The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 277

EXPOSITION. CHAPTEBXXIX. sort of corruption. See the comment on eh. xii. 15. Oa.kee tempered with oil. Literally, Vers. 1-37.-TBE CoNtmoiu.TION or THE " mixed with oil," i.e., having oil as one of PRIESTS. From the description of the priestly their ingredienta, in contrast with the wafera, attire, the Divine Law-giver pused to the which had oil pOllJ'ed over them. form of priestly consecration, whereof investi- Ver. S.-Thou lh&lt bring them m the butet. Rather, "Thou shalt offer them." ture in the " holy garment.I; " was a part. The A preliminary offering of the animals and of ceremony of consecration was to consist of the "meat-offerings," in the lump seems to four things :-1. Ablution; 2. Investitnre ; be int.ended. This, apparently, preceded the 3. Chrism or Anointing with oil ; and 4. ablution. Sacrifice. In the directions given, we have, Ver. 4.-Ths ~ution. first, the preparation of the offerings (vers. Ver. 4.-lJnto the door of the tabernacle. 1---S); secondly, directions for the ablutions The great laver was to be placed between (Yer. 4); thirdly, directions for the investitore the entrance to the tabernacle and the al to.r of Aaron (vers. 5, 6), of his sons (vers. 8, 9) ; of burnt-offering (eh. xxx. 18). It was to fourthly, directions for the anointing (ver. 7) ; this probably that Aaron and his sons were to and fifthly, directions as to the mode in which be brought. Its main purpose was to be a lustral vessel, placed ready for the various the sa.crinces should be offered and disposed of ablutions which the law reqnired ( ib. 19-21). (vers. 10-M). A command is then given Thou . . . . lh&lt wash them with water. that the ceremonies should be repeat.ed every Ablutions were an important part of the cere- day far a week (ver. 85); and another, that monial of almost all ancient religions. In the alt&r should receive consecration at the Egypt, the priests were compelled to wash themselves from head to foot in cold water same time as the priests (vers. 36, 37). Addi- twice every day, and twice every night (Herod. tion.al light is thrown on most of these matt.ers ii 37). In the religion of Zoroaster frequent by the &ee011I1t cont.ained in Leviticns ( eh. washing with water was prescribed for many viii.), of the manner in which Moses carried kinds of impurity (Zendavest.a, viii. p. 271, et out the directions here given to him. seq.). The Greeks were particularly addicted to ceremonies of which ablution formed a part; Ver. 1.-This ill the thing that thou lh&lt and it is to Bome that we are indebted both do to them--i.e., " This is the ceremoni&I that for the word and for the idea of " lustration." thou shalt nse on the occa&ion." There is a It is a true instinct which has tanght men the tdcit reference to verse 41 of eh. :a:viii., which analogy between physical and moral purity, h.iid announced that the priest.I; were to be and led them u, typify the removal of spiritual, coDSecr&ted. Take OD8 young bullook. The by the clean&ing from physical, defilement. offerings were to be provided beforehand, so The religion given at Sinai set a stamp of ap- a.ii w be in readiness when the investitore proval in many point.6 on what may be called and anointing were over. Hence they are " the religion of nature ;" and among them on rutntioned first. B&ma without blemiah. this. Ablutions were required of the priests, Literally" perfect." On the offence to God of not only at consecration, but every time that offering him blew.ished offerings, see Mai. i they entered the tabernacle, or sacrificed on l;-14. the altar of burnt-offering ( eh. xxx. 20). Ver. 2.-Ullleavened bread was regarded as Washing was a main feature in the cleansing purer than leavc,ned, since fermentation is a of leprosy (Lev. x..iii. 54, 58) and of the leper Oil. XXIX. 6-12.) THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 295