THE HIGH PRIEST.

sons and their offspring after them to be priests, to minister before the Lord continually. And when they were cleansed, Moses robed them,

THE PRIEST.

anointed their heads with oil, and directed them to offer sacrifice for sin. The office of the priests in general was to offer sacrifice to the Lord: the high priest's office was peculiar; for he only was allowed to go once a year into the holy of holies on the day of atonement, clothed in his priestly garments, to burn incense. there before the ark, and sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice there seven times with his finger.

9. To the priests were given all the tribe of Levi-who were called

the tabernacle, and keep all the furniture, and vessels, and instruments. Particular allowances, which were specially named, were appointed for the subsistence of the priests and Levites but if any of them had any bodily imperfections, all such were excluded from performing the duties of their office, though they still enjoyed all the rights and privileges belonging to them as priests or Levites.

The special obligations under which they lay, were these: They were to drink no wine or intoxicating

liquors when they were to officiate in the tabernacle; they were not to marry a woman that had been divorced, or had been guilty of uncleanness; they were not to be at funerals, excepting those of a father, mother, son, daughter, brother, or unmarried sister.

10. Eight days after Moses had consecrated Aaron and his sons, Aaron offered to God his first sacrifice for the sins of himself and the people. God now gave a visible manifestation of his approval and acceptance of what had been done, by causing fire to descend from heaven, which consumed the sacrifice: on seeing which, the whole assembled congregation of the Israelites shouted for joy, and fell on their faces to worship the Lord.

11. The fire which was thus miraculously kindled, was, by the command of God, kept continually burning, and was to be always used for the burning of the sacrifices and the kindling of the incense.

But Nadab and Abihu, two of the sons of Aaron, neglecting this command, took their censers, and putting common fire in them, laid the incense upon it, and so offered strange fire before the Lord. For this act of impiety a fire went out from the Lord, by which they instantly died, though

their garments were not burnt. Moses, on seeing this visitation of Divine judgment, said to Aaron, "This is that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified." He then called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel, the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, "Come near, and carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp." They did so: taking them in the garments in which they had been ministering, and there buried them.

12. Then addressing Aaron, and Eleazar and Ithamar, his sons, Moses said, "Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes (meaning, that they were not to mourn for them); lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel bewail the burning which the Lord hath kindled. And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die for the anointing oil of

the Lord is upon you."

13. Near to this time another event took place calculated to excite in the minds of the Israelites a just awe and reverence for the commands of God. The son of an Israelitish woman named Shelomith, whose father was an Egyptian, being out one

day in the camp, quarrelled with one of the men of Israel, and the two striving together he was worsted; on which he blasphemed the Name of the Lord, and cursed.

14. For this he was immediately apprehended and brought before Moses, who committed him to custody till the mind of the Lord should be known concerning him: for though the third commandment forbids the taking of God's Name in vain, yet this blasphemous cursing being an offence of a higher nature, against which no positive law was yet provided, Moses had recourse to the Lord for counsel and direction in the matter.

15. When Moses had laid the case before God, he received this command: :- Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God, shall bear his sin. And he that blasphemeth the Name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the Name of the Lord, shall be put to death."

16. Having received Divine direction how to deal with the young man, Moses commanded the children of

Israel to bring him forth out of the camp, which they did; and then stoned him with stones till he died.

CHAPTER I.

5.

1. God commands Moses to number the children of Israel able to bear arms. 2. Their number. 3. The Levites are exempted. 4. The order of encampment of the tribes. The encampment of the priests and Levites. 6. The order for journeying. 7. The Israelites leave the wilderness of Sinai. 8. The fire of the Lord consumes some for complaining. 9. They lust for flesh. 10. Moses complains to God of his charge. 11. God divides his burden with seventy elders; and promises to give the people flesh. 12. The elders prophesy at the tabernacle. 13. Two of them prophesy in the camp. 14. A young man

tells Moses. 15. Quails are sent. 16. The people are smitten by a plague. 17. Aaron and Miriam speak against Moses. 18. God rebukes them. 19. Miriam is smitten

N the second year after the children of Israel were come out of Egypt, on the first day

of the second month,

while they were still in the wilderness of Sinai, the Lord commanded Moses to take Aaron, and with him one chosen out of each tribe, all being men of renown, princes of the tribes, and heads of thousands in Israel, and take the number of all the males from twenty years old and upward, able to go forth to war.

2. It was found, on counting them, that the number amounted to six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty men, able to bear arms; besides the Levites.

3. For God had expressly said to Moses, "Only thou shalt not number