(Exodus 32:1- 32:35)
When the people of Israel noticed that Moses was such a long time coming down from the mountain, they came as a group to Aaron. They told him, "Get busy and craft an idol that can be a guide for us. As for this Moses who led us out of Egypt, who knows what's become of him."
Aaron replied, "Well then, pluck the golden rings from the ears of your wives, your sons and daughters and bring them to me."
And so the people removed their earrings of gold and brought them to Aaron, He collected them and molded the molten gold into the image of a calf. The people proclaimed, "Let this represent your god, people of Israel, the one that has brought you out of Egypt!"
When Aaron saw the people's favorable reaction, he proceeded to build an altar before it and made the announcement: "Tomorrow will be a festival to our god!"
The people rose early the next day and made burnt offerings and peace offerings to the god. They sat down to have a feast and to partake of drink, then rose to make merry with revelry.
Jehovah advised Moses, "You'd better get down there to your people, for those you have led out of Egypt are debasing themselves. How quickly have they strayed from the course I have laid out for them! They have made for themselves a calf of beaten gold, have worshiped it and made sacrifices to it and have even proclaimed, 'This represents the god that led us out of Egypt."
He continued to address Moses, "These people have shown themselves to be a stubborn lot. ... Leave me alone, for I’m so angry at them that I am going to put an end to them. I will instead create a mighty nation from your descendants.”
Moses implored with Jehovah, his god, "Why be so angry at your people, those you brought out of Egypt with your power and glory? Are you going to let the Egyptians say, 'He freed them only to trick them into going into the mountains where he could kill them and wipe their race off the face of the earth.' Please, hold your temper. You must change your mind about committing this grievous wrong against your own people. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and what you swore to them, that you would make their descendants more numerous than the stars in the sky and that you promised them a land that would forever be a legacy for their posterity."
And so Jehovah relented and did not follow through with the threatened calamity against his people.
Moses, leaving Jehovah, returned from the mountain carrying in his hands the two tablets that were inscribed with Jehovah's law on both sides, front and back. These tablets were created by Jehovah himself and the writing engraved on the tablets was in his hand.
When Joshua heard the commotion and the sound of people shouting in the Israelite camp, he told Moses, "It sounds like a war going on down there in the camp."
Moses disagreed. "No, it doesn't sound like the cry of those victorious in battle or those fleeing from an enemy. Rather what I hear sounds like --- singing!"
When he came near to the camp he was able to catch sight of the calf and the people dancing around it. Moses became so furious at this, he flung down the tablets and smashed them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. He then overthrew the calf his people had made and consigned it to the flames. He crushed the gold into powder, sprinkled the powder into water, making the people drink it.
He demanded of Aaron, "What did the people do to you that you committed such a heinous act?"
Aaron replied, “Now, let not my master be angry. You know the people, they're always bent upon making mischief. They said to me, 'Make us an idol that we may be a guide for us. As for this Moses who brought us out of Egypt, who knows what has become of him.' And I asked of them, 'Who of you has any gold?' They brought me gold, I melted it down, and the result was that calf."
Moses observed that the people had become unruly and undisciplined, for Aaron had made them so, an object of mockery to their enemies. Standing before the entrance to the camp he proclaimed, "Who is on Jehovah's side? Let him come to me!" All the Levites gathered to his side. Moses told them, "This is the will of Jehovah. Let every man strap a sword to his side and make his way from one end of the camp to the other. Every man must kill his family, his friends, and his neighbors.”
The Levites did what they were ordered by Moses and on that day 3000 men were slain. Moses assured them, “You have proved your dedication to Jehovah today, even at the price of your brothers’ and sons’ lives. May the blessings of Jehovah be upon you!”
On the following day Moses announced to his people, "You have sinned greatly. I am going to go up to Jehovah and find if there is any way I can atone to him for your crime.
When Moses returned to Jehovah, he said to him, "My people have committed a great sin against you, they have made themselves an idol of gold to worship --- but I beg that you forgive them. And if you refuse to do so, you may remove my name from the book you have written."
"It is those who have sinned against me that I will remove from the book," Jehovah answered. "But go now and lead the people to the land I told you about. My airship will guide the way for you. The people will be punished for their sin when the time comes.” (And Jehovah did hold the people accountable for the calf that Aaron had made.)
Notes
1. The Israelites, who have given up on Moses and figure he will never come down from the mountain, seemed to have been totally lacking in patience (not to mention other virtues). The decision to reject Moses and craft an idol to worship seemed to have been made precipitously and without recorded dissent. Aaron, expressing an atrocious lack of faith in his brother, was quick to abandon him and cast his lot with the rebellious people. This is a confirmation that Moses was never really regarded as a true Israelite, a leader they really knew and had confidence in. Aaron readily sided with his people against his brother, the brother who had been raised as an Egyptian and whom he had not seen for 80 some years, (if we take the account literally). The people followed Moses only when Jehovah was making miracles at his request. This is a good example of "what have you done for me lately." A few weeks without miracles and the Israelites are ready to throw Moses overboard or rather, off the mountain. This is a tale of ingratitude and faithlessness on an epic scale.
2. It is remarkable (if not impossible) that Aaron was able to so quickly craft the statue of the calf. The gold from the earrings would have to have been melted. To do so, he would have needed a kiln that produced a temperature of 1947 degrees Fahrenheit. (Had such an item been packed on the back of a donkey when the Israelites made their hasty exit from Egypt?) Aaron could have poured the molten gold into a calf-shaped mold, or he could have cast gold sheets that could have been nailed onto a wooden frame or statue of a calf. Although the text suggests the former, the latter seems the most likely. A solid gold calf of almost any size would have been of prohibitive weight. Gold, being highly malleable, can be beaten very thin and is easily worked. Still, to make the calf, to design and carve the wooden statue, to melt the gold, beat it into sheets, and affix it to the wooden statue would have required a great deal of time. Not an afternoon's work.
3. There is some opinion that the calf of gold was meant to represent some pagan deity, perhaps the Apis bull adored by the Egyptians. In the 1956 film The Ten Commandments (only a small portion of which is faithful to the biblical account) the Golden Calf is meant to be the image of an Egyptian god. The Israelites, disillusioned with Jehovah and desirous of returning to Egypt, think that by parading it before them they will be accepted by the Egyptians when they return. This was clearly not the case. The calf was meant to represent only Jehovah, their god, the one who had led them out of Egypt. The Israelites, having lived for generations in Egypt, were accustomed to animal depictions of gods, and idols were almost universal in the ancient world. The making and revering of idols was prohibited by Jehovah's commandments. While these commandments have already been cited in the text of Exodus, they have not yet been presented to the people. How would the Israelites know they had done wrong? Even though they had promised to follow Jehovah's laws, were they culpable in violating laws they were not yet given? They had seen Jehovah only as fire and smoke and an object in the sky. They probably wanted some more tangible image to worship. Why not portray him in the form of a bovine? -- preferable to a donkey, a goat, or a sheep and much better than a pig or a jackal. They may have seen the statue as a substitute for the lost Moses, who was the intercessor between them and their god. It is also possible that the calf was not meant as an idol per se, but as a seat for Jehovah, functioning like the Judgment Seat on the Chest of Sacred Records, which, while described in the text, could not have been constructed yet. Gods were often depicted as riding animals, and the people may have thought the statue of the calf a suitable mount for Jehovah when he came down to earth to speak to them. There is always evil intent ascribed to the Israelites in the making of the Golden Calf, but surely it is exaggerated; it may be that the people were only misguided in doing so. They did not know and perhaps could not know that idol making was a sin. Surely their fault was in the faithless rejection of their leader Moses. The Golden Calf was little more than a childish faux pas, an act of bad judgment, even if Jehovah would see it, like Sabbath breaking, as a heinous affront to him.
4. There is the impression, furthered by popular culture, that the Israelites' worship of the Golden Calf resulted in licentious carryings on. Maybe. The text is ambiguous. Revelry or making merry may be just that, or it may be a euphemistic reference to an orgy. Jehovah, in complaining how the people are debasing themselves, mentions only the making of the idol and not their sexual conduct. It is only clear that the people had a good time dancing and were making a bit of a racket, so much that it was heard up on the mountain. Their behavior only seems sinister in the context. The sacrifices (animal slaughter) and the feasts accompanying Jehovah's worship are regarded as holy, but the same ceremonies conducted for the sake of a pagan god have always been perceived as wicked -- drunken, unbridled revels of gluttony and promiscuous sex.
5. Jehovah wants to destroy the Israelite people for their running counter to his wishes, even after going to the enormous trouble of freeing them from the Egyptians and leading them into the desert, guiding and feeding them. Moses, dissuading him, thinks his anger is unjustified, although he would later be enraged on his own account. He reminds Jehovah of the promises he had made to his forefathers, promises he seems so forgetful of that one gains the impression he is not the same Jehovah, the god of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who made them.
