Leviticus 17

— to vex her.] The taking, in general, of one wife or consort to another is not here forbidden, but the marrying of two sisters to live in a conjugal state together: as Jacob did, either because there was then no law to the contrary; or, because the first of them having been fraudulently imposed upon him, though the latter was his proper choice and favourite, he would not dismiss the former, lest he should prove the occasion of her taking to evil courses. Biblioth. Bibl.

Leviticus 17:3

3. After the doings of the land of Egypt, — of Canaan.] The wilderness, in which they now were, was a very fit place for enjoining these laws upon the Israelites, as they were now removed from the snares and temptations of Egypt, and were not yet mingled with the people of Canaan. Bp. Kidder.

Leviticus 17:4

4. And bringeth it not unto the door] God knew the naughtiness of their hearts, how much they were disposed to sacrifice unto devils, and how certainly they would do so. He therefore requires that, whosoever killeth an ox, &c. should bring it to the door of the tabernacle, pour out the blood, and take the flesh to

H Exod. 30. 16. Hebr. 9. 7. They must not offer to devils. Eating of blood forbidden,

Leviticus 17:5

5. — in the open field.] That is, “without the camp,” where they were most prone to transgress this law, being most remote from the observation of others. Bp. Kidder. Neither in the tops of mountains nor in the retirement of groves, which better suited the scandalous rites of Pagan worship, as being more out of sight. Biblioth. Bibl.

6. — he shall live in them.] He shall live happily and long in the enjoyment of all the blessings, which God promised in His covenant with the Israelites. Bp. Patrick.

Leviticus 17:6

6. None of you shall approach &c.] The Jews give two reasons for the prohibitions relating to marriage in this chapter; the one, a natural incongruity and immodesty in the thing itself; the other, that if courtships of this kind had been allowed, they might have proved the occasion of very scandalous and lewd practices among relations, from the circumstance of their constant intercourse. These laws are not branched out into remoter relations, because the inconveniences, obviated in the prohibitions actually given, were to be prudentially guarded against in all resembling cases. Biblioth. Bibl.

Leviticus 17:7

7. — unto devils.] Literally, in the original, “unto the hairy ones;” meaning those brute animals, covered with hair, especially goats, which they worshipped in Egypt, either alive or in figure. The people of Mendes in Egypt worshipped Pan under the form of a live goat; and it is related, that monstrous obscenities were practised at this worship. These devils or goats are joined with Jeroboam’s calves at 2 Chron. xi. 15. Biblioth. Bibl.

8. The nakedness of thy father, &c.] It is related by historians, that the Magi, or wise men, among the Persians, were always persons born in this detestable incest. There were many nations among whom such marriages were altogether in fashion, as Indians, Arabs, Persians, &c. Biblioth. Bibl.

Leviticus 17:8

8. — of the strangers which sojourn among you.] Proselytes to the Jewish religion. Bp. Patrick.

9. — thy father’s wife] Thy stepmother; being as near to a person in the estimation of the law, though not in the account of nature; therefore, though marriage with a stepmother be a crime of less turpitude, yet it is equally forbidden, and is against the law of nature, not

Unlawful marriages. Unlawful lusts. Before CHRIS T 1400.

Leviticus 17:9

9. — of thy sister.] Diodorus Siculus tells us, that the Egyptians encouraged marriages between brothers and sisters, as well pleasing to their deity Isis. Pyle. This law includes a half sister, “whether born at home or abroad,” that is, legitimately born in wedlock or illegitimately out of it. Such a marriage is next to an unnatural mixture, it has something of confusion in it, and blending the very first partings of nature, which makes it intolerably scandalous, and universally forbidden; for if it were not, the mischief would be horrible and infinite. Bp. Jeremy Taylor.

Leviticus 17:10

10. — thy son’s daughter.] No mention is made of a man’s own daughter, because, say the Jews, as marriage with grandchildren was forbidden, that with children was necessarily included. Lewis.

Leviticus 17:11

11. For the life of the flesh is in the blood: &c.] All this is as much as to say, The life of the animal lying in the blood, I have ordained it to expiate your sins, that, by its death in your stead, your life may be preserved: and therefore I require you not to eat that which is appointed for so holy an end. Bp. Patrick.

This is a very remarkable declaration as to the peculiar efficacy of animal sacrifice; and, in reference to it, St. Paul formally pronounces, that “without shedding of blood there is no remission,” Hebr. ix. 22. Now, in what conceivable light can we view this institution of sacrifice, but in relation to that great Sacrifice which was to make atonement for sins: to that “blood of sprinkling” which was to speak “better things than that of Abel,” Heb. xii. 24, or that of the Law? The law itself is said to have respect solely unto Him. To what else can the principal institution of the Law refer? an

Leviticus 17:12

12. Therefore I said] Therefore, that is, because the blood is appointed to make atonement, and is conse-

and all that dieth alone, or is torn. CHAP. XVII, XVIII. Unlawful marriages.

of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, † which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.

b Gen. 9. 4. 14 b For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.

Leviticus 17:13

13. — and cover it with dust.] Lest any beast should lick it up, (as is commonly interpreted,) or lest any persons should meet for idolatrous purposes, and feast upon it. Bp. Patrick. This covering of blood was to be so strictly observed, that, if a man saw his neighbour kill a beast, and neglect to cover its blood with dust, he was bound to go and do it himself, because God here speaks unto the children of Israel generally. The ancient heathens used to take some of the blood, when they slew a beast in sacrifice, and put it in or on the ground, either in a vessel, or in a little hole dug; and, sitting in a circle round the blood, they ate the flesh; imagining that, at the time they were doing so, the demons feasted on the blood as their proper and beloved food, and that this common repast between them made the demons still more and more their friends. Biblioth. Bibl.

Leviticus 17:16

16. — he shall bear his iniquity.] Death shall be his punishment, either from the hand of man or from the hand of God. Lemy.

Chap. XVIII. ver. 2. — I am the Lord your God.] I who am your sovereign Lord, and, by redeeming you from Egyptian bondage, am become in an especial manner your God, have a right to give you laws, to which all human customs must yield, however long practised and extensively spread. This title to the obedience of the people is repeated six times in this chapter, and of-tener in the next. Bp. Patrick.

16. — thy brother’s wife:] If this prohibition be understood in the case of the brother’s death, it may seem to clash with the command of Deut. xxv. 5. But both are easily reconciled under this limitation, that the brother was not to take the brother’s wife, if the deceased left children; or further, if the brother’s wife had been divorced. Biblioth. Bibl.

As it is here forbidden that two brothers should marry the same woman, so, by parity of reasoning, it must be understood to be forbidden that two sisters should marry the same man; and these prohibitions form part of the moral law, binding on all mankind. Dr. Berriman.

Leviticus 17:18

18. Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister.] The marginal reading is, “one wife to another;” but the meaning of the precept is, that no man should marry his wife’s sister while that wife is living. It does not expressly forbid the taking more wives than one, which practice had generally obtained, and passed without reproof among the Israelites. Bps. Patrick and Kidder.

she is thy son’s wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

Leviticus 17:21

21. — thy seed pass through the fire to Molech.] Thy seed, or offspring, Deut. xviii. 10. Molech was the name of an idol worshipped by the Ammonites, 1 Kings xi. 7.

Before CHRIS T 1400. f Chap. 20. 21. Or, one wife to onether. g Chap. 20. 12.