The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

SECT. IV. Peace Offerings, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

WE need not to go very far to find out the reason and notation of Peace Offerings, (as some have done, concluding that they were so called a 1.1 because they made peace in the World, peace for the Altar, peace for the Priests, and peace for the owners) but do but set them in Antithesis and opposition to those Offerings that have been spoken of already, and their name and nature will shew it self; Burnt Offerings, Sin Offerings, and Trespass Offerings, were presented and offered up under the notion of some offence committed, and some guilt that he that brought them, either did or might lie under; but Peace Offe∣rings came not under any such liableness, offensiveness or suspition, but were presented in reference to the parties more comfortable, and more unguilty condition, as being offe∣red either by way of thanksgiving for good obtained, or by way of Vow or free De∣votion.

And this sense (it may be) the Septuagint looked after when they translate Peace Offer∣ings 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Sacrifices of deliverance or salvation.

The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from whence 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifieth peace offerings, is derived, doth signifie, as it is well known, either peace or prosperity, and the peace offerings accor∣dingly may be conceived to have relation to this double signification: For some peace offerings were offered in way of devotion, as free will offerings to continue or to com∣pass peace with God: Some in way of thanksgiving, and these were for prosperity or good obtained already; and some by way of vows, and these were offered that prospe∣rity or good might be obtained for the future. For this division of peace offerings into thanks offerings, free will offerings, and offerings for Vows, is held out by the Law, Levit. 7.

We will first begin with some peace offerings that were of an extraordinary quality, and Heteroclites from the common rule; and these were the peace offerings of the Hea∣then, which even they offered at the Temple. The Mountain of the House is very common∣ly called by Christian Writers The Court of the Gentiles, as hath been said before, for into that might even Heathens come, and they might bring offerings with them, and those offerings were offered up, even as were the Sacrifices of the Israelites. And in allusion to this it is that in the Revelation, when the Angel is measuring the Temple, he is bidden not to measure the outer Court, but to leave that out, for that was given to the Gen∣tiles, Rev. 11. 2. Concerning these Sacrifices presented by the Heathen, Maymonides gives us this testimony and Tradition. b 1.2 They receive not of the Heathen but burnt Offerings only, because it is said, From the hand of the son of a stranger, ye shall not offer the bread of your God: They receive even burnt offerings of birds from an Heathen, yea though he be an Idolater: But they receive not from them peace offerings, nor meat offerings, nor sin offerings, nor trespass offerings: And likewise for burnt offerings, they receive them not from the Heathen, if they come not by way of free will offering, or by way of Vow. A Heathen that bringeth peace offe∣rings, they offer them as burnt offerings, because the Heathens mind is towards Heaven; Doth he vow peace offerings and gives them to Israel that Israel may be atoned for, the Israelites eat them as if they were the peace offerings of Israelites; and if he give them to the Priest, the Priest eateth them. An Apostate Jew that is fallen to Idolatry, and that prophaneth the Sab∣bath presumptuously (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) they receive not from him an offering at all, no not a burnt offering which they would receive from the Heathen.

In which relation of his, when he saith they do not receive peace offerings of the Heathen, and yet afterward he saith they do, and so seemeth to contradict himself; these things ob∣served, will clear his meaning, and shew that he speaketh exceeding full and good sense. 1. That they refused not a Heathens offering, because in tendring of it, he shewed that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 his mind was something towards God, and that some devotion was in him; Yet 2. they would not receive a sin offering, nor a trespass offering from him, because he was not under those Laws, upon which sin offerings and trespass offerings did arise. 3. Nor yet would they receive a meat offering, or a peace offering from him, under that notion, or in that latitude of a peace offering, because bread was to be offered with it, and it was prohibited that they should offer the bread of their God received from a stranger. 4. But every Sacrifice that he offered, must be offered by him under one of those two notions, under which a peace offering came; namely, either as a free will offe∣ring or a vow, and yet it must not be sacrificed under the notion of a peace offering, but must be offered up as a burnt offering, because brought in devotion to God, and not to be eaten by Israelites. But if 5. out of love to Israel, and desire of their prosperity, he brought a peace offering even under that notion, to this end, that it might be for an atone∣ment between Israel and God, it was now become Israels peace offering, and it might be

offered as a peace offering and the Israelites might eat it: or if in love to the Priests then serving, he brought it to be a peace offering for atonement between God and those Priests, the property was now altered, and it was become the Priests peace offering, and so it might be offered up and eaten.

Now to return to the Peace Offerings of the Israelites, they were either of the whole Congregation, or of particular persons. c 1.3 The Peace Offerings of the whole Congrega∣tion, were only two Lambs offered at one time of the Year, and that was at Pentecost, Lev. 23. 19. And these were killed, flead, their bloud sprinkled, their inwards burnt, and the flesh eaten by the Males of the Priests in the Court, d 1.4 even as the sin offerings were: e 1.5 for these of peace offerings only were accounted 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 most holy Sacrifices, whereas all the rest were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Sacrifices less holy.

The Peace Offerings of particular persons were threefold.

1. Peace Offerings that were offered without bread with them; such were their Offer∣ings that were offered for their Hagigah and Simchah, or for their festivity and rejoycing at the three solemn festivals: Now although these were offered without bread, and so might seem to have been proper for Heathens to have offered, as being clear from that exception of the Law, of not offering the bread of a stranger, yet might not Heathens offer these peace offerings, because that they were not under the command of the three festi∣vals, nor of the festivity and rejoycing at them.

