Bible Commentaries
Leviticus 1

Verse 1

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

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.

Verse 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.

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.

Verse 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.

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

Verse 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.

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.

Verse 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.

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.

Verse 6

And he shall flay the burnt offering, and cut it into his pieces.

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. Leunclavius. See Mark 9:49 .

Verse 7

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

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.

Verse 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:

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

Verse 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.

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.

Verse 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.

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

Verse 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.

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

Verse 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:

In order. — See Trapp on " Leviticus 1:8 "

Verse 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.

He shall wash. — See Trapp on " Leviticus 1:9 "

Verse 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.

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.

Verse 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:

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.

Verse 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:

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.

Verse 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.

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