Before CHRIST 1491. Before CHRIST 1491. by fifty The altar of burnt offering, CHAP. XXVII, XXVIII. with the vessels thereof. and five cubits broad; the altar shall the gate shall be fifteen cubits: three. 3 And thou shalt make his pans shall be an hanging of twenty cubits, four, and their sockets four. 5 And thou shalt put it under the 18 4 The length of the court shall five cubits of fine twined linen, and cle in all the service thereof, and all children of Israel, that they bring ascend up. the mount, so shall they make it. always. 9 | And thou shalt make the court 21 In the tabernacle of the con- be a statute for ever unto their gene- CHAP. XXVIII. 11 And likewise for the north side 1 Aaron and his sons are set apart for the in length there shall be hangings of an priest's office. 2 Holy garments are aphundred cubits long, and his twenty pointed. 6 The ephod. 15 The breastplate with twelve precious stones. 30 The Urim pillars and their twenty sockets of and Thummim. 31 The robe of the ephod, brass; the hooks of the pillars and with pomegranates and bells. 36 The plate their fillets of silver. of the mitre. 39 The embroidered coat. 40 The garments for Aaron's sons. of him, from among the children of Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Itha14 The hangings of one side of mar, Aaron's sons. + Heb. he shewed. 20. — oil olive beaten] That is, oil not squeezed out and which separated the Holy place from the Holy of by a press or mill, but such as ran freely from the olives Holies. Bp. Patrick. when bruised. Bp. Patrick. 21. — the vail, which is before the testimony,] The Chap. XXVIII. ver. 1. And take thou unto thee &c.] vail, which was before the “ark of the testimony,” Here is the first appointment of a regular priesthood; Before CHRIST 1491. Before CHRIST 1491. a Wisd. 18. 21. Holy garments are appointed EXODUS. for Aaron and his sons. birth. set in ouches of gold. 12 And thou shalt put the two minister unto me in the 13 9 And thou shalt make ouches of gold; thou make them, and fasten the work; after the work of the ephod 16 Foursquare it shall be being 8 And the || curious girdle of the doubled; a span shall be the length broidered. ephod, which is upon it, shall be of thereof, and a span shall be the breadth it fillings of stones : the first row shall be a || sar- 1 0r, ruby. 9 And thou shalt take two onyx dius, a topaz, and a carbuncle : this stones, and grave on them the names shall be the first row. of the children of Israel : 18 And the second row shall be an 10 Six of their names on one stone, emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. 1. Or, em stone. Aaron and his sons are here selected for that office, and down before. The “shoulderpieces,” ver. 7, were the afterwards, chap. xxxii. 29, the whole tribe of Levi are parts covering the shoulders, and the girdle,” ver. 8, consecrated to the Lord. Bp. Palrick. that part which tied round the body, below the heart. 2. - holy garments). Called holy because worn by Calmet. none but priests, and by them only when they minis 12. — for stones of memorial] For a sign whereby tered : they were intended for glory and for beauty," the children of Israel may know that their memory is prethat is, to make their office more respected, and to sented to God, and that they are had in remembrance of strike beholders with an awful sense of the Divine God. Bp. Hall. A memorial both with reference to Majesty, whose ministers they saw appear in such God, ver. 29, and also to the priest, who was thereby put grandeur. Bp. Patrick. Not holy in their own nature, in mind of the concerns of the people. Bp. Kidder. but so called by reason of their distinction and separa 15. – breastplate of judgment] It was so called, betion from other things of the like nature to higher and cause the high priest wore it, when he went to consult more excellent uses. Bp. Beveridge. the Divine Majesty about the great concerns of their 3. -all that are wise hearted,] So the Hebrews call religion and government: it was to be made of the those that are endowed with extraordinary skill in any same materials and workmanship with the ephod: it art: these persons were filled by God with the spirit of was also to be “foursquare” when doubled, ver. 16, that wisdom, that is, endowed in an extraordinary manner is, the whole piece was to be twice as long as it was with skill for these requisite works. Bp. Patrick. broad, so that when doubled it was to form a square 6. — the ephod] This name is derived from a He- of a span on every side. The span was half a cubit, or brew word, signifying to tie or gird. The ephod was a about ten inches. Bp. Patrick. kind of girdle, which was brought from behind the 17. – a sardius, &c.] There is very little certainty back, over the two shoulders; was then put across the as to the particular kinds of stone mentioned in these stomach, and carried round the waist, so as to form a verses, the true meaning of the Hebrew words being ill girdle to the broidered coat, the ends of it hanging understood. Pyle. Before CHRIST 1491. Before CHRIST 1491. + IIeb. fillings. Holy garments for Aaron and his sone. above the curious girdle of the ephod. 