Bible Commentaries

Leviticus 1:1 And the LORD called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying,

Ver. 1. And the Lord called.] A continuation of the former history, from the rearing of the tabernacle to the numbering of the people; being the history of one month only.

Leviticus 1:2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the LORD, ye shall bring your offering of the cattle, [even] of the herd, and of the flock.

Ver. 2. Bring an offering.] Whereby they were led to Christ; as the apostle showeth in that excellent Epistle to the Hebrews, which is a just commentary upon this book.

Leviticus 1:3 If his offering [be] a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the LORD.

Ver. 3. Burnt sacrifice.] A whole burnt offering, [Hebrews 10:6] purporting whole Christ suffering for us, [Isaiah 53:12] and our sacrificing our whole selves to him as a "reasonable service." [Romans 12:1]

Leviticus 1:4 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.

Ver. 4. And he shall put his hand.] As acknowledging his own guilt, and transferring the same upon Christ, resting upon him with full assurance of faith, handfasting us unto him.

Leviticus 1:5 And he shall kill the bullock before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that [is by] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

Ver. 5. And he shall kill the bullock.] The priest shall kill it: for it was death for any man to offer his own sacrifice. So it is still for any to come to God, otherwise than in and by Christ.

Leviticus 1:6 And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces.

Ver. 6. And he shall flay the burntoffering.] To show the grievousness of our Saviour’s sufferings; the cruel usage of his suffering saints; [Micah 3:3 Hebrews 11:35] and the duty of all that have benefit by him, to flay off the old man with his deceitful lusts, [Ephesians 4:22] dealing thereby as the Turk dealt by him that betrayed the Rhodes. He presented unto him his promised wife and portion; but with it told him that he would not have a Christian to be his son-in-law; and therefore caused his baptized skin, as he called it, to be flayed off, and him to be cast into a bed strawed with salt, that he might get a new skin. ^(a) See Mark 9:49.

Leviticus 1:7 And the sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire upon the altar, and lay the wood in order upon the fire:

Ver. 7. Fire upon the altar.] That fire from heaven [Leviticus 9:24] - which the heathens apishly imitated in their vestal fire - typing either the scorching wrath of God seizing upon Christ, or the ardent love of Christ to his, and their zeal for him.

Leviticus 1:8 And the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall lay the parts, the head, and the fat, in order upon the wood that [is] on the fire which [is] upon the altar:

Ver. 8. In order upon the wood.] Showing that ministers must rightly divide, and dispose the word of God, [2 Timothy 2:15] and evidently set forth Christ crucified. [Galatians 3:1]

Leviticus 1:9 But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water: and the priest shall burn all on the altar, [to be] a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

Ver. 9. Shall he wash.] Shadowing Christ’s perfect purity [Hebrews 7:26] and our entire sanctification. [Ezekiel 26:19 Hebrews 10:22]

Of a sweet savour unto the Lord.] The burning and broiling of the beasts could yield no sweet savour; but thereto was added wine, oil, and incense, by God’s appointment, and then there was a savour of rest in it. Our prayers, as from us, would never please; but as indited by the Spirit, and presented by Christ, they are highly accepted in heaven.

Leviticus 1:10 And if his offering [be] of the flocks, [namely], of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice; he shall bring it a male without blemish.

Ver. 10. A male without blemish.] But "cursed be the deceiver that hath in his flock a male, and voweth and sacrificeth unto God a corrupt thing." [Malachi 1:14]

Leviticus 1:11 And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron’s sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar.

Ver. 11. On the side of the altar northward.] Not eastward, as the heathen sacrifices: or to note the obscurity of the legal ceremonies.

Leviticus 1:12 And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat: and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that [is] on the fire which [is] upon the altar:

Ver. 12. In order.] {See Trapp on "Leviticus 1:8"}

Leviticus 1:13 But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring [it] all, and burn [it] upon the altar: it [is] a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

Ver. 13. He shall wash.] {See Trapp on "Leviticus 1:9"}

Leviticus 1:14 And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the LORD [be] of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons.

Ver. 14. Turtle doves, or young pigeons.] Old turtles and young pigeons are the best: God must have the very best of the best, as being best worthy.

Leviticus 1:15 And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head, and burn [it] on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar:

Ver. 15. Wring off his head.] Or, Pinch it with his nail, that the blood might go out, without separating it from the rest of the body. This prefigured the death of Christ without either breaking a bone or dividing the Godhead from the manhood; as also the skill that should be in ministers, to cut or divide aright the word of truth.

Leviticus 1:16 And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers, and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes:

Ver. 16. His crop with his feathers.] Or, The maw with the filth thereof - that is, the guts which receive the filth sent unto them from the maw - was plucked out, and the blood strained at the side of the altar. This signified those clots of blood wrung from our Saviour before his oblation upon the cross.

Leviticus 1:17 And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, [but] shall not divide [it] asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that [is] upon the fire: it [is] a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.

Ver. 17. And he shall cleave it.] That the inward part might be laid on the fire. See Psalms 51:18-19, Mark 12:33.