Exodus 29
PATVcr.l. JjLND this is the thing that thou shall do vnto them to hallow them. Having ordered Aaron and his sons to be set apart to attend upon him in his house as his ministers; he now directs how they should be hallowed (or made holy), that is, separated to his service in the priest’s office. * To minister unto me in the priest’s office.] This was the design of their separation from other men, as was often said before, (xxviii. 1. 3, 4. 41. 43.) Take one young bullock and two rams without blemish.] There were several things to be done before this, though this was the chief. For they were to be washed, and robed with their priestly garments, and anointed; and then they were completed by peculiar sacrifices, which are directed and described, ver. 10, 11, &c. and put in execution, Lev. viii. 1, 2, &c. the door of the tabernacle.] To be presented unto God, together with their sacrifice. And skalt wash them with water.] This was the first thin"- that was done for the hallowing them, (ver. 1.) as we read Lev. viii. 6. and was performed, some think, at the laver, which is directed to he. made. in the next chapter, (xxx. 18, 19.) where they were to repeat this washing every time they went in to minister unto God. But now, I take it to be more likely, at their first consecration, water was brought from thence to wash them at the door of the tabernacle, before they were permitted to enter into it. Whether their who^e bodies were now washed, is not said; but we may probably gather that they were; for they were now looked on as wholly unclean (being unhallowed), and therefore were to be washed all over: though, being once cleansed, they needed not do more, when they went to minister, but only wash their hands and their feet; which agrees with our Saviour’s words, John xiii. 10. Such washings, every body knows, were in use among the gentiles before they offered sacrifice. meaning maybe, they shall enjoy in perpetual succession tho office of priests, as their father and his successors the office of high-priests. And than shall consecrate Aaron and Ms sons.’] Thus doing, they shall be completely consecrated. For in the Hebrew the phrase is, shall fill the hand of Aaron, &c. which was done after the manner prescribed, ver. 22 — 24, &c. “WTiich shews that this was the principal part of their consecration: or, at least, the consummation of it. And there was, besides this, a peculiar offering, which both Aaron and his sons are commanded to offer, in the day of their anointing, (Lev. vi. 20, 21.) And thou shall take his blood, and sprinkle it round about upon the altar.’] It was a different sacrifice from the other, and therefore had different ceremonies belonging to it; some of the blood of the bullock being only put on the horns of the altar, (ver. 12.) How the blood was sprinkled round about upon the altar, will be explained Lev. i. 11. Thence this sacrifice was called milium, (hat is, filling of the hands; which wc translate consecration. And their hands were thus filled, to shew that Aaron and his sons did not usurp this dignity, or take it upon themselves (as we speak), but were called unto it by God, who ordered these things to be put into their hands, that they might present them to him. 11. Solomon will have this ram called the ram of fillings or impletions; because by this sacrifice they were completed, and absolutely made priests; nothing remaining to be done after this. And shall wave them.] “When such holy things were put into the hands of the offerers by the priest, then the priest put his hands under theirs, and they were lifted up, and then waved about on all sides. For a tvave-offervng.] The Hebrew word tenuphah signifies agitation, or shaking to and fro; which, Abarbinel saith,‘was performed upward and downright, and then round about to all quarters of the world, -to signify that the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; or rather, that he is the the possessor of heaven and of earth. Others of them speak to the same purpose. Before the Lord.] Standing with their faces towards the sanctuary. viii. 31. and as it is explained in the next verse, that there they should eat it. Fire was taken from the altar to boil it. preceding seven days, fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt-offering, (Lev. viii. 1. 24.) Whatsoever toucheth the altar shall be holy.] Nothing was acceptable unto God, unless it was offered upon this altar; which sanctified every thing that was laid upon it, according to God’s direction. Thus our Saviour seems to explain these words, (Matth. xxiii. 19.) The altar sanctifieth the gift. That w T as the name for all things presented unto God, which were called korban; being destined to bo offered at his altar.
Exodus 29:2
And unleavened bread, &c. Together with the foregoing sacrifices (which it will appear hereafter were of several sorts), there was a mincha to be offered; bread being necessary at a table together with flesh. And this consisted of three parts; unleavened bread, unleavened cakes tempered with oil, and unleavened wafers (or thin cakes, like to our pancakes) anointed with oil, before they were put into the pan to be fried. All these were to be made of wheaten flour: and the two last were accounted a delicious bread among the Greeks, as Athcnaeus tells us, lib. iii. Deipnpsoph.
