Went into the tabernacle of the congregation. — Better, went into the tent of meeting. The sacrifices being ended, there still remained the burning of the incense on the golden altar which stood in the tabernacle. Hence Aaron, conducted by Moses, left the court where the altar of burnt offering stood, and where the sacrifices had been offered, and went into the holy place where the altar of incense stood to perform this last act of the ritual. (See Exodus 30:7, &c.) Having already delivered to Aaron the charge of all the things connected with the sacrifices in the court, Moses now also committed to him the care of the things within the sanctuary, showing him, at the same time, how to offer the incense, how to arrange the shewbread on the table, how to light and trim the lamps of the candlestick, &c., all of which were in the sanctuary. There can, however, hardly be any doubt that whilst there they prayed, as tradition informs us, for the promised manifestation of the Divine presence.
And came out, and blessed the people. — According to an ancient tradition embodied in the Chaldee Version of the Pentateuch, the blessing which Moses and Aaron unitedly bestowed upon the people on coming out of the sanctuary, was as follows : — “May the word of the Lord accept your sacrifice with favour, and remit and pardon your sins.”
And the glory of the Lord appeared. — To show his gracious acceptance of the institution of the priesthood, and of the whole service connected therewith, God manifested himself in the more luminous appearance of the cloudy pillar. This glorious appearance which, in a lesser degree, always filled the tabernacle, was now visible in greater effulgence to all the people who witnessed the installation. (Comp. Exodus 16:10; Exodus 40:34; 1 Kings 8:10-12.)