Chapter 9:
| 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
Leviticus 9
Moses appoints Aaron to offer various sacrifices, ver. 1-7.
Aaron offers for himself, ver. 8-14. Offers for, and blesses the
people, ver. 15-22. God signifies his acceptance of their persons
and of their sacrifices, ver. 23-24.
Verse 1. On the eighth day - Namely, from the day of his consecration,
or when the seven days of his consecration were ended. The
eighth day is famous in scripture for the perfecting and purifying
both of men and beasts. See chap. xii, 2, 3; xiv, 8, 9, 10; xv, 13,
14; xxii, 27. And the elders of Israel - All the congregation were
called to be witnesses of Aaron's installment into his office, to
prevent their murmurings and contempt; which being done, the
elders were now sufficient to be witnesses of his first execution of
his office.
Verse 2. For a sin-offering - For himself and his own sins, which was an
evidence of the imperfection of that priesthood, and of the
necessity of a better. The Jewish writers suggest, that a calf was
appointed, to remind him of his sin in making the golden calf.
Thereby he had rendered himself for ever unworthy of the honour
of the priesthood: on which he had reason to reflect with sorrow
and shame, in all the atonements he made.
Verse 3. A sin-offering - For the people, for whose sin a young bullock
was required, chap. iv, 15, but that was for some particular sin;
this was more general for all their sins. Besides, there being an
eye here to the priest's consecration and entrance into his office, it
is no wonder if there be some difference in these Sacrifices from
those before prescribed.
Verse 4. The Lord will appear - Hebrew. Hath appeared. He speaks of
the thing to come as if it were past, which is frequent in scripture,
to give them the more assurance of the thing.
Verse 5. Before the tabernacle where God dwelt.
Verse 6. The glory of the Lord - The glorious manifestation of God's
powerful and gracious presence.
Verse 7. Go and offer - Moses had hitherto sacrificed, but now he
resigns his work to Aaron, and actually gives him that
commission which from God he had received for him. For thyself
and for the people - The order is very observable, first for thyself,
otherwise thou art unfit to do it for the people. Hereby God would
teach us, both the deficiency of this priesthood, and how
important it is that God's ministers should be in the favour of God
themselves, that their ministrations may be acceptable to God, and
profitable to the people.
Verse 9. The altar - Of burnt-offering, of which alone he speaks both in
the foregoing and following words; and the blood was poured out
at the bottom of this altar only, not of the altar of incense, as
appears from chap. iv, 7, where indeed there is mention of putting
some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of incense, in this
case of the priest's sacrificing for his own sins. But there seems to
be a double difference,
1. That sacrifice was offered for some particular sin, this for his
sins indefinitely.
2. There he is supposed to be compleat in his office, and here he is
but entering into his office, and therefore must prepare and
sanctify himself by this offering upon the brazen altar in the court,
before he can be admitted into the holy place where the altar of
incense was. And the like is to be said for the difference between
the sin-offering for the people here, and chap. iv, 17, 18.
Verse 10. He burnt it - By ordinary fire, which was used until the fire
came down from heaven, ver. 24, though afterwards it was
forbidden. And if it had not been allowed otherwise, yet this being
done by Aaron at the command of Moses, and consequently with
God's approbation, it was unquestionably lawful. Add to this, that
there is nothing said to be consumed by that heavenly fire, but the
burnt-offering with the fat belonging to it, namely, that burnt-
offering mentioned ver. 16, which therefore is not there said to be
burnt, as it is said of the other burnt-offering, ver. 13, and of the
rest of the sacrifices in their places.
Verse 16. The burnt-offering - Which also was offered for the people, as
the last mentioned sin-offering was.
Verse 17. Besides the burnt-sacrifice - Which was to be first offered
every morning; for God will not have his ordinary and stated
service swallowed up by extraordinary.
Verse 19. That - Fat. Which covereth the inwards - Or the Guts.
Verse 22. Aaron lifted up his hands - Which was the usual rite of
blessing. By this posture he signified both whence he expected the
blessing, and his hearty desire of it for them. And blessed them -
In some such manner, as is related, Num. vi, 24, &c. though not in
the same form, for it is not probable that he used it before God
delivered it And this blessing was an act of his priestly office, no
less than sacrificing. And herein be was a type of Christ, who
came into the world to bless us, and when he was parting from his
disciples, lifted up his hands and blessed them: yea, and in them
his whole church, of which they were the elders and
representatives. And came down - From the altar; whence he is
said to come down, either
1. Because the altar stood upon raised ground, or
2. Because it was nearer the holy place, which was the upper end.
Verse 23. And Moses - Went in with Aaron to direct him, and to see him
perform those parts of his office which were to be done in the
holy place, about the lights, and the table of shew-bread, and the
altar of incense, upon which part of the blood of the sacrifices
now offered was to be sprinkled, chap. iv, 7, 16. And blessed the
people - Prayed to God for his blessing upon them, as this phrase
is explained, Num. vi, 23, &c. and particularly for his gracious
acceptation of these and all succeeding sacrifices, and for his
signification thereof by some extraordinary token. And the glory
of the Lord - Either a miraculous brightness shining from the
cloudy pillar, as Exod. xvi, 10, or a glorious and visible discovery
of God's gracious presence and acceptance of the present service.
Verse 24. And there came a fire - In token of God's approbation of the
priesthood now instituted, and the sacrifices offered, and
consequently of others of the like nature. And this fire now given
was to be carefully kept, and not suffered to go out, chap. vi, 13,
and therefore was carried in a peculiar vessel in their journeys in
the wilderness. From before the Lord - Or, from the presence of
the Lord, that is, from the place where God was in a special
manner present, either from heaven or from the holy of holies.
They shouted - As wondering at, rejoicing in, and blessing God
for this gracious discovery of himself, and his favour. This also
was a figure of good things to come. Thus the Spirit descended in
fire upon the apostles, so ratifying their commission, as this does
that of the priests. And the descent of this holy fire into our souls,
to kindle in them devout affections, and such an holy zeal as burns
up all unholiness, is a certain token of God's gracious acceptance.
Chapter 9:
| 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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