scious to myself that I have taken a great deal of pains for your deliverance: but now God himself has determined that Aaron is worthy of this honour, and has chosen him for his priest, as knowing him to be the most righteous person among you; so that he is to put on the vestments which are consecrated to God; he is to have the care of the altars, and to make provision for the sacrifices; and he it is that must put up prayers for you to God, who will readily hear them, not only because he is himself solicitous for your nation, but also because he will receive them as offered by one that he hath himself chosen to this office." The Hebrews* were pleased with what was said, and they gave their approbation to him whom God had ordained; for Aaron was the most deserving of this honour, on account of his own gift of prophecy, and his brother's virtue. He had at that time four sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Now Moses commanded them to make use of all the utensils which were more than were necessary to the structure of the tabernacle, for covering the tabernacle itself, the candlestick, and altar of incense, and the other vessels, that they might not be at all hurt when they journeyed, either by the rain, or by the rising of the dust. And when he had gathered in the multitude together again, he ordained that they should offer half a shekel for every man as an oblation to God, which shekel is a Hebrew coin, and is equal to four Athenian drachmæ ;† whereupon they readily obeyed what Moses had commanded; and the number of offers was six hundred and five thousand, five hundred and fifty. Now this money, that was brought by the men that were free, was given by such as were above twenty years old, but under fifty; and what was collected was spent in the uses of the tabernacle. Moses now purified the tabernacle and the priest, which purification was performed after the following manner: he commanded them to take five hundred shekels of choice myrrh, an equal quantity of cassia, and half the foregoing weight of cinnamon, * It is worthy of observation, that the two principal qualifications here required for the constitution of the first high-priest, viz. that he should have an excellent character for virtuous and good actions, as also that he should have the approbation of the people, are here noted by Josephus, even where the nomination belonged to God himself, which are the very same qualifications which the Christian religion requires in the choice of Christian bishops, priests, and deacons, as the Apostolical Constitution informs us, II. 3, VIII. Nor is it unworthy of our notice, that Philo's peculiar word here cited, apigivony, that the governor was to be of a most excellent character, is also the peculiar word of the Apostolical Constitutions on this occasion, VIII. 4. †This weight and value of the Jewish shekel, in the days of Josephus, equal to about 2s. 10d. sterling, is by the learned Jews owned to be one-fifth larger than their old shekels, which determination agrees perfectly with the remaining shekels that and a sort of sweet spice called calamus; to beat them small, and wet them with a hint of olive oil; to mix them together, and boil them, and prepare them after the art of the apothecary, and make them into a very sweet ointment; and afterward to take it to anoint and purify the priests themselves, and all the tabernacle, as also the sacrifices. There were also many and various kinds of sweet spices that belonged to the tabernacle, and such as were very costly, and were brought to the golden altar of incense, whose nature I do not now describe, lest it should be troublesome to my readers. But incense§ was to be offered twice a day, both before sun-rising, and sun-setting. They were also to keep oil ready purified for their lamps, three of which were to give light all day long upon the sacred candlestick before God, and the rest were to be lighted at the evening. When all was finished, Besaleel and Aholiab appeared to be the most skilful of the workmen; for they invented finer works than what others had done before them, and were of great abilities to gain notions of what they were formerly ignorant of: and of these Besaleel was judged to be the best. Now the whole time they were about this work was seven months, and after this ended the first year since their departure out of Egypt. But at the beginning of the second year, in the month Xanthicus, as the Macedonians call it, but in the month Nisan, as the Hebrews call it, on the new moon, they consecrated the tabernacle, and all its vessels which I have already described. God showed himself pleased with the work of the Hebrews, and did not permit their labours to be in vain; nor did he disdain to use what they had made; but he came and sojourned with them, and pitched his tabernacle in the holy house. And in the following manner did he come to it: the sky was clear, but there was a mist over the tabernacle only, encompassing it, but not with such a very deep and thick cloud as is seen in the