The Pulpit Commentary — Numbers — Section 246

even where the communication refers to Ver. 2.-Thy brethren also of the tribe things wholly and _pec_uliarly within the of Levi The Levites generally, M dis- pronnce of Aaron, 1t 1s usually made to tinguished from the Kohathites in pe.rticular Moses, and only through him to his brother (see on eh. iii,). That they may be joined. (see e. g. eh. viii. 1-8). This change in the form of the message may point to a later 1, unto thee. ~,~ 1 a play upon the no.me date, i. e. to a time subsequent to the gain- Levi (see on Gen. xxix. 34). But thou and sanng of Korah, when tlie separate position thy sons with thee shall miuistsr before of Anron as the head of a priestly caste was the tabernaole of witness. The Hebrew has more fully recognised than before, and he only 'l)l;I~ ';J 1~~~ i1J;ltt), which me.y be ren- • himself somewhat less under the shadow of dered, ".And thou and thy sons with thee . his greater brother. Thou and thy sons and (shall be)," &c., or more naturally read with thy father's house with thee shall bear the what goes before, '' that they may minister iniquity of the sanctuary. Aaron's fathe(s unto tl1ee ; both thee and thy sons with house, according to the analogy of eh. XVJL thee," &c. The Septue.gintand theTarguma 2, 8, 6, was the sub-tribe of the Kohathites, appear to favour the former rendering, but , and these had chnrge (to the exclusion of the it is not evident what distinction could be other Lentcs) of the sanctuary, or rather drawn between priests and Levites as to the sacred things (c:r,i?~CI, as in eh. x. 21. mere fact of being before the tabernacle. Septuagint, rwv ayi;.,v). See on eh. iv. 15- Ver. 8.-They shall keep thy oharge, &c. This mention of the Kohathites in connection See on eh. iii. 7, 8. That neither they, nor with the sanctuary is an incidental proof ye also, die. This warning does not seem that these instructions were given in view of to refer to the danger of the Kohathites the wanderings in the wilderness, for after seeing the sacred things (eh. iv. 15), but of the settlement in Canaan no Levites (as such) the other Levites coming near them ; the came into contact with the sacred furniture. further warning, "nor ye e.lso," is added It is not easy to define exactly the meaning because if the carelessness or profanity of the priest led to sacrilege and death in the of "shall bear the iniquity (liltn~ ~~tfJ:I) case of the Levite, it would be laid to his of the sanctuary." The general sense of the charge (cf. eh. iv. 18). phrase is, "to be responsible for the iniquity," Ver. 4.-A Strang.er. ,3, i. e. one not a i. e. for anything which caused displeasure in Levite, as in eh. L 51. the eyes of Gcd, "in connection with the Ver. 5.-That there be no wrath any more sacred things and the service of ~hem ; " upon the children of Israel. A~ there had hence it mee.nt either to be responsible for been in the case of Korah and hlB companr, such iniquity, as being held accountable for and of the many thousands who had fallen m it, and having to endure the penalty, or as consequence. being permitted and enabled to ta~e such Ver. 6.-I have taken yout' brethren the accountability on oneself, and so discharge Levites. See on eh. iii. 9 ; viii. 19. it from others. This douhie sense is exactly • Ver. 7.-Shall keep your priests' office reflected in the Greek word aiptiv, aa applied for everything of the altar, and within the to our Lord (John L 29). 'l'he priests, there- vail. That the Levites were made over to fore (and the Kohathites, so far aa they had Aaron and his sons to relieve them of a great anything to do with the s8:nctuary), w_ere pa.rt of th:e mere routine !ll1d drudgery of responsible for all the unhohness attachmg their service was to be with them an ad- or accruing to it, not only by reason of all ditional and powerful motive for doing their offences committed by themselves, but by priestly work so reverently and watcbfully reason of that imperfection which clung to as to leave no excuse for sacrilegious intru- them at the best, and made them unworthy sion. The altar (of burnt offering~ 11.nd to he.ndle the things of God. In a further "that within the vail ' (cf. Heh. Vl. 19) and deeper sense they might be ~a!d ~o be were the two points between which ~he vicariously responsible for all the m1qmty of exclusive duties of the priesthood lay, ID• all Israel so far as the taint of it affected the eluding the service of the holy place. A very san'ctuary (see on Exod. xxviii . 88 ; service of/ift. A service which we.a not to Levit. xvi. 16). The iniquity of your pnest· be regarde aa a burden, or a misfortune, or "hood. The responsibility i.ot on!~ ~or 9:ll as a natural herite.ge and accident of birth, irinful e.cts of omission and comllllSs1on m but to be received and cherished o.s a favour Divine service (such as those of Ne.dab accorded to them by the goodness of God. and Abihu, and of Korab), but for all the Ver. 8.-And the Lordapake UlltO Aa~on. inevitable failure of personal holiness on the The charge o.nd responsibility ?~ the pnes!s part of those who mrnistered unto the Lord. having been declarea, the provJS1on for thcJJ" This responsibility was emphatically recog- maintenance is now to be set forth. The Diaed e.nd frovided for in the rites of the great day o atonement. charge. n1~tf~, as in ver. 5, &c. ; but  en. XVIII. 1-32.] THE BOOK OF NUMBERS. 229