Aaron is commanded to offer CHAP. IX. a sin-offering and a burnt-offering. Extends his ears to meet the sanguine rain, Nor lets a single drop descend in vain. Then from the gloomy cave comes forth to light, Bathed in black blood, and horrible to sight!— By the vile torrent, and the victim slain, In the dark cavern cleansed from mortal stain, Their priest, enveloped in atoning gore, With trembling awe surrounding throngs adore." Prudentius was born about the middle of the fourth century, and was no doubt intimately acquainted with the circumstances he describes. Verse 27. And waved them for a wave-offering] See the nature of this and the heave-offering in the note on Exod. xxix. 27. Verse 30. And Moses took-the blood—and sprinkled it upon Aaron, &c.] Thus we find that the highpriest himself must be sprinkled with the blood of the sacrifice; and our blessed Lord, of whom Aaron was a type, was sprinkled with his own blood. 1. In his agony in the garden. 2. In his being crowned with thorns. 3. In the piercing of his hands and his feet. And 4. In his side being pierced with the spear. All these were so many acts of atonement performed by the high-priest. Verse 33. For seven days shall he consecrate you.] This number was the number of perfection among the Hebrews; and the seven days' consecration implied a perfect and full consecration to the sacerdotal office. See the note on Exod. xxix. 30. the complete preparation of Aaron and his sons to fill the awfully important office of priests and mediators between God and Israel, to offer sacrifices and make atonement for the sins of the people. "Thus," says Mr. Ainsworth, "the covenant of the priesthood was confirmed unto the tribe of Levi in Aaron and his sons, which covenant was life and peace, Mal. ii. 5. But these are made priests without an oath; also, there were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death; and they served unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, offering gifts and sacrifices which could not make him who did the service perfect as pertaining to the conscience; for they were carnal ordinances imposed upon them till the time of reformation, that is, until the time of Christ, who was made a priest of God with an oath, and made surety of a better covenant, established on better promises. And because he continueth for ever, he hath a priesthood which passeth not from one to another, and is a minister of the true tabernacle, which God pitched and not man. Not by the blood of bulls and of goats, but by his own blood, he entered once into the holy place, having found everlasting redemption for us; and is therefore able to save to the uttermost them, who come unto God through him, as he ever liveth to make intercession for them." Taken in reference to his priesthood and sacrifice, all these rites and ceremonies are significant and edifying; but taken out of this relation, they would be as absurd and nugatory as the consecration of the Roman Pontifex Maximus, mentioned above Verse 36. So Aaron and his sons did] This chapter shows the exact fulfilment of the commands delivered to Moses, Exod. xxix; and consequently by Prudentius, CHAPTER IX, Aaron is commanded to offer, on the eighth day, a sin-offering and a burnt-offering, 1, 2. The people are commanded also to offer a sin-offering, a burnt-offering, peace-offerings, and a meat-offering, 3, 4. They do as they were commanded; and Moses promises that God shall appear among them, 5, 6. Aaron is commanded to make an atonement for the people, 7. He and his sons prepare and offer the different sacrifices, 8-21. Aaron and Moses bless the congregation, 22, 23. And the fire of the Lord consumes the sacrifice, 24, 3 And unto the children of Israel thou shalt с Ch. viii. 18. 9, 10. So here, the priests, until the eighth day, were not admitted to minister in their office." Verse 2. Take thee a young calf, &c.] As these sacrifices were for Aaron himself, they are furnished by himself and not by the people, for they were designed to make atonement for his own sin. See chap. iv. 3. And this is supposed by the Jews to have been intended to make an atonement for his sin in the matter of the golden calf. This is very probable, as no formal atonement for that transgression Verse 1. On the eighth day] This was the first day after their consecration, before which they were deemed unfit to minister in holy things, being considered as in a state of imperfection. "All creatures," says Ainsworth, "for the most part were in their uncleanness and imperfection seven days, and perfected on the eighth; as children by circumcision, Lev. xii. 2, 3; young beasts for sacrifice, chap. xxii. 27; persons that were unclean by leprosies, issues, and the like, chap. xiv. 8-10, xv. 13, 14, Numb. vi. | had yet been made. 12 And he slew the burnt-offering; and Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood, mwhich he sprinkled round about upon the altar. 