winter season, nor yet in so thin a one as men might be able to discern any have Samaritan inscriptions, coined generally by Simon the Maccabee, about 230 years before Josephus published his Antiquities, which never weighed more than 2s. 44d. and commonly but 2s. 44d. See Reland, De Nummis Samaritanorum, p. 188. This hin is a Hebrew measure, and contains two Athenian choas, or congiuses. The incense was here offered, according to Josephus's opinion, before sun-rising, and at sun-setting; but, in the days offered in the morning, and at the ninth hour. XIV. 4. of Pompey, according to the same Josephus, the sacrifices were Hence we may correct the opinion of the modern Rabbins, who say that only one of the seven lamps burned in the day. time, when Josephus, an eyewitness, says there were three, An. 1531. thing through it; but from it there dropped a sweet dew, which showed the presence of God to those that desired and believed it. When Moses had bestowed such honorary presents on the workmen as it was fit they should receive who had wrought so well, he offered sacrifices in the open court of the tabernacle, as God commanded him; a bull, a ram, and a kid of the goats, for a sin-offering. Now I shall speak of what we do in our sacred offices in my discourse about sacrifices, and therein shall inform men in what cases Moses bid us offer whole burnt-offerings, and in what cases the law permits us to partake of them as food. And when Moses had sprinkled Aaron's vestments, himself, and his sons, with the blood of the beasts that were slain, and had purified them with springwater and ointment, they became God's priests. After this manner did he consecrate them, and their garments, for seven days together. The same he did to the tabernacle, and the vessels thereto belonging, both with oil first incensed, as I said, and with the blood of bulls, and of rams, slain day by day, one, according to its kind. But on the eighth day, he appointed a feast for the people, and commanded them to offer sacrifice according to their ability. Accordingly they contended one with another, and were ambitious to exceed each other in the sacrifices which they brought, and so fulfilled Moses's injunctions. But as the sacrifices lay upon the altar, a sudden fire was kindled from among them of its own accord; and appeared to the sight like fire from a flash of lightning, and consumed whatsoever was upon the altar. Hereupon an affliction befell Aaron, considered as a man and a father; but he supported it with true fortitude, for he had, indeed, a firmness of soul in such accidents; and he thought this calamity came upon him according to God's will; for whereas he had four sons, as I said before, the two elder of them, Nadab and Abihu, did not bring those sacrifices which Moses bade them bring, but which they used * These answers by the oracle of Urim and Thummim, which words signify light and perfection, or, as the LXXII. render them, Awais xai Aλhésiα, revelation and truth; and denote nothing farther, that I see, but the shining stones themselves, which were used in this method of illumination, in revealing the will of God, after a perfect and true manner, to his people Israel: I say, these answers were not made by the shining of the precious stones, after an awkward manner, in the highpriest's breast-plate, as the modern Rabbins vainly suppose, and as the learned interpret Philo and Josephus, but without any sufficient foundation, so far as I see; for certainly the shining of the stones might precede or accompany the oracle, without itself delivering that oracle; see Antiq. VI. 6; but rather by an audible voice from the mercy-seat, between the cherubim. See Prid. Connect. at the year 534, at large. This oracle had been silent, as Josephus here informs us, 200 years before he wrote his Antiquities, or ever since the days of John Hyrcanus, the to offer formerly, and were burnt to death. Now when the fire rushed upon them, and began to burn them, nobody could quench it; accordingly they died in this manner: and Moses bid their father and their brethren to take up their bodies, to carry them out of the camp, and to bury them magnificently. Now the multitude lamented them, and were deeply affected at this death, which so unexpectedly befell them; but Moses entreated their brethren and their father not to be troubled for them; to prefer their honour of God before their grief about them; for Aaron had already put on his sacred garments. Moses refused all that honour which he saw the multitude ready to bestow upon him, and attended to nothing but the service of God. He went no more up to mount Sinai; but he went into the tabernacle, and brought back answers from God to what he prayed for. His habit was also that of a private man; and in all other circumstances he behaved himself like one of the common people, and was desirous to appear without distinguishing himself from the multitude, but would have it known that he did nothing but to take care of them. He also set down in writing the form of their government, and