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sons the priests: and he shall take thereout his handful of the flour thereof, and of the oil thereof, with all the frankincense thereof, and the priest shall burn bthe memorial of it upon the altar, to be an offer

b ver. 9. and ch. 5. 12, and 6. 15, and 24. 7. Isa. 66. 3. Acts 10. 4.

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ing made by fire of a sweet savour unto the LORD:

3 And the remnant of the meatoffering shall be Aaron's and his sons': dit is a thing most holy of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.

c ch. 7. 9. and 10. 12, 13. d Exod. 29. 37. Num. 18. 9.

and hence it was employed in all those sacrifices which had respect to righteousness, and the effects of which were attended with joy; while on the other hand it was excluded from those which had respect to sin, and the effect of which was attended mainly with sorrow.

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קדש קדשים

2. Shall take thereout his handful. Heb. 7ap vekamets, shall grasp. Of this meal-offering a part only, that is to say, about an handful, was burnt, the rest being reserved for the priests' use; but all the frankincense was burnt because from it the priest could derive no advantage.-T Shall burn the memo- 3. The remnant of the meat-offering rial of it. Heb. hiktir, shall shall be Aaron's and his sons'. That is, reduce it to fume or vapor, shall evapo- what remains after the priest has taken rate it, as in the burning of incense. his handful of the flour and the oil, with See the original term explained in the all the frankincence, this shall belong note on Ex. 29. 13. The part of the to the priests, and shall be eaten by offering which the priest took out with them alone, in the court of the tabernahis hand is called the memorial' of cle, as a thing most holy;' whereas the meal or bread-offering, because it the less holy things, as tithes, first was a remembrancer of God's supreme fruits, &c., might be eaten by their sons dominion, a grateful acknowledgment and daughters. Deut. 12. 5.-T A that they held and enjoyed every thing thing most holy. Heb. Dp of him as sovereign Proprietor, and by kodesh kodoshim, holiness of holinesses, this act supplicated the continuance of the Hebrew mode of expressing the it. It was designed to put him in mind, superlative degree. A common disas it were, of his covenant promise to tinction was made by the Jews between accept the services of his people ren- things most holy and the lighter holy dered to him according to his command- things, as they termed them. Of the ment; in allusion to which it is said by former class are those of which none the Psalmist, Ps. 20. 4, 'The Lord re- whosoever, or none but the priests and member all thine offerings, and accept the sons of priests might eat, and that thy burnt-sacrifices.' Acts 14.4, 'Thy only in the sanctuary. Lev. 6. 16–26. prayers and thine alms come up for a Such were all whole burnt-offerings, all memorial before God.' The sin and the sin-offerings, and all the peace-offerjealousy-offerings, on the other hand, ings for the whole congregation. The had no oil or incense mixed with them, 'lighter holy things' were such as because they were no offerings of gra- might be eaten by those who were not cious memorial, but such as brought in- priests in any place within the camp, iquity to remembrance, and were there- and subsequently within the city of Jefore devoid of those elements which rusalem, as all the peace-offerings of made them come up as a sweet-smell- particular individuals, the paschal lamb, ing savor before the Lord. Comp. Num. the tithes, and the firstlings of cattle. 5. 15, Lev. 5, 11. A very prominent In regard to the meal or bread-offering, import of oil as a symbol is that of joy, it has been moreover suggested that a

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4 ¶ And if thou bring an oblation of a meat-offering baken in the

particular sacredness attached to that from its having been designed as a type of the Christian sacrifice, or the Lord's Supper, in which it was virtually continued in the bread made of fine wheaten flour, which formed a part of that ordi

nance.

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thinness, is completely done in two or three minutes. Its moisture being then absorbed, it would fall from the sides of the oven into the fire, were it not removed in proper time. This bread is usually flexible and soft, and may be rolled up like paper; but if suffered to

desert.

4. Baken in an oven. Heb. remain long enough, it becomes hard ON maëphëh tannoon, the baking of and crisp on the side which has been in the oven. As there were several ways contact with the oven; but it is seldom in which the bread offering, or Min'hah suffered to attain this state, although might be prepared, rules are here given we, who have lived for about two years applicable to these several modes; the on this sort of bread, thought it far preffirst case being where it was baked in erable in this form. It is to be oban oven (Heb. tannūr), on which served, that this pit is not exclusively we subjoin an extended article from the an oven, but, particularly in Persia, is Pictorial Bible, in loc. The ovens often the only fire-place for general of a people continually on the move purposes which is to be found in cotcould have little resemblance to our tages, and even in some decent houses. ( own, and we can only discover what Whether these were the ovens' of the they probably were by a reference to Hebrews in the desert, it is difficult to existing usages in the East. The trade determine. They are formed with of a baker is only carried on in large little expense or labor; but are more towns; people bake their own bread generally found in towns and villages daily in villages and encampments, and than among the nomade tribes of the to a very considerable extent in towns also. It is evident, therefore, that when individual families bake every day so much bread only as is required for that day, recollecting at the same time that fuel is in general scarce, it is necessary that the oven should be small, and consuming but little fuel. These requisites are fully met in the common family ovens of Western Asia. That which may be considered the most general is a circular pit in the earthen floor, usually between four and five feet deep, and about three feet in diameter. This pit is well plastered within; and the dough, which is in large oval or round cakes-not thicker than pancakes, which in appearance they very much resemble when done is dexterously thrown against the sides of the pit, which has been previously heated, and has the glowing embers still at the bottom. This cake is not turned; and, from its

