And unto all the children of Israel. — As the following laws presented the condition of the animals which the Israelites are to offer, they are addressed to the laity as well as to the priests.
Whatsoever he be. — Better, what man soever there be, as it is translated in the Authorised version Leviticus 17:3 (and see Note on Leviticus 17:8).
Offer his oblation. — Better, offer his offering, as the Authorised version translates it in Leviticus 3:7; Leviticus 3:14; Leviticus 7:12; Leviticus 17:4, &c. It is difficult to divine why the translators gave here a different rendering of a fixed sacrificial formula which it is important to reproduce uniformly in a translation.
For all his vows, and for all his freewill offerings. — Better, for any manner of vow, or for any manner of freewill offering. That is, if an Israelite by race, or one who was originally a stranger but has joined the Jewish community, brings a sacrifice, be it in consequence of a vow which he has made, or be it a freewill offering. Both these kinds of sacrifices were entirely voluntary, and the difference between them is described in Leviticus 7:16.