221 Then the Lord spoke to Moses , saying , 2 "Tell Aaron and his sons to be careful with the holy gifts of the sons of Israel , which they dedicate to Me, so as not to profane My holy name ; I am the Lord . 3 "Say to them, ' If any man among all your descendants throughout your generations approaches the holy gifts which the sons of Israel dedicate to the Lord , while he has an uncleanness , that person shall be cut off from before e Me; I am the Lord . 4 ' No e man of the descendants of Aaron , who is a leper or who has a discharge , may eat of the holy gifts until e he is clean . And if one touches anything made unclean by a corpse or if a man has a seminal e emission , 5 or if a man touches any teeming things by which he is made unclean , or any man by whom he is made unclean , whatever his uncleanness ; 6 a person who touches any such shall be unclean until evening , and shall not eat of the holy gifts unless e he has bathed his body in water . 7 'But when the sun sets , he will be clean , and afterward he shall eat of the holy gifts, for it is his food . 8 'He shall not eat an animal which dies or is torn by beasts, becoming unclean by it; I am the Lord . 9 'They shall therefore keep My charge , so that they will not bear sin because of it and die thereby because they profane it; I am the Lord who sanctifies them.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Leviticus 22:1-9
Chapter Contents
Laws concerning the priests and sacrifices.
In this chapter we have divers laws concerning the priests and sacrifices, all for preserving the honour of the sanctuary. Let us recollect with gratitude that our great High Priest cannot be hindered by any thing from the discharge of his office. Let us also remember, that the Lord requires us to reverence his name, his truths, his ordinances, and commandments. Let us beware of hypocrisy, and examine ourselves concerning our sinful defilements, seeking to be purified from them in the blood of Christ, and by his sanctifying Spirit. Whoever attempts to expiate his own sin, or draws near in the pride of self-righteousness, puts as great an affront on Christ, as he who comes to the Lord's table from the gratification of sinful lusts. Nor can the minister who loves the souls of the people, suffer them to continue in this dangerous delusion. He must call upon them, not only to repent of their sins, and forsake them; but to put their whole trust in the atonement of Christ, by faith in his name, for pardon and acceptance with God; thus only will the Lord make them holy, as his own people.