Matthew Henry on Deuteronomy 17:1-7
Here is, I. A law for preserving the honour of God's worship, by providing that no creature that had any blemish should be offered in sacrifice to him, Deu 17:1. This caveat we have often met with: Thou shalt not sacrifice that which has any blemish, which renders it unsightly, or any evil matter or thing (as the following word night better be rendered), any sickness or weakness, though not discernible at first view; it is an abomination to God. God is the best of beings, and therefore whatsoever he is served with ought to be the best in its kind. And the Old Testament sacrifices in a special manner must be so, because they were types of Christ, who is a Lamb without blemish or spot (Pe1 1:1…
Read the whole note in the consoleJohn Gill on Deuteronomy 17:1
Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God any bullock or sheep wherein is blemish,.... No sacrifice of any sort, whether burnt offering, sin offering, or peace offering, was to have any blemish in it; typical of the unblemished and immaculate Lamb of God, who, being without sin, offered himself without spot to God, and so could take away the sins of others by the sacrifice of himself; see Leviticus 22:18,
or any evilfavouredness; any sickness or disease upon it of any sort, which made it ill favoured to the sight, or disagreeable to the smell, or however unacceptable for sacrifice:
for that is an abomination to the Lord thy God; every such blemished and ill favoured sacrifice; see Mal…
Read the whole note in the consoleJohn Calvin on Deuteronomy 17:1
Deuteronomy 17:1
1. Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the LORD thy God any bullock or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the LORD thy God.
1. Non sacrificabis Jehovae Deo tuo bovem, aut agnum, in quo fuerit macula, aut quidpiam vitii, quia abominatio Jehovae Dei tui est.
Tyndale Open Study Notes on Deuteronomy 17:1
A sick or defective animal had little monetary value, so it was no sacrifice to surrender it to the Lord (cp. 15:21).
