HIGH PRIEST. 



741 



which were set in gold, and on which the names of 

 the twelve tribes were engraved. In this dress, 

 the high priest appeared as the holiest and highest 

 person of the nation, in the exercise of his official 

 duties. To him belonged the regulation and super- 

 intendence of the worship of God, the declaration of the 

 oracles of Jehovah to the people (he alone being per- 

 mitted to consult them on important public occasions), 

 and the preservation of the national sanctuary. 

 Although the administration of justice was committed 

 to particular judges, yet to him the last appeal was 

 made in difficult cases, even in temporal afikirs, and 

 nothing important in war or peace could be under- 

 taken without his assent. He was called, by way of 



distinction, the priest who stands before the Lord ; 

 he occupied the peculiar situation of a mediator 

 between Jehovah and the nation. Once a year, he 

 entered alone into the holy of holies (the innermost 

 part of the tabernacle, afterwards of the temple), 

 and, by his prayers and sacrifices on this occasion, 

 the whole Jewish people believed that God was 

 reconciled to them, and all their sins forgiven. 



The following representations of the costume of 

 Jewish priests, we take from Calmet. The first 

 figure represents a high priest on the day of expia- 

 tion ; the second, a high priest in his robes ; the 

 third, a common priest ; and the fourth, a Levite. 



1. 