13" And they presented the burnt-offering unto him, with the pieces thereof, and the head and he burnt them upon the altar. a Ch. iv. 23. Ezra vi. 17. x. 19.- b Ch. ii. 4.- C Ver. 6, 23. Exod. xxix. 43. d Ver. 23. Exod. xxiv. 16. Ch. iv. 3. 1 Sam. iii. 14. Hebr. v. 3. vii. 27. ix. 7.- -Ch. iv. 16, 20. Hebr. v. 1.- - Ch. viii, 15.- b See ch. iv. 7. - Ch. iv. 11. viii. 17.- --m Ch. n Ch. viii. 20. -9 Ch. viii. 21.- -P Ver. 3. Hebr. ii, 17. v. 3.9 Ch. i. 3, 10.Ver. 4. Ch. ii. 1, 2. 1 Ch. viii. 16. i. 5. viii. 19. Isai. liii. 10. ordinance. k Ch. iv. 8. r Or, Heb. filled his Verse 3. Take ye a kid] In chap. iv. 14 a young bullock is commanded to be offered for the sin of the people; but here the offering is a kid, which was the sacrifice appointed for the sin of the ruler, chap. iv. 22, 23, and hence some think that the reading of the Samaritan and the Septuagint is to be preferred. Speak unto the ELDERS of Israel, these being the only princes or rulers of Israel at that time; and for them it an atonement for the people. 14 And he did wash the inwards and the legs, and burnt them upon the burnt-offering on the altar. A. M. 2514. B. C. 1490. An. Exod, Isr. Abib or Nisan. 15 P And he brought the people's offering, and took the goat, which was the sin-offering for the people, and slew it, and offered it for sin, as the first. 16 And he brought the burnt-offering, and offered it according to the manner. 17 And he brought the meat-offering, and took an handful thereof, and burnt it upon the altar, "beside the burnt-sacrifice of the morning. 18 He slew also the bullock and the ram for V a sacrifice of peace-offerings, which was for the people: and Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar round about; 19 And the fat of the bullock and of the ram, the rump, and that which covereth the inwards, and the kidneys, and the caul above the liver: W 20 And they put the fat upon the breasts, and he burnt the fat upon the altar: 21 And the breasts and the right shoulder Aaron waved for a wave-offering before the LORD; as Moses commanded. 22 And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin-offering, and the burnt-offering, and peace-offerings. 23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people. 24 And aa there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt-offering and the fat; which when all the people saw, bb they shouted, and fell on their faces. Exod. xxix. 38. Ch. iii. 1, &c. hand out of it. w Ch. iii. 5, 16.- - Exod. xxix. 24, 26. Ch. vii. 30, 31, 32, 33. 34. -y Numb. vi, 23. Deut. xxi. 5. Luke xxiv. 50. Ver. 6. Numb. xiv. 10. xvi. 19, 42. aa Gen. iv. 4. Judz. vi. 21. 1 Kings xviii. 38. 2 Chron. vii. 1. Ps. xx. 3. 2 Mac. ii. 10, 11.- bb 1 Kings xviii. 39. 2 Chron. vii. 3. Ezra iii. 11. is possible this sacrifice was designed. It is however supposed that the sacrifice appointed chap. iv. 14 was for a particular sin, but this for sin in general; and that it is on this account that the sacrifices differ. Verse 6. And the glory of the Lord shall appear] God shall give the most sensible signs of his presence among you; this he did in general by the cloud on the tabernacle, but in this case the particular proof Observations on CHAP. IX. the preceding chapter. was the fire that came out from before the Lord, and | tric spark, sent immediately from the divine presence, consumed the burnt-offering; see ver. 23, 24. the victims were consumed. The heathens, in order Verse 7. Make an atonement for thyself] This to give credit to their worship, imitated this miracle, showed the imperfection of the Levitical law; the and pretended that Jupiter testified his approbation high-priest was obliged to make an expiation for his of the sacrifices offered to him by thunder and lightown sins before he could make one for the sins of the ning: to this VIRGIL Seems to allude, though the people. See the use made of this by the apostle, words have been understood differently. Heb. v. 3, vii. 27, ix. 7. Verse 22. And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them] On lifting up the hands in prayer, see Exod. ix. 29. The form of the blessing we have in Numb. vi. 23, &c.: "The LORD bless thee and keep thee! The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee! The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace!" See the notes on these passages. And came down from offering of the sin-offering, &c.] A sin-offering, a burnt-offering, a meat-offering, and peace-offerings, were made to God that his glory might appear to the whole congregation. This was the end of all sacrifice and religious service; not to confer any obligation on God, but to make an atonement for sin, and to engage him to dwell among and influence his worshippers. Verse 23. Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle] It is supposed that Moses accompanied Aaron into the tabernacle to show him how to offer the incense, prepare the lamps and the perfume, adjust the shew-bread, &c., &c. Audiat hæc genitor, qui fœdera fulmine sancit. "Let Jupiter hear, who sanctions covenants by his thunder." On which words Servius makes this remarkable comment: Quia cum fiunt fœdera, si coruscatio fuerit, confirmantur. Vel certe quia apud majores aræ non incendebantur, sed ignem divinum precibus eliciebant qui incendebant altaria. "To sanction the covenant signifies to confirm it; for when a covenant was made, if there were a flash of lightning, it was considered to be thereby confirmed: or rather, because our ANCESTORS lighted no fire upon the altars, but obtained by their supplications divine fire," &c. The expression apud majores," among our ancestors," shows that they could boast of no such divine fire then; nor could they ever before, as the whole account was borrowed from the Jews. Solinus, Polyhistor, gives us an account to the same effect; for, speaking of the hill of Vulcan in Sicily, he says: In quo, qui divinæ rei operantur, ligna vitea super aras struunt, nec ignis apponitur in hanc congeriem: cum prosicias intulerunt, si adest Deus, si sacrum probatur, sarmenta licet viridia sponte concipiunt, et nullo inflagrante halitu, ab ipso numine fit accendium, cap. v. in fine. They who perform sacred rites in this place, put a bundle of vine-tree wood upon the altar, but put no fire to it; for, when they lay the pieces of the victim upon it, if the Deity be present, and he approve the sacrifice, the bundle, although of green wood, takes fire of itself, and without any other means the Deity himself kindles the flame." These are remarkable instances, and show how exactly the heathen writers have borrowed from the sacred records. And in further imitation of this miracle, they had their perpetual fire in the temple of Vesta, which they feigned to have descended at first from heaven, and which they kept with the most religious veneration. And the glory of the Lord appeared] To show that every thing was done according to the divine mind, 1. The glory of Jehovah appears unto all the people; 2. A fire came out from before the Lord, and consumed the burnt-offering. This was the proof which God gave upon extraordinary occasions of his acceptance of the sacrifice. This was done, probably, 1. In the case of Abel, Gen. iv. 4. 2. In the case of Aaron; see above, ver. 24. 3. In the case of Gideon, Judg. vi. 21. 4. In the case of Manoah and his wife. Compare Judg. xiii. 19-23. 5. In the case of David dedicating the threshing-floor of Ornan, 1 Chron. xxi. 26. 6. In the case of Solomon dedicating the temple, 2 Chron. vii. 1. 7. In the case of Elijah, 1 Kings xviii. 38. Hence to express the accepting of an offering, sacrifice, &c., the verb w dishshen is used, which signifies to reduce to ashes, i. c., by fire from Verse 24. When all the people saw, they shouted, heaven. See Ps. xx. 3. In such a case as this, it and fell on their faces.] 1. The miracle was done in was necessary that the fire should appear to be di- such a way as gave the fullest conviction to the peovinely sent, and should come in such a way as to ple of its reality. 2. They exulted in the thought preclude the supposition that any art or deceit had that the God of almighty power and energy had taken been practised on the occasion. Hence it is not in- up his abode amongst them. 3. They prostrated timated that Moses and Aaron brought it out of the themselves in his presence, thereby intimating the tabernacle, professing that God had kindled it there deep sense they had of HIS goodness, of their unfor them, but the fire CAME OUT from BEFORE the Lord, worthiness, and of the obligation they were under to and ALL the PEOPLE SAW it. The victims were con- live in subjection to his authority, and obedience to sumed by a fire, evidently of no human kindling. his will. This celestial fire was carefully preserved Josephus says that "a fire proceeded from the vic-amongst the Israelites till the time of Solomon, when tims themselves of its own accord, which had the ap- it was renewed, and continued amongst them till the pearance of a flash of lightning;" ε aνтшv птρ av- Babylonish captivity. This divine fire was the emήφθη αυτόματον, και όμοιον αστραπης λαμπηδόνι δρωμενον | blem of the Holy Spirit. And as no sacrifice could Ty ploy "and consumed all that was upon the altar." be acceptable to God, which was not salted, i. c., -Antiq., lib. iii., c. 8., s. 6, edit. Haverc. And it is seasoned and rendered pleasing, by this fire, as our very likely that by the agency of the ethereal or elec- Lord says Mark ix. 49, so no soul can offer accept Nadab and Abihu offer LEVITICUS. strange fire before the Lord; able sacrifices to God, but through the