Exodus 29:3
And thou shall put them into one basket, &c. All these, making but one meat-offering, were to be put into one basket, and so brought to the door of the tabernacle, to bo presented there to God, together with the bullock and rams, (ver. 23.)
Exodus 29:4
And Aaron and his sons thou shall bring unto
Exodus 29:5
And thouslialt take the garments. Their bodies being washed, they were, next of all, robed with those garments prescribed in the foregoing chapter. And put upon Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, &c] The order wherein these garments were put on, according to the Tahnudists, was this: first the breeches were put on by the priest himself, and that privately; which is the reason, perhaps, they arc not here mentioned. They being tied about his loins, Moses put upon him the close coat, which came down to his ankles. Then this being bound to him by the girdle (which went round several times about him under the arm-holes), he put upon him his bonnet. This was the manner of habiting an ordinary priest. But when the high-priest was consecrated, after the girdle, beforcnamed, was put on the robe, with the ephod and breast-plate, and then his mkre; to which was added the golden-plate, tied with a blue riband upon his forehead. (See Scldcn de Succession, ad Pontif. lib.ii. cap. 8.)
Exodus 29:6
And put the holy crown upon his head. By this crown is meant nothing else but the golden-plate, on which was written holiness to the Lord; (xxviii. 36.) which is expressly called by the name of a crown, xxxix. 30. Lev. viii. 9. being bound upon the forehead with a blue riband like a diadem. Josephus seems to call the mitre by the name of a crown, (lib. vi. Ilalos. cap. 15.) but then he immediately adds, 7rcpi rjv xpvaovg aXXoc >1v mitpavog, &e. about which there was another golden crown, having holy letters written in it, &c. (Vide Selden, lib. ii. de Succession, cap. 7.)
Exodus 29:7
And thou shall take the anointing oil. The next thing that was done for the consecration of Aaron, was anointing him with that oil which God ordered to be made, xxx. 31, 32, &c. And pour it upon his head, and a?wint him.] The Jews seem to think these two distinct things, pouring oil on his head, and then anointing him. The manner of which they say was thus: the oil being poured upon his head, which ran down to his face, he that anointed him drew with his finger the figure of the Greek letter chi (or St. Andrew’s cross) upon his forehead between his eyebrows. This was done, Ahcn Ezra thinks, before his mitre was put upon his head. But that is contrary to the order here set down, which prescribes the putting on all his priestly garments (of which this was one) before the anointing. And he was therefore to be anointed in all his habiliments, because he was anointed to minister unto God; which he could not do without all the holy garments, (xxviii. 43.) particularly this, it being unlawful to appear before God with the head uncovered; as it was also among the gentiles. Other of the Jewish doctors therefore think, that when his head was wrapped about with, the mitre, a place was left bare upon his crown for the pouring the oil upon it. Certain it is, that it was so poured on his head, as to run do^vn upon his beard, (Psal. exxxiii. 2.). And the Jews say, the form of the letter chi was drawn upon his forehead to distinguish his anointing from that of their kings; who were anointed in the form of a circle, or crown. (Seje* Selden de Succession, lib. ii. cap. 9.) Where he observes also, that there being no holy oil all the time of the second temple after the captivity, they made highpriests only by putting on their holy garments. Which that they might have complete, they made an imitation of urim and thummim (though they had not the oracle itself), that none of the eight garments might be wanting. So Maimonides. The only remaining difficulty is, whether all Aaron’s sons were anointed as well as himself. And Mr. Selden, in the place beforenamed, thinks they were at the first, but not in future times: though all Aaron’s successors in the high priesthood were consecrated by anointing, as long as the holy oil lasted; that is, to the captivity of Babylon, or, as some say, fifty years before, when it was hid, and no more found. And there is a place in the next chapter which seems to favour this opinion, (xxx. 30.) But as we read of no command for their anointing, as there is here for Aaron’s; so, when this command came to be executed, it is said expressly, that Moses poured oil on Aaron’s head; but that upon his sons he only put the holy garments, (Lev.‘viii. 12, 13.) And therefore he is peculiarly called, " the highpriest from among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured,” (Lev. xxi. 10.) The anointing therefore of his sons, (xxx. 30.) is only meant of that unction which is here mentioned, ver. 21. of this chapter, where a mixture is ordered to* be made of the blood of the sacrifice and of their anointing oil, which was ordered to be sprinkled both upon Aaron and his sons, and upon their garments, and was a part of their consecration. For it was done accordingly at that time, as we read Lev. viii. 30. So that Aaron himself had a double unction; one proper to him alone, as high-priest, upon whose head the holy oil was poured; another common to him with his sons, as he was a priest, whose garments were sprinkled with the oil and blood mingled together.
