Leviticus 6:10-12 And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put on his flesh… By the figure which grammarians call ellipsis, or breviloquence, "ashes" is used for the material out of which ashes came, as Isaiah 47:2, speaks of grinding "meal" (Ainsworth). The wood was underneath the burnt-offering. This being done, the ashes were to be placed by themselves, for a little time, "beside the altar." All eyes would thus see them and take notice of them, before they were carried out into a clean place. Probably there were two reasons for this action. 1. The fire was thus kept clear and bright, the ashes being removed. God thereby taught them that He was not careless as to this matter, but required that the type of His justice should be kept full and unobscured. 2. The ashes were shown for the purpose of making it manifest that the flame had not spared the victim, but had turned it into ashes. It was not a mere threatening when the angels foretold that Sodom and Gomorrah were to be destroyed for their sin; their doom (2 Peter 2:6) is declared to have come on them, "turning them to ashes." So here, all that was threatened is fulfilled. There the ashes lie; any eye may see them. The vengeance has been accomplished! The sacrifice is turned into ashes! Justice has found its object! The Lord's arrows are not pointless; He performs all His threatenings, for He is holy. "O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto Thee? or to Thy faithfulness round about Thee?" (A. A. Bonar.) Parallel Verses KJV: And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar. |
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