influences of | evidently refer to these circumstances, 1 Epist., chap. the Divine Spirit. Hence the promise of the Spirit iii. 2, 3: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God; under the emblem of fire, Matt. iii. 11, and its actual and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we descent in this similitude on the day of Pentecost, know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, Acts ii. 3, 4. for we shall see him as he is; and every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure." This manifestation of God in the tabernacle was a type of his presence, first, in the church militant on earth; and secondly, in the church triumphant in heaven. They who expect to have the presence of God here, must propitiate his throne of justice by the only available sacrifice; they who wish to enjoy everlasting felicity, must be purified from all unrighteousness, for without holiness none can see the Lord. If we hope to see him as he is, we must resemble him. How vain is the expectation of glory, where there is no meetness for the place! And how can we enter into the holiest but by the blood of Jesus? Heb. x. 19. And of what use can this sacrifice be to those who do not properly believe in it? And can any faith, even in that sacrifice, be effectual to salvation, that does not purify the heart? Reader! earnestly pray to God that thou hold not the truth in unrighteousness. The most remarkable circumstance in this chapter is the manifestation of the presence of God, and the consuming of the victims by the miraculous fire. We have already seen that the chief design of these sacrificial rites was to obtain reconciliation to God, that the Divine Presence might dwell and be manifested among them. To encourage the people to make the necessary preparations, to offer the sacrifices in a proper spirit, and to expect especial mercies from the hand of God, Moses promises, ver. 4, that the Lord would appear unto them on the morrow, and that his glory should appear, ver. 6. In hope or expectation of this, the priests, the elders, and the people purified | themselves by offering the different sacrifices which God had appointed; and when this was done God did appear, and gave the fullest proofs of his approbation, by miraculously consuming the sacrifices which were prepared on the occasion. Does not St. John CHAPTER X. Aaron Nadab and Abihu offer strange fire before the Lord, and are destroyed, 1—5. and his family forbidden to mourn for them, 6, 7. He and his family are forbidden the use of wine, 8-11. Directions to Aaron and his sons concerning the eating of the meatofferings, &c., 12-15. Moses chides Aaron for not having eaten the sin-offering, 16-18. Aaron excuses himself, and Moses is satisfied, 19, 20. A. M. 2514. An. Exod. Isr. Abib or Nisan. a AND Nadab and Abihu, cense C thereon, and offered a Ch. xvi. 1. xxii. 9. Numb. iii. 3, 4. xxvi. 61. 1 Chron. NOTES ON CHAP. X. Verse 1. And Nadab and Abihu-took either of them his censer] The manner of burning incense in the temple service was, according to the Jews, as follows: "One went and gathered the ashes from off the altar into a golden vessel, a second brought a vessel full of incense, and a third brought a censer with fire, and put coals on the altar, and he whose office it was to burn the incense strewed it on the fire at the command of the governor. At the same time all the people went out of the temple from between the porch and the altar. Each day they burned the weight of a hundred denaries of incense, fifty in the morning, and fifty in the evening. The hundred denaries weighed fifty shekels of the sanctuary, each shekel weighing three hundred and twenty barleycorns; and when the priest had burned the incense, he bowed himself down and went his way out. See Maimonides' Treatise of the Daily Service, chap. iii. So when Zacharias, as his lot fell, burned incense in the temple, the whole multitude of the people were without at prayer while the incense was burning, A. M. 2514. c Exod. xxx. 9.- In the preceding chapter we have seen how God intended that every part of his service should be conducted; and that every sacrifice might be acceptable to him, he sent his own fire as the emblem of his presence, and the means of consuming the sacrifice. Here we find Aaron's sons neglecting the divine ordinance, and offering incense with strange, that is, common fire-fire not of a celestial origin; and therefore the fire of God consumed them. So that very fire which, if properly applied, would have sanctified and consumed their gift, becomes now the very instrument of their destruction! How true is the saying, The Lord is a consuming fire! He will either hallow or destroy us: he will purify our souls 12. and are destroyed.