19 For Aaron and his sons ushall wash their hands and their feet thereat: 20 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not: or when they come near uch. 40. 31, 32. Ps. 26. 6. Isai. 52. 11. John 13. 10. Heb. 10. 22. to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD: 21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and wit shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations. w ch. 28. 43. entering the Tabernacle was in no case dispensed with. A man might be perfectly clean, might be quite free from any ceremonial impurity, and might even have washed his hands and feet before he left home, but still he could by no means enter the Tabernacle without previous ablution at the La planation, although it seems to us prob- 94 THE LAVER. The typical design of the Laver flows so naturally out of its primary uses; that but little room is left for a formal discussion of the subject. The external ablution of the body with water, either in whole or in part, was a significant mode of teaching the necessity of an inward purification of the spirit. Those who were officially engaged in the services of the Sanctuary were especially to be reminded of the duty of preserving purity in all their ministrations, and of dreading the pollutions of sin. It was only thus that their functions could be Their feet available to themselves. 好 several spices which formed the ingredients of the anointing oil were to be of the very best kinds then known and valued. These we may consider in their order.¶ Pure myrrh. Heb. dom; i. e. myrrh which flowed freely and spontaneously, instead of being drawn by incision, and was therefore of the purest kind.- T Sweet cinnamon. Hebrew bp kinnemon besem, aromatic cinnamon, a well-known arti. cle of spicery deriving its name directly from the Hebrew. The word is ordinarily used to denote the second or inner bark of the cinnamon-tree which grows in great abundance in the island of Ceylon. But as the bark of the root has a stronger flavor than that of the trunk, Scheuzer conjectures that that which was employed in the composition of the holy anointing oil was of the former kind. Sweet calamus. Heb. Laver, at which he was previously to pause and perform the requisite personal cleansings. Thus too there is no entering into heaven, the upper sanctuary, without a previous washing in the laver of regeneration. The renewing mar deror, myrrh of freeand purifying influences of the Holy Spirit, not only at the outset, but through the whole course of the Christian life, are most significantly shadowed forth by this feature of the ancient economy. Indeed, we may say in brief that as the Altar on which the victims were offered was a symbol of justification, so the Laver, with its cleansing fountain, was a symbol of sanctification; and among the moral truths so impressively taught by the sensible emblems of the Mosaic ritual, none was perhaps more pertinently or palpably set forth than the strict connexion between the atoning blood of Christ and the sanctifying efficacy of the Holy Spirit in this mutual relation of these articles stand- keneh bosem, spiced cane. This ing in the outer court. It is a relation term denotes an aromatic reed growing which seems to be expressly recognised in moist places in Egypt, in Judea near by David when he says, Ps. 26. 6, 'I lake Gennesareth, and in several parts will wash mine hands in innocency, so of Syria. It grows to about two feet will I compass thine altar, O Lord.' in height; bearing from the root a The same truth is taught in the New knotted stalk, quite round, containing Testament, where we are told that in its cavity a soft, white pith. The Christ came both by water and by blood. whole is of an agreeable aromatic smell ; -the one to atone and the other to puri. and the plant is said to scent the air fy-and beyond this it is not needful with fragrance, even while growing. to seek for the typical mystery of the When cut down, dried, and powdered, it makes an ingredient in the richest perfumes. T Cassia. kiddah; but as the Shemitic d and z are closely related in sound, the word is otherwise written kitzia, from which comes the Gr. karota, and thence the Laver. THE HOLY ANOINTING OIL. 23, 24. Take thou unto the principal spices, &c. Heb. UN besamim rosh, head spices; intimating that the קרה .Heb English, cassia. We find in the Scriptures no mention of this article except here and Ezek. 27. 19, where it is joined with calamus and enumerated among the precious things which were brought from the mart of Tyre. 25-28. Thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment. The quantity of oil was sufficient to retain the compound in a liquid state, which was probably much improved by straining off the dreggy parts and leaving the residuum defecated and pure. With this holy oil was the Tabernacle, with its priesthood and its furniture, to be anointed, as the last and crowning act of consecration. By this sacred unction the whole was sanctified and set apart to the uses for which it was designed. And as every thing to which it was applied became thereby most holy, so a peculiar sanctity attached to the anointing oil itself, which imparted this, and it was on peril of death that any of the same composition was made for any other purpose. But the tradition of the Jews, founded upon the phraseology of v. 31, 'throughout your generations,' that the very oil now prepared by Moses was preserved till near the captivity, and that none was to be made like it, not even for the same purpose, is undoubtedly erroneous. It is perfectly reasonable to suppose that under the inspection of the High Priest it was made as often as it was wanted; nor do we see any objection to the idea that not only the sels, and the candlestick and his vessels, and the altar of incense. 28 And the altar of burnt-offering with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot. 29 And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: e whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy. 30 fAnd thou shalt anoint Aaron e ch. 29. 37. fch. 29. 7, &c. Lev. 8. 12. 30. priests but also the kings of Judah were anointed with it, although as that form of government was not especially contemplated at this time, nothing is said on this subject. 29. Whatsoever toucheth them shall be most holy. The two leading attributes of the anointing oil were its preciousness and its sanctity. The spices of which it was composed were peculiarly rare and odoriferous, and the oil with which they were blended was most pure. This was doubtless intended to shadow forth the excellency of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, whose distinguishing emblem under the old economy was oil. And what is to be compared with the preciousness of those divine influences which emanate from this source? Upon whomsoever they are poured forth, they impart light to the understanding, pliancy to the will, purity to the affections, tenderness to the conscience, and holiness to the entire man. There is nothing beside them to be so earnestly coveted or so advantageously possessed. They are the true riches of the soul, and the sealing title to an eternal inheritance. Wherever enjoyed they constitute the subject of them, 'a new creature,' and so far sanctify every offering which he presents, that 'God smells a sweet savor from it,' and is well pleased. And not only so. It is a diffusive blessedness which is thus conferred. As every vessel that was anointed with the holy ointment, im and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office. 