Leviticus 24
HAWEISLeviticus 24:1-9
We have here, 1. Provision for the lamps to be kept constantly burning. The oil must be of the finest sort, provided at the public expense, and the priests are carefully to replenish them morning and evening, snuff them, and keep them clean. Note. (1.) They who would enjoy the light of the gospel, should gladly support a godly ministry. (2.) They who serve in God’s sanctuary, must be careful not to adulterate the oil of divine truth, but make the light shine bright in the forerace of their manifestations, and the exemplariness of their own conduct. 2. The flave-bread must be supplied continually. Twelve leaves, according to the twelve tribes, in two piles, with a saucer of frankincense by each of them. The frankincense was burnt on the altar of incense, when the leaves were renewed every sabbath-day; and those that were removed, eaten by the priests in the holy place. Note. (1.) They who come to God will find a table spread for them even in the wilderness. (2.) They who eat of his bread, should remember their obligations to serve him. (3.) Every sabbath-day ministers must provide fresh food for the souls of the people, and not lazily put them off with flake discoveries. 10. ¶ And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel, and this son of the Israelitish woman, and a man of Israel strove together in the camp. 11. And the Israeltish woman’s son blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed: and they brought him unto Moses (and his mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.) 12. And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them. 13. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 14. Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp, and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him. 15. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God, shall bear his Son. 16. And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death. v. 10-23
v. 10—16, 23. This is the full capital crime and execution since the giving the law. The offence was blasphemy, occasioned by a quarter between an Israelite and a man born of an Egyptian father and Israelites mother. N. 2. (1.) Quarrels always end ill. (2.) When an Israelites woman marries an Egyptian, or a Christian an unbeliever, no wonder the children turn after the world side. It should seem, he wanted to dwell among the Danites, because his mother was of that tribe; and, when opposed by one of the tribe, brought his cause before the judges, and was still in indignation and wrath against which decision, he blasphemed probably God himself, or imprecated some curbs on the judge, or the Israelites his adversary. Anger and blasphemy are wholly allied, and both mortal sin. If we would avoid the war, we should suppress the other. Hereupon the matter is brought before Mafia, that in a case of such importance they might be directed how to proceed according to the mind of God, and, till this is known, the blasphemers is put in prison. When life or death are at flak, judges send much deliberation, and humbly to look up to God for wisdom to judge might, knowing, that at his but they must give account. God commands immediate execution to be done upon him. He is to be dragged out of the camp, as a profanation to it, and all the congregation must come him, to satisfy their abhorrence of his sin, when the witnesses had laid their hands on his head, as free from his blood. N. 2. Blasphemers are now to common, that stones would almost be wanting to call at them; but though they find impunity for a moment, there is a judgment near, when they shall die a mare terrible death, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. The execution of this offender produces a standing law for the future punishment of the like crime. It must in no case be dispensed with; and even a stranger living among them, is as liable to the same penalty, as the Israelites born. God is a jealous God, and will in no wise spare the blasphemers; and when we hear such dreadful language, we should tremble for those who have no fear for themselves.
- ¶ And he that killeth any man, shall surely be put to death. 18. And he that killeth a beast, shall make it good; beaft for beaft. 19. And if a man cause a blemish in his neighbour, as he hath done, so shall it be done unto him. 20. Breach for breach, eye for eye, tooth for tooth: as he hath caused a blemish in a man, so shall it be done to him again. 21. ¶ And he that killeth a beast, he shall restore it; and he that killeth a man, he shall be put to death. 22. Ye shall have one manner of law, as well for the stranger, as for one of your own country: for I am the LORD your God. 23. ¶ And Moses spake unto the children of Israel, that they should bring forth him that had curled, out of the camp, and stone him with thorns: and the children of Israel did as the LORD commanded Moses.
Leviticus 24:17-22
We have here a repetition of former laws. The murderer must be put to death. He that killed a beaft must restore it; for God will have no injury done to our bodies, or to our goods. The law of retaliation is enjoined; not that any private person might avenge himself, but the judge must give him damages equal to his hurt. N. 2. Though in general the gospel teaches us lessons of forgiveness towards those who injure or misuse us, yet sometimes, for the sake of others and the public, it would be wrong not to claim that redress to which we are entitled. Strangers, as well as Jews, were bound by those laws. It is highly equitable, that they who live among us, as they have a right to the protection, ought to be alike obnoxious to the penalties of the law.