· A. M. 2514. Abib or Nisan. CHAP. X. from the LORD, and devoured a 3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. "And Aaron held his peace. e 4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp. 5 So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said. T 6 And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, f Uncover Wine, &c., prohibited to Aaron. A. M. 2514. not your heads, neither rend 7 And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you. And they did according to the word of Moses. 8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, 9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: k and while he exquisitely feels as a father, he submits without murmuring to this awful dispensation of Divine Justice. It is an awful thing to introduce innovations either into the rites and ceremonies, or into the truths, of the religion of Christ; he who acts thus cannot stand guiltless before his God. 10 And that ye may 'put difference between Exod. xix. 22. xxix. 43. Ch. xxi. 6, 17, 21. Isai. lii. 11. xxiv. 16, 17.- Numb. xvi. 22, 46. Josh. vii. 1. xxii. 18, Ezek. xx. 41. xlii. 13.- b Isai. xlix. 3. Ezek. xxviii. 22. 20. 2 Sam. xxiv. 1.-h Ch. xxi. 12. Exod. xxviii. 41. John xiii, 31, 32. xiv. 13. 2 Thess. i. 10.Le Ps. xxxix. Ch. viii. 30.k Ezek. xliv. 21. Luke i. 15. 1 Tim. iii. 3. Exod. vi. 18, 22. Numb. iii. 19, 30.Le Luke vii. Tit. i. 7.Ch. xi. 47. xx. 25. Jer. xv. 19. Ezek. xxii. 12. Acts v. 6, 9, 10. viii. 2.Exod. xxxiii, 5. Ch. xiii. 26. xliv. 23. 45. xxi. 1, 10. Numb. vi. 6, 7. Deut. xxxiii. 9. Ezek. by the influence of his Spirit, or consume them with the breath of his mouth! The tree which is properly planted in a good soil is nourished by the genial influences of the sun: pluck it up from its roots, and the sun which was the cause of its vegetative life and perfection now dries up its juices, decomposes its parts, and causes it to moulder into dust. Thus must it be done to those who grieve and do despite to the Spirit of God. Reader, hast thou this heavenly fire? Hear then the voice of God, QUENCH not the SPIRIT! Some critics are of opinion that the fire used by the sons of Aaron was the sacred fire, and that it is only called strange from the manner of placing the incense on it. I cannot see the force of this opinion. Which he commanded them not.] Every part of the religion of God is divine. He alone knew what he designed by its rites and ceremonies, for that which they prefigured the whole economy of redemption by Christ, was conceived in his own mind, and was out of the reach of human wisdom and conjecture. He therefore who altered any part of this representative system, who omitted or added any thing, assumed a prerogative which belonged to God alone, and was certainly guilty of a very high offence against the wisdom, justice, and righteousness of his Maker. This appears to have been the sin of Nadab and Abihu, and this at once shows the reason why they were so severely punished. The most awful judgments are threatened against those who either add to, or take away from, the declarations of God. See Deut. iv. 2; Prov. xxx. 6; and Rev. xxii. 18, 19. Verse 3. And Aaron held his peace.] 17 vaiyiddom Aharon, and Aaron was dumb. How elegantly expressive is this of his parental affection, his deep sense of the presumption of his sons, and his own submission to the justice of God! The flower and hope of his family was nipped in the bud and blasted; It has often been remarked that excessive grief stupifies the mind, so that amazement and deep anguish prevent at once both tears and complaints ; hence that saying of Seneca, Curæ leves loquuntur ; graviores silent. "Slight sorrows are loquacious; deep anguish has no voice." See on ver. 19. Verse 4. Uzziel the uncle of Aaron] He was brother to Amram the father of Aaron; see Exod. vi. 18—22. Verse 5. Carried them in their coats out of the camp] The modern impropriety of burying the dead within towns, cities, or places inhabited, had not yet been introduced; much less that abomination, at which both piety and common sense shudder, burying the dead about and even within places dedicated to the worship of God! Verse 6. Uncover not your heads, &c.] They were to use no sign of grief or mourning, 1. Because those who were employed in the service of the sanctuary should avoid every thing that might incapacitate them for that service; and 2. Because the crime of their brethren was so highly provoking to God, and so fully merited the punishment which he had inflicted, that their mourning might be considered as accusing the Divine Justice of undue severity. Verse 7. The anointing oil of the Lord is upon you.] They were consecrated to the divine service, and this required their constant attendance, and most willing and cheerful service. Verse 9. Do not drink wine nor strong drink] The cabalistical commentator, Baal Hatturim, and others, have supposed, from the introduction of this command |