Annotations for Leviticus

1:1–17 offering unto the LORD. Leviticus continues the Exodus narrative of the dedication of the tabernacle by indicating how the liberated Israelites are to worship their God. This book deals with the voluntary sacrifices for thanksgiving, communion, or cleansing from sin. These offerings from the herd or flock represented the labor and financial investment of the owner, and were a continual reminder that a price always has to be paid for sin.

1:3 burnt sacrifice. The “burnt sacrifice” was the only offering that was entirely consumed on the altar. It foreshadows the total sacrifice of Christ on the cross, as well as representing wholehearted, unreserved worship where nothing is withheld or left over. It reminds us that nothing must be held back for ourselves; it all belongs to Him. male without blemish. Offering a perfect animal was a real sacrifice, not just “something they didn’t really need or want.” These perfect animals were valuable for breeding or for sale. The principle still holds. God’s people are to offer their best, of their own free will, and with joy.

1:4 he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering. Each worshiper brought his or her own offering and laid his own hand on the animal’s head. No one could send another to act on his behalf. In the same way, no one today can send someone else to accept Christ’s atonement for him; we must each come to Christ ourselves, acknowledging our own sin before Him.

1:9 sweet savour. Never does Scripture represent God as eating the offerings brought to Him, as the pagan gods were thought to do. When a sacrifice was done in faith with a free will, it was accepted by the Lord as desirable, or sweet.

2:1 oil . . . frankincense. Olive oil was a primary part of the diet and a prominent symbol of blessing and prosperity. Frankincense was a costly incense from South Arabia and East Africa, an imported luxury that would have to be bought with money. By including frankincense, as well as the animals and grain they could raise on their land, every aspect of Israel’s wealth was made a part of the offerings to God.

2:3 shall be Aaron’s and his sons’. A significant portion of the priest’s daily food came from this part of the grain offering. Only the consecrated priests were allowed to eat it, and only within the tabernacle.

2:8–9 priest. There were always two individuals involved when the ancient Hebrew brought his sacrifice to God. One was the offerer himself and the other was the officiating priest, who was the “bridge builder” between men and God. Jesus, as a better priest and a better sacrifice, once for all time bridged the gap between God and man, and through Him we can have direct access to God, to confess our sins and receive forgiveness.

2:11 leaven. Leaven and honey were prohibited because both cause fermentation, which represents corruption.

2:13 salt of the covenant of thy God. Salt was to be used in every grain offering. This was a reminder of the covenant that God had made with Israel at Sinai, and was a symbol of faithfulness to God and His covenant. There is an old saying, “he has eaten my salt,” which means that you have taken someone into your home, given them shelter, food, and hospitality. The idea of the “salt” of God’s covenant was a well understood concept.

3:1 peace offering. The Hebrew word for “peace” means “wholeness, completeness, soundness, health.” When a person possesses all of these attributes, he is at peace. The peace offerings were a time of celebrating and enjoying the gift of peace with God. Yet it was only after Christ’s death and resurrection, when He became our perfect peace offering (Col. 1:20) that we could really have perfect peace with God. The sacrifices had to be made over and over, but Christ’s death was once, for all time.

3:3–4 two kidneys, and the fat that is on them . . . caul above the liver. The fat was one of the most prized portions of the meat, and the kidneys were considered the seat of the emotions. The liver was an essential organ for telling the future in the pagan cultures surrounding Israel. Giving all of these things to God symbolized giving Him the best, giving Him the hopes, dreams, and desires of life; recognizing that He alone has control of the future, and that He will reveal it in His own way, at His own time.

3:5 upon the burnt sacrifice. The peace offering normally followed the burnt offering, which was entirely consumed on the altar. Being reconciled to God through the burnt offering, the worshiper was in a position to fellowship with God. Repentance and reconciliation must always come before genuine fellowship.

3:9 the whole rump. The tail of the Palestinian broad-tailed sheep is almost entirely fat and can weigh more than 16 pounds. This explains its special mention in the regulations for offering the fat of the sheep.

4:11–12 Even the whole bullock. Burning the whole bull ensured that the priest did not profit in any way from his own sin or the atonement for his sin. Carrying it outside the camp was another way of symbolizing the seriousness and pollution of sin.

4:13–21 the whole congregation. Interestingly, not only individuals bring a sin offering to God, but the whole congregation as well. We are used to thinking of individuals coming under conviction and repenting, but how can a whole community come to this way of thinking? A congregation or community can begin to realize that they have misrepresented God, or fallen short of their God-given responsibilities, and together repent and ask for forgiveness, even though the members repenting may not have been the actual people who made the bad decisions that created the problem. Groups need to turn around and redirect their actions, just as much as individuals do, and this is one of the ways that God changes whole societies.

5:3 uncleanness of man. Body fluids, a person’s waste, and contact with a corpse were all causes of uncleanness. The ancient Israelites knew nothing about microbiology, but God, who knows everything, gave them laws that prevented disease and made them distinct from their neighbors.

5:4 swear . . . and it be hid from him. Certainly a person would know when he makes a vow, but he might not be immediately aware of how rash his vow is, or that the long term consequences are undesirable. Whether the vow was made with good intentions, but not carried out, or made with wicked intentions, but not carried out, the person who made the vow is still responsible to repent of his foolishness when he becomes aware of it.

5:7 two turtledoves. Part of the purification offering was burned on the altar, and part was not burned. When offering birds, the worshiper brought two in order to accomplish this.

5:11 tenth part of an ephah. This was approximately two quarts.

5:13 the remnant shall be the priest’s. Part of the offering was burned on the altar, as was part of the animal sacrifices. The rest belonged to the priests, as did the remainder of the animal sacrifices brought by ordinary citizens, except for their burnt offerings.

5:15 commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance . . . trespass offering. This refers both to the objective responsibility of a sinner for his or her actions and the subjective feeling of guilt experienced by the sinner. The offering righted the wrong of the offense and cleared the conscience of the sinner.

5:15—6:7 soul commit a trespass. The trespass offering covers both offenses against God (5:15–19) and against people (6:1–7). The offense may be unintentional, or quite deliberate, but regardless of the motive, such actions make the perpetrator guilty. The quickest way to mend relationships with God and with fellow human beings is to honestly admit our guilt and wrongdoing, pay back or repair where we can, and ask forgiveness of those we have sinned against. This responsibility cannot be sidestepped.

5:17 though he wist it not, yet is he guilty. Ignorance does not make an offense harmless. The offender was still guilty and bore responsibility for his sin. He might also be troubled in conscience, though he might never learn the exact nature of his offense. This raises the concept that a person can be aware of a break in his fellowship with God, without being sure what caused this break.

5:18 erred and wist it not. This was not a sin of rebellion, but one for which the offender earnestly desired to atone, though he did not know what it was.

5:19 he hath certainly trespassed against the LORD. The fact that the priest declared him forgiven, and the peace of conscience that the worshiper had, declares that he was indeed guilty of some trespass; it was not his imagination. It is possible for a Christian to have an overactive conscience that keeps the believer in a constant state of anxiety about unknown sins. It is good to remember that God knows all about this, and if we confess our feelings of guilt, He will either show us our true guilt and grant us forgiveness and a clear conscience, or show us the error in our thinking regarding what He expects from us.

6:5–6 even restore it. Restitution and a one-fifth fine were evidence of genuine repentance. Then the offender could bring the ram for the trespass offering and be forgiven for the sin of swearing falsely in God’s name. Jesus preserved this order for the person who remembered at the altar that he had offended his brother (Matt. 5:23).

6:10 breeches. The breeches were linen trousers that prevented immodest exposure as the priest ascended and descended the altar ramp. This modesty communicated to the Israelites that human sexuality could not influence God. That idea was a central feature of Baal worship, which continually tempted the Israelites. The priests of Baal would use obscene gestures and actions in the pagan worship of their depraved god.

6:13 fire shall ever be burning. There are at least three reasons the priests are instructed to keep the fire burning. The original fire on the altar came from God, perpetual fire symbolized perpetual worship, and perpetual fire was a reminder of the continual need for atonement and reconciliation with God.

6:20 half of it in the morning . . . half thereof at night. The idea of a morning and evening appointment with God is ancient. It is a precious privilege, open to every believer because Jesus opened the door into the presence of God when He died on the cross for our sins.

6:22 a statute for ever. This grain offering and the burnt offering were sacrificed daily—with some interruptions, most notably during the exile—until the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70. Even in the periods of Judah’s worst apostasy, the evidence suggests that the daily offerings continued, though often for incorrect or inadequate reasons (Is. 1:10–17; Jer. 7:8–15; Mic. 6:6–8).

7:1–7 trespass offering. The guilt or trespass offering was “most holy,” showing how seriously and carefully God considers the acts of reparation made by His people. The priest was to eat it in a holy place. It was his to eat, as part of God’s provision for him, but he was to remember where it came from. The price of atonement has never been cheap in God’s eyes, even when it was as incomplete as the offering of a goat or lamb.

7:34 the wave breast and the heave shoulder. This present was a contribution to the officiating priest as his portion of the peace offerings for thanksgiving. The offering was waved before the Lord as an acknowledgment that He is the giver of all gifts.

8:6–13 Purification—Moses carried out the Lord’s command (Ex. 29:4) by purifying Aaron and his sons for the priesthood. The purification process began with an outward washing of water which symbolized an inward purity. The believer today also shows his inward reality (his acceptance of Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit) with his outward actions. These acts of obedience do not create the inward reality, but they confirm it.

8:8 the Urim and the Thummim. These were the sacred lots used to determine the will of God. What they looked like and how they were used is not known. Apparently, the high priest phrased questions so the answers would be yes, or no, depending on how the lots came up.

