| Leviticus 1:4
| And he shall put his hand upon the head of the victim, and it shall be acceptable, and help to his expiation.
| Victim. To transfer all the curses due to him upon it, (Eusebius, Demon. 1:10,) and to testify that he gives it up entirely for the honour of God. (Lyranus) --- The Egyptians cut off the head of the victim, and vented upon it imprecations, begging that the gods would discharge upon it all the evils which they had deserved. Then they sold it to some foreigner, or threw it into the Nile. (Herodotus 2:39.) All nations seem to have acknowledged, that life should be given for life. Hanc animam vobis pro meliore damus: (Ovid, Fast. I.) and they had holocausts, in imitation of the Hebrews. (Bochart) --- Expiation. Hebrew, "it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him," provided he be in proper dispositions. (Menochius) --- The primary intention of the holocaust was to honour God: but this insured his favour also, and pardon. (Du Hamel)
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