(20) This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons.—This offering, which is called the oblation of initiation, was, according to the practice which obtained during the second Temple, the mincha “of Aaron and his sons,” as the text before us declares; that is, of the high priest and of every common priest. The ordinary priest, however, only offered it once on the day of his consecration, whilst the high priest was bound to offer it every day after the regular holocaust, with its meat offering and before the drink offering (Ecclesiasticus 45:14, with Josephus, Antiq. III. 10 § 7). It is to this practice that the apostle refers when he says, “For such a high priest became us . . . who needeth not daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices first for his own sins, &c.” (Hebrews 7:27).

In the day when he is anointed.—That is, when he is anointed (comp. Genesis 2:4) or when his anointing ceremony is completed, and he entered upon the duties of his office, which was on the eighth day. (See Leviticus 8:35; Leviticus 9:1.)

A meat offering perpetual.—That is, in the case of the high priest this oblation is to be offered every day as long as he lived or held the pontifical office. This perpetual meat offering is to consist of a tenth part of an ephah, which is an omer, half of which he is to offer in the morning and half in the evening.

In a pan it shall be made.—Better, upon a flat plate. (See Leviticus 2:5.)

And when it is baken thou shalt bring it in.—Better, thou shalt bring it well soaked. That is, thoroughly saturated with oil.

And the baken pieces of the meat offering shalt thou offer.—That is, a meat offering consisted of small roasted cakes. After the flour was put into the pan, and was soaked in oil, it was divided into and baked in small pieces, apparently to represent the limbs into which the victim of the burnt offering was divided before it was burnt. (See Leviticus 1:8.) During the second Temple the following practice obtained. The high priest brought the whole tenth part of flour every morning. After sanctifying the whole, he divided it into halves with the measure kept in the sanctuary. He likewise brought three logs of oil, which he mingled with the flour, and kneaded six cakes of each half. After baking the cakes a little, he fried them upon the pan with some of the oil, taking care not to bake them too much, but that they should be between baked and raw, in accordance with the expression, tuphinei, which the authorities of those days explained in this manner but which is rendered here in the Authorised Version by baked, and by us roasted cakes. Hereupon the high priest divided the six cakes into twelve cakes being the same number as those of the shewbread, and offered six subdivided in two in the morning and six in the evening.

Leviticus 6:20-21. When he is anointed — To be high-priest; for he only of all the priests was to be anointed in future ages. This law of his consecration was delivered before, and is here repeated because of some additions made to it. Perpetual — Whensoever any of them shall be so anointed. At night — Or, in the evening; the one to be annexed to the morning sacrifice, the other to the evening sacrifice, over and besides that offering of things inanimate, which every day was to be added to the daily morning and evening sacrifice. Thou shalt bring it in — Who art so anointed and consecrated.

6:14-23 The law of the burnt-offerings put upon the priests a great deal of care and work; the flesh was wholly burnt, and the priests had nothing but the skin. But most of the meat-offering was their own. It is God's will that his ministers should be provided with what is needful.See Leviticus 4:3. Aaron's sons here spoken of (as in Leviticus 6:22) must be the succession of high priests who succeeded him. The day of this offering was probably the eighth day of the ceremony of consecration Leviticus 8:35; Leviticus 9:1, when the high priest appears to have entered upon the duties of his office.

A meat offering perpetual - Jewish tradition is in favor of these words implying that this מנחה mı̂nchāh was offered by the high priest as a daily rite from the time of his consecration.

20. This is the offering of Aaron, and of his sons—the daily meat offering of the high priest; for though his sons are mentioned along with him, it was probably only those of his descendants who succeeded him in that high office that are meant. It was to be offered, one half of it in the morning and the other half in the evening—being daily laid by the ministering priest on the altar of burnt offering, where, being dedicated to God, it was wholly consumed. This was designed to keep him and the other attendant priests in constant remembrance, that though they were typically expiating the sins of the people, their own persons and services could meet with acceptance only through faith, which required to be daily nourished and strengthened from above. When he is anointed; when any of them are anointed for high priest; for he only of all the priests was to be anointed in future ages. This law of his consecration was delivered before, Exodus 29:2,24,25, and is here repeated because of some additions made to it. A meat-offering perpetual, to wit, whensoever any of them shall be so anointed. At night, or, in the evening; the one to be annexed to the morning sacrifice, the other to the evening sacrifice, over and besides that meat-offering which every day was to be added to the daily morning and evening sacrifices, Exodus 29:40.

This is the offering of Aaron and his sons,.... That is, of such of them as succeeded him in the high priesthood, as appears from Leviticus 6:22 so Aben Ezra, of him, or of one of his sons in his room; though some think the common priests offered the following oblation at the time of their initiation into their office, though they were not anointed as the high priest was, nor obliged as he to continue the offering daily:

which they shall offer unto the Lord in the day when he is anointed; when he, or any of his sons in his stead, were anointed, for as yet he himself was not; see Leviticus 8:2 some, as Aben Ezra observes, think that "in", is instead of "from", and that the sense is, that Aaron, or his successor, and every of them, were to offer the following offering perpetually from the time of their being anointed, and put into the office of the high priest, and which certainly was the case, as appears by what follows:

the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat offering perpetual; which was an omer, and as much as a man could eat in one day; and this the high priest offered every day, as long as he lived, or was in his office, and that at his own expense, as Josephus says (p), not altogether, but in the following manner:

half of it in the morning, and half of it at night; so that this constantly returned as the morning and evening sacrifices did, and followed them. Jarchi says of this, that it was the common meat offering at the consecration of a priest, but the high priest offered it every day; and it appears from the Misnic writers (q) that this meat offering consisted of twelve cakes, the same number as those of the shewbread; the same phrase, a "perpetual statute", being used of one as the other; and six of these were offered in the morning, and six at evening; and this as the daily sacrifice had the same mystical meaning, and respected the continual efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ.

(p) Antiqu. l. 3. c. 10. sect. 7. (q) Misn. Menachot, c. 6. sect. 5. & Maimon. & Bartenora in ib.

This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons, which they shall offer unto the LORD in the day when he is anointed; the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a meat offering {h} perpetual, half of it in the morning, and half thereof at night.

(h) So oft as the high priest shall be elected and anointed.