These priests alone " drew near to God " (Numb, xvi, 5; Exod. xix, 22; Ezek. xHi, 13; comp. Numb.xviii,3), and hence must alone attend to all the services of the central sanctuary, the penalty of death being denounced against all others who assumed such duties (Numb, iii, G-10, 38; xvi, 40). These priests, who exercised their office, after the division of the kingdom, in Judah alone (1 Kings xiii, 33 ; 2 Chron. xi, 13 sq.), were confined to the family of Aaron (Exod. xxviii, 1), who were Ko- hathites (comp. Numb, iv, 2). Hence they are called the children of A aron (Lev. iii, 5, 13 ; comp. i, 5 ; ii, 2) ; although not all the descendants of Aaron who were legally qualified actually served as priests. Thus Bcnaiah, a priest's son (1 Chron. xxvii, 5), held military
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office under David (2 Sam. viii, 18 : xx, 23 ; 1 Kings ii, 35). Tliey were required to be without physical de- fect, as became men who must draw near to God, and mediate between him and his people (Lev. xxi, 17 sq. ; comp. Mishna, Bechoroth, c. 7 ; Josephus, War, v, 5, 7 ; see Tlioluck, Zicei Beil. z. Br. a. d. IJebr. p. 81 sq. On the examination for priesthood, see Mishna, M'uhhth, V, 4). They must also be of blameless reputation (Jo- sephus, .l«^iii, 12, 2 ; Fhilo, r>/y?. ii, 225 ; see Kichter, rhijsiofjn. Sacerd. [Jena, 1716] ii, 4 ; Kiesling, Be Legib. Mos. circa Sacerdot. Vitio Corporis Lahorunies [Lips. 1755]), -which, indeed, was demanded among other na- tions (Potter, (Jreek A ntiq. i, 292 sq. ; Adam, Horn. A ntiq. i, 529). On the vestals especially, see Aid. Gell. i, 12. The requirements of the canon law as to physical de- fects in the clergy may be compared.
The law did not fix any definite year of the priest's age in which he should enter upon his office; yet the Gemarists assert that none was ever admitted before his twentieth j-ear. Indeed, this age was required of the Levites (q. v.) before serving. But since, at a later day, even the high-priest might be but a youth (Josephus, Ant. XV, 3, 3), it may be that with priests of lower grade no groat strictness was ever exercised in this re- spect. Lideed the Mishna (Yoma, i, 7; comp. Tamid, i, 1) speaks of youths whose beard was just beginning to grow (if the gloss be right) as already entering the sanctuary in the priestly office. At a later day every one was required to jirove his genealogy (comp. Mish- na, Middoth, v, 4 ; Kiddush. iv, 4 sq.), which led the priests to set great value on their family records (comp. Ezra ii, ()2 ; Neh. vii, G4 ; Josephus, Apion, i, 7), and the Gemara refers to a special course of instruction for those entering on this office {Kethuboth, cvi, 1). The formal consecration to the priesthood consisted in sacrifices, with symbolic ceremonies, purifications, and investment (Exod. xxix ; Lev. viii). See Sacerdotal Consecra- tion.
The Israelitish priests, during active service (and, ac- cording to Jewish tradition, during their stay in the Temple ; but see Josephus, War, \, 5, 7 ; according to the Mishna, Tamid, i, 1, they were merely prohibited from sleeping in their clothes; these w^ere kept in the Temple under a special officer [Mishna, Shehul. v, 1]), wore clothing of white linen ("13, &«rf), as did the Egyptian priests (Ilcrod. ii,37), whose Avhite linen gar- ments, the simple expression of purity, were known through the ancient world (see Spencer, Leg. Rit. iii, 5; Celsius, Uierobot. ii, 290). Bahr supposes the Israel- itish priestly garments to have been copied from the Egj'ptian (^^ywio/. ii,89 sq.),but on insufficient grounds (comp, Ilengstenberg, Mos. p. 149 sq.). These gar- ments of the Jewish priests consisted of the following distinct parts, which, however, are not accurately de- scribed (Exod. xxviii, 40, 42 ; xxxix, 27 sq. ; Lev. vi, 3 ; viii, 13): (1.) C'^p3^'2, niihuisim (Sept. TrepicTKiXij, A. V. "linen breeches"), which were simply drawers, a covering for the jmdeiula, extending from the hips to the thighs (so described by Josephus, Ant. iii, 7, 1 ; but comp. Philo, 0pp. ii, 225). (2.) WnS, Icellwneth (A. V. " coat"), a woven tunic for the body. It is described by Josephus {Ant. iii, 7, 1) as reaching to the feet and fit- ting the bod\-, with sleeves tied fast to the arms, and girded to the breast a little above the elbows. (3.) L213SX, abnet, the "girdle" used to bind the tunic. It passed round the body several times, beginning at the breast, and was then tied, and hung loosely down to the ankles, save when the priest was serving, when, for convenience, it was thrown over the shoulders. It was broad, loosely woven, and embroidered (Josephus, Ant. iii, 7, 2). (4.) n^'3.1^, migbadh (A. V. " bonnet," Exod. xxviii, 40), properly a cap or turban, not made conical, but covering rather more than half tlie head, and so made as to resemble a crown. It was of heavy linen, in many folds, and sewed together, and had a cover of fine