6. Moses, after spending all that time on the mountain, comes back, probably tired and hungry, and finds a premature celebration and that the people have made an idol, the very thing Jehovah had told him was offensive to him and, therefore, forbidden. His people had lost faith in him. They wouldn't even wait for him. He is so furious that he smashes the tablets of law given to him by Jehovah, an act that seems disrespectful to his god. It's no wonder he was angry, but that his rage did not finally give way to understanding, but to acts of murder is a serious indictment of his leadership abilities. Yet, the next day he goes back up the mountain to see if he can square things with Jehovah and defends the conduct of his people before him, even asking to share their punishment.
7. Moses can't believe that Aaron hadn't made the Golden Calf under duress, but that he merely acquiesced to the demands of the mob. Aaron gives a very lame explanation. He takes no blame upon himself, but accuses the people of being prone to mischief -- "you know what they're like." Neither Moses, not Aaron, nor Jehovah seem to have a very high opinion of the people they are doing so much for. It's a wonder they did not think their efforts were wasted.
8. The loyal Levites Moses uses as a death squad to kill 3000 (some sources say 23,000) of his people in punishment, indiscriminate mass murder. This is the way the brutal dictator reasserts his authority. (And the Levites proved they would anything, no matter how detestable, for their leader.) There is no indication that only the guilty were killed. There probably was accepted at that time a sense of collective guilt and individual punishment for a group crime: this act is similar to the Roman custom of decimation, in which one tenth of a military force are executed for the failure or disobedience of the whole. Three thousand would be a small number if the Israelite party consisted of millions (which is logistically impossible and for which there is no archaeological evidence), but a large number if the exodus consisted merely of thousands, which is more likely, (if the exodus did indeed occur -- which is moot). It is hard to morally justify this action. No individual guilt was ascertained, no chance for anyone to demonstrate their innocence, no opportunity for offenders to confess or to ask for forgiveness or mercy -- just a wanton slaughter, a cleansing of the hives, a purge to thwart disobedience and dissent.
9. There is expressed a very ambivalent attitude toward gold. Jehovah wants everything in his Tabernacle to be of gold: it embodies purity and holiness. Yet gold is also seen as a symbol of greed and an attachment to earthly desires inconsistent with righteous behavior.
10. Moses has the Golden Calf totally destroyed, not only melted down, but pulverized. It's hard to imagine the trouble Moses must have gone to grinding that gold into a powder so that it could be drunk by the people. Gold, incidentally, can be consumed harmlessly, although it is not digestible and has no nutritional value.
11. To celebrate the making of the Golden Calf, the people had a feast. Where did this food and drink come from? A short time before the all-but starving Israelites were being fed exclusively with manna dropped from the sky. They are now camped at the foot of a desolate mountain in the middle of a desert. Did some hunting and foraging parties hit it big? This, of course, is the least of the discrepancies in the narrative.
12. A final question may be asked, "Why did Jehovah need to have Moses spend 40 days with him?" Could not what he wanted to tell him, show him, and give him, been accomplished in a few hours? Did Moses eat and drink and sleep during that time? If not, of course, he would surely have died, barring a miracle. But why did Jehovah obviously make him wait, make him suffer, when Moses was obviously his pal, his numero uno, his earthly BFF? --- It is very likely that, as the imagery of the fire and smoke suggests, Moses left the mountain in a aerial ship, perhaps a spaceship. It is a common element in modern extraterrestrial interaction that the human involved experiences missing time or temporal distortion. (This is also true of the traditional tales of fairy abduction, which, though they seem fanciful myth, should be given serious consideration.) A long period of time may pass on earth while a short period of time passes for the human in contact with the extraterrestrial -- or the fairy. Perhaps Moses journeyed with Jehovah into a different plane or dimension where the passage of time was different. The 40 days and nights of Moses on the mountain may only have been a few hours of actual time for Moses.
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Final Instructions of Jehovah
(Exodus 31:1 - 31:18)
Jehovah instructed Moses further:
I personally single out Bezaleel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, for I have endowed him not only with a righteous character, wisdom, and understanding, but with expertise in a variety of crafts; I appoint him to be in charge of all the work to be done in gold, silver and bronze, as well as the cutting, setting, and engraving of gemstones and the carving of wood. Indeed, he is a master of many arts! For his assistant I have chosen Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. I have lent skill to every worker so that they can construct all the things exactly as I have ordered them, the Tabernacle, the Chest of Sacred Records, the Judgment Seat that is its cover, all the furnishings of the Tabernacle, the table and vessels upon it, the menorah and its utensils, the incense altar and the sacrificial altar, the wash basin and its stand, the finely made garments, the sacred vestments for the priesthood of both Aaron and his sons, the Sacred Oil of Anointment and the fragrant Sacred Incense for the Sanctum, all in accordance with my instructions.
Jehovah advised Moses:
Speak to the people of Israel and tell them, "See that you keep the Sabbath faithfully, for it is an everlasting sign between me and you and your descendants that you recognize me as your god and that I sanctify you. Therefore, you must observe the Sabbath and regard it as sacred. Anyone who profanes it should be put to death; anyone who does work on that day must be eradicated from the community. You must accomplish all your work in six days, for the seventh day is the Sabbath, a day of rest holy to Jehovah. Whoever does work on the Sabbath should certainly be put to death. It will then be a perpetual contract with the people of Israel and all those in coming generations to observe the Sabbath, For all times to come it must be a sign between me and the people of Israel: for six days Jehovah labored to create the earth and sky and on the seventh day he ceased from work to rest and refresh himself.
When Jehovah had concluded his audience with Moses on Mount Sinai, he put into his hands two tablets of stone personally inscribed by Jehovah and containing lists of the laws to be observed by the Israelites as a part of their contract with him.
Notes
1. That Jehovah seems familiar with the skills of his people and who is best able to accomplish the works of craftsmanship he has ordered is impressive, but, after all, he is supposed to be omniscient, (although there has been little evidence of that). The men chosen have skill and good sense, not due to any virtue or effort on their part, but only because Jehovah has specifically saw fit to endow them with such abilities and faculties. Everything seems to be a gift from Jehovah,everyone must be grateful to Jehovah for everything. No one can even develop skill as a craftsman without it being a divine endowment, rather than a personal achievement.
2. As we have seen, Jehovah reveals himself to be a surprisingly nut-and-bolts fellow, not above micro-managing the dull, technical stuff. Apparently he doesn't think Moses is competent enough to know who among his people is a good carpenter or goldsmith. But that might really be the case. It must be considered that Moses did not live with his enslaved people, but with the Egyptians and the Midians. He might not have many acquaintances or contacts or be very savvy about the ways and doings of his people, as, say, Aaron would certainly be. (A fact Jehovah was probably aware of when he made Aaron Moses' spokesman and intercessor.) Moses, though a Hebrew by birth and now, by adoption, would have been perceived as an outsider by the Israelites he led.
3. Again Jehovah harps on the observance of the Sabbath. Now, the death penalty for anyone who works on his day! There is nothing in the rationale for the observance of the Sabbath that concerns the well being of man, for instance, the physical and mental health benefits of taking a day off once a week. It is, as always, all about Jehovah, his prerogatives and his worshipers’ duties to him.
4. As a departing gift, Jehovah places into Moses’ hands two tablets on which are written the laws that were to observed by the Israelites as part of their contract with Jehovah. (The Hebrew is somewhat vague here, resulting in translations like “tables of testimony,” or “tablets of the covenant.” I have, consequently, added quite a few words to make the meaning clear.) The stone tablets, which are later said to be have written on both sides, were presumably inscribed or engraved by Jehovah himself. (Was this done as an honor to the Israelites, or did Jehovah not have a scribe handy?) It is not clear, but suggested that the first tablet contained a list of the laws and that the second tablet was a duplicate of the first. As we have commented before, they could not have been written in Hebrew, a language that would not exist for hundreds of years, but must have been written in some form of Egyptian hieroglyphics, unless Jehovah wrote them in his own language, whatever that might be.
Jehovah instructed Moses further:
I personally single out Bezaleel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, for I have endowed him not only with a righteous character, wisdom, and understanding, but with expertise in a variety of crafts; I appoint him to be in charge of all the work to be done in gold, silver and bronze, as well as the cutting, setting, and engraving of gemstones and the carving of wood. Indeed, he is a master of many arts! For his assistant I have chosen Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. I have lent skill to every worker so that they can construct all the things exactly as I have ordered them, the Tabernacle, the Chest of Sacred Records, the Judgment Seat that is its cover, all the furnishings of the Tabernacle, the table and vessels upon it, the menorah and its utensils, the incense altar and the sacrificial altar, the wash basin and its stand, the finely made garments, the sacred vestments for the priesthood of both Aaron and his sons, the Sacred Oil of Anointment and the fragrant Sacred Incense for the Sanctum, all in accordance with my instructions.
