( b ) Robing. Comp. Ex. 28:40. ( g ) Anointing of Aaron. Comp. 5:30; Ex. 28:41; 30:30; 40:15;
Lev. 10:7. ( d ) A threefold sacrifice: a bullock and two rams. ( e ) Personal application of the blood to Aaron and his sons: ear, hand, foot. Comp. Lev. 14:14.
( z ) Investment of Aaron and his sons with the elements of sacrifice. ( h ) Sprinkling of the anointing oil and blood on Aaron and his sons and upon their garments. Ex. 29:21.
In each case people, tribe, family, as representatives, were taken by the free choice of God, and not in virtue of any natural privilege of position; Num. 16:7; 18:7; Ex. 28:1; 1 Sam. 2:28.
(4) The High-priest: Ex. 29:5-7; Num. 20:26-28.
iii.
The priestly duties.
General description: Deut. 33:8 ff.; 1 Sam. 2:28.
(1) Teaching and administering the Law: Deut. 17:8 f. (a judge also recognised); Lev. 10:10 f.; Ezek. 44:23 f.; Mal. 2:7. Comp. Hos. 4:6 ff.; Amos 2:6-8.
Notice the use of the lot: Lev. 16:8; comp. Num. 26:55; Josh. 7:14 ff.; 1 Sam. 10:17; 14:41; Prov. 16:33.
(2) Ministering the ceremonial. ( a ) To prepare the shew-bread: Lev. 24:5 ff. ( b ) To burn incense: Ex. 30:7 f.; 2 Chron. 26:16 ff.; Num. 16:40. ( c ) To offer sacrifice: specially to sprinkle the blood; Lev. 1:5; 5:16.
(3) Blessing: Num. 6:22 ff. Comp. Lev. 9:22. No necessity for laborious study, but for scrupulous care.
iv.
Political position of priests.
The priests occupied a subordinate political position till the time of the Maccabees, with rare exceptions (2 Kings 11:1 ff.). Eli was the only Judge from among them; and there were few priest-prophets. They were the ordinary ministers of the divine blessing with a self-denying ordinance.
The Levites are commonly classed with the poor: a body without inheritance in an agricultural state: Deut. 10:8 f.; 12:12, 18 f.; 14:29; 16:11, 14; 26:11. Compare Gen. 49:5 ff.
Jerusalem not one of the forty-eight Levitical cities (Josh. 21:41); so that priests were strangers in the place of their service.
Contrast the position of the Brahmins; Magians (Hdt. 1.101, 132); Chaldaeans (Diod. 2.29); Egyptian priests (Hdt. 2.35ff.).
v.
The idea of the Theocracy embodied in the High-priest.
The High-priest was the representative of the whole people: he took their names upon his shoulders and upon his heart: Ex. 28:12, 29.
The same offering was made for his sins of ignorance as for the sins of the congregation: Lev. 4:3, 13.
He bore upon his head the words which marked the consecration of the nation, and that in relation to their failures: Ex. 28:36 ff.; comp. Num. 18:1.
In his person once in the year the people entered into the Presence of God.