Altar See Dilheirus Disput Philolog Tom. 2. p. 253. Ver. 6. Verse 6 And he shall flay the Burnt-offering Next followed the taking off the Skin which God ordered to be given to the Priests VII 8. Though the Heathen burnt Skin and all in some places as Bochart observes out of Plutarch and Lucian in the fore-named place Hieroz P. I. L. II. p. 324. But whose work it was to flay the Beast is not here expressed The Jews say it belonged not to the Priests to do this but to the Man himself who brought the Beast to be offered For to show in brief what belonged to the owners of the Sacrifice and what to the Priests it may be fit to note out of Abarbanel that each of them had five things to do The Owner of the Sacrifice laid his hand upon it killed flayed cut it up and washt the inwards And then the Priest received the Blood in a Vessel sprinkled the Blood put fire on the Altar ordered the Wood on the fire and ordered the pieces of the Sacrifice upon the Wood. And that the Beast might more easily be flayed there were eight Stone Pillars as the Jews tells us in Middoth cap. 3. and Beams laid over them in each of which there were three Iron hooks fixed That the greater Beasts might hang upon the highest the lesser upon the middlemost and the least of all on the lowest and so be more commodiously stript of their Skins Concerning this Excoriation both Homer and Virgil speak as the afore-named Dilheirus hath observed in the same Book p. 255. And cut it into pieces This followed the Excoriation among the Gentiles also as the same Author shows And it was done with such accuracy that Homer saith they dissected the Sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence some great Men have thought St. Paul borrowed the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to express the Care the Ministers of the Gospel should have in dividing rightly the Word of Truth 2 Tim. II. 15. These pieces were not the very same in Bullocks and Goats that they were in Sheep as will appear afterwards and therefore the greater care was to be used in the cutting of them especially when besides those parts which were offered to God the Priests and the People were to have their share also Ver. 7. Verse 7 And the sons of Aaron the Priest shall put fire upon the Altar This as I said before was one of the works of the Priests who did not put fire daily upon the Altar for being once kindled they were to keep it always burning VI. 13. but stirred it up and blowed the Coals Which is meant by giving fire as the Phrase is in the Hebrew that is disposing it so that it might burn quick Yet if the fire was taken off from the Altar as when they removed the Camp IV Numb 14. none might lay it on again but the Priest Or if it were extinct as it was in the days of Ahaz who shut up the door of the House of God which was not opened till Hezekiah reigned 2 Chron. XXVIII 24. XXIX 34. none but they might kindle it again And lay the wood in order upon the fire This the Priests did every Morning and every Night that the fire might be preserved from going out And when the time of the Morning and Evening Sacrifice came they brought new Wood and laid it in such order upon the fire that it might the better consume the parts of the Sacrifice that were laid thereon Ver. 8. Verse 8 And the Priests Aarons sons shall lay the parts the head and the fat The Hebrew word Peder doth not simply signifie the Fat for which they have another word cheleb but that Fat which is separated from the rest of the Flesh So it is to be understood here and in III. 9. IV. 35. Which being gathered together and thrown into the fire fed the flame and made it burn more fiercely by which means the other parts into which the Sacrifice was divided were the more easily and the sooner consumed Particularly St. Hierom takes it for that Fat which adhered to the Liver and both Solomon Jarchi and David Kimchi observe that this Peder was thrown upon the Head of the Sacrifice when it was cast into the fire just in the place where the Head was cut off from the Body because otherwise the Gore which issued from it might have extinguished the flame See XXIX Exod. 17. In order upon the wood c. That they might lye upon the Wood so as to have the same situation in the Altar that they had in the Beast when it was alive So Maimonides in Maase Korban cap. 6. Verse 9. Verse 9 But his inwards and his legs shall he wash in water These Parts were not to be burnt upon the Altar till they were well cleansed by washing them in Water For which end there was a private Room afterward in the Court of the Temple as now it is likely there was in the Tabernacle called the Washing Room as we find in Codex Middoth cap. 5. sect 2. There they having washed them privately and freed the Inwards from their filth they brought them into the Court where there were new Marble Tables between the Pillars before-mentioned v. 6. and there they were washed more exactly as we read in the same Book cap. 3. sect 5. Where Const. l'Empereur observes out of R. Hobadia the reason why they used to lay the Flesh upon such Tables was Because Marble made it cold and stiff and preserved it from stinking in very hot weather And the Priest shall burn all on the Altar From whence this Sacrifice is called ischeh an Offering made by fire from isch which signifies fire because it was altogether consumed in the fire and no part of it left so much as for the Priest to eat of it Of a sweet savour unto the LORD i. e. Most acceptable For it is a form of Speech taken from Men who are delighted with the good Scent and Taste of Meat and Drink But none can reasonably imagine it was the meer Sacrifice that was pleasing unto God but as Conrad Pellicanus well notes the Devotion Faith Obedience and Sincerity of their Minds who made the Oblation Ver. 10. Verse 10 And if his offering be of the flocks namely of the sheep or of the goats c. If a Man were not able to bring a Bullock for a Burnt-sacrifice which could not be so well spared being of great use in Agriculture he might bring one of these Creatures which were of less value only perfect in their kind as it here follows He shall bring it a male without blemish See XII Exod 5. What the Blemishes were that made any Animal unfit to be offered on the Altar Moses tells us in this Book XXII 22 23 24. where he mentions twelve which shall be there considered Ver. 11. Verse 11 And he shall kill it on the side of the Altar
