Bible Commentaries

And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;

After the death. — That others might be warned. Lege historiam, ne fias historia, saith one.

When they offered before the Lord. — A little strange fire might seem a small matter in the eyes of indifferency: and yet it was such a sin as made all Israel guilty, as appears by the sacrifices offered for that sin, set down in this chapter.

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And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy [place] within the vail before the mercy seat, which [is] upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

that he come not at all times. — Whensoever he pleaseth, but when I appoint him, i.e., once a year only, Exodus 30:10 and then also with reverence and godly fear. God, as he loves to be acquainted with men in the walks of their obedience, so he takes state upon him in his ordinances, and will be trembled at in his judgments.

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Thus shall Aaron come into the holy [place]: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering.

For a sin offering, — viz., For himself and his family. Leviticus 6:1-30 Leviticus 11:1-47 See Trapp on " Leviticus 14:3 "

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He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these [are] holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and [so] put them on.

Therefore shall he wash. — As we must be always holy, so then most when we present ourselves to the holy eyes of our Creator. We wash our hands every day; but when we are to sit with some great person, we scour them with balls. See Leviticus 16:24 .

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And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.

Two kids of the goats. — Both of them types of Christ: who though he died not for wicked goats, yet he seemed rejected of God, and was reckoned among malefactors. Isaiah 53:9

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And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which [is] for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.

And for his house. — Whereof a minister must be mainly careful, 1 Timothy 3:4 lest, as Augustus doing justice on others, he be hit in the teeth with his own disordered family. Aaron had lately smarted in his two eldest.

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And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD [at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

The two goats. — See on Leviticus 16:5 .

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And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.

Shall cast lots. — To show that nothing was done for us by Christ but what God’s hand and his counsel determined. Acts 4:28 1 Peter 1:20 See Trapp on " Acts 4:28 " See Trapp on " 1 Peter 1:20 "

For the scape-goat. — Which being a piacular or purging oblation, carried the people’s curse with it: as did likewise those Obominales among the Grecians; who, from this custom of the Hebrews, borrowed their yearly expiation of their cities: the manner whereof, somewhat like unto this. See Trapp on " 1 Corinthians 4:13 "

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