(13) And he shall slay the lamb.--Better, And the lamb shall be killed. On ordinary occasions the sacrificer himself slaughtered the victim on the north side of the altar (see Leviticus 1:5); but as the convalescent was not as yet allowed to enter the court, other persons appointed for these occasions killed the sacrifice. Hence the ancient Chaldee Version of the so-called Jonathan ben Uzziel rightly renders it, "And the slaughterer shall slay the lamb." The phrase is therefore better rendered in the passive, as is often the case in Hebrew. Before the sacrifice was slain the offerer had to lay his hands on the victim. (See Leviticus 1:4.) For the reason, however, already stated, the convalescent could not do it before the altar. The lamb was therefore brought to the door of the court where the leper stood, and the convalescent put his hands through the gate of Nicanor, and laid them on the victim. From this place the purification was performed of men who contracted defilement from a running issue, and of women when they brought their offerings after childbirth. (See Leviticus 12:6.)
In the place where he shall kill the sin offering.--Better, in the place where they kill, &c, as exactly the same phrase is rendered by the Authorised Version in chap 4:33: that is, in the court of the sanctuary, on the north side of the altar (see Leviticus 1:11; Leviticus 6:25), which was more holy than the entrance where the convalescent stood.
For as the sin offering . . . --The flesh of both these sacrifices was the perquisite of the officiating priest, and could only be eaten by him and the male members of his family within the court of the sanctuary, being of the class of sacrifices which were most holy. (See Leviticus 6:18.)
14:10-32 The cleansed leper was to be presented to the Lord, with his offerings. When God has restored us to enjoy public worship again, after sickness, distance, or otherwise, we should testify our thanksgiving by our diligent use of the liberty. And both we and our offerings must be presented before the Lord, by the Priest that made us clean, even our Lord Jesus. Beside the usual rites of the trespass-offering, some of the blood, and some of the oil, was to be put upon him that was to be cleansed. Wherever the blood of Christ is applied for justification, the oil of the Spirit is applied for sanctification; these two cannot be separated. We have here the gracious provision the law made for poor lepers. The poor are as welcome to God's altar as the rich. But though a meaner sacrifice was accepted from the poor, yet the same ceremony was used for the rich; their souls are as precious, and Christ and his gospel are the same to both. Even for the poor one lamb was necessary. No sinner could be saved, had it not been for the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God with his blood.
And he shall slay the lamb,.... The priest, or the butcher, as the Targum of Jonathan, the slaughterer, the priest appointed for that service; at which time both the hands of the leper were laid upon it, as says the Misnah (p); for though the leper might not go into the court as yet, the sacrifice was brought to the door of the tabernacle for him to put his hands on it: so Maimonides (q) relates; the trespass offering of the leper is brought to the door, and he puts both his hands into the court, and lays them on it, and they immediately slay it:
in the place where he shall kill the sin offering in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle, on the north side of the altar, as Jarchi observes, see Leviticus 1:11,
for as the sin offering is the priest's, so is the trespass offering; and to be eaten by him and his sons in the holy place, and by none but them, see Leviticus 6:26,
it is most holy; which is the reason why none else might eat of it, typical of Christ the most Holy, whose flesh is only eaten by true believers in him, made priests unto God by him.
(p) Negaim, c. 14. sect. 8. (q) Ut supra. (Hilchot Mechosre Capharah, c. 4. sect. 2.)
In the place where he shall kill the sin offering.--Better, in the place where they kill, &c, as exactly the same phrase is rendered by the Authorised Version in chap 4:33: that is, in the court of the sanctuary, on the north side of the altar (see Leviticus 1:11; Leviticus 6:25), which was more holy than the entrance where the convalescent stood.
For as the sin offering . . . --The flesh of both these sacrifices was the perquisite of the officiating priest, and could only be eaten by him and the male members of his family within the court of the sanctuary, being of the class of sacrifices which were most holy. (See Leviticus 6:18.)
in the place where he shall kill the sin offering in the holy place; in the court of the tabernacle, on the north side of the altar, as Jarchi observes, see Leviticus 1:11,
for as the sin offering is the priest's, so is the trespass offering; and to be eaten by him and his sons in the holy place, and by none but them, see Leviticus 6:26,
it is most holy; which is the reason why none else might eat of it, typical of Christ the most Holy, whose flesh is only eaten by true believers in him, made priests unto God by him.
(p) Negaim, c. 14. sect. 8. (q) Ut supra. (Hilchot Mechosre Capharah, c. 4. sect. 2.)