Sprinkling

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

(springing). The blood of the sin-offering was sprinkled with the finger of the priest upon the mercy-seat of the inner sanctuary as an atonement for the holy place because of national uncleanness (Lev. 16:14-16¹⁴And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times. ¹⁵Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: ¹⁶And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. (Leviticus 16:14‑16)). The “blood of sprinkling” or mediatorial blood of the new covenant (Heb. 12:24²⁴And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. (Hebrews 12:24)), is made antithetical with the blood of vengeance (Gen. 4:10¹⁰And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. (Genesis 4:10)).

Concise Bible Dictionary:

This mode of applying blood as a witness of death was

1. For protection. When all the firstborn in Egypt were to be smitten, the Israelites were told to “strike,” that is “sprinkle,” the side posts and lintels of their doors with the blood of a lamb, and Jehovah said, “When I see the blood I will pass over you.” Death had already nullified the power of death (Ex. 12:7, 13⁷And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. (Exodus 12:7)
¹³And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. (Exodus 12:13)).

2. For purification. Aaron and his sons were sprinkled with blood. Moses “sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry, and almost all things are by the law purged with blood.” Death separated the priestly family from their own associations (Ex. 29:21²¹And thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it upon Aaron, and upon his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be hallowed, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him. (Exodus 29:21); Heb. 9:21-22²¹Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. ²²And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. (Hebrews 9:21‑22)).

3. For presentation. In the burnt offering, the blood was sprinkled round about upon the altar; in the sin offering the blood was sprinkled seven times before the Lord before the vail of the sanctuary; and on the day of atonement the blood was sprinkled upon the mercy-seat eastward, and before the mercy-seat seven times (Lev. 1:5⁵And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. (Leviticus 1:5); Lev. 4:6⁶And the priest shall dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle of the blood seven times before the Lord, before the vail of the sanctuary. (Leviticus 4:6); Lev. 16:14¹⁴And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times. (Leviticus 16:14)). Death became the means of God accomplishing His purposes of grace. The believer is redeemed, purified, and sanctified by the precious blood of Christ, and is ever before God “perfected” according to the preciousness of that blood (Heb. 9:14¹⁴How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14); Heb. 10:10, 14¹⁰By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10)
¹⁴For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14); 1 Pet. 1:19¹⁹But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:19)).

4. For confirmation. The covenant was sealed, and the people bound to it, by blood. Moses “sprinkled both the book and all the people” (Heb. 9:19¹⁹For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, (Hebrews 9:19)).

From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

Isaiah 52:15¹⁵So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider. (Isaiah 52:15). So shall he sprinkle many nations.

Most commentators suppose the figure of sprinkling to be taken from the ceremonial sprinklings of the Mosaic law. It was customary to sprinkle blood in connection with different sacrifices. See notes on Exodus 23:15¹⁵Thou shalt keep the feast of unleavened bread: (thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days, as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month Abib; for in it thou camest out from Egypt: and none shall appear before me empty:) (Exodus 23:15) (#130); Leviticus 6:9⁹Command Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the law of the burnt offering: It is the burnt offering, because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning, and the fire of the altar shall be burning in it. (Leviticus 6:9) (#151); 6:25 (#153); 7:1 (#154); 7:11 (#156); 16:34 (#161). In allusion to this custom the prophet, in the text, represents the Messiah as making atonement for the nations.

Some writers think there is an allusion to the custom of sprinkling guests at feasts with perfumed waters from a silver vessel of vase-like shape and with a perforated top, through which the fluid is thrown on the faces of the guests. This sprinkling is sometimes so copious as to cause embarrassment. Bruce, after describing an interview he once had with a certain dignitary, says: “Our coffee being done, I rose to take my leave, and was presently wet to the skin by deluges of orange-flower water.” Niebuhr relates a similar instance: “The first time we were received with all the Eastern ceremonies, (it was at Rosetto, at a Greek merchant’s house,) there was one of our company who was excessively surprised when a domestic placed himself before him and threw water over him, as well on his face as over his clothes.” See Taylor's Calmet; Fragments. No. 16.

Tile engraving represents a perfume-sprinkler of beautiful form, such as is used in some parts of India.

Sprinkling

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

Concise Bible Dictionary:

From Manners and Customs of the Bible:

Related Books and Articles: