John Gill Commentary


John Gill Commentary
"and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before Jehovah, before the veil of the sanctuary." — Leviticus 4:6 (ASV)
And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood
The finger of his right hand, as Gersom observes, and so Maimonides F18 ; for blood was always taken and sprinkled with the right hand, if done with the left it was wrong, according to the Jewish canons F19 and though it is only said the priest, and not that is anointed, as before, yet it seems to mean him and not another; though if a private priest did this, Gersom says, it would be right, and so Maimonides F20 :
and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the Lord ;
a figure of the blood of Christ, called, in allusion to this rite, the blood of sprinkling; which being presented before the Lord, calls for pardon from him, and sprinkled on the conscience, speaks peace there, and perfectly cleanses from all sin, which the seven times sprinkling is a symbol of:
before the vail of the sanctuary :
the words may be literally rendered, "the face of the vail of the sanctuary": as if the blood was sprinkled on the outside of the vail. Jarchi's note is,