Leviticus 22:21

21 And if anyone brings a sacrifice of fellowship offerings for Yahweh to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering from the cattle or from the flock, it must be without defect {to be acceptable}; there must not be any physical defect in it.

Leviticus 22:21 Meaning and Commentary

Leviticus 22:21

And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offering unto the
Lord
This, as Ben Gersom observes, is distinguished from a burnt offering; for though it was to be perfect, and without blemish, yet not obliged to be a male as that, ( Leviticus 3:1 ) . This was either by way of thanksgiving for mercies received, ( Leviticus 7:12 ) , or to accomplish [his] vow;
made in any distress, that if God would deliver him, then he would offer such a sacrifice: or a freewill offering;
either on account of favours received, or in order to obtain them: which sacrifice, whether in beeves or sheep;
whether in bullocks or sheep, under which are comprehended goats, both being of the flock, ( Leviticus 22:19 ) ; it shall be perfect to be accepted;
perfect in all its parts, not only in those that are without and obvious to view, but in those that are within: wherefore the Jewish writers say F23, if it had but one kidney, or the spleen was consumed, it was unfit for the altar; wherefore, in order to be an acceptable sacrifice to God, it was to be complete in all respects: there shall be no blemish therein;
which is repeated for the confirmation of it, and that it might be observed. Such sacrifices were typical of Christ, the immaculate Lamb of God, who offered himself without spot to him, ( 1 Peter 1:19 ) ( Hebrews 9:14 ) ; and shows that no sacrifice of man's can be so acceptable to God as to atone for him, since none of theirs are perfect, and without blemish.


FOOTNOTES:

F23 Maimon. Hilchot Issure Mizbeach, c. 2. sect. 11.

Leviticus 22:21 In-Context

19 [it must be] without defect {to be acceptable for you}: a male among the cattle, among the sheep, or among the goats.
20 You shall not present any [animal] in which [is] a physical defect, because it shall not be {acceptable} for you.
21 And if anyone brings a sacrifice of fellowship offerings for Yahweh to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering from the cattle or from the flock, it must be without defect {to be acceptable}; there must not be any physical defect in it.
22 [The] blind or [the] injured or [the] maimed or [the] seeping or [one with a] skin disorder or [one with a] skin eruption--these you shall not present to Yahweh, nor shall you give from them an offering made by fire on the altar for Yahweh.
23 As for an ox or sheep that is deformed or that is stunted, you may present it [as] a freewill offering, but for a vow it will not be accepted.

Footnotes 4

  • [a]. Or "among"
  • [b]. Or "among"
  • [c]. The Hebrew term refers collectively to both sheep and goats (small livestock animals)
  • [d]. Literally "for acceptance"
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