those laws, by obedience to which they would lead their lives so as to please God, and so as to have no quarrels one among another. However, the laws he ordained were such as God suggested to him; so I shall now discourse concerning that form of government and those laws. I will now treat of what I before omitted, the garment of the high-priest: for Moses left no room for the evil practices of false prophets; but, if some. of that sort should attempt to abuse the divine authority, he left it to God to be present at his sacrifices when he pleased, and when he pleased to be absent. And he was willing this should be known not to the Hebrews only, but to those foreigners also who were there. For as to those sardonyxes* which the high-priest bare on his last good high-priest of the family of the Maccabees. Now it is worth our observation, that the oracle before us, was that by which God appeared to be present with, and gave directions to his people Israel, as their king, all the while they submitted to him in that capacity, and did not set over them such independent kings as governed according to their own wills and political maxims, instead of divine directions; accordingly we met with this oracle, besides angelic and prophetic admonitions all along, from the days of Moses and Joshua to the anointing of Saul, the first of the succession of kings. Numb. xxvii. 21. Judg. i. 1, xviii. 5, 6, xx. 18, 23, 26, 27, 1 Sam. i. 14, iii. per tot. iv. per tot. Nay, till Saul's rejection of the divine commands in the war with Amalek, when he took upon him to act as he thought fit himself, 1 Sam. xiv. 18, 19, 36, 37. Then this oracle left Saul entirely, (which indeed he had seldom consulted before; see 1 Sam. xvi. 35, 1 Chron. xviii. 3, Joseph. Antiq. VII. 4,) and accompanied David, who was anointed to succeed shoulders, the one of them shined out when God || on a fitter opportunity: but I will now go on with was present at their sacrifices: bright rays dart- my proposed narration. ing out thence, and being seen even by those who were most remote; which splendour yet was not before natural to the stone. This has appeared a wonderful thing to such as have not so far indulged themselves in philosophy, as to despise divine revelation. Yet will I mention what is still more wonderful; for God declared beforehand by those twelve stones which the high-priest bare on his breast, and which were inserted into his breastplate, when they should be victorious in battle; for so great a splendour shone forth from them before the army began to march, that all the people were sensible of God's being present for their assistance. Whence it came to pass, that those Greeks who had a veneration for our laws, because they could not possibly contradict this, call-cense. ed the breast-plate the Oracle. Now this breastplate and this sardonyx left off shining two hundred years* before I composed this book; God having been displeased at the transgression of his laws. Of which things we shall further discourse him, and who consulted God by it frequently, and complied with its directions constantly. See 1 Sam. xxii. 13, 15, xxiii. 9, 10, xxx. 7, 8, 2 Sam. ii. 1, v. 19, 23, xxi. 1, 1 Chron. xiv. 10, 14, Joseph. Antiq. VI. 12, VII. 4. Saul, indeed, long after his rejection by God, and when God had given him up to destruction for his disobedience, did once afterwards endeavour to consult God when it was too late; but God would not then answer him, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets; 1 Sam. xxvii. 6. Nor did any of David's successors, the kings of Judah, that we know of, consult God by this oracle till the Babylonish captivity, when those kings were at an end, by taking upon them, I suppose, too much of despotic power and royalty, and too little owning the God of Israel for the supreme King of Israel, though a few of them consulted the prophets sometimes, and were answered by them. At the return of the two tribes, without the return of the kingly government, the restoration of this oracle was expected: Neh. vii. 65, 1 Esd. v. 40, 1 Mac. iv. 46, and indeed it may seem to have been restored for some time after the Babylonish captivity, at least in the days of that excellent high-priest, John Hyrcanus, whom Josephus esteemed as a king, a priest, and a prophet, and who, he says, foretold several things that came to pass accordingly; but about the time of his death, he here implies, that this oracle ceased, and not before, the following high-priests, now putting diadems on their heads, and ruling according to their own will, and by their own authority, like the other kings of the pagan countries about them, so that while the God of Israel was allowed to be the supreme King of Israel, and his directions to be their authentic guides, God gave them such directions as their supreme king and governor, and they were properly under a theocracy, this oracle of Urim, but no longer; see Dr. Bernard's notes here; though I confess I cannot but esteem the high-priest Jaddus's divine dream, Antiq. XI. 