Note 2 — Chapter I

It may be well, at this point, to inform the reader that the Hebrew word which is rendered "burn" in the case of the burnt-offering is wholly different from that which is used in the sin-offering. I shall, because of the peculiar interest of the subject, refer to a few of the passages in which each word occurs. The word used in the burnt-offering signifies "incense," or to "burn incense," and occurs in the following passages, in some one or other of its various inflections: Lev. vi. 15—"And all the frankincense, ... and shall burn it upon the altar;" Deut. xxxiii. 10—"They shall put incense before Thee, and whole burnt-sacrifice upon Thine altar;" Exod. xxx. 1—"And thou shalt make an altar to burn incense upon;" Ps. lxvi. 15—"With the incense of rams;" Jer. xliv. 21—"The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah;" Cant. iii. 16—"Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense." Passages might be multiplied, but the above will suffice to show the use of the word which occurs in the burnt-offering.

The Hebrew word which is rendered "burn" in connection with the sin-offering, signifies to burn in general, and occurs in the following passages: Gen. xl. 3—"Let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly." Lev. x. 16—"And Moses diligently sought the goat of the sin-offering, and, behold, it was burnt." 2 Chron. xvi. 14—"And they made a very great burning for him."

Thus, not only was the sin-offering burnt in a different place, but a different word is adopted by the Holy Ghost to express the burning of it. Now, we cannot imagine, for a moment, that this distinction is a mere interchange of words, the use of which is indifferent. I believe the wisdom of the Holy Ghost is as manifest in the use of the two words as it is in any other point of difference in the two offerings. The spiritual reader will attach the proper value to the above most interesting distinction.