8:12 anointed him. The high priests of Israel, beginning here with Aaron, were anointed, as were the kings of Israel (1 Sam. 10:1; 16:13) and at least one of the prophets (1 Kin. 19:16). Jesus combines in His person the offices of High Priest, King, and Prophet, so He is the Anointed One, which is the meaning of the names Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek).

8:35 that ye die not. This statement was a reminder that it is dangerous to approach God carelessly, without reverence, or ignore His instructions. Two of Aaron’s sons failed to heed this warning and died (ch. 10).

9:4 the LORD will appear unto you. The purpose of all worship is to fellowship with God. The sacrifices were not an end in themselves; they allowed the worshiper to meet with God without being destroyed. The Israelites looked forward and we look back to Christ’s atonement, which made the way for us to come freely into God’s presence.

9:15 the goat, which was the sin offering. This goat was offered for atonement of the people as a general acknowledgment that they would always need to make things right with God before they could worship Him, and is referred to again in ch. 16. The bull for the sin offering (4:14) was for a specific sin, rather than dealing with sin nature (that is, our ability to sin).

9:22 Aaron . . . blessed them. The ultimate function of the priests was to bless the people. The purpose of the priest’s sacrifices was to cleanse the priests so they could bless the people, and the purpose of the people’s sacrifices was to cleanse the people to receive this blessing from God.

10:1–2 strange fire. Aaron and his sons served the Lord as high priests in the worship of the tabernacle. They had been properly appointed, purified, clothed, anointed, and ordained. Initially they did everything that the Lord commanded through Moses. But when Nadab and Abihu disobeyed God in the very performance of their duties, the Lord swiftly punished them with a consuming fire. Being blessed with a thriving ministry is no excuse to go off and do things our own way. God doesn’t take such actions lightly, and neither should we.

10:3 in them that come nigh me . . . I will be glorified. Although this passage refers specifically to the priests of Israel, it is still a good concept for all believers. We are close to God, we remember that He is holy, that He paid a great price to redeem us, and it is our purpose to glorify Him.

11:3 cheweth the cud. Ruminants, like cows, sheep, goats, deer, and antelope, eat only plants, mainly grasses and grains. No meat-eating animal chews the cud.

11:4 the camel. Some of Israel’s neighbors considered the camel a great delicacy.

11:5–6 coney . . . hare. The coney, or rock hyrax, lives in colonies among the rocks. It is about the size of the rabbit, and like the rabbit, appears to chew constantly, but it is not a true ruminant, nor does it have a hoof.

11:7 the swine. The swine is the best known of the unclean animals. We know now that pigs can pass some diseases to humans, and that inadequately cooked meat is one way these diseases are transferred. Pigs were sacrificed to pagan deities, and God was carefully steering His people away from these corrupted cultures.

11:8 their carcase shall ye not touch. In the case of these unclean animals, eating their meat or touching their dead bodies caused an Israelite to be unclean, or ritually impure. However, touching a live animal did not make the Israelites unclean, and they were allowed to use camels and donkeys as beasts of burden.

11:11–12 abomination. The phrasing is careful, deliberate, and repetitive to remove any possibility of finding any exception anywhere. Abomination is a stronger word than unclean, and implies not just avoidance, but repulsion.

11:20 going upon all four. This phrase is an idiom for crawling on the ground, as insects do on their six legs. Many insects move about in filth and eat refuse.

11:21 legs above their feet. The joints are the enlarged third legs of locusts and grasshoppers that enable them to leap. Locusts and grasshoppers do not live in filth or eat dung; they eat only plants.

11:44–45 be holy. Our Lord calls us to personal holiness, and holy living can only come from a life which spends time with the Lord, meditating on who He is, seeking His power to be like Him. We will make mistakes and sin all of our lives, which God never does; when He asks us to be holy because He is holy, it is a goal that we grow toward. Even though we never finish, we still overcome many, many areas of sin, and this growth shows others that we serve a holy God, because they see His characteristics in us.

12:2 conceived seed, and born a . . . child . . . unclean. The child did not cause the mother to be unclean. God had ordained and blessed childbirth from the beginning, even before the sin in the garden (Gen. 1:28). It was the blood and other fluids in childbirth that made the mother ritually unclean for a period of time, just as other bodily fluids caused people to be unclean.

12:4 blood of her purifying three and thirty days. There is a practical as well as a ceremonial aspect to these instructions. The eighth day marked the end of the mother’s uncleanness with regard to everyday objects and activities; she would no longer make them unclean by touching them. But her personal uncleanness continued. This corresponds with the medical characteristics of childbirth, and the need for special care and rest for the mother. (There is no reason given why this period is double with the birth of a female child.)

12:8 if she be not able to bring a lamb. Mary, following the birth of Jesus and the days of her purification, went to the temple in Jerusalem and offered a pair of doves because she was poor. be clean. The law of purification after childbirth demonstrates that all aspects of human existence are touched by sin. Childbirth itself is not sinful, and having children was one of the good commands that the Lord gave Adam and Eve in the garden. Yet pain in childbirth was one of the curses of the fall, and this time of purification can be viewed as a reminder that humans are still dealing with a sin nature that needs God’s mercy and purification.

