Leviticus 22

22:2-6 The priest’s portions of the sacred offerings were regarded as “most holy” (see 2:3) and were not to come into contact with anything unclean (11:1–15:33). Accordingly, any descendant of Aaron who was unclean was forbidden to eat this food.

22:5 In Leviticus, the Hebrew word sherets always denotes an unclean small animal that swarms on land or in water (5:2; 11:10, 20-21, 23, 29, 31, 41-44).

22:9 will die for violating my instructions: As in 10:1-3. The temptation to offer improper offerings persisted throughout Israel’s history until after the Exile (Mal 1:6-9).

22:11 The only male outside the priest’s family who could eat the priest’s share was the priest’s slave. He would have no other food if this provision were denied him.

22:14-16 Similar to provisions for the guilt offering, a common person who accidentally ate the priestly portion had to repay 120 percent (see 5:14-16). However, the offering of a ram was not required in this case.

22:15 An Israelite who ate the “most holy” priestly portion as if it were common food would defile it.

22:18 Apparently individuals could present a whole burnt offering instead of a peace offering if they desired (see 1:3).

22:21 A peace offering could function in several ways: as a thanksgiving offering, an offering to fulfill a vow, or a voluntary offering (see 3:1-17).

22:23 The requirements for the voluntary offering were more lenient, allowing the use of a deformed animal. Fulfilling a vow, however, still required an animal that was not maimed or diseased. In no case would God accept a sacrifice that could not be eaten by a person or that was not a whole animal.

22:27 Leaving a newborn animal with its mother for seven days allowed time to determine the animal’s health (see Exod 22:30).

22:28 on the same day: There are several possible explanations for this command, although none is certain: (1) Senseless slaughtering would leave nothing of the herd; (2) it would be inhumane to slaughter the young and the mother at the same time; or (3) it would be too similar to pagan worship rites, where the newborn animal was cooked in the milk of its slain mother (see Exod 23:19).