Exodus 29:8
And thou shall bring his sons, and put coats upon them. The high-priest was first habited, and then his sons, in the order I have described, (ver. 5.)
Exodus 29:9
And thou shalt gird them with girdles, &c. See ver. 5. And the priesfs office shall be theirs, &c] That is, as long as the holy garments were upon them, the priesthood was upon them: but if they were not upon them, neither was the priesthood upon them. They are the words of Maimonidcs in Ccli’ Hammickdash, cap. 10. Or tho
Exodus 29:10
And thou shalt cause a bullock. The young bullock he commanded him to take, (ver. 1.) To be brought before the tabernacle of the congregation.] In order to its being offered to God: for in this and in the following verses, the sacrifices are prescribed which were to be made at the consecration of Aaron and his sons; which were there: the first is this here mentioned, which was an offering for sin, as appears from ver. 14. For till their sins were expiated, they were not fit to offer anything to God; much less to offer for the sins of others. The next was a holocaust, or whole burnt-offering, as a gift or present, whereby they were recommended to God.. And the third was a peace-offering; on which they made a feast, and by that werein itiated into God’s family. And Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the heads of the bullock.] This was the form in all sacrifices, both burnt-offerings (Lev. i. 4.) and peace-offerings, (Lev. iii. 2. 8.) by which they devoted the sacrifice to be the Lord’s. But in sin-offerings, there being a solemn confession of sins made, (Lev. xvi. 21.) he that laid his hands on the beast, seemed thereby to have transferred the guilt from himself unto the sacrifice, desiring it might be accepted for him. Ver. II. And thou shalt kill the bullock before the Lord.] Though Moses was never consecrated after the manner of Aaron, yet he was made a priest, for this peculiar purpose, by an extraordinary commission from God. By the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.] Where the altar of burnt-offering was placed, at the erection of the tabernacle, (xl. 6. 29.)
Exodus 29:12
And thou shalt take of the blood of the bullock, andput it upon the horns of the altar with thy finger. Some have fancied that he means upon the horns of the altar of incense; because, when a priest offered a sin-offering for himself he was so to do, (Lev. iv. 7.) But it is to be considered, that Aaron and his sons, for whom this sacrifice was offered, were not yet priests, but common men, who, by this sacrifice, were to be made priests: whose blood therefore was to be put upon the horns of the altar of burntofferings, as is expressly required in other sin-offerings, (Lev. iv. 25. 30.) And pour all the blood.] All the rest of the blood. Beside the bottom of the altar.] This shews he speaks of the altar of burnt-offerings; at the bottom of which there was a trench, into which they poured the blood of the sacrifice, as I shall shew hereafter..
Exodus 29:13
And thou shalt take all the fat that covereth the inivards. He means that part of the beast which is called the omentum, in which all the bowels are wrapped; which in Lev. ix, 19. is simply called that xyhich covereth. This hath a great deal of fat upon it, to keep the bowels warm, and was much used in ancient sacrifices, both among the Greeks and Romans, who herein followed the Jews. Nay, the Persians also offered to the gods nothing but the omentum, or a part of it, as Bochartus observes out of Strabo. (See Hierozoic. par. i. lib. ii. cap. 45.) And from the condition and situation of the omentum, the heathen diviners made their conjectures; insomuch, that some think it had the name of omentum, because they made their good or bad omens from thence. And the caid that is above the liver.] Our interpreters take this for the diaphragm, or the midriff, upon which the liver hangs. But Bochartus hath demonstrated, I think, that it signifies the greatest lobe of the liver, upon which the bladder of gall lies, (lib. ii. Hierozoic. par. i. cap. 45.) The only argument against it is, that this jothereth (as the Heb^vs call it) is said here to be above the liver, and therefore must signify the diaphragm, upon which the liver depends. But the particle al signifies upon, as well as above: and is to be here so translated, upon or by the liver. And the reason why this lobe of the liver was peculiar to the altar, was because of the fat that is upon it. And the two kidneys, &c] For the same reason the kidneys w r ere appropriated to God: which had one of their names from the fat that is upon them, which Homer (as the same Bochartus there observes) calls lirivz
Exodus 29:14
And the flesh of the bullock and his skin, &c. The burnt-offering being flayed, the skin of it was given to the priest, (Lev. vii. 8.) But in sin-offerings the skin was burnt (and the flesh also in some cases), and that also without the camp, not at the altar, (Lev. iv. 11, 12. viii. 17.) The heathen sometimes burnt the skin even of their holocausts, as Bochart shews, par. i. Hierozoic. lib. ii. cap. 34. Shalt thou burn tvith fire, &c] The Hebrew word hero for burn is quite different from that in the foregoing vctsc, which is used concerning the burning of incense, which soon vanished into smoke, as the fat there mentioned did. But the flesh, and the skin, and the dung, were burnt with a stronger fire, and were longer before they were consumed; and therefore burnt without the camp, where the ashes were poured out, as a thing abominable. It is a sin-offering.] The priest might eat of any sin-offering, whose blood was not brought into the sanctuary; or rather it was his duty so to do, (Lev. x. 17.) because it argued that the people’s sin was borne and taken away by the priest. It may seem strange then that Moses (who was in the place of a priest) is ordered to burn all this sin-offering, and not permitted to eat of it; though Aaron and his sons could not, because they were not yet priests. The best reason I have found of it is, that it was to signify the imperfection of the legal dispensation; since the sins of the priests themselves could not be taken away by the priests of the law, or their sacrifices; but were to expect a belter sacrifice, or a better high-priest, as Dr. Jackson’s words are in his Consecration of the Son of God, cap. 26. in 2.