them carried the two rows of Bread six Cakes apiece and the other two carried each of them a golden Dish in which the Frankincense was set upon the Bread See Dr. Lightfoot of the Temple Service Chap. 14. sect 5. Being taken from the Children of Israel At whose charge they were provided though prepared by the Levites See X Nehem. 32 33. By an everlasting Covenant By vertue of that Command which they had all agreed to observe which required the Shew-bread to be set before the LORD alway XXIV Exod. 3. XXV 30. Ver. 9. Verse 9 And it shall be Aaron 's and his sons Who as God's Servants eat of the Bread which came from his Table And they shall eat it in the holy place For the most holy things could be eaten no where else See VI. 26 29. For it is most holy unto him See Chap. II. of this Book v. 3. Of the offerings of the LORD made by fire It need not seem strange that this Bread which was not burnt upon the Altar as Meat-offerings were should be reckoned among the Offerings made by fire for as the Altar where those Meat-offerings were burnt is called God's Table I Mal. 12. so this Table where the Shew-bread stood was really God's Altar Insomuch that the Bread which was set upon it before him was lookt upon as offered upon him and the Frankincense set upon the Bread as a part of it being really burnt it may be called an Offering made by fire Thus the Gentiles also as an excellent Person of our own hath observed thought Tables rightly dedicated unto their Gods to supply the place of Altars So Macrobius saith Lib. III. Saturnal cap. 11. it evidently appeared by Papyrian's Law That arae vicem praestare posse mensam dicatam a Table consecrated might serve instead of an Altar Of which he gives an instance in the Temple of Juno Populonia and then proceeds to give a reason for it because Altars and Tables eodem die quo aedes ipsae dedicari solent were wont to be dedicated on the same day with the Temples themselves From whence it was that a Table hoc ritu dedicata dedicated in this manner was of the same use in the Temple with an Altar See Dr. Owtram de Sacrificiis Lib. I. cap. 8. n. 7. By a perpetual statute As long as these Sacrifices lasted Ver. 10. Verse 10 And the son of an Israelitish woman whose father was an Egyptian went out among the Children of Israel In the Hebrew the words run thus And there went out the son of an Israelitish woman and he was the son of an Egyptian man in the midst of or among the Children of Israel Which last words signifie that though his Father was an Egyptian by birth yet he was become a Proselyte by Religion And was one of those it is probable who went along with the Israelites when God brought them out of Egypt XII Exod. 38. So R. Solomon Jarchi interprets this phrase Among the Children of Israel Hence saith he we learn that he was a Proselyte of Righteousness And Aben-Ezra to the same purpose He was received into the number of the Jews See a great many more in Mr. Selden Lib. II. de Synedriis cap. 1. numb 2. where he observes That it is the common Opinion of the Jews this Man was the Son of him whom Moses kill'd in Egypt II Exod. 12. And this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the Camp When God was delivering the foregoing Laws unto Moses this Case seems to have hapned And the Jews say the Controversie between these two was this The former looking upon himself as having a good right to it by his Mother came and endeavoured to set up a Tent among the Children of Dan in that place where their Tribe had pitched their Tents which was opposed by one of that Tribe who told him the right of his Mother would do him no service unless his Father had been an Israelite for the Law was II Numb 2. that every Man of the Children of Israel should pitch by his own Standard with the Ensign of their Father's House Which Law though given afterward yet they suppose was the Rule before by which this Man was condemned by those that heard the Cause to be in the wrong Ver. 11. Verse 11 And the Israelitish womans son blasphemed the Name of the LORD and cursed Sentence being given against him he uttered blasphemous words against God himself perhaps renounced the LORD and also cursed those Judges that had condemned him The Jews commonly think that this Blasphemy was his pronouncing the peculiar Name of God which he heard at Mount Sinai when the Law was given But this is a meer fancy for there were some reproachful words utter'd against God as well as against the Judges as appears from v. 15. And they themselves acknowledge that a Proselyte was guilty of death whether he cursed by the proper Name of God or any other as Mr. Selden shows Lib. II. de Jure Nat. Gent. cap. 12. Pellicanus thinks it probable that this Man mockt at the foregoing Laws which were delivered about the Worship of God and contemned God himself when he was told by whose Authority they were enacted And they brought him unto Moses If the occasion of their strife was such as the Jews imagine then Mr. Selden thinks it highly probable that the Cause had been heard and judged by some of the lesser Courts established by Jethro's advice XVIII Exod. 21 22. where the Blasphemy had been so plainly proved that he was convicted of it but they doubting about the Punishment of so high a Crime referred the consideration of that to Moses as the Supream Judge And his mothers name was Shelomith the daughter of Dibri of the Tribe of Dan. I see no reason of mentioning the name of the Woman from whom he was descended but that all might be satisfied of the Truth of this History Ver. 12. Verse 12 And they put him inward Committed him to Prison that he might be secured till his Punishment was declared That the mind of the LORD might be shewed them In the Hebrew the words are That it might be expounded to them viz. by Moses according to the mouth of the LORD that is as the LORD should declare to him And so Onkelos renders them Till the matter was expounded to them according to the sentance of the word of the LORD For it is noted here by a famous Commentator among the Jews as Mr. Selden observes in the place before mentioned Lib. II. de Synedr c. 1. that God was consulted about this matter because they did not know whether he was to die for this crime or whether his judgment was to be expected from the hand of Heaven or otherwise Whence Jarchi says they did not know whether he was guilty of death or not And so Theodoret Q. XXXIII in Lev. There was no Law as yet about this matter But there was
contra Julianum condemned these Sacrifices of Beasts as hateful to their Gods who they fancied were pleased only with those that were made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Fruits of the Earth and of Frankincense But they might have learnt from Moses if they had pleased Julian and Porphyry being acquainted with his Books that these things were alike acceptable God having respect to the Mind of him that offered not to his Gifts Ver. 3. Verse 3 And the remnant of the meat-offering shall be Aarons and his sons To be eaten by them But that Meat-offering which was offered for the Priests themselves was to be wholly burnt and no part eaten VI. 22 23. It is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire Nothing is more known then the distinction which the Jews make between things most holy and the lighter holy things as their phrase is which I took notice of before The most holy were such as none whatsoever might eat of or none but the Priests and the Sons of Priests and that only in the Sanctuary and no where else See VI. 16 26. Such were all whole Burnt-offerings all the Sin-offerings and all the Peace-offerings for the whole Congregation The lighter holy things were such as might be eaten by those who were not Priests in any place within the City of Jerusalem to which their Camp now answered and such were all the Peace-offerings of particular Persons the Paschal Lamb the Tenth and the Firstlings of Cattle Ver. 4. Verse 4 And if thou bring an oblation of a meat-offering baken in the oven This is the first sort of baked Mincha's for the preparing of which there was an Oven in the Court of the Tabernacle as afterward there was in the Court of the Temple 1 Chron. XXIII 28 29. XLVI Ezek. 20. It shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil or unleavened wafers anointed with oil If the Cakes were thick then the Oil was kneaded together with them But if they