EXPOSITION. Vers. 21-25.-Th.e furll,~ ,~11rning to tlui e.ne.chronism. But every nation in ancient peopk and the pr;e,t•. It is very remarkable times had priests, appointed on one princi plo t.hat, after all the direct.ion• gi,·en (vers. 10- or another : e.nd the Levitical priesthood must 13). e.nd a.II the pa.ins taken h:,- Moses and the be regarded Rll having superseded one pre- viously existent, not Rll the first priesthood Israelites thern11Clves (ven;. 14, 15, 23), God known to Israel. We have a second mention of should still have thought it necessary t.o inter- priests, previous to the appointment of Aaron's pose with a fresh warning, e.nd t.o send Moses BOns to the office (in eh. xxiv. 5), which con- be.ck from the top of the ~ount to the bott.om, firms the present passage. Banotify them- ■elvea. The verb used is identical with that in order t.o communicate the rene"·ed warning which occurs in vcr. 10 ; and there is no t.o the people. We can only suppose that, in reason to believe that any different sanctifica- spite of the inst.ructions previously given and tion WRll intended. The natum.l inference is the precautions taken, there were those among that the priests had neglected to sanctify the people who were prepa.red t.o " bree.k themselves. (See the introductory po.mgraph.) through " the fence, and inwde the mount, LeBt the Lord break forth. Compare 2 Sam. vi. 8, where we have an instance of such a and who would have done 80, t.o their own "brooking forth" upon Uzzo.h. d<'Struction ( ver. 21 ), but for this second Ver. 23.-Tbe people 08.llllot aome up. warning. The special mention of the Moses can only have meant, that the people " priests " ( ven;. 22, 24) raises the sospicion, could not approach the mount unwittingly lhat this proud and rebellious spirit was pe.r- sinc:e the fence commanded (ver. 12) w~ made. But to scale the fence, or break licularly developed among them Accustomed through it, was of course possible. (See ver l.o the exerci8e of sacred functions, they may 13.) have been inclined t.o regard their own purity Ver. 24.-.&nd the Lord said ... Away, as equal t.o that of Moses and Aaron ; and Get thee down. God wholly rejected the they may even have resented their exclnsion plea of Moses, that there wRll no need to give from a sacred spot to which the two sons of an additional we.rning. Be knew best, and would not have issued the order to " go down Amram were admitted. Appe.rently, they and che.rge the people " (ver. 21 ), unless there iuul. conceived that the injunction t.o go had been a need for it. In the abrupt words through the recognised ceremonies of pnrifica- "Away, get thee down," we may see a tion (ver. 10) did not apply t.o them, and had rebuke, addressed to Moses, for his folly in thinking that he could change the purposes of neglected to do so, on which account a special Goci Thou and Aaron with thee. This is command had to be issued, addr688ed t.o them the first express mention of Ae.ron as called to only (ver. 22). ascend with Moses. But it is quite possible Ver. 21.---Charge the people lest they that he may have accompanied. his brother in break through---i.e., "lest they force a either or both the previous ascents (vers. 3, passage through the barrier made by Moses " 20. Compe.re eh. x. 1, 3; xii. 21, 28; etc.) in accordance with the command given in ver. But let not the priut■ and the people 12. And many of them perilh. Irreverent break through. Both the prieau and the, gazing- on holy things was forbidden by the people were to be again solemnly warned that la.w (Num. iv. 20), and on one occasion it would be dee.th to break through the fence. (I Sam. vi. 19) was actually punished with This warning seems to have been sufficient. death. It did not, however, require a law t.o Ver. 25.---Bo Jl:oau went down. After the make it an offence, natural reason being quite sharp rebuke addressed to him in ver. 24, sufficient to teach the duty of reverence. Moses made no further resistance, but returned Ver. 22.-Let the prilllltll a.llo. It has been to the camp, delivered the warning to priests objected, that uo priests had been as yet ap- and people, and having so done re-ascended pointed, and that we have here therefore an the mount with Aaron.
HOMILETICS. Vers. 22-24.-The priatly office does not dispense a man from personal purity, but obliqe,; him the more to it. Holiness of office, of profession, of function is too often rega1.ied w; if it secured, by some occult power, the personal holiness of the individual, Qr even of the class, exercising it. The priest castes of Egypt, India, and other CH. XIX. 22-21.] ·r1rn BOOK OF EXODUS.