3. Tamid i. 2.
4. If we reckon the total number in the twenty-four courses of, presumably, the officiating
priesthood, at 20,000, according to Josephus (Ag. Ap. ii. 8), which is very much below
the exaggerated Talmudic computation of 85,000 for the smallest course (Jer. Taan. 69
a), and suppose, that little more than one-third of each course had come up for duty, this
would give f ifty priests for each week-day, while on the Sabbath the whole course would
be on duty. This is, of course, considerably more than the number requisite, since, except
for the incensing priest, the lot for the morning also held good for the evening sacrific e.
5. Yoma 25 a.
All, priests and laity, were present as the Priest, standing on the east side of the altar,
from a golden bowl sprinkled with sacrificial blood two sides of the altar, below the red
line which marked the difference between ordinary sacrifices and those that were to be
wholly consumed. While the sacrifice was prepared for the altar, the priests, whose lot it
was, had made ready all within the Holy Place, where the most solemn part of the day's
service was to take place - that of offering the incense, which symbolised Israel's
accepted prayers. Again was the lot (the third) cast to indicate him, who was to be
honoured with this highest mediatorial act. Only once in a lifetime might any one enjoy
that privilege.6 Henceforth he was called 'ric h,'7 and must leave to his brethren the hope
of the distinction which had been granted him. It was fitting that, as the custom was, such
lot should be preceded by prayer and confession of their faith8 on the part of the
assembled priests.
6. Tamid v. 2.
7. Yoma 26 a. The designation 'rich' is derived from the promise which, in Deut. xxxiii.
11, follows on the service referred to in verse 10. But probably a spiritual application was
also intended.
8. The so-called Shema , consisting of Deut. vi. 4 -9; xi. 13-21; Num. xv. 37 -41.
It was the first week in October 748 a.u.c.,9 that is, in the sixth year before our present
era, when 'the course of Abia'10 - the eighth in the original arrangement of the weekly
service - was on duty in the Temple. True this, as indeed most of the twenty- four 'courses'
into which the Priesthood had been arranged, could not claim identity, only continuity,
with those whose names they bore. For only three, or at most four, of the ancient 'courses'
had returned from Babylon. But the original arrangement had been preserved, the names
of the missing courses being retained, and their number filled up by lot from among those
who had come back to Palestine. In our ignorance of the number of 'houses of their
father,' or 'families,' which co nstituted the 'course of Abia,' it is impossible to determine,
how the services of that week had been apportioned among them. But this is of
comparatively small importance, since there is no doubt about the central figure in the
scene.