were thin like a Wafer then it was only spread upon it before it was baked See XXIX Exod. 2. or as some will have it after it came out of the Oven Concerning its being unleavened see below v. 11. Ver. 5. Verse 5 And if thy oblation be a meat-offering baken in a pan Or in a flat Plate as we translate it in the Margin For Maimonides says this was the difference between Macabath which is the Hebrew word in this place and Marchesheth that the former was a Pan or Plate without any Rim about it and the other had one as our Frying-pans have And so Abarbinel in his Preface to this Book observes out of Jarchi that there was a Vessel in the Temple which was only flat and broad but had no rising on the sides of it So that the Oil being poured upon it when it was set on the fire ran down and increased the Flame and made the Cake hard It shall be of fine flour unleavened mingled with oil This sort of Cake seems to have been both kneaded with Oil and to have had Oil also poured upon it after it was laid upon the Plate Ver. 6. Verse 6 Thou shalt part it in pieces c. This according to Abarbinel was done as it lay baking upon the Plate Or if this Division was made after it was taken off the reason was the same because part of it was to be given to God and the rest to the Priests And pour oil thereon Upon the pieces that they might by this new Addition of fresh Oil be made more savoury It is a meat-offering And therefore to be eaten with Oil v. 1. Ver. 7. Verse 7 And if thy oblation be a meat-offering baken in the frying-pan This Vessel was not flat but deep as Abarbinel observes See v. 5. because that which was baked in it was moist and fluid It shall be made of fine flour with oil The Oil was not kneaded with this sort of Mincha but put into the Pan so that it mixed with the Flour which might be shaken and moved up and down as things are which are baken in Liquors So Abarbinels words are in his Preface to this Book Ver. 8. Verse 8 And thou shalt bring the meat-offering that is made of these things unto the LORD c. This relates to all the bake Meat-offerings before-mentioned which were to be brought to the LORD at his House and there presented to the Priest who was to bring them to the Altar when they were prepared as before directed See v. 1 2. And this variety of Mincha's was allowed that the Table of the LORD i. e. the Altar might be furnished and his Ministers that waited on him entertained with all sorts of Provisions Ver. 9. Verse 9 And the Priest shall take from the meat-offering a memorial thereof A part of the Cake of whatsoever sort it was was separated from the rest for the LORD's portion to whom it was offered as an acknowledgment of his Supream Dominion over them and in commemoration of his goodness to them And shall burn it upon the Altar Before the other parts were eaten by the Priests as was directed before about the fine Flour v. 2. It is an offering made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD See v. 2. Ver. 10. Verse 10 And that which is left of the meat-offering shall be Aarons and his sons c. All this Verse hath been explained v. 3. Ver. 11. Verse 11 No meat-offering which ye shall bring unto the LORD shall be made with leaven These words which ye shall bring unto the LORD seem to have a peculiar emphasis in this place importing that no Meat-offering part of which was offered upon God's Altar should be leavened For no part of that leavened Bread which was offered in Eucharistical Sacrifices VII 13. nor the two Loaves offered in the Feast of Pentecost which some mistake for an Exception to this Precept were offered upon the Altar but given intirely to the Priests as their portion Made with leaven There are many Moral Reasons given both by Jewish and Christian Writers why none of the Cakes before-mentioned should have any Leaven in them which I shall not here set down There is some probability in their Opinion who think this was ordered to refresh their Memory by putting them in mind of their Deliverance out of Egypt But Maimonides seems to me to have given the best account of this in his More Nevochim P. III. cap. 46. where he saith God prohibited this to root out the Idolatrous Customs in those days as he found in the Books of the Zabij who offered to their Gods no Bread but leavened Next to this the Account which Abarbanel gives of it is not to be disregarded who thinks it was forbidden because it would have made delay if they had waited at the Tabernacle till the fermentation was perfected For ye shall burn no leaven nor any honey in any offering of the LORD made by fire
Mr. Selden L. III. de Synedr cap. 11. n. 6. where he likewise observes that Chiskuni is of opinion that such of the Family of the Priests as were both excluded from their Ministry in the Sanctuary and from wearing the holy Garments by reason of some defect in their Bodies were permitted to perform this Office of carrying away the Ashes And carry forth the Ashes without the Camp into a clean place See IV. 12. The fore-mentioned Rasi will have it that they needed not to take away all the Ashes every day but only a shovel full which they laid beside the Altar And when the hollow place of the Altar was so full that there was no room to lay on the Wood they were bound to empty it and carry all the Ashes away Ver. 12. Verse 12 And the fire upon the Altar shall be burning in it it shall not be put out This Precept is repeated again in the next Verse as it was mentioned once before v. 9. For which there is a just reason as Abarbanel makes account For in the ninth Verse he requires that the Wood for the Evening Sacrifice should be so ordered and attended that the fire might be kept in till the Morning And then here in this Verse he requires there should such care be used in taking away the Ashes that the fire might still remain and not be extinguished After which speaking of the Morning Sacrifice in the latter part of this Verse he requires in the next v. 13. that such a quantity of Wood should be laid on the Altar when they offered it that the fire might be kept in till the Evening Sacrifice or that if there were any extraordinary Sacrifices brought besides the daily Burnt-offering the Priests should still add more Wood that the fire might not be put out by that means but be able to devour them And the Priest shall burn wood on it every morning c. The Hebrew word for Wood being in the Plural Number R. Levi of Barcelona concludes there were more bundles than one brought in every day And from this place and I. 7. he gathers there were three The first of which he calls the great heap with which the daily Sacrifice and the rest for which there was occasion were offered of which he thinks Moses speaks in the ninth Verse of this Chapter The second was lesser which was laid at the side of the other that they might have Coals for the burning Incense and this he thinks intended here And the third was meerly to keep in the fire perpetually of which he thinks Moses speaks in the next Verse The Misna also tells us that there being seven Gates to the great Court of the Sanctuary three on the North and as many on the South and one at the East the first on the South-side was called the Gate of burning because at that Gate they brought in the Wood which was to preserve the fire perpetually on the Altar See Codex Middoth cap. 1. sect 4. And he shall burn thereon the fat of the peace-offerings This