Page:03.BCOT.KD.HistoricalBooks.B.vol.3.LaterProphets.djvu/274

 therefore, numbered nine father's-houses-six named after Laadan, and three after Shimei.

Verses 12-13
1Ch 23:12-13The fathers'-houses of the Kohathites. - The four sons of Kohath who are named in 1Ch 23:12, as in 1Ch 6:2; 1Ch 6:18, and Exo 6:18, founded the four families of Kohath, Num 3:27. From Amram came Aaron and Moses; see on Exo 6:20. Of these, Aaron with his sons was set apart “to sanctify him to be a most holy one; he and his sons for ever to offer incense before Jahve, to serve Him, and to bless in His name for ever.” קדשׁ ק להקדּישׁו signifies neither, ut ministraret in sancto sanctorum (Vulg., Syr.), nor, ut res sanctissimas, sacrificia, vasa sacra etc. consecrarent (Cler.). Against this interpretation we adduce not only the objection advanced by Hgstb. Christol. iii. p. 119, trans., that the office assigned by it to the Levites is far too subordinate to be mentioned here in the first place, but also the circumstance that the suffix in הקדּישׁו, after the analogy of שׁרתו, must denote the object of the sanctifying; and this view is confirmed by the subject, who offers incense and blesses, not being expressed with להקטיר and לברך. The Vulgate translation cannot be accepted, for קדשׁים קדשׁ cannot be the ablative, and the most holy place in the temple is always called הקּדשׁים קדשׁ with the article. קדשׁים קדשׁ, without the article, is only used of the most holy things, e.g., of the vessels connected with the worship, the sacrificial gifts, and other things which no lay person might touch or appropriate. See on Exo 30:10; Lev 2:3, and Dan 9:24. Here it is committed to Aaron, who, by being chosen for the priest's service and anointed to the office, was made a most holy person, to discharge along with his sons all the priestly functions in the sanctuary. Specimens of such functions are then adduced: יי לפני הקטיר, the offering of the sacrifice of incense upon the altar of the inner sanctuary, as in 2Ch 2:3, 2Ch 2:5; Exo 30:7.; לשׁרתו, “to serve Him,” Jahve, - a general expression, including all the other services in the sanctuary, which were reserved for the priests; and בּשׁמו לברך, to bless in His name, i.e., to pronounce the blessing in the name of the Lord over the people, according to the command in Num 6:23, cf. 1Ch 16:2; Deu 21:5; not “to bless His name” (Ges., Berth.). To call upon or praise the name of God is שׁמו בּרך, Psa 96:2; Psa 100:4; and the assertion that בשׁם בּרך is a somewhat later phrase formed on the model of בשׁם קרא, for “to call upon God” (Ges. in Lex. sub voce בלך), is quite groundless. Our phrase occurs as early as in Deu 10:8 and Deu 21:5; and the latter passage