Exodus 28:1 And take you to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel… I. QUALIFICATIONS. Every applicant for the priesthood had to prove his descent from Aaron, and had to be free from bodily defect or blemish (see Leviticus 21). This restriction pointed to the dignity and holy character of the position occupied by a priest, and to the inward purity requisite for the proper discharge of his sacred duties. II. DUTIES. The chief duty of the priests was to offer or present offerings and sacrifices to God. They had sometimes to kill the victims (Leviticus 16) and always to sprinkle and pour out their blood, and also to burn their carcases, or part of them, on the altar. They had the charge of the altar and the sanctuary; they had to see that the fire was ever burning on the altar; they made loaves of shewbread, trimmed and lighted the lamps of the golden candlestick, and evening and morning burned incense on the golden altar, and, in general, conducted the sacred services of the Tabernacle worship. Their duties were not, however, confined to the performance of the rites and ceremonies of that worship; for the law being committed to their custody, they, with the Levites, were intrusted with the religious instruction of the nation (Deuteronomy 33:10); and the people were exhorted to seek knowledge at the priests' lips. III. MAINTENANCE. The priests were not permitted to follow any secular calling. Their time was entirely devoted to their sacred work; hence it was necessary and just that their maintenance should be provided for at the expense of those for whose spiritual and temporal welfare they ministered. The remuneration consisted principally of the redemption money paid for the first-born Israelites, the first-fruits of the field, the fruit of trees in the fourth year, parts of various of the offerings, and a tenth of the tithes which fell to the Levites. They were not able, of course, to reap all these dues till they reached the promised land. (W. Brown.) Parallel Verses KJV: And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons. |
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