(3) And gather thou all the congregation together--Better, and gather all the assembly together. The same word is rightly rendered assembly in the Authorised Version in Leviticus 8:4. (See Leviticus 4:13.) That is, call together the assembly of the elders, the heads of the tribes, and the principal men who represented the people. This is confirmed by Leviticus 9:1, where it is distinctly said that "Moses called Aaron and his sous, and the elders of Israel," and where these elders are called in the following verse "the children of Israel," by virtue of their representing the children of Israel.
Unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.--Better, to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that is, the courtyard of the same.
8:1-13 The consecration of Aaron and his sons had been delayed until the tabernacle had been prepared, and the laws of the sacrifices given. Aaron and his sons were washed with water, to signify that they ought to purify themselves from all sinful dispositions, and ever after to keep themselves pure. Christ washes those from their sins in his own blood whom he makes kings and priests to our God, Re 1:5,6; and those that draw near to God must be washed in pure water, Heb 10:22. The anointing of Aaron was to typify the anointing of Christ with the Spirit, which was not given by measure to him. All believers have received the anointing.
And gather thou all the congregation together,.... That is, the heads of the tribes and the elders of the people, as Aben Ezra interprets it; for the whole body of the people, and every individual of them, could not be got together:
unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; taking this for the whole court itself, as it sometimes is; though no doubt on this occasion as great a number was convened as well could be admitted into the court, or about it, to be spectators and witnesses of the solemn investiture of Aaron and his sons with the priestly office.
Unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.--Better, to the entrance of the tent of meeting, that is, the courtyard of the same.
unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation; taking this for the whole court itself, as it sometimes is; though no doubt on this occasion as great a number was convened as well could be admitted into the court, or about it, to be spectators and witnesses of the solemn investiture of Aaron and his sons with the priestly office.