EXPOSITION. Vers. 22-33.-THE HOL'I OIL. The com- funerall! (John xix. 39) ; and was largely position of the oil required for anointing the exported from Arabia e.nd Ethiopia int-0 vari- priest.a ( eh. xxix. 7), the altar ( ib. 36), the ous part.a of Asia. e.nd Enrope. Sweet oinDa- tabernacle it.self (ver. 26), e.nd it.a furniture mon. Cinnamon was a. far rarer spice than myrrh. It is only mentioned three times in (vers. 27, 28), was a necessary matter for the Old Testament (cf. Prov. vii. 16; Cant. Moses to know, e.nd is now declared with iv. 14). I em not aware of e.ny trace of it in much minuteness ; the exact weight of each Egypt; but Herodotus sa.ys that it was ob- spice, and the exact que.ntity of the olive oil tained by the Greeks from Arabia in his day being given ( vel's. 23, 24). Directions are (iii. 111). It is the inner bark or rind of a tree allied to the laurel, e.nd called by some added for it.a use (vers. 26-30): e.nd finally, Laurus cinnammnum, by others Cinnamomum a warning is given against it.a application to zeylanic-u.m. The tree now grows only in any persons except the priest.a, or it.a com- India. on the Malabar coast, in Cevlon, Bor- position for any other purpose besides the use neo, Sumatra., Cochin China., and China. If of the sanctuary (vers. 31-33). it.a habitat has not suffered coutracti.on, we most regard the mention of it here as indica- Ver. 23.-l'rill.oipal apioea. The ancient.a tive of a very early commerce of a very exten- . recognised a vast variety of spices. Pliny sive character. Sweet ca.lamns. Aromatic notices an ointment which was composed of reeds, probably of several distinct kinds, seem twenty-six ingredien-ts, chiefly spices (H. N. to have been the produce anciently of Pales.- xiii. 2, §-18). Herodotus mentions five" prin- tine, Arabia, Mesopotamia, and India. It is cipal spices" as furnished by Arabia (iii. 107), impossible to say what exactly was the species of which four seem to be identical with those here intended. Calam.us is meutioned as a employed in the holy oil. Pure myrrh. spice in Is. xliii. 24; Jer. vi. 20; Eiek. x.'<vii. Literally, "myrrh of freedom," or "freely 17; and CllDt. iv. 14; but the tenn used flowing myrrh." The shrub which yields (kaneh, "cane") is vague; and it is uot ut ull myrrh (Bal,amodendron myrrha) produces cletll' that one species onlv is alluded to. two kinds-one, which exudes spontaneously, Ver. 24.-Cassia. The modern cussia is and is regarded as the best (Plin. H. N. the inner bark of a tree distinct from the cin- xii. 35; Theophrast. De Odorib11s, § 29); and namon tree, kllown to botanists as Ci•1<11u11w- llOother, of inferior quality, which flows from 111u1n cas•ia, which is a native of- ludiu, J11,·a, incisions made in the bark. It is the former and the Mu.lay peninsula. In taste and sceut, kiud which is here intended. Myrrh w11s it "be!Ll-s a strong resernbl1U1ee to cmu"-lliuu, among the aucients in high request as 11 spice. but is wore pungeut 11.lld of co,user textw-e" It was used by the Egyptians for embalming (Cook). It is \lllCertain, however, if this is (Hcrud ii. 86), in Persiu as 1111 odour (Athen. the spice here iuJ.icated. The Hebrew iv.ml IJ.ipu. xii. p. 51-l, A); by the Gl'eeks for useJ. is kidduh, uot ki;ts;,;a, (o.s iu Ps. xh. s,, ; fucensc (Boph. Fr. 3-10) 11ntl in uuguents auJ. it i, verv J.oubtful whether the twu :1r~ (Aristoph l!.'J. I. 1332); by 1hc Inter .fows m iJ,•nt.ical Ou the shekel of the sanctuary. HJO 'l'HE ROOK OF EXODUS. [en. xxx. 23-33.
,ee 1he comment on ver. 18; and on the bin, Ver. 80.-And thou lhalt anoint Aaron, •re rb. xxix. 40. etc. Not till e.Il his surrotmdings had re- Ver 25 -An oil of holy ointment. Liter- ceived sanctification was Aaron ·,to be con- ally." RD oil of holy anointing," or "a holy secrated. The tent, the ark, the table, thCl anointing oil," 1111 our translatore render in candlestick, the a.ltar of incense, the brazen ,·Pr. 81, and e.Iso in the lBBt clause of the altar, the laver, BDd its base, each and e.Il present ven;e. An ointment oompolllld after were to be touched with the holy oil, and the art of the apou.-ty. Not a simple thereby fonne.Ily dedicated to God's service mixture of the ingredients mentioned, but the (Lev. viii. 10, 11), and then at last was 11roduct of trained skill BDd know ledge ap- Moses to " pour of the anointing oil upon plied to the materials. Jewish tradition Bllys Aa.ron 's head, and anoint him, to sanctify that the essence of each spice was extracted him" (ib. 12). So God constantly prepares from it, BDd onlv these 01!1!ences mingled with men's spheres for them before he inducts the olive oil. We are told later (eh. xxxvii. them into their spheres. Even in the next 29) that the tlll!k of preparing the holy oil world onr Blessed Lord " prepares places for wws committed to Bezaleel. us." Vers 26--29.-Thou llhalt anoint the taber- Ver. 82.-Upon man'■ fluh Bhall it not be naole. The first application of the holy oil poured---i.e., " it shall not be used by e.ny w,u; to be to the inanimate objects constituting privately as a mere unguent, bot shall be t.he parapheme.lia of won;hip-viz., 1. The reserved wholly for sacred purposes." If either tabernacle itself es a whole : 2. The furniture of Bhall ye make a.ny other like it, after the the holy of holies-the ark and mercy eeat; eompoaition of it. Bather, "after its propor- 3. Th,• furniture of the holy place-the shew- tion." The Israelites were not forbidden the bread table. the candlestick, and the altar of nse of the different materials in their incense; ILlld 4. The furniture of the court- nngueats, or even the combination of the the altar of burnt-offering, and the laver. same materials, provided they varied the After applying the oil to these, Moses was to proportions. The object is simply that the proceed to the anointing of the priesti;. (Com- holy oil shoald remain a thing separate pare Lev. viii. 10-12.) and apart, nevP.r applied to any but a holy Ver. 27.-The table and all hill veaell. nee. See above. eh. xxv. 29. The oanclllllltiok and Ver. S3.-Upon a atranger. A "stranger" 11.iB vN8elii. See eh. xxv 37, 38. here means a.ny one not of the family of Aaron. Ver. 28.-The altar of burnt-daring with Compare eh. xxix. 83. all hill ~ - See eh. xxvii. S.