Leviticus

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Leviticus 22 – Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered

A response and reply to the notes on Leviticus 22 in the Skeptic's Annotated Bible (SAB).

King James Version

SAB comment

My comment

1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

2 Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me: I am the LORD.

3 Say unto them, Whosoever he be of all your seed among your generations, that goeth unto the holy things, which the children of Israel hallow unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, that soul shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD.

(22:3-6) "A leper, or hath a running issue ... or a man whose seed goeth from him ... or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing ... such shall be unclean."

Wise directions for personal hygiene to stop spreading infectious diseases.

4 What man soever of the seed of Aaron is a leper, or hath a running issue; he shall not eat of the holy things, until he be clean. And whoso toucheth any thing that is unclean by the dead, or a man whose seed goeth from him;

5 Or whosoever toucheth any creeping thing, whereby he may be made unclean, or a man of whom he may take uncleanness, whatsoever uncleanness he hath;

6 The soul which hath touched any such shall be unclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, unless he wash his flesh with water.

7 And when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things; because it is his food.

8 That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I am the LORD.

9 They shall therefore keep mine ordinance, lest they bear sin for it, and die therefore, if they profane it: I the LORD do sanctify them.

10 There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing: a sojourner of the priest, or an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing.

(22:10, 13) "There shall no stranger eat of the holy thing ... an hired servant, shall not eat of the holy thing."
No stranger or slave can "eat of the holy thing."

Really, why is this unjust or intolerant? The priests ate holy food, as it was dedicated in sacrifice to God. Only priests could eat that as they were dedicated to God. A stranger here is simply a non-priest, everyone who was not a priest.

11 But if the priest buy any soul with his money, he shall eat of it, and he that is born in his house: they shall eat of his meat.

(22:11) "If a priest buy any soul with his money...."
(It must be OK to buy slaves; even priests do it.)
Does God approve of slavery?
What the Bible says about slavery

No, this verse does not give permission to buy slaves, but gives a ruling who was considered to be part of the priest's house hold.
Secondly, buying does not mean slavery as per Greek or Roman times, but could simply mean debt slavery as well: someone who received cash upfront, to serve for some years.

12 If the priest’s daughter also be married unto a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things.

(22:12-13) "If the priest's daughter also be married unto a stranger, she may not eat of an offering of the holy things."

Again, this has nothing to do with intolerance, but simply gives a ruling who was considered to be part of the priests: a daughter married to someone who was not a priest, belonged to that stranger, and was no longer part of the household of a priest.

13 But if the priest’s daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto her father’s house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father’s meat: but there shall no stranger eat thereof.

14 And if a man eat of the holy thing unwittingly, then he shall put the fifth part thereof unto it, and shall give it unto the priest with the holy thing.

(22:14) "If a man eat of the holy thing unwittingly...."
What to do if you eat some holy thing unwittingly. Important stuff that you need to know about.

This describes the case where someone took of the food that was for the priests only, but didn't know it was holy. But that didn't change the fact it was holy.

15 And they shall not profane the holy things of the children of Israel, which they offer unto the LORD;

16 Or suffer them to bear the iniquity of trespass, when they eat their holy things: for I the LORD do sanctify them.

17 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

18 Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons, and unto all the children of Israel, and say unto them, Whatsoever he be of the house of Israel, or of the strangers in Israel, that will offer his oblation for all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings, which they will offer unto the LORD for a burnt offering;

19 Ye shall offer at your own will a male without blemish, of the beeves, of the sheep, or of the goats.

(22:19-24) "Ye shall offer ... a male without blemish ... Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the LORD ... Ye shall not offer unto the LORD that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut."
God wants us to kill lots of animals for him. Not just any animals, though. God only wants dead, male animals without any blemishes. Don't kill any blind , broken, maimed, or scabbed animials for him. It will just get him pissed off. (And, since you've been reading Leviticus, you know what God does when he's pissed off.)

This had a spiritual meaning obviously: only that what is perfect, is acceptable to God. It told the Israelites of the perfect sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And does the author of the SAB really think that sacrificing the animals you are going to get rid of, or which are going to die, would be in any way acceptable? What kind of sacrifice would that be? None at all.

20 But whatsoever hath a blemish, that shall ye not offer: for it shall not be acceptable for you.

21 And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the LORD to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.

22 Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the LORD.

23 Either a bullock or a lamb that hath any thing superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted.

24 Ye shall not offer unto the LORD that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof in your land.

25 Neither from a stranger’s hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them: they shall not be accepted for you.

(22:25) "Neither from a stranger's hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them."
God won't accept animal sacrifices from strangers, since strangers have blemishes and are corrupt.

The author of the SAB has misread this verse. He reads this as: “Neither from a stranger’s hand shall ye offer the bread of your God.” Dot. Period. End of sentence. But note that the Bible continues with “of any of these,” namely the before mentioned imperfect sacrifices.
This verse is about Gentiles who had converted to the Jewish religion. They might have been used to sacrifice those imperfect sacrifices, or the priests might think that from the Gentiles an imperfect sacrifice would do. Not so. They too had bring a perfect sacrifice.

26 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

27 When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

28 And whether it be cow or ewe, ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day.

(22:27-28) "From the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted ... [but] ye shall not kill it and her young both in one day."
Don't kill animals for God until they are at least eight days old. And don't kill mother and her young on the same day. You can kill the mom on one day and her young on the next.

The author of the SAB should have noted that it was permissible to slay the father and the son. Where's the man-unfriendly icon?
John Gill observes:

the reason of the law seems to be, to encourage mercy and pity, and to discourage cruelty

29 And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will.

30 On the same day it shall be eaten up; ye shall leave none of it until the morrow: I am the LORD.

31 Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the LORD.

(22:31) "Keep my commandments, and do them."
God wants everyone to do all the stuff he's commanded in Leviticus.

The law must be kept until repealed by the lawgiver.

32 Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the LORD which hallow you,

33 That brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD.