(5) Stand in the holy place.--In the Temple court. According to the divisions . . . the Levites.--Rather, according to the sections of the father-houses of your brethren the sons of the people (as opposed to "the sons of Levi"); and, in fact, a portion of a father-house of the Levites; scil., beside every entire father-house of laymen. The Levites were to slay and skin the lambs, and hand the blood to the priests, and to give their share of the roasted flesh to the people (2Chronicles 35:11-12). Verse 5. - In brief, this verse purports to say that, for this special occasion of the Passover, the Levites shall take special care that, as stationed in the holy precincts, there shall be a family of themselves ready to minister to a family... of the people, each to each. 35:1-19 The destruction Josiah made of idolatry, was more largely related in the book of Kings. His solemnizing the passover is related here. The Lord's supper resembles the passover more than any other of the Jewish festivals; and the due observance of that ordinance, is a proof of growing piety and devotion. God alone can truly make our hearts holy, and prepare them for his holy services; but there are duties belonging to us, in doing which we obtain this blessing from the Lord.And stand in the holy place,.... The court of the priests, where their ministrations were:according to the divisions of the families of your brethren the people; of the other tribes, who were according to their families to provide a lamb for the passover: and after the division of the families of the Levites; who were obliged to observe the same ordinance in their respective families, and for whom, as well as for the other families of Israel, they were to slay the lamb. |