Jehovah advised Moses:
Speak to the people of Israel and tell them, "See that you keep the Sabbath faithfully, for it is an everlasting sign between me and you and your descendants that you recognize me as your god and that I sanctify you. Therefore, you must observe the Sabbath and regard it as sacred. Anyone who profanes it should be put to death; anyone who does work on that day must be eradicated from the community. You must accomplish all your work in six days, for the seventh day is the Sabbath, a day of rest holy to Jehovah. Whoever does work on the Sabbath should certainly be put to death. It will then be a perpetual contract with the people of Israel and all those in coming generations to observe the Sabbath, For all times to come it must be a sign between me and the people of Israel: for six days Jehovah labored to create the earth and sky and on the seventh day he ceased from work to rest and refresh himself.
When Jehovah had concluded his audience with Moses on Mount Sinai, he put into his hands two tablets of stone personally inscribed by Jehovah and containing lists of the laws to be observed by the Israelites as a part of their contract with him.
Notes
1. That Jehovah seems familiar with the skills of his people and who is best able to accomplish the works of craftsmanship he has ordered is impressive, but, after all, he is supposed to be omniscient, (although there has been little evidence of that). The men chosen have skill and good sense, not due to any virtue or effort on their part, but only because Jehovah has specifically saw fit to endow them with such abilities and faculties. Everything seems to be a gift from Jehovah,everyone must be grateful to Jehovah for everything. No one can even develop skill as a craftsman without it being a divine endowment, rather than a personal achievement.
2. As we have seen, Jehovah reveals himself to be a surprisingly nut-and-bolts fellow, not above micro-managing the dull, technical stuff. Apparently he doesn't think Moses is competent enough to know who among his people is a good carpenter or goldsmith. But that might really be the case. It must be considered that Moses did not live with his enslaved people, but with the Egyptians and the Midians. He might not have many acquaintances or contacts or be very savvy about the ways and doings of his people, as, say, Aaron would certainly be. (A fact Jehovah was probably aware of when he made Aaron Moses' spokesman and intercessor.) Moses, though a Hebrew by birth and now, by adoption, would have been perceived as an outsider by the Israelites he led.
3. Again Jehovah harps on the observance of the Sabbath. Now, the death penalty for anyone who works on his day! There is nothing in the rationale for the observance of the Sabbath that concerns the well being of man, for instance, the physical and mental health benefits of taking a day off once a week. It is, as always, all about Jehovah, his prerogatives and his worshipers’ duties to him.
4. As a departing gift, Jehovah places into Moses’ hands two tablets on which are written the laws that were to observed by the Israelites as part of their contract with Jehovah. (The Hebrew is somewhat vague here, resulting in translations like “tables of testimony,” or “tablets of the covenant.” I have, consequently, added quite a few words to make the meaning clear.) The stone tablets, which are later said to be have written on both sides, were presumably inscribed or engraved by Jehovah himself. (Was this done as an honor to the Israelites, or did Jehovah not have a scribe handy?) It is not clear, but suggested that the first tablet contained a list of the laws and that the second tablet was a duplicate of the first. As we have commented before, they could not have been written in Hebrew, a language that would not exist for hundreds of years, but must have been written in some form of Egyptian hieroglyphics, unless Jehovah wrote them in his own language, whatever that might be.
Instructions for the Making of the Incense Altar
(Exodus 30:1 - 30:38)
You should construct an altar upon which to burn incense. It should be made of red acacia wood, 1 1/2 feet square, with a height of 3 feet with horns at the corners being of one piece with it. It should all be overlaid with gold, the top, the sides, and the horns and there should be a gold molding around the top with two golden rings below them on two opposite sides so that staves may be put through them to carry the altar. The staves should made of red acacia wood and overlaid with gold.
The altar should be placed in front of the veil of curtains that enclose the Chest of the Sacred Records and its lid, the Judgment Seat, where I will commune with you. Every morning Aaron, when he trims the lamp wicks of the menorah, should burn fragrant incense upon the altar. And when he lights the lamps in the evening, he should also burn incense. This regular practice should be continued for all time, so that there will always be incense burning before my presence. However, no exotic incense of an unauthorized kind should be used, nor should there be made any burnt offerings of flesh, grain offerings, or sacrificial libations upon this altar.
Once a year Aaron must purify the altar by conducting a ritual for the atonement of sins during which the blood of a sacrificial victim will be smeared upon the horns of the altar. This should be done annually throughout the ages so that the altar may be dedicated solely to the worship of Jehovah.
Jehovah also instructed Moses that to count the Israelites he should take a census of the male population. At the time of the census registration each man should pay a tax to Jehovah as recompense to him for having saved his life. (Those who are registered will be spared from disaster and disease.) All who are counted in the census should pay, as an offering to Jehovah, half a shekel of silver, according to the official weights of the Sanctum. (A shekel consists of 20 gerahs). Any man who, according to the census registry, is more than 20 years old will be obligated to pay to Jehovah this compensation tax. (When these offerings are made to Jehovah to compensate him for sparing your lives, the wealthy must not give more, nor the poor less than the half shekel.) The compensation taxes collected from the people of Israel should be used for the upkeep and operating expenses of the Tabernacle and will be a reminder to the people of Israel that they must be grateful to Jehovah for their lives.
Jehovah, instructing Moses, continued:
You should make a bronze wash basin with a bronze stand. It should be placed in between the Tabernacle entrance and the altar. It should be kept filled with water. It should be used by Aaron and his sons to wash their hands and feet. When they enter the Tabernacle or when they approach the altar to minister or to present food offerings to Jehovah, they must, on pain of death, wash themselves. This requirement for priests to wash their hands and feet (or else be put to death) is a permanent one and must be observed by Aaron and by his descendants for all time.
Moreover, Jehovah also instructed Moses:
Collect stores of the finest spices, 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much, 250 shekels, of fragrant true cinnamon, and, similarly, 250 shekels of sweet cane, 500 shekels of cassia, (according to the weights used in the Sanctum), and a hin of olive oil. Mix them expertly as you would a perfume to create the Sacred Oil of Anointment. With it anoint the Tabernacle, the Chest of Sacred Records, the table and vessels upon it, the menorah and its utensils, the incense altar, the sacrificial altar with its equipment, and the wash basin and its stand. They should be sanctified by the oil so that they will be holy and so that anyone who touches them will be made holy. You should also anoint Aaron and his sons to consecrate them as my priests. Moreover, you should inform the people of Israel, "This is the Sacred Oil of Anointment forever reserved for the use of Jehovah. It should never be used for general purposes. No oil of this composition should be made by you, for this is sanctified and must remain sacred to you. Whoever counterfeits this composition and uses it on someone other than a priest, should suffer banishment.”
And Jehovah instructed Moses:
Mix equal parts of the fragrant spices, stacte, onycha, and galbanum with frankincense. Blend them as you would a fine perfume to create the Sacred Incense and add salt to preserve its purity. A portion of it should be ground into a fine powder and sprinkled before the Chest of Sacred Records where I will commune with you in the Tabernacle. This incense must be regarded by you as holy. And since it is sacred to Jehovah, it should never be compounded for any other use. Whoever might make such an incense to enjoy its fragrance for himself, should be banished.
Notes
1. A half shekel would, at this time in history, be equal to one fifth of an ounce. It must be remembered that, as yet, there was no money as we know it, that is, coinage (invented in Anatolia in the 6th Century B.C.), but merely weights of precious metals used as currency. It is specified that the weights used be the official ones used by the priests. No rigged scales or personal weights!
2. Myrrh, more valuable than gold in ancient times, is an aromatic resin from several small, thorny trees of the Commiphora genus native to the Arabian peninsula, among other places. It was used as a perfume, in medicines, and in embalming mummies. True cinnamon is a spice derived from the bark of a tree of the Laurel family, while cassia is another variety of cinnamon. Sweet cane or calamus was an oil used in perfumes and derived from a sedge-like plant. (Some, who probably have some sort of agenda, have suggested, not too convincingly, that this instead refers to cannabis.) The entire concoction, not counting the olive oil, will weigh 36 pounds.
