Leviticus 6:9 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

This is the law of the burnt-offering— The sacred writer, having finished what concerns the respective sacrifices of the people, now proceeds to direct the priests: and, first, concerning that burnt-offering, or that morning and evening sacrifice, which was wholly consumed upon the perpetual fire of God's altar. Houbigant renders this clause as follows: this shall be the law of the burnt-offering; the burnt-offering shall be upon the fire of the altar all night, even to the morning, &c. A translation which may be well justified, as there is no verb in the original, and as it is agreeable to the most ancient versions. We learn from Calmet and the other writers on the subject, that the priests watched all night, and put the sacrifice upon the altar, not entire, but piece by piece, consuming it by a slow and gentle fire: so that the sacrifice was burning on the altar from the evening, when the Jewish day began, till the morning. Then succeeded the morning sacrifice; which was in like manner kept consuming till the time of the evening sacrifice, unless there were other holocausts to come after; then it was consumed more quickly, in order to make room for these extraordinary burnt-offerings. When the sin-offerings, or peace-offerings, were offered, the fat and those parts of them which were appropriated to the altar, were laid upon the daily sacrifice, and consumed with it.