Albert Barnes Commentary Numbers 18
Albert Barnes Commentary
Numbers 18
Albert Barnes Commentary
Numbers 18
"And Jehovah said unto Aaron, Thou and thy sons and thy fathers` house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary; and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood." — Numbers 18:1 (ASV)
The iniquity of the sanctuary - i.e., the guilt of the offences which an erring people would be continually committing against the majesty of God, when brought into contact, through the ordinances, with the manifestations of His presence. Compare the marginal reference.
The iniquity of your priesthood - As the priests themselves were but men, they were strengthened to bear the iniquity of their own unintentional offences, by being entrusted with the ceremonial means of taking it away . The word “bear” has, in the Old Testament, this double sense of “enduring” and “removing”; but in the person of Christ, who atoned by His own endurance, the two are, in effect, one.
"And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the Tent: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you." — Numbers 18:4 (ASV)
A stranger – that is, everyone not a Levite. So in (Numbers 18:7), it denotes everyone who was not a priest: compare (Numbers 3:10); (Numbers 16:40).
"And I, behold, I have taken your brethren the Levites from among the children of Israel: to you they are a gift, given unto Jehovah, to do the service of the tent of meeting. And thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priesthood for everything of the altar, and for that within the veil; and ye shall serve: I give you the priesthood as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death." — Numbers 18:6-7 (ASV)
The Lord instructs here the priests that the office which they fill, and the help which they enjoy, are gifts from Him, and are to be viewed as such.
"And Jehovah spake unto Aaron, And I, behold, I have given thee the charge of my heave-offerings, even all the hallowed things of the children of Israel; unto thee have I given them by reason of the anointing, and to thy sons, as a portion for ever." — Numbers 18:8 (ASV)
By reason of the anointing - See Leviticus 7:35.
"As the most holy things shalt thou eat thereof; every male shall eat thereof: it shall be holy unto thee." — Numbers 18:10 (ASV)
In the most holy place - Rather, “among the most holy things;” as in (Numbers 4:4): that is, “As the most holy of things you shall eat it.” Accordingly, only the males of the priestly families could eat of the things here specified.
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