Chapter 21:
| Darby
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| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
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Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Exodus Numbers
Leviticus 21
Directions to the priests, ver. 1-9. To the high-priest, ver. 10-15. None of these must have any blemish, ver. 16-24.
Verse 1. Among his people - None of the priests shall touch the dead
body, or assist at his funeral, or eat of the funeral feast. The
reason of this law is evident, because by such pollution they were
excluded from converse with men, to whom by their function they
were to be serviceable upon all occasions, and from the handling
of holy things. And God would hereby teach them, and in them all
successive ministers, that they ought entirely to give themselves
to the service of God. Yea, to renounce all expressions of natural
affection, and all worldly employments, so far as they are
impediments to the discharge of their holy services.
Verse 2. Near to him - Under which general expression his wife seems
to be comprehended, though she be not expressed. And hence it is
noted as a peculiar case, that Ezekiel, who was a priest, was
forbidden to mourn for his wife, Ezek. xxiv, 16, &c. These
exceptions God makes in condescension to human infirmity,
because in such cases it was very hard to restrain the affections.
But this allowance concerns only the inferior priest, not the high-
priest.
Verse 3. That is nigh him - That is, by nearness not of relation, (for that
might seem a needless addition) but of habitation, one not yet cut
off from the family. For if she was married, she was now of
another family, and under her husband's care in those matters.
Verse 4. Being - Or, seeing he is a chief man, for such not only the high-
priest, but others also of the inferior priests were. He shall not
defile himself for any other person whatsoever. To profane
himself - Because such defilement for the dead did profane him,
or make him as a common person, and consequently unfit to
manage his sacred employment.
Verse 5. They shall not make baldness - In funerals, as the Heathens did.
Though I allow them to defile themselves for some of the dead,
yet in no case shall they use these superstitious rites, which also
the people were forbidden to do; but the priests in a more peculiar
manner, because they are by word and example to teach the
people their duty.
Verse 6. Holy unto their God - Devoted to God's service, and always
prepared for it, and therefore shall keep themselves from all
defilements. The name of their God - Which they especially bear.
The bread of their God - That is, the shew-bread: or rather, all the
other offerings, besides burnt-offerings: which are called bread,
because bread is commonly put for all food.
Verse 7. Profane - Or defiled, or deflowered, though it were done
secretly, or by force: because the priest must take care that all the
members of his family be free not only from gross wickedness,
but from all suspicions of evil.
Verse 8. Thou - O Moses, and whosoever shall succeed in thy place, to
whom it belongs to see my laws observed, shall take care that the
priest be holy, and do not defile himself by any of these forbidden
marriages.
Verse 9. And the daughter - And by analogy his son also, and his wife,
because the reason of the law here added, concerns all. And
nothing is more common than to name one kind for the rest of the
same nature, as also is done chap. xviii, 6. She profaneth her
father - Exposeth his person and office, and consequently religion,
to contempt.
Verse 10. The garments - Those holy garments, which were peculiar to
him. Shall not uncover his head - This being then the posture of
mourners, chap. x, 6, though afterwards the custom was changed
and mourners covered their heads, 2 Sam. xv, 30, Esth vi, 12. Nor
rent his clothes - Another expression of mourning.
Verse 11. Go in - Into the chamber or house where they lie. This and
divers other rites here prescribed were from hence translated by
the Heathens into their use, whose priests were put under the same
obligations.
Verse 12. Out of the sanctuary - To attend the funerals of any person: for
upon other occasions he might and did commonly go out. Nor
profane the sanctuary - Either by the performance of a civility, or
by entering into the sanctuary before the seven days allotted for
his cleansing, Num. xix, 11, were expired. The crown of the
anointing oil - Or, the crown, the golden plate, which is called the
holy crown, Exod. xxix, 6, and the anointing oil of his God are
upon him. So there is only an ellipsis of the conjunction and,
which is frequent. And these two things, being most eminent, are
put for the rest, as the sign is put for the thing signified, that is, for
he is God's high-priest.
Verse 13. In her virginity - Or, a virgin, partly because as he was a type
of Christ, so his wife was a type of the church, which is compared
to a virgin, and partly for greater caution and assurance that his
wife was not a defiled or deflowered person. Most of these things
are forbidden to all the priests; and here to the high-priest, to shew
that he also, and he especially is obliged to the same cautions.
Verse 15. I the Lord sanctify him - I have separated him from all other
men for my immediate service, and therefore will not have that
race corrupted.
Verse 17. Of thy seed - Whether the high priest, or the inferior ones.
That hath - In all successive ages, any defect or excess of parts,
any notorious deformity or imperfection in his body. The reason
hereof is partly typical, that he, might more fully represent Christ,
the great high-priest, who was typified both by the priest and
sacrifice, and therefore both were to be without blemish; partly
moral, to teach all Christians and especially ministers of holy
things, what purity and perfection of heart and life they should
labour after, and that notorious blemishes in the mind or
conversation, render a man unfit for the ministry of the gospel;
and partly prudential, because such blemishes were apt to breed
contempt of the person; and consequently, of his function, and of
the holy things wherein he ministered. For which reason, such
persons as have notorious defects or deformities, are still unfit for
the ministry except where there are eminent gifts and graces,
which vindicate a man from the contemptibleness of his bodily
presence. The particular defect's here mentioned, I shall not
enlarge upon because some of the Hebrew words are diversely
interpreted, and because the use of these things being abolished,
the knowledge of them is not necessary.
Verse 18. A flat nose - Most restrain this word to the nose, and to some
great deformity relating to it. But according to others, it signifies
more generally, a person that wants some member or members,
because the next word, to which it is opposed, signifies one that
hath more members than he should.
Verse 21. A blemish - Any notorious blemish whereby he is disfigured,
though not here mentioned.
Verse 22. He shall eat - Which a priest having any uncleanness might
not do whereby God would shew the great difference between
natural infirmities sent upon a man by God, and moral defilements
which a man brought upon himself.
Verse 23. To the veil - To the second veil which was between the holy
and the most holy place, to burn incense, to order the shew-bread,
and to dress the lamps, which were nigh unto that veil though
without. My altar - The altar of burnt-offering, which was without
the sanctuary. The sense is, he shall not execute the priest's office,
which was to be done in those two places.
Chapter 21:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Exodus Numbers
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
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