referred those victims which were selected as the tithe of lambs, kids, and calves.* The tenth of the herd and of the flock was every year to be devoted to the Lord, as a kind of thank offering for all the advantages received from cattle. The mode of tithing practised among the Hebrews is thus described by Maimonides:† If any one has simply 'taken one out of ten, or ten out of a hundred lambs, 'this is by no means rendering the tithe. How then 'does he proceed? He shuts all his lambs, kids, or 'calves into one fold, with a gate so narrow that

two cannot pass through it at once. Then he places 'the dams before the gate, that on hearing their bleating or lowing the young ones may come out to 'them. This is referred to in the clause," Whatsoever passeth under the rod;" which intends that 'the young ones should go forth of their own accord, ' and not be drawn out by force. As they pass out, 'he counts them successively with a rod, thus: one, 'two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and 'the tenth that passes, whether perfect or blemished, ' whether male or female, he marks with a red mark, and says, Let this be consecrated for the tithe.' The tenth that went forth, therefore, if it was fit for sacrifice, was to be solemnly offered to the Lord; if it happened to have any blemish, it might lawfully be eaten any where, but was not to be redeemed with money, nor to be exchanged for any other animal. But whatever was its condition, the whole of the flesh belonged to the proprietor of the flock or herd, and no part of it to the priests. Such, at least, is the opinion given by Maimonides: The priests have :‡ 'no share in it; it belongs wholly to the offerers,

In Bechoroth, c. 6.

'like the paschal lamb. But if it has any blemish, 'whether that blemish happened before or after its 'consecration as the tithe, it may lawfully be eaten

any where.' Bartenora says;† 'It does not appear from the whole law, that any part of an 'animal consecrated as the tithe was given to the 'priests.' But these things belong to another place. We must now proceed to those sacrifices, which, because they were offered to expiate sins and obtain pardon, are commonly called expiatory cr piacular,

*Ad Zebach. c. 5.

139

CHAPTER XII.

The Piacular Sacrifices called Sin Offerings.

THE Jews had two kinds of piacular sacrifices, prescribed in the law, and distinguished by appella, tions which we render sin offering* and trespass offering t-terms which, though not adequately expressing the force of the original words, we are obliged to retain for want of better. Of sin offerings, the Jews say there were two kinds, of which one was fixed the same for the rich and the poor, and the other was greater or less according to the various circumstances of the offerers. The former they call the definite sin offering; and the latter, the ascending and descending sin offering.

II. The definite sin offering is described by them as designed to expiate such sins committed through ignorance or imprudence against negative precepts, as when committed with knowledge were to be punished with death by the hand of God:-so that every sin which this kind of sacrifice is considered as appointed to expiate must have had these four characters. First, that it was against a negative precept; secondly, that it was committed without knowledge; thirdly, that it consisted in actions, and not merely in words, or thoughts; lastly, that it was such as if done with knowledge was to be punished with death. And that the first three of these characters were united in sins for which victims of this kind were to atone, they conclude from the express words of the law: "If a soul shall sin through ignorance against of the commandments of the Lord, concerning

any

"things which ought not to be done, and shall do against any of them :-he shall bring his offering, a young bullock,—a male kid,-a female kid,—or a "female lamb."* The omission of duties might for the most part be repaired by their punctual performance afterwards, which was considered in this case as preferable to sacrifices. And sins committed through imprudence in words and thoughts were too numerous for any flocks and herds to expiate them all; and therefore to every one who repented of them, they were forgiven without sacrifice. The last characteristic, that every sin to be expiated by this kind of victims was such as if committed with knowledge was to be punished with death, is considered by the Jews as placed beyond all doubt, by that passage where the appointment of this sort of sacrifice to atone for the guilt of persons sinning through ignorance, is immediately followed by a denunciation of death against all who should sin presumptuously.† Hence they conclude, that all sins to be expiated by these victims were of that kind which when perpetrated with knowledge were to be followed by excision. But the term presumptuous indicates no particular kind of sin, but a certain mode of sinning, which consists in despising God's commands, and throwing contempt upon his laws by transgression of any kind whatever. I should therefore think it probable, that what is called the definite sin offering was to expiate all offences against negative precepts committed through ignorance or incaution, except those which were expiated either by other sacrifices, respecting which we shall inquire hereafter, or by any other means. Το this class I refer involuntary homicide, which was to * Levit. iv. 2, 3. 14. 23. 28. 32,

+ Num. xv, 27-30.

be expiated, not by sacrifice, but by exile: and offences in common life, undesignedly committed against a neighbour, and not denied by perjury; which were forgiven without sacrifice, on a compensation being made for the damage done.

III. But to return to the Jews. They mention two kinds of sins, which, although when committed with knowledge they were to be punished with excision, yet when committed in ignorance might even be expiated by the greater or less sin offering. These were the offences of those, who either ate of the peace offerings, or entered into the sanctuary, when they were polluted by impurity.† Hence the rabbies conclude that the sins to be expiated by the definite sin offering were only forty-three, and those committed in ignorance. They are confident there were no more, if we except criminal words and sins of omission, and the two offences just named, against which excision was denounced when committed with knowledge. Twenty six of these sins are stated by the Jews to have arisen from illicit intercourse; all which prudence requires me to pass over. The rest were committed by persons-who consulted magicians and wizards ;-who sacrificed their children to Moloch;-who profaned the sabbath or the day of atonement by doing any work ;-who took any meat or drink on the day of atonement;-who tasted any thing leavened during the seven days of the passover;-who ate of any peace offerings kept beyond the time appointed; who ate any fat, or blood, or the fetid flesh of any victims;-who slew a victim in any other place than the sanctuary;-who offered the dissected

* Num. xxxv. 9, &c. Deut. xix. 1-6.

+ Levit. vii. 20, 21. xv. 31. Num. xix. 20. Maimon. in Shegagoth, c. 1.