fat of the Peace-offerings was to be burnt together with the Burnt-offering and not separate from it by which means the Burnt-offering was the sooner consumed and more room was made for other occasional Sacrifices Ver. 13. Verse 13 And the fire shall be ever burning upon the Altar This fire was not kindled by the Priests but by God himself who sent it from Heaven to consume the first Sacrifice that was offered by Aaron IX ult From which time they were bound to take care that it never went out that so their Sacrifices might be constantly offered by Celestial fire because it was the continuation of that fire which came from Heaven by a continual addition of Fewel whereby it was preserved And so it continued as the Jews affirm till the Captivity of Babylon and after it as some of them would have us believe who fancy it was preserved in a Pit by the care of some religious Priests till their return though against the common Tradition among them which is That there was no sacred fire in the second Temple for they reckon this among the five things which were wanting there and had been in the first And as for the constant continuance of this fire there was care taken that wood should be laid up in the Temple for the maintenance of it so in order thereunto there was a certain set time when the People were obliged to carry wood thither which made a kind of Festival called by Josephus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. II. de Bello Judaico cap. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. it being the Feast of the Wood-carrying when it was the custom for all to bring up Wood for the Altar that there might be no want of Fewel for the fire which was never to go out It shall never go out This was a thing so famous that it was imitated among the Gentiles who thought it ominous to have their Sacred fire go out and therefore appointed Persons on purpose to watch it and keep it perpetually burning as appears by the Vestal Virgins at Rome whose great business it was to look after the Eternal fire as they called it imagining the extinction of it purported 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the destruction of the City as Dionysius Halicarn speaks This Institution is ascribed both by him and by Plutarch unto Romulus into whose History many things were translated by the ancient Pagans out of these Sacred Records of Moses as the Learned Huetius hath made probable in his Demonstratio Evangel Propos IV. cap. 9. n. 8. The Greeks also preserved such a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inextinguishable fire at Delph and the Persians in like manner and many other People as Bochartus hath shown in his Hierozoicon P. I. L. II. cap. 35. and Dilheirus before him in a special Dissertation as he calls it de Catozelia Gentilium cap. 11. where he hath heaped up a great deal to this purpose and among other things hath this conjecture that the Grecian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Roman Vesta had their Names from the Hebrew word Esch or the Chaldean Escha which signifie fire The conjecture of David Chytraeus also is no less ingenious who derives those Names from Eschgal the fire of the LORD Ver. 14. Verse 14 And this is the law of the meat-offering He doth not speak of the Offerings which accompanied the daily Burnt-offerings but of those which were offered alone mentioned in the second Chapter Where directions are given of what they should consist and also how much the Priest should have for his portion but here are some things added concerning the place where they should be eaten by the Priests and concerning those Meat-offerings which were peculiarly to be offered for themselves The sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD before the Altar Or rather upon the Altar for so the Hebrew phrase on the face of the Altar signifies Or else
XL Exod. 34 35. openly showed it self to them all v. 23. and declared his Grace and Favour towards them by consuming their Sacrifice as an acceptable Oblation to him v. 24. Whereby a particular Honour also was done unto Aaron who was hereby most illustriously owned to be God's High-Priest and all other Persons deterred from pretending to his Office Ver. 7. Verse 7 And Moses said unto Aaron Go unto the Altar and offer thy sin-offering and thy burnt-offering One of them after the other in the order wherein they were directed viz. his Sin-offering first to make his Burnt-offering accepted Make an atonement for thy self and for the people First for himself as the Apostle observes VII Hebr. 27. that then he might be capable to offer for the Sins of the People This was the great imperfection of the Aaronical Priests that they were Sinners like other Men by reason whereof they were bound as for the people so also for themselves to offer for sins V Hebr. 3. And offer the offering of the people and make an atonement for them After he had offered both the Sin-offering v. 8. and the Burnt-offering v. 13. for himself then he was to begin to offer for the People For his own Sins being expiated and his Burnt-offering being accepted he was fit to procure Remission and Acceptance for them Ver. 8. Verse 8 Aaron therefore went unto the Altar That he might be ready to perform his part of the Service which was to sprinkle the Blood after he had first of all offered the Morning Sacrifice See v. 17. And slew the Calf of the sin-offering which was for himself Ordered it to be slain for this was no part of the Priests work as I showed upon the first Chapter v. 5. Ver. 9. Verse 9 And the sons of Aaron brought the blood unto him They received it in Basons as it run from the Calf when it was killed See I. 5. and brought it unto him who stood at the Altar to receive it and do what follows And he dipt his finger in the blood The fore-finger of the right hand which had been sanctified to this Ministry by putting the Blood of the Sacrifice of Consecration upon the thumb of the right hand VIII 23 24. whereby we grasp all things and cannot hold them strongly nor perform any thing well if that be wanting And put it upon the horns of the Altar c. See IV. 25. Ver. 10. Verse 10 But the fat and the kidneys and the caul above the liver See IV. 8 9. He burnt upon the Altar as the LORD commanded Moses Laid or disposed them upon the Altar to be burnt by the heavenly fire v. 24. as most understand it And the LXX justifie this Opinion who though they here translate it He offered it on the Altar yet v. 13. where there is the same phrase they expresly translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he laid the Burnt-offering upon the Altar and again v. 17. in the same manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he laid it upon the Altar besides the burnt-sacrifice of the morning For common fire it is supposed was no longer to be used when Aaron's Sacrifice began as it had been all along before But there is no certainty in this and we may as well take the words in their proper sense that Aaron burnt this and the following Sacrifice as Moses had done before VIII 14 21 28. until the Burnt-offering for the People came to be offered which God consumed by fire from himself and then followed those other Sacrifices mentioned v. 17 18. For all these Sacrifices for Aaron and for the People could not be laid upon the Altar at once but one after another in the order here directed and consequently this