High Priest: Aaron was the first who was solemnly set apart to this office
(Exodus 29:7; 30:23; Leviticus 8:12) He wore a peculiar dress, which on his death
passed to his successor in office
(Exodus 29:29,30) Besides those garments
which he wore in common with all priests, there were four that were
peculiar to himself as high priest:1. The "robe" of the ephod, all of blue, of "woven work," worn
immediately under the ephod. It was without seam or sleeves. The
hem or skirt was ornamented with pomegranates and golden bells,
seventy-two of each in alternate order. The sounding of the
bells intimated to the people in the outer court the time when
the high priest entered into the holy place to burn incense
before the Lord
(Exodus 28:1)ff
2. The "ephod" consisted of two parts, one of which covered the
back and the other the breast, which were united by the "curious
girdle." It was made of fine twined linen, and ornamented with
gold and purple. Each of the shoulder-straps was adorned with a
precious stone, on which the names of the twelve tribes were
engraved. This was the high priest's distinctive vestment
(1 Samuel 2:28; 14:3; 21:9; 23:6,9; 30:7)
3. The "breastplate of judgment"
(Exodus 28:6-12; 25-28; 39:2-7) of
"cunning work." It was a piece of cloth doubled, of one span
square. It bore twelve precious stones, set in four rows of
three in a row, which constituted the Urim and Thummim (q.v.).
These stones had the names of the twelve tribes engraved on
them. When the high priest, clothed with the ephod and the
breastplate, inquired of the Lord, answers were given in some
mysterious way by the Urim and Thummim
(1 Samuel 14:3,18,19)
(1 Samuel 23:2,4,9,11,12; 28:6; 2 Samuel 5:23)
4. The "mitre," or upper turban, a twisted band of eight yards of
fine linen coiled into a cap, with a gold plate in front,
engraved with "Holiness to the Lord," fastened to it by a ribbon
of blue. To the high priest alone it was permitted to enter the
holy of holies, which he did only once a year, on the great Day
of Atonement, for "the way into the holiest of all was not yet
made manifest"
(Hebrews 9:1-10:1)ff Wearing his gorgeous
priestly vestments, he entered the temple before all the people,
and then, laying them aside and assuming only his linen garments
in secret, he entered the holy of holies alone, and made
expiation, sprinkling the blood of the sin offering on the mercy
seat, and offering up incense. Then resuming his splendid robes,
he reappeared before the people
(Leviticus 16:1)ff Thus the wearing of
these robes came to be identified with the Day of Atonement. The
office, dress, and ministration of the high priest were typical
of the priesthood of our Lord
(Hebrews 4:14; 7:25; 9:12) etc. It is
supposed that there were in all eighty-three high priests,
beginning with Aaron (B.C. 1657) and ending with Phannias (A.D.
70) At its first institution the office of high priest was
held for life (but comp.)
(1 Kings 2:27) and was hereditary in the
family of Aaron
(Numbers 3:10) The office continued in the line of
Eleazar, Aaron's eldest son, for two hundred and ninety-six
years, when it passed to Eli, the first of the line of Ithamar,
who was the fourth son of Aaron. In this line it continued to
Abiathar, whom Solomon deposed, and appointed Zadok, of the
family of Eleazar, in his stead
(1 Kings 2:35) in which it remained
till the time of the Captivity. After the Return, Joshua, the
son of Josedek, of the family of Eleazar, was appointed to this
office. After him the succession was changed from time to time
under priestly or political influences.