2. Peace offerings that were offered with bread, of which there is mention in Lev. 7. and where they are described at large: These peace offerings might be of Bullocks, or Kine, of Lambs Male, or female, and so of Goats, Lev. 3. The occasion of their Offer∣ing as was mentioned before, was either for thanksgiving, or of a free devotion, or for a Vow. f 1.6 Rabbi Solomon confines the thanksgiving offering to such occasions as those mentioned in the hundred and seventh Psalm, as namely for deliverance from tempests at Sea, from dangers in travail in the wilderness, from sickness, and from prison, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for some remarkable and wonderful deliverance or mercy that was wrought for him; or as Aben Ezra expresseth it, because he is delivered out of any strait. In which Gloss* 1.7 they straiten the thanksgiving offering the rather to such singular and extraordinary oc∣casions, because their Offerings of tithes, firstlings, first fruits, &c. were as thanksgivings for their common and constant mercies; and yet I see not, but these Peace Offerings might also come sometime in reference to their common mercies and prosperity, as for their health, comforts in their children, success in their business, or the like. And as for the Peace Offerings that came as Vows, and those that came of free gift, as the rise of them was of different ground, the one of pure devotion, the other upon some con∣ditional reference, so do the Jews observe, h 1.8 that if the Offerings that were vowed, died, or were stoln, they were to be made good by presenting others in their stead: but if those that were set apart of free gift, either were stoln or died, the party was not bound to any such reparation.

i 1.9 These Peace Offerings that we have in mention were slain in any part of the Court, but most commonly on the South side, and their bloud was sprinkled as was the bloud of the burnt offering 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 namely with two sprinklings in form of the Letter Gamma, which two besprinkled the four sides of the Altar. The breast of the Peace Offering, and the right shoulder, were the Priests due that offered it, and so was a part of the Bread or Cakes that were offered with it, and this is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Muram ordinarily by the Rabbins, that is, that that was taken of the Sacrifice, by the Priests and for them. The breast was to be waved before the Lord, and for this action k 1.10 the Offerer was to go into the Court of the Priest, and to joyn his hand in the rite, and the manner of waving was thus; The Priest laid the fat in the owners hand, and upon the sat he laid the breast and right shoulder, and upon them he laid the kidneys and the Caul of the Liver, and if it were a thansgiving offering he laid some of the bread aloft on all; then he put his hand under the hands of the owner, and he waved his hands this way and that way, and up and down, and all towards the East: and after this waving he salted the inwards, and burnt them upon the Altar; and the waved breast and shoulder the Priest took for his part, and the owner the rest, and they were to be eaten. It was lawful for the party that brought the Peace Offering to eat his part of it in any part of Jerusalem; and so is the Talmudick expression which frequently occurreth in this case to be understood, which saith 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The remaining parts of it were u••en (not in any City, but) in any part of the City: and this is one of the priviledges of Jerusalem above other Cities, l 1.11 because the lesser holy things might be eaten in it, and not in any other: They ordinarily boyled their Peace Offerings in the Temple it self, in one of the corners of the Court of the Women, where we have observed in its de∣scription, boyling places for this purpose; See 2 Chro. 35. 13. And in the like manner they did at Shiloh, upon which business the sons of Eli shewed their wickedness, when in stead of contenting themselves with the wave breast, and heave shoulder, they brought up a Cu∣stom

to strike a three forked hook into the Cauldron where the peace offering was boyl∣ing, and to take whatsoever it brought up, 1 Sam. 2.

The Peace offering of thanksgiving was eaten the same day, but a Vow or Free-will Offering might be eaten on the morrow, Lev. 7. 15, 16. and herein the Priests and the Offerer came under the same restriction, for the one, and liberty for the other: and the whole Families of the one and the other, Wives, Sons, Daughters, Servants might eat of them: and the Offerer, if he would, might eat his part in the Temple, and the Priests, if they would, might eat theirs in Jerusalem: an accursed imitation of these peace Offerings, and eating of them in the Temple, was taken up among the Heathens, 1 Cor. 8. 10.

3. There was a third peace offering of a particular person, and that was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as it is commonly called, The Nazarites Ram, of which the Law and Story is set down, Num. 6. 17. and the manner of its disposal was thus: He was killed, and his bloud sprink∣led; then were the inwards taken out, and the right shoulder and breast separated, and the rest of the flesh the Nazarite boyled in the corner of the Court of the Women, in the place called the room of the Nazarites. Then took the Priest the sodden shoulder of the Ram, and a tenth part of the bread that was brought with him, and the heave shoulder, and wave breast, and the inwards, and put them in the hands of the Nazarite, and put his own hand under his, and waved them as before; and all that was waved was the Priests Portion, but only the inwards that were to be burnt upon the Altar, and the Nazarite had the rest.

Notes

• a 1.1

  R. Sol. in Levit. 3.
• b 1.2

  Maym. in Corban. per. 3.
• c 1.3

  Id ubi sup•• per. 1.
• d 1.4

  Id. ibid. per 9. & Talm. in Zevac. per. 5.
• e 1.5

  Vi. 4. R. Sol. in Lev. 23. 20.
• f 1.6

  R. Sol. i•• Lev. 7.
• * 1.7

  (g) A••. E••••. ••b.
• h 1.8

  Kinnim. per. 1.
• i 1.9

  Zevachin per. ••. sect. 5.
• k 1.10

  Pisk. Tos. in Mid.
• l 1.11

  Kelim. per. 1. sect. 8.