Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Leviticus 8:35
Therefore shall ye abide [at] the door of the tabernacle of the congregation day and night seven days, and keep the charge of the LORD, that ye die not: for so I am commanded.
35. shall ye abide day and night ] an additional command not given in Exodus 29.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The charge of the Lord; what God hath commanded you concerning your consecration.
If the threatening seem too severe for the fault, it must be considered both that it is the usual practice of lawgivers most severely to punish the first offences for the terror and caution of others, and for the maintenance of their own authority; and that this transgression was aggravated by many circumstances, being committed by sacred and eminent persons, and that in the presence of the people, which made it a public scandal, and in Gods worship, where he is very tender and jealous, and against a plain and easy command of God, and at a time when they were receiving high favours and privileges from God. Nor is sin to be esteemed or measured by the idle fancies of men of corrupt minds and lives, whose interests and lusts easily blind their minds; but by the authority, majesty, and will of the great, and wise, and just Lawgiver.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Therefore shall ye abide at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,…. Or rather “within” it, as Noldius renders it, since they were not to go out of the door of it, Le 8:33 whereas our version seems to leave it undetermined whether they abode without the door or within; where they were to continue,
day and night, seven days; even the seven days of their consecration:
and keep the charge of the Lord, that ye die not; not the charge of the tabernacle, and the service of it committed to them upon their investiture with their office, hereafter to be observed by them; but what was charged upon them to attend unto, during the seven days of their consecration; and the penalty being death in case of failure, was to make them more careful and cautious of transgressing; and which was the more necessary, as they were to be pure and holy at their entrance upon their work: and though this may seem somewhat severe, yet the aggravation of their sin would be the greater, as it was to a sacred and honourable work they were called, and to which they were now consecrating; and as what was required of them was what might easily be complied with: however Moses, to show that this was not of himself, but by divine authority, adds,
for so I am commanded; that is, to declare unto them, that if they did not punctually observe the above orders, they must expect to die.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
35. Abide at the door of the tabernacle The candidates were charged to remain within the sacred court during this probation. They could not enter the holy place or apartment of the priests because their consecration was not complete; they could not come in contact with unsanctified things without the enclosure, because their consecration was begun. “Here we have a fine type of Christ and his people feeding together upon the results of accomplished atonement. Aaron and his sons, having been anointed together on the ground of the shed blood, are here presented to our view as shut in within the precincts of the tabernacle seven days. A striking figure of the present position of Christ and his members during the entire period of this dispensation, shut in with God, and waiting for the manifestation of his glory.” See Lev 9:23.
The charge of the Lord This was the exact fulfilment of the commands found in Exodus 29.
That ye die not Obedience is the best preparation for service. The omission of any of the prescribed ceremonies, or the addition thereto of any human invention, would prove fatal. This strictness was designed to keep this important service free from any heathenish mixture. It was this verse that suggested to Charles Wesley that beautiful hymn now sung throughout Christendom,
“A charge to keep I have.”
For the peril attending the handling of sacred things see Num 4:18, note.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
the tabernacle: Lev 14:8, Exo 29:35, Num 19:12, Eze 43:25, 2Co 7:1, Col 2:9, Col 2:10, Heb 7:28, Heb 9:23, Heb 9:24
keep: Lev 8:30, Lev 10:1, Num 3:7, Num 9:19, Deu 11:1, 1Ki 2:3, 1Ti 1:3, 1Ti 1:4, 1Ti 1:18, 1Ti 5:21, 1Ti 6:13, 1Ti 6:17, 1Ti 6:20, 2Ti 4:1
Reciprocal: Lev 8:4 – General Lev 10:3 – I will be Lev 16:2 – that he die not Psa 134:1 – which by night Eze 40:45 – the keepers Zec 3:7 – if thou wilt keep
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Lev 8:35. Abide at the door of the tabernacle day and night Apply yourselves assiduously to the service of God and the business of your consecration. Let nothing divert you from your sacred duty. Gospel ministers are compared to those that served at the altar, (1Co 9:13,) and being solemnly dedicated to God, ought not to depart from his service, but faithfully abide in it all their days; and they that do so, and continue labouring in the word and doctrine, ought to be counted worthy of double honour, double to that of the Old Testament priests.