Exodus 29:15
And thou shalt also take one ram. One of the rams mentioned above, (ver. 1.) ■ Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.] See concerning this, ver. 10.
Exodus 29:16
And thou shalt slay the ram. Where the bullock >yas killed, by the door of the tabernacle, (ver. 11.)
Exodus 29:17
And thou shalt cut the ram in pieces. That the parts might the more easily be burnt upon the altar. And tvash the inwards of him, &c] Upon which there was a great deal of fat; which being put upon the pieces, and the head, made them consume the sooner, by nourishing the flame. Thus Homer represents the sacrifice of the Greeks (as Bochart observes), when they offered to Jupiter; they cat the thighs in pieces, and then covered them over with fat. Mtjoouc t* l^trajuov, Kara re kvIggt) ItcaXxflpav. ^IHad. 2. ver. 423. Vid. Hieroz. par. i. lib. ii. cap. 45. p. 472.)
Exodus 29:18
And thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar: it is a burnt-offering unto the Lord, &c. By this it appears, that as the former was a sin-offering y:so this was a holocaust, or burnt-offering; which would not be received till their sins were expiated by the foregoing sacrifice. Nothing of which was offered at the altar, but some of the fat only, because (as R. Levi ben Gersom observes) the offerers were not yet worthy that God should accept any offering from them.
Exodus 29:19
And thou shalt take the other ram. Mentioned ver. 1. And Aaron and his sons shall put their hands upon the head of the ram.] See ver. 10. This, it will appear afterward, (ver. 28. 32.) was a peace-offering: upon which, being now reconciled to God and received into his favour, they feasted with him at his tabic.
Exodus 29:20
Then shalt thou kill the ram. Where the bullock was killed, which was first offered ver. 11; And take of his blood.] Which was received in a bason. And put it upon the tip of the right ear of Aaron and his sons, &c] This being peculiarly called the ram of consecration, ver. 22. 31. the blood of it was not put upon the horns of the altar, (as in the first sacrifice, ver. 12.) nor merely sprinkled round about the altar, (as in the second, ver. 16.) but put upon Aaron and his sons. And first upon the tip of their ears, to signify that they should hearken to the Divine prescriptions; and then upon their thumbs and great toes (in which lie the strength of the hands and feet), to denote their ready and strenuous performance of every thing required of them. And being put upon the tip of their right ear, and the thumb of their right hand, and the great too of their right foot, it may well be thought to signify the most exact and perfect obedience: the right hand being every where represented as the most excellent and strongest to do any execution. To this purpose Abarbinel discourses on this place, whose words arc these: “All this tended to make the priest understand, that he ought to apply himself diligently to the study of the law; and to employ his hands with the same diligence in his sacred ministry; and to walk in the way of God’s precepts,” &c. Some of the Jews consider these things so scrupulously, as to say the priests might not use their left hand in their ministry, no more than minister with unwashen hands. And sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about.] i. e* The remainder of the blood. It is no improbable conjecture of Fortunatus Scacchus, that from hence the heathens learnt their taurobolia and criobolia.-.which in process of time they disguised with infernal rites and ceremonies. For a deep hole being made in the ground, the priest tobe consecrated was put into it; and then planks being laid over it, with a great many holes in them, the bullock or the ram was slain over them, and their blood running down into the hole, the priest received it on his eyes, his ears, his nose, his mouth; nay, he besmeared his body with it. And this was accounted the highest consecration of a priest; the virtue of which lasted twenty years before it was renewed: and he that was thus consecrated, was had in the greatest honour and veneration. Thus filthily did the devil pervert the most simple and cleanest rites which Moses prescribed, of putting a little blood, with a fragrant oil, on the tip of one of their ears, thumbs, and toes. (Myrothec. ii. Sacr. Elceochrysm. cap. 77.)