8, and the high-priest Caiaphas's most remarkable prophecy, John xi. 47-52, as two small remains, or specimens, of this ancient oracle, which properly belonged to the Jewish priests; nor, perhaps, ought we entirely to forget that eminent prophetic dream of our Josephus himself, (one next to the high-priest, as of the family of the Asmoneans or Maccabees, by his mother's side, and by his father of the first of the twenty-four classes of the priests,) as to the succession of Vespasian and Titus to the The tabernacle being consecrated, and a regular order settled for the priests, the multitude judged that God now dwelt among them; and betook themselves to sacrifices,† and praises to God, as being now delivered from all expectation of evils; and entertaining a hopeful prospect of better times hereafter. They offered also gifts to God; some as common to the whole nation, and others as peculiar to themselves, and these tribe by tribe. For the heads of the tribes combined together, two by two, and brought a wagon, and a yoke of oxen; these amounted to six, and these carried the tabernacle, when they journeyed; besides which, every head of a tribe brought a bowl, a charger, and a spoon of ten daricks, full of inNow the charger and the bowl were of silver, and together they weighed two hundred shekels, but the bowl cost no more than seventy shekels: and these were full of fine flour mingled with oil, such as they used on the altar, about the sacrifices. They brought also a young bullock, Roman empire, and that in the days of Nero, and before either Galba, Otho, or Vitellus, was thought of to succeed him. Of the War, III. 8, IV. 10, and this confirmed by Suetonius in Vespas. § 5, and Dio. in Xiphiline, page 317. This, I think, may be considered as the very last instance of any thing like the prophetic Urim among the Jewish nation, and just preceded the fatal desolation. But how it could possibly come to pass that such great men as Sir John Marsham and Dr. Spencer should imagine that this oracle of Urim and Thummim, with other practices as old, or older than the law of Moses, should have been ordained in imitation of somewhat like them among the Egyptians, which we never heard of till the time of Diodorus Siculus, Elian, and Maimonides, or little earlier than the Christian era at the highest, is almost unaccountable. While the main business of the law of Moses was evidently to preserve the Israelites from the idolatrous and superstitious prac tices of the neighbouring pagan nations, and while it is so undeniable that the evidence for the great antiquity of Moses's law is incomparably beyond that for the like of greater antiquity of such customs in Egypt or other nations, which, indeed, is generally none at all, it is absurd to derive any of Moses's laws from the imitation of those heathen practices. Such hypotheses demonstrate to us how far inclination can prevail over evidence in even some of the most learned parts of mankind. See Dr. Bernard's very valuable notes upon this chapter, in opposition to Dr. Spencer, as they stand at large in Havercamp's edition. * About An. 107, two hundred years before A. D. 93, the thirteenth of Domitian, when Josephus published his Antiqui ties. † Of the Jewish sacrifices, the learned reader may consult the notes in Havercamp's edition, and Dr. Outram's excellent treatise De Sacrificiis. These old coins called Daricks, are, I think, first mentioned by Xenophon in his Kúps Пaud, page 339, edit. Hutch. a few years after the beginning of Cyaxares II. or Darius the Mede, (of whose Median name Darius this seems the only original remains in heathen antiquity,) and those by him mentioned as vastly large, seem to have been a kind of coronation medals of the same king's. and a ram, with a lamb of a year old, for a whole || the bodies, divide them into parts, salt them, and lay burnt-offering; as also a goat, for the forgiveness them upon the altar; while the pieces of wood are of sins. Every one of the heads of the tribes piled one upon another, and the fire is burning. brought also other sacrifices called peace-offer- They then cleanse the feet of the sacrifices, and the ings; for every day two bulls, and five rams, with inwards, in an accurate manner; and so they lay lambs of a year old, and kids of the goats. These them to the rest, to be purified by the fire, while the heads of tribes were twelve days in sacrificing, priests receive the hides: this is the way of offering one sacrificing every day. Now Moses went no a burnt-offering. longer up to mount Sinai; but went into the tabernacle, and learned of God what they were to do, and what laws should be made: which laws were preferable to what have been devised by human understanding, and proved to be firmly observed, for all time to come; as being believed to be the gift of God: insomuch that the Hebrews did not transgress any of those laws, either as tempted in times of peace by luxury, or in times of war by distress of affairs. CHAP. IX. OF THE MANNER OF OFFERING SACRIFICES. I WILL now make mention