Leviticus 1:2 - Exposition

If any man of you bring. Sacrifices are not now being instituted for the first time. Burnt offerings at least, if not peace offerings, had existed since the time of the Fall. The Levitical law lays down regulations adapting an already existing practice for the use of the Israelitish nation; it begins, therefore, not with a command, "Thou shalt bring," but, if any man of you (according to custom) bring. Any member of the congregation might bring his voluntary offering when he would. The times at which the public offerings were to be made, and their number, are afterwards designated. An offering. This verse is introductory to the ensuing chapters, and speaks of "offerings" in general. "Korban," which is the word here used for "offering," derived from karab, meaning "to draw near for the sake of presentation," is the generic name including all offerings and sacrifices. It is used in speaking of animal sacrifices of various kinds, including peace offerings and sin offerings ( Leviticus 3:1 ; Leviticus 4:23 and it is applied to vegetable offerings ( Leviticus 2:1 , Leviticus 2:13 ) and to miscellaneous offerings for the service of the tabernacle, such as wagons and oxen, silver vessels for the altar, gold, jewels, etc. ( Numbers 7:3 , Numbers 7:10 ; Numbers 31:50 ). It is translated by the LXX . into Greek by the word δῶρον , equivalent to the Latin donum, and our "gift." These offerings are now distinguished into their different kinds.