13:2 a man. The Hebrew word for “a man” means “human being,” that is, anyone.

13:11 shall not shut him up. Isolation, or quarantine, was for the purpose of protecting the community until a diagnosis was reached. In this case, the patient was already diagnosed as “unclean,” which meant he had to live outside the camp (v. 46).

13:45–46 clothes shall be rent . . . upper lip. These actions were signs of mourning, for chronic skin diseases isolated the patients from life and family as if they had died. It is easy to see how leprosy became a metaphor for sin. Like serious skin diseases, sin is dangerous and ultimately fatal, often difficult to diagnose, and incurable without God’s intervention.

13:47 plague of leprosy. This would include any mold, mildew, or other fungus growths on clothing.

13:50–58 priest shall look upon the plague. The procedures for diagnosing a problem with a garment were similar to those for diagnosing human skin ailments. The fact that a garment was considered worth saving after a piece had been torn out of it was an economic consideration, reflecting the value of cloth.

14:1–9 cleansing. It is likely that the sprigs of hyssop were tied to the cedar with the scarlet thread. With that in one hand and the living bird in the other, the priest would dip them all in the blood and water mixture in the pottery bowl and shake them over the head of the person to be cleansed. It may seem like a rather messy procedure, but being purified from sin has never been a tidy process. In the end, it took Christ’s death on the cross to cleanse His followers. The bird which was released is a reminder of the real freedom and joy that any forgiven sinner experiences.

14:2 He shall be brought unto the priest. The priest was responsible for the diagnosis, and he was the one who administered the sacrifices and rituals that celebrated the return of the person to the community of Israel. Jesus was aware of these laws when He touched the leper and healed him, and then directed the leper to show himself to the priest (Matt. 8:4).

14:4 cedar wood . . . scarlet . . . hyssop. Cedar is both durable and resistant to decay, scarlet is a reminder of blood, and hyssop is an aromatic herb used for flavor, fragrance, and medicine. Each of these items would have been a reminder of the blood that cleansed, the decay that was stopped, and the sweetness of good health.

14:5 running water. This is literally “living water,” water from a spring or stream rather than water from a cistern, vessel, or pool. Living water symbolizes life. Jesus told the woman at the well to ask for living water (John 4:7–14).

14:9–32 shave . . . wash. What is termed leprosy was apparently a number of skin diseases which were infectious, and thus were an apt picture of sin, which also corrupts the flesh, and is spread through social contact. The picture of isolating, analyzing, and finally cleansing these skin diseases is similar to the process of recognizing, repenting, and being forgiven for sin. Blood is necessary in both cases, and in both cases the touch of the Holy Spirit, symbolized by oil, is present.

14:10 the eighth day. The eighth day was the day of circumcision for a newborn male, and the cleansed person was starting again, almost like being born again into the community.

14:21–32 if he be poor. God’s legislation for Israel showed special concern for the poor. In these sacrifices the poor Israelite still had to bring a lamb for the trespass offering, but for the sin offering or burnt offering he was allowed to bring turtledoves or pigeons. The grain offering was reduced from three-tenths to one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour.

14:34 plague of leprosy in a house. This is the same term used of serious skin diseases in chapter 13. All of these conditions were harmful, whether on human skin, clothing, or the wall of a house.

14:54–57 the law for all manner of plague of leprosy. The uncleanness of leprosy required action. If it could not be removed, the thing that carried the uncleanness had to be removed from among God’s people. In the same way, the uncleanness of sin requires action, but God has provided an infinitely stronger remedy through the blood of Christ.

15:18 both bathe themselves in water . . . unclean. God’s plan from the beginning includes sexual intercourse between a man and his wife; this is not sinful in God’s eyes. The uncleanness and requirements of washing were a ritual cleansing, a reminder of the holiness of God, not a prohibition of intimate relationships.

15:19 woman . . . issue. There are rules for cleansing, but no sacrifice was required. Menstruation was not regarded as sinful.

15:25–27 blood many days out . . . of her separation. If a woman had a flow of blood at any time other than her normal monthly period, or if this was unusually long, her uncleanness continued the whole time and passed to all she touched. The woman with a hemorrhage who touched Jesus secretly (Luke 8:43–48) was in this situation.

15:28–30 cleansed of her issue. The woman was to bring the smallest allowable sacrifice for the atonement of sins she may have committed during the period of her uncleanness.

15:31–33 separate . . . from their uncleanness. Hygiene and health were important by-products, but the focus of these regulations concerning uncleanness was on keeping God’s tabernacle undefiled. Ceremonial laws in regard to natural impurity seem strange to us, because these ceremonies were made obsolete by the perfect sacrifice of Christ. But in the Old Testament one form of blasphemy was the defilement of sanctuary worship by certain forms of ceremonial impurity.

