at liberty to follow their sacred profession, they were exempted from all secular burthens or labours. Of the Levitical cities already mentioned, thirteen were assigned for the residence of the priests, with their respective suburbs (Numb. xxxv.); the limits of which were confined to a thousand cubits beyond the walls of the city, which served for out-houses, as stables, barns, and perhaps for gardens of herbs and flowers. Beyond this they had two thousand cubits more for their pasture, called properly the fields of the suburbs. (Lev. xxv. 34.) So that there were in the whole three thousand cubits round the city; and in this sense we are to understand Numb. xxxv. 4, 5. where the word suburbs comprehends both the houses, without the walls, and also the fields. But though the tribe of Levi had no portion in Canaan assigned them in the first division of it, yet they were not prevented from purchasing land, houses, goods, or cattle, out of their own proper effects. Thus we read that Abiathar had an estate of his own at Anatheth, to which Solomon banished and confined him (1 Kings ii. 26.); and the prophet Jeremiah, who was also a priest, purchased a field of his uncle's son in his own town. (Jer. xxxii. 8, 9.) Such were the residences allotted to the priests. Their maintenance was derived from the tithes offered by the Levites out of the tithes by them received, from the first fruits, from the first clip of wool when the sheep were shorn, from the offerings made in the temple, and from their share of the sin-offerings and thanksgiving-offerings sacrificed in the temple, of which certain parts were appropriated to the priests. Thus in the peace-offerings they had the shoulder and the breast (Lev. vii. 33, 34.) in the sin-offerings, they burnt on the altar the fat that covered certain parts of the sacrifice; the rest belonged to the priest. (Lev. vii. 6. 10.) To him also was appropriated the skin or fleece of every victim; and when an Israelite killed an animal for his own use, there were certain parts assigned to the priest. (Deut. xviii. 3.) All the first-born also, whether of man or beast, were dedicated to God, and by virtue of that devotion belonged to the priests. The men were redeemed for five shekels (Numb. xviii. 15, 16.): the first-born of impure animals were redeemed or exchanged, but the clean animals were not redeemed. They were sacrificed to the Lord; their blood was sprinkled about the altar, and the rest belonged to the priests; who also had the first-fruits of trees, that is, those of the fourth year (Numb. xviii. 13. Lev. xix. 23, 24.), as well as a share in the tithes of the spoils taken in war. (Numb. xxxi. 28-41.) Such were the principal revenues of the priests, which, though they were sufficient to keep them above want, yet were not (as some writers have imagined) so ample as to enable them to accumulate riches, or to impoverish the laity; thus their political influence, arising from their sacred station, as well as from their superior learning and information, was checked by rendering them dependent on the people for their daily bread. By this wise constitution of Moses, they were deprived of all power, by which they might injure the liberty of the other tribes, or in any way

endanger the Israelitish polity, by any ambitious views or prospects: for not only were all the estates of the Levites and priests, but also their persons, given into the hands of the other tribes, as so many hostages, and as a security for their good behaviour. They were so separated from one another, that they could not assist each other in any ambitious design and they were so dispersed among the other tribes, that these could attach the whole subsistence as well as arrest all the persons of the Levites and priests at once, in the event of any national quarrel, or if they were suspected of forming any evil designs against the other tribes of Israel. Hence we may perceive, that, whatever power or influence the Mosaic constitution gave the Levites to do good, the same constitution carefully provided, that they should have no power, either to disturb the peace, or to endanger the liberties of their country.1

III. Over all the priests was placed the HIGH PRIEST, who enjoyed peculiar dignities and influence. He alone could enter the Holy of Holies in the temple: the supreme administration of sacred things was confined to him; he was the final arbiter of all controversies; in later times he presided over the sanhedrin, and held the next rank to the sovereign or prince. His authority, therefore, was very great at all times, especially when he united the pontifical and regal dignities in his own person. In the Old Testament he is sometimes called the priest by way of eminence (Exod. xxix. 30. Neh. vii. 65.), and sometimes the head or chief of the high priests, because the appellation of high priests was given to the heads of the sacerdotal families or courses.

The pontifical dignity, in its first institution, was held for life, provided the high priests were not guilty of crimes that merited deposition. For we read that Solomon deprived Abiathar of this office for being concerned in treasonable practices with Adonijah, who aspired to the throne of Israel. (1 Kings ii. 27.) At its first institution, also, the high priesthood was made hereditary in the family of Aaron (Numb. iii. 10.), who was the first person invested with this dignity. (Lev. viii. 1. et seq. Heb. v. 4, 5.) From Aaron it descended to Eleazar, his eldest son, from whom it passed in long succession to Eli; from him, on account of the wickedness of his sons, the dignity subsequently devolved to the descendants of Ithamar the second son of Aaron. (1 Sam. ii. 35, 36.) In the reign of Solomon, however, it returned again into the family of Eleazar by Zadok (1 Kings ii. 35.); in which it remained until the Babylonian captivity. During this period the high priest was elected by the other priests, or else by an assembly partly consisting of priests.