Exodus 29:21
And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar. Some of that which was sprinkled (as the foregoing verse directs) round about the altar. Or, perhaps some of the blood was left in the bason, upon the altar, for that use. And of the anointing oil.] Which is afterward ordered to be made, (xxx. 23, &c.) And sprinkle it upon Aaron and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him.”] By which sprinkling, both they and their garments were separated to a holy use, as it follows in the. next words, and he shall be hallowed and his garments, &c. (see upon ver. 7.) This may be looked upon as a lively representation of our purification by the blood of Jesus Christ, and by his Holy Spirit.
Exodus 29:22
And thou shalt take of the ram the fat. All the fat in general was to be the Lord’s, (Lev. iii. 3.) The rump.] Hero he seems to reckon up the particulars. And the rump of a sheep was the principal in those eastern countries, where their tails are of a prodigious bigness, and exceeding fat, asBochartus observes, par. i. Hieroz. lib. ii. cap. 45. and Job Ludolphus in his Histor. Ethiop. lib. i. cap. 10. n. 16. and in his Comment, in Histor. lib. i. cap. 10.n.76. « And that covereth the inivards, &c] See ver. 13. where these and the following words are explained. And the right shoulder.] In peace-offerings this belonged to the priest, (Lev. vii. 32.) and so it is here ordained, (ver. 27, 28.) But now it was to be burnt upon the altar, (ver. 25.) because they were not yet priests, as the following words tell us, which give the reason why this shoulder was burnt. For it is a ram of consecration.] Whereby they were consecrated, and made priests, but not yet completed, and therefore could not cat of that shoulder.
Exodus 29:23
And one loaf of bread, and one cake of oiled bread, &c. Of that bread and those cakes mentioned ver. 2. of this chapter. Tliat is before the Lord.] Which had been presented unto God, (ver. 3.) for this by the law was to accompany their other sacrifices, (Numb. xv. 4.)
Exodus 29:24
And thou shalt put all. Both bread, aind cakes, and fat, and right shoulder, beforementioncd. ) In the hands of Aaron, and in the hands ofjds sons.]
Exodus 29:25
And thou shalt receive them from their hands, &c. After they had waved them, they delivered them into the hands of Moses; who, as the priest at this time, laid them upon the altar, and burnt them. For a burnt-offering.] It is certain this was not a whole burnt-offering, but a peace-offering, as appears from ver. 28^ 31, 32. yet some of it being burnt on the altar, that part is called a burnt-offering. It is an offering made by fire.] So the burnt-offerings arc called, Lev. i. 9. 13, &c. but this was so only in part, as I said, not in the whole; and may be interpreted by Lev. iii. 5. where all that was to be burnt of the peace-offerings, is’commanded to be burnt upon the burnt-sacrifice, and in that regard might be called a burnt-offering. (Sec ver. 27.) Ver. 2G. And thou shalt take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s consecration.] Of the consecration of him and of his sons. And wave it for a wave-offering before the Lord; and it shall be thy part.] Being a peace-offering, the priest who offered the sacrifice was to have his share of it: and there* fore the breast is here given to Moses, after he had acknowledged it t<J be God’s by waving it about, and that he’had it only as his minister.
Exodus 29:27
And thou shalt sanctify the breast of the waveoffering, and the shoulder of the heave-offering. Upon this occasion, he makes a general law, to be always observed hereafter; that though, in this peculiar case, the right shoidder of this sacrifice was burnt (being for Aaron’s consecration) and called a burnt-offering, (ver. 25.) yet, in all future times, both the breast and this shoulder should belong unto the priest. Therefore the word sanctify here signifies, as much as declare them to be sanctified, or set apart for the priest’s use: as they were again by an express law, (Lev. vii. 31 — 34.) Wliich is waved, and which is heaved vp.] Thcrcis no difference, that I can find, between terumah, which we translate heave-offering,- vti(i a tenuphah, which we translate tvave-offering; but the former was only lifted up and so waved, and the other was waved all manner of ways, up and down, east, west, north, and south; to signify that He to whom it was offered was I ord of the whole world, and all that therein is.
