and ſpread a purple cloth thereon : , a” of © ey" Way Whereby it may ſeem probable, though it be denied by moſt, that they did offer ſome ſacrifices in the Wil gd neſs, though it may not be ſo frequently nor orderly as afterwards they did. Whence elſe were theſe aſhes ? And there are ſome undeniable inſtances of their ſacrificing there, as Exod 18. 12+ and 24. 4. Numb« 7. &c. from whichat ſeems rational to conclude, wor” they did offer ſacrifices at other times, though not ſo conſtantly an diligently, as they did in Canaan. And for the argument againſt 1t from Amos 5« 25. that may be eaſily diſſolved, as we ſhall there ww if the Lord pleaſe. Moreover the taking away of the aſhes only dot ſufficiently imply that the fire was preſerved, which as it came down from Heaven, Levit: 9. So it was by God's command to be continually fed and kept burning, and therefore doubrleſs was put into ſome Veſle!, which mizhr be either faſtened to the Alrar and put within this covering, or carried by ſome perſon appointed there- unto. | |
14 And they (ball put upon it all the veſſels threof 7 wherewith they miniſter about it, even the cenſers, the fleſh-hooks, and the ſhovels, and the || baſins, all the veſſels of the altar ; and they ſhall ſpread upon it a covering of badgers-skins, and put to the ſtaves of it.
» Amongſt all theſe veſſels here and abovenamed there 1s no men- tion of the brazen laver, though that be elſewhere reckoned among the holy things, as Exod: 35; 16: and 38: 8: and 39: 39; and 40: 39: whereof poſſibly the reaſon may be becauſe it was not covered, as not being capable of much hurt by the Weather. Though ſome antient Tranſlations of the Bible do here add theſe Words. They ſhall take s purple covering, and cover the laver, &C.
15 And when Aaron and his ſons have made an end of covering the ſanctuary, and all the veſſe]s of the ſanRuary, as the camp is to ſer forward ; after that the ſons of Kohath ſball come to bear zz s : but they (ball
things are the burden of the ſons of Kohath, in the
tabernac'e of the congregation.
s To wit, upon their Shoulders, not upon Carts or Wagons, as appears from Numb: 7. 9: the negle& of which order did provoke the Lord, 2 Sam: 6: 6, 7: 1 Chron: 13:7: and 15: 12, &'c. Afterward the Prieſts themſclves, being mulciplied, carried theſe things, as appears from Deut: 3 1: 9: Jof: 3: 6:and 8: 33: 1 Sam: 4; 4: though the Levites alſo were not excluded, Chron: 5: 5. t Immediately, or before they be covered. # As ſome did for that Sin. See 1 Sam: 6: 19:
16 And to the office of Eleazar the ſon of Aaron the rieſt, pertainerh x. * the oyl for the light, and the * [mat incenſe, and the daily meat-offering y, and the * anointing oyl, and the over-ſight of all the tabernacle z, and of all that therein #s, in the ſancuary, and in
the veſſels thereof.
x (i.e.) He himſelfis to carry theſe things,and not tocommit them to the Sons of Kohath. y Of fine flour, which was to be offered every Morning and Evening with the daily burnt-effering. See Exod: 29: 38, 39. * (5.e.) Thecare that all the things above-mentioned be carried by the Perſons and in the ntanner expreiled.
i7 And the LORD fſpake unto Moſes, and unto Aaron, ſaying, i
18 Cur ye not off # the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites.
a (#. e.) Do not by your negle& provoke God to cut them off for rouching the holy things.
19 But thus do unto them, that they may live and not die, when they approach unto the moft holy things, Aaron and his ſons ſhall go in and appoint them every
one to his ſervice b, and to his burden. b To that which is peculiarly allotted to him, the ſervices and burdens being equally diſtributed among them.
20 But they ſhall not go in to ſee when the holy things are covered, leſt they die.
21 And the LORD ſpake unto Moſes, ſaying,
22 Takealſo the ſum of the ſonsof Gerſhon through- out the houſes of their fathers by their families :
223 From thirty years old and upward, until fifty years old ſhalt thou number them : all that enter in F to perform the ſervice, to do the work in the taber- nacle of the congregation.
24 This 3s the ſervice of the families of the Gerſho- nites, to ſerve, and for || burdens.
25 And * they ſhall bear the curtains of the taber- nacle c, and the tabernacle of the congregation d, his
3s above upon it, and the hanging for the door of the
NUMBER S.
tabernacle of the congregrtion.
c ( i. e.) The curtains or covering of goats-hair. d ( 7.e. ) The ten curious curtains which covered the boards of the Tabernacle ; for the boards themſelves were carried by the Merarites. e (:.e.)| The covering of Rams-skins which was put next over thoſe ten Curtains. \ |
26 And the hangings of the court, and the hanging.
- for the door of the gate of the court, which. is by the.
tabernacle, and by the altar f round about and their cords, and all the inftraments of their ſervice, and all that is made for them j; ſo ſhall they ſerve, |
Ff (5. e. ) Which court compaſſed both the Taberhacle and the Altar, Exod: 27: 16.
27 At the + appointment of Aaron and his ſons ſhall be all the ſervice of the ſons of the Gerſhonites, in all their burdens, and in all their ſervice: and ye ſhall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens.
28 This #s the ſervice of the families of the ſons of Gerſhon in the tabernacleof the congregation : and chei: charge ſhall be under the hand g of Ithamar the ſon of Aaron the prieſt.
£ Under his condu& and direQion. Thus the hand of Hege, Efth: 2: 3: 1$ his care and cuſtody.
29 As for the ſons of Merari, thou ſhalt number them after their families by the houle of their fathers.
30 From thirty years old and upward, even unto fifry years old ſhalt thou number them, every one that entreth into the + ſervice, to do the work of the taber- nacle of the congregation.
to all their ſervice in the tabernacle of the congregation, * the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and ſockets thereof þ.
bh Which were as the feet upon which the pillars ſtood; of which ſee Exod. 38. 27.
32 And the pillars of the court round about, and their ſockets, andtheirpins, and their cords with all their inſtruments, and with all their ſervice : and by name # ye ſhal reckon the inſtruments of the charge of their burden.