Leviticus 22:20-25

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Leviticus 22:17-33

Here are four laws concerning sacrifices:? I. Whatever was offered in sacrifice to God should be without blemish, otherwise it should not be accepted. This had often been mentioned in the particular institutions of the several sorts of offerings. Now here they are told what was to be accounted a blemish which rendered a beast unfit for sacrifice: if it was blind, or lame, had a wen, or the mange (Lev. 22:22),?if it was bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut (Lev. 22:24), that is, as the Jewish... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 22:20

For whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer ,.... Which is the general rule, the particulars of which are after given, and which has been imitated by the Heathens. The Egyptians, as they only sacrificed the males of beeves, so they were very curious in examining them, that they might be entirely pure and perfect F19 Heredot. Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 38. ; and it was a custom among the Romans, that such sheep should be chosen for sacrifice, in which there was nothing wanting ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 22:21

And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offering unto the Lord ,.... This, as Ben Gersom observes, is distinguished from a burnt offering; for though it was to be perfect, and without blemish, yet not obliged to be a male as that, Leviticus 3:1 . This was either by way of thanksgiving for mercies received, Leviticus 7:12 , or to accomplish his vow ; made in any distress, that if God would deliver him, then he would offer such a sacrifice: or a freewill offering ; either on... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 22:22

Blind, or broken, or maimed ,.... Which is "blind" of one eye, or both: and so the Egyptians, as they would not sacrifice any of their oxen that had any blemishes on them, and were of a different colour, or changed in their form, so likewise such that were deprived of either of their eyes F24 Chaeremon. apud Porphyr. de Abstinentia, l. 4. sect. 7. . Some, as Aben Ezra observes, restrain that which is "broken" to its being broken in the head; but others interpret it of any fracture of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 22:23

Either a bullock, or a lamb that hath anything superfluous , or lacking in its parts ,.... That has either more members than it should have, as five feet, or two gristles in an ear, as Gersom says, or has fewer than it should have; or, as Jarchi, that has one member longer or shorter than another, as the leg or thigh; according to the Targum of Jonathan, that is redundant in its testicles, or deficient therein; the Septuagint version is, that hath its ear or its tail cut; and so the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 22:24

Ye shall not offer unto the Lord that which bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut ,.... The Targum of Jonathan is, whose testicles are pressed and bruised, and whose nerves are corrupted and bruised, and so most Jewish writers interpret it: neither shall you make any offering thereof in your land ; any offering of any sort, either burnt offering or peace offering, or any other; or ye shall not do, that is, any such thing as here suggested, not bruise, or crush, or break, or cut the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Leviticus 22:25

Neither from a stranger's hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these ,.... That is, from a Gentile, a proselyte of the gate, who had renounced idolatry, and was willing to offer sacrifice to the true God; but what had such defects and blemishes in them as before described the priest might not take of his hands, and offer on the altar of God; and this is the rather observed, because on the one hand the Gentile might think such sacrifices would be acceptable, since he might have... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 22:20

Whatsoever hath a blemish - The same perfection is required in the sacrifice that was required in the priest; see on Leviticus 22:2 ; (note), and the notes on Leviticus 21 (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 22:23

That hath anything superfluous or lacking - The term שרוע sarua signifies any thing extended beyond the usual size, and the term קלוט kalut signifies any thing unusually contracted; and both mean any monstrosity, whether in redundance or defect. Such things, it seems, might be offered for a freewill-offering, because that was not prescribed by the law; God left it to a man's piety and gratitude to offer such additional gifts as he could: what the law required was indispensably... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Leviticus 22:24

Bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut - That is, no bullock or lamb that is injured in any of the above ways, shall be offered unto the Lord. read more

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