Leviticus 22

Leviticus 22:1-9

In this chapter we have divers laws concerning the priests and sacristers, all for the preserving the honour of the sanctuary, 1. That the priests should not eat of the holy things in their uncleanness, ver. 1—9. 2. That no stranger should eat of the holy things, ver. 10—12; if he did it unwittingly, he may make reformation, ver. 14—16. 3. That the sacristers that were offered, must be without blemish, ver. 17—25. 4. That they must be more than eight days old, ver. 26—28. And that the sacristers of thanksgiving must be eaten the same day they were offered, ver. 29—33.

1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2. Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name, in these things which they hallow unto me: I am the LORD. 3. Say unto them, Whosoever be he of all your seed, among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD. 4. What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hath a running issue, he shall not eat of the holy things? until he be clean. And whosoever toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goeth from him: 5. Or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness he hath: 6. The soul which hath touched any such, shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water. 7. And when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things, because it is his food. 8. That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I am the LORD. 9. They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest they bear sin for it, and die therefore, if they profane it: I the LORD do sanctify them.

Holiness becometh God’s house. He will suffer no unclean priest to approach his sanctuary: if the deddement of leprosy was permanent, he must be totally excluded, or till he was cured: if by the touch of any thing he was defiled, he must be unclean till the evening, and wash before he could return to his office. Nothing dying of itself, nor torn of beasts, must be taken, and death is the penalty of disobedience. Note, (1.) It is no light matter to profane with unhallowed touch the sacred table of the Lord. Many come to the Lord’s supper, who being unwashed from their iniquities, eat and drink their own damnation. (2.) The higher the station, the deeper the fall. A priest that perishes, looks into the lowest pit. (3.) It becomes us with jealousy, knowing what a God we have to do with, to take heed to our ways in this mighty world, and never to omit daily application to the fountain that is opened for sin and sin uncleanness.

b See Sam. vii, 6. c. Hoh, With the preliths of his money.

10. There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant shall not eat of the holy thing. 11. But if the priest buy any soul

with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house: they shall eat of his meat. 12. If the priest’s daughter also be married with a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things. 13. But if the priest’s daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto her father’s house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father’s meat, but there shall no stranger eat thereof. 14. And if a man eat of the holy thing unwittingly, then he shall put the fifth part thereof unto it, and shall give it unto the priest, with the holy thing. 15. And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer unto the LORD: 16. Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, when they eat their holy things: for I the LORD do sanctify them.

Leviticus 22:10-16

None but the priest’s family must eat the holy things. A sojourner, or a hired servant, are excluded, and their own daughters, if married to one not a priest. Though of a widow, or divorced, and without children, on returning to their father’s house, they were again admitted to partake of them. If a person unobligiously did eat of the holy things who had no right, he must make restitution to the priest, and add a fifth part more than the value of the thing, and atone for his trespass by an offering. It was the priest’s business to take care such profanement in his family was not committed. We must, to the utmost, restrain others from sin, as well as avoid it ourselves; and as they alone were to bear the trespass of the people, it would be great impiety in others, to pretend to partake with them. There is but one mediator, who is appointed to bear our sins, and we must be careful to join no other with him. His blood and righteousness alone, not any works of our own, or of others, have the least efficacy in obtaining remission of the iniquity of our trespass.

17. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 18. Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whistsoever be he of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his free-will offerings, which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt-offering: 19. Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats. 20. But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you. 21. And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace-offerings unto the LORD, to accomplish his vow, or a free-will offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect, to be accepted: there shall be no blemish therein. 22. Blind, or broken, or manned, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the LORD. 23. Either a bullock, or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous, or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a free-will offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted. 24. Ye shall not offer unto the LORD that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut: neither shall you make any offering thereof in your land. 25. Neither from a stranger’s hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them: they shall not be accepted for you. 26. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 27. When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam: and from the eighth day and thenceforth, it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 28. And whether it be cow or ewe, ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day. 29. And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will. 30. On the same day it shall be eaten up, ye shall leave none of it until the morrow: I am the LORD. 31. Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the LORD. 32. Neither shall ye profane my holy name, but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the LORD which hallow you. 33. That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD.

Leviticus 22:17-33

Cursed is the decrier that hath in his flock a male, and offereth and sacrificeth a corrupt thing unto the Lord. God will be served with the best, or not at all. Therefore,

1. Every