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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · January 7, 1868

FromReview and Herald, Vol. XXXI, No. 4

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Scripture Notes.

By Jenks

EXPLANATION OF THE LEVITICAL OFFERINGS.

Lev. ii, 1. Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man of you bring an offering unto the Lord, ye shall bring your offering of the herd, even of the herd, and of the flock.
1. ASHAM, TRESPASS-offering, from asam, to be guilty, or liable to punishment; for in this sacrifice the guilt was considered as being transferred to the animal offered, and the offerer redeemed from the penalty of this sin, viii, 37. Christ is said to have made his soul an offering for sin. Isa. liii, 10. And see Outram.
2. ISHEH, FIRE-offering, probably from ashash, to be grieved, angered, inflamed; either pointing out the distressing nature of sin, or its property of incensing divine justice against the offender, who, in consequence, deserving burning for his offence, made use of this sacrifice to be freed from the punishment due. Ex. xxix, 18, and many places of this book.
3. HABERAH, ITERATED offerings, from yahab, to supply. Occurs only Hos. viii, 13, and probably means no more than the continual repetition of the accustomed offerings, or continuation of each part of the sacred service.
4. ZEBACH, a SACRIFICE, Chal. debach, a creature slain in sacrifice, from zabach to slay; hence the altar on which such were offered, was termed mizbeach, the place of sacrifice. See note, Gen. viii, 20. Zebach is a common name for sacrifices in general.
5. CHAG, a festival, especially a periodical one, from chagag, to celebrate a festival, to dance round and round in circles. Ex. v, 1; xii, 24. Probably pointing out the revolution of the heavenly bodies, and the exact return of the seasons. See Parkhurst.
6. CHATAATH and CHATAAH, sin-offering, from chata to miss the mark; it also aptly signifies sin in general; a sinner continually aims at happiness, but not seeking it in God, Scripture represents him as missing his aim, or the mark. This is precisely the meaning of the Gr. amartia, translated sin and sin-offering in our version. The Sept. and N. T. writers thus translate the Heb. which often occurs: notes, Gen. iv, 7; xiii, 13.
7. COPHER, EXPIATION or ATONEMENT, from caphar, to cover, to smear over, or obliterate or annul a contract. Used often to signify the atonement or expiation made for the pardoning or cancelling of iniquity. Ex. xxv, 17.
8. MOED, an APPOINTED annual festival, from yaad to appoint or constitute, signifying feasts instituted to commemorate some great event or deliverance, as that from Egypt. Ex. xiii, 10; and thus differing from chag above. Gen. i, 14.
9. MILLUIM, CONSECRATIONS, or consecration offerings, from mala to fill. Offerings in consecrations, of which the priests partook, and thus had their hands filled. Ex. xxix, 19; 2 Chron. xiii, 9.
10. MINCHAH, meat-offering, (meat originally meant victuals, so Shakespeare uses it: Gothic mate, Sax. methe. Tusser, an old Eng. author, uses meated in the sense of fed) from nach, to rest, settle, after toil. It generally consisted of things without life, as green and full ears of corn, flour, oil, and frankincense; ii, 1, and may be considered as having its name from that rest from labor and toil, after the autumn fruits were brought in; or when, in consequence of rest, ease, &c., obtained, a significant-offering was made. It often occurs, as Gen. iv, 3. The jealousy-offering, Num. v, 15, was a simple minchah of barley meal only.
11. MESECH, and MIMSECH, a MIXTURE-offering or MIXED LIBATION; called a DRINK-offering, Isa. lv, 11, from masac to mingle; it seems in general to mean, old wine mixed with the lees, extremely intoxicating. It does not appear to have had any place in the worship of the true God; but from Isa. lv, 11, and Prov. xxiii, 30, it seems to have been used for idolatrous purposes, such as the Greek and Roman Bacchanalia, “when all got drunk in honor of the god.”
12. MASEOTH, an OBLATION, things carried to the temple to be presented to God, from nasa, to bear, or carry, to bear sin; typically, Ex. xxviii, 38. Lev. x, 17; xvi, 21; really, Isa. liii, 4, 12, which passage sufficiently proves Christ’s sufferings to have been the true maseoth, or vicarious bearing of the sins of mankind. See John i, 29, comp. Parkhurst.
13. NEDABAH, FREE-WILL, or voluntary offering, from nadab, to be free, liberal, princely: It was given, as a particular proof of extraordinary gratitude for special mercies; or on account of some voluntary vow or engagement. vii, 16.
14. NESECH, LIBATION, or drink-offering, from nasac, to diffuse or pour out. Water or wine poured at the conclusion or confirmation of a treaty or covenant. Frequently alluded to in the N. T. as it typified Christ’s blood, poured out for the sin of the world. Our Lord Himself alludes to it in instituting the holy Eucharist.
15. OLAH, and OOLAH, BURNT-offering, from alah, to ascend, because, being wholly consumed, it ascended as it were to God in smoke and vapor.
16. KETORETH, INCENSE, or PERFUME offering, from katar, to burn; i. e. the frankincense, &c. To this Paul (Eph. v, 2) compares the agreeableness of Christ’s sacrifice to God. From Rev. v, 8, we learn it also represents the prayers of saints.
17. KORBAN, the GIFT-offering, from karab to draw nigh, to approach. See notes, v, 1, 2. It was a general name for offerings, as supposed to give man access to his Maker.
18. SHELAMIM, PEACE-offering, from shalam, to complete, make whole, for by them, what was lacking, was considered as made up; and what was broken, viz. God’s covenant, made whole. So the Apostle, Eph. ii, 14–19. Note Gen. xiv, 18.
19. TODAH, THANK-offering, from yadah, to confess; public confessions of God’s power, goodness, and mercy, &c.
20. TENUPHAH, WAVE-offering, from nuph to stretch out; first fruits stretched out before God, in acknowledgment of his providential goodness. This offering was moved from the right hand to the left. Ex. xxix, 27.
21. TERUMAH, HEAVE-offering, from rum, to lift up, because lifted toward heaven; in acknowledgment of God’s kindness in granting rain, and fruitful seasons, filling the heart with food and gladness. This was moved several times up and down, as the wave-offering was from right to left, Ex. xxix, 27.
In the above is comprised, probably, an explanation of all the terms in the Hebrew Scriptures, which signify sacrifice, oblation, atonement, offering, &c., as well as their reference to Christ. See Dr. A. Clarke. —Jenks.