When thou lightest the lamps — The priests lighted the middle lamp from the fire of the altar; and the rest one from another; signifying that all light and knowledge comes from Christ, who has the seven spirits of God, figured by the seven lamps of fire. Over against the candlestick — On that part w... [ Continue Reading ]
Of beaten gold — Not hollow, but solid gold, beaten out of one piece, not of several pieces joined or soldered together.... [ Continue Reading ]
Of purifying — Heb. of sin, that is, for the expiation of sin. This water was mixed with the ashes of a red heifer, Numbers 19:9, which therefore may seem to have been prescribed before, though it be mentioned after; such kind of transplacings of passages being frequent in scripture. Shave all their... [ Continue Reading ]
A young bullock — The same sacrifice which was offered for a sin — offering for the whole congregation, because the Levites came in the stead of all the first — born, who did in a manner represent the whole congregation.... [ Continue Reading ]
The children of Israel — Not all of them, which was impossible, but some in the name of all the princes or chiefs of each tribe, who used to transact things in the name of their tribes. Put their hands — Whereby they signified their transferring that right of ministering to God from the first — born... [ Continue Reading ]
For an offering — Heb. for a wave — offering. Not that Aaron did so wave them, which he could not do, but that he caused them to imitate that motion, and to wave themselves toward the several parts of the world: whereby they might signify their readiness to serve God, according to their capacity whe... [ Continue Reading ]
Lay their hands — To signify that they were offered by them and for them.... [ Continue Reading ]
Set the Levites before Aaron — Give the Levites to them, or to their service. Unto the Lord — For to him they were first properly offered, and by him given to the priests in order to his service.... [ Continue Reading ]
Go in — Into the court, where they were to wait upon the priests at the altar of burnt — offering; and, at present, into the tabernacle, to take it down and set it up.... [ Continue Reading ]
To do the service of Israel — To serve God in their stead, to do what otherwise they had been obliged to do in their own persons. To make an atonement — Not by offering sacrifices, which the priests alone might do, but by assisting the priests in that expiatory work, and by a diligent performance of... [ Continue Reading ]
In the tabernacle — By way of advice, and assistance in lesser and easier works.... [ Continue Reading ]