THE THIRD BOOK OF MOSES CALLED LEVITICUS THE ARGUMENT This Book, containing the actions of about one month’s space, acquainteth us with the Levitical ceremonies used after the tabernacle was erected and anointed in the wilderness, and is therefore called LEVITICUS.

Moses stood without, Ex. 40:35, waiting for God’s call. Out of the tabernacle of the congregation; from the mercyseat in the tabernacle.

There are divers kinds of sacrifices here prescribed; some by way of acknowledgment to God for mercies either desired or received; others by way of satisfaction to God for men’s sins; others were mere exercises of piety and devotion.

A burnt sacrifice, strictly so called, was such as was to be all burnt, the skin excepted, Lev. 7:8, Gen. 8:20, 1 Kings 3:15. For Otherwise every sacrifice was burnt, more or less.

His hand, i.e. both his hands, Lev. 8:14, Lev. 8:18, Lev. 16:21; a common enallage. Upon the head of the burnt-offering; whereby he signified, 1. That he willingly gave it to the Lord. 2.

He shall kill; either, 1. The offerer, who is said to do it, to wit, by the priest; for men are commonly said to do what they cause others to do, as John 4:1–2. Or, 2. The priest, as it follows, or the Levite, whose office this was. See Ex. 29:11, Lev. 8:15, Num. 8:19, 1 Chron. 23:28, 1 Chron.

He shall flay the burnt-offering; partly for decency, because the sacrifices being as it were God’s food and feast, it was incongruous to offer to God that which men refused to eat; and partly to signify that the great thing which God required and regarded in men was, not their outward appearance,…

Or, dispose the fire, i.e. blow it up, and put it together, so as it might be fit for the present work. For the fire there used and allowed came down from heaven, Lev. 9:24, and was to be carefully preserved there, and all other fire was forbidden, Lev. 10:1;c.

The fat; all the fat, which was to be separated from the flesh, and to be put together, to increase the flame, and to consume the other parts of the sacrifice more quickly. Others translate it, the trunk of the body, as distinguished from the head, and joints, and inward parts.

His inwards and his legs shall he wash, to signify the universal and perfect purity both of the inwards, or the heart, and of the legs, or ways, or actions, which was in Christ, and which should be in all Christians.

This and other kinds of sacrifices were killed on the side of the altar northward, Lev. 6:25, Lev. 7:2, because here seems to have been the largest and most convenient place for that work, the altar being probably near the middle of the east end of the building, and the entrance being on the south…

These birds were appointed for the relief of the poor who could not bring better. And these birds are preferred before others, partly because they were easily gotten, and partly because they are fit representations of Christ’s chastity, and meekness, and gentleness, for which these birds are…

Wring off his head, to wit, from the rest of the body; as sufficiently appears, because this was to be burnt by itself, as it here follows, and the body afterwards, Lev. 1:17. And whereas it is said, Lev.

With his feathers, or, with its dung or filth, to wit, contained in the crop, and in the guts. On the east part, to wit, of the tabernacle. Here the filth was cast, because this was the remotest place from the holy of holies, which was in the west end; to teach us, that impure things and persons…

Shall not divide it asunder; shall cleave the bird through the whole length, yet so as not to separate the one side from the other, and so as there may be a wing left on each side. See Gen. 15:10.