Sacrifice here mentioned was actually burnt upon the Altar to make way for those which followed it Ver. 11. Verse 11 And the flesh and the hide he burnt with fire without the camp See VIII 17. Ver. 12. Verse 12 And he slew the burnt-offering and Aaron's sons presented to him the blood c. See I. 5. Ver. 13 14. Verse 13 14. And they presented the burnt-offering unto him with the pieces thereof c. All that is contained in these two Verses is explained in the first Chapter v. 8 9. where the Law about burnt-offerings is delivered Ver. 15. Verse 15 And he brought the peoples sin-offering c. Having offered all that was necessary for himself now he became fit to make Supplication for the People And offered it for sin as the first In the same manner as he offered the foregoing Sin-offering for himself v. 8 c. Ver. 16. Verse 16 And he brought the burnt-offering Here being no express mention of burning it some from thence conclude that this was the Offering which alone was consumed by fire from the LORD See v. 24. And offered it according to the manner Laid it upon the Altar as Moses had directed in the first Chapter of this Book Ver. 17. And he brought the meat-offering c. Which attended upon Burnt-offerings XV Numb 2 3 4 c. Beside the burnt-offering of the morning This shows that Aaron began his Priestly Function with the Morning Sacrifice which preceded all other and was never omitted for the sake of any other Sacrifice that was to follow it and it had always a Meat-offering waiting upon it XXIX Exod. 39 40. Ver. 18 19. Verse 18 19. He slew also the Bullock and the Ram for a sacrifice of peace-offerings These two Verses are explained in the third Chapter which treats of such kind of Offerings Ver. 20. Verse 20 And he put the fat upon the beasts c. That it might by elevation and waving be presented unto the LORD and then burnt upon the Altar See VII 30. Ver. 21. Verse 21 And the breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved for a wave-offering before the LORD The Fat being burnt upon the Altar as God's portion these were the portion of the Priests who feasted upon God's Meat for they were solemnly presented unto him before they had them See VII 34. Ver. 22. Verse 22 And Aaron lifted up his hands towards the people Imploring the Divine Blessing upon the People which he afterwards pronounced At this day they that are of the Family of Aaron going up the steps which lead to the place where the Book of the Law is kept lift up their hands as high as their heads and pronounce a Blessing in their Synagogues upon the Assembly And they say the ancient Custom was which is still observed not only to lift up and spread their hands but then to joyn them together by the thumbs and the two fore-fingers dividing the other from them in that Figure which is represented by an eminently learned Person J. Wagenseil in his Commentary upon Sota cap. 7. p. 672. and 1132. And blessed them We read of no order for this but natural Reason taught them from the beginning that the Priestly Office consisted in praying
for the People and Blessing them We find an Example of it in XIV Gen. 18 19. And not long after Aaron's Consecration Moses delivered from God a form of words wherein the Priests should bless the People VI Numb 24. And at this day there is nothing done among the Jews with such Solemnity and in which they place so much Sanctity as this For when the Blessing is pronounced in their Synagogues they all cover their Faces believing they would be struck blind if they should look up because the Divine Majesty at that time sits upon the hands of the Priest So the same Wagenseil observes in the place above-named which shows not only how laborious they have been to maintain in the Peoples minds an opinion that God is still as much present with them in their Synagogues as he was anciently in the Tabernacle and Temple but how high a value they set upon the Divine Blessing pronounced by his Ministers And came down from offering the sin-offering and the burnt-offering and peace-offerings He pronounced the Blessing before he came down from the Altar which stood upon raised Ground though there were no steps to it XX Exod. 26. that all the People might the better see what was done while he offered all these Sacrifices for them and lift up his hands to implore God's Blessing upon them Ver. 23. Verse 23 And Moses and Aaron went into the Tabernacle of the Congregation The Sacrifice being ended it is likely Moses went with Aaron into the Sanctuary to instruct him how to sprinkle the Blood and to burn Incense and order the Shew-bread and such like things as were to be done only in the Holy Place And came out and blessed the people I suppose that all the Sacrifices before-mentioned might be offered after the Morning Sacrifice v. 17. which took up a great deal of time before they were all compleated After which Moses and Aaron went into the Sanctuary and stayed there till the time of the Evening Sacrifice and then came out and dismissed the People with a new Blessing when the Evening Sacrifice was finished And the Glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people That Glory which filled the Tabernacle XL Exod. 34 35. now appeared without either at the door of it or upon it in the sight of all the People as Moses had foretold v. 6. Ver. 24. Verse 24 And there came a fire out from before the LORD Either out of the Sanctuary from the Holy of Holies or from that Glory which now appeared unto them and sent out flashes of fire which burnt up the Sacrifice In either of these senses it may be said to come from the face of the LORD as the Hebrew phrase is And consumed upon the Altar the burnt-offering and the fat It seems to me most natural and easie to take this Burnt-offering and its Fat for the Evening Sacrifice which concluding the work of this day God gave a special Token of his acceptance of all the other Sacrifices by consuming this and likewise publickly testified his approbation of all the fore-mentioned Rites of the Ministry of Aaron whose Authority was hereby established in a miraculous manner To confirm this it may be noted that as the place which God chose for his Worship and Service was afterward designed in the time of David after the very same manner 1 Chron. XXI 26. So it was at the time of the Evening Sacrifice as may be gathered from 2 Sam. XXIV 15. where it is said the Pestilence continued from Morning to the time appointed that is to the Evening and then David saw the Angel who commanded Gad to bid him set up the Altar in the Threshing-floor of Araunah where God answering him by fire from Heaven it made him say This is the House of God and this is the Altar of Burnt-offering 1 Chron. XX. II. 1. And when Solomon built the Temple in that very place it was thus consecrated by fire coming from Heaven and consuming the Burnt-sacrifice as well as by the Glory of the LORD filling the House 2 Chron. VII 1 2 3. And it is very probable also that this was at the time of the Evening Sacrifice for the former part of the day had been spent in bringing the Ark into the House of the LORD and in Solomon's Prayer as we read in the two foregoing Chapters Certain it is that the Authority of Elijah to restore God's true Religion and Worship was thus justified 1 Kings XVIII 38 39. and it was at the time of the offering the Evening Sacrifice v. 36. From whence that Prayer of the Psalmist CXLI Psal 