Leviticus 4:6

6 And when he hath dipped his finger into the blood, he shall sprinkle it seven times before the Lord, against the veil of the saintuary (in front of the Veil of the sanctuary).

Leviticus 4:6 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 4:6

And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood
The finger of his right hand, as Gersom observes, and so Maimonides ^F18; for blood was always taken and sprinkled with the right hand, if done with the left it was wrong, according to the Jewish canons ^F19 and though it is only said the priest, and not that is anointed, as before, yet it seems to mean him and not another; though if a private priest did this, Gersom says, it would be right, and so Maimonides ^F20:

and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the Lord;
a figure of the blood of Christ, called, in allusion to this rite, the blood of sprinkling; which being presented before the Lord, calls for pardon from him, and sprinkled on the conscience, speaks peace there, and perfectly cleanses from all sin, which the seven times sprinkling is a symbol of:

before the vail of the sanctuary:
the words may be literally rendered, "the face of the vail of the sanctuary": as if the blood was sprinkled on the outside of the vail. Jarchi's note is,

``over against the place of its holiness, he directed (it) over against between the staves; the blood shall not touch the vail, but if it touches, it touches it;''

that is, it is no matter. And according to Maimonides ^F21 the blood of bullocks and goats burnt was sprinkled seven times upon the vail, which divided between the and the holy of holies. This typified the vail of flesh, whose blood gives boldness to enter into the holiest of all, ( Hebrews 10:19 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 5. sect. 7. Bartenora in Misn. Menachot, c. 3. sect. 4.
F19 Misn. Zebachim, c. 2. sect. 1. & Bartenora in ib.
F20 Maaseh Hakorbanot, c. 5. sect. 15.
F21 Ib. sect. 13.

Leviticus 4:6 In-Context

4 And he shall bring it to the door of the tabernacle of witnessing, before the Lord (And he shall bring it to the entrance of the Tabernacle of the Witnessing, before the Lord), and he shall put his hand on the head thereof, and he shall offer it to the Lord.

5 And he shall take up of the blood of the calf, and shall bring it into the tabernacle of witnessing. (And he shall take some of the calf's blood, and shall bring it into the Tabernacle of the Witnessing.)

6 And when he hath dipped his finger into the blood, he shall sprinkle it seven times before the Lord, against the veil of the saintuary (in front of the Veil of the sanctuary).

7 And he shall put of the same blood on the corners of the altar of incense most acceptable to the Lord, which altar is in the tabernacle of witnessing; soothly he shall shed all the tother blood into the foundament of the altar of burnt sacrifice in the entering of the tabernacle. (And he shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of sweet incense to the Lord, which altar is in the Tabernacle of the Witnessing; and he shall pour out all the other blood at the foundation, or at the base, of the altar of burnt sacrifice at the entrance to the Tabernacle.)

8 And he shall offer for his sin the inner fatness of the calf, as well it that covereth the entrails, as all things that be within, (And for his sin offering, he shall offer the inner fat of the calf, which covereth the innards, as well as all the things that be within,)