Bible Commentaries
Leviticus 7

Verses 1-7

See Leviticus 5:14 note. In Leviticus 7:2 “sprinkle” should rather be cast Leviticus 1:5. All the details regarding the parts put on the altar are repeated for each kind of sacrifice, because the matter was one of paramount importance.

Verse 8

The skin of the burnt offering - It is most likely that the skins of the sin-offering and the trespass-offering also fell to the lot of the officiating priest.

Verses 9-10

See the marginal references.

Verse 11

See Leviticus 3:1-17. What is here added, relates to the accompanying מנחה mı̂nchāh Leviticus 2:1, the classification of peace-offerings into:

(1) thank-offerings,

(2) vow-offerings and

(3) voluntary-offerings, and the conditions to be observed by the worshipper in eating the flesh.

Verse 12

For a thanksgiving - i. e., a thank-offering for mercies received.

Verse 13

For his offering - The leavened bread was a distinct offering.

Verse 14

Out of the whole oblation - Rather, out of each offering. That is, one loaf or cake out of each kind of meat-offering was to be a heave-offering Leviticus 7:32 for the officiating priest. According to Jewish tradition, there were to be ten cakes of each kind of bread in every thank-offering. The other cakes were returned to the sacrificer.

Verse 16

The vow-offering appears to have been a peace-offering vowed upon a certain condition; the voluntary-offering, one offered as the simple tribute of a devout heart rejoicing in peace with God and man offered on no external occasion (compare Leviticus 22:17-25).

Verses 18-19

It was proper that the sacrificial meat should not be polluted by any approach to putrefaction. But the exclusion of a mean-spirited economy may further have furnished the ground for the distinction between the thank-offerings and the others. The most liberal distribution of the meat of the offering, particularly among the poor who were invited to partake, would plainly be becoming when the sacrifice was intended especially to express gratitude for mercies received.

Verse 21

Unclean beast - that is, carrion of any kind. See Leviticus 11:0.

Shall be cut off - See the Exodus 31:14 note.

Verse 23

This is emphatically addressed to the people. They were not to eat in their own meal what belonged to the altar of Yahweh, nor what was the perquisite of the priests. See Leviticus 7:33-36.

Verse 24

Compare Leviticus 11:39.

Verse 26

No manner of blood - See Leviticus 17:10-15.

Verses 30-32

Wave-offering ... heave-offering - The latter appears to be used (like קרבן qorbân, Leviticus 1:2) for offerings in general. Waving (a moving to and fro, repeated several times) or heaving (a lifting up once) the offering was a solemn form of dedicating a thing to the use of the sanctuary.

Verse 35

The portion of the anointing ... - Rather, the appointed share of Aaron and of his sons.

Verse 37

Of the consecrations - That is, of the sacrifices which were to be offered in the consecration of the priests. See the marginal references.

Verse 38

wilderness of Sinai - Compare Exodus 19:1.