Bible Commentaries
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible
Leviticus 7
Which is by the flanks; or, and that which is, &c. So this is another fat, as may seem probable from the mention of the several parts, the
kidneys and the
flanks. For it seems preposterous after a plain and exact description of the very particular place of the fat, the kidneys, to add another more dark and doubtful description of it from the flanks. And the Hebrew writers, whose common practice of these things makes them the best interpreters of it, make these divers kinds or parts of fat. And so there is only an ellipsis of the conjunction copulative, which is Psalms 133:3, and in many other places, as hath been already showed.
Every male supposing him not to have any uncleanness upon him, Leviticus 7:20, or other impediment.
So is the trespass-offering, to wit, in the matter here following, for in other things they differed.
Shall have it, i.e. by a synecdoche, that part of it which was by God allowed to the priest. See Leviticus 6:26.
All the meat-offering, except the part reserved by God, Leviticus 2:2,9. Shall be the priest’s that offereth it, because these were ready drest and hot, and not to be presently eaten; and because the priest who offered it was in reason to expect and have something more than his brethren who laboured not about it; and that he had only in this offering, for the other were equally distributed.
Dry, without oil, or drink-offering, as those Leviticus 5:1 Numbers 5:15.
One as much as another: the sense may be either,
1. That every priest shall have equal right to this, when the course of his ministration comes. But then there was no reason to make so great an alteration of the phrase, nor to make any distinction of the differing kinds of meatofferings, if in both they were to be the priest’s that offered them, as is expressed Leviticus 7:9, and here, as they say, intended. Or rather,
2. That these were to be equally divided among all the priests. And there was manifest reason for this difference, because these were in greater quantity than the former; and being raw, might more easily and commodiously be divided and reserved for the several priests to dress it in that way which each of them best liked.
Leavened bread; partly, because this was a sacrifice of another kind than those in which leaven was forbidden, this being a sacrifice of thanksgiving for God’s blessings, among which leavened bread was one; partly, to show that leaven was not so strictly forbidden in other sacrifices, as if it were evil in itself, but to teach us wholly to rest in the will of God in all his appointments, without too scrupulous an inquiry into the particular reasons of them.
Object. Leaven was universally forbidden, Leviticus 2:11.
Answ. 1. That prohibition concerned only things offered and burnt upon the altar, which this bread was not, but it was offered only towards the priest’s food.
2. That was another kind of sacrifice, and therefore it is no wonder if it had other rites.
3. That leaven was not universally forbidden appears from Leviticus 23:17.
With the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace-offerings, or, with the sacrifice of thanksgiving for his peace or prosperity.
Of it, i.e. either of the loaves of leavened bread mentioned Leviticus 7:13, or of the offering, one of each part of the whole oblation, as it follows; it being most probable, and agreeable to the rules and laws laid down before and afterward that the priest should have a share in the unleavened cakes and wafers, as well as in the leavened bread.
Concerning the heave-offerings, see Exodus 29:24,28.
Be a vow; offered in performance of a vow, the man having desired some special favour from God, and vowed the sacrifice to God if he would grant it. A
voluntary offering, which a malt freely offered to God, in testimony of his faith and love to God, without any particular injunction from God, or design of his own special advantage thereby. See Leviticus 22:23 Ezekiel 46:12.
On the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten, which was not allowed for the thankoffering; the reason of which difference is to be fetched only from God’s good pleasure and will, to which he expects our obedience, though we discern not the reason of his appointments.
That it might neither putrefy, and thereby be exposed to contempt; nor yet be reserved either for superstitious abuse, or for the priest’s domestic use, which would savour of covetousness, and of distrust of God’s care for their future provisions.
The flesh, to wit, of the holy offering, of which he is here treating; and therefore the general word is to be so limited; for other flesh one might eat in this case, Deuteronomy 12:15,22.
That toucheth any unclean thing, after its oblation; which might easily happen, as it was conveyed from the altar to the place where it was eaten; for it was not eaten in the holy place, as appears, because it was eaten by the priests, together with the offerers, who might not come thither.
As for the flesh, i.e. the other flesh; that which shall not be polluted by any unclean touch.
All that be clean, whether priests or offerers, or guests invited to the feast. See 1 Samuel 9:12 20:26. Both the flesh and the eaters of it must be clean.
The soul that eateth knowingly; for if it were done ignorantly, a sacrifice was accepted for it, Leviticus 5:2.
Having his uncleanness upon him, i.e. not being cleansed from his uncleanness according to the appointment, Leviticus 11:24, &c. This verse speaks of uncleanness from an internal cause, as by an issue, &c., for what was from an external cause is spoken of in the next verse.
The uncleanness of man, or,
of women, for the word signifies both; and that there were such things coming from men or women, the touch whereof did pollute men and things, may be seen Le 15, and elsewhere. Others make it an hypallage uncleanness of man, for a man of uncleanness, or, an unclean man. But that seems not necessary here.
The general prohibition of eating fat, Leviticus 3:17, is here explained of, and restrained to, those kinds of creatures which were sacrificed to God.
He speaketh still of the same kinds of beasts, and showeth that this prohibition reacheth not only to the fat of those beasts which were offered to God, but also of those that died, or were killed at home. And if this seems a superfluous prohibition concerning the fat, since the lean as well as the fat of such beasts was forbidden, Leviticus 22:8, it must be noted that that prohibition reached only to the priests, Leviticus 7:4.
Not by another, but by himself, as it is explained Leviticus 7:30. His oblation, i.e. those parts of the peace-offering which are in a special manner offered to God, to wit, the fat, and breast, and shoulder, as it follows. Unto the Lord, i.e. to the tabernacle, where the Lord was present in a special manner. He shows, that though part of such offerings might be eaten in any clean place, Leviticus 10:14, yet not till they had been killed, and part of them offered to the Lord in the place appointed by him for that purpose.
After the beast was killed, and the parts of it divided, the priest was to put the parts mentioned into the hands of the offerer. See Exodus 29:22-24.
Made by fire; so called not strictly, as burnt-offerings are, because some parts of these were left for the priest, Leviticus 7:31; but more largely, because even these peace-offerings were in part, though not wholly, burnt.
The breast may be waved to and fro by his hands, which were supported and directed by the hands of the priest.
The breast or heart is the seat of wisdom, and the
shoulder of strength for action, and these two may denote that wisdom and virtue or power which was in Christ our High Priest, 1 Corinthians 1:24, and which ought to be in every priest.
Of the anointing, i.e. of the priesthood; the sign put for the thing signified; and the anointing by a like figure is put for the right, or part of the sacrifices belonging to the priest by virtue of his anointing, as plainly appears from the words here following,
out of the offering, & c.
In the day when he presented them: this was their portion appointed them by God in that day, and therefore to be given to them in after-ages. Or, from the day, &c., and thenceforward; the Hebrew preposition beth being put for rain, as it is frequently.
Of the consecration, i.e. of the sacrifice offered at the consecration of the priests.
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