20 And the fourth row a beryl, 28 And they shall bind the breastand an onyx, and a jasper : they shall plate by the rings thereof unto the be set in gold in their + inclosings. rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, 21 And the stones shall be with that it may be above the curious girthe names of the children of Israel, dle of the ephod, and that the breasttwelve, according to their names, like plate be not loosed from the ephod. the engravings of a signet; every one 29 And Aaron shall bear the with his name shall they be according names of the children of Israel in to the twelve tribes. the breastplate of judgment upon his LORD continually. be upon Aaron's heart, when he fore the LORD continually. have a binding of woven work round of it thou shalt make pomegranates 27 And two other rings of gold of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, thou shalt make, and shalt put them round about the hem thereof; and on the two sides of the ephod under- bells of gold between them round neath, toward the forepart thereof, about: 30.- The Urim and the Thummim ;] The words place to receive answers from the mercy seat in the Urim and Thummim signify light and perfection. There tabernacle. Dr. Gray, Dean Prideaux, Bp. Patrick. is not the least intimation any where what these were, 32. — habergeon,] Armour to cover the neck and nor is there any direction given to Moses for the making breast, a neckpiece. Dr. Johnson. of them, as there is for the rest of the priestly attire. 33.- pomegranates] Bells of embroidery, in size The opinions respecting their meaning have been very and shape like pomegranates. The pomegranate is a various : some have thought that the words merely re sort of apple very common in the East; as the fruit is ferred to the twelve stones, which have been described, very beautiful, the Scriptures often make use of similiver. 17, on the breastplate of the high priest; others, tudes taken from it. Calmet. that they were small oracular figures placed in the tells] The bell seems to have been a sacred doubling of the breastplate, which gave articulate an- utensil of very ancient use in Asia. The use and intent swers; others, that they referred to a plate of gold, of these bells in the pontifical robe of the Jewish high inscribed with the sacred name of Jehovah; others priest is evident from the following words: “his sound again, that they only imply the Divine virtue and power shall be heard when he goeth in, &c.” The sound of given to the breastplate in its consecration, of obtaining the numerous bells that covered the hem of his garment an oracular answer from God; and that the names Urim gave notice to the assembled people that the most awful and Thummim were applied only to denote the clearness ceremony of their religion had commenced. When arand perfection, which those oracular answers always rayed in this garb, he bore into the sanctuary the vessel carried with them. Whatever the ornament was, it en- of incense; it was the signal to prostrate themselves abled the high priest to collect divine instruction on before the Deity, and to commence those fervent ejacuoccasions of national importance, or even of private con-lations which were to ascend with the column of that cern. It is wholly unknown how the Lord answered incense to the throne of heaven. The ancient kings of by the Urim and Thummim. The Jews generally think Persia, who, in fact, united in their own persons the it was done by the shining of the stones on the breast- regal and sacerdotal office, were accustomed to have the plate, or of some letters inscribed upon it. Others with fringes of their robes adorned with pomegranates and more reason suppose that the Urim and Thummim only golden bells. Calmet. qualified the high priest to present himself in the holy One indispensable ceremony in the Indian Pooja is |