3. A hin was roughly equal to a gallon.
4. Many of the rules and regulations concerning worship, ones that seem almost trivial in nature, have attached to them the death sentence, if they are violated. The purpose of this is to lend gravity to ceremonies that might otherwise seem unimportant. Lighting lamps and burning incense, even slaughtering and making charcoal out a few animals are not acts that are solemn and sacred in themselves. But they can be made so. When you say "this is God's will," whatever it is becomes very significant. When you tell someone, "do this or you will be killed," you get their attention and respect. Jehovah is not of lenient and liberal mind. He demands absolute obedience, which, as all dictators know, can only be enforced by draconian punishments. If a priest forgets to wash his hands, his life is forfeit. (And, stay tuned, there are even easier and more harmless ways to get yourself stoned to death if you were an ancient Israelite.)
5. The so-called compensation tax that Jehovah demands seems like a shakedown, a protection racket. Pay or get the plague! Of course Jehovah did free the Israelites and bring them out of Egypt. He probably didn’t do it just to be a good guy; he is probably justified in asking for some kind of reward. He reminds one a bit of the politician who does a favor for a constituent and then expects a contribution to his campaign or to his political action committee. --- And there does not seem to be a sliding scale of payment in regard to the compensation tax. Jehovah demands equal economic sacrifice from all men, rich or poor -- the original flat tax.
6. It is the curious aspect of many religions that the sprinkling of oil or water over something can sanctify it or make it holy. The rationale for this never seems to be explained. What property is invested in the fluid and how did it get there? Even the symbolism of the act of anointing seems elusive. The widespread practice, however, persists.
7. The composition of the Sacred Incense (Ketoret) is not certain. Stacte is a gum resin, but of what specific variety is not known. Onycha may have been derived from sea snail shells or, possibly, is the gum resin benzoin. Galbanum is an aromatic gum resin from a plant that grows in Persia. Frankincense, a prized ingredient, is another aromatic resin derived from plants of the Boswellia genus, scraggly trees that grow throughout the region. While these would have been available to the Hebrews of Solomon’s time, one wonders how the Israelite exiles wandering in the desert could possibly have acquired all these ingredients.
You should construct an altar upon which to burn incense. It should be made of red acacia wood, 1 1/2 feet square, with a height of 3 feet with horns at the corners being of one piece with it. It should all be overlaid with gold, the top, the sides, and the horns and there should be a gold molding around the top with two golden rings below them on two opposite sides so that staves may be put through them to carry the altar. The staves should made of red acacia wood and overlaid with gold.
The altar should be placed in front of the veil of curtains that enclose the Chest of the Sacred Records and its lid, the Judgment Seat, where I will commune with you. Every morning Aaron, when he trims the lamp wicks of the menorah, should burn fragrant incense upon the altar. And when he lights the lamps in the evening, he should also burn incense. This regular practice should be continued for all time, so that there will always be incense burning before my presence. However, no exotic incense of an unauthorized kind should be used, nor should there be made any burnt offerings of flesh, grain offerings, or sacrificial libations upon this altar.
Once a year Aaron must purify the altar by conducting a ritual for the atonement of sins during which the blood of a sacrificial victim will be smeared upon the horns of the altar. This should be done annually throughout the ages so that the altar may be dedicated solely to the worship of Jehovah.
Jehovah also instructed Moses that to count the Israelites he should take a census of the male population. At the time of the census registration each man should pay a tax to Jehovah as recompense to him for having saved his life. (Those who are registered will be spared from disaster and disease.) All who are counted in the census should pay, as an offering to Jehovah, half a shekel of silver, according to the official weights of the Sanctum. (A shekel consists of 20 gerahs). Any man who, according to the census registry, is more than 20 years old will be obligated to pay to Jehovah this compensation tax. (When these offerings are made to Jehovah to compensate him for sparing your lives, the wealthy must not give more, nor the poor less than the half shekel.) The compensation taxes collected from the people of Israel should be used for the upkeep and operating expenses of the Tabernacle and will be a reminder to the people of Israel that they must be grateful to Jehovah for their lives.
Jehovah, instructing Moses, continued:
You should make a bronze wash basin with a bronze stand. It should be placed in between the Tabernacle entrance and the altar. It should be kept filled with water. It should be used by Aaron and his sons to wash their hands and feet. When they enter the Tabernacle or when they approach the altar to minister or to present food offerings to Jehovah, they must, on pain of death, wash themselves. This requirement for priests to wash their hands and feet (or else be put to death) is a permanent one and must be observed by Aaron and by his descendants for all time.
Moreover, Jehovah also instructed Moses:
Collect stores of the finest spices, 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much, 250 shekels, of fragrant true cinnamon, and, similarly, 250 shekels of sweet cane, 500 shekels of cassia, (according to the weights used in the Sanctum), and a hin of olive oil. Mix them expertly as you would a perfume to create the Sacred Oil of Anointment. With it anoint the Tabernacle, the Chest of Sacred Records, the table and vessels upon it, the menorah and its utensils, the incense altar, the sacrificial altar with its equipment, and the wash basin and its stand. They should be sanctified by the oil so that they will be holy and so that anyone who touches them will be made holy. You should also anoint Aaron and his sons to consecrate them as my priests. Moreover, you should inform the people of Israel, "This is the Sacred Oil of Anointment forever reserved for the use of Jehovah. It should never be used for general purposes. No oil of this composition should be made by you, for this is sanctified and must remain sacred to you. Whoever counterfeits this composition and uses it on someone other than a priest, should suffer banishment.”
And Jehovah instructed Moses:
Mix equal parts of the fragrant spices, stacte, onycha, and galbanum with frankincense. Blend them as you would a fine perfume to create the Sacred Incense and add salt to preserve its purity. A portion of it should be ground into a fine powder and sprinkled before the Chest of Sacred Records where I will commune with you in the Tabernacle. This incense must be regarded by you as holy. And since it is sacred to Jehovah, it should never be compounded for any other use. Whoever might make such an incense to enjoy its fragrance for himself, should be banished.
Notes
1. A half shekel would, at this time in history, be equal to one fifth of an ounce. It must be remembered that, as yet, there was no money as we know it, that is, coinage (invented in Anatolia in the 6th Century B.C.), but merely weights of precious metals used as currency. It is specified that the weights used be the official ones used by the priests. No rigged scales or personal weights!
2. Myrrh, more valuable than gold in ancient times, is an aromatic resin from several small, thorny trees of the Commiphora genus native to the Arabian peninsula, among other places. It was used as a perfume, in medicines, and in embalming mummies. True cinnamon is a spice derived from the bark of a tree of the Laurel family, while cassia is another variety of cinnamon. Sweet cane or calamus was an oil used in perfumes and derived from a sedge-like plant. (Some, who probably have some sort of agenda, have suggested, not too convincingly, that this instead refers to cannabis.) The entire concoction, not counting the olive oil, will weigh 36 pounds.
3. A hin was roughly equal to a gallon.
4. Many of the rules and regulations concerning worship, ones that seem almost trivial in nature, have attached to them the death sentence, if they are violated. The purpose of this is to lend gravity to ceremonies that might otherwise seem unimportant. Lighting lamps and burning incense, even slaughtering and making charcoal out a few animals are not acts that are solemn and sacred in themselves. But they can be made so. When you say "this is God's will," whatever it is becomes very significant. When you tell someone, "do this or you will be killed," you get their attention and respect. Jehovah is not of lenient and liberal mind. He demands absolute obedience, which, as all dictators know, can only be enforced by draconian punishments. If a priest forgets to wash his hands, his life is forfeit. (And, stay tuned, there are even easier and more harmless ways to get yourself stoned to death if you were an ancient Israelite.)
5. The so-called compensation tax that Jehovah demands seems like a shakedown, a protection racket. Pay or get the plague! Of course Jehovah did free the Israelites and bring them out of Egypt. He probably didn’t do it just to be a good guy; he is probably justified in asking for some kind of reward. He reminds one a bit of the politician who does a favor for a constituent and then expects a contribution to his campaign or to his political action committee. --- And there does not seem to be a sliding scale of payment in regard to the compensation tax. Jehovah demands equal economic sacrifice from all men, rich or poor -- the original flat tax.
6. It is the curious aspect of many religions that the sprinkling of oil or water over something can sanctify it or make it holy. The rationale for this never seems to be explained. What property is invested in the fluid and how did it get there? Even the symbolism of the act of anointing seems elusive. The widespread practice, however, persists.
7. The composition of the Sacred Incense (Ketoret) is not certain. Stacte is a gum resin, but of what specific variety is not known. Onycha may have been derived from sea snail shells or, possibly, is the gum resin benzoin. Galbanum is an aromatic gum resin from a plant that grows in Persia. Frankincense, a prized ingredient, is another aromatic resin derived from plants of the Boswellia genus, scraggly trees that grow throughout the region. While these would have been available to the Hebrews of Solomon’s time, one wonders how the Israelite exiles wandering in the desert could possibly have acquired all these ingredients.
