Leviticus 22

1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
2 Speak to Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name [in those things] which they hallow to me: I [am] the LORD.
3 Say to them, Whoever [he may be] of all your seed among your generations, that approacheth the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow to the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I [am] the LORD.
4 Whatever man of the seed of Aaron [is] a leper, or hath a running issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he is clean. And whoever toucheth any thing [that is] unclean [by] the dead, or a man whose seed goeth from him;
5 Or whoever toucheth any creeping animal, by which he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatever uncleanness he hath:
6 The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until evening, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he shall wash his flesh with water.
7 And when the sun is set, he shall be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things, because it [is] his food.
8 That which dieth of itself, or is torn [by beasts], he shall not eat to defile himself with it: I [am] the LORD.
9 They shall therefore keep my ordinance, lest they bear sin for it, and die therefore, if they profane it: I the LORD do sanctify them.
10 There shall no stranger eat [of] the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or a hired servant, shall not eat [of] the holy thing.
11 But if the priest shall buy [any] soul with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house: they shall eat of his meat.
12 If the priest's daughter also shall be [married] to a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things.
13 But if the priest's daughter shall be a widow, or divorced, and shall have no child, and have returned to her father's house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father's meat; but there shall no stranger eat of it.
14 And if a man shall eat [of] the holy thing unknowingly, then he shall put to it the fifth [part], and shall give [it] to the priest, with the holy thing.
15 And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel which they offer to the LORD;
16 Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, when they eat their holy things: for I the LORD do sanctify them.
17 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
18 Speak to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the children of Israel, and say to them, Whoever [he may be] of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his free-will-offerings, which they will offer to the LORD for a burnt-offering:
19 [Ye shall offer] at your own will a male without blemish of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats.
20 [But] whatever hath a blemish, [that] shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you.
21 And whoever offereth a sacrifice of peace-offerings to the LORD to accomplish [his] vow, or a free-will-offering in beeves, or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted: there shall be in it no blemish.
22 Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these to the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar to the LORD.
23 Either a bullock, or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer [for] a free-will-offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.
24 Ye shall not offer to the LORD that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make [any offering thereof] in your land.
25 Neither from a stranger's hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption [is] in them, [and] blemishes [are] in them: they shall not be accepted for you.
26 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
27 When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire to the LORD.
28 And [whether it is] cow, or ewe, ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day.
29 And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the LORD, offer it at your own will.
30 On the same day it shall be eaten up, ye shall leave none of it until the morrow: I [am] the LORD.
31 Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I [am] the LORD.
32 Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I [am] the LORD who hallow you,
33 That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I [am] the LORD.

Leviticus 22 Commentary

Chapter 22

Laws concerning the priests and sacrifices.

- In this chapter we have divers laws concerning the priests and sacrifices, all for preserving the honour of the sanctuary. Let us recollect with gratitude that our great High Priest cannot be hindered by any thing from the discharge of his office. Let us also remember, that the Lord requires us to reverence his name, his truths, his ordinances, and commandments. Let us beware of hypocrisy, and examine ourselves concerning our sinful defilements, seeking to be purified from them in the blood of Christ, and by his sanctifying Spirit. Whoever attempts to expiate his own sin, or draws near in the pride of self-righteousness, puts as great an affront on Christ, as he who comes to the Lord's table from the gratification of sinful lusts. Nor can the minister who loves the souls of the people, suffer them to continue in this dangerous delusion. He must call upon them, not only to repent of their sins, and forsake them; but to put their whole trust in the atonement of Christ, by faith in his name, for pardon and acceptance with God; thus only will the Lord make them holy, as his own people.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO LEVITICUS 22

In this chapter several laws are delivered out, forbidding the priests to eat of holy things, when in any uncleanness, or at any time what dies of itself, or is torn of beasts, Le 22:1-9; also showing who belonging to the priests might or might not eat of the holy things, Le 22:10-16; and others requiring that whatever offerings were brought by the children, of Israel, they should be perfect and without blemish, Le 22:17-25; and also declaring what age a creature should be of when sacrificed, and the time when thank offerings were to be eaten, Le 22:26-30; concluding with an exhortation to observe the commands of God, and sanctify him, and not profane his name, Le 22:31-33.

Leviticus 22 Commentaries

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