John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 7. And Moses said unto Aaron , etc.] This is only observed to show, that as Aaron did not take upon him this office of himself, but was called unto it, and invested with it, by the appointment of God, so neither did he enter upon it but through the call of God by Moses, in the sight of the congregation: go unto the altar, and offer thy sin [offering], and thy burnt offering ; the young calf and ram: and make an atonement for thyself and for the people ; first for himself, and then for the people; for, as Aben Ezra says, a man cannot atone for another until he is pure from all sin; which is a character only to be found in Christ, our great High Priest, and so a proper person to atone for and take away the sins of others: hence the priests under the law, with their sacrifices, could never take away sin really, only typically; and this shows the imperfection of the Levitical priesthood, that the priests of that order were obliged to offer first for their own sins; this our high priest, of another order, needed not to do; (see Hebrews 7:27,28) and offer the offering of the people, and make atonement for them ; typical of the true and full atonement made by Christ, when he offered himself without spot to God: as the Lord commanded ; Aaron to do, and as he commanded Christ, his Son and our surety, the antitype of Aaron, ( John 10:18 14:31).
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 משׁה4872 אל413 אהרן175 קרב7126 אל413 המזבח4196 ועשׂה6213 את853 חטאתך2403 ואת853 עלתך5930 וכפר3722 בעדך1157 ובעד1157 העם5971 ועשׂה6213 את853 קרבן7133 העם5971 וכפר3722 בעדם1157 כאשׁר834 צוה6680 יהוה׃3068