16:2 come not at all times. This refers to the arrogant attitude in which Aaron’s sons had approached to offer unauthorized sacrifice. God is holy, and must not be approached carelessly. After Christ opened the way for all believers to approach God at any time, it is perhaps easy to forget that we still approach with reverence and awe. It was because of the terrible price of the cross that we have this privilege, not because God has suddenly become casual.

16:6 for himself. After atoning for himself the high priest could offer the sacrifice to atone for the people. The author of Hebrews places great emphasis on this point in discussing the superior priesthood of Jesus, who did not have to offer a sacrifice for Himself before He could be the sacrifice of atonement, one time for all people (Heb. 7:26; 9:11–28; 10:19–22).

16:15–19 the goat . . . for the people. Aaron offered the goat for the people, and the other actions involved in this sacrifice made it clear that the sins of the people had a defiling effect on the tabernacle. If not removed, the sins would have caused the ministry to be ineffective in atoning for the people.

16:21 Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat. Sending the goat into the wilderness was a public ceremony. Everyone could see Aaron symbolically placing the sins of the people on the goat’s head. All of the ways that people could offend God were placed on the head of the goat, which took them away from the camp, away from the people, away from God.

16:22 goat shall bear upon him. This is the origin of the common expression “scapegoat.” The goat was not guilty of the sins, but he bore them anyway, allowing the guilty to escape the consequences of their sins. In Jesus’ bearing the sins of the human race, and in His death outside the city (outside the camp), He fulfilled this annual ritual of the Day of Atonement. Not only was Jesus the perfect High Priest, He was the perfect Sacrifice.

16:29 in the seventh month. The Day of Atonement fell between mid-September and mid-October.

16:29–34 The Day of Atonement—This whole process of animal sacrifice seems foreign to us. There is no enjoyment in seeing an animal killed. Special underwear and extra washings do not fit our religious experience. It is easy for us to wonder why this was necessary. What is the big deal anyway? The primary reason we have trouble with this is that we have such a superficial understanding of sin and God’s attitude toward it. We tend to think of sin as a kind of correctable mistake, easily taken care of. Why be so upset about it?

The Day of Atonement pointed the Israelites to the seriousness of sin. They were able to see that sin was an affront to God that had to be dealt with. It is like cancer. If it is not treated, death is the ultimate consequence. At its core, sin is rebellion against God. This ceremony stood as a permanent reminder of these truths. It pointed to God’s holiness, to the drastic measures needed to deal with sin. Our souls are to be cleansed thoroughly and the sacrifices on the Day of Atonement accomplished this cleansing for the Israelite community. As such it was the most important day in the Jewish religious calendar.

17:5 sacrifices . . . in the open field. Such sacrifices were strictly forbidden. All sacrifices were to be clearly and unequivocally made to God alone, and in His way.

17:7 unto devils . . . a whoring. Pagan deities in the form of goats, like satyrs, were a part of the cultures surrounding the Israelites. Israel’s worship of other gods, and God’s attitude toward it was likened to the way a husband would feel if his wife became a prostitute. This was a picture of betrayal that the Israelites could understand. statute for ever. Because this was a permanent rule, it becomes clear that it was not an injunction against slaughtering animals for meat, but referred to sacrifices. When Israel’s worship was centered in Jerusalem, some families lived more than a hundred miles from the temple. They could not have traveled so far to kill animals for meat, although they did make the journey for sacrifices.

17:10 any manner of blood. Eating blood was forbidden in the strongest possible terms.

17:13 cover it with dust. Blood was to be treated respectfully, and covering it with earth was a token of burial.

18:2 the LORD. This is the translation of the name for God, sometimes called Yahweh, the name by which God revealed Himself to Moses (Ex. 6:2–8). In using this name, God was basing His claim to the Israelites’ devotion on His willingness to reveal Himself to them, to redeem them and to be their God.

18:4 my judgments . . . mine ordinances. “Judgments” refers to judicial decisions involving situations that might not be addressed in the statutes. “Ordinances” are decrees, laws, and acts of a permanent nature.

18:5 if a man do, he shall live. God gave the law as a means of life on all levels—physical, moral, spiritual, and relational.

18:6 None . . . any that is near of kin . . . uncover their nakedness. This term covers cases such as incest between father and daughter and between brother and full sister, even though they are absent from the following list. To uncover someone’s nakedness is to have sexual intercourse with that person.

18:7 The nakedness of thy father . . . shalt thou not uncover. The point of this passage is that committing incest with the wife of one’s father is symbolically to uncover the father’s nakedness too, because the two are one flesh through marriage.

18:8 father’s wife. Even if your father’s wife is not your mother, it is still wrong to have sexual relations with her. In Israel at that time multiple wives or concubines were still part of society, as well as a second wife coming into the family through death or divorce of the first wife.

18:9 thy sister. Though this may seem redundant, God wanted to make it abundantly clear that a sister who did not share the same pair of parents as her brother was still off limits. This would cover husbands of multiple wives and illegitimate children. Sexual sin is serious with long reaching consequences, and it is clearly forbidden within the family.

