following points in the cise of the animal victims : — (n) Action ofl/if o/Vrer — imposition of lianrls (Lv H), slaughter of the victim at the door of the tabernacle, to the north of the altar (vv.s- n)^
flaying and cutting uj) the carcase (v.s^, washing of the entrails and legs (v.f). (X) Action of the /jncnf— manipulation of the bloo<l which is sprinlded aliout the alt-ir (v.B), disposition of the pieces upon the woisl of the altar (v. S), burning the o(TtTing(v,i'). The dove was killed by the priest, and its crop and feathers were flung a«lde as unsuitable (v.l*'r-). In the above ritual the occasion presupposed is a private sacrifice, which might lie rendered as the result of a vow or spontaneously (22"*). (.() The oeceunni^ of this sacrifice were in the main connected with the collective worship, of which it formed the chief eienienl. The daily services ot the temple consistetl ot the continual Biimt- •Bering (I'ljp n^V), wherein a he-lamb was offered every VOL, IV. — 22
moniing and evening, accompanied hv cereal oblations and by libalions(Kx3n3»«', Nu28>-»). On holy days it was celebrated on a magnilled scale : on the Sabbath two pairs of lambs were offered (N u 2^^' ^^) ; at the New Moon, at the Passover, and at the Feast of Weeks it consisted of two bullocks, a ram, and seven he-lambs, with corresponding iiicrta--<- of the concomitant offerings (v. 11").— T/ie purpote o/ the liuriit-offering may be so far understood from its use as tlie constant element in the organized worship of the community. It was not connected with anv particular form of transgression, hut was appropriate as the means of approach to God ot a people, or ot individual persons, sensible of God's majesty and holiness, and of their standing in Uis sight. The effects are described from three points of view— that it isa 'savour ot rest-giving' (i.e. acceptable) to God (n'in'}"n'l Lv 1'), that it surrounds the worshipper with a ' covering' (v^;; nj;^ 1^), and that it cleanses from ceremonial Impurity (14=0). On this point see Propitiation, § 4.
The later period of the monarchy \yas a period of national calamities, culminating in ruin and exile, which were inleipreted by the piophets as a judgment upon national sin. Under these con- ditions there was naturally a strong disposition to strengthen the nation's interest with Jehovah by the nuilti[)lication of solemn sacrifices, and during the Exile future safety might well seem to lie in the development of the system of bloody sacri- fices. It is thus th.at the tact has been plausibly accounted for that two kinds of sacrifice, which occur only in name in the earlier history, figure in Ezekiel somewhat prominently, while in P they almost rival in importance the liurnt-ottering. These are the Sin-oUering and the Uuilt-oUering (AV Trespass-offering).
(6) The Sin-offering (njien, LXX {i»l ripl or i^rif i/iccprw) is mentioned 2 K 121', init there signifies presents or fines paid to the priests. In EzeUiul the special occasions on which it is prescribed are the dedication ot the altar (43i»"), the annual cleansing of the sanctuary (45i'-lf), the consecration of prince and peojiie on festal occasions, including Passover week (4.1— '^1), and the return of a priest to duty after purification (44'-!). In the ritual the outstanding features are tlie sprinkling ot the blood of the victim on the doorposts of the temple (4013) and on the four horns of the altar (4;i'-'"), and the burning of the carcase without the sanctuary (v.'-l). The regulations of P may bethussumniarized:— (1) Beneficiaries ami aijprnpriate iiictiins. For a ruler the suitable offering was a he-goat (Lv 4'^). for an ordinary person a she-goat (4'-'), a ewe-lamb U^-), a turtle dove or young pigeon (f)""), or a cereal offering (fill) ; for priests (48), Levites at their installation (Nu 88), and for the whole congrega- tion (Lv 4'-'), a bullock, tor the latter also a he-goat (Nu 16^). On the IJay ot Atonement a bullock was offered for the hijrh priest, and two he-goats for the congregation (Lv IC"" ). (2) 'J he ritual included the following acts : (u) imposition of hands, and slaughter of the victim by the offerer (4<) or the representa- tives of the cj)ngregation (v.ic) ; (d) manipulation ot the blood, which was sprinkled before the veil, smeared on the horns of the altar, and poured out at the base (v.7) ; (c) disposal of the carcase, whereof the choice and fat portions were burnt on the altar, while the skin, entrails, and (in some cases) the ordinary flesh were burned without the camp (v. 6"). The remaining llesh was not burnt, but fell to the priests, when the offering did not concern themselves (,'.13 lonar ). (:i) The ohjrct of the sacrifice is otherwise conceived than in Ezekiel. With the latter it mainly ajipears as a service of consecration for holy places, in P it is de- signed for the 'covering 'of minor offences (Lv 6i-<i), the removal of ceremonial uncleannes8(12i'-"ii'-).and alonenientfor sinsof ignor- ance (naj,'? 4'- M ^. By the last it might bo understood, either that the'wrong-doer was ignorant of the law. or that he acted io forgetfulness ot the law. (4) As to the effect of the sacrifice. It is declared that a ' covering ' takes place and the sin is forgiven (428. 3i).
(0 The Gullt-offerlng, AVTrespass-offering (C'»'f:(LXX niwif iyttixi, TO »rV rXr./j.iMiXt.a.s, n i^.rjiti*"*"""], 'offence,' then repara- tion made for the same), occurs in this general sense in th» older history (1 S 63'^., 2 K 12"). The allusions to it in Er.ckiel are incidental, and show that in his time it had already gained a footing, and that its special character was generally understood (40^11 421S 44'^ 4tt'-'"). — '"if occasion of the (luilt-offering, according to P, is unwitting trespass against the ordinances ot God, in respect either of holy things (Lv lii'') or of the rights of property (Giif). The special feature ot the regulations is that reparation is demanded for the trespass, with the addition ot a line, ono- flfth of the value ot the thing to bo restored, which goes to the priest (!ii«). Where the injury is a private wrong, restitution is niaile to the injured party, failing whom or bis heirs it goes to the priest (Nu 13" ).— 'i'Ac t'ii'fim is usuallv a ram (.V), and the ritual is similar to that ot the Sln.offering (Lv 7'). The ' cover- ing' of the trespass and the forgiveness ot the oHender follow upon the acceptance ot the offering (0').