The priests were also required to instruct the people in the law, and in certain cases to give judicial answers (Deut. xvii, 8 sq. ; xix, 17; xxi, 5; comp. 2 Chron. xvii, 8 sq.). King Jehoshaphat even established a high tribunal, consisting of priests and Levites, in Jeru- salem (2 Chron. xix, 8; comp. Josephus, Apion, ii, 21; Diod. Sic. Kcl. xl, 1). On the services of priests in ar- mies, see Wau.
The priests were required to perform all their offices in a state of ceremonial purity (Josephus, Wai; v, 5, G), which led to their oft-repeated washings, especially be- fore each performance of official duty (Exod. xxx, 19 sq. ; Tumid, i, 2, 4; ii, 1), for which purpose vessels of water for bathing were kept in the court of the sanctu- arv. (On the duties of priests when rendered unclean, see the Mishna, Middoth, ii, 5.) They were not per- mitted, while engaged in official service, to take wine or any other intoxicating drink (Lev. x, 9 sq. ; Ezek. xliv, 21 ; Josephus, ^?i/. iii, 12, 5; \Var,v,b,l). According to Kabbinical regulations, those who had the daily min- istration must entirely abstain, and the rest of the weekly division might drink wine only at night, be- cause during the day thej' were liable to be called on for aid (^Mishna, Taanith, ii, 7; comp. Josephus, -.4 ^;/oh, i, 22, p. 457 ed. Haverc), All extravagant demonstra- tions of sorrow, as rending the clothes, wounding the body, shaving the head, etc., were forbidden them (Lev. x, 6 sq.; xxi, 5 [see Mourning]), and they were to avoid with care the touch of a corpse (Lev. xxi, 1 sq. ; Ezek. xliv, 25 sq. ; Piihr, Symbol, ii, 182 sq.). With these restrictions may be compared those enjoined on i\\& flamen dialis among the liomans (Aul. Gell. x, 15). They were required in marrying, too, to have regard to priestly dignity ; though not compelled to celibacy, as the Egyptian priests (Diod. Sic. i, 80), they could only marry virgins or widows of character (never divorced women. Mishna, Sola, viii, 3), and of Israelitish descent (Lev. xxi, 7 ; Ezek. xliv, 22 ; comp. Ezra x, 18), though no limit was enjoined as to the particular tribe; and in a later age even the Israelitish descent needed not to be direct (Mishna, Biccur. i, 8). Yet intermarriage with the families of priests was especially sought (Luke i, 5; comp. Josephus, Apion, i, 7; Miinch, Be Mutrim. Sa- cerd. V. T. c. Filiah. Sacerd. [Nuremb. 1747]). The law even extended its special care to the dignity and honor of the (laughters of the priests (Lev. xxi, 9 ; comp. xxii, 12; Mishna, Terinnoth,vu,2).
It is not difficult to understand how the priests en- joyed tlie peculiar reverence of the people (comp. Jer. xviii, 18; Sirach vii, 31 sq.; Josephus, Apion, ii, 21), although tlioir want of piety, and even their immorality, often called for severe rebid<es from the prophets (Jer. V, 31 : vi, 13; xxiii, 11 ; Lam. iv, 13; I':zek. xxii, 20; Hos. vi, 9; Jlic. iii, 11 ; Zcph. iii, 4; IMal. ii). A num- ber of cities (thirteen) were set apart for tlie residences of the priests, as also for the Levites (Josh, xxi, 4, 10 sq.), which lay near together in the viciiuty of the sanc- tuary, in the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and IJcnjamin [see Sacekdotai. Cities], and between which and Je-
rusalem they made their journeys on official duty (comp. Luke X, 31. (On the station or reserve body of priests in Jericho, see Lightfoot, IJor. Heb. p. 89, 709.) In the Holy City, the priests inhabited chambers in the neigh- borhood of the Temple (Neh. xi, 10 sq.).
The priesthood was supported (comp. Nimib. xviii ; Josephus, Ant. iv, 4, 4) by the assigned portions of the sacrifices (Lev. ii, 3, 10 ; v, 13 ; vi, 9, 13 ; vii, 0, 9, 14, 32, 34; X, 12sq. ; Numb, vi, 20; Dent, xviii, 3), as in Egypt (see Herod, ii, 37 ; and see Sacrifice ; comp. also Schol. ad Aristoph. Pint. 1180). This sacred portion was dis- tributed also to those of priestlv descent who were in- firm, or for other reasons not called into service (Lev. xxi, 22; Josephus, War,\, 5,7; see Hettinger, ^4 ^jofo/;. p)ro Benigna Lege, Lev. xxii [Frankf. 1738] ; Cremer, in the Miscell. Gronin;/. ii, 294 sq. ; Deyling, Obseriw, 70 sq.). First-fruits, heave-oiferings (Numb, xxxi, 29), tithes (q. v.).the shew-bread, when removed (Lev. xxiv, 9; Matt, xii, 4; comp. Si/cca, v, 8), the tines fur Levit- ical transgressions (Numb, v, 6 sq.), the redemption price of the tirst-born (xviii, 15 sq.), and the subjects of vows, or the price of their redemption (Lev. xxvii; Numb, xviii, 14 ; see in general Philo, Be Prceviiis Sa- cerd. in vol. ii of Mangey's Ausg. p. 232 sq.), were also perquisites; some of which were only to be enjoyed by the priests themselves, and only then in the vicinity of the sanctuary, as the pieces of the trespass -offering (Lev. vi, 19 sq.) and the shew-bread (xxiv, 9); others only within the Holy City; while the tithes, heave- offerings, etc., were eaten in the sacerdotal cities, and by the entire families of the priests.
In addition to their receipts, the priests were free from taxes and from military service ; and the freedom from taxation was granted them even in the period af- ter the exile, and by the foreign rulers of Palestine (Ezra vii, 24; Josephus, Ant. xii, 3, 3). In the last pe- riod of the Jewisli state the rapacity of the high-priests reduced the common priests even to want (Josephus, .4?!/. XX, 9, 2 ; comp. 8, 8). As the priests and Levites formed one thirteentli of the whole population, the siqiport of this class was no small burden on the productive indus- try of the nation; yet the constant increase of the Le- vitical families caused such division of the revenues that the incotne of a Levite could never have been very great. In relation to this subject, it should be borne in mind, (1) that the tithes and tirst-fruits, on a soil so fruitful, and with property secured by law, could never be very burdensome; (2) that the other gifts, pieces from the sacrifices, vows, etc., depended in great part on the free choice of worshippers ; (3) that, apart from the priests and a few officers of government, the whole peo- ple were producers, and, during the early period at least, the body of consumers was not increased by a standing army or a learned class; (4) that the increase in num- bers of the Levites themselves did not increase the tithes, which were a fixed ]Krcentage of the produce. The true view is that one thirteenth of all the land rightfully belonged to the tribe of Levi; and, as this share was abandoned to the other tribes, their revenues were not payments for their sacerdotal services, but in- terest or rent for their land.