18:20 with thy neighbour’s wife. Adultery is forbidden in Exodus 20:14 and its penalty is given in Leviticus 20:10.

18:21 not let any of thy seed . . . to Molech. God forbids child sacrifice right along with incest. This is destructive behavior with far-reaching consequences, and all followers of the Lord will abhor it as God does.

18:22 lie with mankind. Homosexuality here is labeled an abomination, something detestable to God both ritually (as a part of the Canaanite religion) and morally. To abominate something is to be repulsed by it, and when God is repulsed, it is a clear message that homosexuality is not part of His plan for human relationships.

18:23 any beast. Bestiality is labeled a perversion, something out of the natural order and a defilement. It, too, was a feature of some of the religions of Israel’s neighbors.

18:24–30 Defile. The land had become so defiled by the perverted practices of the Canaanites that it was vomiting them out. For that reason, the land would be available to Israel to settle. The Israelites, however, needed to be careful to live as God’s holy people, or the land would vomit them out as well.

19:3 keep my sabbaths. The weekly Sabbath was an acknowledgment that not everything depended on the Israelites’ efforts. It was an acknowledgment of God’s lordship and His grace.

19:5 peace offerings. The peace offering was a freewill offering.

19:10 for the poor and stranger. Providing for the poor and the alien who could not own land was a priority in ancient Israel. The generosity of God’s people was rooted in God’s generosity toward the Israelites.

19:16 talebearer. A talebearer is one who is not only a gossip, but one who is actively seeking to destroy another’s reputation.

19:17 hate . . . in thine heart. Jesus addressed this principle in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:21–24).

19:18 avenge. Vengeance belongs to God (Deut. 32:35); His vengeance is entirely just. It is easy for human vengeance to be carried out too zealously, leaving the by-products of bitterness and hatred. Instead, we are to do good to those who hate us and pray for those who persecute us (Matt. 5:44). love. The word “love” is first found in Genesis 22:2, where God told Abraham to offer up his son whom he loved as a burnt sacrifice upon Mount Moriah, and the first mention of love in the New Testament is God proclaiming that Jesus is His beloved Son (Matt. 3:17). Family love is something people find easy to understand. Even if it is not very strong in one’s nuclear family, the longing for love shows us that we understand what it is to be. To take this love one step further, that a parent would allow a child to die for the good of others, stretches the concept of love. And yet it is that very love that caused God to send His Son to die for the whole world.

19:20 a woman, that is a bondmaid. The slave woman had a low social standing and few rights, and may not have had the freedom to cry out when approached sexually. Therefore, she remained guiltless. Because she was a slave, the man escaped death, but remained guilty before God. Atonement was necessary for him to receive forgiveness.

19:26 enchantment. God, and not a demon or impersonal force, is all powerful and directs the future. Practicing enchantment or divination reveals a lack of trust in God to bring the best in the future in His timing.

19:27–28 beard . . . cuttings in your flesh . . . nor print any marks. The human body was designed by God to be beautiful. Disfiguring the body for the dead, or as a sign of mourning, is dishonoring to God. Some disfiguring was a part of pagan religions, and was forbidden to God’s people for any reason.

19:29 cause her to be a whore. Sexual relations are sacred. Forcing a daughter to violate that sanctity defiled her against her will.

19:31 familiar spirits . . . wizards. In principle this is no different than divination. Its practice involves consulting the spirits of the dead, or other spirits, both of which are strictly forbidden. It demonstrates lack of faith and rebellion against God and His ways.

19:35–36 unrighteousness in judgment . . . in weight, or in measure. Injustice in legal transactions or in business are equally wrong. God is just and generous, and His people are to be the same.

20:2–5 giveth any of his seed unto Molech . . . put to death . . . stone him. The penalty for child sacrifice, whether carried out by an alien or a citizen of Israel, was death, either carried out by the justice system or by God Himself. Children are a trust and blessing from God, and killing them in a pagan ritual is a wickedness that God will not overlook.

20:8 which sanctify you. To be sanctified is to be “set apart.” The worshiper was set apart to God, from all other allegiances.

20:9 his blood shall be upon him. This statement assured the executioners that they were not guilty of shedding the offender’s blood.

20:21 take his brother’s wife. It may be assumed that this passage refers to taking his brother’s wife while his brother is still living. Deuteronomy 25:5–10 gives a fairly detailed directive for a brother marrying his brother’s childless widow and giving the firstborn the name of the dead brother, so that his family line will be maintained.

21:5 not make baldness . . . cuttings in their flesh. These were pagan customs, and all Israel was forbidden to observe them (19:27).

21:9 profane herself by playing the whore. Prostitution, the ultimate promiscuity, was the opposite of holiness, the ultimate faithfulness. The daughter was to reflect her father’s holiness to God.

21:22 He shall eat. Physical defect did not imply a moral defect. The person afflicted was to receive his food as the other priests did, from the sacrifices.