Leviticus 24:23-32
that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people. 30. And whatsoever
soul it be that doeth any work in that same day, the same soul will I destroy from among his people. 31. Ye shall do no manner of work: It shall be a stature for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. 32. It shall be unto you a sabbath of reft, and ye shall afflict your souls in the ninth day of the month at even: from even unto even shall ye celebrate your sabbath. 1. The feaft of trumpets instituted. Every new moon was ushered in with trumpets, but this day they blew from morning until evening. As the jubilee year began with this seventh month, it might post-grace that joyful found of gospel grace which should go forth into all lands. The Jews lay it was a preparation call for the day of atonement, which was on the ninth; and send there to, that we should have loud calls to shake off spiritual, froth, and awake to serious attention about our everlasting concerns. 2. The day of atonement must be observed as a day of sacred reft, to be spent wholly in reflection upon, and humiliation for the foes of the preceding year. A day of falling: the body, as well as soul, must be afflicted, as both share in guilt; and the whole day, from even unto even, must be spent in those exercises of deep abatement, which answered the institution. Note. (1.) They who feel the burden of sin, will be careful to hear down the body, as well as to humble the soul under it. (2.) Solomn seasons for the review of past transgressions, cannot but have a blessed effect upon the heart. (3.) When we would afflict our bodies with falling, there should be total ablimence from all kinds of meat. To keep a fall on rich fish, and high sauces, it ridiculous mockery, instead of a holy fall. 4. 2nd. appl. 18. Numents. 1st. Deut. est. 15. 3th. vii. 37. Heb. A day of rechance. 4. 2. Cameral. 9. Heb. viii. 41. Heb. Fruit. 31. ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 24. Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, ‘The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feaft of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD’. 35. On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein. 36. Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: ‘on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you, and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a ’ solemn assembly, and ye shall do no servile work therein. 37. These are the feafts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt-offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink-offerings, every thing upon his day: 38. Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your free-will offerings, which ye give unto the LORD. 39. Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feaft unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath. 40. And ‘ye shall take you on the first day the ’ boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm-trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook: and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days. 41. And ye shall keep it a feaft unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a stature for ever in your generations, ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42. Ye shall swell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born, shall dwell in booths: 43. That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. 44. And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feafts of the LORD.
Leviticus 24:33-44
The sorrows of repentance are the certain foresumers of peace and joy in believing. The humiliation of the day of atonement prepared for the feaft of tabernacles, one of the three great festivals, celebrated for eight days, with every experthno of gladness, with many sacrifices, and two days of fodum convocation. During seven days, they lived in booths, made of the branches of trees; the eighth was a holy day of reft and joy. They thus remembered their long abode in tents, in the wilderness, and God’s care of them there: and as the fruits of the whole year were now gathered in, this added to their thankfulness. Note. (1.) When we come to our true kind of reft, it will ever warp our hearts with peculiar gratitude, to remember the hardships we have endured in the wilderness, and from which the Lord delivered us. (2.) If the joy of herself was so great, how much greater will it be when we shall reap the harvest of eternal glory? (3.) We, in this world, dwell in booths, but in a few days we shall return to our house, which is from heaven, and then everlasting joy will be upon our heads. These solemnities were annually observed, beside their sabbaths and free-will offerings; for nothing most interrupt our ordinary duties, and we are never refrained from adding any farther portion of our time and substance to the immediate service of God, if we find our hearts inclined, and our circumstances enabling us. C H A P. XXIV. In this chapter we have, 1. A repetition of the laws concerning the lamps and the flave-bread, vers. 1-9. 2. A violation of the laws against blasphemy, with the imprisonment, trial, condemnation, and execution of the blasphemer, vers. 10-14. with vers. 23. 3. The laws against blasphemy re-enforced, vers. 15, 16. with fawley other laws, vers. 17-22. 1. AND the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2. Command the children of Israel that they bring unto thee pure oil-olive, beaten, for the light , to cause the lamps to burn continually. 3. Without the vail of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning, before the LORD continually: It shall be a statute for ever in your generations. 4. He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the LORD continually. 5. ¶ And thou shalt take free flour, and bake twelve ‘cakes thereof: two tenth-deals shall be in one cake. 6. And thou shalt set them in two rows, six in a row, upon the pure tables, before the LORD. 7. And thou shalt put pure frankincense upon each row, that it may be on the bread for a memorial, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD. 8. Every sabbath he shall set it in order before the LORD continually, being taken from the children of Israel, by an everlasting covenant. 9. And ‘it shall be Aaron’s and his sons, and they shall eat it in the holy place: for it is most holy unto him, of the offerings of the LORD made by fire, by a perpetual statute.