Leviticus 22:29

And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(29) Offer it at your own will.—Better, offer it for your acceptance. (See Leviticus 22:19.) That is, offer it in such a manner that it should be accepted. (For this kind of offering, see Leviticus 7:15-16.)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

22:1-33 Laws concerning the priests and sacrifices. - In this chapter we have divers laws concerning the priests and sacrifices, all for preserving the honour of the sanctuary. Let us recollect with gratitude that our great High Priest cannot be hindered by any thing from the discharge of his office. Let us also remember, that the Lord requires us to reverence his name, his truths, his ordinances, and commandments. Let us beware of hypocrisy, and examine ourselves concerning our sinful defilements, seeking to be purified from them in the blood of Christ, and by his sanctifying Spirit. Whoever attempts to expiate his own sin, or draws near in the pride of self-righteousness, puts as great an affront on Christ, as he who comes to the Lord's table from the gratification of sinful lusts. Nor can the minister who loves the souls of the people, suffer them to continue in this dangerous delusion. He must call upon them, not only to repent of their sins, and forsake them; but to put their whole trust in the atonement of Christ, by faith in his name, for pardon and acceptance with God; thus only will the Lord make them holy, as his own people.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A law intended to remind the Israelites of the sacredness of the relation between the parent and its offspring. Compare Exodus 23:19 note.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

27, 28. it shall be seven days under the dam—Animals were not considered perfect nor good for food till the eighth day. As sacrifices are called the bread or food of God (Le 22:25), to offer them immediately after birth, when they were unfit to be eaten, would have indicated a contempt of religion; and besides, this prohibition, as well as that contained in Le 22:28, inculcated a lesson of humanity or tenderness to the dam, as well as secured the sacrifices from all appearance of unfeeling cruelty.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

i.e. What and when you please, so the rules be observed: or, for your acceptance, as Leviticus 1:3, i.e. in such manner that God may accept it, i.e. regularly, cheerfully, &c.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the Lord,.... Which was a sort of peace offering, distinct from freewill offerings and vows before spoken of:

offer it at your own will; just what they pleased, whether a bullock, a sheep, or a goat, and whether a male or female; these were left to their own option, or for acceptation to you, as the Targum of Jonathan, and so Jarchi; that is, it was right in them, and they ought to be careful to offer it in such manner, that it might be acceptable to God, by observing the rules given concerning it, particularly what follows.

Geneva Study Bible

And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

29. A sacrifice of thanksgiving, co-ordinated here with the other two species classified elsewhere under Peace-Offering. See on Leviticus 22:23.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 29, 30. - Two forms of peace offerings, the vowed and the voluntary offerings, having been mentioned in verse 21, the law as to the third form, thanksgiving offerings, is repeated from chapter Leviticus 7:15 (where see note). Leviticus 22:29

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The command not to kill an ox or sheep at the same time as its young is related to the law in Exodus 23:19 and Deuteronomy 22:6-7, and was intended to lay it down as a duty on the part of the Israelites to keep sacred the relation which God had established between parent and offspring. - In Leviticus 22:29, Leviticus 22:30, the command to eat the flesh of the animal on the day on which it was offered (Leviticus 7:15; Leviticus 19:5-6) is repeated with special reference to the praise-offering.