Friday, December 6, 2013
Instructions for the Ordination of Priests
(Exodus 29:1 - 29:46)
This is the manner by which Aaron and his sons may be ordained as my priests:
Select a calf from the herd and two rams without defect and bake some unleavened bread (without yeast), unleavened cakes dipped in olive oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, all made of finely milled wheat flour. Put them all in a single basket and bring them along with the calf and the two rams. Aaron and his sons should be presented at the entrance of the Tabernacle and after they have been bathed, Aaron should be clothed in the priestly vestments, the tunic, the robe, the priestly vest itself, and the chestpiece. Wrap the decorated sash around him. Place the turban on his head and the medallion upon the turban. Take the anointing oil and pour it upon his head to consecrate him.
Then present his sons, cloth them in the linen robes and sash. After placing turbans upon the heads of Aaron and his sons, you will consecrate them. They will then be priests for life.
Ordain them in this manner:
The calf will be brought before the Tabernacle. Aaron and his sons will hold the calf by the neck while you, in the presence of Jehovah and before the entrance of the Tabernacle, shall kill it. With your fingers you will smear some of the blood on each of the horns of the altar and pour the rest of the blood beneath the altar. The fat from around the calf's internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, the two kidneys, and the fat around them you will burn on the altar, but the meat of the calf, its hide, and intestines you must burn outside the compound, as an offering to expiate sin.
Then take one of the rams and with Aaron and his sons holding it down, you will kill it. Its blood should be splattered against the sides of the altar. You should butcher the ram, wash its internal organs and legs and lay them upon the cut-up carcass and head. The entire ram should then be incinerated upon the altar, as it is a burnt offering to Jehovah -- a sacrifice by fire of savory aroma!
Take the other ram and with Aaron and his sons holding it down, you should kill it as well. Of its blood dab some on the right earlobes of Aaron and his sons and also on the thumbs of their right hands and the big toes of their right feet. The remainder of the blood, sprinkle around the altar. Sprinkle upon Aaron and his sons and upon their vestments the blood that was upon the altar and some anointing oil: they and their vestments will then be sanctified.
Take the fat of the ram and its hindquarters, the fat that covers the lungs, the long lobe of the liver, the two kidneys, and the fat around them and the right thigh (for this is a ram of consecration). Also take one loaf of the unleavened bread dipped in oil, a wafer out of the basket containing the unleavened bread and present them to Jehovah. These things should be given to Aaron and his sons so that they may sanctify them by elevating them and proffering them to Jehovah. Then take the bread from their hands and put it upon the altar with the burnt offering. This will smell really sweet to Jehovah, a gift to the divine from the fire!
The breast of the ram that was used to consecrate Aaron should be elevated and presented to Jehovah. This will be your portion. Sanctify this consecrated ram and the thigh that was separated from its carcass. Aaron's portion and that of his sons will be from the ram consecrated to him. They and their descendants shall, as a right of their priesthood, always enjoy a portion of the peace offerings consecrated to me by the Israelites.
The sacred vestments that Aaron now wears will be assumed by his sons after him; they will be anointed and ordained in them. Those of his sons who would succeed him and minister in his place in the Sanctum must wear them for 7 days. They should take the consecrated ram, boil its meat in the Sanctum, and Aaron and his sons should dine upon it. The loaves in the basket they should eat before the entrance to the Tabernacle. This will be a sacrifice of atonement so that those who minister may be sanctified. For this reason no other may partake of them. If any of the consecrated meat or bread remains until morning, it should be burned. (It should not be otherwise eaten, because it is sanctified.)
You should do all that I have commanded you in regard to Aaron and his sons. Their ritual of priestly ordination should last 7 days. A calf should be sacrificed every day to expiate sin. You should clean the altar every day after each sacrifice, anoint it to sanctify it. For seven days this process of sacrifice, expiation, and sanctification should continue so that the altar and anyone that touching it shall become holy.
Now this is what you should regularly sacrifice on the altar: each day, two yearling lambs. One lamb should be offered in the morning and the other at nightfall. The first lamb should be prepared with two quarts of fine flour mixed with a quart of pure olive oil and a libation of a quart of wine. The evening lamb should be prepared the same way, so that it will be a sweet and savory gift for Jehovah.
Such burnt offerings should continually be made for the generations to come, there at the entrance of the Tabernacle, where I have chosen to commune with you. It is also there, a place made holy by my presence, that I will give instructions to the people of Israel. I will sanctify the altar, I will sanctify the Tabernacle, and I will sanctify Aaron and his sons who will serve me as my priests. I will live among the people of Israel and be their god. They will know that I am Jehovah, their god, I, who have brought them out of the land of Egypt so that I might dwell amongst them and be Jehovah, their god.
Notes
1. Interesting and disturbing is it that the one cannot be sanctified as a Jehovan priest without a requisite ceremonial slaughter of animals. Although this and similar practices were almost universal in the ancient world, one wonders to what end. Why is the seemingly purposeless and ostensibly viscous killing of lesser forms of life regarded as a holy act? Why must worshipers, to get into the good graces of their god, slaughter the animals he has created? Is it merely to provide the priests with a good meal? The biblical texts certainly shed no light upon the matter.
2. The sacrificial killing of the calf and the rams would have furnished to modern eyes a disgustingly bloody spectacle of savage butchery and primitive superstition. Ancient peoples must have certainly had not only a different attitude toward such matters, but duller sensibilities. We celebrate a holiday in America during which a turkey is sacrificed for the dinner table, yet, when the high priest of the national religion is delivered the avian victim, he customarily spares it, granting the bird a pardon. (We haven't the heart to condemn to death a turkey that is a specific individual and are comfortable eating only some unknown, generic turkey we have never glimpsed when alive.)
3. The Tabernacle was build so that Jehovah could dwell among his people, or it is merely to visit them? In the spirit or in the flesh? It is unclear as yet how this is meant.
4. The concept of holiness, meaningless to nonbelievers, seems to be existent in most religions. What belongs to the god, what is valued by the god, sometimes what is invested with special power by the god becomes holy. In contrast, what is sacred is what men may regard with reverence, whether it may be holy or just personally valued.
5. One wonders how the ancient Israelites would have been able to clean up all that bloody mess resulting from the frequent sacrifices. What miracles were necessary to keep the priestly vestments cleaned and unstained and how, with probably not a lot of water available, were they able to hose down the altar to wash away all the blood? And maybe the burning flesh might have smelled pleasantly aromatic for a while, but later, wouldn’t the smell of butchered animals have made the holy Tabernacle reek like a abattoir?
This is the manner by which Aaron and his sons may be ordained as my priests:
Select a calf from the herd and two rams without defect and bake some unleavened bread (without yeast), unleavened cakes dipped in olive oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, all made of finely milled wheat flour. Put them all in a single basket and bring them along with the calf and the two rams. Aaron and his sons should be presented at the entrance of the Tabernacle and after they have been bathed, Aaron should be clothed in the priestly vestments, the tunic, the robe, the priestly vest itself, and the chestpiece. Wrap the decorated sash around him. Place the turban on his head and the medallion upon the turban. Take the anointing oil and pour it upon his head to consecrate him.
Then present his sons, cloth them in the linen robes and sash. After placing turbans upon the heads of Aaron and his sons, you will consecrate them. They will then be priests for life.
Ordain them in this manner:
The calf will be brought before the Tabernacle. Aaron and his sons will hold the calf by the neck while you, in the presence of Jehovah and before the entrance of the Tabernacle, shall kill it. With your fingers you will smear some of the blood on each of the horns of the altar and pour the rest of the blood beneath the altar. The fat from around the calf's internal organs, the long lobe of the liver, the two kidneys, and the fat around them you will burn on the altar, but the meat of the calf, its hide, and intestines you must burn outside the compound, as an offering to expiate sin.
Then take one of the rams and with Aaron and his sons holding it down, you will kill it. Its blood should be splattered against the sides of the altar. You should butcher the ram, wash its internal organs and legs and lay them upon the cut-up carcass and head. The entire ram should then be incinerated upon the altar, as it is a burnt offering to Jehovah -- a sacrifice by fire of savory aroma!
Take the other ram and with Aaron and his sons holding it down, you should kill it as well. Of its blood dab some on the right earlobes of Aaron and his sons and also on the thumbs of their right hands and the big toes of their right feet. The remainder of the blood, sprinkle around the altar. Sprinkle upon Aaron and his sons and upon their vestments the blood that was upon the altar and some anointing oil: they and their vestments will then be sanctified.
