An uncleanness; viz., such as was contracted in laying out the dead body, or touching it; or in going into the house, or assisting at the funeral, &c. (Challoner) --- At the death. Hebrew, "for a soul;" by which name the carcass is here denoted, because it had once been ruled by the soul. (St. Augus... [ Continue Reading ]
_Sister, of the same parents. (Vatable) --- Husband; for if she have, he ought to bury his wife, and to mourn for her. To be deprived of these advantages, was then esteemed a great misfortune._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Prince. Hebrew, "Let not the prince (of the priests, Acts xxiii. 5,) render himself unclean," by attending the funerals of any of the people; or "let not the husband," &c. He may be allowed to attend his wife to the grave: or, as others more probably assert, even this is not permitted. She is not o... [ Continue Reading ]
_Flesh. This would indicate an important grief, and want of patience. (Haydock) --- They were not allowed to put on the usual signs of mourning, as the common people were, provided they did it not in honour of an idol, chap. xix. 27._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Vile, (ver. 14,) defiled, ( sordidam). Hebrew chalala, "a profane woman," (Pagnin) or one of ill-fame; as captives, inn-keepers, are generally esteemed. Zone, means a common prostitute. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] iii. 3.) None of these fit matches for the priests._... [ Continue Reading ]
_And offer. Hebrew addresses this to Moses. "Thou shalt sanctify him, therefore, because he offereth the bread of thy God."_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fire. Provided she be betrothed, and still in her father's house; so that the infamy fall upon him. (Jonathan) --- For if she be with her husband, she must undergo the usual punishment of stoning. Other young women received no corporal punishment for simple fornication: the man was bound to marry t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Head. Septuagint, "by taking off his cidaris, or tiara." He shall not shave his head, chap. x. 6. --- Garments, at funerals, nor the sacred vestments at all. (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
Places. This is to be understood in the same sense. He must not leave his sacred functions to attend any corpse whatever. Having the honour of representing God, and being his first minister on earth, the utmost purity is required of him. Inferior priests may mourn on some occasions; and the Levites... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wife. Josephus says he could not divorce her. The Rabbins allow him only one wife at a time. It is said that Joiada had two. But that might be successively; and it is not certain that he was the high priest; (2 Paralipomenon xxiv. 3.; Calmet) though he has that title in the Vulgate, 2 Paralipomenon... [ Continue Reading ]
_Widow. Other priests might marry the widows of their fellow priests, Ezechiel xliv. 22._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Nation. The wife of the high priest must be of noble birth, that he may speak to kings and princes with more authority. (Menochius) --- Hebrew, "he shall not defile his race," &c., by marrying one of another nation, or contrary to law. If he do, the children shall have no share in the priesthood._... [ Continue Reading ]
_A blemish. These corporal defects or deformities, which disqualified the priests from officiating in the old law, were figures of the vices which priests are to beware of in the new law. (St. Gregory, Cura pastorum.) (Challoner) --- The Rabbins reckon 140 blemishes on which the Sanhedrim had to pas... [ Continue Reading ]
_Nose. Hebrew, "a flat nose, or any thing superfluous." Septuagint, "the nose, (hand) or ears slit." This verse rejects those whose members are too large, as the next does those who have them too small._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Eyed. Hebrew dak, may denote "a dwarf." Syriac, or something very thin, Exodus xvi. 14. --- Pearl, ( albuginem) whiteness. --- Rupture, ( herniosus). One perhaps troubled with the stone, (Menochius) whose testicles have been bruised, (Onkelos) or who has only one (Septuagint and Syriac)._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Veil, which separates the sanctuary from the court. The Athenians chose the most handsome man ot be the king of ceremonies; and the people of Eli appointed such only to carry the sacred vessels, &c. (Atheneus xiii. 2.) (Calmet)_... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER XXI.... [ Continue Reading ]