Exodus 29:28
And it shall be Aaroiis and his sons’ by a statute for ever. So it is called Lev. vii. 34. and it is again repeated for greater confirmation, Deut. xviii. 3. For it is a heave-offering.] It is consecrated to God, to whom it belongs; and he bestows it upon his ministers. And it shall be a heave-offering of the sacrifice of their peace-offerings, &c.] And it shall always in future times be presented unto God as his part of the peace-offerings; who constitutes the priests to cat it in his stead. As the former ram was a burntoffering, so this, it is plain, was a peace-offering, in token that now they were in a state of perfect friendship with God. Which was procured by their sin-offering, (ver. 14.) which was offered first; whereby their present to t God (ver. 18.) was made acceptable, as now their persons were declared by this sacrifice of peaceoffering.
Exodus 29:29
And the holy garments of Aaron shall be his son’s after him, to be anointed therein, &c. Upon this occasion, also, God makes another general law, that all the successors of Aaron in the high priesthood, should be set apart to that office, in such garments, and by such an unction, and such sacrifices, as he was consecrated withal. And it appears by Numb. xx. 28. that Aaron’s son was invested with the very same garments which Aaron wore: for those which peculiarly belonged to the high-priest, did not decay as the tunic and breeches did, and therefore went from one to another.
Exodus 29:30
And that son’which is priest in his stead shall put them on seven days. This was to be done seven days, one after another, that a sabbath might pass over him. For no man could be a complete high-priest, as the Jews imagine, till a sabbath had gone over his head. But the principal intention of this was, that he might be made a priest with great solemnity and deliberation; and put on his habit so often, that he might learn how to appear in them after a decent, or rather magnificent manner, before he undertook to minister. Yet the Jews say, that if he did offer sacrifice before the seven days’ end, it was not accounted unlawful; provided he had been anointed, and had put them on once. So Maimonides, who adds, that he was to put them on by day, and not by night. (See Selden de Succcssionibus, lib. ii. cap. 8.) Where he shews (cap. 9.) this is to be understood of his unction also, which was to be by day, and not by night; and to he repeated seven times. And by the same reason, the sacrifices were also to be repeated; though if he ministered before they were offered, the doctors held it not to be illegitimate; as he shews in the end of that chapter. When he cometh into the tabernacle of the congregation, to minister in the holy place.] At his entrance into the tabernacle he was to put them on for seven days together, before he could go to minister in the sanctuary. And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin-offering for atonement] Lest he should think that only the ram of consecration should be offered seven days together, he here expressly directs the btdlock fqr a sinoffering should be so often repeated. The reason of it follows, because it was for atonement. Which appears by the next words to signify, that it was not only for the atonement of the priest, but of the altar itself, which was, by this sacrifice, made fit for God’s service. And that is the reason, perhaps, why he saith, in the plural number, it was for atonements. So the Hebrew text. And thou shalt cleanse the altar when thou hast made an atonement for it.] The altar was not capable of “any guilt; therefore this word atonement is here used improperly, to signify that, by these repeated sacrifices, it was set apart to be a place where expiation should be made. Or simply, this expiation of the altar was no more, but, of a common, making it a sacred place: or, as Fortunatus Scacchus understands it, it was purified by these rites from that defilement it must be supposed to have contracted, by the hands of the workmen that made it: for all vessels, in the sense of the law, were looked upon as made unclean, by the touch of any unclean person. And therefore perhaps the altar was also washed with water, as the priests were; which is here called its cleansing. - And thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it.] To” perfect its sanctification or separation from common use, it was anointed with the holy oil (mentioned in the next chapter), as AaTon and his sons were. For as by the blood of the bullock it was expiated, so by this anointing it was consecrated: which is meant by sanctifying it.
Exodus 29:31
And thou shalt take the ram of the consecration. That is, all the rest of the flesh which was not burnt on the altar nor given to Moses. Who having had their share, (ver. 22. 2G.) the remainder, as the manner was in peaceofferings, belonged to those that brought the sacrifice. And seethe his flesh in the holy place.] At the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, as yrc read expressly. Lev,
Exodus 29:32
And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram. That is, feast with God in his own house, as persons now completely qualified to minister unto him. And the bread that is in the basket.’] All the remaining bread and cakes, which were presented unto God, after that which was burnt upon the altar, as his part, (ver. 23, 24, &c.) By the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.’] Hence it appears, that this sacrifice had something in it peculiar from other peace-offerings; which might be carried home and eaten there, after God and the priests had had their parts. But this was to be eaten in God’s own house, where they were ministers, as a thing more holy: and therefore Aaron and his sons and daughters could not eat of it, as all the family did of other sacrifices of this kind.
