Aaron and his sons — Hitherto every master of a family was priest to his own family. But now the families of Israel began to be incorporated into a nation, and a tabernacle of the congregation was to be erected, as a visible centre of their unity, it was requisite there should be a publick priesthoo... [ Continue Reading ]
The priests garments were made for glory and beauty — Some of the richest materials were to be provided, and the belt artists employed in making them, whose skill God, by a special gift, would improve to a very high degree. Eminency, even in common arts, is a gift of God; it comes from him, and, oug... [ Continue Reading ]
The ephod, was the outmost garment of the high — priest; linen ephods were worn by the inferior priests, but this, which the high — priest wore, was called a golden ephod, because there was a great deal of gold woven into it. It was a short coat without sleeves, buttoned close to him with a curious... [ Continue Reading ]
Ouches — Hollow places, such as are made in gold rings, to receive and hold the precious stones.... [ Continue Reading ]
The most considerable of the ornaments of the high priest was this breast — plate, a rich piece of cloth curiously wrought with gold and purple, two spans long, and a span broad; so that, being doubled, it was a span square. In this breast — plate, the tribes of Israel were recommended to God's favo... [ Continue Reading ]
The Urim and Thummim — By which the will of God was made known in doubtful cases, was put in this breast — plate, which is therefore called the breast — plate of judgment. Urim and Thummim signify light and integrity: many conjectures there are among the learned what they were: we have no reason to... [ Continue Reading ]
The robe of the ephod — This was next under the ephod, and reached down to the knees, without sleeves, and was put on over their head, having holes on the sides to put the arms through, or, as Maimonides describes it, was not sewn together on the sides at all. The hole on the top through which the h... [ Continue Reading ]
An habergeon — A coat of armour.... [ Continue Reading ]
Pomegranates — The figures of Pomegranates, but flat and embroidered.... [ Continue Reading ]
On the golden plate fixed upon Aaron's forehead, like an half coronet, reaching, as the Jews say, from ear to ear, must be engraven, Holiness to the Lord — Aaron must hereby be minded, that God is holy, and that his priests must be holy. The high priest must be consecrated to God, and so must all hi... [ Continue Reading ]
Aaron must have this upon his forehead, that he may bear the iniquity of the holy things, and that they may be accepted before the Lord — Herein he was a type of Christ, the great Mediator between God and man. Thro' him what is amiss in our services is pardoned: even this would be our ruin, if God s... [ Continue Reading ]
The embroidered coat of fine linen — Was the innermost of the priestly garments, it reached to the feet, and the sleeves to the wrists, and was bound to the body with a girdle or sash of needlework. The mitre or diadem was of linen, such as kings anciently wore in the east, typifying the kingly offi... [ Continue Reading ]
It shall be a statute for ever — That is, It is to continue as long as the priesthood continues. And it is to have its perpetuity in the substance, of which these things were the shadows.... [ Continue Reading ]