Leviticus 4:7

7 The priest must apply some of the blood to the horns of the altar of fragrant incense[a] that is before the Lord in the tent of meeting. He must pour out the rest of the bull's blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering that is at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

Leviticus 4:7 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 4:7

And the priest shall put [some] of the blood
With his finger, which he dipped into it:

upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense before the Lord, which
is in the tabernacle of the congregation;
this was the golden altar on which incense was offered: it was placed before the vail, on the outside of it, in the holy place, see ( Exodus 30:1-6 ) and the priest, when he put the blood on the horns of it, began at the northeast horn, so to the northwest, then to the southwest, and last to the southeast {w}; and the priest dipped his finger at every horn, and when he had finished at one horn, he wiped his finger at the edge of the basin, and after that dipped a second time; for what remained of the blood on his finger was not fit to put upon another horn F24. This rite shows, that the intercession of Christ, signified by the altar of sweet incense, proceeds upon the foot of his blood and sacrifice, ( Revelation 8:3 Revelation 8:4 ) ( 1 John 2:1 1 John 2:2 ) :

and shall pour all the blood of the bullock at the bottom of the
altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the tabernacle of
the congregation;
this altar stood without the holy place, and the altar of incense within; and after the priest had sprinkled of the blood of the bullock, upon the horns of the altar of incense, what remained he poured at the bottom of the altar of burnt offering; for though it is said "all" the blood, it can mean no more than what was left; wherefore the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "all the remaining blood": and Jarchi's explanatory note is, the rest of the blood. The place where this was poured, according to Maimonides F25, was the west bottom of the altar; and Gersom on the place observes the same. This denotes the efficacy of Christ's blood to make atonement for sin, and the reverent esteem it ought to be had in, being precious blood.


FOOTNOTES:

F23 Misn. Yoma, c. 5. sect. 5. Maimon. ib. (Maasch Hakorbanot c. 5.) sect. 10. 14.
F24 Maimon. ib. sect. 8.
F25 Ib. sect. 11.

Leviticus 4:7 In-Context

5 The anointed priest must then take some of the bull's blood and bring it into the tent of meeting.
6 The priest is to dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of it seven times before the Lord in front of the veil of the sanctuary.
7 The priest must apply some of the blood to the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is before the Lord in the tent of meeting. He must pour out the rest of the bull's blood at the base of the altar of burnt offering that is at the entrance to the tent of meeting.
8 He is to remove all the fat from the bull of the sin offering: the fat surrounding the entrails; all the fat that is on the entrails;
9 and the two kidneys with the fat on them at the loins. He will also remove the fatty lobe of the liver with the kidneys,

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Ex 29:12; 30:1-10; Ezk 43:20
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