And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel.

And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar; that there be wrath no more upon the children of Israel.

Watch ye in the charge of the sanctuary, and in the ministry of the altar: lest indignation rise upon the children of Israel.

And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar; that there come no wrath any more upon the children of Israel.

and ye have kept the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar, and there is no more wrath against the sons of Israel.

You are to be responsible for the holy place and the altar, so that wrath may never again come on the children of Israel.

And ye shall keep the charge of the holy things, and the charge of the altar, that there be wrath no more upon the children of Israel.

Watch over the care of the Sanctuary, and over the ministry of the altar, lest an indignation may rise over the sons of Israel.

Custodietis igitur custodiam sanctuarii, ne sit posthac indignatio contra filios Israel.

And ye shall keep the charge. He again exhorts the priests to be diligent in the performance of their office, with the addition of a denunciation of punishment if they failed in zeal and earnestness. Nor does He now threaten them alone, but the whole people; neither does this contradict the foregoing declaration, inasmuch as the common fault of all by no means lightened theirs. Nay, if God punished the innocent people on account of the pollution of the sanctuary, how much heavier a punishment awaited the priests, (antistites,) by whose fault the sin was committed, so that they might be justly accounted its authors. Meanwhile let us learn from this passage how sincerely we ought to demean ourselves in the service of God, the profanation of which is intolerable to Him. Moreover, in order that the priests might engage themselves in their duties more actively, and with greater sedulity, He shews that they cannot give way to idleness without base ingratitude, since they reign in a manner over the whole tribe of Levi, or at any rate they hold the supremacy among their brethren. An indirect reproof of their negligence, if they do not faithfully fulfill their duties, is implied, when God reminds them that He has of His liberality honored them with the priesthood. "I have appointed your office, as a gift," i.e., I have gratuitously conferred on you what was otherwise yours by no right. Others read it differently, viz., "I have appointed your priesthood as a ministration of gift:" but since the meaning amounts to the same thing, nor does it make any difference in the main, we may freely take our choice.

And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary,.... That is, the priests, Aaron and his sons; the high priest was to keep the charge of the most holy place particularly, and do what was to be done in that on the day of atonement; and the common priests to keep the charge of the holy place, and do everything relating to the altar of incense, the shewbread table, and candlestick:
and the charge of the altar; of burnt offering, which stood in the court of the tabernacle:
that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel: as had been upon Korah and his company, Numbers 16:32, and as afterwards came on Uzziah, 2-Chronicles 26:19.

The sanctuary - Of the holy, and of the most holy place.