Verse 2

“Speak … that they so abstain from touching the holy things (i. e. the sacrificial food of all kinds) of the children of Israel which they consecrate unto me, that they profane not my holy name.” This law related to the daily life and the ordinary food of the priests.

Verse 3

Cut off from my presence - i. e. excluded from the sanctuary. See Leviticus 20:17.

Verse 4

See Leviticus 15:13-16.

Verse 5

Creeping things - i. e. dead vermin. Compare Leviticus 11:29.

Verse 6

The soul - Rather, the person. Compare the use of the word “body” in the Prayer Book version of Psalm 53:1, and in the compounds “somebody, nobody”.

Verse 8

The pollution in the priests would be an aggravated one, inasmuch as they would have to forego their sacred functions. Compare Ezekiel 4:14; Ezekiel 44:31. The general prohibition occurs in Leviticus 11:39; Leviticus 17:15; Exodus 22:31.

Verse 10

Stranger - One of another family. See Exodus 29:33 note.

Verse 11

This shows how completely a purchased bondsman was incorporated into the household. See Exodus 21:2, note; Exodus 21:20-21, note.

Verse 12

A stranger - One of another family.

Verse 14

Unwittingly - Inadvertently, or “through ignorance.” Compare Leviticus 4:2 note.

Verse 15-16

These verses are rather difficult. Their meaning appears to be: “The holy things of the children of Israel which are heaved before Yahweh” (see Leviticus 7:30) “shall not be profaned; and they shall incur a sin of trespass who eat of their holy things (so as to profane them).”

Verse 19

Ye shall offer at your own will a male - Rather, That it may be accepted (so Leviticus 22:29) for you it shall be a male. See Leviticus 1:3. It is the same phrase as in Leviticus 22:20-21, Leviticus 22:27.

Verse 22-23

Compare Leviticus 21:19; Deuteronomy 15:21.

Verse 24

The literal meaning of the passage in italics is, and this shall ye not do in your land. It appears to have been understood by the Jews as a prohibition of the mutilation of animals.

Verse 25

A stranger‘s hand - The word here rendered “stranger”, is not the same as that in Leviticus 22:10, Leviticus 22:18: it means literally, “the son of the unknown”, and probably refers to one dwelling in another land who desired to show respect to the God of Israel. See 1 Kings 8:41.

Verse 27

No victim was to be offered in sacrifice until it was a week old. The meaning of this law appears to be that the animal should realise a distinct existence in becoming less dependent on its mother, and able to provide for its own wants.

Verse 28

A law intended to remind the Israelites of the sacredness of the relation between the parent and its offspring. Compare Exodus 23:19 note.