The other things resembling ovens, act more or less upon the same principle as that which we have described. They are of various kinds; but they may generally be described as strong unglazed earthen vessels, which being heated by an internal fire, the bread is baked by being stuck against the sides, in the manner already noticed. Either the interior or outer surface is used for this purpose, according to the construction of the vessel, and the description of bread required. The com mon bread is sometimes baked on the outside of the heated vessel; and thus also is baked a kind of large crisp his cuit, as thin as a wafer, which is made by the application of a soft paste to the heated surface, which bakes it in an instant. Of this description, no doubt, is the wafer-bread which we find mentioned in v. 4 and elsewhere. The ovens of this sort with which the writer is

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name.

e Exod. 29. 2.

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question; and it is equally probable that those ovens which are mentioned after their settlement in Palestine were one of the two, or both the modifications of the same principle which we have described as being ordinarily exhibited in the houses of Western Asia.'-Pict. Bib. Unleavened cakes. Heb. 3

halloth matzoth, cakes of unleavenednesses, an intensitive mode of expression equivalent to altogether unleavened.' On the import of leaven in the system of sacrifices see note on Ex. 12.8.———¶ Mingled with oil. See note

most familiar are nearly three feet high, and about fifteen inches in diameter at the top, which is open. It gradually widens to the bottom, where there is a hole for the convenience of withdrawing the ashes. When the inside is exclusively used for baking, the outside is usually coated with clay, the better to concentrate the heat. We have seen them used under various circumstances. Even the vessels navigating the Tigris are usually furnished with one of them, for baking the daily supply of bread; and they are sometimes built to the deck for standing use. The Arab sail-on Ex. 29. 2. If the cakes were made ors have them also in their vessels on the Red Sea, and elsewhere. Sometimes a large water-vessel, with the bottom knocked out, is made to serve as a substitute, and goes by the same This name (tenûr) is as nearly as possible, the original Hebrew word tannur, translated oven' in the text. Ovens, somewhat similar, are frequently used in houses in the place of the hole in the floor already mentioned, especially in apartments which have not the ground for their floor. They are then not only used for cooking and baking bread, but for warming the apartment. The top is then covered with a board, and over this a large cloth or counterpane is spread, and the people sit around, covering their legs and laps with the counterpane. So also the pit in the floor, when not in use for cooking or baking bread, is in winter covered over, and warms the apartment, in much the same manner. It remains to add, that bread is sometimes baked on an iron-plate placed over the opening at the top of the oven. That the ovens of the Israelites in the desert were some thing on the principle of these earthen ovens, there is not much reason to

In the preceding

somewhat thick, the oil was poured in
and mingled in the kneading; but if
they were thin like a wafer, the oil was
only smeared over the surface, simply
to anoint the substance, but whether
before or after the baking, is uncertain,
though Maimonides supposes the latter.
5. Baken in a pan. Heb. aan by
al_hammahabath.
'Dr. Boothroyd,
availing himself of our now improved
knowledge of the East, translates' on a
fire-plate,' instead of' in a pan.' He is
doubtless correct.
note we have mentioned a mode of
baking bread on an iron plate laid on
the top of the oven; but a more simple
and primitive use of a baking plate is
exemplified among the nomade tribes of
Asia. We first witnessed the process
at a small encampment of Eelauts in
the north of Persia. There was a con-
vex plate of iron (copper is often in use)
placed horizontally about nine inches
from the ground, the edges being sup
ported by stones. There was a slow
fire underneath, and the large thin cakes
were laid upon the upper or convex sur-
face, and baked with the same effect as
when stuck to the sides of an oven; but
rather more slowly. The thin wafer

6 Thou shalt part it in pieces, meat-offering baken in the fryingand pour oil thereon: it is a meat- pan, it shall be made of fine flour offering. with oil.

7 ¶ And if thy oblation be a

bread of soft paste can be baked by the same process, which is recommended to the wandering tribes by the simplicity and portability of the apparatus. We believe that a flat plate is sometimes employed in this way, though we do not recollect to have witnessed its use. Chardin thinks that this process was in use long before ovens of any kind were known; and he is probably right. Unleavened oatmeal cakes, baked on an iron plate called a 'girdle,' are still very general in Scotland, and also in the north of England.'-Pict. Bib.

6. Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon. We here see bread, after being baked, broken up again and mingled with oil. Was this an extraordinary and peculiar preparation for the altar, or was it a preparation in common use among the Hebrews? We incline to the latter opinion, as it seems to differ very little from a common and standard dish among the Bedouin Arabs. This is made of unleavened paste, baked in thin cakes, which are afterwards broken up, and thoroughly kneaded with butter, adding sometimes honey, and sometimes milk, but generally employing butter alone for the purpose. This second kneading brings it into the state in which it is eaten with great satisfaction by the Arabs. The only difference between this and the preparation in the text, is the use of butter instead of oil; and in its not being said here that the bread was kneaded anew, but only that it was broken up and mingled with oil. These points of difference are not very essential. The Bedouins, as a pastoral people, have no oil; but are very fond of it when it can be obtained: butter, therefore, as used by them, may be regarded as a substitute for the oil' of the text. And as to the want of a second kneading in the text, it is by no

8 And thou shalt bring the meat

means certain that such kneading did not take place, even though it is not mentioned. Besides the Bedouins do not always knead the broken bread again with butter, but are content to soak or dip the broken morsels in melted butter. It is probable that the present text explains the mingling with oil mentioned in vv. 4 and 7, better than by supposing that the paste was tempered with oil before being baked. Using oil with bread continues to be a very com mon practice in the East; and the Bedouin Arabs, and generally other Orientals, are fond of dishes composed of broken bread, steeped not only in oil, butter, and milk, but also in preparations of honey, syrups, and vegetable juices. Oil only is allowed in the meat offerings,' honey being expressly interdicted in v. 11, and this shows that the use of honey with bread was even thus early common among the Israelites.'-Pict. Bib.

There

7. Baken in the frying-pan. is in use among the Bedouins and others a shallow earthen vessel, somewhat resembling a frying pan, and which is used both for frying, and for baking one sort of bread. Something of this sort is thought to be intended here. There is also used in Western Asia a modifi cation of this pan, resembling the Eastern oven, which Jerome describes as a round vessel of copper, blackened on the outside by the surrounding fire, which heats it within. This might be either the oven' or the 'pan' of the present chapter. This pan-baking is common enough in England, where the villagers bake large loaves under inverted round iron pots, with embers and slow-burning fuel heaped upon them. But it is probable that the fire-plate, which we have noticed under v. 5, is really intended here, and that the 'pan' there, is the

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offering that is made of these things unto the LORD: and when it is presented unto the priest, he shall bring it unto the altar.

9 And the priest shall take from the meat-offering fa memorial thereof, and shall burn it upon the altar: it is an goffering made by fire, of a saveet savour unto the LORD.

10 And bthat which is left of the meat-offering shall be Aaron's and his sons'; it is a thing most holy, of the offerings of the LORD made by fire.

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'frying-pan' of the present text. This not with the old leaven, neither with seems to us very probable, as the name the leaven of malice and wickedness, given by the Bedouins to this utensil is but with the unleavened bread of sincertajen, which is nearly identical with theity and truth.' Honey, in like manname (nyavov) which the Septuagint ner, may well be considered as the emgives to the 'pan' in v. 5. It is useful blem of the unwholesome sweetness of to obtain this etymological identifica-sensual indulgence and worldly pleation of the Arabian tajen with one of the 'pans' of this chapter, but it is of little importance to determine which 'pan' it is. Upon the whole, the oven, the pan, and the frying-pan of vv. 4, 5, and 7, may, as it appears to us, be referred with much confidence to the clay oven, the metal plate, and the earthen vessel which we have noticed.'-Pict. Bib.

sure. And these we are well assured are perfectly inconsistent with the acceptance of any offering which we may profess to bring to God. The honey of sensual gratification will make polluted and abominable any religious oblation with which it may be mixed.

12. As for the oblation of the firstfruits, ye shall offer them, &c. Ains 11. No leaven nor any honey. That worth very plausibly suggests that this is, as it should seem, neither sour nor is but a continuation of the ordinance sweet; nothing of the fermenting kind, respecting the use of leaven and honey, which would have an unkindly effect, of which, and not of first-fruits, he unwhen eaten, upon the animal economy.derstands the word 'them' in this conBut here also, we trace a moral mean-nexion. The verse contains a single ing. Leaven is a well-known emblem of pride and hypocrisy. These swell the heart, and puff it up with self-importance and self-deceit. This was especially the leaven of the Pharisees, who made their prayers, and gave their alms, and did all, to be seen of men. Leaven is also used as an emblem of 13. Every oblation of thy meat-offermalice and wickedness, as we learning shalt thou season with salt. Salt is from the words of the Apostle, 1 Cor. the opposite to leaven, as it preserves 5. 8, Therefore let us keep the feast, from putrefaction and corruption, and 5.8;

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exception to the rule given above. There was one case in which leaven and honey might be used, to wit, with the first-fruits. With them they might be offered, but not burnt upon the altar. This also is the interpretation of Rosenmuller.

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