Take the fat of the ram and its hindquarters, the fat that covers the lungs, the long lobe of the liver, the two kidneys, and the fat around them and the right thigh (for this is a ram of consecration). Also take one loaf of the unleavened bread dipped in oil, a wafer out of the basket containing the unleavened bread and present them to Jehovah. These things should be given to Aaron and his sons so that they may sanctify them by elevating them and proffering them to Jehovah. Then take the bread from their hands and put it upon the altar with the burnt offering. This will smell really sweet to Jehovah, a gift to the divine from the fire!
The breast of the ram that was used to consecrate Aaron should be elevated and presented to Jehovah. This will be your portion. Sanctify this consecrated ram and the thigh that was separated from its carcass. Aaron's portion and that of his sons will be from the ram consecrated to him. They and their descendants shall, as a right of their priesthood, always enjoy a portion of the peace offerings consecrated to me by the Israelites.
The sacred vestments that Aaron now wears will be assumed by his sons after him; they will be anointed and ordained in them. Those of his sons who would succeed him and minister in his place in the Sanctum must wear them for 7 days. They should take the consecrated ram, boil its meat in the Sanctum, and Aaron and his sons should dine upon it. The loaves in the basket they should eat before the entrance to the Tabernacle. This will be a sacrifice of atonement so that those who minister may be sanctified. For this reason no other may partake of them. If any of the consecrated meat or bread remains until morning, it should be burned. (It should not be otherwise eaten, because it is sanctified.)
You should do all that I have commanded you in regard to Aaron and his sons. Their ritual of priestly ordination should last 7 days. A calf should be sacrificed every day to expiate sin. You should clean the altar every day after each sacrifice, anoint it to sanctify it. For seven days this process of sacrifice, expiation, and sanctification should continue so that the altar and anyone that touching it shall become holy.
Now this is what you should regularly sacrifice on the altar: each day, two yearling lambs. One lamb should be offered in the morning and the other at nightfall. The first lamb should be prepared with two quarts of fine flour mixed with a quart of pure olive oil and a libation of a quart of wine. The evening lamb should be prepared the same way, so that it will be a sweet and savory gift for Jehovah.
Such burnt offerings should continually be made for the generations to come, there at the entrance of the Tabernacle, where I have chosen to commune with you. It is also there, a place made holy by my presence, that I will give instructions to the people of Israel. I will sanctify the altar, I will sanctify the Tabernacle, and I will sanctify Aaron and his sons who will serve me as my priests. I will live among the people of Israel and be their god. They will know that I am Jehovah, their god, I, who have brought them out of the land of Egypt so that I might dwell amongst them and be Jehovah, their god.
Notes
1. Interesting and disturbing is it that the one cannot be sanctified as a Jehovan priest without a requisite ceremonial slaughter of animals. Although this and similar practices were almost universal in the ancient world, one wonders to what end. Why is the seemingly purposeless and ostensibly viscous killing of lesser forms of life regarded as a holy act? Why must worshipers, to get into the good graces of their god, slaughter the animals he has created? Is it merely to provide the priests with a good meal? The biblical texts certainly shed no light upon the matter.
2. The sacrificial killing of the calf and the rams would have furnished to modern eyes a disgustingly bloody spectacle of savage butchery and primitive superstition. Ancient peoples must have certainly had not only a different attitude toward such matters, but duller sensibilities. We celebrate a holiday in America during which a turkey is sacrificed for the dinner table, yet, when the high priest of the national religion is delivered the avian victim, he customarily spares it, granting the bird a pardon. (We haven't the heart to condemn to death a turkey that is a specific individual and are comfortable eating only some unknown, generic turkey we have never glimpsed when alive.)
3. The Tabernacle was build so that Jehovah could dwell among his people, or it is merely to visit them? In the spirit or in the flesh? It is unclear as yet how this is meant.
4. The concept of holiness, meaningless to nonbelievers, seems to be existent in most religions. What belongs to the god, what is valued by the god, sometimes what is invested with special power by the god becomes holy. In contrast, what is sacred is what men may regard with reverence, whether it may be holy or just personally valued.
5. One wonders how the ancient Israelites would have been able to clean up all that bloody mess resulting from the frequent sacrifices. What miracles were necessary to keep the priestly vestments cleaned and unstained and how, with probably not a lot of water available, were they able to hose down the altar to wash away all the blood? And maybe the burning flesh might have smelled pleasantly aromatic for a while, but later, wouldn’t the smell of butchered animals have made the holy Tabernacle reek like a abattoir?
Instructions for the Making of Priestly Garments
(Exodus 28:1 - 28:43)
From among the Israelites appoint your brother Aaron to minister to me as high priest, that is, Aaron along with his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Make sacred vestments for your brother Aaron to reflect the magnificence and dignity of his office. You must therefore instruct craftsman, those I have endowed with the greatest skill, to create a special wardrobe appropriate for Aaron’s office as high priest.
These are the articles of clothing that should be made: a chestpiece, a vest, a robe, a patterned tunic, a turban, and a sash. These sacred vestments should be made for Aaron and his sons to wear when they minister to me as priests. (Gold and fine linen of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn should be used in making them.)
The vest should be made by skilled craftsmen of finely loomed linen of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and decorated with gold. It should consist of two pieces, a front and a back, fastened together by two shoulder straps. The decorative sash, of similar craftsmanship, should be executed as well in finely loomed linen of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn.
Select two onyx stones and engrave them with the names of the 12 sons of Israel, six on one stone and six on the other, inscribed in the order of their birth. (This should be done in the same manner as a jeweler would engrave a signet ring.) Mount the gems into settings of gold and attach them onto the shoulders of the vest to represent Israel’s sons. Aaron should wear their names on his shoulders to honor Jehovah’s memory of them. Also there should be set upon the shoulders of the vest two gold rings with two strands of purest gold twisted together into a cord and threaded into the rings.
With great care and skill you should make a chestpiece (worn for seeking the judgment of Jehovah) to match the vest with its finely loomed linen made of yarn dyed blue, purple, and scarlet. It should be folded in two so that it will be 9 inches square. Upon it there should be mounted four rows of gemstones. In the first row there should be a carnelian, a topaz, and an emerald; in the second, a turquoise, a lapis lazuli, and a beryl; in the third, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; in the fourth, a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They should be mounted in gold settings. The stones, representing the sons of Israel, should be engraved like a signet with the names of each of the 12 tribes of Israel.
For the chestpiece make twisted strands of purest gold. Put two gold rings on the top corners of the chestpiece and attach the gold cords to them, then attach the other ends of the cords into the gold rings at the shoulders of the vest. Put two more gold rings on the bottom corners of the chestpiece, on the inside surface next to the vest. Next, make two more rings for the vest and place them at the edges of the vest just above the sash. With blue cords bind the vest to the chestpiece by running the cords through both sets of rings and securing them. In this way the chestpiece piece will be securely attached to the vest and be positioned just above the sash.
Aaron shall thusly bear the names of the sons of Israel upon his chest and over his heart when he goes to perform his sacred duties before Jehovah. (They will serve, too, as a reminder to Jehovah of his contract with Israel’s people.) Inserted into the pouch of the folded chestpiece (over Aaron's heart) should be the Urim and the Thimmim, to assist him in making judgments for the Israelites. Thus, when Aaron approaches Jehovah he will always carry them with him.
The robe covering the vest should be of a single piece of cloth, blue in color. It should have a hole in the top of it. Around the hole, so that it will not tear, there should be a row of top stitching like that which binds the borders of garments. The hem of the robe should be adorned with decorative motif consisting of pomegranate balls, made of yarn dyed blue, purple, and scarlet, and gold bells, with the pomegranates and the bells alternating in the decoration around the entire length of the hem. Aaron must always wear this robe when ministering so the tinkle of the bells will announce his presence as he enters and exits the Sanctum; otherwise he might be thought a violator and killed.
And there should be made a medallion of pure gold and engraved upon it, in the manner of signets, "Holiness to Jehovah." It should be fastened with a blue cord to the turban. It should be placed in the front of the turban so that it hangs over the forehead of the high priest. It should rest on Aaron's forehead to symbolize his role in assuming the guilt of his people and in making the offerings they consecrate to Jehovah acceptable to him. (It must always rest on his forehead so that Jehovah will be pleased with the offerings.)
The tunic should be made from finely loomed, patterned linen. A turban should be fashioned from the same material, and there should be a decorated sash.
For the sons of Aaron you should also make linen robes, sashes, and turbans of magnificence and dignity. Garb your brother Aaron and his sons in these vestments, consecrate, and anoint them so that they may serve as priests for me.
Also you should make for them linen underdrawers to cover their bare skin from the waist to the knees. Aaron and his sons should wear them whenever they enter the Tabernacle or approach the altar to officiate in the Sanctum; not to do so is to commit a capital offense. (This will be a permanent rule for them and for the descendants that will succeed them.)
