Verse 8. - Another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering. The ordinary sin offering was a shaggy one of the goats (see on chapter Numbers 7:16); but a bullock had been prescribed for the sin of the high priest, and for the sin of the congregation, in certain circumstances, and the analogy is followed here. It might seem as if the larger animal were meant to distinguish aggregate or collective guilt (see on Leviticus 4:3); but the scapegoat offered for the sin of the whole people makes against such a supposition.
8:5-26 Here we have directions for the solemn ordination of the Levites. All Israel must know that they took not this honour to themselves, but were called of God to it; nor was it enough that they were distinguished from others. All who are employed for God, must be dedicated to him, according to the employment. Christians must be baptized, ministers must be ordained; we must first give ourselves unto the Lord, and then our services. The Levites must be cleansed. They must be clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. Moses must sprinkle the water of purifying upon them. This signifies the application of the blood of Christ to our souls by faith, that we may be fit to serve the living God. God declares his acceptance of them. All who expect to share in the privileges of the tabernacle, must resolve to do the service of the tabernacle. As, on the one hand, none of God's creatures are his necessary servants, he needs not the service of any of them; so none are merely honorary servants, to do nothing. All whom God owns, he employs; angels themselves have their services.
Then let them take a young bullock,.... Of two years old, as the Jewish writers gather from the other in the next clause, being called the second; though the wise men say one of three years old is fit for such a sacrifice; nay, others say, if four or five years old; but the decision is according to the wise men (q).
with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil: which always went along with a burnt offering, and consisted of three tenth deals of line flour, and half an hin of oil, Numbers 28:12,
and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering; which was the offering for the sin of the whole congregation of Israel, through ignorance; and this being for all the Levites, and they being instead of the firstborn of Israel, such an offering was required; and though there was no particular sin charged upon them, but it became necessary for their perfect cleansing and expiation.
(q) Misn. Parah, c. 1. sect. 2. & Bartenora in ib.
with his meat offering, even fine flour mingled with oil: which always went along with a burnt offering, and consisted of three tenth deals of line flour, and half an hin of oil, Numbers 28:12,
and another young bullock shalt thou take for a sin offering; which was the offering for the sin of the whole congregation of Israel, through ignorance; and this being for all the Levites, and they being instead of the firstborn of Israel, such an offering was required; and though there was no particular sin charged upon them, but it became necessary for their perfect cleansing and expiation.
(q) Misn. Parah, c. 1. sect. 2. & Bartenora in ib.