22:3 of all your seed among your generations. This statement made the restriction as broad as possible in any one generation, and as broad as possible through all time. cut off from my presence. The individual was not executed or banished from the community, but was permanently barred from ministering as a priest.

22:7 it is his food. The sacrifices brought by the Israelites were a major part of the daily provisions of the priests.

22:8 That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts. An ordinary Israelite was unclean until evening if he ate such animals (17:15–16), but a priest was not to eat them at all.

22:11 buy any soul . . . he shall eat. Strangers, guests, and hired servants were forbidden to eat of the holy gifts, but slaves and their children were considered as a part of the priest’s family, and could eat of the consecrated food.

22:18 strangers in Israel. Resident aliens in Israel were permitted to worship God with the Israelites, and were subject to the same regulations about sacrifices.

22:21 it shall be perfect to be accepted. This is a very clear directive, yet the prophet Malachi addressed the problem of defective sacrifices in his day (Mal. 1:7–14). God called that “despising” His name.

22:31 commandments. As Christians, it is important to understand the relationship between grace and law. A focus on the law without grace leads to rule oriented life, where our actions may be decent enough, but our heart is hard toward God. But if the focus is only on grace, we may be without the guidelines necessary to keep us from just doing what is right in our own eyes. Certain directives are given to us because even when we are born again, we are not all wise. The best way to balance all of this is to consider the whole counsel of God by reading and seeking to understand the whole Bible.

23:3 Six days shall work be done. Work was given to the human race in the garden of Eden. It is one of the ways humans bear the image of God, and is not a curse on the race. Even after the fall it remains God’s good gift. the sabbath of rest . . . in all your dwellings. The regular seventh day of rest is for our refreshment, and a day of solemn, joyful worship. It was not to be observed only in the sanctuary, it was to be celebrated in every household. The writer of Hebrews (ch. 4) calls belief in the saving work of Jesus, “entering His rest,” and compares that to the Sabbath rest.

23:5 fourteenth day of the first month. This month would fall between mid-March and mid-April. The Passover celebrated Israel’s exodus from Egypt (Ex. 12:1–28).

23:6–8 feast of unleavened bread. This festival immediately followed Passover, and later in Israel’s history, it involved pilgrimages to the central sanctuary; first in Shiloh, and later in Jerusalem.

23:10 sheaf of the firstfruits. This bundle of the first harvested barley belonged to God as a special offering, acknowledging God’s provision for the harvest.

23:24 In the seventh month. This holiday falls in mid-September. It was a reminder of God’s goodness, which was expressed in the covenant, and asked God to continue to remember that covenant.

23:26–32 Atonement—The Day of Atonement was a time to set aside all the thoughts and actions that typically fill the day and consider one’s relationship with God. This was to be a time of humbleness, which would preclude any self-righteousness or merely comparing oneself with others. It was a time to remember that even people who want to follow God need to have their lives realigned with Him. Christians regularly take time to think of these things as they remember the Lord’s death until He comes again, with the bread and the cup of communion.

23:27 day of atonement. The day was not given this name in chapter 16, but this was the day of all days, when complete atonement was made for all Israel.

23:40 boughs of goodly trees. The leafy tree is thought to be the myrtle.

24:19–20 eye for eye. This law is also found in Exodus 21:23–25. Its purpose is not to require the injured party to inflict equal bodily harm on the one who had injured him, but to restrict him from inflicting greater harm than he received.

24:22 one manner of law. These laws are repeated here in order to answer the question of whether these laws apply to non-Israelites. The answer is yes, they also apply to the stranger in the land.

25:5 shalt not reap. Reaping and gathering for storage and selling were not permitted. However, harvesting for daily needs was allowed.

25:10 return. This word could also be translated “liberty.” It meant specifically that all debts were canceled, all Israelites who had sold themselves into slavery were freed, and all the land reverted to its original owners, from the time the land was divided by Joshua. The same phrase occurs in Isaiah 61:1, the passage Jesus read in the synagogue in Nazareth at the beginning of His earthly ministry. Jesus declares liberty to all who have lost their inheritance and become slaves to sin.

25:11 jubile. The fiftieth, or jubilee year, followed a Sabbath year of rest, so this meant that there were two years of rest in a row for the land.

25:17 fear thy God. Fear of God includes respect of man, who is God’s highest creation. A deep respect of the life of man, who is created in God’s image and likeness, is stressed in Scriptures. This text prohibits taking advantage of or oppressing others, and for the Christian there is the added reminder that we are not to injure those “for whose sake Christ died” (1 Cor. 8:11).

25:23 sojourners with me. The principle governing all of these laws was that the land did not belong to Israel; it belonged to God.

25:44–46 bondmen for ever. The fact that God made laws to govern the current practices of slavery does not mean that He approved of slavery. He made laws about divorce, too, but He also said that He hates divorce.

26:1 image of stone. A sacred pillar was a stone or wooden column erected to represent a pagan god or goddess. It was not a likeness, but a symbol. Together, the four terms used in this verse cover all the possibilities for pagan images.