Notes
1. Finding the correct names for the gems to be fitted into the chestpiece has always been problematic. Many translations, especially the older ones, cite gems that would not have been available to the Israelites. Diamonds were not known in the West or Middle East until Roman times, and even then it was a long time after before they were cut into gemstones. Sapphires and rubies were also not known during biblical times. Although modern translators should know better, there are still references to these gems in many recent versions of the Bible. It should be mentioned that this interest in gemstones on the part of the Hebrews is probably derived from the Egyptians. Gemstones were regarded as having mystical properties as well as symbolic significance.
2. The gold chains described would be corded chains made of twisted strands like a rope and not the linked chain, which was not invented until the 3rd Century B.C.
2. The description of the robe, apparently just a piece of material with a hole in it, gives one an insight to the rather primitive state of tailoring at this time. A sash to secure at the waist would be necessary to prevent the robe from being a formless sack. The vest is just two pieces, a front and back, no fastenings, not even sewn together, but attached with straps. Rings tied together seem to be the sole means of fastening at the time and little sewing of the fabric seems to be done. Decoration of garments is often referenced. Were they painted or dyed or was there some sort of applique involved? Embroidery, the obvious means of decoration, was not yet practiced, although many translations inaccurately use the term.
3. Different translations suggest disparate images of how the Jehovan high priest may have looked. Breastplate, mitre, and girdle present a different picture than the more accurate chestpiece, turban, and sash. The vest is generally called the Ephod, but I have avoided using the term for what was in all respects a vest.
3. The Urim and Thimmim are a source of much intriguing speculation. Most believe they were small objects of some sort, gems, amulets, stones, tablets, that were held inside the chestpiece. The words mean something akin to revealed truth. The Urim and the Thimmim functioned as a means of divination in some way we do not understand. The authors of Exodus probably did not understand their use either, since by the time of the writing of the Bible the practice had died out. We may assume that the high priest would sometimes be consulted as an oracle. Divinely inspired answers to the questions posed to him would be conveyed through the Urim, meaning “no” or “guilty” and the Thimmim, meaning “yes” or “innocent.” Possibly the objects were cast like lots or one of them was drawn out from the chestpiece by the priest as an “answer.” The result of the ceremony would express the will and judgment of Jehovah. There was a similar practice among the ancient Canaanites and the pre-Islamic Arabs. Joseph Smith, the founder of the Latter Day Saints, reportedly used the Urim and the Thimmim, diamond-like stones, to translate the gold tablets upon which the Book of Mormon was inscribed.
4. There is a provision that the priest must wear underdrawers (that seems the best translation since breeches are not regarded as undergarments and a loincloth would not covered the thigh). This is to prevent any leg from showing, a petty detail, but, upon reflection, not so unreasonable, for I imagine few would care to see a modern priest celebrating mass in shorty shorts.
5. Jehovah understandably wants his priests to look like something and be well turned out. The gemstones and all the gold, however, suggest what is to most moderns an unseemly opulence -- inconsistent, to be sure, with the Christian (at least early Christian and Protestant) attitude toward ostentatious displays of wealth.
From among the Israelites appoint your brother Aaron to minister to me as high priest, that is, Aaron along with his sons Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. Make sacred vestments for your brother Aaron to reflect the magnificence and dignity of his office. You must therefore instruct craftsman, those I have endowed with the greatest skill, to create a special wardrobe appropriate for Aaron’s office as high priest.
These are the articles of clothing that should be made: a chestpiece, a vest, a robe, a patterned tunic, a turban, and a sash. These sacred vestments should be made for Aaron and his sons to wear when they minister to me as priests. (Gold and fine linen of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn should be used in making them.)
The vest should be made by skilled craftsmen of finely loomed linen of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and decorated with gold. It should consist of two pieces, a front and a back, fastened together by two shoulder straps. The decorative sash, of similar craftsmanship, should be executed as well in finely loomed linen of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn.
Select two onyx stones and engrave them with the names of the 12 sons of Israel, six on one stone and six on the other, inscribed in the order of their birth. (This should be done in the same manner as a jeweler would engrave a signet ring.) Mount the gems into settings of gold and attach them onto the shoulders of the vest to represent Israel’s sons. Aaron should wear their names on his shoulders to honor Jehovah’s memory of them. Also there should be set upon the shoulders of the vest two gold rings with two strands of purest gold twisted together into a cord and threaded into the rings.
With great care and skill you should make a chestpiece (worn for seeking the judgment of Jehovah) to match the vest with its finely loomed linen made of yarn dyed blue, purple, and scarlet. It should be folded in two so that it will be 9 inches square. Upon it there should be mounted four rows of gemstones. In the first row there should be a carnelian, a topaz, and an emerald; in the second, a turquoise, a lapis lazuli, and a beryl; in the third, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; in the fourth, a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper. They should be mounted in gold settings. The stones, representing the sons of Israel, should be engraved like a signet with the names of each of the 12 tribes of Israel.
For the chestpiece make twisted strands of purest gold. Put two gold rings on the top corners of the chestpiece and attach the gold cords to them, then attach the other ends of the cords into the gold rings at the shoulders of the vest. Put two more gold rings on the bottom corners of the chestpiece, on the inside surface next to the vest. Next, make two more rings for the vest and place them at the edges of the vest just above the sash. With blue cords bind the vest to the chestpiece by running the cords through both sets of rings and securing them. In this way the chestpiece piece will be securely attached to the vest and be positioned just above the sash.
Aaron shall thusly bear the names of the sons of Israel upon his chest and over his heart when he goes to perform his sacred duties before Jehovah. (They will serve, too, as a reminder to Jehovah of his contract with Israel’s people.) Inserted into the pouch of the folded chestpiece (over Aaron's heart) should be the Urim and the Thimmim, to assist him in making judgments for the Israelites. Thus, when Aaron approaches Jehovah he will always carry them with him.
The robe covering the vest should be of a single piece of cloth, blue in color. It should have a hole in the top of it. Around the hole, so that it will not tear, there should be a row of top stitching like that which binds the borders of garments. The hem of the robe should be adorned with decorative motif consisting of pomegranate balls, made of yarn dyed blue, purple, and scarlet, and gold bells, with the pomegranates and the bells alternating in the decoration around the entire length of the hem. Aaron must always wear this robe when ministering so the tinkle of the bells will announce his presence as he enters and exits the Sanctum; otherwise he might be thought a violator and killed.
And there should be made a medallion of pure gold and engraved upon it, in the manner of signets, "Holiness to Jehovah." It should be fastened with a blue cord to the turban. It should be placed in the front of the turban so that it hangs over the forehead of the high priest. It should rest on Aaron's forehead to symbolize his role in assuming the guilt of his people and in making the offerings they consecrate to Jehovah acceptable to him. (It must always rest on his forehead so that Jehovah will be pleased with the offerings.)
The tunic should be made from finely loomed, patterned linen. A turban should be fashioned from the same material, and there should be a decorated sash.
For the sons of Aaron you should also make linen robes, sashes, and turbans of magnificence and dignity. Garb your brother Aaron and his sons in these vestments, consecrate, and anoint them so that they may serve as priests for me.
Also you should make for them linen underdrawers to cover their bare skin from the waist to the knees. Aaron and his sons should wear them whenever they enter the Tabernacle or approach the altar to officiate in the Sanctum; not to do so is to commit a capital offense. (This will be a permanent rule for them and for the descendants that will succeed them.)
Notes
1. Finding the correct names for the gems to be fitted into the chestpiece has always been problematic. Many translations, especially the older ones, cite gems that would not have been available to the Israelites. Diamonds were not known in the West or Middle East until Roman times, and even then it was a long time after before they were cut into gemstones. Sapphires and rubies were also not known during biblical times. Although modern translators should know better, there are still references to these gems in many recent versions of the Bible. It should be mentioned that this interest in gemstones on the part of the Hebrews is probably derived from the Egyptians. Gemstones were regarded as having mystical properties as well as symbolic significance.
2. The gold chains described would be corded chains made of twisted strands like a rope and not the linked chain, which was not invented until the 3rd Century B.C.
2. The description of the robe, apparently just a piece of material with a hole in it, gives one an insight to the rather primitive state of tailoring at this time. A sash to secure at the waist would be necessary to prevent the robe from being a formless sack. The vest is just two pieces, a front and back, no fastenings, not even sewn together, but attached with straps. Rings tied together seem to be the sole means of fastening at the time and little sewing of the fabric seems to be done. Decoration of garments is often referenced. Were they painted or dyed or was there some sort of applique involved? Embroidery, the obvious means of decoration, was not yet practiced, although many translations inaccurately use the term.
