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Calvin's Commentaries, Vol. 4: Harmony of the Law, Part II, tr. by John King, [1847-50], at sacred-texts.com
1. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
1. Loquutus est autem Jehova ad Mosen, dicendo:
2. Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land of your habitations, which I give unto you,
2. Loquere ad filios Israel, et dicas els, Quum ingressi fueritis terraim habitationum vestrarum quas ego daturus sum vobis:
3. And will make an offering by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, or a sacrifice in performing a vow, or in a freewill offering, or in your solemn feasts, to make a sweet savour unto the LORD, of the herd, or of the flock:
3. Et facere voletis oblationem ignitam Jehovae holocaustum vel sacrificium, ut solvatis votum aut sponte vestra, ant in solennitatibus vestris, ut faciatis odorem quietis Jehovae de bobus aut ex pecudibus:
4. Then shall he that offereth his offering unto the LORD bring a meat offering of a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of an hin of oil.
4. Tunc offeret offerens oblationem suam Jehove pro minha similae decimam partem mistam cum quarta parte olei.
5. And the fourth part of an hin of wine for a drink offering shalt thou prepare with the burnt offering or sacrifice, for one lamb.
5. Et vini pro libamine quartam partem hin facies super holocaustum, aut ultra sacrificium pro agno uno.
6. Or for a ram, thou shalt prepare for a meat offering two tenth deals of flour mingled with the third part of an hin of oil.
6. Aut pro ariete facies minham similae duas decimas permistae cum olci tertia parte hin.
7. And for a drink offering thou shalt offer the third part of an hin of wine, for a sweet savour unto the LORD.
7. Et vini pro libamine tertiam partem hin offeretis in odorem quietis Jehovah.
8. And when thou preparest a bullock for a burnt offering, or for a sacrifice in performing a vow, or peace offerings unto the LORD:
8. Quod si facere voles juveneum in holocaustum, aut sacrificium ad solvendum votum, aut sacrificia prosperitatum Jehovae:
9. Then shall he bring with a bullock a meat offering of three tenth deals of flour mingled with half an hin of oil.
9. Offeres una cum juvenco minham, similae tres decimas permistae cum olei dimidia parte hin.
10. And thou shalt bring for a drink offering half an hin of wine, for an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
10. Et vinum offeres pro libamine dimidiam partem hin: oblationem ignitam odoris quietis Jehovae.
11. Thus shall it be done for one bullock, or for one ram, or for a lamb, or a kid.
11. Sic facies bovi uni, aut arieti uni, aut foetui tam de ovibus quam de capris.
12. According to the number that ye shall prepare, so shall ye do to every one according to their number.
12. Juxta numerum quem facietis singulis juxta numerum illorum.
13. All that are born of the country shall do these things after this manner, in offering an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
13. Omnis civis lacier sic ista ut offerat oblationem odoris quietis Jehovah.
14. And if a stranger sojourn with you, or whosoever be among you in your generations, and will offer an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD; as ye do, so he shall do.
14. Et quum peregrinatus fuerit apud vos peregrinus, aut quicunque est in medio vestri per generationes vestras, feceritque oblationem ignitam odoris quietis Jehovae, quemadmodum facietis sic faciet.
15. One ordinance shall be both for you of the congregation, and also for the stranger that sojourneth with you, an ordinance for ever in your generations: as ye are, so shall the stranger be before the LORD.
15. O congregatio, statutum unum erit vobis et peregrino qui peregrinatur apud vos: statutum inquam perpetuum per generationes vestras: sicut vos sic et peregrinus erit coram Jehova.
16. One law and one manner shall be for you, and for the stranger that sojourneth with you.
16. Lex una et norma una erit vobis et peregrino qui peregrinatur apud vos.
1. And the Lord spake. He partly here adverts to those precepts of which he had treated more distinctly and fully in Leviticus, and partly gathers into one place what he had before spoken of in various places and more obscurely. For as yet he had delivered no certain regulations as to the accessories to the meat-offering of oil and wine; but what he had before appropriated to particular cases he now commands to be observed generally, and what he had treated of more accurately he now lightly passes over; for he does not enter into full particulars, but only forbids that sacrifices should be offered without flour, a libation of wine, and oil. We have seen elsewhere that in the sacrifices and oblations, wherein God consulted the rude condition of the people, He took as it were the character of a man, as if He feasted there familiarly with them. In this sense He elsewhere calls the sacrifices His meat, 291 not because He, who is the life in Himself and inspires the life of all, requires the supports of life, but because, unless He descends to men, He cannot lift up their minds to things above. Still, inasmuch as there was danger on the other side lest the people should introduce many inane and superfluous pomps, as we see that in their sacred feasts the Gentiles were foolishly and immoderately luxurious, as if their delicacies gave pleasure to God, the measure of each particular thing is prescribed, that they may not dare to invent anything arbitrarily. The conjecture is probable that what had been before delivered with sufficient clearness is here again recalled to their memory. But since this reason is not expressly given, it will be enough to hold fast what has been frequently stated, that although the ceremonies might be of trifling importance, still it was necessary that the lawful should be carefully distinguished from the unauthorized, in order that the licentiousness of men might be anticipated, who would otherwise have failed not to mingle their own leaven. The sum of this passage is, that both in the solemn sacrifices which the Law demands, as well as in the free-will-offerings, they should observe that proportion of which we have treated elsewhere.
14. And if a stranger sojourn with you. He does not mean all strangers, but only those who, descending from heathen nations, had professedly turned to God, and thus had been received into the body of the Church; for the uncleanness of those who remained in uncircumcision excluded them from the legal service. I conceive that there were two reasons why God would have one and the same form observed; first, that the proselytes who had been lately incorporated might more cheerfully devote themselves to the exercises of piety, when they saw themselves placed in the same position as the children of Abraham; and secondly, lest if any distinction should be made, corrupt mixtures should immediately creep in. Lest, therefore, the purity of God’s worship should be gradually corrupted by absurd imitation, the gate was shut against that variety which usually draws men aside in different directions.
“Son pain et sa viande;” his bread and meat. — Fr.