2. Let the lifting up of my hands be as the evening sacrifice All this was so notorious that Julian himself acknowledges that fire came down from Heaven in the time of Moses and again in the days of Elijah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consuming the Sacrifices as we find his words related by St. Cyril L. X. contra Julianum And this gave such a Divine Authority to the Jewish Religion that it is no wonder to find that the Pagans indeavoured to get credit to their Religion by the like reports of fire from an invisible Power consuming their Sacrifices which perhaps was sometimes really done by the Prince of the Power of the Air as the Apostle calls the Devil However that be there are several Instances of this in Pausanias Dionysius Halicarnassaeus Valerius Maximus and Pliny But Servius may serve instead of all who upon those words of Virgil in Aeneid XII faedera fulmine sancit saith that anciently they did not kindle fires upon their Altars sed ignem divinum precibus eliciebant c. but they procured by their Prayers Divine fire which inflamed their Altars And Solinus saith cap. 11. that the flame sprung out of the Wood by a Divine Power Si Deus adest si sacrum probatur Sarmenta licet viridia ignem sponte concipiunt c. If God be present if the Sacrifice be acceptable the Faggots though green kindle of themselves and without any one to set them on fire a flame is raised by the Deity to whom the Sacrifice is offered Thus there rose up fire out of the rock and consumed Gideon's Sacrifice VI Judg. 21. They that would see more of this out of Pagan Writers may consult J. Dilherrus Dissert Special de Cacozelia Gentil cap. 11. But especially Huetius in his Alnetanae Quaestiones L. II. cap. 12. n. 21. But whether this Fire which now came from before the LORD consumed Aaron's Sacrifice instantly or only set it into a flame which consumed it leisurely in the sight of all the People cannot certainly be determined The Jews seem to suppose the latter the heavenly fire being now kindled which continued ever after by a constant supply of Fewel whereby it was kept perpetually burning as is ordained VI. 12 13. See Note on that place Where to me it seems very observable that this Law of keeping in the fire perpetually is ordered to
be put in execution at the Evening Sacrifice v. 9. of that Chapter Which is a sufficient Reason to incline one to think that the Celestial Fire now came as I have supposed at the Evening Sacrifice and consumed the Burnt-offering Which when all the people saw they shouted They fled not from it as Men affrighted but shouted for joy or as Abarbanel's phrase is they lifted up their voices with singing and prayed to God or rather praised him Just as they did when the Fire came down at the Consecration of Solomon's Temple When the people saw it they praised the LORD saying for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever 2 Chron. VII 3. And fell on their faces Worshipped God with humble Thankfulness who hereby testified his Presence among them and his gracious Acceptance of them For thus he had of old showed his Respect to Abel IV Gen. 4. and to Noah VII 20. and to their Father Abraham whose Sacrifice was thus accepted in the Evening when the Sun went down XV Gen. 17. And there was great reason that both Priests and People should rejoyce at this sight For as the Author of the Book Cosri discourses Pars III. sect 53. if a Man look only at the foregoing part of the Work of this day the killing of the Sacrifices the Blood running about their hands their slaying of them washing the Entrails rinsing the Pieces of the Flesh sprinkling the Blood laying the Wood in order kindling the Fire they would rather set his Mind further off from God than draw it near to him till after all these things performed orderly he saw the Fire coming down from Heaven testifying God's gracious acceptance of the Sacrifice or felt another Spirit excited in him beyond any thing he was acquainted withal before or had Divine Dreams or Heroical Motions which he believed were the Effects of what he had been doing c. And no doubt all good Men in future Ages felt their Minds raised by the thoughts that the Sacrifices they offered were as acceptable to God as that offered at this time being consumed in some sort by the same Fire which burnt continually on this Altar and after this day was never extinguished till the Captivity Which seems to be the Original of that Expression of the People in their Prayer for their King That God would remember all his Offerings and accept turn to ashes it is in the Hebrew his burnt Sacrifice XXI Psal 3. Such acceptable Sacrifices St. Cyril tells Julian we Christians still offer but infinitely better being Spiritual and Intellectual and consequently nearer to the Divine Nature and that by Fire sent from Heaven viz. the Holy Ghost of whom this Fire was but a Figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illustrating the Church and inabling the Members of it to offer continually the sweet smelling Sacrifices of Faith and Hope and Charity and Righteousness Temperance Obedience perpetual Doxologies and all other Vertues L. X. contr Jul. CHAP. X. Ver. 1. Verse 1 AND Nadab and Abihu the sons of Aaron His two eldest Sons VI Exod. 23. Took either of them his Censer Here are two of their Errors expressed in these words if Abarbanel conjecture aright who supposes this to have hapned on the last day of their Consecration when Fire came down from Heaven First That they adventured without any order from God to go and burn Incense in the Sanctuary For though this did not belong to the Office of the High-Priest alone yet upon this Solemn Day Aaron only was commanded to perform the whole Service as upon the Day of Expiation IX 7. And this account Bochartus gives of their Offence that sine vocatione thus obtulerunt they offered Incense without any call to it Hierozoic P. I. L. II. cap. 49. p. 557. And secondly both of them went about this Work whereas the Incense was to be offered only by one and not by two at a time Procopius Gazaeus adds a third Error that they attempt this out of the due season for it which was only in the Morning and Evening And put fire thereon As the Priests were required to offer no strange Incense XXX Exod. 9. so in all reason they were to think it was not to be offered with strange fire but only with a Coal from that Altar where there was a fire kindled by God himself And offered strange fire before the LORD Here are two sins more if Abarbanel take it right that they brought Fire from another place without the Sanctuary and did not take it from the Altar and then that they attempted to go into the most holy place which he thinks is signified by these words before the LORD The first of these is the Opinion also of Aben-Ezra and other learned Men among the Jews who by strange fire understand fire that did not go out from before the LORD IX 24. that is was not taken from the Altar of Burnt-offering where Fire from Heaven lately consumed their Oblations And so R. Bechai They imagined that the Fire on the Altar of Burnt-offerings was only for consuming Sacrifices and therefore they fetcht some from without for the burning Incense But as to the second thing it doth not seem to me probable for Aaron himself had not yet gone into the Holy of Holies Which he commanded them not This they did saith Aben-Ezra from their own proper