THE TABERNACLE.

THE PRIESTS.

[1597-1451 B.C.

manded. Bezaleel and Aholiab also made the vessels and furniture for the Tabernacle; the ark was made of shittim-wood; the mercyseat of pure gold; the table of shittim-wood, and the dishes, spoons, and covers, which were kept on it, of pure gold. The candlestick, with six branches, was made of pure gold; the incense-altar was of shittim-wood, overlaid with gold; the altar of burnt-offering was of shittim-wood, overlaid with brass; and the vessels of the altar— the pots, shovels, basons, flesh-hooks, and fire-pans, were made of brass; the laver, which held water, in which the priests washed their hands and feet, was also made of brass. Vestments were also

made for the priests.

After all was finished the Tabernacle was erected in the wilderness, the coverings were put on it, the furniture and vessels were anointed and placed within it, and the Tabernacle was consecrated to the Lord. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. And when the cloud was taken up from over the Tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward in their journeys; but if the cloud were not taken up, then they journeyed not till the day that it was taken up. God chose Aaron and his sons to be priests. They were to offer prayers and sacrifices to God for the people. Moses consecrated them with oil, and the blood of bulls and rams. They were required to live holy lives. God promised to sanctify Aaron and his sons, to serve him.

LESSON 24.

LEV. ix-NUMB. X.

Nadab and Abihu Slain. The Levites Consecrated.

When Aaron made his first offerings to the Lord for himself, and for the people, as Moses commanded him, the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people, and there came a fire out from

before the Lord, and consumed the burnt-offering upon the altar, which when all the people saw they shouted and fell upon their faces.

Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. The people took the bodies of Nadab and Abihu, and buried them outside of the camp. God then commanded that the priests should not drink wine nor strong drink when they went into the Tabernacle, lest they should die.

God gave Moses many laws for the Israelites. Some of them are called the ceremonial law; they relate to sacrifices and offerings in general, to religious feasts and fasts, to cleansings of various kinds, to forbidden food and forbidden pleasures. The principal offerings were the Burnt-offering, Meat-offering, Peace-offering, Sin-offering, and Trespass-offering. Another class of laws was for the guidance of the judges and rulers in the government of the nation; these laws are called the civil code. All these ordinances and laws the Israelites were commanded strictly to observe.

Two men strove together in the camp, and one of them blasphemed and cursed God. He was put into prison. Moses inquired of the Lord how he was to be punished. God said he was to die. The people took him outside the camp, and stoned him until he died. His mother was Shelomith, an Israelitish woman, but his father was an Egyptian.

The descendants of Levi were called Levites. When the children of Israel journeyed in the Wilderness of Sinai, God said the Levites were to serve him in the Tabernacle. He accepted them instead of the firstborn of the Israelites. Moses consecrated them. Their business was to instruct the people, to wait on the priests, and to take care of all things belonging to the Tabernacle. The sons of avi were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari; their descendants con

THE LEVITES. THE PEOPLE MURMUR. [1597-1451 B.C.

stituted the three orders of Levites; the Gershonites had charge of all the coverings, hangings, and curtains of the Tabernacle; they were to encamp on the western side of the Tabernacle. The Kohathites were appointed to carry the ark and the sacred vessels, the table and the candlestick; they were to encamp on the southern side of the Tabernacle. The Merarites had the care of the boards, pillars and sockets of the Tabernacle, and of the court round about; they were to encamp on the northern side of the Tabernacle.

LESSON 25.

NUMBERS X. 33-xiii-xiv. 1.

Taberah. Miriam's Leprosy. The Spies search Canaan.

When the children of Israel journeyed from Mount Sinai, the ark of the covenant went before them three days' journey to seek a resting place for them. And when the ark set forward, Moses said, "Rise up, LORD, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee flee before thee." And when it rested, he said, "Return, O LORD, unto the many thousands of Israel.”

The people again complained, and the Lord was greatly displeased; he sent down fire, which consumed many of them. Moses prayed for them, and the fire was quenched. The place was called Taberah. They came to Kibroth-hattaavah; here they murmured for flesh. God was angry and sent them quails; the people ate them and were afflicted with a great plague; and many died. Moses complained of the great burden of governing the people; God appointed seventy elders to assist him. The spirit of God which rested upon Moses descended on the seventy elders, and they prophesied. Two of them, called Eldad and Medad, did not go into the Tabernacle, but taught in the camp; Joshua desired Moses to forbid them from prophesying, but Moses would not; he said,

PERIOD III.]

MIRIAM'S LEPROSY. THE SPIES.

"Would God that all the LORD's people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!" Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses, because he had married an Ethiopian woman. For this the LORD punished Miriam with leprosy; she became as white as snow, and was shut out of the camp for seven days.

God commanded twelve men to be sent to search Canaan; a man out of each tribe. Moses therefore sent twelve men, that were heads of the people, from the Wilderness of Paran; and he said unto them, "Go... see the land what it is; and the people that dwelleth therein, whether they be strong or weak, few or many; and what the land is that they dwell in, whether it be good or bad; and what cities they be that they dwell in, whether in tents, or in strong holds; and what the land is, whether it be fat or lean, whether there be wood therein, or not. . . And be ye of good courage, and bring of the fruit of the land."

So they went up, and searched the land, and after forty days, they returned. They brought a bunch of grapes from Eshcol, so large, that two men were required to carry it. All the spies said that Canaan was a good land,- —a land flowing with milk and honey. Caleb and Joshua, two of the spies, wanted the people to go and take possession of it; but the ten told them they were not able. They said, The cities are strong, and the people who dwell therein are giants. The people believed the false report, and lifted up their voice and wept that night.

Taberah-burning;' a place of encampment in the wilderness of Paran. Kibroth-hattaavah-graves of lust;' the encampment of the Israelites at which they lusted for flesh.

Eschol a cluster of grapes;' when the land was divided, the valley of Eschol lay between Simeon and Dan.

...

Then

Then all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said, "Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! were it not better for us to return into Egypt?.. Let us make a captain and let us return into Egypt." Joshua and Caleb spake unto all the people, saying, "Rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land . . . their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us." But all the congregation spake of stoning them. The glory of the Lord then appeared in the tabernacle before all the people; and the Lord said unto Moses, "How long will this people provoke me?... I will smite them with a pestilence." Moses prayed to the Lord not to destroy them. God then said that all the men that came out of Egypt, except Caleb and Joshua, should wander forty years, and die in the wilderness, and that their children should possess the land. God commanded the Israelites to turn back again into the wilderness. The unfaithful spies died of the plague. The next day the people marched towards Canaan, contrary to God's will. They were met by the Amalekites and the Canaanites, who defeated the Israelites, and slew many of them. The Lord permitted the Israelites to be thus punished because of their great disobedience. While the Israelites continued in the Wilderness of Paran, a man was found gathering sticks on the sabbath day. God commanded him to be stoned. God had declared (Exod. xxxi. 14, 15)

that all who worked on the sabbath should surely die.

Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and On rebelled against Moses and Aaron. The earth opened and swallowed them up; and fire came