- carried the ark:
- Heb. made the ark to ride, at "And thou shalt appointª° Aaronª and his sons,ª and they shall wait onª°¹ their priest's office:ª and the strangerª° that cometh nighª shall be put to death.ª°" {Num 3:10} and again at verse 38. A particular caution is given that strangers must not touch, or even pry into, the most holy things connected with the tabernacle, lest the offender die. In giving the law, also, even a beast which touched Sinai's mount was, by the Almighty's fiat, to be stoned or thrust through with a dart. And again we read ("And when Aaronª and his sonsª have made an endª° of coveringª°¹ the sanctuary,ª and all¹ the vesselsª of the sanctuary,ª as the campª is to set forward;ª° afterª that,¹ the sonsª of Kohathª shall comeª° to bearª° [it]: but they shall not¹ touchª°¹ [any] holy thing,ª lest they die.ª° These¹ [things are] the burdenª of the sonsª of Kohathª in the tabernacleª of the congregation.ª" {Num 4:15}) after special orders to Aaron and his sons about covering the sanctuary and all the vessels previously to a removal, that the Kohathites, who were to carry them, "shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die." These were positive commands. May the sin of Uzza in touching the ark, warn Christians to take heed of rashness and irreverence in dealing about holy things. See note on "And when they cameª° unto¹ the threshingfloorª of Chidon,ª Uzzaª put forthª°¹ his handª to holdª°¹ the ark;ª for¹ the oxenª stumbled.ª°" {1Ch 13:9}.
|
