Leviticus 16:2
And he commanded him, saying, Speak to Aaron thy brother, that he enter not at all into the sanctuary, which is within the veil before the propitiatory, with which the ark is covered, lest he die, (for I will appear in a cloud over the oracle,)
The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- et præcepit ei, dicens : Loquere ad Aaron fratrem tuum, ne omni tempore ingrediatur sanctuarium, quod est intra velum coram propitiatorio quo tegitur arca, ut non moriatur (quia in nube apparebo super oraculum),
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ εἶπεν Κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν Λάλησον πρὸς Ἀαρὼν τὸν ἀδελφόν σου, καὶ μὴ εἰσπορευέσθω πᾶσαν ὥραν εἰς τὸ ἅγιον ἐσώτερον τοῦ καταπετάσματος εἰς πρόσωπον τοῦ ἱλαστηρίου, ὅ ἐστιν ἐπὶ τῆς κιβωτοῦ τοῦ μαρτυρίου, καὶ οὐκ ἀποθανεῖται· ἐν γὰρ νεφέλῃ ὀφθήσομαι ἐπὶ τοῦ ἱλαστηρίου.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל מֹשֶׁ֗ה דַּבֵּר֮ אֶל אַהֲרֹ֣ן אָחִיךָ֒ וְאַל יָבֹ֤א בְכָל עֵת֙ אֶל הַקֹּ֔דֶשׁ מִבֵּ֖ית לַפָּרֹ֑כֶת אֶל פְּנֵ֨י הַכַּפֹּ֜רֶת אֲשֶׁ֤ר עַל הָאָרֹן֙ וְלֹ֣א יָמ֔וּת כִּ֚י בֶּֽעָנָ֔ן אֵרָאֶ֖ה עַל הַכַּפֹּֽרֶת
Haydock's commentary
Enter not. No one but the high priest, and he but once a year, could enter into the sanctuary: to signify that no one could enter into the sanctuary of heaven till Christ our high priest opened it by his passion, Hebrews x. 8. (Challoner)
When the tabernacle was to be removed, and when he had to consult the Lord, he might also enter, arrayed in his pontifical attire. If the high priest was prevented by any legal uncleanness, the next priest was substituted to perform his office. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] xvii. 8.) Adjutor vicarius propter cognationem ei datus est.
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Jerome Against Jovinianus, Book II
34. The whole account of the land of Judah and of the tribes is typical of the church in heaven. Let us read Joshua the son of Nun, or the concluding portions of Ezekiel, and we shall see that the historical division of the land as related by the one finds a counterpart in the spiritual and heavenly promises of the other. What is the meaning of the seven and eight steps in the description of the temple? or again, what significance attaches to the fact that in the Psalter, after being taught the mystic alphabet by theone hundred and eighteenth psalm we arrive by fifteen steps at the point where we can sing:“Behold, now bless the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord: ye who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.” Why didtwo tribes and a half dwell on the other side of Jordan, a district abounding in cattle, while the remaining nine tribes and a half either drov …
St Jerome Against the Pelagians, Book I
xv. 31, xvi. 2, 5 . Offerings for the people on the day of atonement.
St John Damascene An Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith, Concerning Worship towards the East
Since, therefore, God is spiritual light, and Christ is called in the Scriptures Sun of Righteousness and Dayspring, the East is the direction that must be assigned to His worship. For everything good must be assigned to Him from Whom every good thing arises. Indeed the divine David also says, Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth: O sing praises unto the Lord: to Him that rideth upon the Heavens of heavens towards the East . Moreover the Scripture also says, And God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed : and when he had transgressed His command He expelled him and made him to dwell over against the delights of Paradise, which clearly is the West. So, then, we worship God seeking and striving after our old fatherland. Moreover the tent of Moses had its veil and mercy seat towards the East. …