and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle; the hangings of the court, and the

curtain for the door of the court, and the cords of it, for all the fervice thereof. The Charge of the Kohathites was to be The ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the veffels of the fanctuary, wherewith they minifter, and the banging, and all the fervice thereof. And the Defcendents from Merari were to have The cuftody and charge of the boards, and bars, and pillars, and fockets, and pins, and cords, that any way belong'd to the tabernacle and the court thereof. And when there was a Neceffity of removing it, each of these Divifions "took to pieces, and carried off thofe Parts of the Tabernacle, which were thus affign'd to them: And, were fo difpos'd in their Encampment, as to be each as near as conveniently they could to their respective Charges.

C

SEC T. XII.

2

The Confecration of the LEVITES. Nor were, even these, to enter upon their Office, without a previous Confecration, as it were preparing and fitting them thereto.

The

31

36.

--viii. 5. The LORD spake unto Mofes, faying, Take

the Levites from among the children of Ifrael, and cleanse them: And thus fhalt thou do unto them to cleanse them; fprinkle water of purifying upon them, and let them have all their flesh, and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean. Then let them take a young bullock with his meat-offering, even fine flower mingled with oyl; and another young bullock shalt thou take for a finoffering. And thou shalt bring the Levites before the tabernacle of the congregation; and thou shalt gather the whole affembly of the children of Ifrael together, and thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD, and the children of Ifrael fhall put their hands upon the Levites: And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD, for an offering of the children of Ifrael; that they may execute the Service of the LORD. And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: And thou shalt offer the one, for a fin-offering, and the other for a burnt-offering, unto the LORD, to make an atonement for the Levites. And thou shalt fet the Levites before Aaron, and before his fons, and offer them for an offering unto the LORD.

Thus

Thus fhall thou feparate the Levites from
the children of Ifrael; and the Le-
among
vites fhall be mine. I have taken the Le-
vites, for all the firft-born of the children of
Ifrael. And again; This is it that belongeth
unto the Levites; from twenty and five years
old and upward, they shall go in to wait
upon the fervice of the tabernacle of the con-
gregation. And, from the age of fifty years,
they shall cease waiting upon the Service
thereof, and shall ferve no more. But shall
minifter, with their brethren, in the taberna-
cle of the congregation, to keep the charge;
and fhall do no (laborious) fervice.

But, though they were, in general, admitted, at the age of five and twenty; we find another Precept, which restrains the Numb. Kohathites, one of the three Branches, iv. 3. from being employ'd to carry the holy Things which belong'd to the Sanctuary, C The Ark, Table of Shew-Bread, Candle1 flick, and Altar of Incense, till they were of the Age of thirty; These being the most valuable and important of all the Moveables.

And, we find afterward, when David had projected a magnificent Design for a Temple,

4

I

XXII. 24.

Temple, and the Service of the Tabernacle was to ceafe, he new-moulded the Conftitution of the Levites, divided them into proper Stations and Courses for the Service of the Temple; and, by the fame Authority, by which he was empower'd to build and fix the fituation of the House of God, order'd that for the future they should be 1 Chron. admitted, at the Age of twenty Years. We read further, that the Number of them, at that time, was no less than Eight and Thirty Thousand, from thirty years old and upwards. Of which, he injoin'd that Four and Twenty Thousand fhould attend the conftant Duty and Work of the Temple; which, divided into four and twenty Courses, was a Thoufand a Week. Six Thoufand, to be Officers and Judges; probably, † in the nature of our Spiritual Courts; Four Thousand, to praise the LORD, with vocal and inftrumental Mufic; and Four Thousand, to be Porters or Doorkeepers. All which were likewife to

I Chron.

xxiii. 3, &c.

+ And possibly, in all caufes fpiritual and temporal; according to the Precept in the Law. Judges and Officers fhall thou make thee in all thy Gates, &c. Deut. xvi. 18.

be

be in waiting in their feveral Turns and Courses; and had their Chiefs, as well as the Priefts.

Ezra. viii.

29.

From this Divifion, we come to distinguish the Levites, properly fo call'd, being the Four and Twenty Thousand, who were to attend upon the constant Service of the Temple: This Difpofition being afterwards confirmed by Solomon, when the Temple was finish'd. He appointed, according to 2 Chron. the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their fervice, and the Levites to their charges; to praise and minister beAfore the priests, as the duty of every day required: the porters alfo by their courses, at every gate: for fo had David, the man of God, commanded.

viii. 14.

2 Chron.

Thus, when King Hezekiah began his Reformation of Religion, after the Land had been polluted with the Idolatry of his Ancestors, he gathers together the Priests and the Levites, and makes a Speech to them; Hear me, ye Levites; fanctify now xxix. 4, your felves, and fanctify the house of the &c. LORD God of your fathers; and carry forth the filthiness out of the holy place. For our fathers have trespassed, &c. And at