Verse 2. "Command the children of Israel, &c." - It is not easy to account for the reason of the introduction of these precepts here, which had been so circumstantially delivered before in different parts of the books of Exodus and Leviticus. It is possible that the daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly services had been considerably interrupted for several years, owing to the unsettled state of the people in the wilderness, and that it was necessary to repeat these laws for two reasons:
1. Because they were now about to enter into the promised land, where these services must be established and constant. 2. Because the former generations being all dead, multitudes of the present might be ignorant of these ordinances.
"In their due season" - Moses divides these offerings into:-
1. DAILY. The morning and evening sacrifices: a lamb each time, ver. 3, 4.
2. WEEKLY. The Sabbath offerings, two lambs of a year old, ver. 9, &c.
3. MONTHLY. At the beginning of each month two young bullocks, one ram, and seven lambs of a year old, and a kid for a sin-offering, ver. 11, &c.
4. ANNUAL. 1. The passover to last seven days; the offerings, two young bullocks, one ram, seven lambs of a year old, and a he-goat for a sin-offering, ver. 16, &c. 2. The day of FIRST- FRUITS. The sacrifices, the same as on the beginning of the month, ver. 26, &c. With these sacrifices were offered libations, or drink-offerings of strong wine, ver. 7, 14, and minchahs, or meat-offerings, composed of fine flour mingled with oil, ver. 8, 12, &c. For an ample account of all these offerings, see the notes on Lev. vii and Exod. xii.
Verse 7. "Strong wine" - Sikera; see the note on "Lev. x. 9", where this is largely explained.
Verse 26. "Day of the first-fruits" - Called also the feast of weeks, and the feast of pentecost. See it explained "Exod. xxiii. 14", and See "Lev. xxiii. 15".
Verse 31. "Without blemish" - This is to be understood as applying, not only to the animals, but also to the flour, wine, and oil; every thing must be perfect in its kind.