26:4–5 rain in due season . . . threshing . . . unto the vintage . . . unto the sowing. Not only will God provide the rain when needed, He would provide abundant harvests. The grain harvest was finished by early to mid-June, and the grape harvest began about two months later. Having two months to thresh the grain indicated a large harvest. Likewise sowing could not occur until after the first rains softened the ground, usually in mid-October. A two-month grape harvest would be a bumper crop. This is the first of the three blessings from God.

26:6–10 peace in the land. Neither animal nor human adversaries would be successful against Israel. This is the second of the three blessings from God.

26:11–13 I will walk among you. The third blessing was the promise of His presence within Israel, actively walking among them and looking out for their welfare.

26:12–13 be your God. The image in these verses is a dramatic one, reminding the Israelites that God would be their intimate associate continually. He would walk with them, support them in times of difficulty and danger, and abundantly provide for both their physical and spiritual needs. To be God’s people meant that the Israelites had to obey God’s laws scrupulously, to be holy as God is holy, and to be a witness of God among the pagan nations.

26:14–15 will not do all these commandments. As with the blessings, the curses are presented in an “if-then” format.

26:16–17 terror, consumption, and the burning ague. Fear, illness, poor harvest, and enemies in the land would be God’s first attempts to draw Israel back to Himself.

26:18–20 heaven as iron. The second series of curses were characterized as “seven times more.” Rain was essential to the whole nation, both the fall and spring rains.

26:19 pride of your power. The pride of power will often cause a person or nation to trust in its own strength and accomplishments rather than to submit to God and give Him the honor and glory. The punishment for this pride was drought—skies like iron, with not even a hint of rain. This can be true on a personal level as well as a national level if one forgets that it is God who has given the position of significance. Then the iron heavens make it seem as if prayers are not heard, and the parched spirit cries out for God’s touch again.

26:21–22 seven times more plagues. The third series of curses are again increased “seven times,” so that the land is plagued with wild beasts that attack both their children and their domestic animals.

26:23–26 a sword . . . pestilence . . . hand of the enemy . . . eat, and not be satisfied. The fourth series of curses are also increased “seven times.” When enemies invaded the land, the people living in unwalled villages fled to walled cities, and if the city was besieged, the overcrowding created prime conditions for epidemics and famine.

26:29 eat the flesh of your sons . . . daughters. The fifth and final curse, “seven times for your sins,” was cannibalism. This actually happened centuries later during a siege of Samaria, and later still in Jerusalem (2 Kin. 6:28–29; Lam. 2:20; 4:10).

26:30 high places . . . images. The high places and images or incense altars were dedicated to the worship of pagan gods.

26:33 scatter. This threat was fulfilled in the Babylonian exile of 587–536 B.C.

26:36–37 faintness into their hearts. Survivors would not enjoy relief or peace of mind after escaping the disasters. They would still be timid, even when no one pursued them.

26:38–39 perish among the heathen. Having been exiled to foreign lands, the people were not to think they were beyond God’s punitive reach.

26:42 my covenant. God’s covenant with the patriarchs took precedence over the covenant at Sinai (Gal. 3:15–18). Even when Israel violated the Sinai covenant, God honored the patriarchal covenant.

26:44–45 I will not cast them away . . . remember the covenant. Ultimately, God’s character is grace, mercy, love and redemption. On that basis, God would remember the covenant and redeem them because He is God.

27:2–8 singular vow . . . shall value. While people could dedicate themselves or their children to the Lord (1 Sam. 1:11, 22) only the Levites were allowed to serve God as priests. Therefore, those others vowed in service to the Lord had to be redeemed, and the value of his service was given to the sanctuary.

27:8 poorer. Fifty shekels might have represented about four years’ earnings. If a person was too poor to pay this price, the priest set a price that the person could pay.

27:14–24 sanctify. Consecrating or sanctifying property to the Lord, and then buying it back with cash if one wants to use it for oneself is a curious idea to modern people. We tend to consider dedication of something to God as using it in a way that pleases Him, and the line between “God’s” and “mine” may be very fuzzy. We are familiar with offering praises or tithes to God as worship, but think of the way we handle property as “good” or “poor” stewardship. A passage like this reminds us that we are not to be casual in worship. Are we offering it to God or not? Is it His, or do we want it back at no cost to ourselves?

27:16 homer of barley. A homer was a donkey load.

27:28 devoted thing. Devoting a possession was a stronger act than dedication. Nothing devoted could be redeemed; persons devoted (under the ban) were to be put to death. No private citizen would have had the power to put himself or anyone else “under the ban.”

27:31 redeem ought of his tithes. For a person living a distance from the sanctuary, it may have been more practical to redeem the tithe than to bring the crops to the sanctuary.

27:32 under the rod. Sheep and goats were inspected when they passed under the rod that the shepherd placed across the entrance to the fold. This was a time to determine if the animals were under any distress from disease or injury, and was also the time that some of them were set aside for the Lord.