Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
The Princes Offerings. NUMBEKS VIII. Consecration of the Levitet,
9.) 89. And when Moses was gone into the taber* nacle of the congregation to speak with hini—As a king gives private audience to his minister, so special license was granted to Moses, who, though not a priest, was admitted into the sanctuary to receive instructions from his heavenly King as occasion demanded, tlien he Iieard the voice of one speaking to hiin—Though Standing on the outer side of the veil, he could distinctly hear it, and the mention of this circumstance is Important as the fulfilment, at the dedication of the tabernacle, of a special promise made by the Lord Christ himself, the Angelof the Covenant, commanding its erection. (Exodus 25.22.) It was the reward of Moses' zeal and obedience; and, in like manner, to all who love Him and keep His commandments He will manifest Himself. (John 14.21.)
Its costliness, to have been furnished not from his own private means, but from the general contributions of each tribe. Some parts of the offering, as the animals for sacriflce, -were for the ritual service of the day, the peace offerings being by much the most numerous, as the princes and some of the people joined with the priests afterwards in celebrating tlie occasion with festive rejoicing. Hence the feast of dedication became afterwards an anniversary festival. Other parts of the offering were intended for permanent use, as utensils necessary in the service of the sanctuary, as an immense platter and bowl (Exodus 25. 29), which, being of silver, were to be employed at the altar of burnt offering, or in the court, not in the holy place, all the furniture of which was of solid or plated gold; and a golden spoon, the contents of which show its destination to have been the altar of incense. The word rendered "spoon" means a hollow cup, in the shape of a hand, with which the priests on ordinary occasions might lift a quantity from the incense-box to throw on the altar-fire, or into the censers ; but on the ceremonial on the day of the annual atonement no instrument was allowed but the high priest's own hands. (Leviticus
CHAPTEE VIII.
Ver. 1-4. How the Lamps are to be Lighted. 1. The liord spake unto Moses—The order of this chapter suggests the idea that the following instructions were given to Moses while lie was within the tabernacle of the congregation, after the princes had completed their offering. But from the tenor of the instructions, it is more likely that they were given immediately after the Levites had been given to the priests (see on chaps. 3., 4.), and tliat the record of these instructions had been postponed till the narrative of other transactions in the camp had been made. [Patrick.] 2. Speak unto Aaron, &c.—Tlie candlestick, which was m.ade of one solid, massy piece of pure gold, with six lamps supported on as many branches, a seventh in the centre surmounting the shaft itself (Exodus 25.31; 37. 17), and completed according to the pattern shown in the mount, was now to be lighted, when the other things in the sanctuary began to be applied to religious service. It was Aaron's personal duty, as the servant of God, to light His house, which, being without windows, required the aid of lights. (2 Peter 1. 19.) And Hie course he was ordered to follow was first to light the middle lamp from the altar-fire, and then the other lamps from each other—a course symbolical of all the light of heavenly truth being derived from Clirist, and difiused by his ministers throughout the world. (Revelation 1.5.) tlte seven lamps sliall give light over against tlie candlestick, &c.— The candlestick stood close to the boards of the sanctuary, on the south side, in full view of the table of showbread on the north (Exodus 26. 35), having one set of its lamps turned towards the east, and another towards the west; so that all parts of the tabernacle were thus lighted up.
16. 12.) 18. On the second, Nethaneel, prince of Issachar, did offer—This tribe being stationed on the right side of Judah, offered next through its representative; then Zebulun, which was on the leftside; and so on in orderly succession, every tribe making the same kind of offering and in the same amount, to show that, as each was under equal obligation, each rendered an equal tribute. Although each offering made was the same in quantity as well as qualitj-, a separate notice is given of each, as a separate day was appointed for the presentation, that equal honour might be conferred on each, and none appear to be overlooked or slighted. And as the sacred books were frequently read in public, posterity, in each successive age, would feel a livelier interest in the national worship, from the permanent recognition of the offerings made by the ancestors of the respective tribes. But while this was done in one respect, as sulyects offering tribute to their king, it was in another respect, a purely religious act. The vessels offered were for a sacrificial use—the animals brought were clean and fit for sacrifice, both symbolically denoting, that while God was to dwell amongst them as their Sovereign, they were a holy people, who by this offering dedicated themselves to God. 48. On tlie seventh day—Surprise has been expressed by some that this work of presentation was continued on the Sabbath. But assuming tlint the seventh dajreferred to was a Saljbath (which is uncertain), tlic work was of a directly religious cliaracter, and perfectly in accordance with the design of the sacred day. 84-88. This was the dedication of the altar—The inspired historian* here sums up the separate Items detailed in the preceding narrative, and the aggregate amount Is as follows: 121 silver chargers, each weigliing i:!0 shekels = 15(i0; 12 silver bowls, each 70 shekels = 8J0: total weight. A sliver charger at 130 shekels, reduced to troy weight, made 75 oz., 9 dwts., 16 8.31 gr. ; and a silver bowl at 70 shekels amounts to 40 oz., 12 dwts., 21 21.31 gr. The total weight of the 12 chargers Is therefore 905 oz., 16 dwts., 3 3.11 gr., and that of the 12 bowls 487 oz., 14 dwts., 20 4.31 gr.; making
5-22. The Consecration OF THE Levites. Take the I.evltes and cleanse thein—This passage describes the consecration of the Levites. Although the tribe was to be devoted to the Divine service, their hereditary descent alone was not a sufficient qualification forcnteringon theduties of the sacred' office. They were to be set apart b.v a special ceremony, which, however, was much simpler than that appointed for the priests; neither washing nor anointing, nor investiture with official robes, was necessary. Their purification consisted, along with the offering of the requisite sacrifices (Leviticus 1.4 ; 3. 2; 1. 4), in being sprinkled by water mixed with the ashes of a red heller (ch.19. 9), and shaved all over, and their clothes washed—a combination of symbolical acts which wixs Intended to remind them of the mortification of carnal and worldly desires, and the maintenance of that purity In heart and tlie total weight of silver vessels 1,393 oz., 10 dwts., 23 7.31 gr. ; which, at 5s. per oz., is equal to £383 Is. SJd. The 12 golden spoons, allowing eacli to be 5 oz., 16 dwts., 3.31 gr., amount to 69 oz., 3 dwts., 13 5.31 gr., which, !it .C4 per oz., is equal to £320 148. lOld., and added to the amount of tlio silver makes a total of £703 lOs. 6W. Besides these the oll'ermgs comprised 12 bullocks, 12 rams, 12 lambs, 21 goats, 60 rams, 00 he-goats, 60 lambs—amounting in all to life which became the servants of God. 0. Thou shult gather the whole assembly of the children of Israel together, Ac—As 1 1 was plainly impossible that the whole multitude of the Israelites could do this, a select portion of them must be meant. This part.v, who laid their hands upon the Levites, are supposed l).v some to have been the fiist-born, who by tliat act, transferred tlieir peculiar privilege of acting as God's ministers to the I,evltlcal tribe; and by others, to have been the princes, who thus blessed them. It appears, from this passage, that the Imposition of hands was a ceremon.v used In consecrating persons to holy offices In the ancient, as, from the example
210. Ho large a collection of cattle offered for sacrifice on one occasion proves both the large fiocks of the Israelites and tlie abundance of pastures which were then, and still are, found in the valleys that Ho between tlie .Slnaitlc Mountains. All travellers attest the luxuriant verdure of those extensive wadys; and that the.v were eqilly or BtlU more rich In pasture anciently, Is confirmed by th« inimorons fiocks of the Amalekltes, as well as of Nabal, Which were fed in the wilderness of I'arau (1 .Samuel 15. 100