The
Lord spoke
to Moses, saying: “Direct Aaron and his sons to deal carefully with
the sacred donations1
of the people of Israel, which they dedicate to me, so that they may
not profane my holy name; I am the Lord.
Say to them:
'If anyone among all your offspring throughout your generations comes near the sacred donations, which the people of Israel dedicate to the Lord, while he is in a state of uncleanness,2 that person shall be cut off from my presence:3 I am the Lord. No one of Aaron’s offspring who has a leprous disease or suffers a discharge may eat of the sacred donations until he is clean.4 Whoever touches anything made unclean by a corpse or a man who has had an emission of semen,and whoever touches any swarming thing by which he may be made unclean or any human being by whom he may be made unclean—whatever his uncleanness may be—the person who touches any such shall be unclean until evening and shall not eat of the sacred donations unless he has washed his body in water.5 When the sun sets he shall be clean; and afterwards he may eat of the sacred donations, for they are his food. That which died or was torn by wild animals he shall not eat, becoming unclean by it: I am the Lord. They shall keep my charge, so that they may not incur guilt and die in the sanctuary6 for having profaned it: I am the Lord; I sanctify them.'
'No lay person shall eat of the sacred donations. No bound or hired servant of the priest shall eat of the sacred donations; but if a priest acquires anyone by purchase, the person may eat of them;7 and those that are born in his house may eat of his food. If a priest’s daughter marries a layman, she shall not eat of the offering of the sacred donations; but if a priest’s daughter is widowed or divorced, without offspring, and returns to her father’s house, as in her youth, she may eat of her father’s food. No lay person shall eat of it. If a man eats of the sacred donation unintentionally, he shall add one-fifth of its value to it, and give the sacred donation to the priest.8 No one shall profane the sacred donations of the people of Israel, which they offer to the Lord, causing them to bear guilt requiring a guilt-offering, by eating their sacred donations: for I am the Lord; I sanctify them.'”
1 “Sacred donations” is a new way to refer to sacrifices.
'If anyone among all your offspring throughout your generations comes near the sacred donations, which the people of Israel dedicate to the Lord, while he is in a state of uncleanness,2 that person shall be cut off from my presence:3 I am the Lord. No one of Aaron’s offspring who has a leprous disease or suffers a discharge may eat of the sacred donations until he is clean.4 Whoever touches anything made unclean by a corpse or a man who has had an emission of semen,and whoever touches any swarming thing by which he may be made unclean or any human being by whom he may be made unclean—whatever his uncleanness may be—the person who touches any such shall be unclean until evening and shall not eat of the sacred donations unless he has washed his body in water.5 When the sun sets he shall be clean; and afterwards he may eat of the sacred donations, for they are his food. That which died or was torn by wild animals he shall not eat, becoming unclean by it: I am the Lord. They shall keep my charge, so that they may not incur guilt and die in the sanctuary6 for having profaned it: I am the Lord; I sanctify them.'
'No lay person shall eat of the sacred donations. No bound or hired servant of the priest shall eat of the sacred donations; but if a priest acquires anyone by purchase, the person may eat of them;7 and those that are born in his house may eat of his food. If a priest’s daughter marries a layman, she shall not eat of the offering of the sacred donations; but if a priest’s daughter is widowed or divorced, without offspring, and returns to her father’s house, as in her youth, she may eat of her father’s food. No lay person shall eat of it. If a man eats of the sacred donation unintentionally, he shall add one-fifth of its value to it, and give the sacred donation to the priest.8 No one shall profane the sacred donations of the people of Israel, which they offer to the Lord, causing them to bear guilt requiring a guilt-offering, by eating their sacred donations: for I am the Lord; I sanctify them.'”
1 “Sacred donations” is a new way to refer to sacrifices.
2
Strict rule, considering how many ways one can become unclean
3
Is there any possibility that “cut off from my presence” is to
be carried out by men? Possibly means cut off from the priesthood?
4
Those ill from certain diseases can't even eat of the offerings.
5
Simply washing in water appears to make such persons clean again, at
least after nightfall/evening.
6
This judgement appears extremely harsh, but only God can carry it
out.
7
This is a great surprise. In this sense, purchasing a slave
effectively makes him part of the priest's household.
8
No idea how that would happen, but the punishment appears light and
sensible.
Take-home: Special care is taken to ensure that those who are not only presenting, but even eating the sacrifices are ritually clean.
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