Leviticus 9:23

Blessed - Happy.

Tabernacle - A tent, booth or dwelling.

Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle - It is supposed that Moses accompanied Aaron into the tabernacle to show him how to offer the incense, prepare the lamps and the perfume, adjust the shew-bread, etc., etc.

And the glory of the Lord appeared - To show that every thing was done according to the Divine mind,

1. The glory of Jehovah appears unto all the people;

2. A fire came out from before the Lord, and consumed the burnt-offering. This was the proof which God gave upon extraordinary occasions of his acceptance of the sacrifice. This was done probably,

1. In the case of Abel, Genesis 4:4.

2. In the case of Aaron; see above, Leviticus 9:24.

3. In the case of Gideon, Judges 6:21.

4. In the case of Manoah and his wife. Compare Judges 13:19-23.

5. In the case of David dedicating the threshing-floor of Ornan, 1 Chronicles 21:28.

6. In the case of Solomon dedicating the temple, 2 Chronicles 7:1.

7. In the case of Elijah, 1 Kings 18:38.

Hence to express the accepting of an offering, sacrifice, etc., the verb דשן dishshen is used, which signifies to reduce to ashes, i. e., by fire from heaven. See Psalm 20:3. In such a case as this, it was necessary that the fire should appear to be divinely sent, and should come in such a way as to preclude the supposition that any art or deceit had been practiced on the occasion. Hence it is not intimated that Moses and Aaron brought it out of the tabernacle, professing that God had kindled it there for them, but the fire Came Out from Before the Lord, and All the People Saw it. The victims were consumed by a fire evidently of no human kindling. Josephus says that "a fire proceeded from the victims themselves of its own accord, which had the appearance of a flash of lightning;" εξ αυτων πυρ ανηφθη αυτοματον, και ὁμοιον αστραπης λαμπηδονι ὁρωμενον τῃ φλογι· "and consumed, all that was upon the altar." - Antiq., lib. iii., c. 8, s. 6, edit. Haverc. And it is very likely that by the agency of the ethereal or electric spark, sent immediately from the Divine presence, the victims were consumed. The heathens, in order to give credit to their worship, imitated this miracle, and pretended that Jupiter testified his approbation of the sacrifices offered to him by thunder and lightning: to this Virgil seems to allude, though the words have been understood differently.

Audiat haec genitor, qui foedera fulmine sancit.

Aen. xii., ver. 200.

continued...

Aaron, having now gone through the cycle of priestly duties connected with the brass altar, accompanies Moses into the tent of Meeting. It was reasonable that Moses, as the divinely appointed leader of the nation, should induct Aaron into the tabernacle.

Blessed the people - This joint blessing of the mediator of the Law and the high priest was the solemn conclusion of the consecration and Inauguration. (Compare 2 Chronicles 6:3-11.) According to one tradition, the form used by Moses and Aaron resembled Psalm 90:17. But another form is given in the Targum of Palestine, "May your offerings be accepted, and may the Lord dwell among you and forgive you your sins."

9:23 And Moses — Went in with Aaron to direct him, and to see him perform those parts of his office which were to be done in the holy place, about the lights, and the table of shew-bread, and the altar of incense, upon which part of the blood of the sacrifices now offered was to be sprinkled, Leviticus 4:7,16.

And blessed the people — Prayed to God for his blessing upon them, as this phrase is explained, Numbers 6:23, etc. and particularly for his gracious acceptation of these and all succeeding sacrifices, and for his signification thereof by some extraordinary token.

And the glory of the Lord — Either a miraculous brightness shining from the cloudy pillar, as Exodus 16:10, or a glorious and visible discovery of God's gracious presence and acceptance of the present service.