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Role of Priests in Ancient Israelite Society

In ancient Israelite society, priests (Hebrew: kohen) held a distinct and crucial role, primarily centered on mediating between God and the people through sacrificial offerings and other sacred duties [1, 7]. While initially, the head of each family might have served as a priest, as seen with Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Job, the priesthood later became a specialized office [1, 12].

Under the Mosaic covenant, the priestly office was exclusively limited to the tribe of Levi, specifically to the family of Aaron [1, 5, 13]. Aaron's sons were foundational to this priesthood, serving God on behalf of the people and leading Israel's worship [9]. They were appointed to minister in the Tabernacle and act as guardians of God's covenant [9]. The priests were responsible for offering burnt offerings, sin offerings, and peace offerings on the altar, and burning incense in the holy place [13]. They also had the duty to pray for God's people and invoke His blessing upon them, acting as mediators of God's covenant with Israel [10].

The Levites, descendants of Levi, generally served in subordinate roles to the priests, assisting in the sanctuary service [5, 6]. Their duties included the transportation, assembly, safety, and upkeep of the Tabernacle [9]. While sometimes the term "Levite" could encompass the entire tribe, including priests, it often distinguished those members of the tribe who were not priests [6]. The priests and Levites lived in designated cities and were sustained by heave-offerings and tithes [2, 14].

The conduct of priests was held to a high standard. To lead Israel in worship, a priest had to model exemplary behavior in his personal life and in the leadership of his family, avoiding ties to pagan culture and ensuring the legitimacy of his family [11]. This emphasis on purity and proper conduct underscored their role as representatives before a holy God [7, 11].

Beyond the specific duties of the Aaronic priesthood, the concept of "elder" (Hebrew: zaqen) also played a significant role in Israelite society, denoting individuals clothed with authority and respect [3, 4]. Elders held political office and were key figures in the community, often being the older, influential people of the nation [3, 4]. Moses opened his commission to the elders of Israel, and seventy elders attended him at the giving of the law and were selected to help bear the burden of the people [4].

The establishment of a public priesthood under Aaron marked a significant shift from earlier practices where family heads officiated [12]. This institutionalized priesthood was central to Israel's identity and worship, serving as a visible center of their unity [12]. The prophetic vision of Isaiah even speaks of a future time when God would take some from among the Gentiles to be priests, which some interpretations understand as referring to ministers of the word in Gospel times, signifying a change from the exclusive Aaronic priesthood [8]. The nation of Israel itself was also called to be "a kingdom of priests" and "an holy nation," implying a unique relationship with God compared to other peoples [15].

