapter 3), in three sections. Strictly speaking, this falls under two heads: first, when it is of the herd; and, secondly, when it is of the flock. But this last has again its subdivision; for the offering, when of the flock, may be either a lamb or a goat. Accordingly, the three sections are, verses 1-5; 7- 11; 12-16. Verse 6 is merely introductory to the second class of sacrifices, and verse 17 a general conclusion, as in the case of other laws. This concludes the first decalogue of the book. 4 2. The laws concerning the sin-offering and the trespass- (or guilt-) offering (chapter 4, 5). The sin-offering (chap. iv) is treated of under four specified cases, after a short introduction to the whole in verses 1, 2: (1) the sin-offering for the priest, 3-12; (2) for the whole congregation, 13-21; (3) for a ruler, 22-26; (4) for one of the common people, 27-35. After these four cases, in which the offering is to be made for four different classes, there follow provisions respecting three several kinds of transgression for which atonement must be made. It is not quite clear whether these should be ranked under the head of the sin-offering or of the trespass-offering. SEE OFFERING. We may, however, follow Bertheau, Baumgarten, and Knobel in regarding them as special instances in which a sin-offering was to be brought. The three cases are: first, when any one hears a curse, and conceals what he hears (verse 1); secondly, when any one touches, without knowing or intending it, any unclean thing (verses 2, 3); lastly, when any one takes an oath inconsiderately (verse 4). For each of these cases the same trespass-offering, "a female from the flock, a lamb or kid of the goats," is appointed; but, with that mercifulness which characterizes the Mosaic law, express provision is made for a less costly offering where the offerer is poor. This decalogue is then completed by the three regulations respecting the guilt-offering (or trespass-offering): first, when any one sins " through ignorance in the holy things of Jehovah" (verses 14,16); next, when a person, without knowing it, "commits any of these things which are forbidden to be done by the commandments of Jehovah" (17-19); lastly, when a man lies and swears falsely concerning that which was entrusted to him, etc. (verses 20-26). This decalogue, like the preceding one, has its characteristic words and expressions. The prominent word which introduces so many of the enactments is vp,n,, "soul" (see <030402>Leviticus 4:2, 27; <030501>Leviticus 5:1, 2, 4, 15,17; 6:2), and the phrase, "If a soul shall sin" (<030402>Leviticus 4:2), is, with occasional variations having an equivalent meaning, the distinctive phrase of the section. As in the former decalogue the nature of the offerings, so in this the person and the nature of the offense are the chief features in the several statutes. 5 3. Naturally upon the law of sacrifices follows the law of the priests' duties when they offer the sacrifices (chapter 6, 7). Hence we find Moses directed to address himself immediately to Aaron and his sons (<030602>Leviticus 6:2, 18–6:9, 25, A.V.). In this group the different kinds of offerings are named in nearly the same order as in the two preceding decalogues, except that the offering at the consecration of a priest follows, instead of the thankoffering, immediately after the meat-offering, which it resembles, and the thank-offering now appears after the trespass-offering. There are, therefore, in all, six kinds of offering, and in the case of each of these the priest has his distinct duties. Bertheau has very ingeniously so distributed the enactments in which these duties are prescribed as to arrange them all in five decalogues. We will briefly indicate his arrangement. (1.) The first decalogue. (a.) "This is the law of the burnt-offering" (6:9, A.V.), in five enactments, each verse (verses 9-13) containing a separate enactment. (b.) "'And this is the law of the meat-offering" (verse 14), again in five enactments, each of which is, as before contained in a single verse (verses 14-18). (2.) The next decalogue is contained in verses 19-30. (a.) Verse 19 is merely introductory; then follow, in five verses, five distinct directions with regard to the offering at the time of the consecration of the priests, the first in verse 20 the next two in verse 21, the fourth in the former part of ver. 22, and the last in the latter part of verse 22 and verse 23. (b.) "This is the law of the sin-offering" (verse 25). Then the five enactments, each in one verse, except that two verses (27, 28) are given to the third. (3.) The third decalogue is contained in <030701>Leviticus 7:1-10, the laws of the trespass-offering. But it is impossible to avoid a misgiving as to the soundness of Bertheau's system when we find him making the words "It is most holy," in verse 1, the first of the ten enactments.