Exodus 29:33
And they shall eat those things. Aaron and his sons alone were to eat them; and nobody else with them. Wherewith the atonement was made.] The atonement was not made by these things, but by the bullock, which was offered in the first place; which made them fit to have their hands filled with these things (as the Hebrew phrase is for consecrating, ver. 23, 24.) to complete their sanctin\ cation. And therefore the words should be thus translated, they shall eat those things for whom the atonement (or expiation) was made. To consecrate, and to sanctify them.] Their consecration and sanctification began by the sacrifice for sin; and was completed by this now mentioned. But a stranger shall not eat thereof] None that are not of the family of Aaron, to whom alone this holy food belonged. Nor were all his domestics allowed to eat of it, though they might eat of other peace-offerings; but only Aaron and his sons: who being consecrated persons, were to eat the$e things, which had a special holiness in them, being part of the sacrifice of consecration; and therefore appertained only to such persons as had been consecrated. Because they are holy.] Had a special holiness, as I said, in them; which made it fit only for such persons to eat them.
Exodus 29:34
And if aught of the flesh of the consecrations, or of the bread, remain unto the morning. He and his sons being not able to eat it all. Then thou shall burn the remainder with fire.] This is a further argument, that there was a peculiar holiness in this sacrifice, of which only Aaron and his sons might eat: for if this had been like to the flesh of other peace-offerings, it might, according to the following law, have been kept two days before it was eaten, (Lev. vii. 15, 16, &c.) It shall not be eaten.] Upon the second day. Because it is holy.] Is of more than ordinary sanctity; being offered to make men holy to God: and therefore the greatest care was tal-.en, it should not be in danger to be in the least corrupted.
Exodus 29:35
And thus shalt thou do unto Aaron, and unto his sons, according to all things which I have commanded thee. This is the sum of what I have to command thee, concerning the consecration of Aaron, and of his sons. Seven days shalt thou consecrate them.] They shall not be made complete priests, in less time than 1 have apvol. I. pointed. Which no doubt was to make them sensible of the weight of their office.
Exodus 29:37
Seven days thou shalt make an atonement for the altar, and sanctify it. Many think that these were not distinct seven days from those in which the priests were expiated and consecrated; as the bullock for the cleansing of the altar, was not a distinct bullock from that for the priests: but the same sacrifice served for both. This opinion I shall consider in the conclusion of this book, (xl. 17, 18.) and now only observe, that thus not only the priests among the heathen, but their altars also, were dedicated, by their taurobolia and criobolia, (which I mentioned ver. 20.) for we find an ancient inscription, wherein one is said to have set up petram tauroboliatam, an altar consecrated, by besmearing it with the blood of those sacrifices, as Fortunatus Scacchus interprets it, (lb. cap. 69.) Make an atonement for the altar.] By the blood of the bullock. And sanctify it.] By anointing it with the holy oil. And it shall be an altar most holy.’] The reason why it is so called, is given in the following words; because it was not only thus separated to a holy use, but made those things to be holy which were offered upon it. Which they could not be till it was thus expiated and sanctified. Therefore Fort. Scacchus expounds these words [an altar most holy] it shall be fully and completely consecrated, by observing all the rites which are here prescribed, for seven days together. Till the end of which no sacrifice whatsoever was offered on this altar (because it was not cleansed and sanctified to make them holy and acceptable), but on the eighth day, when all was performed that was required on the 2R
Exodus 29:38
Koio this is that zvhich thou shalt offer upon the altar. The principal use of the altar was, that there might be a constant sacrifice oflered upon it, in actnowledgment of God’s sovereign dominion over them. Which could not be done till it was expiated and consecrated: \mt that being finished, Moses directs here what should bo the first sacrifice offered upon it. Two lambs.] These w;ere to be a burnt-offering; which was the most ancient of all other sacrifices, being the same that Abel offered. Of the first year.] See xii. 5. Day by day continually.] There were other occasional sacrifices of various sorts; but these were stated, and so constant, that they were never intermitted. No, not upon festivals, w T hen other sacrifices were added: as upon the sabbath this sacrifice was doubled, (Numb, xxviii. 9, 10.) and upon new moons, and other feasts, several other sacrifices were appointed, as may be seen there, (ver. 11.) and in the rest of that chapter. It appears byLev.ix.17.that this daily sacrifice was offered (at least for some time) in the wilderness; but after they began to wander to and fro, for eight-and-thirty years, some think it was omitted. Which was the reason that God renewed this charge in Numb, xxviii. 3, 4. (See Junius and Menochius on that place.)
