The Levites, however, paid to the priests a tenth part of all their tithes, which were considered as the firstfruits, which they were to offer to God. And in order that the priests, as well as the Levites, might wholly attend to their sacred functions without worldly cares, they were exempted from all secular employments. Of the Levitical cities, thirteen were assigned for their residence: besides the tithes offered by the Levites out of the tithes by them received, the principal part of what was offered to God, was the portion of the priests; therefore they had no inheritance of land in Israel. They lived by the altar, and had a very ample provision for their support. The Rabbins say, twenty-four gifts were given to the priests; and they are all expressed in the law. Eight of these gifts they were to eat, nowhere but in the sanctuary: these eight were the following: * 1. The flesh of the sin-offering, whether fowl or beast. Lev. vi, 25, 26. 2. The flesh of the trespass-offering. Lev. vii, 1, 6. 3. The peace-offerings of the congregation. Lev. xxiii, 19, 20. 4. The remainder of the omer, or sheaf. Lev. xxiii, 10. 5. The remnants of the meat-offerings of the Israelites. Lev. vi, 16. 6. The two loaves. Lev. xxiii, 17. *The priests, however, came to have some small portions of land. Lev. xxvii, 20, 21. And there was also some land annexed to the cities of the Levites. Numb. xxxv. But in the allotment of the land of Canaan, the whole territory was divided among the other tribes; and it is expressly said, "the priests, the Levites, all the tribe of Levi, shall have no part nor inheritance with Israel. Deut. xviii, 1, 7. The shew-bread. Lev. xxiv, 9. 8. The log of oil offered by the leper, Lev. xiv, 10. Five of those gifts they were to eat nowhere but in Jerusalem, viz. 1. The breast and shoulder of the peace-offerings. Lev. vii, 31, 34. 2. The heave-offering of the sacrifice of confession. Lev. vii, 12, 14. 3. The heave-offering of the Nazarite's ram. Numb, vi, 17-20. 4. The firstling of the clean beast. Numb. xviii, 15-18. Deut. xv, 19, 20. 5. The first-fruits. Numb. xviii, 13. Five gifts were not due unto them by the law, but in the land of Israel only, viz. 1. The heave-offering or first-fruits. Numb. xviii, 12. 2. The heave-offering of the tithe. Numb. xviii, 28. 3. The cake. Numb. xv, 20. These three were holy. 4. The first-fruits of the fleece. Deut. xviii, 4. 5. The field of possession. Lev. xxvii, 22, 23. These two were common. Five gifts were due to them both within and without the land, viz. 1. The gifts of the beasts slain. Deut. xviii, 3--5. 2. The redemption of the first-born son. Numb. xviii, 15. 3. The lamb for the firstling of an ass. Exod. xxx, iv, 20; Numb.xviii, 15. 4. The restitution of that taken by violence from a stranger. Numb. v, 8. 5. All devoted things. Numb. xviii, 14. These five were common things in all respects. One gift was due unto them from the sanctuary, viz. The skins of the burnt-offerings, and all the skins of the other most holy things. Lev. vii, 8. In all twentyfour. The females of the priests' families had a part in the following:-1. The heave-offering, or first-fruits. 2. The heave-offering of the tithe. 3. The cake. 4. The gifts of the beast. Deut. xviii, 3. 5. The first of the fleece.* Besides all this, the priests had the tribute money, mentioned in Numb. xxxi, 28, 29, It has been computed that Canaan contained about 11,264,000 acres of land; and, as the Levites had the tenth of all the productions of the land, 48 cities, each forming a square of 4,000 cubits, and 2,000 cubits of ground round each city, the total of the land they possessed was 53,000 acres, which was rather less than as one to two hundred and twelve; for 11,264,000 divided by 53,000, quotes only 212,† Such were the revenues and portions of the priests and Levites, which, though sufficient to keep them above want, and it may be allowed that their portions were the best of the land, yet were but a very small proportion for a whole tribe, that devoted itself wholly to wait upon the service of God, and were not so ample as to enable them to accumulate riches, or to impoverish the laity, as some writers have imagined. As their portion was such as rendered them independent, and kept them comfortable, so that they could wait on the Lord's work without distraction; so this is a very proper pattern for * See Mishna. Tract. Bicurim; and Ainsworth on the Pentateuch. + See Lowman, Dodd, and Dr. A. Clarke, on Numbers xix. the maintenance of the ministers of God now; let them have a sufficiency for themselves and families, that there may be no distracting cares; and let them not be encumbered with riches or worldly possessions, that they may have no occasion to be prevented from giving themselves wholly to the work of the ministry. III. Of the Rulers and Ministers of the Synagogue. THOSE places, which were set apart for prayer, reading the Holy Scriptures, and preaching, called Synagogues, were superintended by several rulers or officers mentioned in the New Testament. The rulers of the synagogue mentioned in Matt. ix, 18; Mark v, 22; Luke viii, 41, were persons who presided over the synagogue worship, and appointed or permitted others to read and expound the law and the prophets. These presidents or rulers were always persons advanced in years, men of letters and understanding, and of known probity. It appears from Acts xiii, 15, collated with Mark v, 22, and John vi, 59, that there were several of these rulers, belonging to every synagogue: but how many, we are nowhere told. Next to these presidents was the minister of the synagogue, who read the public prayers, directed the reading of the law, and preached. He was called, chazan, inspector, or bishop.* With According to Dr. Prideaux, the person who read prayers and gave the blessing, was a different officer from the Chazan, and was the him were associated other officers, who had the care of poor, and collected the alms: these were denominated pernasim, pastors, or rectors. As the law and the prophets were always read in Hebrew, it became expedient, when that language ceased to be vernacular, to establish an interpreter, who was called Targumista, to expound the Scriptures in the Chaldee dialect, which was spoken by the Jews after their return from the Babylonian captivity. The Interpreter always sat close to the reader, and repeated aloud to the people what the reader had softly whispered in his ears. Tỏ this custom our Lord is supposed to have alluded when he said to his disciples, "What ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the house tops."* As the presidents or rulers of the synagogue were persons of considerable authority, and, were called chocamim, sages, or wise men, there were three magistrates chosen out of them, who presided to adjust differences among the people, and had power, in certain cases, to condemn criminals to be scourged, but not to be put to death: hence our Lord takes occasion to warn his disciples that they would be scourged in the synagogues. Matt. x, 17.† To these courts of justice St. Paul is supposed to allude, in 1 Cor. vi, 5, called Sheliuch Tsibbor, the angel or messenger of the church; whence the presiding ministers of the seven Asiatic churches are termed angels of the churches. See Rev. i, ii, iii. Dr. P. is of opinion that the Chazan was an interior officer, to whom was committed the care of the books and other things used in the synagogue worship,-a kind of deacon, such as the Parnasim are supposed to have been. See his Connection, part i, b. vi, under the year 444, vol. i, pp. 457--459, 17th ed. *Dr. Lightfoot's Hora Hebraicæ, on Matt. x, 27. xii, 11. |