31 And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations. 32 Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: git is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. g ver. 25. 37. parted a sanctity to every thing with which it came in contact, so every true Christian communicates to others, as far as his influence extends, the same divine principles which he has imbibed. As was said in mystic language of the Savior, so may it be said of all his anointed ones, "Their garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia,' and wherever they go they diffuse around them 'the savor of the knowledge of Christ.' Let us seek then this 'unction from the Holy One,' the crown of the anointing oil,' which sanctifies and separates all those upon whom it comes. Let us guard against any thing that would reflect dishonor upon the Holy Spirit. Let us bear in mind the striking admonition conveyed in the figurative style of Solomon; 'Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savor; so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honor.' There is a sanctity about the Christian character which should be kept inviolate, and he that dishonors his calling puts fire to the oil of his consecration to his own consuming. 32. Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured. That is, upon common men, upon any who were not priests; equivalent to which is 'stranger' in the next verse. THE HOLY PERFUME. 33 Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger i shall even be cut off from his people.. 34 ¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, k Take unto thee sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum; these sweet spices with pure frankincense: of each shall there be a like weight: h ver. 38. i Gen. 17. 14. ch. 12. 15. Lev. 7. 20, 21. k ch 25.6. & 37. 29. This order has respect to the composition of the Incense which was to be burnt upon the golden Altar. This also was prepared of sweet spices, though not of so rare or precious a quality as those of which the anointing oil was compounded. But concerning both preparations the same law is given that nothing like them should be made for common use. This would tend to beget among the Israelites a reverence for whatever was of divine institution, and a sedulous care to guard against its profanation or abuse, and as to us, who are privileged to look deeper into the spiritual drift of the Mosaic economy, it may well admonish us to beware of any counterfeit presentment,' or any unhallowed prostitution, of those ordinances, gifts, or graces which emanate from the Spirit of God and in which his honor is especially concerned.Stacte. Heb. netaph from nataph, to drop. Gr. from στάζω, to distil. This was a fine kind of gum which was produced from the myrrhtree, but differing from that substance mentioned v. 23, by retaining a waxy or resinous form, instead of flowing out as a liquid. It is supposed to have been the same with what was afterwards called 'opobalsam' or 'the balm of Jericho.'-T Onycha. Heb. shehëleth, a word which occurs only in this place, and of which the true sense στακτη, 34. Take unto thee sweet spices, &c. is consequently very difficult to be de 35 And thou shalt make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together, pure and holy: 37 And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, oye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the LORD. 38 p Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his peo 36 And thou shalt beat some of it very small, and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, m where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto ple. you most holy. 1 ver. 25. m ch. 29. 42. Lev. 16. 2. 32. ch. 29. 37. Lev. 2. 3. termined. In Syriac n ver. o ver. 32. P ver. 33. shehelta, juice which exudes from certain plants the 'milk,' and the phraseology is retained in medical nomenclature 'gum lac, &c. The 'galbanum' is supposed to have been the gum-resin or thickened sap of the 'Bubon Gummiferum,' an umbelliferous plant of Turkey, which yields this gum in softish, pliant, and pale cream-colored masses, whenever a wound is made in any part of it. It is of a strong piercing smell, and of a bitterish taste. Frankincense. Heb. 3 lebonah, a term of which the root also is labën and conveying the idea of whiteness. The English word 'frankincense' is supposed to have the prefixed epithet 'frank,' free, from the liberal and ready distribution of its odors. This drug, otherwise called is a tear, a distillation, and the Hebrew word would seem therefore to mean something that exuded, some vegetable gum of odorous qualities. The Gr. indeed has ovvxa, onycha, from ovvs, nail, and several learned critics have supposed it to be the external covering (nail) of the shell-fish purpura or murex, which | possessed aromatic properties and was thence called unguis odoriferans, odoriferous onyx. This, according to Rumphius, was the basis of the principal perfumes employed in India, just as aloes is the basis of all their pills. But as India was too distant for drugs to be brought from thence to Judea or Arabia, where the Israelites now were, and as the context and the etymology seem to require some vegetable substance, the'olibanum,' is a dry resinous sub. opinion is far preferable that makes it the gum of some aromatic plant; and as the Arabic version has 'Ladana,' it is not improbable that gum-ladanum, the produce of the 'Cistus ladaniferus,' was the drug in question. This is a secretion from the leaves, which is swept off by the beard of the browzing goats, from whence it was collected. The shrub is a native of the Levant, the isles of the Mediterranean, and Arabia. - Galbanum. Heb. 3 helbenah, which Michaelis supposes to be a compound of heleb, milk or gum and leben, white, denoting the white milk or gum of some plant, as it is common with us to call the white stance of a yellowish white color, a strong fragrant smell, and bitter acrid taste. It is produced from the 'Boswellia serrata,' a native of India, and a fine tree belonging to the family of the turpentine-bearing trees. The 'pure frankincense' is that which is first obtained from the tree, and for that reason considered the best. When laid upon burning coals, or a hot iron, it sends forth a vapor of most delicious fragrance. 35. Tempered together. Heb. aa memullah, salted, from melah, salt. The Chal. and Gr., however, have set the example of rendering by mixed or tempered, as if their idea was that |