3. Different translations suggest disparate images of how the Jehovan high priest may have looked. Breastplate, mitre, and girdle present a different picture than the more accurate chestpiece, turban, and sash. The vest is generally called the Ephod, but I have avoided using the term for what was in all respects a vest.
3. The Urim and Thimmim are a source of much intriguing speculation. Most believe they were small objects of some sort, gems, amulets, stones, tablets, that were held inside the chestpiece. The words mean something akin to revealed truth. The Urim and the Thimmim functioned as a means of divination in some way we do not understand. The authors of Exodus probably did not understand their use either, since by the time of the writing of the Bible the practice had died out. We may assume that the high priest would sometimes be consulted as an oracle. Divinely inspired answers to the questions posed to him would be conveyed through the Urim, meaning “no” or “guilty” and the Thimmim, meaning “yes” or “innocent.” Possibly the objects were cast like lots or one of them was drawn out from the chestpiece by the priest as an “answer.” The result of the ceremony would express the will and judgment of Jehovah. There was a similar practice among the ancient Canaanites and the pre-Islamic Arabs. Joseph Smith, the founder of the Latter Day Saints, reportedly used the Urim and the Thimmim, diamond-like stones, to translate the gold tablets upon which the Book of Mormon was inscribed.
4. There is a provision that the priest must wear underdrawers (that seems the best translation since breeches are not regarded as undergarments and a loincloth would not covered the thigh). This is to prevent any leg from showing, a petty detail, but, upon reflection, not so unreasonable, for I imagine few would care to see a modern priest celebrating mass in shorty shorts.
5. Jehovah understandably wants his priests to look like something and be well turned out. The gemstones and all the gold, however, suggest what is to most moderns an unseemly opulence -- inconsistent, to be sure, with the Christian (at least early Christian and Protestant) attitude toward ostentatious displays of wealth.
Instructions for the Building of the Altar and the Courtyard
(Exodus 27:1-27:21)
You should also construct an altar of red acacia wood with the dimensions 4 1/2 feet high and 7 1/2 feet square. There should be horns at each of the four corners; they should be of one piece with the altar and overlaid with bronze. There should be made trays to collect the ashes, as well as utensils such as shovels, basins, forks, and fire pans, all of which are to be made of bronze. A screen-like grate of bronze, with four bronze rings at each of its four corners, should be made and placed beneath the rim of the altar so that it extends halfway down the side of the altar. Staves should be made for the altar out of red acacia wood overlaid with bronze. They are to be inserted through the rings on opposite sides of the altar so that it can be carried. The altar should not be solid, but hollow inside, in accordance with the design I have shown you on the mountain.
A courtyard should be made for the Tabernacle. On the south side there should be a partition of curtains made of finely loomed linen 150 feet long. They should be hung on silver curtain hooks and rods between 20 posts inserted into 20 plinths of bronze. The north side should be the same. On the west side of the courtyard, the partition of curtains should be 75 feet in length, with ten posts and ten plinths. That on the east side, where the entrance is, the curtains will also be 75 feet in length. On each side of the entrance the curtains should extend for 23 feet and be supported by three posts and three plinths. For the entrance there should be a 30 foot curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn of finely loomed, decorated linen, with 4 posts and the same number of plinths.
The posts that enclose the courtyard should have curtains rods and hooks of silver and plinths of bronze. The length of the courtyard should be 150 feet long by 75 feet wide with a perimeter of curtains 7 1/2 feet high. All the equipment used for services in the Tabernacle -- as well as the post dowels for the Tabernacle and the courtyard enclosure -- should be made of bronze.
Order the people of Israel to bring you the purest and finest quality olive oil so that the lamps of the menorah may burn continually. The menorah will be placed outside the curtains that veil the Inner Sanctum wherein the Chest of Sacred Records stands. It is the responsibility of Aaron and his sons to tend the flames to ensure they remain burning throughout the night, there before the holy presence. And this duty will be everlasting for future generations of Israel down through the ages.
Notes
1. One continually gets the impression in reading all these precise instructions from Jehovah that the authors were simply recording details that had been passed down to them and probably applicable to a much later date. Religious practices and customs regularly grow and establish themselves over a period of time. But by asserting that they were all dictated by the divinity lends them legitimacy, if not sanctity and thwarts any challenge to their appropriateness. To traditional societies, based on stability, change is an anathema. Religion is often the most reliable guardian and most zealous enforcer of tradition, for its priesthood can credibly assert God's will -- "this is how it must be, for God says so."
2. The curtains that enclosed the Tabernacle courtyard were probable hung from hooks attached to curtain rods -- how else? But the vagueness and ambiguity of the Hebrew words in this account has led many translators to very confusing, if not incomprehensible, descriptions of this simple matter.
3. Olive oil has been considered sacred by early civilizations bordering on the Mediterranean. It was considered so by the ancient Greeks who used it to burn lamps in their temples and to fuel the famous Olympic torch. Although the olive tree is native to Arabia as well as Palestine, one questions whether the wandering Israelites would have found sufficient numbers of wildly growing olive trees in the barren Sinai for the oil they needed. After all, if olive trees could have been readily found there, why would the Israelites have needed manna from heaven to feed themselves? (On the other hand, the red acacia tree, the source of the wood needed for all the lumber in the Tabernacle, does grow wild in the Sinai.)
You should also construct an altar of red acacia wood with the dimensions 4 1/2 feet high and 7 1/2 feet square. There should be horns at each of the four corners; they should be of one piece with the altar and overlaid with bronze. There should be made trays to collect the ashes, as well as utensils such as shovels, basins, forks, and fire pans, all of which are to be made of bronze. A screen-like grate of bronze, with four bronze rings at each of its four corners, should be made and placed beneath the rim of the altar so that it extends halfway down the side of the altar. Staves should be made for the altar out of red acacia wood overlaid with bronze. They are to be inserted through the rings on opposite sides of the altar so that it can be carried. The altar should not be solid, but hollow inside, in accordance with the design I have shown you on the mountain.
A courtyard should be made for the Tabernacle. On the south side there should be a partition of curtains made of finely loomed linen 150 feet long. They should be hung on silver curtain hooks and rods between 20 posts inserted into 20 plinths of bronze. The north side should be the same. On the west side of the courtyard, the partition of curtains should be 75 feet in length, with ten posts and ten plinths. That on the east side, where the entrance is, the curtains will also be 75 feet in length. On each side of the entrance the curtains should extend for 23 feet and be supported by three posts and three plinths. For the entrance there should be a 30 foot curtain of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn of finely loomed, decorated linen, with 4 posts and the same number of plinths.
The posts that enclose the courtyard should have curtains rods and hooks of silver and plinths of bronze. The length of the courtyard should be 150 feet long by 75 feet wide with a perimeter of curtains 7 1/2 feet high. All the equipment used for services in the Tabernacle -- as well as the post dowels for the Tabernacle and the courtyard enclosure -- should be made of bronze.
Order the people of Israel to bring you the purest and finest quality olive oil so that the lamps of the menorah may burn continually. The menorah will be placed outside the curtains that veil the Inner Sanctum wherein the Chest of Sacred Records stands. It is the responsibility of Aaron and his sons to tend the flames to ensure they remain burning throughout the night, there before the holy presence. And this duty will be everlasting for future generations of Israel down through the ages.
Notes
1. One continually gets the impression in reading all these precise instructions from Jehovah that the authors were simply recording details that had been passed down to them and probably applicable to a much later date. Religious practices and customs regularly grow and establish themselves over a period of time. But by asserting that they were all dictated by the divinity lends them legitimacy, if not sanctity and thwarts any challenge to their appropriateness. To traditional societies, based on stability, change is an anathema. Religion is often the most reliable guardian and most zealous enforcer of tradition, for its priesthood can credibly assert God's will -- "this is how it must be, for God says so."
2. The curtains that enclosed the Tabernacle courtyard were probable hung from hooks attached to curtain rods -- how else? But the vagueness and ambiguity of the Hebrew words in this account has led many translators to very confusing, if not incomprehensible, descriptions of this simple matter.
3. Olive oil has been considered sacred by early civilizations bordering on the Mediterranean. It was considered so by the ancient Greeks who used it to burn lamps in their temples and to fuel the famous Olympic torch. Although the olive tree is native to Arabia as well as Palestine, one questions whether the wandering Israelites would have found sufficient numbers of wildly growing olive trees in the barren Sinai for the oil they needed. After all, if olive trees could have been readily found there, why would the Israelites have needed manna from heaven to feed themselves? (On the other hand, the red acacia tree, the source of the wood needed for all the lumber in the Tabernacle, does grow wild in the Sinai.)
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