Sources

  1. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Priest — The Heb. kohen, Gr. hierus, Lat. sacerdos, always denote one who offers sacrifices. At first every man was his own priest, and presented his own sacrifices before God. Afterwards that office devolved on the head of the family, as in the cases of Noah (Gen. 8:20), Abraham (12:7; 13:4), Isaac (26:25), Jacob (31:54), and Job (Job 1:5). The name first occurs as applied to Melchizedek (Gen. 14:18). Under the Levitical arrangements the office of the priesthood was limited to the tribe of Levi, and to only one family of that tribe, the family of Aaron. Certain laws”
  2. Ezra “So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinim, lived in their cities, and all Israel in their cities. -- Ezra 2:70”
  3. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Elder — The term elder, or old man as the Hebrew literally imports, was one of extensive use, as an official title, among the Hebrews and the surrounding nations, because the heads of tribes and the leading people who had acquired influence were naturally the older people of the nation. It had reference to various offices. (Genesis 24:2; 50:7; 2 Samuel 12:17; Ezekiel 27:9) As betokening a political office, it applied not only to the Hebrews, but also to the Egyptians, (Genesis 50:7) the Moabites and the Midianites. (Numbers 22:7) The earliest notice of the elders acti”
  4. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Elder — A name frequently used in the Old Testament as denoting a person clothed with authority, and entitled to respect and reverence (Gen. 50:7). It also denoted a political office (Num. 22:7). The "elders of Israel" held a rank among the people indicative of authority. Moses opened his commission to them (Ex. 3:16). They attended Moses on all important occasions. Seventy of them attended on him at the giving of the law (Ex. 24:1). Seventy also were selected from the whole number to bear with Moses the burden of the people (Num. 11:16, 17). The "elder" is the keyst”
  5. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Levite — A descendant of the tribe of Levi (Ex. 6:25; Lev. 25:32; Num. 35:2; Josh. 21:3, 41). This name is, however, generally used as the title of that portion of the tribe which was set apart for the subordinate offices of the sanctuary service (1 Kings 8:4; Ezra 2:70), as assistants to the priests. When the Israelites left Egypt, the ancient manner of worship was still observed by them, the eldest son of each house inheriting the priest's office. At Sinai the first change in this ancient practice was made. A hereditary priesthood in the family of Aaron was then in”
  6. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Levites — (descendants of Levi). Sometimes the name extends to the whole tribe, the priests included, (Exodus 6:25; Leviticus 25:32; Numbers 35:2; Joshua 21:3,41) etc; sometimes only to those members of the tribe who were not priests, and as distinguished from them. Sometimes again it is added as an epithet of the smaller portion of the tribe, and we read of "the priests the Levites." (Joshua 3:3; Ezekiel 44:15) The history of the tribe and of the functions attached to its several orders is essential to any right apprehension of the history of Israel as a people. It w”
  7. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Priest — The English word is derived from the Greek presbyter, signifying an "elder" (Heb. cohen). Origin.--The idea of a priesthood connects itself in all its forms, pure or corrupted, with the consciousness, more or less distinct of sin. Men feel that they have broken a law. The power above them is holier than they are, and they dare not approach it. They crave for the intervention of some one of whom they can think as likely to be more acceptable than themselves. He must offer up their prayers, thanksgivings, sacrifices. He becomes their representative in "things p”
  8. Isaiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Isaiah 66:21: And I will also take of them for priests,.... That is, of the Gentiles, the brethren brought as an offering to the Lord; and therefore must respect Gospel times, when the Aaronic priesthood would be changed and cease, which admitted not of Gentiles, nor any of any other tribe in Israel, but the tribe of Levi; nor is this to be understood of the spiritual priesthood common to all believers, Pe1 2:5 since of those converted Gentiles brought, not all, but only some of them, would be taken for priests; and therefore can only be interpreted of the ministers of the word, w”
  9. Numbers (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Numbers 3:1: 3:1–4:49 The duties of Israel’s priests and Levites included the transportation, assembly, safety, and upkeep of the Tabernacle. The physical arrangement of Israel’s tribes reflected concern for these activities. 3:1-4 The family line of Aaron provided the professional priests who led Israel’s worship. Aaron’s four sons were the foundation of Israel’s priesthood; they stood in God’s presence and served him on behalf of the people. They were appointed to lead the people and serve the Lord as ministers in the Tabernacle and as guardians of God’s covenant with his pe”
  10. Numbers (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Numbers 6:27: 6:27 The priests were the mediators of God’s covenant with Israel, so their duty was to pray for God’s people and invoke his blessing on them. Jesus has the same role in relation to the church (see Rom 8:34; Heb 2:17-18; 4:14-16).”
  11. Leviticus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Leviticus 21:7: 21:7 The priest, to lead Israel in worship, had to model the highest standard of conduct for the people both in his personal life and in leadership of his family. He could have no ties to pagan culture (prostitution, 21:9), nor could the legitimacy of his family be questioned (divorce). Similar standards applied to leaders of the early church (1 Tim 3:1-13).”
  12. Exodus (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Exodus 28:1: We have here, I. The priests nominated: Aaron and his sons, Exo 28:1. Hitherto every master of a family was priest to his own family, and offered, as he saw cause, upon altars of earth; but now that the families of Israel began to be incorporated into a nation, and a tabernacle of the congregation was to be erected, as a visible centre of their unity, it was requisite there should be a public priesthood instituted. Moses, who had hitherto officiated, and is therefore reckoned among the priests of the Lord (Psa 99:6), had enough to do as their prophet to consult th”
  13. 1 Samuel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Samuel 2:27: And did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest,.... He did; of all the tribes of Israel the Lord chose the tribe of Levi to place the priesthood in, and of all the families of that tribe he chose the house of Aaron, Eli's ancestor, to minister in the priest's office, see Exo 28:1. to offer upon mine altar; burnt offerings, sin offerings, and peace offerings; this is the altar of burnt offering, which stood in the court of the tabernacle: to burn incense; on the altar of incense, which was in the holy place, and on which incense was burnt mo”
  14. Sefaria (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) on 2 Chronicles 31:17: And the priests who traced their genealogy to the house of their fathers, and the Levites with the genealogy of their infants, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. They would supply their sustenance from the heave-offerings and the tithes for that entire congregation. All these whom we mentioned [would supply food] to those who stood in the forecourt, and also to the sons of Aaron, the priests whose watch had not yet come about in which to minister, and who were in the field of the open land of their cities, in every city.”
  15. Exodus (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Exodus 19:6: ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests--As the priestly order was set apart from the common mass, so the Israelites, compared with other people, were to sustain the same near relation to God; a community of spiritual sovreigns. an holy nation--set apart to preserve the knowledge and worship of God.”
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