John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 2. And he said unto Aaron , etc.] In the presence of the people of Israel: take thee a young calf for a sin [offering] ; one not exceeding a year old, as in ( Leviticus 9:3) but this was not for the sin of making the calf only, to which the Jewish writers restrain it, but for all other sins of his, which it was necessary should be expiated before he offered sacrifices for the sins of others: and a ram for a burnt offering ; being a strong and innocent creature, was a proper emblem of Christ, the Lamb of God, that takes away by his sacrifice the sins of men: without blemish ; this character belongs, as Aben Ezra observes, both to the calf and ram, which were both to be without spot, and so proper types of Christ the Lamb without spot and blemish, free both from original and actual sin: and offer [them] before the Lord ; on the altar of burnt offering, which stood in the court of the tabernacle near where Jehovah was, to whom every sacrifice for sin was to be offered, being committed against him, and whose justice must be satisfied for it.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-21 - These many sacrifices, which were all done away by the death of Christ teach us that our best services need washing in his blood, and that the guilt of our best sacrifices needs to be done away by one more pure an more noble than they. Let us be thankful that we have such a Hig Priest. The priests had not a day's respite from service allowed. God' spiritual priests have constant work, which the duty of every da requires; they that would give up their account with joy, must redee time. The glory of God appeared in the sight of the people, and owne what they had done. We are not now to expect such appearances, but God draws nigh to those who draw nigh to him, and the offerings of fait are acceptable to him; though the sacrifices being spiritual, the tokens of the acceptance are spiritual likewise. When Aaron had don all that was to be done about the sacrifices, he lifted up his hand towards the people, and blessed them. Aaron could but crave a blessing God alone can command it.
Original Hebrew ויאמר559 אל413 אהרן175 קח3947 לך עגל5695 בן1121 בקר1241 לחטאת2403 ואיל352 לעלה5930 תמימם8549 והקרב7126 לפני6440 יהוה׃3068