of a few of our laws, which belong to purifications, and the like sacred offices, since I am accidentally come to this matter of sacrifices: these sacrifices are of two sorts, one being offered for private persons, and the other for the people in general: and they are done in two different ways. In one case, what is slain is burnt, as a whole burnt-offering; whence that name is given to it: but the other is a thank-offering, and as designed for feasting those that sacrifice. I will speak of the former: Suppose a private man offer a burntoffering, he must slay either a bull, a lamb, or a kid of the goats, and the two latter of the first year; though of bulls he is permitted to sacrifice those of a greater age: but all burnt-offerings are to be of males. When they are slain, the priests sprinkle the blood* round about the altar: they then cleanse * It is, says Bp. Patrick, no improbable conjecture of Fortunatus Scacchus, that from hence the heathens learned their Taurobolia, and Criobolia, which in process of time they disguised with infernal rites and ceremonies. "The Taurobolium of the ancients was a ceremony in which the high-priest of Cybele was consecrated, and might be called a baptism of blood, which they conceived imparted a spiritual new birth to the liberated spirit. In this dreadful and sanguinary ceremony, according to the poet Prudentius, cited at length by Banier on the ancient sacrifices, the high-priest about to be inaugurated was introduced into a dark excavated apartment, adorned with a long silken robe, and a crown of gold. Above this apartment was a floor perforated in a thousand places with holes like a sieve, through which the blood of a sacred bull, slaughtered for the purpose, descended in a copious torrent upon the inclosed priest, who received the purifying stream on every part of his dress, rejoicing to bathe with the bloody shower his hands, his cheeks, and even to bedew his lips and his tongue with it. When all the blood had run from the throat of the immolated bull, the || Those who offer thank-offerings do indeed sacrifice the same creatures; but such as are unblemished, and above a year old: however, they may take either males or females. They also sprinkle the altar with their blood; but they lay upon the altar the kidneys, the caul, and all the fat, and the lobe of the liver; with these they bring also the rump of the lamb; they give also the breast and the right shoulder to the priests; so they feast upon the remainder of the flesh for two days; and what remains they burn. The sacrifices for sins are offered in the same manner, as is the thank-offering: but those who are unable to purchase complete sacrifices, offer two pigeons, or turtle-doves; one of which is made a burnt-offering to God, and the other is given as food for the priests. But we shall treat more accurately about the oblation of these creatures, in our discourse concerning sacrifices: but if a person fall into sin by ignorance, he offers an ewe lamb or female kid of the goats of the same age; and the priest sprinkles the blood at the altar; not after the former manner, but at the corners of it. They also bring the kidneys, and the rest of the fat, together with the lobe of the liver, to the altar: while the priests bear away the hides, and the flesh, and spend it in the holy place,† on the same day; for the law does not permit them to leave of it until the morning. But if any one sin, and is conscious of it himself, but hath nobody that can prove it upon him, he offers a ram; the flesh of which the priests eat, as carcass of the victim was removed, and the priest issued forth from the cavity, a spectacle ghastly and horrible, his head and vestments being covered with blood, and clotted drops of it adhering to his venerable beard. As soon as the pontifex appeared before the assembled multitude, the air was rent with congratulatory shouts; so pure and so sanctified, however, was he now esteemed, that they dared not approach his but person, beheld him at a distance with awe and veneration." Maurice's Ind. Ant. vol. v. p. 196. B. † What Reland observes here, out of Josephus, as compared with the law of Moses, Levit. vii. 15, (that the eating of the sacrifice the same day it was offered, seems to mean only before the morning of the next, although the latter part, i. e. the night, be in strictness part of the next day, according to the Jewish reckoning,) is greatly to be observed upon other occasions also. The Jewish maxim, in such cases, it seems, is this: that the day goes before the night, and this appears to me to be the language both of the Old and New Testaments. See also the note on IV. 4, and Reland's note on IV. 8. before, in the holy place, on the same day. And if the rulers offer sacrifices for their sins, they bring the same oblations that private men do; except they so far differ, that they are to bring for sacrifices a bull, or a kid of the goats, both males. Now the law requires, both in private and public sacrifices, that the finest flour be also brought; for