Motion and Opinion without any Authority from God for whose order they should have waited if his Mind was not already sufficiently declared as it was fully afterwards XVI 12. How two such excellent Men as these who had had the honour to be called up to God when he appeared on Mount Sinai and to have a sight of him and to eat and drink in his Presence XXIV Exod. 1 9 10 c. came to be so rash and to fall so unadvisedly into so great an Error as this here mentioned cannot be certainly resolved But it seems to me highly probable that at the Feast upon the Peace-offerings they had eaten and drunk too liberally which made them forget themselves and fall into this gross mistake For I can see no other reason why that Command v. 8. of not drinking Wine or strong Drink when the Priests were to go into the Sanctuary is annexed unto this story of their Death and Burial but only this which I have now alledged that their Miscarriage arose from drinking too much Wine before this Office was to be performed Ver. 2. Verse 2 And there went out fire from the LORD As they were entring into the Sanctuary or as they stood at the Golden Altar ready to offer Incense Fire came out from the most Holy Place where the Glory of the LORD was and struck them dead And devoured them It did not reduce their Bodies to Ashes nor so much as burn their Clothes v. 5. but they were killed as Men sometimes are with Lightning which penetrates into the Vital Parts and puts a sudden end to their Life That 's meant
offend against this Precept if before they went into the Sanctuary they drank no more than the fourth part of a Log which contained an Egg-shell and an half If they exceeded this measure then their Ministry they say was profaned and they were liable to death by the hand of Heaven See R. Levi of Barcelona Praecept CLVIII who hath many Niceties about this matter as hath also Maimonides mentioned by the learned Dr. Outram in his Book de Sacrificiis Lib. I. cap. 6. n. 9. Lest ye die As their Brethren did See upon v. 1. where I observed it to be very probable that they were burnt with Fire from the LORD upon this account They that think it worth their while may see after what manner the Cabbalists make out this and what Reflections they make upon it in Theod. Hackspan's Cabala Judaica n. 144 145. It shall be a statute for ever throughout your Generations And such a Law there was in some Heathen Countries that no Magistrate all the year he was in Office nor any Judge while he was in Action and Employment should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so much as taste a drop of Wine So Plato tells us with which Eusebius compares this Law of Moses Lib. XII Praepar Evang. cap. 25. And Chaeremon the Stoick describing in Porphery's Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. IV. the Diet of the Egyptian Priests tells us that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some of them drunk no Wine at all and others very little Ver. 10. Verse 10 That ye may put a difference between holy and unholy between clean and unclean Here is the ground and reason of this Precept that they might have their Wits about them as we speak and preserve their Minds from being clouded as Nabad's and Abihu's were who put no difference between holy Fire and common and so be able both to put a difference as the first words may be translated between holy and unholy c. and also to teach the People all the Statutes which God had delivered to them as it follows in the next Verse And here it must be observed that as some days and places were more holy than others so were some parts of the Sacrifices also which they might not eat themselves but were reserved for the Altar Some Beasts also were clean and others so unclean that they might neither be offered in Sacrifice nor eaten at their common Tables XI 47. Some Men and Women also were so unclean that they were not to be admitted into their ordinary Conversation much less into the Sanctuary Chap. XII XIII Of all which the Priests were the Judges and therefore had need to be perfectly sober that they might make an accurate difference between one thing and another And for such a like reason it was the Egyptian Priests were so abstemious in drinking Wine because they looked upon it as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an impediment to the finding out of Truth So Chaeremon speaks in the forementioned Book Ver. 11. Verse 11 And that ye may teach the Children of Israel all the Statutes c. Which concern the Rites and Ceremonies of God's Worship Ver. 12. Verse 12 And Moses spake unto Aaron and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar his sons that were left This was still spoken on the same day a little after what he had said to them v. 6 7. Take the meat-offering that remaineth of the offerings of the LORD made by fire c. He seems to have been afraid that Aaron's grief for the loss of his Sons might have so disturbed his Mind as to have made him negligent in some part of his duty or that Eleazar and Ithamar through mistake or forgetfulness might have offended against some of the Laws lately delivered about Sacrifices which therefore he here repeats that they might be exactly observed And in the first place that they should eat what remained of the meat-offering as was commanded VI. 16. Where it is required also as it is here to be eaten without leaven and beside the Altar in the Court of the Tabernacle of the Congregation as it is there expressed For it is most holy See there VI. 17. Ver. 13. Verse 13 And ye shall eat it in the holy place This he repeats because they might possibly have forgotten it or not sufficiently attended to the difference between things most holy and things only holy The former of which the Priests alone might eat and that only in the holy place the other all their Family might eat as he saith in the next Verse in any place that was clean Because it is thy due and thy sons due c. No body might eat it but holy Persons for so God directed Chapt. II. 3. VI. 16 17 18. VII 9 10. Ver. 14. Verse 14 The wave-breast and the heave-shoulder shall ye eat in a clean place They were not bound to eat these in the Court of the Tabernacle as in the former case v. 13. but in any part of the Camp that was not defiled Thou and thy sons and thy daughters with thee These being those which the Jews call lighter holy things might be eaten by the whole Family as was before observed For they be thy due and thy sons due which are given you out of the sacrifice of peace-offerings of the Children of Israel They were bestowed upon them by an express Grant VII 34. where though only his Sons be mentioned as they are here yet it is plain all of their Family who were clean might eat of these things See upon VII 19. Ver. 15. Verse 15 The heave-shoulder and the wave-breast shall they bring with the offerings made by fire of the fat to wave it for a wave-offering before the LORD This also he inculcates again which had been said before VII 29 30. that they must take care first to wave these things before the LORD and to burn the Fat upon the Altar for till this was done they had no right to eat these things And it shall be thine and thy sons with thee When they had been presented to the LORD of the whole Earth and he had received his part these became theirs by an express Grant from him VII 32 33 34. By a statute for ever As long as such kind of Sacrifices should last Ver. 16. Verse 16 And Moses diligently sought the Goat of the sin-offering Which had been offered for the People IX 15. And behold it was burnt This justified Moses his suspicion and fear that some mistake might have been committed in other matters because he found upon a diligent inquisition that they had burnt upon the Altar those parts of the sin-offering which they ought to have eaten themselves VI. 26 29. In which it was the easier for them to mistake without diligent observation of Moses his directions because the sin-offering which had been offered for Aaron himself was just before wholly burnt without the Camp IX 11. and so were all the Sin-offerings for the High-Priest and for the whole Congregation