Exodus 29:39
The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning, and the other thou shalt offer at even. At what time in the morning and even, is not here plainly prescribed: but the word in the Hebrew for the latter being between the evenings, which was about three o’clock in the afternoon; the morning sacrifice also was oflered between the rising of the sun and noon, viz. at nine o’clock in the forenoon.
Exodus 29:40
And ivif hone lamb a tenth-deal of flour. Most understand the tenth part of an ephah, which ^yas an pmer: (concerning which sec xvi. 36.) And so Moses afterward expressly orders by God’s command, (Numb, xxviii. 5.) Mingled ivith the fourth part of a hin of oil, &c] \ hin was the sixth part of an ephah; containing one wine gallon, two pints, and fifteen inches (as Bishop Cumberland computes, in his learned treatise of Scripture Measures). So that tho fourth part of it was a quart, and something more than a quarter of a pint. The principal thing here to be observed is, that this was ordained (as 1 noted upon the twenty-fifth chapter) to representGod’s dwelling among them in the sanctuary; wherQ this daily sacrifice was the constant provision made for his table (as the altar is called), and bread and wine a necessary attendant (as they are at all tables) upon the meat that was set before him.’
Exodus 29:41
And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do thereunto according to the meat-offering in the morn big, and according to the drink-offering thereof. The same rites were to be observed in this, that were in the morning sacrifice, without any difference. For as Abarbinel observes, in his preface tc the book of Leviticus, the true reason of these two sacrifices was, that all men, who live well, having two meals a day, so many sacrifices (which were his meat) were therefore appointed for the Divine Majesty. For a sxveet savour.] See Lev. i. 9. An offering made by fire unto the Lord.’] i. e. A burntoflering, as the next verso explains it.
Exodus 29:42
This shall be a continual burnt-offering throughout their generations, at the door of the tabernacle of t/te congregation. For there the altar of burnt-offerings stood, as we read, xl. G. 29. Lev. xvii. 6, &c. Before the Lord.] Who dwelt in the most holy place, in the upper end of tho tabernacle. Where I will meet you.] Their coming to worship in that place, is called drawing nigh to God: accordingly he promises to vouchsafe his gracious presence to them. (Sec* xxv. 22.) To speak with thee.] More especially, he promises to meet Moses there upon occasion; and to declare his mind and will to him, in such cases wherein he should consult him.
Exodus 29:43
And tliere I will meet ivith the children of Israel. That they might not think his meeting with them (beforementioned) was only by revealing his mind to Moses,, and so to them (as the last words of the foregoing verse might seem to intimate), he explains his meaning to be, that there? he would grant tokens of his special love and favour to them all, when they approached unto him. And the tabernacle shall be sanctified ivith my glory.] The glorious presence of God, which filled this house, (xl. 35.) was that which sanctified it, or made it a holy place. But some refer this not to the tabernacle, but to Israel (which is just before mentioned, and the word tabernacle not in the tQxt), and the truth is, they were made a holy people also, by this glorious presende of God among them, in the tabernacle.
Exodus 29:44
And I will sanctify, &c. That is, manifest them to be sanctified; or still more completely sanctify them, by the appearance of the Divine Glory in the tabernacle, (Lev. ix. 24.) The tabernacle of the congregation.] In the Hebrew, the name. is ohef moed, which signifies exactly the labernacte of meeting; so called, not from the people’s meeting there (as we seem to take it when we translato it, tabernacle of the congregation), but from God’s meeting there with them, which is mentioned just before; and in the next chapter, (xxx. 36.) is expressly called the tabernacle of meeting (as I think it should be translated), where I will meet with tliee. Which shews that this was the reason of its name. (See also Numb. xvii. 4. and Mr. Mede, book ii. p. 43G.) Now all the people could not conic to attend upon the daily sacrifice, which was oflered for them, and so to meet with God here; and yet it was amaxjm among them, that no man’s sacrifice was accepted, unless he was present at it: therefore, there were certain select persons chosen to wait upon God, in the name of all the rest (and there were twenty-four classes of them, as of the priests in David’s time), called by the Jews stationary men; who never missed, when their course came, to attend on the Divine Majesty at the taberuaclo, as the representatives of all their brethren.