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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 16:1-4

Here is, I. The date of this law concerning the day of atonement: it was after the death of the two sons of Aaron (Lev. 16:1), which we read, Lev. 10:1. 1. Lest Aaron should fear that any remaining guilt of that sin should cleave to his family, or (seeing the priests were so apt to offend) that some after-sin of his other sons should be the ruin of his family, he is directed how to make atonement for his house, that it might keep in with God; for the atonement for it would be the establishment... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 16:5-14

The Jewish writers say that for seven days before the day of expiation the high priest was to retire from his own house, and to dwell in a chamber of the temple, that he might prepare himself for the service of this great day. During those seven days he himself did the work of the inferior priests about the sacrifices, incense, etc., that he might have his hand in for this day: he must have the institution read to him again and again, that he might be fully apprised of the whole method. 1. He... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 16:15-19

When the priest had come out from the sprinkling the blood of the bullock before the mercy-seat, 1. He must next kill the goat which was the sin-offering for the people (Lev. 16:15) and go the third time into the holy of holies, to sprinkle the blood of the goat, as he had done that of the bullock; and thus he was to make atonement for the holy place (Lev. 16:16); that is, whereas the people by their sins had provoked God to take away those tokens of his favourable presence with them, and... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 16:20-28

The high priest having presented unto the Lord the expiatory sacrifices, by the sprinkling of their blood, the remainder of which, it is probable, he poured out at the foot of the brazen altar, 1. He is next to confess the sins of Israel, with both his hands upon the head of the scape-goat (Lev. 16:20, 21); and whenever hands were imposed upon the head of any sacrifice it was always done with confession, according as the nature of the sacrifice was; and, this being a sin-offering, it must be a... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 16:29-34

I. We have here some additional directions in reference to this great solemnity, particularly, 1. The day appointed for this solemnity. It must be observed yearly on the tenth day of the seventh month, Lev. 16:29. The seventh had been reckoned the first month, till God appointed that the month in which the children of Israel came out of Egypt should thenceforward be accounted and called the first month. Some have fancied that this tenth day of the seventh month was the day of the year on which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 16:1

And the Lord spake unto Moses, after the death of the two sons of Aaron ,.... That is, either immediately after their death, and so this chapter would have stood in its natural order next to the tenth; or else after the above laws concerning uncleanness on various accounts were delivered out, designed to prevent the people entering into the tabernacle defiled, whereby they would have incurred the penalty of death; wherefore, as Aben Ezra observes, after the Lord had given cautions to the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 16:2

And the Lord said unto Moses, speak unto Aaron thy brother ,.... Who was the high priest; and what is here said to him was binding on all high priests in succession from him: that he come not at all times into the holy place ; or "holiness" F16 אל הקדש "ad sanctitatem", Pagninus, Montanus. , which was holiness itself, or the most holy place, as distinguished from that which was sometimes called the holy place, where stood the incense altar, the showbread table, and the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 16:3

Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place ,.... The most holy place; and this was after he had offered the daily sacrifice of the morning, and had performed the rest of the service then done, as Gersom observes; such as burning the incense and trimming the lamps, for no offering preceded the daily sacrifice: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering ; which were both for himself and his family; and such were the weakness, imperfection, and insufficiency of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 16:4

He shall put on the holy linen coat ,.... Which he wore in common with other priests: and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh ; upon those parts of his body which are more secret, and less honourable flesh, meaning the same, as in Leviticus 15:2 , and shall be girded with a linen girdle and with the linen mitre shall he be attired , as the other priests were; which were an emblem of the purity and holiness of Christ, whereby he became a proper and suitable high priest,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 16:5

And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel ,.... With whom only the high priest had to do on the day of atonement; as Christ our high priest has only with the Israel of God, the elect, given him by the Father, for whom he offered up himself, and for whose sins he made reconciliation: two kids of the goats for a sin offering ; the one of which was killed, and the other let go alive, and both were but one offering, typical of Christ in both his natures, divine and... read more

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