Charles Ellicott Commentary Numbers 18
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Numbers 18
Charles Ellicott 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)
Shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary ... — It must be remembered that the iniquity of the sanctuary, and the iniquity of the priesthood, extended not only to the defilement of the sanctuary by the transgressions of priests and people (Leviticus 16:11; Leviticus 16:15–16), but also to its defilement by the imperfections connected with the services of the priests and the offerings of the people (Exodus 28:38).
"And thy brethren also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou near with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall be before the tent of the testimony." — Numbers 18:2 (ASV)
That they may be joined to you.— There is an allusion here to the meaning of the name Levi, which was given to Leah’s third son. (See Genesis 29:34.) The Hebrew verb is the same as that which occurs in the speech of Leah.
And minister to you: but you and your sons ... — Or, and they shall minister to you, both to you and to your sons with you, before the tent of witness. The service of the Levites was executed before the tent— i.e., in the court; that of the priests was in the holy place, as well as in the court (Numbers 18:7).
"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)
And keep the charge ... — See Numbers 1:53; Numbers 3:7.
"And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar; that there be wrath no more upon the children of Israel. 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." — Numbers 18:5-6 (ASV)
And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary ... — See Numbers 8:19.
"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 18:7 (ASV)
And within the veil—that is, the veil which separated the holy place from the most holy. The word used in this place (parocheth) is used only of the second veil. . When the outer veil or hanging is meant, the word used is masak. The reference appears to be to the whole of the priestly duties performed by Aaron and his sons, from those connected with the altar of burnt offering to those performed in the most holy place.
Jump to: