Leviticus 17

Leviticus 17:3

THat killeth] Not for the common use of meat, but for the religious use of sacrifice; which though others could do as well as the Priest, (as Butchers and Cookes) yet since the doing thereof was the proper office of the Priest, none might usurp it, that was not of that function: and God would have good things done in a good manner; and hereby also he would prevent Idolatry, which would easily have crep in, if every one were left to his owne private way of Sacrifice, or serving of God.

Leviticus 17:4

and bringeth it not] This is not onely a prohibition of the people from usurping of the Priests office, but a limitation of Sacrifices to the place expressely prescribed; yet by inspiration from God, sometimes other places were used for such holy Oblations, as by Manoah, Judges 13. 19. by Samuel, 1 Samuel 7:9. and Ch. 11. 15. and Ch. 16. 2. and by David, 2 Samuel 24:18. and by Elias 1 Kings 18:23. Notwithstanding regularly they were to bring their sacrifices unto the door of the Tabernacle as a type of Christ, Hebrews 9:11. but the antitype now exhibited, that type, and the limitation of locall liberty is abolished; so that now a spirituall sacrifice offered in sincerity will be accepted every where, John 4. 21, 24. Malach. 1. 11.

Blood shall be] He shall be reputed as guilty, as worthy of death, as if he had killed a man, Isaiah 66:3. because the blood of the sacrifices was in equivalence the blood of man which was to be redeemed thereby, (as the water of the Well of Bethlehem is called the blood of those men, who hazarded their lives to breake through the host of the enemies to fetch it for David, 2 Samuel 23:17.) therefore the shedding of that blood otherwise then God did warrant, was accounted as the shedding of mans blood.

cut off] He shall be punished by death, by the sentence of the Judge, if it be known; if it be secret, by the judgement of God: upon supposition of this sin, the Israelites prepared war against the Reubenites, ?Joshua 22:12. Some understand this cutting off to be the sentence of Excommunication, whereby the offender is put out of the society of Israel, and put into the state of an Heathen or Publicane, though the Jewes understand it ordinarily of an extraordinary death, by divine vengeance.

Leviticus 17:5

open field] Before the tabernacle was built, they used to offer sacrifices abroad, sometimes in fields, sometimes on mountains, and in groaves; but they are now charged to bring them unto the door of the Tabernaele.

peace-offerings] The like is to be understood of sinne-offerings, and whole-burnt-offerings, though they be not expressed as these be; which are not therefore particularly named, because they were more limited for these Oblations then for others; but lest they should take more liberty in these then in others; because they were most frequent, and were in part applied to feast the offerer; and in this precise caution for that which was more common, the whole-burnt-offering was the better secured from contemptible communities which might befall it, if it should be offered any where but in an holy place appointed for that purpose.

Leviticus 17:7

unto Devils] Meaning whatsoever is not the true God, Deuteronomy 32:17. Psalms 106:37. 1 Corinthians 10:20. 2 Corinthians 11:15. Revelation 9:20. but yet taken for a God, and worshipped as a God; The Hebrew word Sehhirim, or Segnirim, signifieth hairie, and goatish, of Sahhar or Sagar an haire, or hairie creature, or goat; by which may be meant those devils who appeared rough and hairie, as the Satyres, or Faunes, Esay 34. 14. or because the apparition of such, through fear made the hair stand on end; as Job 4:15.

after whom] For Idolatrie is spirituall whoredom, because of the Covenant betwixt God and his people, as betwixt an husband and his wife; Hosea 2:16; Hosea 2:18-19. and the Covenant is broken on their part, when they, like Ephraim, joyne themselves to Idols, Hosea 4:17. See Annot. on Exodus 34:15.

No more] Here it appeares that the Jewes were much addicted to Idolatry; and it is like they both learned it, and practised it in Egypt, Ezekiel 23:8.

Leviticus 17:10

face against] That is, I will apparently declare my wrath, by taking vengeance on him, as Cha. 20. 5: 3.

Leviticus 17:11

in the blood] Because blood is the seat of the vitall spirits, from the purer part whereof the spirits are ingendred; without which they cannot continue, though the blood may continue in the body when the life is gone by stopping of the breath; besides other reasons there rendred, here is an especiall consideration of the proprietie of blood of Atonement by sacrifice, Hebrews 9:22. whereby, being consecrated to God, it is separated from Common use.

Leviticus 17:13

or of the strangers that sojourn] There was a stranger in blood, that is, none of their kindred; a stranger in habitation, that is, a Sojourner, rather then a dweller amongst them; and a stranger in Religion, a worshipper of a strange god, or of the true God in a strange manner to that which God prescribed: He that was a stranger in blood, might be no a stranger in religion; such were divers convert Proselytes, who were of the same faith and profession with the naturall Jewes; and these were to obey the same Laws with the Israelites, and beare the same punishments which belonged to the violation of them. See ver. 8. 10.

cover it] Lest beasts should lick it up, and by taking delight in the sweetnesse of it, should become more cruell, either to their own, or to any other kinde.

Leviticus 17:15

soule that eateth] The soule in proprietie of speech eateth not, but the body as animated by the soule. By the soule here is meant the person, the more excellent part being put for the whole; as in many other places of the Scripture. See Annot. on Chap. 5. vers. 1.

Leviticus 17:16

his iniquitie] That is, the punishment of his disobedience in that behalfe; for there is such affinitie betwixt wickednesse, and the reward due unto it, that one name is many times used for both.