Numbers 18:1
And the Lord said to Aaron: Thou, and thy sons, and thy father's house with thee shall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary: and thou and thy sons with thee shall bear the sins of your priesthood.
The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Dixitque Dominus ad Aaron : Tu, et filii tui, et domus patris tui tecum, portabitis iniquitatem sanctuarii : et tu et filii tui simul sustinebitis peccata sacerdotii vestri.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- Καὶ εἶπεν Κύριος πρὸς Ἀαρὼν λέγων Σὺ καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου καὶ ὁ οἶκος πατριᾶς σου λήμψεσθε τὰς ἀπαρχὰς τῶν ἁγίων· σὺ καὶ οἱ υἱοί σου λήμψεσθε τὰς ἁμαρτίας τῆς ἱερατίας ὑμῶν.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶֽל אַהֲרֹ֔ן אַתָּ֗ה וּבָנֶ֤יךָ וּבֵית אָבִ֨יךָ֙ אִתָּ֔ךְ תִּשְׂא֖וּ אֶת עֲוֺ֣ן הַמִּקְדָּ֑שׁ וְאַתָּה֙ וּבָנֶ֣יךָ אִתָּ֔ךְ תִּשְׂא֖וּ אֶת עֲוֺ֥ן כְּהֻנַּתְכֶֽם
Haydock's commentary
Priesthood. If you transgress, or if you neglect to instruct and watch over those who are employed about the sanctuary, you shall be responsible for it. (Calmet)
You must resist those strangers who would intrude themselves into the office, which I have confirmed to you by miracles. (Menochius)
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
The Apostolic Constitutions Book II. Of Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacons, Sec. III. How the Bishop is to Treat the Innocent, the Guilty, and the Penitent
XVIII . Let the bishop, therefore, extend his concern to all sorts of people: to those who have not offended, that they may continue innocent; to those who offend, that they may repent. For to you does the Lord speak thus: “Take heed that ye offend not one of these little ones.” It is your duty also to give remission to the penitent. For as soon as ever one who has offended says, in the sincerity of his soul, “I have sinned against the Lord,” the Holy Spirit answers, “The Lord also hath forgiven thy sin; be of good cheer, thou shalt not die.” Be sensible, therefore, O bishop, of the dignity of thy place, that as thou hast received the power of binding, so hast thou also that of loosing. Having therefore the power of loosing, know thyself, and behave thyself in this world as becomes thy place, being aware that thou hast a great account to give. …
The Apostolic Constitutions Book II. Of Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacons, Sec. IV. On the Management of the Resources Collected for the Support of the Clergy, and the Relief of the Poor
XXV . Let him use those tenths and first-fruits, which are given according to the command of God, as a man of God; as also let him dispense in a right manner the free-will offerings which are brought in on account of the poor, to the orphans, the widows, the afflicted, and strangers in distress, as having that God for the examiner of his accounts who has committed the disposition to him. Distribute to all those in want with righteousness, and yourselves use the things which belong to the Lord, but do not abuse them; eating of them, but not eating them all up by yourselves: communicate with those that are in want, and thereby show yourselves unblameable before God. …