The first high priest, after the return from the captivity, was Joshua the son of Josedek, of the family of Eleazar; whence the succession went into a private Levitical family. The office was then filled by some of the princes of the Maccabean family. According

1 Lowman's Civil Government of the Hebrews, p. 124.

to the law, it was or ought to have been held for life; but this was very ill obeyed under the Roman government, especially during the time of our Saviour, and in the latter years of the Jewish polity, when election and the right of succession were totally disregarded. The dignity, sanctity, and authority of the high priest were then almost annihilated; and this office was not unfrequently sold to the highest bidder, to persons who had neither age, learning, nor rank to recommend them; nay, even to individuals who were not of the sacerdotal race; and sometimes the office was made annual.1 This circumstance will account for the variations in the lists of the succession to the high priesthood contained in the Scriptures, in Josephus, and in the Talmudical writers; and will also explain the circumstance of several high priests being in existence at the same time, or rather of there being several pontifical men who, having once held the office for a short time, seem to have retained the original dignity attached to the name."

The following TABLE exhibits a CHRONOLOGICAL SERIES OF THE HIGH PRIESTS OF THE HEBREWS, from the Commencement to the Subversion of their State and Government.

1 Josephus de Bell. Jud. lib. iv. c. 3. § 7,8.

2 That this was the case with Annas and Caiaphas, is fully proved by Dr. Lardner's Credibility, book ii. c. 4. 1. (Works, vol. i. pp. 383-386.) The various successions of the high priests are given at length by Reland, Antiq. Hebr. part ii. c. 2. pp. 160-168. Utrecht, 12mo. 1717; and by Calmet, Dict. voce Priest, from whom we have copied the Table in this and the following pages.

3 Antiq. Jud. lib. viii. c. 2. § 2. c. 4. §3

23. Hilkiah, under Hezekiah. 23. Jeozadak. 23. Odeas.

24. Saldam.

The following succession is collected from Ezra, Nehemiah, and Josephus.

29. Joachim, under the reign of Xerxes, Josh. Ant. 1. ii. c. 5.

30. Eliasib, Joasib, or Chasib, under Nehemiah, A. M. 3550.

31. Joiada, or Judah, Neh. xii. 10. 32. Jonathan, or John.

33. Jaddua, or Jaddus, who received Alexander the Great at Jerusalem in 3673, and died in 3682.

34. Onias I. made high-priest in 3681, governed 21 years, and died in 3702.

35. Simon I. called the Just, made high-priest in 3702 or 3703, and died in

3711.

36. Eleazar, made in 3712. Under this Pontiff, the translation of the Septuagint is said to have been made, about the year 3727: he died in 3744.

37. Manasseh, made in 3745, died in 3771.

38. Onias II. made in 3771, died in 3785.

39. Simon II. made in 3785, and died in 3805.

40. Onias III. made in 3805, deposed 3829, died in 3834.

41. Jesus, or Jason, made in 3830, deposed in 3831.

42. Onias IV. otherwise called Menclaus, made in 3832, died in 3842.

43. Lysimachus, vicegerent of Menelaus, killed in 3834.

44. Alcimus, or Jacimus, or Joachim, made in 3842, died 3844.

45. Onias V. He did not exercise his pontificate at Jerusalem, but retired into Egypt, where he built the temple Onion in 3854.

46 Judas Maccabæus, restored the altar and the sacrifices in 3840, died in 3843.

47. Jonathan, the Asmonæan, brother to Judas Maccabæus, created high-priest in 3843, and died in 3860.

48. Simon Maccabæus made in 3860, died in 3869.

49. John Hircannus, made in 3869, died in 3898.

50. Aristobulus, king and pontiff of the Jews, died 3899.

51. Alexander Jannæus, also king and pontiff during 27 years, from 3899 to 3926.

52. Hyrcanus was high-priest for the space of 32 years in the whole, from 3926 to 3958.

53. Aristobulus, brother to Hyrcanus, usurped the high-priesthood, and held it three years and three months, from 3935 to 3940.

54. Antigonus, his son, also usurped the priesthood in prejudice to the rights of Hyrcanus, and possessed it for three years and seven months, from 3964 to 3967, when he was taken by Sosius.

55. Ananeel of Babylon, made highpriest by Herod in 3968 till 3970.

56. Aristobulus, the last of the Asmonæans; he did not enjoy the pontificate a whole year. He died in 3970. Ananeel was made high-priest a second time in 3971.

57. Jesus, the son of Phabis, deposed in 3981.

Succession of High Priests after the Captivity.

58. Simon, son of Boethus, made highpriest in 3981, deposed in 3999.

59. Matthias, son of Theophilus, made high-priest in 3999. Ellem was substituted in his place for a day, because of an accident that happened to Matthias, which hindered him performing his office that day.

60. Joazar, son of Simon, son of Boethus, made high-priest in 4000, the year of the birth of Jesus Christ, four years before the commencement of the vulgar

era.

61. Eleazar, brother to Joazar, made high-priest in 4004, of Christ 4, of the vulgar era 1.

62. Jesus, son of Siah, made highpriest in the year of the vulgar era 6. Joazar was made a second time in 7, and posed in 13.

66. Simon, son of Camithus, made high-priest in 25.

67. Joseph, surnamed Caiaphas, made in 26, and continued till 35.

68. Jonathan, son of Ananus, made in 35, and continued till 37.

69. Theophilus, son of Jonathan, made in 37, and continued till 41.

70. Simon, surnamed Cantharus, and son of Simon Boethus, was made highpriest in 41.

71. Matthias, son of Ananus, made high-priest in 42.

72. Elioneus, made in 44, and continued till 45. Simon, son of Cantharus,