Leviticus 17

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 17

After the law concerning the atonement to be made for all Israel by the high priest, at the tabernacle, with the blood of bulls and goats, in this chapter we have two prohibitions necessary for the preservation of the honour of that atonement. I. That no sacrifice should be offered by any other than the priests, nor any where but at the door of the tabernacle, and this upon pain of death, Lev. 17:1-9. II. That no blood should be eaten, and this under the same penalty, Lev. 17:10-16 read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 17:1-9

This statute obliged all the people of Israel to bring all their sacrifices to God's altar, to be offered there. And as to this matter we must consider, I. How it stood before. 1. It was allowed to all people to build altars, and offer sacrifices to God, where they pleased. Wherever Abraham had a tent he built an altar, and every master of a family was a priest to his own family, as Job 1:5. 2. This liberty had been an occasion of idolatry. When every man was his own priest, and had an altar... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 17:10-16

We have here, I. A repetition and confirmation of the law against eating blood. We have met with this prohibition twice before in the levitical law (Lev. 3:17; 7:26), besides the place it had in the precepts of Noah, Gen. 9:4. But here, 1. The prohibition is repeated again and again, and reference had to the former laws to this purport (Lev. 17:12): I said to the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood; and again (Lev. 17:14), You shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh. A great... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 17

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 17 In this chapter a law is given, ordering all sorts of persons, Israelites and sojourners, to bring their sacrifices to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, on pain of being cut off, cf11ul Lev_17:1; and a special and particular prohibition of sacrificing to devils is delivered out, Leviticus 17:7 ; and the eating of blood, and of everything that dies of itself, or is torn with beasts, is forbidden under the above penalty, cf11ul Lev_17:10. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 17:1

And the Lord spake unto Moses ,.... After he had given him the law about the day of atonement, and the rites belonging to it: saying ; as follows. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 17:2

Speak unto Aaron, and unto his sons ,.... Who were now constituted priests, the business of whose office it was to offer the sacrifices of the people, ordinary and extraordinary: and to all the children of Israel ; who were all under obligation to sacrifices at certain times; under whom may be comprehended the Levites, who were not priests, and the strangers that sojourned in Israel, for these are concerned in the following law: and say unto them ; which is spoken to Moses, who was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 17:3

What man soever there be of the house of Israel ,.... Whether high or low, rich or poor: that killeth an ox, or lamb, or goat in the camp ; which are particularly mentioned, as Gersom observes, because of these the offerings were; for the law respects the killing of them not for common food, but for sacrifice, as appears from the following verses; for this law was to be a statute for ever, whereas in that sense it was not, and could not be observed, especially when they were come into... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 17:4

And bringeth it not unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation ,.... Near to which stood the altar of burnt offering to offer it upon, and the priests ready for such service: now the Lord would have every sacrifice brought thither to offer an offering to the Lord before the tabernacle of the Lord ; that it might be offered publicly, and be known to be offered to the Lord, and not to idols or devils, as in Leviticus 17:7 ; and so to prevent private idolatry, and private persons... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 17:5

To the end that the children of Israel may bring their sacrifices which they offer in the open field ,.... Which, before the tabernacle was erected, they were used to offer there, as it was lawful for them to do, and on high places, but now unlawful; though sometimes this was dispensed with by the Lord, and was done by some of his prophets, as Samuel, David, and Elijah, though not by priests: even that they may bring them unto the Lord, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 17:6

And the priest shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar of the Lord ,.... The altar of burnt: offering, Leviticus 1:5 , at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation ; near to which it stood, see Leviticus 1:5 , and burn the fat for a sweet savour to the Lord ; the fat that covered the inwards, the kidneys, the flanks and caul of the liver; see Leviticus 3:3 . read more

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