New Torrey's Topical Textbook: Rev. R. A. Torrey

Priests

• First notice of persons acting as Gen. 4:3, 4
• During patriarchal age heads of families acted as Gen. 8:20, 12:8, 35:7
• After the exodus young men (first-born) deputed to act as Ex. 24:5, 19:22
• The sons of Aaron appointed as, by perpetual statute Ex. 29:9, 40:15
• All except seed of Aaron excluded from being Num. 3:10, 16:40, 18:7
• Sanctified by God for the office Ex. 29:44
• Publicly consecrated Ex. 28:3; Num. 3:3
• Ceremonies at consecration of
  • Washing in water Ex. 29:4; Lev. 8:6
  • Clothing with the holy garments Ex. 29:8, 9, 40:14; Lev. 8:13
  • Anointing with oil Ex. 30:30, 40:13
  • Offering sacrifices Ex. 29:10-19; Lev. 8:14-23
  • Purification by blood of the consecration ram Ex. 29:20, 21; Lev. 8:23, 24
  • Placing in their hands the wave-offering Ex. 29:22-24; Lev. 8:25-27
  • Partaking of the sacrifices of consecration Ex. 29:31-33; Lev. 8:31, 32
  • Lasted seven days Ex. 29:35-37; Lev. 8:33
• Required to remain in the tabernacle seven days after consecration Lev. 8:33-36
• No blemished or defective persons could be consecrated Lev. 21:17-23
• Required to prove their genealogy before they exercised the office Ezra 2:62; Neh. 7:64
• Garments of
  • The coat or tunic Ex. 28:40, 39:27
  • The girdle Ex. 28:40
  • The bonnet Ex. 28:40, 39:28
  • The linen breeches Ex. 28:42, 39:28
  • Worn at consecration Ex. 29:9, 40:15
  • Worn always while engaged in the service of the tabernacle Ex. 28:43, 39:41
  • Worn by the high priest on the day of atonement Lev. 16:4
  • Purified by sprinkling of blood Ex. 29:21
  • Laid up in holy chambers Ezek. 44:19
  • Often provided by the people Ezra 2:68, 69; Neh. 7:70, 72
• Required to wash in the brazen laver before they performed their services Ex. 30:18-21
• Services of
  • Keeping the charge of the tabernacle Num. 18:1, 5, 7
  • Covering the sacred things of the sanctuary before removal Num. 4:5-15
  • Offering sacrifices Lev. 1:1-6:30; 2 Chr. 29:34, 35:11
  • Lighting and trimming the lamps of the sanctuary Ex. 27:20, 21; Lev. 24:3, 4
  • Keeping the sacred fire always burning on the altar Lev. 6:12, 13
  • Burning incense Ex. 30:7, 8; Lk. 1:9
  • Placing and removing show-bread Lev. 24:5-9
  • Offering first fruits Lev. 23:10, 11; Dt. 26:3, 4
  • Blessing the people Num. 6:23-27
  • Purifying the unclean Lev. 15:30, 31
  • Deciding in cases of jealousy Num. 5:14, 15
  • Deciding in cases of leprosy Lev. 13:2-59, 14:34-45
  • Judging in cases of controversy Dt. 17:8-13, 21:5
  • Teaching the law Dt. 33:8, 10; Mal. 2:7
  • Blowing the trumpets on various occasions Num. 10:1-10; Josh. 6:3, 4
  • Carrying the ark Josh. 3:6, 17, 6:12
  • Encouraging the people when they went to war Dt. 20:1-4
  • Valuing things devoted Lev. 27:8
• Were to live by the altar as they had no inheritance Dt. 18:1, 2; 1 Cor. 9:13
• Revenues of
  • Tenth of the tithes paid to the Levites Num. 18:26, 28; Neh. 10:37, 38; Heb. 7:5
  • First-fruits Num. 18:8, 12, 13; Dt. 18:4
  • Redemption-money of the first-born Num. 3:48, 51, 18:15, 16
  • First-born of animals or their substitutes Num. 18:17, 18; Ex. 13:12, 13
  • First of the wool of sheep Dt. 18:4
  • Show-bread after its removal Lev. 24:9; 1 Sam. 21:4-6; Mt. 12:4
  • Part of all sacrifices Lev. 7:6-10, 31-34; Num. 6:19, 20, 18:8-11; Dt. 18:3
  • All devoted things Num. 18:14
  • All restitutions when the owner could not be found Num. 5:8
  • A fixed portion of the spoil taken in war Num. 31:29, 41
• Thirteen of the Levitical cities given to, for residence 1 Chr. 6:57-60; Num. 35:1-8
• Might purchase and hold other lands in possession 1 Ki. 2:26; Jer. 32:8, 9
• Special laws respecting
  • Not to marry divorced or improper persons Lev. 21:7
  • Not to defile themselves for the dead except the nearest of kin Lev. 21:1-6
  • Not to drink wine, &c while attending in the tabernacle Lev. 10:9; Ezek. 44:21
  • Not to defile themselves by eating what died or was torn Lev. 22:8
  • While unclean could not perform any service Lev. 22:1, 2; Num. 19:6, 7
  • While unclean could not eat of the holy things Lev. 22:3-7
  • No sojourner or hired servant to eat of their portion Lev. 22:10
  • All bought and home-born servants to eat of their portion Lev. 22:11
  • Children of, married to strangers, not to eat of their portion Lev. 22:12
  • Restitution to be made to, by persons ignorantly eating of their holy things Lev. 22:14-16
• Divided by David into twenty-four courses 1 Chr. 24:1-19; 2 Chr. 8:14, 35:4, 5
• The four courses which returned from Babylon subdivided into 24 Ezra 2:36-39; Lk. 1:5
• Each course of, had its president or chief 1 Chr. 24:6, 31; 2 Chr. 36:14
• Services of, divided by lot Lk. 1:9
• Punishment for invading the office of Num. 16:1-35, 18:7; 2 Chr. 26:16-21
• On special occasions persons not of Aaron's family acted as Judg. 6:24-27; 1 Sam. 7:9; 1 Ki. 18:33
• Were sometimes
  • Greedy 1 Sam. 2:13-17
  • Drunken Isa. 28:7
  • Profane and wicked 1 Sam. 2:22-24
  • Unjust Jer. 6:13
  • Corrupters of the law Isa. 28:7; Mal. 2:8
  • Slow to sanctify themselves for God's services 2 Chr. 29:34
• Generally participated in punishment of the people Jer. 14:18; Lam. 2:20
• Made of the lowest of the people by Jeroboam and others 1 Ki. 12:31; 2 Ki. 17:32
• Services of, ineffectual for removing sin Heb. 7:11, 10:11
• Illustrative of
  • Christ Heb. 10:11, 12
  • Saints Ex. 19:6; 1 Pet. 2:9