[1] And take thou unto thee
Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel,
that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab
and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons.
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 priesthood instituted. Moses, who had hitherto officiated,
and is therefore reckoned among the priests of the Lord, Psalms 99:6, had
enough to do as their prophet, to consult the oracle forthem, and as their
prince, to judge among them. Nor was he desirous to ingross all the honours
to himself, or to entail that of the priesthood, which alone was hereditary,
upon his own family; but was very well pleased to see his brother Aaron
invested with this office, and his sons after him; while (how great soever
he was) his sons after him would be but common Levites. It is an instance
of the humility of that great man, and an evidence of his sincere regard
to the glory of God, that he had so little regard to the preferment of
his own family. Aaron, that had humbly served as a prophet to his younger
brother Moses, and did not decline the office, is now advanced to be a
priest to God. God had said to Israel in general, that they should be to
him a kingdom of priests; but because it was requisite that those who ministered
at the altar should give themselves wholly to the service, God here chose
from among them one to be a family of priests, the father and his four
sons; and from Aaron's loins descended all the priests of the Jewish church,
whom we read of both in the Old Testament and in the New.
[2] And thou shalt make holy
garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. [3]
And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled
with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate
him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. [4]
And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an
ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they
shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may
minister unto me in the priest's office. [5]
And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen.
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, ought to be used for him. The garments appointed
were,
-
Four, which both the high - priest and the inferior priests
wore, viz. The linen breeches, the linen coat, the linen girdle which fastened
it to them, and the bonnet; that which the high - priest wore is called
a mitre.
-
Four more which were peculiar to the high - priest, the ephod,
with the curious girdle of it, the breast - plate of judgment, the long
robe, and the golden plate on his forehead. These glorious garments, were
appointed,
-
That the priests themselves might be minded of the dignity
of their office.
-
That the people might thereby be possessed with a holy reverence
of that God whose ministers appeared in such grandeur.
That the priests might be types of Christ, and of all
Christians who have the beauty of holiness put upon them.
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