John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 7. And if he be not able to bring a lamb , etc.] He is not possessed of a lamb, nor able to purchase one: then he shall bring for his trespass which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the Lord ; either the one or the other; these were common, and in great plenty in the land of Israel, as Maimonides observes, which was the reason of their being ordered, since to be had cheap. The turtledoves were larger, as the Targum of Jonathan calls them, being older, and the pigeons lesser, being young; or the one were grown, and not little, and the other little, and not grown, as the Jewish writers observe; and either of them were proper emblems of Christ in his purity, innocence, and meekness, by whom an atonement is made both for the rich and poor: one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering ; one of the turtle doves or pigeons, whichsoever were brought, was offered up as a sin offering, and the other that remained was offered up as a burnt offering; so that the poor man had two sorts of offerings out of what he brought, when the rich had but one; and may denote the completeness of his sacrifice, and the full atonement made by it.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-13 - The offences here noticed are, 1. A man's concealing the truth, when he was sworn as a witness to speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothin but the truth. If, in such a case, for fear of offending one that ha been his friend, or may be his enemy, a man refuses to give evidence or gives it but in part, he shall bear his iniquity. And that is heavy burden, which, if some course be not taken to get it removed will sink a man to hell. Let all that are called at any time to be witnesses, think of this law, and be free and open in their evidence and take heed of prevaricating. An oath of the Lord is a sacred thing not to be trifled with. 2. A man's touching any thing that wa ceremonially unclean. Though his touching the unclean thing only mad him ceremonially defiled, yet neglecting to wash himself according to the law, was either carelessness or contempt, and contracted mora guilt. As soon as God, by his Spirit, convinces our consciences of an sin or duty, we must follow the conviction, as not ashamed to own ou former mistake. 3. Rash swearing, that a man will do or not do such thing. As if the performance of his oath afterward prove unlawful, or what cannot be done. Wisdom and watchfulness beforehand would preven these difficulties. In these cases the offender must confess his sin and bring his offering; but the offering was not accepted, unles accompanied with confession and humble prayer for pardon. The confession must be particular; that he hath sinned in that thing Deceit lies in generals; many will own they have sinned, for that all must own; but their sins in any one particular they are unwilling to allow. The way to be assured of pardon, and armed against sin for the future, is to confess the exact truth. If any were very poor, the might bring some flour, and that should be accepted. Thus the expens of the sin-offering was brought lower than any other, to teach that n man's poverty shall ever bar the way of his pardon. If the sinne brought two doves, one was to be offered for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering. We must first see that our peace be mad with God, and then we may expect that our services for his glory wil be accepted by him. To show the loathsomeness of sin, the flour, when offered, must not be made grateful to the taste by oil, or to the smel by frankincense. God, by these sacrifices, spoke comfort to those wh had offended, that they might not despair, nor pine away in their sins Likewise caution not to offend any more, remembering how expensive an troublesome it was to make atonement.
Original Hebrew ואם518 לא3808 תגיע5060 ידו3027 די1767 שׂה7716 והביא935 את853 אשׁמו817 אשׁר834 חטא2398 שׁתי8147 תרים8449 או176 שׁני8147 בני1121 יונה3123 ליהוה3068 אחד259 לחטאת2403 ואחד259 לעלה׃5930
