Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Leviticus 17:1 - 17:9
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
Animals to be Slain by Priests
v. 1. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
v. 2. Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them: This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, saying,
v. 3. What man soever there be of the house of Israel that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat, the most common sacrificial animals, in the camp, or that killeth it out of the camp, even if the underlying thought be merely that of slaughtering the animal for food,
v. 4. and bringeth it not unto the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation to offer an offering unto the Lord before the Tabernacle of the Lord, in some form of peace-offering, blood shall be imputed unto that man; he hath shed blood, he would be considered guilty of slaughtering an animal without authorization; and that man shall be cut off from among his people, expelled from the congregation of the Lord;
v. 5. to the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices, all the clean animals slaughtered for food, which they offer in the open field, even that they may bring them unto the Lord, unto the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, unto the priest, and offer them for peace-offerings unto the Lord. As a voluntary sacrifice the flesh of these animals could then be eaten on the same day or on the nest, Lev_7:16-17.
v. 6. And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the Lord at the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and burn the fat for a sweet savor unto the Lord. By this provision both the eating of blood and of the loose fat of the abdominal cavity, which was expressly forbidden, Lev_7:23-26, was made practically impossible.
v. 7. And they shall no more offer their sacrifices unto devils, after whom they have gone a-whoring. The idols referred to are demons commonly pictured as he-goats, of which the Egyptians especially believed that they lived in the wilderness. By slaughtering animals in their honor superstitious people thought they could prevent evil influences. It seems that the Egyptian custom had found lodgment among the children of Israel, at least to some extent, and the Lord wanted this form of idolatry eradicated. This shall be a statute forever unto them throughout their generations.
v. 8. And thou shalt say unto them, Whatsover man there be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers which sojourn among you, that offereth a burnt offering or sacrifice, in the foolish or insolent presumption that he had the right to worship the Lord anywhere,
v. 9. and bringeth it not unto the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation to offer it unto the Lord, in line with the ordinances which he had set forth, even that man shall be cut off from among his people. This command was to quench all tendencies of the people to choose their own places of worship, as was later done so widely. Israel had its law of sacrifices, and the Lord wanted this law to be observed in all its details. It is true for all times that not only gross idolatry, but also all self-chosen Worship is an abomination unto the Lord and cuts off the willful transgressor from fellowship with the Lord.