their Children as it is explained XVIII Deut. 10. This was a Spiritual Adultery and therefore here mentioned Pass through the fire to Molech It is certain that Molech was particularly worshipped by the Children of Ammon at least in future Ages 1 Kings XI 7. but seems to have been the Name of many of the Heathen Gods and the same with Baal both of them signifying Dominion This appears by comparing XIX Jer. 5. with XXXII 35. But more especially it signifies the Sun the Prince of the Heavenly Bodies See Vossius de Orig. Progr Idolol Lib. II. cap. 5. as the Queen of Heaven was the Moon VII Jer. 18. Now it is evident by several passages in Scripture that the ancient Pagans whom the Israelites were prone to imitate not only made their Children pass through the fire but also offered them in Sacrifice unto Molech The former I take to be forbidden in this Law the latter in XX. 3. where giving their Children to Molech is prohibited under a severe Penalty of being put to death for that Crime whereas there is no Penalty annexed here to their making them pass through the fire Which I take therefore to have been a less Crime than the other though an idolatrous Rite practised by those who abhorred the cruelty of offering the very Life of their dear Children to Molech Instead of which this Rite was devised of making them pass through the fire for though the word fire be not here in the Hebrew Text yet it is understood by all and expressed XVIII Deut. 10. by way of Purification and Lustration as they called it and by this means to dedicate them to the Worship and Service of Molech And therefore being a Rite of Initiation whereby Parents consecrated their Sons and Daughters to their Deities we never find it mentioned in Scripture but only concerning Children not concerning Men and Women whom the Israelites are forbidden to dedicate in this manner which was in truth to alienate them from the LORD God of Israel Now that this was practised among the ancient Pagans as a Rite of Initiation appears particularly in the Mysteries of Mithra See Suidas upon that word and continued long among the Persians if we may believe Benjamin Tudelensis in his Itinearium p. 214. See G. Schickardi TARICH p. 126 c. And this very phrase make to pass unto for the word fire as I said is not here mentioned signifies as much as ad partes ejus transire to be addicted to any one like that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come unto God XI Hebr. 6. And so this Hebrew Phrase is used XIII Exod. 12. and may very well be thus understood here for devoting or making over their Children unto Molech For the Heathen thought their Children unclean and obnoxious to the Anger of their Gods and consequently in danger to be taken away from them if they were not thus expiated as Maimonides tells us More Nevoch P. III. cap. 37. And on the contrary they fancied as R. Levi Barcelonita observes Praecept CCVIII that if only one of their Children were thus consecrated to Molech all the rest were blessed and should be prosperous For he very nicely takes notice that the Israelites are forbidden to make any of their seed to pass through the fire It not being the manner he saith to make them all pass But the idolatrous Priests to make the People more willing to this Service cunningly perswaded them that if any one Child was offered to Molech it procured a Blessing upon all and if there was only one Child in a Family they laid no Obligation on the Parents to do this The manner of doing it at this distance of time cannot certainly be known Some say their Parents carried them through two fires upon their shoulders Others that they were led between them by their Priests and so R. Levi in the place before-named The Father delivered the Child to the Priest in the name of the Idol just as it is said concerning Legal Sacrifices XV. 14. he shall give them to the Priest Others think that the Priest or some Body else waved the Child about in the very flame while Men and Women danced round the fire nay leaped through the flame And Joh. Coch observes upon the Title Sanhedrim cap. 7. n. 7. that some are of the opinion the Children thus dedicated did not walk but dance through the fire which being an emblem and representative of the Sun plainly signified such Children were consecrated to that Deity And this comes nearer to the Hebrew phrase as we translate it that they did not pass between fires but through the fire But which way soever it was done whether they waved the Child through the very fire and presented it to Molech before whom the fire was kindled or led it between two fires when they had so done the Priest restored the Child to the Father again And in some such way Ahaz made his Son to pass through the fire according to the abomination of the Heathen 2 Kings XVI 3. which cannot be meant of his burning him for Hezekiah his Son outlived him and succeeded in his Throne See Theodoret in IV King Quaest 47. Maimon de Idol c. 6. sect 14. n. 4 5 6 7. and Vossius his Notes with Simeon de Muis in CVI Psal 37. Neither shalt thou prophane the name of thy God By offering their Children to Molech they in effect rejected and disowned as I before observed the LORD God of Israel which was to pollute his Name by giving that honour which was due to him alone unto another God For he gave them Children who were therefore to be devoted to none but him I am the LORD The only Soveraign of the World who will severely punish the Transgressors of this Law Ver. 22. Verse 22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with woman-kind it is an abomination A detestable wickedness condemned by all Nations though practised by some lewd Persons among them Insomuch that the Apostles of Christ make mention of it with the greatest abhorrence I Rom. 27. 1 Corinth VI. 9. 1 Tim. I. 10. For not only several of the Roman Emperors were infamous upon this account but some also of the Greek Philosophers This Prohibition is repeated according to Maimonides in XXIII Deut. 17. whom our Translation follows there shall not be a Sodomite of the Sons of Israel But Onkelos interprets that place otherwise Ver. 23. Verse 23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast c. i. e. Of any kind whatsoever Some are apt to say What need was there of such Prohibitions when it is so monstrously unnatural to mix with Creatures of a different Species from us as all Beasts are But such Persons do not understand that this was not only practised in Egypt against whose doings he cautions them v. 3. but was also made a piece of Religion Women devoted to the Worship there used most filthily submitting to the Lust of their sacred Goats So Strabo tells