things, of the Temple tribute, of the redemption money, etc., and to have decided all

questions connected with such matters.

Next in rank to these officials were the 'heads of each course' on duty for a week, and

then the 'heads of families' of every course. After them followed fifteen overseers, viz.

'the overseer concerning the times,' who summoned priests and people to their

respective duties; the overseer for shutting the doors (under the direction, of course, of

the Ammarcalin); the overseer of the guards, or captain of the Temple; the overseer of

the singers and of those who blew the trumpets; the overseer of the cymbals; the

overseer of the lots, which were drawn every morning; the overseer of the birds, who

had to provide the turtledoves and pigeons for those who brought such offerings; the

overseer of the seals, who dispensed the four counterfoils for the various meat-offerings

suited for different sacrifices; the overseer of the drink-offerings, for a similar purpose to

the above; the overseer of the sick, or the Temple physician; the overseer of the water,

who had charge of the water-supply and the drainage; the overseer for making the

shewbread; for preparing the incense; for making the veils; and for providing the

priestly garments. All these officers had, of course, subordinates, whom they chose and

employed, either for the day or permanently; and it was their duty to see to all the

arrangements connected with their respective departments. Thus, not to speak of

instructors, examiners of sacrifices, and a great variety of artificers, there must have

been sufficient employment in the Temple for a very large number of persons.

We must not close without enumerating the twenty-four sources whence, according to

the Talmud, the priests derived their support. Of these ten were only available while in

the Temple itself, four in Jerusalem, and the remaining ten throughout the Holy Land.

Those which might only be used in the Temple itself were the priest's part of the sin -

offering; that of the trespass-offering for a known, and for a doubtful trespass; public

peace-offerings; the leper's log of oil; the two Pentecostal loaves; the shewbread; what

was left of meat-offerings, and the omer at the Passover. The four which might be used

only in Jerusalem were the firstlings of beasts, the Biccurim,  35 the portion from the

thank-offering (Lev 7:12; 22:29,30), and from the Nazarite's goat, and the skins of the

holy sacrifices.

Of the ten which might be used throughout the land, five could be given at will to any

priest, viz. the tithe of the tithe, the heave-offering of the dough (Num 15:20; Rom 11:16),

the first of the fleece and the priest's due of meat (Deut 18:3). The other five, it was

thought, should be given to the priests of the special course on duty for the week, viz.

the redemption-money for a first-born son, that for an ass, the 's anctified field of

possession' (Lev 27:16), what had been 'devoted,' and such possession of 'a stranger' or

proselyte as, having been stolen, was restored to the priests after the death of the

person robbed, with a fifth part additional. Finally, to an unlettered priest it was only

lawful to give the following from among the various dues: things 'devoted,' the first-born

of cattle, the redemption of a son, that of an ass, the priest's due (Deut 18:3), the first of

the wool, the 'oil of burning' (a term meaning 'defiled Therumoth.'), the ten things which

were to be used in the Temple itself, and the Biccurim. On the other hand, the high-priest

had the right to take what portion of the offerings he chose, and one half of the

shewbread every Sabbath also belonged to him.

Thus elaborate in every particular was the system which regulated the admission, the

services, and the privileges of the officiating priesthood. Yet it has all vanished, not

leaving behind it in the synagogue even a single trace of its complic ated and perfect