a lamb, the measure of one tenth deal; for a ram, two; and for a bull, three. This they consecrate upon the altar, when it is mingled with oil: for oil is also brought by those that sacrifice; for a bull, the half of a hin; for a ram, a third part of the same measure; and one quarter of it for a lamb. They bring the same quantity of oil which they do of wine, and they pour the wine about the altar: but if any one does not offer a complete sacrifice of animals, but brings fine flour only for a vow, he throws a handful upon the altar, as its first fruits; while the priests take the rest for their food; either boiled, or mingled with oil, but made into cakes of brd: but whatsoever it be, that a priest himself offers, it must of necessity be all burnt. Now the law forbids us to sacrifice any animal at the same time with its dam; and in other cases, not till the eighth day after its birth. Other sacrifices are also appointed for escaping distempers, or for other occasions; in which meatofferings are consumed, together with the animals that are sacrificed; of which it is not lawful to leave any part till the next day, only the priests are to take their own share. CHAP. X. CONCERNING THE FESTIVALS, AND HOW EACH DAY OF SUCH FESTIVAL IS TO BE OBSERVED. THE law requires, that out of the public expenses a lamb of the first year be killed every day, at the beginning and ending of the day;* but on the seventh day, which is called the Sabbath, they kill two, and sacrifice them in the same manner. On the new moon they both perform the daily sacrifices, and slay two bulls, with seven lambs of the first year, and a kid of the goats also, for the expiation of sins, that is, if they have sinned through ignorance. On the seventh month, which the Macedonians call Hyperberetæus, they make an addition to those already mentioned, and sacrifice a bull, a ram, seven lambs,† and a kid of the goats for sins. The tenth day of the same lunar month they fast till the evening; and this day they sacrifice a bull, two rams, seven lambs, and a kid of the goats for sins; and besides these, they bring two kids of the goats, one of which is sent alive out of the limits of the camp into the wilderness, for the scape *Exod. xxix. 38. Numb. xxviii. 3. goat, and to be an expiation of the sins of the whole multitude; but the other is brought into a place of great cleanness, within the limits of the camp, and is there burnt, with its skin, without any sort of cleansing. With this goat is burnt a bull not brought by the people, but by the high-priest, at his own charge, which, when it is slain, he brings of the blood into the holy place, together with the blood of the kid of the goats, and sprinkles the ceiling with his finger seven times, as also its pavement, and as often towards the most holy place, and about the golden altar. He also at last brings it into the open court, and sprinkles it about the great altar. Besides this, they set the extremities, and the kidneys, and the fat, with the lobe of the liver, upon the altar, and the high-priest presents a ram to God as a burnt-offering. On the fifteenth§ day of the same month, when the season of the year is changing for winter, the law enjoins us to pitch tabernacles in every one of our houses, but so that we preserve ourselves from the cold of that time of the year; as also that when we should arrive at our own country, we should come to that city which we should have then for our metropolis, because of the temple therein to be built: and keep a festival for eight days, and offer burntofferings, and sacrifice thank-offerings; that we should then carry in our hands a branch of myrtle, and willow, and a bough of the palm-tree, with the addition of the pomecitron; that the burnt-offering on the first of those days was to be a sacrifice of thirteen bulls, fourteen lambs, and fifteen rams, with the addition of a kid of the goats, as an expiation for sins; that on the following days the same number of lambs, and of rams, with the kids of the goats; but abating one of the bulls every day, till they amounted to seven only. On the eighth day all work was laid aside, and then, as we said before, they sacrificed to God a bullock, a ram, seven lambs, and a kid of the goats, for an expiation of sins: and this is the accustomed solemnity of the Hebrews when they pitch their tabernacles. But in the month of Xanthicus, which is by us called Nisan, and is the beginning of our year, on the fourteenth day of the lunar month, when the sun is in Aries, (for on this month it was that we were delivered from bondage under the Egyptians,) the law ordained that we should every year slay that sacrifice, which I before observed we slew when we came out of Egypt, and which was called the Passover; and so do we celebrate this passover in companies, and leave nothing of what we sacrifice till the day following. The feast of unleavened bread succeeds that of the passover, and falls on the fifteenth day of the month, and § Numb. xxix. 12. Levit. xxiii. 27. Or Abid. Deut. xvi. 1. |